Department of Civil Service

NY25-25

TO: New York State Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: 2026 Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP)
DATE: October 30, 2025

The Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) for 2026 is available to Executive Branch employees represented by Council 82, CSEA, DC-37, NYSCOPBA, APSU (PBANYS), PEF, M/C; Legislature and UUP as well as SUNY M/C employees and Unified Court System employees.

PEP allows eligible employees to exchange previously accrued annual leave and/or personal leave in return for a biweekly credit that reduces their share of the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) premium.

For information regarding PEP eligibility requirements, calculation of PEP credit and enrollment period dates, please refer to Attendance and Leave Policy Bulletin 2025-2. In addition to an overview of the program, the memo includes the 2026 PEP program description and the 2026 PEP enrollment form. Your agency attendance and leave office must first review requests for eligibility prior to forwarding to the HBA for entry into NYBEAS.

SUNY administration and the benefits offices for Legislative and Judicial Branch employees will make available the 2026 PEP program description and enrollment form specific to their employees.

PEP Premium Contribution Credit
The 2026 PEP credit will begin with the first 2026 health insurance premium deduction. Refer to the “Timing of NYBEAS Processing and Paycheck Dates” section of this memo for effective dates of the 2026 PEP credit.

The amount that will be credited toward the biweekly employee share of the health insurance premium is reflected in the following charts and is based upon the employee’s salary grade and number of leave days forfeited.

The credit for part-time employees will be prorated based upon their payroll percentage. In no case will the PEP credit exceed the employee’s biweekly NYSHIP premium due.

Eligible Executive Branch Council 82, CSEA, DC-37, NYSCOPBA, APSU (PBANYS), PEF Non-Teachers and M/C; Legislature Employees

Full-time employees in positions at or equated to Salary Grade 17 and below:

Full-time employees in positions at or equated to Salary Grade 18 through 24 (through Grade 23 for M/C; Legislature): 

M/C employees of SUNY should refer to the 2026 PEP program description and enrollment form from SUNY administration for specific PEP eligibility information.

Eligible Unified Court System (UCS) Employees

Full-time employees of the Unified Court System at or below Judicial Salary Grade 16:

 
Full-time employees of the Unified Court System at and including Judicial Salary Grade 17 through 23: 

UUP-Represented Employees (may only forfeit annual leave)

Employees earning at or below $80,658 annually:

Employees earning above $80,658 and below $115,202 annually:

PEF Institution Teachers (may only forfeit personal leave)

Institution Teachers in positions at or equated to Salary Grade 17 and below:

 
Institution Teachers in positions at or equated to Salary Grades 18 through 24:

Agencies are responsible for distribution and retention of the enrollment forms and for the coordination between the agency personnel office and the HBA with respect to certification of accrual adjustment(s) and initiating the PEP credit on NYBEAS.

NYBEAS PROCESSING WINDOW
The “NYBEAS PEP Enrollment” panel will be open to HBAs for processing November 1 through December 31, 2025.  

Forms submitted between November 1 through December 8, 2025, will be accepted for review and approval.

For questions related to processing the PEP transaction on NYBEAS, contact the HBA Helpline at 518-474-2780.

For questions related to PEP eligibility, calculation of PEP credits or enrollment period dates, please contact the attendance and leave office at 518-457-2295 or refer to Attendance and Leave Policy Bulletin 2025-02, which can be found at cs.ny.gov/attendance_leave/index.cfm.

TIMING OF NYBEAS PROCESSING AND PAYCHECK DATES
Because the transaction to enter the PEP credit cannot be keyed until after the certification of the accrual adjustment, it is critical to coordinate with staff handling your agency’s attendance and leave function.

The following chart explains which checks will be impacted when you process the PEP enrollment. Be prepared to answer questions once the employee’s paycheck has been impacted. PEP enrollments processed in NYBEAS after the processing cutoff date below will not be processed in time for the first paycheck in the 2026 plan year. Retroactive PEP credits will be applied in the employee’s next paycheck.