Labor & Employment (Public Employees)

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 89: State employees; directing Office of Management and Enterprise Services to establish procedure for conversion of certain unused leave. Effective date.

SB 89 allows Oklahoma state employees to convert unused sick leave into retirement service credit instead of purchasing it. Specifically, it directs the Office of Management and Enterprise Services to create a procedure enabling employees to transfer unused sick leave toward required retirement service credit. This applies to eligible employees who would otherwise need to buy additional service credit for retirement purposes. The bill amends Oklahoma Statutes §840-2.20 and §913 to implement this conversion option, effective upon enactment.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAllows state employees to convert unused sick leave to retirement credit without cost, expanding retirement benefits - directly enhances worker benefits under employment standards.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Mar 5, 2025

HB 1627: Cities and towns; unfair labor practices; Public Employees Relations Board; procedures; arbitration; fees and expenses; effective date.

HB 1627 modifies Oklahoma's process for resolving unfair labor practice disputes involving public employees in cities and towns. It requires written notice of alleged violations within six months and establishes a specific arbitration procedure: each party (employer and union) selects one arbitrator, who then jointly select a third; if they fail, the Federal Mediation Service provides a list for alternating strikes. The bill also changes fee rules, requiring the bargaining agent to cover their selected arbitrator's fees and the employer to cover theirs, while splitting the third arbitrator's fees equally. This applies to interest arbitration, unfair practice disputes, and union representation decisions, effective November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill establishes clear arbitration procedure for resolving unfair labor practice disputes involving public employees, facilitating timely grievance resolution and protecting worker rights. Fee rule requiring bargaining agent to cover own costs is ...90% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Public Employees

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signed · Oklahoma · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 169: State government; increasing certain state employee longevity payment amounts. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 169 increases annual longevity pay for eligible Oklahoma state employees based on years of service, with payments rising from $250 to $3,000 per year for 20+ years of service. It directly affects most full-time and part-time state employees (excluding elected officials, school districts, and certain boards/commissions), including conservation district workers under the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. The bill updates payment schedules in the statute, clarifies eligibility rules for continuous service (allowing 30-day breaks), and specifies that part-time employees working over 150 hours monthly count toward eligibility. The changes apply to employees certified by their agency and take effect upon enactment.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases state employee longevity pay from $250 to $3,000 annually for 20+ years of service, directly enhancing compensation benefits for eligible workers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 1233: State government; creating the State Employee Compensation Board. Effective date.

SB 1233 creates the State Employee Compensation Board to review and recommend salary and benefit adjustments for Oklahoma state employees. The board, appointed by the Governor and legislative leaders (including minority leaders), will meet every two years to propose changes via majority vote. Its recommendations must be submitted electronically to key state officials, who will then consider them. This bill establishes a formal process for reviewing state employee compensation but does not set specific pay rates or funding. It takes effect on November 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates formal process for state employee compensation review and recommendation, advancing worker benefits through structured salary/benefit adjustments.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 87: Paid leave for state employees; providing paid parental leave for certain state employees. Effective date.

SB 87 creates paid parental leave for eligible Oklahoma state employees, expanding existing leave benefits beyond maternity leave to include parental leave. It requires state agencies to continue paying employees their regular wages during approved parental leave and provides job protections during this period. The bill amends Oklahoma Statutes Section 840-2.20 to integrate these parental leave provisions into the state’s existing leave framework, affecting all state employees who qualify under the updated rules. The policy change takes effect July 1, 2023, as specified in the bill.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRequires state agencies to fund paid parental leave wages, increasing budget expenditure for employee benefits without tax changes.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates paid parental leave with wage continuation and job protection for state employees, expanding worker benefits beyond maternity leave.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave Public Employees

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 1289: State employee compensation; providing for salary increase for certain employees. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1289 provides a 5% annual salary increase for eligible state employees effective July 1, 2026, based on their salary as of June 30, 2026. It directly affects full-time, part-time, temporary, and limited-term state workers who were employed on June 30, 2026, excluding elected officials, judges, cabinet secretaries, district attorneys, higher education staff, and other specific categories listed in the bill. The increase is prorated for part-time employees based on their work schedule, and employees on leave without pay receive the raise upon returning to work. The bill explicitly excludes certain leadership roles and agencies from the pay adjustment, as detailed in Section 1D of the text.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides 5% annual salary increase for eligible state employees, directly advancing wage standards and compensation for covered workers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees

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passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 16, 2025

HB 1424: Cities and towns; unfair labor practice; Public Employees Relations Board; arbitrator selection; fees and expenses; effective date.

HB 1424 establishes a new process for resolving unfair labor practice claims between cities/towns (local government employers) and public employee unions. It requires written notification of alleged unfair labor practices within six months, followed by a specific three-step arbitrator selection process: each party selects one arbitrator within 10 days, they jointly select a third (or use the Federal Mediation Service if needed), and the third serves as chair. The bill specifies that the first two arbitrators' fees are paid by their respective sides, while the third arbitrator's reasonable fees are shared equally. This process applies to interest arbitration, unfair labor practice disputes, and union certification matters.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates structured arbitration process for public sector labor disputes, strengthening union rights to address unfair practices through defined resolution procedures.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Professional Licensing Public Employees

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 724: Labor; creating the Expanding Public Sector Career Opportunities Act; prohibiting public employers from certain hiring practices. Effective date.

SB 724, the "Expanding Public Sector Career Opportunities Act," prohibits Oklahoma public employers (state, county, and municipal agencies) from rejecting job applicants solely for lacking a postsecondary degree. Instead, employers must set baseline requirements focused on direct work experience or specific certifications, allowing up to 9 years of experience to substitute for a doctoral degree. The bill requires employers to justify degree requirements in job postings and provides applicants a written notice and appeal process to the Office of Management and Enterprise Services if rejected for lacking a degree. It aims to broaden hiring opportunities by reducing unnecessary educational barriers while maintaining role-specific skill requirements. The law takes effect November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRemoves degree barriers for public sector jobs, allowing work experience substitution (up to 9 years for doctoral equivalent), expanding employment opportunities for workers without college degrees.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 25, 2025

SB 90: Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System; providing for benefit increase.

SB 90 provides a 5% benefit increase for retirees in several Oklahoma public employee retirement systems, including firefighters, police officers, judges, law enforcement, teachers, and general public employees. This applies to those receiving benefits as of June 30, 2025, and continuing to receive them after the bill's effective date (July 1, 2026). The bill includes offset provisions for certain pre-1981 retirees: their increases may be partially reduced based on changes to firefighter or police officer base salaries. The policy directly affects current retirees in these specific systems without altering the core benefit structure for most recipients.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill increases state spending on public employee retirement benefits (5% increase), directly funding essential public service compensation programs.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill increases retirement benefits by 5% for public employees, expanding worker benefits per Labor & Employment topic indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Pensions Public Employees

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vetoed · Oklahoma · House May 29, 2025

HB 1138: Law enforcement; modifying duties of the Human Capital Management Division and the Civil Service Division of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services; effective date.

HB 1138 creates a State Employee Dispute Resolution Program for Oklahoma state employees, requiring the Human Capital Management and Civil Service Divisions to handle complaints about disciplinary actions like terminations, suspensions, or written reprimands. It mandates mediation for most disputes before hearings, establishes an Office of Veterans Placement, and creates a confidential whistleblower program for reporting mismanagement or fraud involving state funds. The bill sets strict timelines (10 days to file complaints, 30 days for hearings) and requires quarterly reports on case volumes to state leadership. It directly affects most state employees but excludes elected officials, judges, certain political appointees, and employees in specific categories like temporary or seasonal roles. The law also shifts all state employee positions to be administered by the Human Capital Management Division without prior classified/unclassified distinctions.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates dispute resolution program for state employees, mandates mediation for disciplinary complaints, and establishes whistleblower protections - directly advancing worker rights and protections within state employment.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransCreates Office of Veterans Placement for employment assistance, directly supporting veteran employment as per topic indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees

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