Retroactive Pay for Employees Separated or Retired before Effective Date of Negotiated Wage Increases

An advance decision was requested concerning the legality of paying retroactive salary and lump-sum payments to wage-board employees who were retired or separated from service prior to the date a retroactive wage increase was put into effect based on arbitration. The former employees are entitled to receive the retroactive wage adjustment because limitations imposed in legislation involving adjustments based upon a "wage survey" do not apply to negotiations under a basic bargaining agreement.