Performance Improvement Plan
Times they are a changing, and Mt. SAC is not immune to these changes. The new Student Centered Funding Formula has created some confusion and quite a bit of concern about the amount of funding Mt. SAC will receive under this new formula. It is a work-related concern that can add more stress to classified professionals who are dedicated to improving the lives of our students and fellow classified.
The U.S. Department of Labor recently posted to their web site (https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/workerfatigue/index.html) information about worker-related stress created from long hours, irregular work shifts, and fatigue. Very often these factors translate into your evaluations as performance deficiencies and, in some cases, illness and injury. When union stewards advise members to “work to the rule” and not to stay late to do work (especially uncompensated work or unauthorized overtime) and that you are entitled to a “fixed schedule,” this advice is centered on ensuring your good health and improved performance.
Irregular work hours disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm, which is your internal clock that regulates your wake/sleep cycle. Irregular work schedules (not necessarily the time itself but keeping that time regular) can disrupt this cycle, and this disruption can contribute to factors that lead to fatigue, poor health, and performance issues.
Statistics gathered by the Department of Labor show accident and injury rates are nearly twenty percent higher during evening shifts and thirty percent higher during night shifts when compared to day shifts. Working twelve hours per day is associated with a 37% increased risk of injury. Another study showed that extended shifts increase the risk of commuting accidents by 16%. The lesson here is not that longer shifts are bad but that you need to be aware of how you and your body react to long hours, irregular shifts, and fatigue and what you can do to alleviate these risks.
Visit the Department of Labor web site for more information and additional resources or contact the Employee Assistance Services for Education (EASE, which is covered by our health benefit plan, including SISC) to learn about additional assistance.
Support for Unions At 50 Year High Gallup Poll Shows
A new Gallup Poll taken in August 2019 shows that 64% of Americans approve of unions. This is the highest approval rating since 2003, when the approval rating was 65% and 1999 at 66%.
According to Gallup, public support for unions has increased recently probably due to relatively good economic conditions and low unemployment. By contrast, the lowest union approval ratings in Gallup history came from 2009 through 2012, years of high unemployment that followed the Great Recession. Gallup also observed relatively low union approval during the poor economic times in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Democrats, independents and Republicans are all more likely to view unions positively now than they were at the low point a decade ago. Notably, since 2009, union approval has increased among each party group by 16 or 17 points. Democrats (82%) remain far more likely than Republicans (45%) to approve of unions.
Unions are constantly under attack by anti-union organizations, and the most recent attack came with the Supreme Court’s Janus decision in 2018 where service fees for non-union workers was declared unconstitutional. Whether you support unions or not, there is no question the history of unions has improved the lives, rights, and status of all workers.
Unions fought for and won collective bargaining rights, weekends, the 40-hour work week, overtime laws, vacation and sick leave, and many other rights and privileges. If you want to show your support for your union, CSEA has created two posters — one for work and one for home. Open the attached flyer, print the two posters, and display each at the appropriate location. Exercise your right to free speech and supporting the union movement and remember the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, who said “The labor movement was the principal force that transformed misery and despair into hope and progress.”
Open Enrollment Continues . . . You MUST Enroll or Risk Losing Benefits
Open enrollment continues as CSEA 262 members transition to the Self-Insured Schools Corporation (SISC).
All CSEA 262 members must enroll during the open enrollment period. If you do not select a plan during open enrollment, the District will enroll you in the single-person plan, which you will not be able to change until next year’s open enrollment or a qualifying life-event occurs. You will have plenty of time to research the various plans and ask questions before open enrollment ends.
If you will be covering a spouse and/or any dependents, you must also complete the dependent verification forms and make an appointment with American Fidelity for the dependent verification review. You must have the required documents with you when you attend your review with American Fidelity. If you have no dependents and are only enrolling yourself in the plan, please contact Human Resources to verify whether you need an appointment with American Fidelity.
Also remember that your current health plan, all your doctors and medications and treatments are unchanged but will end on December 31, 2019. The new medical plans will be effective January 1, 2020. You should receive new health insurance cards and related information sometime in December. As with most new things, we may experience some growing pains along the way. Please be “patient” (pun intended) during this transitional year.
For those of you who are currently participating in the opt-out option, you may continue with the opt-out option, but you must still submit the forms and fill out the opt-out forms. At this time, it is unclear whether there are one or two opt-out forms (one for the District and one for SISC), so please contact Human Resources Benefit Specialist for verification and the forms.
Welcome to Mt. SAC: New Classified Professionals
At the September Board meeting, the following classified professionals were newly hired or promoted:
Permanent New Hires
Brandon Aponte, Information Technology Support Technician (Information Technology)
Robert Bledsoe, Communications Specialist (Marketing and Communication)
Maria Figueroa, Administrative Specialist II (Counseling)
Martin Gonzalez, Transfer Specialist (Counseling)
Judy Kim, Fiscal Technician I (Fiscal Services)
Kymberly Macala, Administrative Specialist IV (Instruction)
Christine Romeo, Project/Program Specialist (Student Services)
Suzanne Vazquez, Administrative Specialist I (Safety and Risk Management)
Promotions
Sangvan Thaysangkram, Administrative Specialist III (Humanities and Social Sciences)
If you happen to see any of these colleagues during your day, extend a warm welcome, invite them to lunch, show them around, and make them feel welcome. Bring them along to the next Chapter meeting so they can introduce themselves.
Low-Cost Bachelor’s Degree Completion Program
New this year, CSEA is partnering with Central State University to offer classified employees and their family members bachelor’s degrees at an extremely reduced cost. CSEA members in good standing (including retirees), their children, grandchildren, spouses or domestic partners are all eligible to receive the CSEA Student Success Grant that keeps the cost either free or low. For those who have not yet completed an Associate degree, or have less than 60 transfer credits, they can complete those requirements through the CSEA Free College program and then transfer to Central State University to complete their Bachelor’s degree.
Family members do NOT need to be financial dependents or living with the member to be eligible. To be eligible, interested students must apply for federal financial aid and some or all of the grants to pay the tuition, e-books, and fees. For CSEA members and their families, the most they will pay in annual out-of-pocket costs is $4,500, and for many, it will be significantly less, if not zero.
For more information about this and other education programs, visit http://www.csea.com/education.
Upcoming Title IX/EEO Training
Each month the Professional and Organizational Development Department (POD) provides state and federally mandated training on Title IX (sexual harassment prevention) and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for anyone participating on hiring committees. CSEA 262 has the right to appoint a representative to serve on these committees, but the representative must still have EEO training. Listed below are this month’s training opportunities.
Thursday September 19, 9am: Title IX Training
Please register at the Professional and Organizational Development Activities Calendar (https://tinyurl.com/y372qjh7) and log in to register.
Upcoming CSEA Training Opportunities
CSEA prides itself on offering members the training they need to succeed. CSEA staff work side by side with member-volunteers who can teach you everything you need to know, from how to get the most at the bargaining table to how to create a chapter Web site. Listed below are upcoming training opportunities. All trainings below are held at the Santa Fe Field Office in El Monte. The address, phone numbers, and link to register will be found on the web site link below. You must be registered and log in to the CSEA.COM web site to register for training classes. ALL TRAININGS ARE FREE TO MEMBERS! If you are not yet a member and would like to join, contact anyone on the Chapter 262 Executive Board.
If you considering becoming a Chapter Union Steward or would just like to learn more about your rights, the CSEA Santa Fe Field Office is offering the steward training series now through November. Union Steward Training dates are listed below. To become a steward, you need to take all three classes in order. Other field offices also offer the training on different dates. If you want to see the full schedule of training, click on the link below to the training directory. Contact the SFFO if you are interested or talk to the Chapter Chief Steward Liz Jauregui via e-mail at chiefsteward@csea262.org or call 909.274.5342.
Union Steward Training Level 2 • Saturday, October 19, 2019 8:30am • 6 hours
Union Steward Training Level 3 • Saturday, November 23, 2019 8:30am • 6 hours (Thanksgiving is Nov. 27)
For information or to register, contact Santa Fe Field Office at 626.258.3315 or 800.988.6949 ext. 3315 or e-mail sfforsvp@csea.com.
https://www.csea.com/web/Training/CSEA-Training-Directory
“To improve the lives of our members, students, and community.”
CSEA Chapter 262 • 1100 N. Grand Avenue Walnut, California 91789 • 909.274.6262 • www.csea262.org