Summary of Items Discussed at the March 23, 2007, Meet and Confer Between ACSS and DPA

A. Follow-up Items from the February 2007 Meet and Confer

1. Cost of Living Adjustment of 5% for all excluded employees retroactive to Jan. 1, 2007.
DPA indicated they have passed our request up the line to the administration. They did state, however, that there would be no retroactivity.

2. Plata Equity in DDS, DMH, DVA.
DPA officials said they would provide us with a listing of classes that would be receiving the equity adjustments once all the details have been worked out and funding has been approved. Check  the ACSS Web site for updates.

3. Fixing the “less than 5 percent differential” issues amongst those supervisor-subordinate relationships that are non-traditional (those not corrected in 2006).
DPA is continuing to look at situations where compaction exists. ACSS will provide DPA with additional information as it becomes available.
    
4. Support for our 401(k) bill (SB 760 Migden): ER/EE match up to 5%.
DPA indicated that at this time the administration would not be supporting issues involving retirement enhancements.

5. Make all recruitment and retention bonuses “PERSable” for excluded employees.
DPA has requested additional information from ACSS on this issue. We will provide updates as things progress.

6. Leave buy-back for supervisors and managers
DPA indicated it would provide us with an update on this issue within a month. ACSS will notify you once we receive information on this request.

Breaking News!
At the request of ACSS, DPA has just announced that the Leave Buy-Back Program has been approved! It will begin April 1, 2007, and run through June 30, 2007. Check with your personnel office for further details and to find out if your department will be participating in this program.

7. Payment of licenses/differentials for excluded employees, who were required to have them as rank and file, as they progress through their promotional ladders.
DPA indicated that in many cases their hands are “tied” due to binding arbitration decisions from rank and  file grievances. ACSS has requested a written response on this issue.

8. Top-step rounding for BOE Business Tax Compliance Supervisors I, II, III.
DPA indicated BOE has agreed to rectify this long-standing issue. Once DPA receives certification that funding has been made available, they will notify us with a more specific timeframe.

9. Labor Market Adjustments (LMA) comparable to what Supervising Tax Auditor and Business Tax Administrator classes received.
DPA said they have a growing list of priorities they must address. When ACSS inquired and requested that these two classes be added to receive the LMAs, DPA said they would look into it.  Julie Chapman, deputy director of labor relations, explained that DPA looks at recruitment and retention as the primary basis for making an LMA. Can the department(s) successfully test and then  recruit from their lists? Does the department(s) have a high vacancy rate in the specified classifications?

If the department can recruit and retain employees in the specified classes, then they are not placed on DPA’s priority list. ACSS again explained to DPA the concerns of our members. DPA  indicated they would look at what it would cost to provide the LMA and see where it lands on their list of priorities. We asked if there was anything more ACSS could do to persuade DPA officials  to change their minds. They responded by saying the department needed to tell them how important this issue is to them and whether it should be raised to the top of DPA’s list. DPA has the final  decision-making authority.

10. ACSS provided DPA with evidence that the Board of Equalization (BOE) is interpreting the language in Government Code Section 19841 – Moving Expense Reimbursement – to be permissive but not mandatory. ACSS disagrees with that interpretation and has asked DPA to rectify the situation.  
DPA is doing further research on this issue.

11. Program Technicians in Parole and Community Services Division at CDCR should receive the same $500/80hours bonus as rank and file employees were provided.
DPA will be meeting with CDCR to address our concerns.

12. Compaction adjustment for Caltrans Supervisor of Drafting Services who supervise Transportation Engineering Technicians (TET).
DPA has begun its research on this issue. They are checking with each Caltrans district to determine reporting relationships, assignment of duties by both the TETs and supervisor of  drafting  services, asking if their engineers are doing any of the supervision, which classifications each district uses, etc. DPA indicated it may recommend a restructuring of reporting relationships. ACSS  will provide updates as more information becomes available.

B. New Items for Discussion

1. Recent announcement by the governor regarding special salary increases for certain Department of Mental Health classes.
DPA indicated it was researching the issue and believed the adjustments will also include the Departments of Developmental Services and Veterans Affairs. ACSS will provide updates as more  information becomes available.
 
2. ACSS requested that DPA consider offering excluded employee some additional leave days, such as the Personal Leave Program (PLP) provided.
DPA indicated they believe too many excluded employees have high vacation balances; therefore, they are not interested in this concept.

3. Add Orange County to the “high cost” areas for reimbursable expenses.
DPA officials indicated they would check into this and get back to us.

4. Promotional patterns at Porterville Developmental Center (PDC) for supervising registered nurses (SRN), assistant coordinator of nursing services (ACNS) and coordinator of nursing services (CNS)
ACSS described the recruitment and retention problems that PDC has been experiencing as a result of the Plata lawsuit-related 18%+ salary adjustments the health care employees are   receiving at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) prisons. We explained the specific problems that affected the above-mentioned classes. ACSS provided DPA  with written documentation describing in detail some of the problems.

DPA indicated they would research the issue, but said a separate meeting may be required to address all the issues involved. ACSS is supporting such a meeting and will provide updates as  more information becomes available.

Watch for updates on our Web site at ACSSonline.org. ACSS will hold another meet and confer with DPA in April.