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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESOLUTIONS - 01011998 - 1998-180 79 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopt this Order on April 14, 1998 by the following vote: AYES: SUPERVISORS UILKEMA, GERBER, DESAULNIER and ROGERS NOES: ABSENT: SUPERVISOR CANCIAMILLA ABSTAIN: Approve Side Letter With SEIU Local 535 ) Rank & File Unit Regarding Implementation ) of the CalWORKS Program ) Res. No. 98/ leo BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County APPROVES the attached Side Letter dated March 20, 1998 between Contra Costa County and SEIU Local 535 regarding implementation of the CalWORKS Program. On December 8, 1997, the Family and Human Services Committee submitted to the Board a recommendation to approve the CalWORKS Plan as meeting the requirements of State law and to direct the Social Service Director to continue his efforts to implement CalWORKS in a timely manner. The side letter with SEIU Local 535 outlines agreements reached regarding said implementation and transition period. I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: PHIL. ATC OR, Clerk of the Board of S ervisors an,, County Administrator Orig. Dept, Human Resources By eputy Kathy Ito @ 5-1785 cc: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator John Cullen, Social Service Director Judy Campbell, Social Service Personnel Officer Sara Hoffman, County Administrator's Office Joyce Baird, SEIU Local 535 f resO41 aa.doc .,, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY •-�� �'' Social Service Department John Cullen, Director March 20, 1998 Ms . Joyce Baird, Field Representative SEDT Local 535 661 27th St. , Oakland, California 94612 RE: Side Letter of Agreement--CalWORKs Implementation Dear Ms . Baird: The following represents the understandings reached between the Contra Costa County Social Services Department and SEIU Local 535 regarding implementation of the CalWORKs program. It is understood that this implementation and transition period will continue for approximately one year. Should major program changes occur during this time, the parties will meet and confer as necessary to discuss impacts . 1 . Job Functions: Three levels of work are recognized in implementing the CalWorks Welfare to Work program in accordance with the County Plan. The functional titles of Benefits Specialist, Employment Specialist, and Sr. Employment Specialist will be utilized for those assignments described on the attached description. During the implementation period, the parties understand that adjustments as to how the work is performed and divided between the various working title functions may be necessary and appropriate. The Union may request meet and confer on issues concerning adjustments to the nature of work. The Department will study the IHSS SSPA position and advise the union by June 30, 1998, if it finds the position is properly classified. It is the Department' s intention in 1999 to work to create a new employment focused job classification series for the above functions . It is anticipated that any necessary meet and confer meetings concerning any proposed new classifications would occur concurrent to or as part of the 1999 contract bargaining cycle. ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE: 40 Douglas Drive - Martinez • CA • 94553-4068 • Voice (510) 313-1500 • FAX (510) 313-1575 2 . Employment and Assignment Processes: The following processes will apply during this implementation period: Certification for appointments into the new CalWorks Employment Specialist assignments will be made first from the existing SSPA eligible list. Additional names as necessary will come from the newly promulgated SSPA eligible list. Current SSPA' s assigned to the expanded Child Care units will be allowed consideration for one of the new Employment Specialist assignments . After SSPA/Employment Specialist appointments are made, remaining staff will, be reassigned to Benefits Specialist and uncovered Eligibility Worker assignments in non Welfare to Work assignments in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding. 3. CalWORKs Simplification Committee: In response to Union concerns about the volume of anticipated CalWORKs forms, a committee shall be formed to review new, converted, and locally created CalWORKs forms prior to utilization. The parties agree to establish a timely schedule for the meetings, and to meet for one year from the signing of this agreement, unless mutually agreed to discontinue meeting at an earlier date. The Committee shall be chaired by a Social Service Division Manager designated by the Department, and will be staffed equally with Local 535 and management/non 535 employees. The goal of the committee will be to, wherever possible, simplify, minimize and/or avoid forms, and to attempt to reach consensus on the forms' existence and/or content. State and Federally mandated forms will be exempt from this committee review process . Where consensus is not reached, the Department reserves the right to implement any form. The Union will be so advised prior to implementation, and may request to meet with the Assistant Director for the Employment and Supportive Services Bureau. That meeting shall be held within one week of the simplification committee meeting. A subsequent decision of the Assistant Director to implement shall be final and binding. 4 . Amount and Nature of Work: The parties have met and conferred concerning the anticipated impact on the amount and nature of work of Employment Specialists/SSPA' s and Sr. Employment Specialists/Social Workers resulting from Ca1WORKs Welfare-to-Work implementation. The initial assigned workload targets and ranges shall be as described in Attachment 2 . It is understood that adjustments to these may be made on an ongoing basis. The Social Service Department agrees to provide monthly workload information to Local 535 concerning the afnount and nature of work assigned in Ca1WORKs. The parties agree to carefully review the amount and nature of work no later than three months after full implementation has occurred, anticipated to be on or before August 1, 1998 . It is understood that it may also be necessary to review and discuss impacts on Benefit Specialist assignments after implementation has occurred. 5. Assignment Differential: Effective on the date of hire into permanent SSPA job classifications, anticipated to be on or about April 15, 1998, a differential amount of 3.5% above the base salary rate shall be paid to all SSPA' s in Ca1WORKs Employment Specialist assignments including job retention, and in like functions for the General Assistance (GA) including Work Programs, and Service Integration Team (SIT) assignments. Previous special compensation amounts for General Assistance and SIT Eligibility Workers will cease as of the same date. This differential shall cease upon finalization and appointment into any new permanent employment focused classifications discussed in item 1 above. The above five items reflect agreement between SEIU Local 535 and Contra Costa County Social Service Department. 6. Job Club/Job Search: The parties were not able to reach complete agreement regarding the job classification that will be assigned Job Club responsibilities . The parties agree that a total of four Job Club assignments will be retained during the implementation period at the Sr. Employment Specialist/ (Social Worker) level . Two additional positions will be allocated during the implementation period to the acting (ai) Sr. Employment Specialist level . Job Club Sr. Employment Specialists will also be assigned additional case management duties . .Backup for the six Job Club assignments and any additional Job Club assignments will be filled at the Employment Specialist/SSPA level . In the event that any of the four permanent Sr. Employment Specialist/Social Worker assignments are vacated, replacements made will by the assignment of an acting Sr. Employment Specialist/Social Worker. Internal Job Search and outplacement One-Stop functions will be assigned to Employment Specialists/SSPA' s . The Union does not agree to the above allocation of job club slots . It is the position of Local 535 that all Job Club functions should be performed by the Sr. Employment Specialist/Social Worker classification. The Union understands the Department will implement its position over the disagreement of Local 535. If the foregoing conforms with your understanding, please indicate concurrence by affixing your signatures in the space provided below: COUNTY: SEIU Local 535. ­..­9t_q& C GC G:.`.- Ca1WORKs Welfare-to-Work Implementation Attachment 1 Task Groupings by Classification Benefits Specialist • Eligibility determination and ongoing responsibility for cases without Welfare to Work requirements • Recognize and refer to Welfare to Work when appropriate Employment Specialist • Resource/information Help Desk • CaIWORKs/Welfare to Work Orientation • Refer to outside agencies such as Family Support or Health Services • Appraisal, reappraisal (identify strengths, weaknesses and potential for employment) • Job Club backup to 6 retained Social Workers, supplemental and increased assignments • Assistance and support in Job Search • Identify substance abuse and mental health problems and make appropriate referrals. • Determine eligibility to and approve/pay supportive services - cash, Food Stamps, Medi-Cal, transportation, other ancillary services • Diversion • Determine good cause (deferral) • Process sanctions/non-compliance • Make home visits • Quality Control • Case management and employment counseling for Welfare to Work participants and those sanctioned from Welfare to Work (including monitoring compliance with Welfare to Work plan) to include those with minimal to moderate barriers to employment, such as some s substance abuse. • Broker services - identify and refer as needed to supportive services such as PIC, housing, domestic violence, substance abuse • Evaluate participants for referral to Senior Employment Specialist • Amend Welfare-To-Work plans • Employment retention/career advancement (counsel, broker services, work with employer) • Manage cases which are sanctioned or are performing Community Service • Child care case management • Supportive services (such as cash aid) for persons whose case is being managed by a Senior Employment Specialist and cases being referred to SSI; • Collect information on and approve Self Initiated plans (SIP's) • Department's representative at One Stops • Provide community liaison Senior Employment Specialist • Assessment • Develop and amend Welfare to Work and employment plans (in consultation with Employment Specialist) • Job Club (Those assignments agreed to in implementation document) • Primary Welfare to Work case manager for participants with potential for employment but with the most serious barriers to employment. Examples include persons receiving treatment for certain mental health issues and with cases open to CPS. • Broker services - identify and refer as needed to supportive services such as PIC, housing, domestic violence, substance abuse • Make home visits • Manage more difficult child care cases, such as those in CPS and teen parents • Provide community liaison • Set up work experience/community service hours and participation t. �7 Attachment 2 Ca1WORKS Welfare-to-Werk Implementation Initial workload targets and target ranges for Employment Specialists/SSPA' s, and Sr. Employment Specialists/Social Workers : SSPA intake target: 24 SSPA continuing: Range 70-75 Social Worker Continuing: Range 70-75 These assignment targets and target ranges are subject to discussion and accordance with #4 of the Implementation Letter of Agreement.