CalHR Connection - Issue 1 - September 2013
Contents
Director's Corner - CalHR’s First Year
Feature Spotlight - House Counsel Program: One Stop Shop of Experts
News Roundup
Labor Relations
Health and Wellness
Benefits
What's Happening
Did you know? - CEA Pilot Project
Just for Fun
Follow Us
Contact Us
Director's Corner - CalHR’s First Year
From CalHR Director Julie Chapman
I am pleased to announce the first online edition of “CalHR Connection”, a quarterly newsletter the department is launching to better communicate with HR professionals throughout the state. This is one more way our staff wants to reach out to you to share ideas and help you stay informed. We welcome your participation and your feedback.
It's been an exciting and challenging first year as the newly reorganized CalHR. We're continuing to streamline the human resource functions of the state and eliminating many duplicative processes. We have also been busy this year representing the Governor during negotiations with 19 bargaining units to reach agreements on pay and benefit packages.
But CalHR is moving forward in other important areas as well:
- Recruiting, developing and retaining a qualified and diverse workforce;
- Providing an extensive training program for employees at low cost with big returns;
- Providing quality human resource policy to ensure departments can accomplish their missions and serve the public; and
- Working collectively with the employee unions and organizations to provide a salary, benefit and training package that encourages employees to succeed
I'm proud of the solid team we have built and we will use that team to provide better customer service to the departments and ultimately to the public we serve. But we can't do that without you. Thank you for your partnership in carrying out California's human resources responsibilities. I look forward to our continued efforts.
House Counsel Program: One Stop Shop of Experts
The California Workforce Investment Board needed legal advice concerning whether and if it could require an employee to take medication. According to Doug Sale, chief of Operations, the CWIB turned to CalHR’s new House Counsel program for help.
Sale said CalHR helped the Board understand the law, as well as its rights and those of the employee. “The program was especially helpful to us because we are a small board with no legal or human resources staffs,” said Sale.
“The House Counsel Program is a one-stop shop of experts in personnel management and employment law who are available to guide, train and mentor less experienced employees through complex workplace problems,” said CalHR Chief Counsel Joan Markoff, who created the program in 2012. “It was designed to remedy the flight of knowledge and expertise occurring all over the state as a result of record rates of retirement.”
Markoff said another reason she developed the House Counsel program was because many departments were looking to private attorneys for advice and she wanted to stop the contracting out of these vital legal services.
“When someone comes through the door of the House Counsel program, we first ‘triage’ the issue presented. In other words, we thoroughly walk people through a personnel problem to help them figure out what resources they need. We then assign either a lawyer, investigator or personnel manager, depending on the nature of the problem,” Markoff said. Top issues include use of sick leave and FMLA, investigating alleged misconduct and advising on successfully managing employees with performance and misconduct issues.
The program offers a unique team of experts that includes, not just lawyers who understand and are familiar with applicable policy, regulations and law, but investigators who know how to appropriately collect the facts; senior personnel managers who grasp the challenges that confront human resources staffs; and mediators to assist in resolving co-worker and supervisor/employee disputes.
Training is also a key component of the program. Workshop topics evolve out of the problems state departments encounter, including: workplace violence, labor relations for managers, the Family Medical Leave Act and other forms of leave, basic supervision and sexual harassment prevention. Anticipated new training courses will include training on the application of the Fair Labor Standards Act in the state workplace and presenting defensible adverse actions in front of the State Personnel Board. The House Counsel program also develops individualized training responsive to particular department needs. For more information about the program email at legalhousecounsel@calhr.ca.gov.
New System Cures Hiring Headaches
Individuals looking for a state job may find it difficult navigating the jobs website. Imagine you're a lawyer or you work with lawyers. You go to the site and type in "lawyer." You don’t get any results. Why not? There is no classification that uses the word “lawyer".
CalHR’s e Examination and Certification Online System (ECOS) will fix this. It maps keywords from the Federal Occupational Grouping (O*NET) to the State's classification system. If you type "lawyer," you'll get a list of related jobs, no matter what the State calls them: Attorney, Legal Assistant, Legal Analyst, Legal Counsel, Legal Support, and so on.
ECOS will let you apply for jobs and exams electronically, eliminating the cost of printing and mailing paper applications. Applicants will get all their information online – a sort of one-stop shop to check on job status, exam scores, Veteran and Disability status, and more. Updates will occur in real time, so you'll know immediately when you've passed an exam or when the filing deadline for a job has passed. Reporting will also be in real time so HR offices can get certified lists on demand, when they need them. And ECOS will make it easier to verify that applicants have met the minimum qualifications for exams.
CalHR expects to release the new certification system in 2014, the new examination system in 2016, and improved reporting in 2017.
Better Service for Job Seekers
In an effort to better serve the state’s job seekers CalHR has a new phone system. Staff is now able to view in real time how many people are on hold as well as the longest caller wait time. The system also allows them to observe how they are performing against the expected service level. The system is programmed to answer 90 percent of calls within five minutes.
Examination Services Team is Here to Help
CalHR’s Exam Services team provides guidance and consultation to state departments in how to administer exams and certification. We provide one-on-one consultation, classroom training, seminars, and open-house forums. We help departments administer exams developed by CalHR’s Test Validation and Construction program (TV&C), including online exams.
Check out the ECOS Grapevine, our online portal where you can get:
- Current exam information
- Processing manuals, forms, and tools for exams and certs
- Reference guides and resources
- Departmental consultant contacts
- Review other department’s questions and answers from exam & cert professionals
For additional information please contact Loida Flores.
Workforce Planning
California state government is undergoing the largest wave of retiring state employees in its history. Forty-two percent of the workforce is age 50 or above. In 2012 more than 11 thousand employees retired with about six thousand voluntarily separating state service.
To help state agencies plan for these retirements CalHR recently hired Stacie Abbott to head up the new Workforce Planning Coordination Unit. “The goal is to ensure that each state department has the right number of people with the right skills in the right jobs to meet their workforce needs,” she said. Abbott brings a wealth of experience to her new job. Prior to joining CalHR, she worked at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
The new unit is currently identifying departments with a high percentage of employees likely to retire, creating a classification watch list and developing training and assessment tools to ensure departments have successful workforce and succession plans.
“It’s important that we plan for these upcoming retirements by encouraging departments to implement knowledge transfer, mentoring programs, and increased recruitment efforts in specialized fields,” Abbott said. In addition, her unit will market the “State of California” as an employer of choice to increase the candidate pool.
CalHR Reinvigorates State Training Center
The growing number of retirements every month coupled with changes in how the state does business greatly increases the demand for training services. CalHR is pleased to announce that it has re-established the state training center. The department has incorporated the CalHR House Counsel training program and created partnerships with Sacramento State University College of Continuing Education, UC Davis Extension, Los Rios Community College District, as well as the California State Library.
Experts from state agencies and departments deliver high quality, free or low cost training services to all state employees. Departments can now access a range of training, consulting, research, and strategic plan or workforce plan services. In addition, departments can leverage the colleges to develop e-learning, build and deliver leadership and management training, and analyst courses.
The new schedule of open enrollment training webinars and in-person classes for Fiscal Year 2013-14 is now on our website. You can access the Training Calendar by going to www.calhr.ca.gov, click on training, then training calendar.
Many departments have already established consolidated service contracts with CalHR that they can charge to when signing up employees for training or procuring services available through our partnerships. Learn more by e-mailing us at Training@calhr.ca.gov or contact your training officer. Our free or low-cost State Training Center offers an alternative to personal services contracts and can supplement your existing internal training programs.
EEO Conference Promotes Civil Rights
The Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Conference drew more than 200 participants to the Department of Health Care Services in Sacramento on June 13. EEO officers, their staffs and other HR professionals from numerous state agencies heard from a wide range of prominent speakers, including: Anna Caballero, Secretary of State and Consumer Services Agency; Yvonne Walker, president, SEIU; Cruz Reynoso, former California Supreme Court Justice; and Howard Schwartz, deputy director CalHR.
(Above: The Honorable Roger Hernández, 48th Assembly District presents Howard Schwartz, Chief Deputy, and Martha Chavez, Program Chief, Office of Civil Rights with a Resolution in recognition of Diversity in State Government. Also pictured are Roger Dickinson, Chairman, Banking and Finance and Mona Pasquil, Appointments Secretary to Governor.)
“The purpose of the Conference was to demonstrate CalHR’s commitment to furthering civil rights since EEO responsibilities were transferred to our department from SPB in the Governor’s Reorganization Plan,” Schwartz said. “It also gave CalHR the opportunity to strengthen existing relationships with our stakeholders and nurture new partnerships.”
(Above: Jake Johnson, President of the Association of California State Employee with Disabilities [ACSED], and Dana LaMon, J.D., professional speaker and author, lead the Disability and Awareness Workshop at the EEO Conference.)
The conference, called “New Beginnings”, was hosted by CalHR, California Civil Rights Officers Council, Statewide Disability Advisory Council and the Coalition of State Advocate Groups and organizations.
CalHR Briefs Chinese Delegation
(Above: Representative from the Chinese Delegation meets with CalHR Analyst Dan Tokunaga.)
CalHR hosted a delegation of Chinese senior leadership from the human resources departments of the central and provincial Sports Bureaus July 1. The 25 HR representatives were participating in an overseas training program on topics related to human resources development. CalHR staff briefed the group on personnel management of state employees; the importance of maintaining a merit-based hiring and promotion system; and development of employee benefits and salaries. The trip was organized by China’s State General Administration of Sports with the help of the US-China Business Training Center.
(Above: Chinese delegation learns about CalHR's practices.)
CalHR Streamlines Out of Class Grievance Process
CalHR receives about a hundred out-of-class (OOC) grievances each year. Unfortunately a number of them lack vital information which slows down the process, preventing them from being resolved as quickly as possible. As a result, CalHR is forced to return those grievances to the department where they originated or go forward without all of the information that’s needed, and that can impact the decision.
To improve communications and services to line departments CalHR is streamlining the OOC grievance process. We expect to implement a checklist and automatic standardized request for information to ensure every grievance package is complete. The following are the documents that CalHR must have to handle grievances as efficiently as possible:
- Grievance form, signed (STD 630 or 631)
- Job description form, signed (CalHR 651)
- Supervisor’s comments (any format)
- Department response (formal level required – lower levels Optional)
- Official duty statement for grievant’s current class
- Duty statement for the claimed class (preferably from the same unit as grievant)
- Org chart for the unit
We expect to improve the format of the CalHR 651 form from a static PDF to a new fill-and-print form in the near future. CalHR appreciates departments providing these important documents in a timely manner so we can better serve you and you can better serve your employees.
Bargaining Update
Tentative Agreements have been reached with the following bargaining units
- BU 1 SEIU - administrative, financial, IT
- BU 3 SEIU – teachers and librarians
- BU 4 SEIU - clerical and support staff
- BU 6 CCPOA - correctional officers, parole agents, fire captains
- BU 7 CSLEA – investigators, inspectors, rangers, wardens, dispatchers and other safety-related staff
- BU 9 PECG – professional engineers
- BU 11 SEIU – engineering and scientific technicians
- BU 12 IUOE – craft and maintenance
- BU 14 SEIU – printing and allied trades
- BU 15 SEIU –janitors, security guards, cooks and hospital workers
- BU 16 UAPD – physicians, dentists and podiatrists
- BU 17 SEIU – registered nurses
- BU 18 CAPT –psychiatric technicians
- BU 19 AFSCME – health and social services/professional
- BU 20 SEIU – medical assistants, lab workers, pharmacy technicians and teaching assistants
- BU 21 SEIU – educational consultant and librarians
Bargaining continues with the following bargaining units
- BU 2 CASE – attorneys and ALJs
- BU 10 CAPS – scientists
- BU 13 IUOE – building maintenance and operations
It’s no secret that health care costs are on the rise. When it comes to state employees and retirees those costs pose a threat to California’s fiscal health. CalHR is collaborating with the Controller’s Office, State Treasurer’s Office, SEIU Local 1000 and CalPERS in a unique pilot project, “Healthier U”, to encourage policymakers to support comprehensive workplace wellness programs in state agencies. The goals are to improve employee health and productivity, decrease absenteeism due to illness and slow the growth of state employee health care costs.
The project stems from a study commissioned by State Controller John Chiang to determine how much of those costs were due to modifiable factors, such as diet and exercise. In 2012 the Urban Institute, which conducted the study, found that $362 million or 22 percent of CalPERS medical expenditures in 2008 were related to high blood pressure, diabetes and other chronic diseases. The study estimated that changes in diet and increased physical activity could reduce the prevalence of these diseases by 5 to 15 percent, saving the state $18 to $54 million per year.
The Departments of Public Health’s and Health Care Services’ East End Complex in Sacramento was selected as the first pilot site because those departments have an existing joint Worksite Wellness Committee. A successful pilot will lay the foundation for workplace wellness throughout the state workforce. CalHR is working to identify and address government policy barriers that hinder workplace wellness and prevention efforts.
The project partners formed a unique collaboration with the private sector, including Kaiser Permanente, UC Berkeley Labor Management Center and the Sierra Health Foundation. The pilot has received funding from the California Endowment, the California Wellness Foundation, the Sierra Health Foundation and the California HealthCare Foundation.
Open Enrollment - September 16 to October 11, 2013
Open Enrollment for Health, Dental, Vision, Reimbursement Accounts, and Cash Options is September 16 to October 11, 2013.
Vision
The State of California offers three different vision plans.
VSP Basic Vision Plan (VSP Select Network) – The State contributes 100% of the Basic Plan cost. This covers a yearly examination, new spectacle lenses, and a $75 allowance for a new frame once every calendar year. The copays are $10 for the exam and $25 for lenses and/or a frame. It also covers a $110 allowance toward contact lenses instead of glasses. (If contact lenses are visually necessary, they are covered in full).
VSP Premier Vision Plan (VSP Choice Network) – The State contributes a portion of the Premier Plan cost. The employee cost is $6.56/month for employee only, $13.12/month for employee plus one dependent, or $21.12/month for employee and family. This covers a yearly examination, new spectacle lenses, and a $200 allowance for a new frame once per year ($110 allowance for Costco). The copays are $10 for the exam and $25 for lenses and/or a frame. It also covers a $200 allowance toward contact lenses instead of glasses (if contact lenses are visually necessary, they are covered in full).
VSP Annuitant/Retiree (VSP Select Network) – The State offers an affordable eyecare plan for retirees and annuitants. The member cost is $7.53/month for member only, $14.62/month for member plus one dependent, or $15.73/month for member and family. This covers a yearly examination, new spectacle lenses, and a $75 allowance for a new frame once every calendar year. The copays are $10 for the exam and $25 for lenses and/or a frame. It also covers a $110 allowance toward contact lenses instead of glasses. (If contact lenses are visually necessary, they are covered in full).
FlexElect Program
The State of California’s FlexElect Program offers two types of employee benefits:
Reimbursement Accounts – Allows employees to set aside money in a reimbursement account to pay for certain kinds of expenses. You can increase your take home pay and decrease your taxable income. You specify the amount to be deducted from your paycheck, and the deductions occur before tax withholding, reducing tax liability. We offer two types of accounts.
- Medical reimbursement accounts - Set aside money to reimburse eligible medical expenses.
- Dependent care reimbursement accounts - Set aside money to reimburse dependent day care expenses.
Cash Option – If you have coverage through another source, such as a spouse, you may opt to receive cash in lieu of state-sponsored health and/or dental benefits.
You may enroll in either benefit or both.
Consolidated Benefits (CoBen)
Consolidated Benefits (CoBen) offers two types of employee benefits:
Consolidated Benefits Allowance – The State will provide employees with a total benefit allowance, rather than providing specific contribution amounts for health, dental, and vision benefits. Depending in the total cost of the benefit plans you choose, CoBen may allow you to receive additional taxable income each month, which you can use to offset out-of- pocket premium costs.
Cash Options – If you have coverage through another source, such as a spouse, you may opt to receive cash in lieu of health only or both health plus dental coverage.
Changes for 2014
Recent Federal court decisions now allow same-sex marriage within California to be legally recognized. This has changed the FlexElect Program in that the current restrictions on payment of reimbursement claims for same-sex spouses will be lifted and those claims will now be allowed.
For the CoBen Program, these Federal court decisions will also affect the imputed tax on the premiums paid by employees for same-sex spouses, but we are waiting for IRS to give specific direction. There will also be CoBen Allowance adjustments for 2014, but we do not have those allowance amounts yet.
Savings Plus Encourages You to Say “So Long Personal Leave Program, Hello Retirement Savings!”
The Personal Leave Program (PLP) ended with the June 2013 pay period, you should take advantage of the increase and incorporate it into your Savings Plus account. Or if you don’t already have an account ‘it’s never too late to start’, take this chance to start your own Savings Plus account. This gives you a rare opportunity to help increase your retirement savings without reducing your take home pay. Defer all or some of your additional income into your Savings Plus account. Over time, this action may have a significant impact on your retirement. Please see example chart below.
Projected Increase in Retirement Savings| PLP Gross Monthly Salary |
Additional contribution to a Savings Plus Account |
Reduction to your take home pay |
Projected increase in Retirement Savings after 20 years* |
|---|
| $2385 |
$100 |
$0 |
$51,000 |
| $3815 |
$155 |
$0 |
$79,000 |
| $5246 |
$215 |
$0 |
$110,000 |
The example assumes a hypothetical 7% annual return, compounded monthly and is based on monthly contributions. It’s intended to illustrate the effects of time and compounding on investments. It doesn’t represent the actual performance of any investment or deferred compensation program or reflect any applicable fees or taxes. If these were included, the results would be lower. It’s not intended to predict or project investment results. Investing involves market risk, including possible loss of principal.
* Numbers rounded to nearest thousand.
What's Savings Plus you ask?
"Savings Plus" is the 401(k) plan and 457 plan available to most State of California employees, including employees of the Legislature, Judicial, and California State University (CSU) system. These plans allow you to invest in your future by building a retirement savings account using automatic payroll deductions that go into investments you select from the diverse Savings Plus fund lineup. Employees who participate in the Alternate Retirement Program (ARP) can also participate in a Savings Plus 401(k) Plan and 457 Plan.
Visit savingsplusnow.com to learn more about saving for your future.
California Department of Human Resources
1515 S Street North Building, Suite 400 Sacramento, CA 95811
savingsplusnow.com
(855) 616-4SPN (4776)
Relay Service: Dial 711 | FAX (847) 554-1804
Service Center representatives are available 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday for online chat or by phone
Walk-in Service Center
1810 16th Street, Room 108
Sacramento, CA 95811
Lobby Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday
Calendar of Events
Here are a few CalHR events coming up in the next few months. Free training events are listed below. For more training opportunities, check out our training calendar.
- Every Thursday through September 26 at 11:45 a.m. - Walk to Thrive
- September 9, 10 to 11:30 a.m. - Near Retirement? Lump Sum Separation Pay and 457 Traditional Catch-Up webinar
- September 12, 2013, 1 to 2 p.m. - Social Media and 1st Amendment issues in the Workplace webinar
- September 13 to 14 - 2013 CalPERS Retirement Planning Fair
- September 16 to October 11 - Open Enrollment for Health, Dental, Vision, Reimbursement Accounts, and Cash Options
- September 19 - Second Annual CalHR Conference
- September 25, 1 to 2:30 p.m. - Near Retirement? Lump Sum Separation Pay and 457 Traditional Catch-Up webinar
- October 10, 1 to 2 p.m. - Disability and Pregnancy Leave webinar
- October 31, 10 to 11 a.m. - Lump Sum Separation Pay and 457 Traditional Catch-Up
- October 31, 1 to 2 p.m. - Lump Sum Separation Pay and 457 Traditional Catch-Up
- November 4, 10 to 11 a.m. - Lump Sum Separation Pay and 457 Traditional Catch-Up
- November 4, 1 to 2 p.m. - Lump Sum Separation Pay and 457 Traditional Catch-Up
- November 7, 10 a.m. to noon - Sexual Harassment Prevention Training webinar
- November 13, 2013, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. - The Life of a Workers' Compensation Claim
- November 20, 10 to 11 a.m. - Lump Sum Separation Pay and 457 Traditional Catch-Up
- November 20, 1 to 2 p.m. - Lump Sum Separation Pay and 457 Traditional Catch-Up
- December 12, 2013, 1 to 2 p.m. - Substance Abuse webinar
Walk to Thrive
To help more people enjoy the health benefits of regular walking, Kaiser Permanente has partnered with the CalHR wellness program, California WorksWell, to offer the Walk to Thrive walking club in the downtown Sacramento area.
Come out and get some exercise at lunch while you pick up some healthy fruits and veggies at the Capitol Mall Farmers’ Market! Enjoy weekly walks, free health screenings, food demonstrations, monthly Thrive events, and a chance to earn great prizes throughout the summer. Walks are held every Thursday through September 26, and begin at 11:45 a.m. from Kaiser’s booth at the farmers market located at 6th and Capitol.
Everyone is welcome to join, non-members and members of Kaiser Permanente. Membership is FREE, so sign up today and receive a free t-shirt and gift.
CalHR encourages departments to share this information with employees in the area and allow them to arrange a flexible lunch period so they may participate whenever workload and staffing permits.
CEA Pilot Project
CalHR is launching a pilot project to delegate the leveling of CEAs to departments. The project will also establish salary caps and delegate the appointment of new CEAs to departments. Monthly audits will be conducted so any changes can be monitored on a regular basis. The pilot will be phased in over the next two years, beginning with five departments. This is part of an overall effort by CalHR’s Personnel Management Division to streamline processes and delegate more authority to the departments.
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