The State Worker

Steps we are taking

Some of the steps related to personnel taken to date include:

A hard hiring freeze is in effect as of July 27, 2009

There will be no new appointments/hires, promotions/promotions in place, out-of-class assignments, Hires Above Minimums, transfers within BOE, or any other personnel action that results in increased spending

Compensating Time Off and Paid Overtime are not authorized

Retired Annuitants, Student Assistants, Permanent Intermittents, and consultants will be released no later than August 31

Vacant positions will be held for as long as possible

Any exceptions to the above must be presented as a formal request to the Department Head Committee (DHC) for approval

Other cost saving measures adopted include:

Travel will be limited to vital business only
Training will be reduced to mandatory training only
Non-essential contracts are being cancelled or suspended
All contracts will be reduced where possible

These difficult budget times will change the way we do business and the level of service we can provide. We must work together to do our business in the most efficient way possible under these circumstances and still provide courteous and professional service to taxpayers.

Employees can help

One way our employees can help would be to choose to "Step Up And Take The Lead" by participating in a voluntary leave program.

There are several programs available to employees that could help BOE cut payroll costs. These programs are not new State programs and have been available for several years. Participation in the various programs offers advantages to employees. There are four different employee voluntary leave programs that are available including: 1) Voluntary Unpaid Leave Program, 2) Voluntary Personal Leave Program, 3) Voluntary Reduced Time Base Program, and 4) Partial Service Retirement Program.

Informational Seminars on Employee Options

To learn more about the voluntary leave programs, employees may attend an informational seminar held at Headquarters in the Board Room as noted below. The sessions will also be available via video streaming to those employees located outside Headquarters or otherwise unable to personally attend. More information regarding the streaming will follow. There will also be an email address available to those viewing the video stream. That email address is: VolunteerLeave@boe.ca.gov. Staff can email questions to that address and the questions will be relayed to the respective presenters during the session and answered as time permits.

Schedule

August 10: Morning session 9:30 a.m.

Afternoon session 2:30 p.m.

August 11: Morning sessions 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

Afternoon sessions 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Voluntary Leave Program Summaries

Below is a brief summary of the voluntary leave programs that are being offered. Additional information is available by clicking on the links provided.

Voluntary Unpaid Leave Program

Employees participating in this program may elect to take one, two or more voluntary unpaid workdays off per month.

· There would be no impact on seniority credit, leave balance accumulation, merit salary adjustment or salary and service credit for retirement (unless an employee works less than 5/6 time)

· To participate, you must complete a Voluntary Unpaid Leave Request form

Voluntary Personal Leave Program

Employees are eligible to receive an additional day of leave credit per month in exchange for a 5 percent reduction in pay. This Voluntary Personal Leave Program helps employees who want to accrue extra time off. Employees participating in the Voluntary Personal Leave Program receive the equivalent of 8 or 16 hours of Voluntary Personal Leave for every 8 or 16 hours their salary is reduced, depending on time base. The number of hours is contingent upon the employee's bargaining unit contract and employees may opt in or out at their discretion.

· Employees would receive full health benefits

· Personal leave can be used like vacation or annual leave

· Part-time employees subject to the same on pro-rated basis

· When a represented employee reaches the 240 hour cap, they will be removed from the program

· There is no cap on the accumulation for excluded employees.

· To participate, you must complete a Voluntary Personal Leave Program Enrollment form

Voluntary Reduced Time Base Program

Employees participating in the Voluntary Reduced Time Base Program can work a fractional time base schedule ranging from 1/5 time base to 9/10 time base, for more information refer to the Time Computation Chart.

· Leave and State service credits would be pro-rated based on the employees' reduced time base

· To participate, you must complete a Time Base Reduction Plan request form

Partial Service Retirement Program

Employees participating in Partial Service Retirement Program would have a time base reduction of no less than 20 percent and no more than 60 percent.

· Employees would receive full health benefits

· Leave credits are pro-rated based on the employees' reduced time base

· Go to the CalPERS website for additional information

· To participate, you must complete a Partial Service Retirement Application form

Employees should access the paycheck calculator on the State Controller's website to determine the effect of these programs on their salary.

We are encouraging employees interested in signing up for any of these voluntary leave programs to submit their forms, by close of business August 19th, to begin participation in the August pay period. Forms should be submitted to the Human Resources Division, to the attention of Erica Richard, MIC:15. Participation in these programs will be reevaluated June 30, 2010, based on operational or budgetary needs.

Questions and Answers

Are these new programs?

The programs that are available for your participation are not new. Employees have the opportunity to participate at any time. Many of our employees already participate.

Can everyone participate?

Not all collective bargaining contracts allow for participation in the Voluntary Personal Leave Program (VPLP). For example, Unit 2, CASE employees may not participate. Only SEIU employees in Units, 1, 4, 9, 11, 14, and 21 may participate.

Do I have to make a specific time commitment?

While we would like to have a 12 month commitment to participate in these programs, they are voluntary and employees may opt out if necessary.

Are there limits to the number of days I can volunteer leave?

For the VPLP, employees in Units 1, 4, 9, 11, 14, and 21 are limited to 8 hours per month and may accrue a maximum of 240 hours.. Excluded employees may participate in VPLP for 8 or 16 hours per month and there is no cap on the accumulation.

Is participation in the VPLP different from the Personal Leave Program (PLP) program we were required to participate in several years ago?

The PLP was mandatory, while the VPLP is voluntary. Because these are separate programs, any accrued PLP will not count against the VPLP total of 240 hours you may accrue.

Can I participate in more than one of the existing voluntary leave programs?

Yes.

Does participation in any of these programs affect my health benefits?

Employees participating in the VPLP or the Partial Service Retirement would receive full health benefits. Most likely, health benefits would not be affected for employees participating in the Voluntary Unpaid Leave Program or the Voluntary Reduced Time Base Program. It really depends on how much you reduce your time base or workdays. Each case is unique; please check with your Personnel Specialist.

Does participation in any of these programs affect my retirement benefits?

Retirement benefits may be affected for employees participating in the Voluntary Unpaid Leave Program or the Voluntary Reduced Time Base Program. Each case is unique; please check with your Personnel Specialist.

If, at a later date, it is determined that BOE must participate in furloughs, will I be allowed to opt out of the voluntary leave program?

Yes.

If, at a later date, it is determined that BOE must participate in furloughs, will I get credit for the leave I have already voluntarily taken?

At this point, we do not know how any possible future participation in furloughs will affect time voluntarily taken.

For more detailed information and answers to specific questions, you are encouraged to attend one of the informational seminars to be held August 10 and 11.

If you have additional questions, please plan to attend or view via webcast, the informational seminars. You may also contact your Personnel Specialist.

IMAGE: BOE headquarters / Sacramento Bee, Jay Mather, 2005