CSD Area Update #8

by Amy Achilles

Statewide DTB/UMCC Issues as of 2/16/12 (Does not include grievances/arbitrations)

A DTB was filed on 2/1/12 in response to notice that CSD intends to have some childcare done over the counter again to address the increased needs of seasonal child care. The team for this meeting is Gayle Chamberlain-Smith, Chevy Zarate and Lorraine Lopez and the meeting is scheduled for 2/24/12.

A DTB was filed on 1/17/12 in response to notice that CSD intends to implement the CHIPRA grant, which auto enrolls newborns into newborn medical when the change is reported through Washington Connections. The team for this is Gayle Chamberlain-Smith, Randy Kurtz and Billie Malcolm. The DTB is scheduled for 3/2/12.

A DTB was filed on 12/8/11 in response to notice that CSD plans to standardize their statewide LEP processes. (Also see note below in tele-work) This does not affect bi-lingual staff, only the billing and reconciliation procedures. The team met and reached an MOU on 1/25/12 which was sent out to all CSD reps and the team on 1/26/12.

SB 5921 was signed by the Governor and retained the language in section 27 establishing an employee incentive pilot related to Workfirst performance. The bill requires the Department to implement a pilot by January 1, 2012, and to report to the Legislature on pilot implementation and outcomes by January 1, 2013. The department has not determined how they plan to implement this yet but we would expect to receive formal notice and plan to file a DTB as soon as that is received. On 8/17/11, I confirmed CSD has not yet developed any plan on this issue. In 10/11 I received a copy of an email that shows that management is working on developing their plan. I sent an inquiry to HR and CSD and the response was that a notice would be coming very soon.  Notice was received and a DTB was filed on 11/1/11.  Meetings occurred on 12/12/11 and 1/13/12 to exchange proposals and the team was Billie Malcolm, Annie Namyniuk and Gayle Chamberlain-Smith. A MOU was reached that achieved as fair of a process as possible for those working with WF clients. This was sent out to the team and to all CSD reps on 1/18/12.

A memo went out in Region 3 on 10/24/11 describing changes to the work or work processes of the WFPS’s and SW’s. It is unclear at this time what this means and whether or not a DTB needs to be filed so we had a brief teleconference with CSD to get more information. This was on the agenda at the statewide UMCC that occurred on 1/13/12. My notes from that meeting were sent to CSD reps and to the team on 1/19/12. They are not official minutes for distribution but can be used as a resource to answer questions.

A DTB was filed 10/20/11 in response to notice that the CSD intends to close Othello, relocate staff from Colfax and consolidate the three Spokane offices into two. Spokane has been resolved through informal discussions, it has been determined that Colfax will remain open and informal discussions were satisfactory for Othello. At this time, the DTB remains open while we determine if there are any new impacts in Othello now that the move has actually occurred. 

A DTB was filed on 10/19/11 regarding staff reassignments in the CSC. At the statewide CSD UMCC management explained that they received approval to hire a number of positions. A large number of FSS and OAS positions were a part of that approval, nowhere near filling the vacancies in CSD but a good thing none the less.  From the UMCC summary: “CSD has recently received authorization to hire 52 FSS’s and 24 OAS’s. Of those positions, all of the OAS’s will go to the CSC to free up the FSS’s currently working in HIU to do financial work. In addition, the CSC will receive 6 of the FSS’s. So, the end result will be about 18 FSS’s added to the CSC. The CSO’s will receive the remaining FSS’s authorized for hire as well as an additional 8 WFPS’s.”  This DTB is related to the reassignment of the FSS’s currently in the HIU. On 12/7/11 staff from HIU, Gayle Chamberlain-Smith and myself met and reached an MOU with management that protects members’ classification, location, workload and even the types of tasks they are assigned.  This was sent out to all CSD reps and the team on 12/8/11. The team was Gayle Chamberlain-Smith, Tracy Boose and Addie Rodriguez.

A DTB was filed 1/7/11 not in response to a notice, but to a change in leave approval practices at the Mt. Vernon CSO. A lengthy information request was sent in order to prepare we’ve just had our first  meeting on 4/19/11. Resolution has not been reached and follow up is in process, we are still awaiting an information request.  I have attempted follow up on this issue many times w/ the HRD rep with not much response, so we decided to pursue follow up from CSD by placing it on the statewide agenda. Since that time I received a request from HRD about what more was needed and I have requested a follow up meeting. I have also received communication from OFM that they are receiving nothing on this as well. I am now working directly with OFM and this meeting will occur in the very near future. The team appointed is Marci Douglas-Bumgarner, Diane Linnell-Merry and Terea Gilmore.

A DTB was filed 9/7/10 regarding the CSC implementing a statewide tele-work project. This has been completed and is now closed. Six monthly follow up teleconferences have also now been completed and a detailed summary of the final meeting went to all CSD reps. The next step was to expand the opportunity to about 70 more people in the near future.  At the CSC UMCC on 8/9/11 we were informed that there are 75 slots available and that about 130 members have expressed interest in those slots. The selection will be based on the agreed upon criteria. We were also informed that, due to a technological glitch, the setup of the 75 new participants may be delayed by about a month.  The latest delay is a result of trying to figure out how to even out some of the workload that comes in to “points of contact” in the office from the tele-workers, LEP being an example. In accordance with the LEP MOU reached on 1/25/12, it is expected that the next phase of tele-work will roll out on 3/1/12.

Under the new CBA, statewide CSD UMCC’s occur. The first one occurred on 9/27/11 at the ESA building in Olympia and a summary was sent out to the team and CSD reps.  The second one occurred on 1/13/12 and a summary of this also went out to the team and CSD reps. These are not official minutes and are only my notes so these are also not for distribution but may be used as a resource to answer questions.

A CSC UMCC last occurred on 8/9/11 and a detailed summary was sent out to the team and CSD reps.