Keeping you up-to-date on our work to increase your salary, improve and protect your benefits, and aggressively represent your professional interests in every forum where they are at stake.
CASE BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ UPDATE
Telework Arbitration Update. Since Departments have moved to return more CASE Members to in-office work, CASE has advocated aggressively to preserve maximum telework flexibility for all Unit 2 legal professionals, including filing of more than a dozen grievances challenging arbitrary in-office minimums at various departments. These grievances have been percolating through the grievance process for the better part of a year, but with the first grievance (against CalPERS) set for arbitration in March, CalHR has now decided to unilaterally withdraw from the process, challenging the arbitrability of the relevant MOU provision.
CASE will imminently file a motion to compel arbitration in Superior Court. As our members know, post-COVID court backlogs make it difficult to estimate how long it will take for the court to confirm arbitrability. Once the court confirms CASE’s interpretation of the plain language of the MOU, we will proceed to arbitrate outstanding telework claims. In the meantime, CASE will continue to urge departments to offer maximum telework flexibility and to avoid arbitrary in-office minimums. The pandemic proved what we have long known: the outstanding work of Unit 2 legal professionals on behalf of Californians isn’t dependent on where it is performed, and the work-life balance afforded by telework helps the State retain the best of the best. We will provide further updates on telework arbitrations in future CASE Files.
Consolidation Project FAQ: As previously discussed, SPB last month approved the Attorney Class Consolidation plan proposed by CalHR and improved thanks to CASE’s advocacy. In response to member questions, we’ve prepared an extensive FAQ page, including information regarding the availability of class exams covered in Monday’s Special Edition CASE Files. Have a question not covered at the FAQ? Email CASE today.
CALPERS CORNER
Essential Websites. It’s the time of year when many people round up documents and prepare to submit their tax statements. Many also take the opportunity to think more broadly about their finances, including their retirement plans.
Regardless of your age and career stage, CalPERS suggests you regularly review your situation to help ensure your financial security when you retire. The fund recommends these links as essential resources to aid your post-career research and preparation:
- CalPERS Benefits Education Events
- CalPERS YouTube Channel
- Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for Retirees
- myCalPERS Member Portal
- Retirement Planning Checklist
- Retirement Estimate Calculator
- Social Security & Your CalPERS Pension
- Working After Retirement
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Headlines. News of interest to Unit 2 legal professionals:
- Disability advocates file lawsuit against California’s CARE Courts system – United Press International
- California lawsuit accuses six companies of driving up insulin costs – Benefits Professional
- California voters will decide on a referendum to repeal a law governing fast-food working conditions in 2024 – Ballotpedia News
REMINDERS
Missed a CASE Files? Past issues are archived on the CASE Website in the Member Center. The password is membersmatter22.