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
Fighting for Telework Flexibility While Protecting Your Rights. As previously reported, CASE continues to press departments to maintain maximum telework flexibility for members at every department. Recently, the California Energy Commission, facing a costly and lengthy arbitration for violation of the CASE MOU related to their arbitrary mandate that CEC attorneys report to the office once per week, wisely rescinded the policy in question. CASE advised its CEC members (rank-and-file and supervisory) of their right to be free from retaliation or reprisal for their assistance in bringing the grievance against CEC and in the arbitration preparation. CASE was pleased to see the CEC subsequently reiterated those rights in a direct email communication to its employees. We know that assisting with grievances or similar processes can be daunting. We’re thankful to the CASE members who stepped up to help ensure the state honors the CASE MOU. If you are ever concerned about retaliation or reprisal, know that CASE has your back.
Keeping Up the Fight Against Wasteful Outsourcing. The State Personnel Board has again rejected a state agency’s attempt to outsource state legal work, this time at Caltrans. The most recent decision affirmed the SPB Executive Officer’s prior disapproval of the contract, which Caltrans appealed to the full Board. Caltrans sought to outsource e-discovery – a job CASE members can and do currently handle. Caltrans argued that there aren’t enough attorneys at Caltrans currently to do the work. CASE (once again) highlighted that the appropriate solution is to recruit additional talent to the state – a task that would be made easier with improvements to salary and benefits, along with flexible telework. CASE continues to fight legal work outsourcing throughout the state – it’s far more wasteful of California’s resources than hiring, training, and properly compensating civil service employees.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
News of interest to CASE legal professionals:
- California examines benefits, risks of using artificial intelligence in state government – Los Angeles Times (free read)
- California state agency takes action against businesswoman accused of alleged Ponzi scheme – ABC 10 News (San Diego)
- Unsealed complaint: Meta deliberately targeted young users, ensnaring them with addictive tech, states claim – CBS News
REMINDERS
ENDS TOMORROW! CASE Supplemental Insurance Open Enrollment. Through November 30, CASE members can sign up for Accident Insurance and Critical Injury Insurance available through our group policy with The Standard. Open enrollment ends November 30 and this will be your only opportunity to enroll until Fall 2024.
For more information, including cost and coverage, please review the benefit summaries available here: Accident and Critical Injury. This Enrollment Guide contains information on how to log-in to the system.To access the enrollment portal, please visit the Supplemental Insurance page in the Member Center (password: membersmatter22).
Increases to Business & Travel Reimbursement Rates Coming January 1. CASE is pleased to announce that thanks to the work of both the CASE Bargaining Team and Supervisor and Manager Meet and Confer Team, the state will be increasing Business & Travel Reimbursement Rates effective January 1. And, this is just the start of what we anticipate will be additional improvements in 2024. Article 12.1 of the CASE MOU promises Unit 2 rank-and-file employees will receive any increases to reimbursement rates provided to excluded employees. On November 20, CalHR confirmed that effective January 1, rates for all meals will increase, as well as lodging reimbursement. You can check out the increased amounts here. The State continues to work towards the adoption of the federal reimbursement rates established by the General Services Administration (GSA). Look for more news on improvements in future CASE Files.
Calling all CASE Runners! Members from any department are invited to join the California DOJ Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay team, March 23-24, 2024. This 120-mile, 20-stage foot race begins in Baker, California, and ends in Las Vegas, Nevada, pitting the home team against teams from various local, state, and federal public agencies from across the country and the globe. The team is looking for members to embrace the challenge of this highly competitive, grueling, non-stop competition that highlights the work of public servants and offers a chance for cross-agency camaraderie. Learn more about the race here. Up to the challenge or want to learn more? Contact CASE Vice President (and race veteran) Ryan Smith.