Governor Newsom’s Draft Budget Contemplates Ending PLP 2020. Governor Newsom released his proposed budget in January of this year. Early reports indicate that the Governor’s priorities remain combatting the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recovery. The information released appears to indicate the possibility that the PLP 2020 program is likely able to be “cut short” because of the better-than expected fiscal outlook. The reports however do not contemplate the increases that CAPS and other units deferred. However, CAPS’ rank-and-file Bargaining Team has requested that CalHR join them at the bargaining table to discuss the end of PLP 2020 and the funding of the deferred 5% increase. The CAPS Supervisory Committee will be meeting with CalHR to discuss this, separately. The Supervisors Committee will also meet with CalHR to discuss new telework concerns and possibilities for supervisory and managerial members, and that the supervisors who have still not received adjustments commensurate to their other supervisory and managerial Unit 10 peers be adjusted to match, among other items. The budget typically sees many changes between the initial draft budget on January 10th and the Governor’s revised budget (the “May Revise”) in May. CAPS will be advocating, as always, that State Scientists and scientific programs receive their fair share of the budget.

Professional Development Days – Use them or lose them. CalHR Manual, Section 2112, provides Unit 10 supervisory employees with two days per fiscal year “for activities such as professional association activities, professional and/or personal development seminars, etc.” The language additionally states that “PDD must be used within the fiscal year or calendar year it is granted and not accumulated or cashed out.” As such, make sure you use both of your Professional Development Days before July 1 (which is a little less than three months away), when you will once again have two days available to you.  Your pay warrants only show hours for PDD once you’ve used the hours, meaning if you haven’t used your PDD for the Fiscal Year, it shows as zero (0.00) on your pay warrant. Professional Development Days do not accumulate, so use them or lose them before June 30th. If you have a question regarding how to determine whether you’ve used your professional development days this year, contact your personnel specialist. If you have any additional questions about PDD, contact CAPS at caps@capsscientists.org.

Administrative Time Off (ATO) for COVID-19 Vaccinations. In early March, CalHR informed departmental Human Resources Offices that a reasonable amount of ATO is allowable for vaccines. CalHR advised departments that the typical ATO allotment is up-to two (2) hours, but informed them that more or less may be approved, depending upon individual circumstances. CAPS is contacting all departments where members have informed us ATO has not yet been provided to encourage them to do so. If you have already, or are currently scheduling your COVID-19 vaccination, be sure to request ATO. If you have issues, as always, contact CAPS (caps@capsscientists.org)!

Supplemental Paid Sick Leave for Employees Impacted by the Pandemic. On March 19, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 95: legislation to ensure access to up to 80 hours of COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave for eligible employees, including those advised to quarantine or isolate and those caring for COVID-impacted family members. SB 95 extends protections through September 30, 2021 and is retroactive to sick leave taken beginning January 1, 2021. With the news of the enacted legislation, CAPS reached out to CalHR who expects to have a directive to Departments regarding the use of SB 95 sick leave by next week. You can read more about this new Supplemental Paid Sick Leave in the CalHR Manual here.

News Briefs. 

‘Bad taste.’ CalPERS board regrets pension mistakes, but votes to deny retiree appeals – The Sacramento Bee Leaders of California’s $445 billion public employee pension system were uncomfortable last week after they rejected a batch of appeals from retirees who believed they were owed more money than they’re getting every month.  Members of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System Board of Administration turned down nine of the 10 requests they considered.  Still, they said they wanted to prevent mistakes in estimates that can cost retirees thousands of dollars a month.  Board member David Miller said that the decisions left a “bad taste” among board members even though they were supported by California pension law.  “I think we really deserve, our members really deserve us to take a deeper dive because all too often we make decisions that are in line with our fiduciary responsibility, but that do not feel fair or just to our members,” Miller said.

Biden plan helps employers expand family leave. Will California offer it to state workers? – The Sacramento Bee A paid federal family-leave expansion that helped many California state workers manage coronavirus disruptions last year remains in limbo this year under President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan.  When Congress approved the first coronavirus relief package a year ago, it required most employers, including the State of California, to offer 10 weeks of family and medical leave at two-thirds pay, up to a maximum of $10,000, for parents with children at home due to the virus.  Congress allowed the mandatory leave to expire, but offered tax credits to employers who wanted to continue a new, expanded version of the program.  The state doesn’t pay federal taxes, so it doesn’t have the same incentive a private employer would to offer the program.  Last year the state used federal coronavirus funds to pay the mandatory benefits.  This year California will receive $26 billion in federal stimulus money, but it is not clear if it could be used to cover expanded family leave benefits.

In Review. Check out what you may have missed from past CAPS Updates here:

March 25, 2021. Want a Discount on your Insurance Needs? CAPS members get group discounts on a variety of insurances through Liberty Mutual Insurance, just for being a part of CAPS! You need to have auto, renter’s, or homeowner’s insurance, so why not secure it at a lower cost? You can even have your insurance paid automatically out of your check each month so you don’t need to have another bill to remember! For more information about personal insurance (including homeowners, renters, or auto insurance), please click here.  To learn more about the pet insurance program, please click here.

Read the rest of the entries, or see what else you may have missed on the CAPS Website here: https://capsscientists.org/supervisors/. The password is S10CAPS – it IS case-sensitive.