CAPSule on the Web. The February Issue of CAPSule, CAPS’ monthly newsletter, is posted on the CAPS website. You can view it here.
Keep your Union Strong! Recruit a new member! CAPS offers a $50 incentive for recruiting new members, whether they are Rank-and-File, Supervisory, or Managerial State Scientists. The online membership application form can be located on the CAPS website at http://capsscientists.org/application. It only takes a few minutes to sign up. Make sure the applicant fills in the “referred by” field to receive your incentive bonus!
CalHR Policy Update – Section 2124. Employee Leave Management. CalHR recently released an update to their Policy Manual Section 2124. The update does not affect Unit 10 members. The Vacation/Annual Leave cap for other units was updated, but CAPS’ leave cap still remains expanded. The Policy states for Unit 10, in part, “In compliance with the Side Letter Agreement, dated June 25, 2020, the rollover/cap accumulation limit shall be increased by 192 hours, and will remain in effect through June 30, 2025.” This allows Unit 10 members to carry over 832 hours of accrued Vacation/Annual leave until July 1, 2025. Some departments have been requesting Unit 10 scientists to reduce their leaves back to 640, which is not the current leave cap. You can read more and reference the expanded benefit here: https://hrmanual.calhr.ca.gov/Home/ManualItem/1/2124
CalHR Benefits Website. Want to learn about some of the benefits available to you as a state employee? CalHR hosts an employee benefits program website to help acquaint new employees with their benefits, but it can be useful for seasoned employees who may have forgotten some of the benefits available to them. The website contains information on general benefits (like health, dental and vision benefits), wellness (such as commute programs and EAP resources), additional insurance (term life, group legal insurance, etc.), and wellbeing resources (Healthier U information, Merit Award Programs), among others. As always, if you have questions about what benefits you may qualify for, contact CAPS (caps@capsscientists.org).
In Review. February 21, 2023. Earn Mentoring Leave while you Select This Year’s Science Achievement Award Winners! The California Association of Professional Scientists sponsors a special award at 15 regional STEM Fairs (that’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics!) that are held in the State of California. The CAPS Special Award is called the Science Achievement Award. Students chosen for the award receive a $100 prize, and the members who volunteer to attend the fairs and select the winners on behalf of CAPS can earn mentoring leave pursuant to CAPS MOU, Section 3.17. Up to 40 hours of Mentoring Leave can be earned per calendar year. Members use their own leave credits, and then are provided an equal number of hours as Mentoring Leave. If you’re interested in judging the CAPS Special Award at a regional fair (Fairs may be held in-person or virtual this year, depending on location), contact CAPS (caps@capsscientists.org).
Read the rest of the entries, or see what else you may have missed on the CAPS Website here: http://capsscientists.org/members/caps-member-updates/ The password is ChooseCAPS! – it is case-sensitive.