Governor Newsom’s Budget Released Friday. Governor Newsom released his proposed budget on Friday, January 8, 2021. The Governor’s priorities include continuing to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring that economic recovery will follow. Of interest to CAPS members, the budget also contemplates the possibility of lifting PLP 2020 as early as July 2021 because of the better-than-anticipated economic situation in California. The budget typically sees many changes between the initial proposed budget in January and the 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.
New Month Adds 16 hours of PLP 2020, Increases Vacation/Annual Leave Cap. Unit 10 State Scientists have now been subject to PLP 2020 for seven months. On January 1, 2021, all full-time State Scientists received another 16 hours of PLP 2020 credit, which can be requested and taken in the same manner as vacation or sick leave, at the member’s discretion. Since the program’s start in July 2020, State Scientists have been credited with a total of 112 hours of PLP 2020. Meanwhile, State Scientists’ vacation/annual leave cap has increased by the same amount, from a maximum of 640 hours in June 2020, to the current limit of 752 hours. The vacation/annual leave cap increases last until 2025 for Unit 10.
CAPS Masks. CAPS has branded protective face masks for members (size: 7″ x 5.5″) and their children (size: 6″ x 5″) this week. Masks are going fast, so be sure to sign up today to get yours if you haven’t yet. Masks are only available while supplies last. The use of protective face masks, frequent hand washing, and social distancing will need to continue this year. Show solidarity with your union while you do your best to stay safe. If you are interested in receiving a mask, please fill out the order form here. One mask per member, please. Children’s masks available while supplies last. Wear your CAPS mask with pride and assist in spreading the message: Science Saves Lives. Thank you for all you have done to continue protecting California amidst these harrowing times
News Briefs.
Harnessing Rice Fields to Resurrect California’s Endangered Salmon – Inside Climate News. California’s salmon populations have been dangerously close to extinction for decades. A new partnership that includes the Department of Water Resources, farmers, biologists, and conservation groups is imagining “a new way forward” to restore wild fish runs and tip the scales toward recovery.
Editorial: Fewer racehorses are dying – but still too many – Los Angeles Times. It’s been two years since Santa Anita Park started a tumultuous season of horse racing that saw 37 horses die from racing or training and ushered in a new period of reform in this risky sport. The alarming spate of deaths from late December 2018 to November 2019 led to an overhaul of the California Horse Racing Board and jump-started the federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, which had been stalled for years in Congress. The bill, which passed last month, will put in place nationwide drug regulations and establish a national safety program. But it’s still not enough; here’s what government and the industry should do next.
In Review. Check out what you may have missed from past CAPS Updates here:
December 3, 2020. Know Your Rights: Weingarten Rights. State Scientists (and all state employees) have the right to request a union representative to attend a meeting they reasonably believe will result in disciplinary action. These rights are called “Weingarten Rights” which are derived from a 1975 Supreme Court Case (NLRB v. J. Weingarten, Inc.). These rights apply in investigatory interviews and meetings where the employee has a reasonable belief that formal discipline may result. State Scientists may request union representation before, or during, such an interview. When representation is requested, the supervisor must do one of three things: grant the request and delay questioning until the representative arrives; deny the request and end the interview immediately; or offer the option of having the interview without representation. The last option is essentially voluntarily giving up one’s rights to union representation, and not usually recommended by CAPS. If your supervisor denies the request for union representation and continues the interview, you have the legal right to refuse to answer questions, but this option must be exercised tactfully.
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.