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ACSS PAC Needs You! Join Today!

If you haven't joined already, sign up today for the ACSS Political Action Committee (PAC)!  More than ever, the PAC needs your voluntary contribution. Donate as little as $2 per month!  The ACSS PAC is the easiest way for you to support candidates and issues that will benefit your career, compensation, and benefits.  By joining the PAC, you can make a difference and help ACSS fight to protect YOUR retirement benefits. Read the latest news about proposed measures that could threaten your pension.

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Changes to Career Executive Assignment (CEA) Qualifications and Reinstatement Rights

Cal HR released a Personnel Management Liasons (PML) that describes changes to the minimum qualifications of the Career Executive Assignment (CEA). Since SB 99 went into effect on September 22, 2015, CEA recruitment is now open to the public and not just for state workers, therefore the potential candidate pool has more competition.

SB 99 also implements some changes in reinstatement rights. Soon CalHR will release an updated CEA booklet that includes these updates.

Click here to read PML 2015-031

Click here to read more about SB 99 - PML 2015-030

Your ACSS Q4 2015 Newsletter is here!

The Q4 2015 Newsletter is here! In this edition, newly elected ACSS President Frank Ruffino introduces himself and provides inspiration about his vision for the future of ACSS.

Download it NOW!

Compaction Issue Gains Momentum as ACSS Meets with CalHR, Presents Proposals

On October 8, 2015, ACSS met with CalHR’s representative to talk about resolving salary compaction globally for all excluded state employees. Our efforts gained momentum to ensure that all supervisors and managers have at least a 10% minimum differential in salary above the employees they supervise.

In this meeting with CalHR, ACSS presented data to highlight specific classifications that don’t have a 10% differential above their subordinates such as in the CDCR Office of Education whose excluded employees make significantly less than those they supervise. The salary compaction information presented by ACSS focuses on those excluded classifications that ACSS represents. We urged CalHR to adopt ACSS’ proposals to address the pay compaction issues facing excluded state employees and recommended appropriation of funds for excluded employee special salary adjustments in the next budget cycle.

CalHR’s representative stated that CalHR will commit to give ACSS’ proposals careful consideration and pointed out that this administration has shown a willingness to establish a minimum salary differential between supervisors and their subordinates.

ACSS also addressed the issue of parity for increases in pay and benefit negotiated with rank and file state employees. MOU parity would include general salary increases and benefits like the Department of Water Resources Operational Availability Incentive Program provided to bargaining units 9, 11, and 12.

As always, ACSS continues to address the issue of salary compaction and will keep you updated with our diligent efforts to resolve compaction for all excluded employees.

Two New Pension Reform Proposals Attack New Hires and Cut Pay

Former San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed is at it again, this time proposing two new, poorly-crafted measures that attack state employee retirement securities.

The first measure eliminates defined benefit retirement for new public employees hired after January 1, 2015 and does not require employers to provide new employees with any retirement at all. If an employee moves from one department to another, they will lose their pension. This measure is highly detrimental to recruitment, and morale is certain to be damaged in the process.

The second measure caps retirement and cuts pay. It caps retirement contributions at levels which will force new public employees to suffer pay cuts between 7 – 39%. It will also significantly limit employer contributions towards retirement for new employees. New state employees would have their salaries reduced by up to 22%. Every new public employee would experience a drastic pay cut under this initiative.

These new proposals skirt around the pension reform issue by affecting only new hires and future employees. They do not alter costs of retirement benefits for current employees.

Reed said in a conference call to the media, “We are trying to focus on controlling the cost of benefits. The problem is only going to get worse.”

Dave Low, leader of a union-supported group called Californians for Retirement Security, countered by saying in a news statement that the proposals are poorly-drafted, mean-spirited and as unworkable as Reed & DeMaio’s past two pension reform ballot measures. ACSS is also a member of Californians for Retirement Security and supports Low’s statements.

Within the next two months, Kamala Harris will issue titles and summaries to these proposals, and we may see them on the 2016 November ballot if they collect enough signatures in time.

Click here to read the full article in the SacBee.

Click here to read Dave Low’s talking points summary about these measures.

ACSS President Frank Ruffino Attends Chapter 504 Meeting in Fairfield

(Chapter 504 members from left: Alternate Delegate Kimisha Hall, Board Member Shirley Castaneda, Chapter President Donald Merrill, ACSS President Frank Ruffino, Secretary/Treasurer Lavonne Thomas, Vice President Marie Fay.)

On September 1, 2015, ACSS President Frank Ruffino attended Chapter 504’s meeting in Fairfield. Board Member Shirley Castaneda said she was honored by Ruffino’s presence and grateful for his dedication to ACSS. The members were pleased to meet him and were inspired by his thoughts regarding the current issues on pensions, health care reform and other matters.

CalHR Releases Pay Letter – Recruitment and Retention Pay for California Health and Human Services Agency

On September 21, 2015, CalHR released Pay Letter 15-20 that details amendments to several Pay Differentials affecting excluded employees.

Pay Differential 322 adds two new classifications of Mental Health Administrators, CEA (Safety) and Mental Health Administrator (Safety), effective 7/7/15.

Pay Differential 412 describes recruitment and retention differential pay to multiple departments within California Health and Human Services Agency. See Pay Differential 412 for further details.

Pay Differential 413 describes recruitment and retention differential pay for Chief Physician and Surgeon, Correctional Facility who are appointed and physically located at California Health Care Facility. See Pay Differential 413 for further details.

Pay Letter 15-20 also announces special salary adjustments for S19 and E98 excluded employees in the Chief Psychologist, SPB class code 9251 effective September 1, 2015 and for S09 excluded employees in the Supervising Pipeline Safety Engineer class code 2581 effective retroactive to July 1, 2015.

ACSS will be visiting CDCR facilities coming up in October 2015!

Calling all Supervisors, Managers and Excluded State Employees who work for California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation... ACSS will be visiting CDCR facilities in northern and southern California coming soon! Check the ACSS Events Calendar frequently during the month of October to see when our next meeting will be held in YOUR area!  Our Member Outreach Coordinators will be present to inform you about ACSS programs, your rights as an excluded employee, and will listen to any issues you may be experiencing at your workplace. 

Lunch or snacks will be provided to members and potential members who RSVP prior to the meeting date. Stop by on your break or lunch.

Do you have questions about CA State Retiree Health Benefits?

How much would I have to pay into the retiree-benefits fund?

Will my pension contributions go up in the future?

Where will the money go?

Click here to read the answers to these questions and more in the SacBee's article on "Your Questions About California State Retiree Health Benefits Asked and Answered".

ACSS Leaders Speak at Public Hearing in Support of Women’s Issues, Diversity

On Thursday August 20th, ACSS leaders were invited to attend a public hearing of the Assembly Select Committee on the Status of Girls & Women of Color, chaired by Nora Campos (AD27) and Cheryl Brown (AD47) in San Jose. The hearing was held to discuss what issues impact the lives of women and girls of color and their families and what factors promote or limit their success.

ACSS President Frank Ruffino and Deborah Smith, Secretary/Treasurer of Chapter 505 (Office Chief of the Division of External Affairs of CA), were invited to provide input and testimony on the subject. In her public comment, Deborah Smith discussed her upbringing among strong, supportive women in her family and how they taught her self-worth, hard work ethics, and to strive for success. In discussing the value of a strong support system, Smith said, “When girls see someone like them achieve greatness, they become believers that they too can become great. Cultivating the ability to believe in oneself is the first step to success.”

Frank Ruffino also shared his thoughts on the subject by saying, “Opportunities like this public hearing allow for diverse groups to come together benefit from each other’s progress and success stories. Diversity makes us stronger. Women and girls of color have made tremendous progress, however, gender parity is still a challenge, particularly in the areas of economic opportunity and leadership.”

Ruffino also shared with the committee examples of ACSS’ leadership and compassion in diversity, women’s issues, poverty, domestic violence and other issues affecting women and girls. With more than half of ACSS’ leadership positions being held by women, President Ruffino emphasized the fact that ACSS is an organization that continues to take the lead on issues affecting women such as diversity and opportunity. Ruffino concluded his comments by saying, “Work still needs to be done so that all members of society have equal access to opportunities and resources.”

ACSS continues to support women’s issues and continue to exemplify diversity and leadership within the state workforce. ACSS looks forward to working with the legislature and the public in addressing important issues such as this.