005 and 008 Members Vote Overwhelmingly  to Ratify 1-Year Contract Extension June 11, 2021         UPE is excited to announce that both the 005 and 008 Bargaining Unit members have voted to ratify the contract extension with Sacramento County.  In the 005 Bargaining Unit, 93.7% voted to ratify, and in the 008 Bargaining Unit, 93.5% voted to ratify.      UPE has notified the County of the results. Members should expect to see the 2% salary increase reflected on their paycheck for the first full pay period in July.       Both Bargaining Units shall enter traditional contract negotiations early in 2022.  UPE would like to thank all members for their participation in the vote and their continued support. TOGETHER WE ARE STRONG!!

Know Your Rights It is imperative that you know your employee rights in order to ensure equal treatment and fairness in the workplace. As a public employee, you have rights that are granted through your union contract, state and federal law, and workplace policies. UPE's staff and member-leaders have fought tirelessly throughout the years to expand and protect these rights. Some of these rights include proper representation during an investigatory meeting pertaining to a disciplinary matter. Your rights to Family Medical Leave Act, American Disabilities Act and sick/vacation leave request/usage. A change of policy that impacts your current working conditions prescribed under the MOU and or government code. All of this matters and we will educate you through this process. To that end, we are developing a series of short, easy-to-read summaries of many of your employment rights. More summaries will be added to this website over the coming months. Always feel free to ask your Steward and or your Business Representative about your employment rights and how they apply to your specific circumstances. In most cases, your employer is not required to inform you of your rights. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

008 – Meet & Confer Update CPS Proposes Changes to Medical Neglect Review Team Policy May 13, 2021 On May 12, 2021, UPE and DCFAS met once again to discuss the proposed changes to the Medical Neglect Review Team Policy. Despite our previous request for more data, the department came unprepared to discuss why the changes are necessary. No data was presented. The department simply reiterated their previous position but failed to answer what was driving the changes, as well as failing to consider alternatives to decrease the workload impact. UPE could not agree to the proposed changes. UPE once again requested data that supports these changes. UPE also requested County Counsel joins the next meeting to discuss our concerns regarding department jurisdiction on unsubstantiated referrals. UPE and the Department will meet again the first week of June.  TOGETHER WE ARE STRONG

Merced County HSA Proposed Operations Directive Changes May 28, 2021      United Public Employees recently received notification from Merced County Human Services Agency of proposed changes in several of their Operations Directives. A Meet & Confer was scheduled for May 28th.  Lisa Sykes, a Merced Unit 3 Governing Board Member, and job site Steward at HSA, was asked to review the proposed changes, and prepare questions to present to County staff at the May 28th Meet & Confer. HSA Proposed Changes to the 10 following Operations Directives; #3 Overtime #4 Visitors #7 Copy Center Services #20 EEO #23 Forms #33 Receipt of Merchandise #40 Property Inventory Control #49 Legislative Programs #60 Outside Employment #74 Workplace Privacy       After careful review of the proposed Directive changes... Continue reading...

005 DCFAS Return to Work Plan May 26, 2021 UPE and DCFAS met on May 26, 2021, to discuss the Department’s return to work plan.  The Department intends to reopen all DCFAS lobbies June 15, 2021, with the exception of one Watt Avenue location. Staff who currently support those lobbies will continue to do so on a rotating basis. The Department also intends to roll back changes that were implemented under the emergency COVID procedures, including telework. UPE immediately questioned why the Department was ending telework when it has been working successfully for both the workers and the Department.  The Department claims their intention is not to end telework but to...   Continue reading...

Update-DHA Open Lobby Bureaus: County Proposes CalWORKs Intake Service Center Model May 14, 2021  UPE met again with the DHA regarding their proposed CalWorks Intake Service Center model in open-lobby bureaus. UPE had previously submitted numerous questions regarding impacts on intake, homeless, and the CSR functions. On several UPE questions, DHA requested clarification. UPE then provided clarification. At first, DHA said that CSR’s would not process intakes for client walk-ins, then said only on rare occasions. DHA further added that CSR’s would examine client walk-in documents and...                                                                         Continue Reading...

Acting Supervisor DHA May 13, 2021             UPE and DHA met and conferred on April 29, 2021, regarding the Department’s plan to codify and standardize the procedure for selecting Acting Supervisors.  The Department’s plan would base selection off of County seniority. Each Bureau would maintain their own lists with most open-lobby bureaus having different lists for each unit/function and the service centers would be using larger lists based solely on function. The Department outlined criteria by which workers forego... Continue reading 005... Continue reading 008...

UPE Featured in the Sacramento News & Review!     Read how UPE steps in to advocate for members when they need them the most.   Click here to read more.

UPE Members of the Quarter!      UPE Recognizes & Appreciates Your Support!  Not Pictured: Yashoda Reddy, Angela Ortega, Amber Guerro, Andrii Beresnev, Angela Soltero, Andy Lee, Phyllis Duarte-Lowe, Tamra Williams-Jordan, Dana Somera, Michele Brashear, Charles Severance, Maria Angel, Christina Zepeda  Cynthia Raley, Loretta Christian, Donna Seese, Angel Atilano, Angel Williams, Angela Horper, Michael Meraz, Nancy Wallace  Lona Bradford, Catherine Hamilton, Angela Howard, Angelica Avalos, Angelique Reyes, Christina Tapia-Cortinas, Lissa Hernandez, Marie Sims, Tiffany Shende Bargas, Romellia Alcaraz, Donna Helms, Dori Aros      Dao-Nhan Lien, Chiou Saelee, Jolene Caton, Ann Manisap, Ann Tran, Anna Nerdinskaya, Kent Sandoval, Jonathan Caporgno