Fourth Annual UPE Scholarship Competition   The UPE Board of Directors is proud to announce the 4th annual United Public Employees Scholarship competition.  Open to UPE members’ families, the program offers four $1500 scholarships to help with college expenses. The scholarships are part of the Union’s endeavor to give back to our members.      As a part of the application, those applying must complete a 500 word essay, include THREE letters of reference and transcripts. Applications must be postmarked by June 5, 2020 and winners will be awarded on June 23, 2020.  Please click here for more information.

COVID-19 Merced Update Message to Supervisor Silveira April 16, 2020 Dear Supervisor Scott Silveira, On behalf of UPE membership, your constituents, we would like to address your comments made earlier this week at the Board of Supervisors meeting. Your response Tuesday, regarding the safety concerns many workers are feeling during the COVID-19 pandemic was insensitive, offensive and out right wrong. As an elected official, it is your responsibility not only to protect the safety of your citizens but also your employees within Merced County who are working every day to provide the essential services you talked about. Your message not only demonstrated your lack of empathy for your employees but also showed your misguided anger towards workers seeking safe working conditions which will ultimately help protect their families and the community. Without added protections and safety measures for all citizens, including essential Merced County workers, Merced County is putting its constituents, and the community at risk. You are failing the very citizens you claim you want to protect. Your leadership is currently on display and your constituents will remember which elected officials stood up to the task of protecting the community, and who failed to act.       Continue Reading

UPE Executive Director Calls Out Board of Supervisors on County Response to COVID 19 The following email was sent to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors on March 20, 2020. Good afternoon Board of Supervisors, I write to you with much disappointment, frustration and down right anger with the lack of compassion and consideration your executive 700 H St management is giving to your employees. I understand that this pandemic emergency was not something anyone wished for, but it is here, and we must deal with it. You have thousands of employees who are being deemed as essential employees because they are government employees and they can be deemed so in an emergency crisis situation as we are in now. However, is it essential to keep employees, regardless of age, that are suffering from a chronic or underlying condition, at work to be possibly exposed to this deadly disease? It has been brought to my attention that the County is willing to let them go home to self-quarantine, however, they will have to utilize their accrual balances if that is their choice. Really? What if they do not have enough accruals to do so for a self-quarantine of 15 days? Well the county’s response is that they can apply for SDI, and get part of their salary to survive. Really?  Click here to read the complete letter.

UPE  Update: COVID-19  3/20/20 As you may be aware, Courts in Sacramento, Yuba, and Sutter Counties have all significantly reduced operations in light of recent directives from the Governor and County Health Officials.  These Courts are placing workers on Administrative Leave and providing additional pay to those that are required to come to work. UPE supports these actions and appreciates the steps these employers have taken to guard worker safety. UPE also supports the actions taken by Sacramento County to close public access, send non-essential staff home on administrative leave, and allow workers to telecommute where possible.  However, Sacramento County continues to require workers in a number of Departments to come to their offices as essential governmental employees.   Sacramento County are giving all workers 65 and over the option of paid administrative leave in order to comply with the Governor's order.  However, at this time the County is not offering the same option for workers with chronic health conditions that make them at higher risk to health complications due to COVID-19.   Click here to read more.

UPE COVID-19 Update: UPE Proposals to Sacramento County 4/3/20 United Public Employees and representatives from the County of Sacramento met via conference call on Friday April 3, 2020 to discuss the Union's proposals relating to the COVID-19 Outbreak.  The County requested the meeting in order to better understand our proposals.  UPE proposed time and a half for all workers who are required to work in an office or who have to meet with the public. UPE's proposal also calls for the pay to apply retroactively. To no surprise, the County stated an unwillingness at this time to reopen our contracts to pay workers more. However, UPE countered with another proposal that would allow the County to pay our workers more money during this time without having to reopen the contract. Click here to read more.

Families First Coronavirus Response Act:  Frequently Asked Questions The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), also known as H.R. 6201, was signed into law on March 18, 2020. Among other things, FFCRA expands employees’ rights to take paid time off work for COVID-19 related health conditions and to care for children whose schools or child- care providers have shut down. The two major provisions of FFCRA addressing paid leave are: (1) the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act, which requires some employers to provide paid sick leave to workers for COVID-19 related health conditions, and (2) the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act, which expands the Family Medical Leave Act to provide partially paid leave for workers to care for children out of school or without child care. Click here to read more.

UPE Update: COVID 19 Families First Coronavirus Response Act UPE Sisters and Brothers: On March 18, 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (HR 6201) was signed into law. It is the first of multiple bills we expect Congress to pass to provide relief from the impacts of COVID-19, and touches on a variety of subjects, including COVID-19 testing, unemployment insurance funding, and federal assistance programs.  This memo outlines the key features of the bill relating to (1) paid, public health emergency leave, which is an expanded form of FMLA leave for workers to care for children out of school or without child care (the “Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act”); and (2) emergency paid sick leave employers must provide for COVID-19 related health conditions (the “Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act”).  Click here to read more.

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 Month      UPE Recognizes & Appreciates Your Support!