On October 3, 2024, your UPE team reconvened the above subject with the County to continue working out the parameters of allowing 9/80s.
UPE started the meeting with a recap from the last meeting, allowing 9/80s for all staff, no matter 008 or 005, excluding intake. The department still states that there is not enough work for Intake Social Workers (SW) to stay until 6:00 pm, and they are not open right now to allow 005 members due to there being only three (3) of them. Your UPE team quickly reminded the department that intake does not have to stay until 6:00 pm; they could start at 7:30 am and end at 5:30 pm, as opposed to 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. The department said this would take away on-call opportunities for our members, and there was no supervisor during those times. The department was open to maybe looking at intake and clerical after seeing how it goes with investigations.
The department states that they will cap this at thirty-three percent (33%) of Investigations SWs, which equates to sixteen (16) slots. They suggested two (2) people per unit. UPE stated that all Investigations SWs do the same job and should not be done per unit; the department agreed. UPE also posed the following queries: Will employees transferring into APS who have 9/80s prior get to keep them? When would new hires be considered for a 9/80? Will the department use county seniority? When is the department comfortable with starting, and if an employee is denied, will they be told why?
APS stated that transfers would lose their 9/80, and if one is available, they can apply; new hires must be off probation; yes, County seniority would be used, and the department will send out the 9/80 request form in November with an implementation date of January 12, 2025. This is due to employees already having approved holiday time off. UPE agreed and asked the department to send the union a copy of the request form. UPE and the department will meet ninety (90) days after the 9/80 schedules go into effect.
Thank you, Deanna Green and Paige Jones for your advocacy!
