AFSCME MSOP Labor Management
September 12, 2019
Human Resources Room
12PM
Attendance: Adam Castle, Ryan Cates, Jamie Sheppard, Tim Lokensgard, Molly Kennedy, Bonnie Wold, Michelle Breamer, Paul Rodriguez, Denise Considine, Troy Sherwood, Nicole Boder
AFSCME AGENDA ITEMS
1. Follow Up Items
A. Inverse Numbers- 3rd watch 16 for 80 hours, 2nd watch 36 for 191.5,1st watch 22 for 71.75 hours total 343.25 hours.
B. Overtime Numbers- 2005 hours
2. Sunrise Clinic Staffing- Hesse-nursing saying security is not there all of the time. Wednesday is a drop in no security. Th implementation has been frustrating. We lean more on security which leaves short on cps units. If they are not there, then nursing is frustrated. Molly-leaving us to talk amongst ourselves to coordinate but then are not involved in the meeting for implementation. Monday’s doctor saw clients from 2 to 6 which caused an inverse. We need to know when we need to be there. Hesse-both security and union have to deal with the frustration. We didn’t have budget for it to staff so now we are trying to deal with the blowback due to it. Paul-Monday was not what I thought we were doing. Michelle-that was an oversight form Dr. Berry’s schedule. It was an oversight and shouldn’t happen. Paul-we have a meeting and we can work on that. I hope staff are telling Lanin and Gary about the concerns. I believe they are and that’s how I became aware of it. continue to let us know and we will fix it so it doesn’t occur.
New AFSCME Items
1. Policies to review and retain- Hesse-we have seen a lot of disciplines from not following policies to a T. we have to know 100 percent of policies. Can we get a day or 2 a year dedicated to reviewing policies? Orientation to have a day for policies. Bonnie-I think new employees do. Molly-CBTs. Bonnie-we just talked about overtime issues. A day for staff to look at policies. Hesse-don’t have time on the unit. Obscure policies that don’t get advertised. Bonnie-we added to NEO. Molly-title changed. Bonnie-we added that specifically to NEO. Picked out ones that are time sensitive. On units, you can be on computer reading policies. Only not to look at Facebook or other things you aren’t supposed to be on. Molly-now we have to know all of the policies. Bonnie-when they are new or revised, they are posted for a month ahead of time. If staff feel the need to review these, they can ask the od for some time. David burnish does point out what the changes are in some policies. Molly-it’s tough to find on the website. Bonnie-this would be great for staff as a topic of conversation and helping them as we are doing our rounds. I don’t know how we could to separate times to review. Denise-it gets hard when policies are reviewed so often. I say I am going to give you one day, that doesn’t really work. Hesse-maybe not every year. Maybe once a year, if we are expecting people to know 100 percent, we should give them the time. Cates-when you are told you are expected to know all of them. Tim-we have short notice vacation available so I can ask the OD to ask the staff if they would like to review policies. Bonnie-ask if there is anyone who would like to time review ahead of time. Denise-we can look at options and we can look as staffing changes. This might allow staff to get off unit to review. We can’t guarantee a day for this right now. I get it’s a lot to know. Let’s talk about it and we can have a follow up next month.
2. Staff honesty leading to discipline- Hesse-seems cases when staff are trying to be honest and getting disciplined for it. policies need to be followed but are trying to follow but not exactly, they should be shown some leniency which leads to mistrust. A staff recently quit because of it. detrimental to staff morale and issue with retention of employees trying to be honest. Bonnie-integrity is something everyone should have. Policy violation is the discipline. We try to take things into consideration. This gentleman already took another position, not why he quit. Flight delay is not a consideration per policy. We may have said its unforeseen, we would have looked at it. cates-tardy by 8 hours. Bonnie-more of the sick call. Troy-sometimes other issues are taken into consideration as well. Paul-there have been times where we know this isn’t typical of the employee and we allow leniency. Part of it is the honesty part as well. Hesse-some instances where they are honest and do the right thing but not by policy and get disciplined for it. Paul-suggesting that if someone is honest about breaking a policy that the honesty should override behavior? Cates-they weren’t aware of the policy and when they became aware, they informed management and then were told they didn’t inform in the timeframe then disciplined. Denise-if a staff calls me and says on vacation and flight delayed, that would maybe be approved but if flight delayed and called in sick, that is violation and a lie. Molly-if you want to just say to the OD what is going on, maybe just a coaching. Follow sick use policy and if its something else, let them know and right the incident report and it will be reviewed. Denise-I think that is a good idea.
3. HR role in grievance response- Denise-role is to advise our supervisors for contract violations. Hesse-sole decision makes approved or denied? Denise-if it’s an HR issue then yes but depends on grievance. I got an email on an overtime grievance and he said I was told be denies. Denise-it was health services. It was my advice this is what we should do. Ryan maybe had a different interpretation or presentation. Hesse-if that’s the case strictly advisement then HR should be present during each grievance hearing so you can hear the information up front. Denise-good point, we will take that under advisement. We consult with supervisors. We can talk about being present. In discipline we are in the room. Ultimately supervisors or management decision. Our role is to advise. Molly-you guys have a hand. Denise-not always. Molly-we file with HR then you give it to supervisor. Denise-we don’t always know when they meet. Molly-HR answers first step. Denise-no. Tim-schedule goes to Deatley. Tim-step 2 goes to me. Molly-if HR is involved in every step, why go through all the steps? Denise-sometimes we do. File with HR and we know but unless supervisor asks for advice, we won’t give it. unless someone comes and asks. Molly-every step 1, Andrew asks me. Bonnie-he reviews at morning meeting. Then he does respond. They are talking with us for operational ones. They did get our input. Denise-maybe we need to be a better job communicating it. Hesse-when we file grievances, we aren’t getting confirmation they have received it. Denise-ok, thank you and I will follow up.
4. Health Services Straight shifts/no breaks- Hesse-LPN wondering no breaks. They are having trouble fitting them in due to psych rounds, cps. Better option for agency too. They won’t have to mark as overtime. They would like this. Denise-no lunch but have the 15s? Hesse-yes. Nicole-I encourage they get breaks because sometimes you need that time away. We have talked to the in charge to maybe schedule. Some things they can’t leave but we should be able to accommodate most things. 10 hours is a long time. Hesse-10-hour shifts should not be getting breaks. Tim-straight 10. Bonnie-we will look at contract. Hesse-they said it would help with morale as well. Nicole-thank you.
5. Bumping to nights- Hesse-definition has changed form past practice. As the wind changes but what is qualification for being bumped to nights. Why practiced for years but now it’s different? Molly-me and Melissa had dialogue. We always said 6 months to evaluate so nights they are ready. If you are bumping before evaluating you can non certify. So, you bump someone early and then they get non certed. Tim-when has that happened? Hesse-just did. Bonnie-it was notification that when off probation. Molly-they are all counting down the days. Always knew they were safe until off probation. Tim-if we post September 18th. On the 18th these people were least senior and gave them the earliest notice. If you don’t want it that way and we wait so it goes to the ones as of the 18th. No one coming off for 2 weeks. Knew there was a need let’s say early august. We would have to go to the most senior because they are off but move on the 18th. At that time there are 2 more. I went with the day they would be moved. If you want verification day. I want to make sure we are all ok. Hesse-interpreted as off probation. If not off then you can arbitrarily choose. Run into issues where non certed or extended then have to bump anyway. Let’s go with where there is no issue. Cates-its an issue of consistency. Tim-I went with who is least at the time. We have 2 dead bids. Hr. posts volunteers. Odds are we wont then if its at end of that period, I will do that. Hesse-if you don’t do it as completely off probation then we are creating chaos. Tim-I will go with at end of volunteer and is none. We will look at staff clear and off probation on date of end of voluntary posting.
6. Spiritual Services staff for tier 1 and tier 2- Hesse-rule that no one sits unless there is a visitor but there is a problem with having tier 1 and 2. Units were short when a staff had to escort the tier 1 for 4 hours. We need to look at the approving of tier 1s to go if it affects the unit. Troy-communicate with OD and to radio to switch out. Molly-and if there is a hot unit, go to one that isn’t. Tim-reach out and call. It was an isolated incident. We did clean that up at supervisor meeting to find resources.
7. CPS property Department Staffing- Molly-issues with distribution. Talked to Ryan last week and he feel overwhelmed. If he is ill or takes vacation, he is far behind because no one back fills. He just doesn’t want to come back to mess. If clients aren’t getting their stuff, line staff take the bulk of that. It wears on the staff. We refer to property. All hands are tied. When I bring this to management, they say “we are trying to prove we need more staffing.” We need relief for him, its not fair for him to have to worry about this. A back up plan would help. Paul-I spoke to him and encouraged to take vacation and if he is ill. We have staff available to assist him. A couple weeks ago he was out a couple of days out ill. The 2nd day we figured out a process that seemed to help out. Michelle has talked to him how we can get him assistance so he doesn’t have to make those choices. More than proving we need more staff. We have processes in place now that they can assist. Molly-what about packages? Paul-Gary and mike actually distributed them on the 2nd day. We can implement those things as soon as he is gone, we wont wait. We talked to some people about what we can do. Encourage him to take his time. Vacations will be easier and no one wants to be behind. When he is ill, we have things in place. Molly-majority of summer, that was his feeling. I wish we would have come up with this before but going forward is good.
8. Census check count implementation- Tim-we will roll it out slowly as a pilot project. CPS isn’t doing it. working on it and will make sure everyone knows. Hesse-what is the reason? Tim-looked at DOC minimum facility and this is one of their counts. Puts more ownness on clients. They come in and check in and its on them. Give back to clients. Bonnie-to show accountability. Tim-rather than corrections based. It will be the 1240 count. 11 to 1240 for guys to check in.
9. Exit Interviews- Bonnie-HR has always sent out an email when people leave. That will continue but I did get some scheduled. Tim-not when they transfer. Bonnie-I will hope to get data on trends and find ways to find retention and get feedback to fix issues we here. 2 haven’t responded.
Management Agenda Items
1. Training security counselors to aid in activities of daily living assistance- Michelle-started discussions about having security staff assisting with ADL. Transferring, bathing, etc. looking at training modules. Everyone. Build into NEO. Hesse-threshold for staffing ADL and nursing home? Michelle-that will be ongoing discussion. Case by case. Clearly more than nursing home can hold. Nicole-had a meeting with the home and have clients there that aren’t acute and would like to send back to us for sicker clients. This will be a large issue so we have to do something. Molly-sole responsibility on security counselors? Michelle-nursing will assist as well. Troy-similar to 1 south? Michelle-yes. Molly-are we going to try to dedicate a unit? Hesse-geriatrics in moose lake? Michelle-yes. We are looking at options for converting as well.
Add Owns
1. Coaching and confidential reports- Molly-talking to a few 3rd watch people. I believe we have set up a culture of hiding behind reports. We need to get away from it. never confronting the issue. Bonnie-couldn’t agree more. Troy-Taking suggestions. We met about this and looked at it. the team that came in for resolution has great feedback as far reports being written and wanting us to solve the problem. When they are done working with the group. Great progress has been done since. Tim-you guys also helped. Troy-solid staff on 3rd watch has also come to us. The team is also coming to a training with us and then going to line staff. Tim-they are DCT. Troy-we had all operations sups working 1130 to 8pm. Added a bunch of others as well. With admin or sup on 1130 to 8 except on weekends. Asking staff also what they think. Hesse-weekends are good times to have them also. Troy-we are going to burn out our job coaches with everyone new starting. Looking for more. Staff mentor program has resources to help with that now. Folks are doing a good job but we would like to help. Tim-when I do lates, we have talked and we are open to any solutions or things you want us to talk about. Troy-could you help us with the perception we are there to catch someone doing something wrong. We want a better culture too. Jamie-it is part of employee engagement. Molly-when you feel a disconnect, you feel on your own. Hesse-if you do get a confidential or someone comes to the od, talk with them. Troy-we are changing follow up tickets as well. Tim-if its someone isn’t doing their job and you are right there writing a report…come on. Molly-what about false? Bonnie-if we don’t have anything to substantiate. We go back and say we don’t have anything. We used to have standard phrases. Now we say talk to troy or talk to Tim. Troy-instead of audits, we do training opportunities instead of audits. We have staff around for a long time who didn’t do something and we just brought them in and talked to them as a teachable moment, we didn’t do an investigation. Hesse-2nd would be what you teach at NEO. Bonnie-we are going to sit in on those also to see what is being instructed is what we intended. That should not be encouraged. Molly-if you have tried everything, what happened when you just went in and talked to supervisor. First things shouldn’t be “write a report”. Just a talking to doesn’t need to be commemorated. Sometimes they don’t like the coworker but if sup is, might be time to get straight.
2. Sprint Phone- When trying to call in to work to a unit, it will not connect. Bonnie- I will send it to shelly
3. Denise- lead list open next Monday the 16th to the 30th. Currently on it need not reply but will check to see if they meet the qualifications. Cates-oral reprimand and not removed more than a year ago but still in file, would you take them off list? Denise-no. if time has passed and not active, we would not. Molly-have discussion on lead leveling after this round.
4. Talked about meeting to talk about staffing. Let’s get that scheduled. Staff utilization. We would like to know your ideas also. Molly-can we get your ideas so we can think about it? Denise-yes. Bonnie-lets get a meeting scheduled soon. Denise-figure out who you guys want there and send me the dates.
Adjourned at 120pm