Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Your Executive Board continues to work in partnership with Interim Chief Probation Officer Ray Leyva’s executive direction and emergency orders to meet the health pandemic presented by COVID-19.
As law enforcement offices and first line responders, Local 685’s dedicated members have worked tirelessly with the Probation Department and the Department of Children and Family Services to ensure that operations, programs, and services continue uninterrupted; and to protect the safety and health of under our care, particularly juveniles in our institutions.
Chief Leyva is deeply concerned with the well-being and safety of Local 685 bargaining unit members and our families as we continue to perform our assignments under emergency conditions.
In today’s Joint Labor-Management conference call to address the operational issues that impact members, we made substantial progress and clarified the following concerns that have been raised:
- Field Officers can volunteer to work overtime in the Probation Camps/Juvenile Halls.
- Field Officers may have to work 1-2 shifts per week at the Halls/Camps if there are not enough volunteers.
- Field Officers will not have to change their shifts when reassigned to Camps/Juvenile Halls.
- Field Officers at the Alhambra PRC are eligible for and can work additional shifts.
- Juvenile Field Officers working Division 31 requirements (face-to-face) and those working placement in collaboration with other Probation agencies in and out of California to provide placement services will not be reassigned Probation Halls and Camps. Juvenile Field Officers working other assignments are eligible for reassignment as the operational needs of the department require.
After receiving information that some of the department facilities were not adequately supplied with sanitation supplies, the Department was able to secure masks, gloves, sanitation spray, and 1,500 bottles of individual hand sanitation that will be distributed to the following offices as early as tomorrow:
- DKC
- Kilpatrick
- Afflebaugh
- Transportation
- Camp Rocky
- Pretrial Offices
The Department will undertake a review of its current policies and guidelines regarding working closely with juveniles and staff in Juvenile Halls and Probation Camps in light of the social distancing requirements that are necessary to address the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Department agreed to research whether our bargaining unit members have to visit a doctor’s office to obtain a medical verification slip to report underlying health conditions. The Public Health medical advice guidance and the Safe at Home Order, unless there are chronic medical symptoms presented, do not recommend going to the hospital. The Department will provide further clarification on this issue.
Finally, regarding at-risk employees (65+ and older and employees at any age with underlying medical conditions), the Union emphasized the need for this population to be considered for telework/telecommuting assignments at home, or provide other assistance that will ensure their safety and their families.
Our Union’s collaboration with the Departments is working as the situational crisis with the coronavirus is fluid and changes daily. We will continue to keep you informed of any changes that impact our bargaining unit.
Be safe, Brothers and Sisters!
Hans Liang
President
AFSCME Local 685
