MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN
COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA AND
SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION, LOCAL 721

SECTION 47. SOCIAL SERVICES CASELOADS

A. Definitions

1. Caseload:

a. Intake assignment - the number of applications/referrals processed/disposed by an individual during a calendar month.

b. Ongoing assignment - the number of cases for which an individual has overall responsibility during the calendar month.

2. Case Count Date - the first working day of the calendar month will be used for purposes of calculating both individual and department caseloads.

B. Workload

The County and the Union accept the principle that caseloads should be equitably distributed within each type of category so that each eligibility and social worker should have a caseload generally comparable to that of other workers in the same type of work assignment and of comparable experience.

C. Meet and Confer regarding Workload

The County and the Union agree to meet and confer in good faith for a maximum of 30 days regarding workload guidelines on an annual basis following receipt and analysis of funding allocations for departmental programs (typically November). The subjects of this meet and confer may include workload equalization, including the development of tools to equitably distribute workload, and the continued development of streamlining procedures. The County and the Union agree to meet and confer in good faith regarding workload guidelines and other impacted terms and conditions of employment prior to implementing significant program changes mandated by the State or federal government. The County will provide official fiscal information related to setting the guidelines. In the event of a change in the amount of funding from the Federal, State and/or County level that would significantly affect guidelines, a special meeting may be called for the purpose of adjusting the guidelines.

D. Trainees

The County agrees to maintain ten unassigned EW I positions for the purpose of establishing a trainee pool to be available to fill vacancies in a timely fashion. Trainees will remain in the training pool until fully trained. These positions will be established based upon continued availability of Federal, State and/or County staff development block grant funding.

E. Bilingual Caseload

The County agrees that if in the future the State weighs bilingual cases more than English-only cases and provides funding accordingly, the County will make corresponding changes in the guidelines for bilingual caseloads.

The County shall implement Spanish-language versions of all Notices of Action within one year of the ratification of this agreement. Spanish-language versions of Notices of Action received by the department after that date shall be made available within one month of receipt by the department.

SECTION 48. ELIGIBILITY WORKER III POSITIONS

The County shall continue to fund Eligibility Worker III lead worker positions in all Social Services work units containing over six (6) eligibility workers.

SECTION 49. CIVIL SERVICE RULES

The parties agree to continue discussion regarding modernization of Civil Service Rules, including possible revision of Civil Service Rule 912: appeals of discipline (Reduction, Suspension, Termination) to Binding Arbitration for final resolution, and appeals of discipline (Reduction, Suspension, Termination) to mediation prior to the final step of appeal. Changes shall be contingent upon mutual agreement and, if necessary, Civil Service Rules changes.

Prior to proposing amendments of the Civil Service Rules to the Civil Service Commission, the County shall notify the Union of any such proposed changes.

SECTION 50. LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF EMPLOYEES

The County shall inform, at time of hire and subsequently whenever there is a change in that policy, each employee within the scope of this agreement of the County policy and procedures regarding defending and indemnifying employees in accord with California Government Code Sections 825 et seq. and 995 et seq. In addition, all such current employees shall also be informed of the policy within 60 days of the effective date of this agreement.

SECTION 51. SAFETY

A. The County recognizes its obligation to provide and maintain a safe and healthy working environment for its employees.

B. The Union and County agree that it is in the best interest of all to provide a safe and healthy working environment and that this requires a cooperative effort by all concerned.

C. An employee who observes an unsafe condition shall report the matter to his/her supervisor or other designee.

D. The Probation and Social Services Departments shall each develop a safety committee composed of management and employee representatives. Employee representatives shall be representative of the geographic locations and functional duties of each department and be selected by the employees themselves from a list of volunteers/nominees. The purpose of the committee is to evaluate safety concerns and to make recommendations to the department head. Committee meetings would be held quarterly or as otherwise agreed by the committee members.

E. Allegations regarding violations of this Section shall be processed in accordance with the County's Safety Policy.

F. A County Labor/Management Safety Advisory Committee shall be established. The Director of General Services will work with the Union and other interested labor organizations/employee groups to determine a mission statement, operating procedures and membership of the committee on a cooperative basis. Union representatives who are employees will receive paid release time for committee activities occurring during the employee’s work hours.

SECTION 52. WORKPLACE AND FIELD SAFETY

A. The County will develop and mandate attendance at a Workplace and Field Safety class for workers required to perform job duties in the field, such as making home visits, field investigations, and transporting clients.

B. The County shall meet and consult with the Union in order to update the Child Welfare Services Safety Guide. Included in this process, the parties will review the issue of appropriate identification.

SECTION 53. BACK TO WORK PROGRAM

A. Employees who are unable to perform their regular duties due to injury or illness may be provided a temporary duty assignment in accordance with the Back to Work policy.

B. An employee who has returned to work from a work-related injury or illness (either in the Back to Work program or to his/her regular work assignment) will be granted paid leave not chargeable to the employee’s accrued leave balances to attend medical appointments specifically related to the work-related injury or illness.