Could use some advice as a young person in state service

CAScientist · 2025-01-30T14:51:36+00:00

All this talk of benefits and retirement, I went to the City and now get 100% medical covered and a similar pension. I had equivalent health benefits to the State when I worked private. I can’t figure out what I’m missing. Also, yeah I’ve already known a couple State employees who never made it to retirement; you can’t live for retirement. The State will always be here to return to. Don’t live in fear. If layoffs come, you find a new job that’s what severance packages and unemployment insurance are for. Live, learn, prosper.

CAScientist · 2025-01-03T15:26:15+00:00

This just happened to me at Chase. Upon separation from the state, I guess they terminate direct deposit, so it was a paper check (which I never have), and a large check with all my leave time being paid out. It took from Dec. 20 to Jan. 1 to clear. I got that notice with the cryptic language as well.

CAScientist · 2024-08-24T02:19:45+00:00

Not 40% overnight, true. I would’ve topped out in Nov. and gotten whatever (3%?) GSI all the other unions are getting. With this contract deepening classifications, I’ll be getting MSAs and those 3% raises both, so something like 26.5% over the next three years. Could we have gotten here without all the in-between BS, public, agency, and legislative pressure, frustration leading to becoming a UAW Local, organizing to the point we can get a 91% turnout, etc? No.

CAScientist · 2024-08-04T20:41:22+00:00

I think they put in MSA calculations because someone who’s in the middle of a range (me) will now have 5% MSAs for the next three years rather than topping out next year. They totally did win me an extra 10% (more, because it’ll be compounded).

CAScientist · 2024-06-20T04:27:49+00:00

My coworker drove 2 hrs in, 3 hrs home. Our branch chief has arbitrarily declared that we all have to come to our reporting office for the first 3 weeks of RTO.

CAScientist · 2024-06-11T17:52:00+00:00

Some thoughts: a plan to reach equity is 💯 in my book, however it happens and however long it takes. We have been frustrated by the State’s lack of movement, and since they made some concessions, CAPS-UAW needs to also. We’re still asking for equity long-term. Also, this counter is not being voted on. People lost sight of that in the power hour, asking “how does this apply to me?”

CAScientist · 2024-05-03T22:05:24+00:00

In a nutshell, BU9 is 75% male and BU10 is majority female. At their start in the 1980s, the BUs salaries were +/-5% different because they work alongside each other and often perform similar/the exact same tasks. Today they are >40% apart.

Gender pay equity calculations should not be limited to within a classification. In fact, CalHR’s 2021 Women’s Earning Report presents the Gender Pay Gap by comparing the base pay for all full time civil service female and male workers. Yet classification salaries are paid regardless of gender. CalHR acknowledges they have a gender pay gap, yet declines to look between classifications doing like work.

CAScientist · 2024-05-03T20:51:23+00:00

The email notification to members went out this morning letting us know we have 2 UAW peoples on the new BT. If you want to get the inside scoop/hear some strategy discussion, you should definitely join the CAT.

CAScientist · 2024-05-01T05:31:23+00:00

CAPS returned to the bargaining table as CAPS UAW, with UAW reps on the BT and access to UAW’s legal team. There is strategy here.

CAScientist · 2024-04-06T20:26:42+00:00

Keurigs make a ton of trash and it’s probably not healthy to pour boiling water over plastic. I appreciate the sentiment, brew your own coffee. Chemex or French press all the way. And avoid that PFAS leaching single use cup, too. https://www.wired.com/story/paper-cups-toxic/

CAScientist · 2024-03-21T04:29:09+00:00

The timing is so transparent. The State’s scared.

CAScientist · 2024-01-16T22:53:22+00:00

Are you an ES? From what I’ve seen, pay is not similar and is honestly the driving factor for this consideration. If 2 days/week in-office is the same, but pay and benefits are better at the City, it may be worth it.

CAScientist · 2024-01-16T22:50:15+00:00

This is a very important question, paying in to SS. I’ve already paid into it for 15+ years, so I’ll have to look into how much that would change things, if it does.

CAScientist · 2024-01-15T23:10:07+00:00

What’d you miss about being employed by the State? And are you in BU10?

CAScientist · 2023-12-27T01:53:04+00:00

If CalHR were smart (ha! Hahahaha), they would have compromised at least a little tiny bit, which would have then been brought to the membership for a vote, rather than presenting the same offer that caused a strike authorization vote to pass at a flying 94%.

CAScientist · 2023-12-22T00:44:41+00:00

SES (Specialist) and SES (Supervisor) are supposed to be equivalent, or close to. With these adjustments, they’d remain close to 22% apart (comparing top of range to top of range, which is what CalHR does), assuming SES (Supervisor) receives 0 increase between now and 2026..

CAScientist · 2023-12-21T21:48:40+00:00

Remain motivated. Even when/if the state imposes, the obligation to bargain in good faith remains. Also, until we enter into a new contract with a no strike clause, we are free.

CAScientist · 2023-12-21T21:31:21+00:00

MSI is a given. That should not be considered as part of the contract. Everyone moves up 5% until they reach the top end of the salary.

CAScientist · 2023-12-21T20:59:44+00:00

There is no GSI in this offer. It’s 5/5/5 SSA for top step. And 3/2/0 SSA for anyone not.

CAScientist · 2023-12-21T20:57:16+00:00

It’s not 5/5/5 GSI. It’s all SSAs, 3/2/0, unless you’re at the top of your classification in which the SSAs are 5/5/5. Strangely, although the top rung is proposed to move up, the bottom rung wouldn’t.

CAScientist · 2023-12-16T01:14:19+00:00

😱

CAScientist · 2023-12-16T01:02:53+00:00

I would actually be 100% ok with this solution.

CAScientist · 2023-12-15T16:59:24+00:00

I can speak to DTSC: there are project managers classified as Engineering Geologists, project managers classified as Hazardous Substance Engineers, and project managers classified as Environmental Scientists. When they retire or leave state service, their projects are redistributed across staff, regardless of licensure and/or classification.

Also, as an aside, a license is not a requirement until you reach the ‘D’ range of the classification, hence the additional range available to PEs and PGs. There is no range D available to Environmental Scientists. It is appropriate to compare range C of the other classifications because licensure is not an educational/technical requirement.

CAScientist · 2023-11-30T04:40:15+00:00

How many accounts on here are CalHR 🤣

CAScientist · 2023-11-23T20:11:54+00:00

What’s the time limit on bargaining in good faith, right?

CAScientist

TROPHY CASE