Dear Brothers and Sisters,


A couple issues that seem to be reoccurring issues for members right now are the affirmative attendance policy and sick leave, which were negotiated this last year at bargaining and are being enforced at TDF. I expect the state to print the contract as soon as it finds the money to do so. Therefore, I am having the contract changes in the problem areas printed for your benefit. Additions to the current contract are underlined and deletions are struck out. The equitable enforcement of policies has been a recent issue addressed at labor management. I hear people saying policies are not being enforced equitably, but people have failed to provide proof to the local that they are not. I am aware of use of time audits being done on random samples at TDF and employees being disciplined. I would advise everyone to read the policy, follow the rules, and conduct himself or herself in an ethical and professional manner.

Sincerely,

Travis L. Houzenga
Memoranda of Understanding/Side Letters

Affirmative Attendance Policy MOU

1. The Employer recognizes that personal problems may affect employee attendance and encourages utilization of the Personal Support Program.

2. Unauthorized absences shall be those absences for which time is not approved. The threshold between late arrival and unauthorized absence is one hour after the starting time. Although tardiness is not considered an unauthorized absence under this agreement, employees are expected to report to work on time each day as scheduled. Any negotiated tardiness policies shall remain in full force and effect during the life of the Master Agreement unless otherwise negotiated by the parties.

Where current practices exist, any unauthorized absence which is less than a ½ day will be treated under Article IX of the Master Contract as misuse of time inclusive of all other time related infractions (including late arrival, extended breaks and lunch hours, leaving work without authorization, etc.) as one progressive and corrective disciplinary track. However, such absences shall not be subject to #9 of this agreement.

3. Authorized dock time shall be granted when sick time has been exhausted if proper medical certification is provided within three (3) work days. It is the employee’s responsibility to provide medical certification to their supervisor. Documents that do not contain the necessary elements will not be accepted and the employee will be so notified. The absences shall be considered unauthorized if acceptable certification is not subsequently provided within five (5) work days.

Proper medical certification must contain the following elements:

a) Signature, address, and phone number of the medical practitioner (or the authorized designee);
b) The pertinent dates in question of the illness or injury;
c) An Indication that the employee was unable to work on the date(s) in question for the reasons of personal or family illness;
d) The original medical statement; if the employee needs a copy management will provide.

Notwithstanding the above, the Employer may accept an electronically generated statement with an electronic signature or a facsimile with cover page, as long as the necessary information is provided as set forth in 3(a), (b), (c) and (d).

Vacation, holiday, compensatory and personal business time shall be requested in advance, except in emergency situations and as set forth in Paragraph #5. If no personal business, vacation, holiday or compensatory time is available, authorized dock time shall be approved for emergency situations, subject to verification of the emergency situation.

4. Authorized dock time under these circumstances is limited to five (5) days within a twelve (12) month period, unless approval for more time is granted by the authorizing supervisor. Employees who have used all allowable authorized dock time shall be informed of their right to apply for an appropriate leave of absence. Employees who have been on proof status within the previous three (3) months shall have no right to authorized dock time.

5. All employees’ requests for benefit time usage must be supported by a request for time off form submitted by the employee. In accordance with agency practice, requests for available benefit time other than unscheduled sick leave, emergency personal business and inclement weather situations, shall be made reasonably in advance, in writing, using the proper form. Consideration of such requests shall be in accordance with the Master Agreement.

Where current practices exist, same day call-in requests for vacation, compensatory, and holiday time shall be made only when it is not possible to request such time in advance and in writing using the appropriate form. When an employee is claiming that it is not possible to request the vacation, compensatory or holiday time reasonably in advance in writing, the Employer has the right to inquire as to why it was not possible, although such inquiry may only be made when reasonable grounds exist to suggest abuse. Same day call-in requests for vacation, compensatory or holiday time shall not be denied unless a bona fide operating need exists to do so. Under no circumstances will such request be denied solely because a request is called-in on the day requested. The form must be provided to the supervisor no later than two (2) of the employee’s workdays after the employee’s return from the absence.

Supervisors must ensure that the form is readily available to the employee. Failure of the employee to provide this form may result in the absence being considered unauthorized, and the employee may be docked and disciplinary referral may be initiated. If the employee subsequently submits the form within two (2) of the employee’s workdays after notification of being docked, the determination of an unauthorized absence shall be corrected.

6. Supervisors must process all completed forms generated from call-ins within five (5) calendar days of submission, either approving or disapproving the request.

7. As long as the employee meets the applicable Leave of Absence requirements, the Employer will approve leave for the time frame documented, including request for short-term leaves.

It is the employee’s responsibility to provide proper medical certification to their supervisor. Documents that do not contain the necessary elements will not be accepted and the employee will be so notified. The absences shall be considered unauthorized if acceptable certification is not subsequently provided within five (5) workdays. Proper medical certification must contain the following elements:

a. Signature, address, and phone number of the medical practitioner (or authorized designee)
b. The pertinent date(s) in question of the illness or injury.
c. An indication that the employee was unable to work on the date(s) in question for reasons of personal or family illness.
d. The original medical statement must be submitted; if the employee needs a copy management will provide.

Notwithstanding the above, the Employer may accept an electronically generated statement with an electronic signature or a facsimile with cover page, as long as the necessary information is provided as set forth in 7(a), (b), (c) and (d).

8. Unauthorized absences shall be subject to the following corrective and progressive disciplinary action:

A.
Occurrence
Unauthorized absence with call-in
1st
Counseling
2nd
Oral reprimand
3rd
Written reprimand
4th
2nd Written reprimand
5th
1 day suspension
6th
3 day suspension
7th
5 day suspension
8th
7 day suspension
9th
10 day suspension
10th
15 day suspension
11th
20 day suspension
12th
Discharge

B. Each day of unauthorized absence shall be considered a separate offense for the purposes of progressive discipline.

C. Each day of unauthorized absence without a call-in shall be considered as two offenses, and appropriate progressive discipline shall be administrated pursuant to Paragraph 8.A. above.

Under this Affirmative Attendance Agreement, except for the last offense before discharge, no employee will serve any suspension time. Employees will be given the usual notice of a suspension but will be expected to report to work and lose no wages. An employee will only serve five (5) days of actual suspension time for the last offense prior to discharge.

D. The parties agree that this section does not alter the provision in Article IX of the Master Agreement regarding discharge for five (5) consecutive days of unauthorized absence with no call-in (XA).

9. Discipline will be considered timely and progressive based on a rolling 24-month period. If the last disciplinary action is more than 24 months old, the progression will start over.

10. Employees not covered by an Affirmative Attendance Agreement prior to the effective date of this agreement shall be considered to have committed no offense. Employees, who have discipline under a prior Affirmative Attendance Policy, shall be placed on the closest step of the discipline track for the same offense that does not represent an increase in the level of discipline.

11. The Employer recognizes that personal problems may affect the attendance of employees. Upon request by the local Union president or designee, employees will be afforded a joint Union/Management consultation at the last suspension prior to discharge. The purpose of such consultations will be to provide guidance and counseling to the employee as to the need for their services, the consequences of continued unauthorized absences, the ability of services for problems, specifically including PSP, which may be identified and the ability to request a leave of absence.

After training materials have been distributed to those Agencies previously not covered under an Affirmative Attendance Policy, the Employer will start the Affirmative Attendance Policy. Additionally, Agencies and the Union shall establish joint training program presentations in those Agencies previously not covered under an Affirmative Attendance Policy at the request of either party. In the event a training program is presented, the Employer will initiate the Affirmative Attendance Policy within one month upon completion of the presentation.

12. This agreement supersedes any other agreement(s) on this issue.

Section 15. Sick Leave

A. …For all bargaining units, supervisors may however, grant employee requests to use sick leave in increments of one-half (1/2) hour fifteen (15) minutes after a minimum use of one-half (1/2) hour. The Employer will not discipline an employee for legitimate use of sick days if taken within procedural guidelines…

…Abuse of sick time is the utilization of sick days for reasons other than those stated in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Visits of two (2) four (4) days per year to a Veterans' hospital or clinic for examination needed because of military service connected disability shall be in pay status without charge to sick leave.

B. Guidelines on Proof Status. At the time an employee is placed on proof status, the Employer will submit to the employee, in writing, the reasons for placing the employee on proof status. The amount of usage of sick time alone shall not be the basis for placing an employee on proof status. Proper medical certification must contain the following elements:

a. Signature, address, and phone number of the medical practitioner (or authorized designee)
b. The pertinent date(s) in question of the illness or injury.
c. An indication that the employee was unable to work on the date(s) in question for reasons of personal or family illness.
d. The original medical statement must be submitted; if the employee needs a copy management will provide.

Notwithstanding the above, the Employer may accept an electronically generated statement with an electronic signature or a facsimile with cover page, as long as the necessary information is provided as set forth in (a), (b), (c) and (d).

An employee, not on proof status, who utilizes sick leave may, at the employee’s discretion provide medical certification for any such absence and have such certification included in his/her supervisor’s file. Absences for which medical certification has been provided shall not be a consideration in the determination of whether or not to place an employee on proof status.


P. S. Remember that sick leave is used for illness, disability, or injury of the employee, appointments with a doctor, dentist or other professional medical practitioner or death of a member of an employee’s immediate family or household (includes grand-relations, parent-in-laws, and child-in-laws).

People Conference

1/31/2009

Governor Pat Quinn and US Representative Phil Hare were guest speakers this year. Both speakers were inspiring and optimistic about issues despite the current state of affairs for our state and nation. Henry Bayer, Executive Director Council 31, expressed concern over developments in other states due to budget problems. Major take backs are being requested at the cost of current and past employees, pay , benefits, vacation time, furloughs, layoffs, pensions, and retiree health insurance. Governor Pat Quinn when speaking about the State of Illinois stated, “[This is] the most serious budget crisis ever”. The governor is soliciting help on all issues at http://www.reformillinoisnow.org/. The consensus seems to be that budget cuts will not fix the problem; the state needs new sources of revenue. In a practical sense, this means increasing taxes. For more information on the budget and solutions go to http://www.ctbaonline.org/.

The 2009 Legislative Agenda for AFSCME Council 31 PEOPLE includes:

Address revenue shortfalls in state and local government

Adequate staffing levels for state agencies

Oppose facility or site closures or downsizing

Ban forced overtime

Funding COLA for direct care workers in community agencies

Adequate funding for state universities

Protect public employee pensions and retiree health care benefits

Address inequities in pension systems

Fight privatization of public services and assets

Improve health care quality and access

Oppose efforts to reduce care and services for individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities.

Restore and expand union rights

Bring greater equity to Unemployment Insurance program.