After a final 24-hour marathon bargaining session, workers’ comp carrier State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) came to terms on a deal with its primary union to provide some officially recognized flexibility to workers affected by its three-year relocation plan. The agreement with Service Employees International Union (SEIU) also clarifies benefits and obligations of workers affected by the moves.

It’s a big “whew” for both sides but, more important, for some 1,400 affected employees.

“There’s some additional time off for employees as they are looking for jobs. We’ll allow them to have some paid time off. Also for those who are moving there’s some additional time off to assist them as they are looking for housing and things like that,” says Andreas Acker, head of human resources at State Fund.

Under the agreement, workers who opt to relocate will get a week of paid time off (40 hours) to take care of various aspects of the move, such as selling a house, enrolling their children in a new school or looking for a new place to live. Additionally, these employees may opt to cash out an additional 80 hours of accumulated time off — vacation/annual leave, personal leave and compensatory time off — to have some additional cash on hand to pay for relocation expenses not covered by State Fund.

Workers eligible for moving expenses will have the option of asking the moving company to bill State Fund directly for the cost of the move.

Time Off for Job Hunting

Workers who opt not to move will get 32 hours of paid time off to assist with their job search in the two months preceding the actual move date. Additionally, all State Fund employees will now get up to four hours every month to “research, test, apply for and interview” for other jobs, to attend job fairs or to take an examination for a license or certification that may help them land another job. And employees scheduled to be relocated this year will get a total of eight hours a month for job searching, testing and interviewing.

Workers who choose to be laid off instead of following their job across the state will be placed on a re-employment list. These employees also can have their date of separation delayed by choosing one of two options — using up all of their available leave credits (minus sick leave) to extend their service time and benefits up to 12 months or asking for an extended leave of absence for up to one year.

Either option requires “the employee’s written irrevocable resignation from their current position, effective the last day of the leave.” They still could apply for other jobs within state employment, including at State Fund, but will not have a preferential hiring status and will be considered behind other State Fund employees affected by the relocation plan. These individuals also will have to waive any relocation reimbursement.

But some workers are concerned about their future with State Fund even if they accept the relocation package, as there is no assurance that their position will remain for the long term. The union was able to obtain only a limited guarantee for relocated workers. The deal reads in pertinent part: “Employees being involuntarily transferred geographically in this three year strategic plan will not be involuntarily transferred geographically or laid off within six months of their move.”

A common suspicion among workers is that if State Fund does not realize the anticipated savings in personnel cuts from the moves, then it will turn around and displace workers again.

For a copy of the agreement, click here. It is also available in our Resources section under SCIF.

(Filed by Brad Cain in San Francisco)