SACRAMENTO – On April 8, 2022 the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) participated in a video conference with representatives of the State Lands Commission (SLC) to discuss changes to the existing Telework agreement and the impact of returning to the worksite.

Attending on behalf of CSLEA were Senior Legal Counsels Andrea Perez and James Vitko; California Association of Regulatory Inspectors and Investigators (CARII) President Tom Ineichen, and CARII Site Representatives Mike Melin and Kim Rogers.  Attending on behalf of SLC were Chief Chris Beckwith, Assistant Chief Ronald Maria, Assistant Administrative Chief Lisa Lloyd and Marine Safety Supervisor Ferric Cabuhay.

SLC had previously notified employees that it intended to return Field Specialists/Inspectors to the office effective April 1, 2022.  The effective date was postponed however, to allow for discussion. During the course of the meeting, CSLEA discussed the impact of a blanket return to work policy given the Governor’s mandate to continue telework when possible and the continuing risk of COVID exposure.  SLC raised issues relating to production goals, supervision and training.

As a result of the meeting, SLC agreed to rescind its decision regarding blanket elimination of telework agreements and instead will meet individually with staff to discuss individual needs with the goal of implementing hybrid telework agreements on a case-by-case basis.  A formal telework plan as required by CalHR is expected within the next few months.

“We are grateful to SLC for a very productive meeting. Moving forward from the pandemic, departments need to understand that telework is a reality and can be a win-win for both employers and employees,” said Vitko.

“I thought the meeting was a great opportunity for management and labor to come together to address real-life working conditions in this ever-changing world we’ve been thrust into. It also allows us to address our Bargaining Unit’s contract and the implementation of the Governor’s requirements for teleworking. This meeting really showed the need and importance of union membership and representation,” said Ineichen.