SACRAMENTO – On May 25, 2022, a Joint Labor Management Committee (JLMC) meeting was held between the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA), California Association of Regulatory Investigators and Inspectors (CARII), California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), and Contractors State License Board (CSLB).
JLMC meetings are an opportunity for CSLEA and CARII to discuss members’ issues and concerns regarding workplace activities. The meetings allow the union and CSLB/DCA to amicably discuss the issues/concerns and work towards beneficial changes. The topics discussed at the meeting were:
- Monthly closure goals/quotas
- Aged Cases
- Case Reviews
- MSA
- Telework
- Supervisory Issues
- Training/Onboarding
- Vacancies
Though the specifics of the meeting are confidential, CSLEA and CARII want to assure members that the union is diligently working to address long-standing issues at CSLB.
A reoccurring complaint item from union members is CSLB’s monthly closure goal of 10 cases. CSLB’s Complaint Handling Objectives memo (dated 03/06/2020) specifies the case closure goal for an ER-I is 10 cases per month, and the goal for an ER-II (if providing supervisory assistance) is 5 cases per month. (It should be noted that the “ER” positions are nearly obsolete as of July 2020 when the positions were reclassified to Special Investigators.) The memo specifies the objectives were adopted by the Board in 2006 and were developed with input from CSLB employees and a private consultant who conducted a comprehensive workflow/time-management analysis. CSLEA requested a copy of the analysis to evaluate the standards used for the workflow/time-management. Unfortunately, the analysis could not be located. Based off information produced, it is believed the analysis occurred in FY 2000/2001.
Not only is the analysis more than two decades old, but the files have changed exponentially over that past decade alone due to electronic communication. Even as recently as ten years ago, consumers did not rely so heavily on electronic communication for their construction projects (emails, text, etc.). In today’s world, it is not uncommon for the primary mode of communication between a complainant and respondent (and other involved parties) be via electronic communication. We have heard from several members that the complaint files are often quite large with this type of documentation which is time consuming to review and consider in the investigation/report which increases administrative time on a complaint. Additionally, the complexity of complaints has evolved with the solar industry, PACE programs, organized crime in the construction industry, and the unfortunate and ever-growing wildfires. Additionally, the analysis did not consider the Peace Officer positions (as their positions did not yet exist), nor did it consider different/specific goals for SWIFT. For all these reasons, and more, we believe a comprehensive workflow/time-management analysis needs to be redone in order to capture what it takes to conduct an investigation in today’s time. We believe reevaluating the caseloads and monthly closure goals will allow Investigators to work within more realistic expectations and will in turn have a positive impact on the aged case issues occurring at CSLB.
CSLEA and CARII stress the importance of being a union member and being represented not only at the bargaining table, but in the everyday work environment. CSLEA and CARII strive to improve the working conditions of members, and welcome feedback so to better serve you. The work the union put into the reclass took years and the union is proud of the outcome of those efforts.
CSLEA and CARII thank CSLB and DCA for the JLMC meeting and taking the time to discuss these important issues. CSLEA and CARII are optimistic that discussions with CSLB/DCA to improve your day-to-day lives and careers at CSLB will have positive outcomes.
The CARII Board
