Managing staff workload in the California State University

A presentation of the California State University Employees Union (CSUEU)

CSU non-academic staffing has remained flat over the past several years while enrollment and even campuses have increased

Furloughs have increased the pressure on staff to “do more with less”

Furloughs may be replaced with layoffs next year, increasing the pressure on remaining staff

Workload can effect everything from evaluations to promotion to discipline

Difficulty with deadlinesRepeatedly reviewing prioritiesWork out of classification Irritability at work and homeGiving up on doing a good jobPoor relationships with boss and

coworkersGetting complaints

Position DescriptionClassificationAssignmentScheduleEvaluation

The union contract requires that every employee has a position description (Article 17) Consistent with classification Regular duties of the position

Elements of the position description (HREO) Description of regularly assigned duties Percentages of time on each responsibility Requirements (skills, certification, equipment) Supervision Physical and mental effort

All duties must be included “Other duties as assigned” legally means

duties which are related in kind to the specific duties listed in the sections above

Percentages of time are listed This establishes priorities For non-exempt employees, this also

translates into expected hours for each responsibility

Requirements are listed If the job requires a new skill or certification,

it is probably out-of-class work

Supervision Only one person is listed as the administrator,

which means work must be assigned through that person

If you are a lead (even of students) the position description will list who reports to you

Effort Physical and mental effort is listed

Changes must be listed (Article 17) New duties must be reflected in a new position

description at least seven days in advance

DO

Request a position description when you are hired

Request a position description change when your duties change

Work within your position description

DON’T

Ignore whether or not you have a position description

Let duties accumulate without being added

Work outside of the classification or the hours (non-exempt)

Classification Qualifications and Standards (CQS) are systemwide definitions Types of duties Skills, certification, and other

requirements Distinguishing characteristics from other

classifications and skill levels Position descriptions must be

consistent with classification

Assignment/reassignment (Article 17) You must be paid when you temporarily work at

a higher classification or skill level Reassignments are documented in the

personnel file Reclassification (Article 9)

You must be reclassified when you permanently work at a higher classification or skill level

Management may remove duties to prevent reclassification (but the previous work must be paid under reassignment)

DO

Get a copy of your CQS from Human Resources or Chancellor’s Office website

Make sure your position description is consistent with the CQS

Make sure out-of-class work results in pay

DON’T

Think that your position description is all that matters

Perform work out-of-class without documentation or pay

The union contract allows an employee to request work instructions in writing (Article 17) This can be used to document an

assignment through management directions CSUEU encourages employees to

maintain a work log of their regular and special duties This is can be used to document an

assignment through a daily employee record

What if the supervisor does not document new duties or special assignments? Send your own email or memo to the

supervisor memorializing the assignment (“This is to verify that I will be doing _____ per your request”)

You can ask for confirmation at the same time

Track the task in your work log anyway

Date Supervisor Task Time elapsed Special

requirements Comments

Work logs can be used to track workload, out-of-class assignments, overtime, etc. This documentation can be important for evaluations, reclasses, grievances, etc.

DO

Keep track of your assignments and document them regularly

Make sure assignments are given by the administrator (in your position description or written direction)

DON’T

Lose track of what you are doing, adding new duties or doing special projects without any record

Expect your administrator to remember what you’ve done in the past or expect a reward (reclass, IRP, bonus) when there is no documentation

NON-EXEMPT

Employees receive a fixed work schedule

Employees are paid on an hourly basis

Employees receive overtime for work over 40 hours in a week

EXEMPT

Employees work by task rather than schedule

Employees are paid on a salary (monthly) basis

Employees do not receive overtime for work over 40 hours in a week

Monday – Friday 8 hours per day Set hours for start, stop, breaks, lunch Overtime for hours over 40 in a week Overtime payment in cash or CTO Call back (overtime rate) if brought

back to work on a different schedule or day

(Articles 18 and 19)

DO

Know your work schedule Work the set hours – start

and stop as indicated, take your breaks and lunch

Get paid for extra hours Longer days get paid

overtime if they are over 40 in a week

Called in at different hours not consecutive with your schedule guarantees you at least 3 hours of paid call-back time (even if under 40 hours/week)

DON’T

Work through breaks or lunch without pay

Come in early or stay late without pay

Take jobs home and work without pay

Make “informal” overtime arrangements

Flex your days to work a different schedule than authorized to avoid overtimeAll of these are illegal!

Focused on tasks rather than hours Example – “Maintain lab” or “Provide IT

support”Most time is flexible although there

may be some fixed times for meetings or essential tasks

Employee may start and stop at different times under own discretion to meet task deadlines

Exempt employees are not paid for hours over 40 in a week Employees must balance their time by taking

time off after having worked extra hours Employees are not charged leave for partial

day absences During a furlough week, Exempt

employees become Non-Exempt In non-furlough weeks, Exempt employees

are not supposed to have workload increases to make up for lost time during the furlough week

DO

Keep track of task assignments and deadlines

Balance work peaks with time off later (and let your supervisor know)

Attend fixed meeting dates and times

DON’T

Report on the basis of a fixed work schedule

Take time off if you haven’t met the deadlines

Work extra hours in furlough weeks without pay

Work extra hours in non-furlough weeks to make up for deferred work earlier

Evaluations are based on position descriptions Must reflect assigned duties Changes in duties are listed

Evaluation are a dialogue between the employee and the supervisor Workload expectations Performance peaks and valleys

Evaluations may include rebuttals Significant workload issues can be documented

DO

Keep track of your successes over the year in your work log

If you have a problem during the year, record it and the reasons why and mitigating factors

Insist that all duties are reflected in the evaluation

DON’T

Count on your evaluation always being good or fair or accurate

Rely on the administrator to remember your successes

Hope your administrator forgets the problems

All of the above can influence layoffs, even though they are based on seniority Tie-Breaking▪ When two or more employees are tied for layoff,

management must consider only specialized skills, competency, and meritorious services

Presidential Exemption▪ The President may exempt an employee from

layoff if the employee possesses documentable specialized skills which are necessary for the program and not possessed by other employees

Workload influences the decision of management to start layoff Work speed-ups may precede layoff as a

way of reorganizing the work for fewer employees

Workload influences the decision of management to call back employees from layoff Work shortages may require hiring and jobs

go to employees on the layoff list first

A STRONG UNION!!! Our union contract regulates hiring, firing,

layoff, assignment, etc. We have the right to negotiate on the

impact of budget cuts We have stewards and union staff to

advise and protect employees Working together, employees can

organize to influence legislators, presidents, and the public

Employees are not automatically members of the Union If you have not signed a membership card,

you are paying fees – you are a fee payer and not a member

Signing a card gives you the right to vote on contracts, get representation in discipline, and enjoy group benefits and insurance

Union membership is less than 25 cents/month

University staff keep the University running…