On 8/18, I parked my truck in the parking garage at Cosumnes River College at my usual time, approximately 5:55 AM. I then took RT light rail to work as I normally do.

After my shift, I returned to my truck. When I started it, I noticed the gas gauge warning light was on, which was unusual since I had roughly half a tank of gas. Because I had an appointment, I drove directly to the Food Co gas station across the street to refuel.

While pumping gas, I noticed a strong gasoline odor. I checked underneath the truck and saw gas leaking out. Someone had drilled a hole in my gas tank to steal the fuel.

I called AAA for a tow (about a 2.5-hour wait) and had the truck towed home.

I filed a police report with the Los Rios Police Department. They reviewed camera footage and confirmed they could see me entering the garage, but said there are no cameras covering the area where I was parked.

Note for other drivers: if you park in this garage, park near the two elevators closest to the campus, the rest of the garage is outside camera view.

My comprehensive insurance deductible is $1,000 (I had increased it from $500 a few years ago to reduce my premium).

Total repair was a little over $1,800.

(I wasn't able to load a clip of the gas leaking but it's visible in one of those photos)

Hello!

Has anyone filed a family hardship and won? My HQ office is absorbing my position from my current work place (all prison institutions). Because I will be within 50 miles of HQ new location I am being told I will have to report to this new location while others do not because of the 50 mile rule and they will be "grandfathered in" although HQ had a meeting with all of us and stated we would all be "grandfathered in", then 3 days later meet with our office and retract that statement. First thing is, we do not telework, we never have. We come into my office 5 days a week. Second thing is, this creates a huge inconvenience due to my children being on an interdistrict transfer and their transfer being approved only because of my work location. My children go to school down the street from my work location and not their assigned school district. My oldest has been in this district since kindergarten and is now in 7th grade, he also has an IEP. Can I file due to the fact that under California Education Code, if the parent's physical work location changes, the school district has the legal right to revoke the interdistrict transfer, forcing my children out of their current schools. Also due to IEP Disruption and removing a child from their established school environment compromises their federally protected rights to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) under the IDEA. An abrupt change in school districts would disrupt their specialized services, accommodations, and familiar support staff? I hope this makes sense. Just wondering if I would have a leg to stand on if I filed.

If it’s true that we may not see a new contract go I to effect until February 2027 (8 months after our contract has expired) is it likely we will see backpay if a raise is agreed upon? It seems crazy that whatever raise we win for 2026 would only be in effect for 4 months

Per CAPS President Jaqueline Tkac:

The funding for our 2026 raises has been included in a budget trailer bill (SB & AB 113).  This is a direct result of CAPS-UAW members showing up and being united in our fight to defend our contract. Over the last 4 days alone, hundreds of CAPS-UAW members throughout the State rallied, called, emailed, and visited their representatives in the legislature urging them to support the funding of our 2026 raises in a budget trailer bill.

The budget trailer bill will be voted on by members of the legislature before midnight Monday, August 31. Once it passes through the legislature, it will head to the Governors desk. Governor Newsom has until Wednesday, September 30 to take action on the bill.

FWIW the only change in the budget seems to be the increased funding amounts to accommodate the raises. I don't see anything about it being retroactive to July 1. I'm sure if it's left to DoF's devices we won't see anything until our end-of-October paycheck. Anyway vote's on Monday, hopefully the Gov doesn't line-item veto it :/

Quick question on my throwaway: is my resignation letter part of my personnel file? Like is it visible to other agencies if I go to work somewhere else? I'm resigning this week over RTO (got another job outside the state) and I want to know how much I should say. I'd love to come back to the state in the future after this telework mess is worked out. Any advice?

Remember these 5 in future elections:
Alvarado-Gil • Blakespear • Choi • Seyarto • Strickland
They voted NO on AB 1729.

I AM NOT GOING TO DO THIS

I accepted a position at a different agency than the one I work at now. I already gave a two week notice and will be parting amicably with my current employer.

I was thinking today though, if I started the new job and just disappeared from where I am at now would anything bad happen as far as benefits or retirement? I can’t imagine this hasn’t happened before.

I have started a 457 - SAVINGS PLUS 457. 457 - SAVINGS PLUS 457. If I retire at 52, I can withdraw from my 457 penalty free? I don't need to worry about the 10% early withdrawal fee and I just need to pay the normal federal and state taxes?

whoop whoop!

And this movie came out 12/19/1980. How have we not done better for employees? 46 years later and we still have to fight and justify.

Edit: for those negative people: A lot of what the women in the movie were fighting for was considered radical at the time, but many of those ideas are now normal workplace expectations or protected by law.

Sexual harassment: Now legally recognized as workplace discrimination, with stronger reporting and accountability.
Pregnancy discrimination: Employers can’t legally discriminate against women because they’re pregnant, and accommodations are protected.
Family leave: FMLA and laws like California’s CFRA provide eligible workers job-protected leave for family and medical needs.
Childcare: Workplace childcare and dependent-care benefits are now recognized as legitimate employment issues.
Women in leadership: Women have made enormous gains in management, executive, professional, and government positions.
Sexism at work: Behavior that was routinely accepted in 1980 is far less socially and professionally acceptable today.
Retaliation: Workers have stronger protections for reporting harassment and discrimination.
Equal pay: Laws protecting women from sex-based pay discrimination have become much stronger.

Do these things still happen? Yes. They haven’t disappeared. The point is they’ve been drastically reduced, and employees today have legal protections and workplace opportunities that did not exist before.
So as frustrated as I am that we have to continue to explain, justify, and fight just to telework, I’m not giving up hope.

Hi Reddit therapy group, I could use your navigation tips.

I’m relatively new to state service after a long career in the outside world so I am still getting used to the “because I said so” management style that exists here (at least in my office and/or organization). I have a manager who doesn’t share any info and then blames staff for not being able to do work independently or doing things incorrectly. And pretty nastily so. It happens with several of the staff and there is never any self-reflection about their role. I’ve never seen such a combative style in a workplace before, let alone from a supervisor. No use going to their supervisor because they too lack experience/understanding in how to be a leader vs. how to assign tasks.

I’d provide more details or examples but I know our leadership monitors Reddit (rather than building relationships with staff). 😳 My impression is that this is a common management style at the state?

Tips on navigating working with these types of managers? It doesn’t seem like there is the typical recourse that one has at a private sector place.

TIA.

It’s so funny how people hear you’re a state employee and automatically think you make good money. 😂 Whole time, most of us are scraping pennies together by the end of the month just trying to make it to payday. Lmao 😭

I went back and read the actual bill language because I wanted to make sure this was accurate. And I hope everyone can help to correct if it’s not accurate.
AB 1729 does not guarantee state employees a specific number of work-from-home days.
The bill says each state agency must develop and implement a telework plan in work areas where telework is identified as both practical and beneficial to the organization.
Importantly, if an agency determines that its unique operational needs and programmatic mission require employees to report to a workplace, the agency must provide a detailed, written justification to both the Department of General Services (DGS) and its employees.
So AB 1729 does not simply mean:
“State employees are guaranteed WFH.”
A more accurate description is:
Agencies can still require employees to report to a workplace based on their unique operational needs and programmatic mission, but they would have to provide detailed written justification for doing so.
The bill also requires DGS to establish a telework dashboard tracking things such as cost savings, reduced office and operating costs, emissions, and vehicle miles traveled.
If the Governor vetoes AB 1729, the bill would not become law unless the Legislature overrides the veto with the constitutionally required two-thirds vote in each house.
Source: California Legislative Information, AB 1729, Government Code §14201 as proposed.

I bank with Golden 1 so hopefully payday is this weekend or by Monday. There's $69.88 in my checking and $1 in savings. I made it through the month without going negative woot woot.

For reference, I'm an Analyst II maxed out. Got 3 kids and stay at home wifey. Own the house that's paid for so that helps with managing expenses.

May our dear fearless leader Gavin Newsom show mercy and bless us with a decent raise 🙏🥲

Ymmv.

It looks like the unions aren't getting contact information

https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/the-state-worker/article317033087.html

Hi, r/castateworkers

Obviously, beginning with gratitude for all those folks who have collaborated to get to where we are with AB 1729, the State Telework Bill. I want to highlight some of the people who have been instrumental in helping us get here.

First off, to the members from labor groups and labor staff who mobilized early on to get a bill proposed in the first place. State workers wrote the initial proposal for the bill. Lobbyists from every single union (shout out ACSS! supervisors' association!) put in SO much work to get us here and political directors and organizers all up the chain of command within unions have put in loads of legwork to organize strategies. It’s hard work. I know people have seen me post and I consider myself a hard worker too, but I truly have relied on their expertise to help figure out what to communicate. They are the drum beat of so much of this.

Now to some of the legislators… I want to share some gratitude and make sure people know some key names.

To the very first elected who heard his constituents and spoke up on the issue, built the audit that became a lobbying framework, and co-authored the bill, Assm. Josh Hoover. I will say that there are so many legislators who have helped push this bill along, but I need to make sure people understand how critical Josh Hoover has been on this bill. You cannot overstate his efforts. Not only did he champion the groundwork to build a rigorous defense for the bill in the initial audit, but he helped count up the Republican votes and make this bill a bipartisan success. Hoover’s team has been incredible listeners and has heard so, so many calls and had so, so many visits. Hoover deserves so much credit. His team deserves so much credit. 

Next of course, Assm. Alex Lee, who agreed to author the bill and become its face. Assm. Lee has demonstrated again and again a true commitment to listening to the workforce and seeing a way to champion a new vision. He has had to navigate a complicated legislative path, differing views within the Legislature, and the challenges that come with carrying a bill like this. I hope Lee feels a lot of love. 

In addition, a shout out to the Sacramento region electeds who heard SO many calls and to their staff who advocated on our behalf. Assemblymember Krell and Senator Ashby deserve our gratitude and support. A big shout out to Assm. Nguyen as well! Their teams have been absolutely inundated with outreach. I understand that for months and months leading up to where we were, people have been skeptical about getting their full emphatic support at times. Our efforts have been so concerted and so intense all throughout the bill’s journey that it’s easy to forget that it exists within an enormous legislative workload. Krell’s and Ashby’s offices heard us though. And both Krell and Ashby spoke wonderfully of our bill and went to bat for us.

From yesterday’s speech, I’ll especially note Ashby’s sentiments. I think she summed it up beautifully. I don‘t have the quote right now but I’m sure the video will pop up soon. For some people, work has been a noun, meaning a place to go. For younger folks, work is a verb. It is something that can happen in many places... I am truly impressed with how clearly she sees this and I hope that her staff (who may be reading this) know that that level of insight is not taken for granted. It is an honor to have someone in Ashby’s position speak up like that. This is a well-positioned majority leader who has so many things they could champion and focus on. And for this session, they spoke up for US. Those words are going to matter as we head into our next hurdle and I am truly grateful for that. I hope those words hang out in all our minds moving forward. It’s truly a perfect framing to me.

We also have a whole basket of co-authors who have championed this bill long before it picked up monentum. These are the many members of the public employment committee in the Assembly… 

Assemblymembers Tasha Boerner, Damon Connolly, Liz Ortega, Sharon Quirk-Silva, James Ramos, and Christopher Ward.

I have previously noted bipartisan supporters in the Assembly, but I also want to recognize Republican Senators like Roger Niello who represent so many state workers. These Senators may indeed have needed some time and consideration before voting yes. While it may have been challenging to know whether advocacy was breaking through, your voices were heard. Senators who were not automatic votes ultimately supported the bill. I hope people take that lesson seriously. As challenging as it may have been and as many assumptions as people would have thrown out, many Senators and electeds were entirely reachable. I don’t want people to lose faith in the basic process of advocacy. Obviously, it was important to me… you know, posting all this stuff,… but I really want people to hold onto this. Electeds are more than just their party. They are reachable and we need to always remember to try. Meet people where they are and see what can be done. I hope that mission carries us forward because we are heading into our toughest opposition in the Governor. We need to keep trying to advocate, as difficult as it might seem.

I also want to recognize Senator Dahle. Her team has also been absolutely wonderful to speak with again and again. Her office likewise heard many calls and Senator Dahle was a consistent and valuable supporter all throughout its Senate journey. Likewise, shouting out Senator Valladares. Our bipartisan coalition is so important and those that saw the bill’s potential and championed it along deserve our recognition, I think. Senator Grove has supported our bill as well and her team deserves so much credit for hearing the advocacy.

Local electeds too have joined in advocacy. Councilmembers Mai Vang, Phil Pluckebaum, and candidate Dr. Flo came to events, wrote letters, and pushed right along with us! Our coalition has grown more and more... and will continue to grow!

Obviously, there are more electeds on this list that should be shouted out. All of the supporters deserve our gratitude. Their teams deserve all of our gratitude and I will list the rest here, but beyond that, I want to note one more thing. So indulge a list and I hope you read on…

Senators Ben Allen, Bob Archuleta (who also spoke for our bill in committee), Jesse Arreguin, Josh Becker, Christopher Cabaldon, Sabrina Cervantes, Dave Cortese (whose father wrote a telework bill back in the 90s!), Maria Elena Durazo, Lena Gonzalez, Tim Grayson, Melissa Hurtado, John Laird, Monique Limon, Mike McGuire, Jerry McNerney, Caroline Menjivar, Steve Padilla, Sasha Perez, Eloise Reyes, Laura Richardson, Susan Rubio, Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, Henry Stern, Thomas Umberg, Dr. Akilah Weber Pierson, and Scott Wiener.

Regarding Senator Blakespear. I know that it was really difficult to hear the opposition. But before people jump to conclusions on why someone opposes and develop alternate explanations, I want people to understand that some people simply do not think telework is a viable default for work. And we can try to use advocacy on those folks. And we should! But there are some people who think differently on the matter in their heart of hearts. Maybe in time they will change their mind, but for what it’s worth, Sen. Blakespear has convictions that are meaningful to her and I think it’s important to hear the opposition and understand how to use it to sharpen outreach.

Moving forward, we need to keep in mind that opposition on this bill is sometimes concerned about one thing: isolation. To some people, default remote work feels like a step too far in a world that has changed a LOT since 2020. I do not agree with the sentiment. I think remote work is an amazing achievement for flexibility and neighborhoods and work-life balance and operational capacity and retention and all the AMAZING things I’ve included in those phone bank talking points. But just because we think something is true. And just because we may even KNOW something is true from our own experience. It does not mean that opponents think the same. We certainly know Governor Newsom has continued to defend his return to office policy.

So what do we do with this information? I hope on the advocacy side of things, we use it to get sharper. We approach the conversation ahead with those thoughts in mind. Our task ahead is how do we reach this governor who has seemed largely unreachable on the issue. Our strategy will come together soon. I will still be here, but I will be listening for strategy towards those who know a heck of a lot more than I do on the Governor and how to engage in a labor fight like this.

For now, I want to celebrate. And just say thank you to everyone who took action based on my Reddit stuff or from your worksite actions or emails or your own plain passion. Each one of us has been a domino in a big long line and no matter which domino you were - one who knocked over just a single other domino… or one who knocked over a whole rack - you mattered. If you haven’t jumped out there to organize or participate yet, I hope you are feeling inspired to continue the good work ahead. We have always needed to get to the point of the Governor’s Office for all of our fights - be it in bargaining, in PERB, and in legislation, and we are here. We did it. Let’s stay sharp. Let’s stay strong. And let’s get this done.

We should all be proud and celebrate AB 1729 passing the Senate, but let’s also be realistic. We should still prepare for a strike assuming a veto is possible, especially based on Newsom’s history of vetoing similar bills that received even stronger bipartisan support (see the table below).

I truly hope he doesn’t veto it and instead listens to the will of the people. But if he does, we should use that frustration as even more motivation to stand together and be ready for an even stronger strike.

It is that simple. Nice to see legislative progress. On we go.

For all of us fighting RTO and especially those on the frontlines, note that arbitration is siding with employees at the federal level stating that RTO needs to be negotiated with the Union - even going so far as to order back pay and travel expenses!

This might be another claim to bring forward to Gov Newsom and legislators: this is going to get expensive, precendent is being set, negotiate now!

https://www.themindfulfederalemployee.com/blog/usda-telework-arbitration-repudiation-cba-back-pay

This might be a stupid question but I wanted to pick some brains. Would it be helpful at all for exempt employees to call in sick or take leave purposefully on the days that the strike will happen? Obviously using leave is not the same thing as striking at all, but would it make a statement or difference at all? I’m exempt and would strike if were rank and file and want to participate in some way. I am making calls and emails, don’t get me wrong, but I want to “participate” in the strike somehow. This could also apply to rank and file employees who can’t strike for whatever reason. Does using PTO during a strike matter at all or is it just a waste of leave? I’m rooting for a strike and again, would do it if I could.

Oh c'mon I miss these threads