AB 3

Good evening Brothers and Sisters. I hope this post finds you all healthy and safe. I just wanted to let you all know that AB 3 has passed. This will give us either 6 furloughs or a 4.6% pay cut between January 1st, 2021 and June 30th, 2021. As the bill is written, the cut in either form will end June 30, 2021. Merit freezes did not go into effect which means you all will receive your step increases. There is hope that the receipt of federal relief money from the CARES Act will eliminate the need for us to endure any cuts at all. I say prepare for the worst and hope for the best. They did increase the allotment of annual leave that we can carry forward from year to year from 240 hours to 320 hours. This change is also temporary and seems to be effective for the next 2 years. There is also mention of the state not paying an entire month of subsidies to the PEBP, our insurance company. I wonder if this is why our premiums went up. I would like to thank anyone who sent in emails, letters, or made phone calls in an effort to express how detrimental cuts to state workers would be. Many of you may have received texts or seen posts of another organization claiming victory. This is nothing more than a low rent approach to recruiting. Losing money while experiencing increases in costs to benefits should never be characterized as a victory. This just sucks a little less. Take care of each other and as always be safe!