Agreement Between
State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition
and
State of Connecticut, Office of Labor Relations and Department of Social Services
In light of the end of the Public Health Emergency ("PHE") on May 11, 2023, and in anticipation of increased client inquiries and service requirements, the Department of Social Services ("DSS”), the Office of Labor Relations (“OLR"), and the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition ("SEBAC") agree to the following resolution of appeals for the January 2023 telework period:
1. All employees in DSS Field Operations Benefit and Service Center classifications* who have filed telework appeals seeking greater than 60% routine telework for the January 2023 telework period shall be granted a 60% telework schedule for two (2) months from the date of this Agreement.
2. In order to accommodate an anticipated increase in client demands as a result of the PHE unwinding, DSS, in consultation with SEBAC, shall develop an advanced scheduling protocol for employees in the above classifications to be used as needed for the duration of the 2-month period. The advanced scheduling protocol will establish a rotational schedule within each field office such that employees will receive up to one (1) week of notice if anticipated demands require that they report to their field offices on days they otherwise had been scheduled to telework. The rotational schedule is intended to ensure teleworking employees will be called into their offices in an equitable and predictable manner. While DSS will endeavor to provide advance notice of up to one (1) week, DSS reserves its right pursuant to Section 8 of the Telework Policy to call teleworking employees into the office with less than one (1) week notice. This Agreement is contingent upon the development of an advanced scheduling protocol which is acceptable to both DSS and SEBAC.
3. For the 2-month period, DSS shall collect data and information reflecting levels of demand for in-person services in Field Operations Benefit and Service Centers. DSS agrees to share such data with SEBAC at the conclusion of the 2-month period to the extent it is not confidential or legally protected from disclosure. At the conclusion of the 2-month period, the parties will meet to discuss such data and information and to propose telework scheduling solutions which are responsive to the data and information collected during the 2-month period.
4. The next telework period commences on July 14, 2023. The parties agree that DSS will hold in abeyance applications for the classifications identified in Paragraph 1 until the conclusion of the 2-month period. At the conclusion of the two (2) months, after the meeting of the parties described in paragraph 3, DSS will assess the telework applications held in abeyance and advise employees whether their telework applications for the July 14th period are granted, denied or modified, in accordance with the requirements of the telework Policy. DSS agrees to complete said review and communicate telework application decisions to employees within thirty (30) days of the expiration of this Agreement.
5. Except as set forth above, all other provisions of the Telework Policy remain in effect for the duration of this Agreement.
* Eligibility Service Workers, Eligibility Service Specialists and Eligibility Services Supervisors.
