MINNESOTA CORRECTIONAL FACILITY – RUSH CITY

Labor Management Meeting

March, 15th, 2007

Minutes

Present:

Warden Feneis, A/W Jim Zawacki, Captain Wilmes, Lt. Laurie Dorsey, Paul Gammel, Teri Hable, Mike Fox, and Eric Langworthy

Old Business:

1. Uniform policy/Maternity clothing ~ follow up

Warden Feneis passed out an information sheet that explains the process to follow. If uniforms are in stock, staff are directed to obtain them from the warehouse. If there is no stock to obtain maternity clothes from, the employee is given funds into their account to purchase clothing and there is also a provision for alterations. DOC Policy 103.2215 “Uniforms and Attire – Facilities” states “Female officers who become pregnant will be loaned three (3) shirts and two (2) pants. Alteration of these items will be paid for by the facility/operation. These items must be returned to the facility/operation upon return from medical leave”. The information sheet will be attached to the minutes.

Another issue was addressed regarding replacement of worn out uniforms or damaged uniforms. Uniform items damaged while performing job duties are replaced at no cost, while uniform account should be used to replace “normal wear and tear” items.

2. Return to Work Committee ~ Union

Eric Langworthy would like to clarify if Labor could be added back to the Return to Work committee. He stated that somewhere along the line AFSCME people have been taken off the committee. Labor is requesting that two AFSCME people be added back on. Warden Feneis stated the goal is to get people back to work as quickly as possible. A smaller committee can act more quickly and efficiently. He stated since no other facility has labor representatives on the committee and we don’t have any particular issues at this time, let’s leave it as it is with the efficient small group of people.

New Business:

1. Positive Mantoux ~ Union

Eric Langworthy stated staff that have recently had a positive mantoux test here at work were told not to have offender contact. However, these staff are still allowed contact with other staff. He stated perhaps there has been some miscommunication and we need clarification. Warden Feneis stated that if someone is confirmed to be contagious, neither staff nor offender contact would be allowed. A positive mantoux by itself doesn’t prohibit staff from doing their job, including both staff and offender contact. In most cases these are “false positives”. Staff with positive mantoux’s fill out a form from Health Services to ask if they have any additional symptoms. Only professional health care providers can decide if a positive mantoux combined with other symptoms requires additional medical follow up. Until a health care provider diagnoses active TB, employees will continue to perform normal work duties

2. Interview process for Sergeants for promotional opportunities ~ Warden /HR

Warden Feneis stated that in the past vacant sergeant positions have typically been awarded to the most senior eligible person without an interview process. Half of the facilities go through an interview process, half do not. The Department has decided as a whole that we should conduct the process the same way at every institution. We will start conducting interviews with the three most senior staff eligible. We would like to reassure labor that we will continue to follow contract language in filling sergeant vacancies.

Mike Fox stated that no matter how eloquent the message is worded, there still will be the concern as to whether the lower senior person gets promoted over the most senior. Warden understands it is a change that may cause some anxiety. However, after interviewing three candidates, the institution will continue to promote based on contract language in Section 7, E, 4.

3. Sergeant promotion list ~ HR

Concerns have been expressed about the length of time to create the sergeant promotion list.

Teri Hable explained that once a sergeant position has become a “no bid”, the supervisor needs to supply HR with a TRF. HR will scan the TRF packet and email to Central Office. Once CO receives the information, HR at Rush City does not have any control over it. The supervisor will work with CO to fill the vacancy. There is not really a consistent time frame. We have a good check and balance here at Rush City to monitor the process. Teri pointed out that the Central Office staffing representative has a region of 4 to 5 facilities.

4. Vacation postings ~ Lt Dorsey

Lt. Dorsey stated currently we pull vacation slips five days a week. It’s time consuming and errors can occur. We are ending up with cross over blocks of vacation requests. Lt. Dorsey would like to follow a system like OPH currently uses where they pull vacation slips one day a week. This would help eliminate confusion and complaints. The new system would still meet the contract requirement to process requests within 10 days. Lt. Dorsey will form a committee to discuss this proposal with Bill Stanley and Mike Fox and report back at the next meeting.

5. Moving of the HR tab on the intranet page ~ HR

Within the next couple of weeks the Human Resources tab on the Rush City intranet site will take you to the Central Office HR site. However, we will have another tab to the left or right for the RC HR site. Blue tabs at the top of the RC intranet page go directly to the Central Office site.

6. Proper training for WOOC supervisors ~ Labor

Eric Langworthy shared his concern that WOOC supervisors are conducting investigations, interviews, and inputting comments in time books. He states that under contract, WOOC positions can not give performance reviews. He asked if there is any training a WOOC supervisor can take.

WOOC supervisors receive both formal and on the job training. The intent is to have them perform as many supervisory duties as possible. Captain Wilmes stated we don’t allow WOOC supervisors to do a formal investigation or a performance review. Warden Feneis stated that WOOC is a good learning opportunity for our staff and for the most part they should be performing normal supervisory responsibilities, with the restrictions mentioned by Captain Wilmes.

7. Work restriction appropriate dress

AWA Zawacki wanted to clarify an issue from last month’s agenda. Do Correctional Officers on restricted duty assignments need to wear uniforms? We discussed that the return to work committee would look at each situation individually. In some cases, medical restrictions could determine what appropriate dress is. Clothing should be specific to the assigned work area. For example: front desk, uniform; business office, clothing similar to other workers in the area. HR is going to add a line with suggestion as to what to wear in their email to return to work staff. Normally, staff are assigned to one area and it would require one decision as to what the appropriate dress would be.

Next meeting: April 19, 2007, 2:00pm – Send all agenda items to Lt. Laurie Dorsey

cc: Dennis Benson, Deputy Commissioner

Erik Skon, Assistant Commissioner

MCF-Rush City

Uniforms for Pregnant Staff

§ DOC Policy 103.2215 governs uniforms and attire with Section E - Medical Conditions, setting the policy for female officers who become pregnant.

§ This policy refers medical conditions to the Captain or designee for approval on alterations. Captain is the uniform representative for this facility.

§ Pregnant uniform staff need to be referred, by the Captain or designee, to the warehouse to obtain special sizes from returned uniform items prior to Finance increasing their uniform balances.

§ The Captain or supervisor notifies Cathy Moen that an employee needs special sizes and Cathy directs Uniforms Unlimited to add funds necessary for purchasing 3 shirts and 2 pants to that employee's uniform balance.

§ Cathy also informs that employee that alterations may be done at our expense. The local fabric store/quilt shop may be used for alterations or they can submit an expense reimbursement with a receipt.

§ By policy, these uniforms should be returned to our warehouse upon return from maternity leave. The employee is responsible, while the supervisor should remind the employee to return these uniforms.

§ Presently the "Uniform Order Instructions" is located under Document Libraries, the "Uniforms & Attire - Facilities" policy is under the DOC Secured Policy Manual and the "Uniforms Unlimited" link is under Quick Links on the Rush City Staff Intranet.

Suggested Changes -

§ Improve the Intranet page with all pertinent information pertaining to Uniforms under Information. This page would include a link to policy, link to the site, the step-by-step ordering instructions and the special information about pregnancy conditions. Cathy Moen has been working with IT staff on this concept, but it has been a lower priority task to other assigned duties.

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