ONLINE RATIFICATION ELECTION ON PAY ADJUSTMENT FOR CHILD WELFARE WORKERS

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The Memorandum of Agreement
Attachment A — DCF Performance Recognition and Retention Plan
Attachment B — Salary Schedule
Attachment C — DCF Employee Analysis and Mapping Instructions
Attachment D — Appeal Form

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SUMMARY OF AFSCME-DCF
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
FSC/CPI (November 2003)

Printable version of summary
The proposed Memorandum of Agreement between Florida Public Employees Council 79, AFSCME, and the State of Florida contains the following major provisions:

• The Agreement recognizes and endorses a plan to generally elevate base salaries for professional employees working for the Department of Children and Family Services (DCF) in positions as family services counselors and child protection investigators.
• The Agreement provides a schedule of base salaries for Family Safety professionals that increases the average base salary by approximately $3,000 annually. See, Attachment B to the Agreement. It provides that no employee will suffer pay reductions, and ensures that all base salary increases shall be at least $500 annually, or a lesser amount necessary to increase salary to no more than $500 above the scheduled amounts.
• The Agreement approves a plan for categorizing Family Safety professionals into Job Levels using working titles designated as Family Service Counselors I and II, and Child Protection Investigators I and II. It further approves a plan for allocating base pay by steps denominated as: Entry Level; Gaining Experience Level; Fully Qualified Level; Advanced Level; and, Expert Level.
• The Agreement provides the pay increases will be effective, and retroactive to, July 1, 2003. If also provides that the two percent (2%) Legislative pay raise scheduled for implementation on December 1, 2003 will be based upon the enhanced base pay schedule.
  The Agreement sets up an appeal mechanism for professionals who disagree with either their designated Job Level (assignment as either a Counselor I or II, or Investigator I or II), or their designated Work Level (Entry, Gaining Experience, Fully Qualified, Advanced or Expert).
• The Agreement provides for an Appeal Procedure with the following features:
  • Written notice by DCF to each professional of designated Job Level and Work Level.
    The right to Appeal by an employee who:
    • did not have an opportunity to fully participate in the process leading to designation of Job and Work Levels, or
    • disagreed with supervisory ratings, or
    • agreed with the supervisory rating but had the rating changed at a higher level.
  • A requirement that appeals be submitted within 5 workdays of receipt of the written notice, on the form provided (See Attachment D of the Agreement.)
  • An appeal review panel of five DCF employees – two selected by AFSCME, two selected by DCF management, and a fifth selected by the initial four.
  • A requirement that deliberations on appeals be open and during work hours.
  • A requirement that appeals be decided, in writing, within 10 days of submission.
• The Agreement provides that professionals permanently assigned duties of a higher level position are entitled to have base salary adjusted to the new level under the Agreement and DCF plan.
• The Agreement provides for a one-time bonus of $1,000 to Family Services Counselors who remain employed in good standing on the last day prior to transition of the employee’s position to community-based care.
• The Agreement supercedes the 1998 Memorandum of Agreement requiring Family Services Counselors to be annually certified.

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