NAPCA SEE Listening Sessions

SEE Grantee MeetingThursday, October 15, 2015

NAPCA SEE Listening Sessions

Chicago, IL – September 10, 2015Washington, DC – September 29, 2015

Seattle, WA – October 06, 2015

Sick Leave

• Why sick leave dropped hours from 520 to 192, especially since enrollees have senior health issues, and fewer hours may not meet needs.

• We earned our sick leave, women need more sick leave, older people need more sick leave, we don’t abuse it, and it’s good to know that it’s there in case we need it.

• We earned our sick leave, probably need more than younger people, could those with lots at least get grandfathered? This is also related to a greater issue about enrollee rights.

• SEE Sick Leave policy doesn’t have to be the same as NAPCA’s employee’s Sick Leave policy.

• Could we set up a leave bank?

• Could vacation and sick leave be combined?

Bereavement

• Bereavement leave says once per year. Can’t control timing of family deaths, 2 or 3 days allowed is sometimes not enough.

• Bereavement leave should be increased to a maximum of 5 days; for some situations, 2 or 3 days is not enough. (Feds get 3 days)

• There should not be a maximum on the number of bereavement leave incidents in a year.

Holidays

• State holidays vs. federal holidays (question from State enrollees)

• Why are holidays prorated? If the holiday is on my XX hour work day, I should get XX hours, regardless of how many hours I work in a week.

• If someone works four 8-hour days, their holiday should be worth 8 hours.

Pay• The pay scale needs to be adjusted upward, especially with the local minimum wage

changes.

• Wages need to increase, or there needs to be a Level 5.

• Different Offices have different budgets, can’t they set their own wages?

• How have the wages increased and decreased by Region since the Programs existence by Congressional mandate?

• The pay rate is too low. Energy Star SEE enrollees are doing comparable work with feds, ditto Children’s Health Program, Superfund, providing liaison between EPA and community, many other roles. When the minimum wage goes up, the pay of other SEE enrollees who make more should go up, too. There should be more appropriate compensation and benefits.

• If we can’t increase the wage scale, maybe have stepped vacation accrual, so at least there’s that benefit for staying longer.

• Don’t like the payroll schedule change to bi-monthly. (but some do.)

Responsibilities

• With reduction in number of Federal employees, enrollees are being given more responsibilities. It’s getting hard to keep track of what enrollees should not be doing (see CANNOT DO list).

• There should be more enrollees to do all the work that needs to get done at EPA.

• Everyone’s pushing more work on enrollees, some seem like they might be inherently governmental functions (check with the CANNOT DO list, and with Project Director).

Transit

• Transportation Vouchers, especially for those who are not yet eligible for senior pass (55-64).

• Travel: speed up reimbursement for frequent travelers, any way to adjust hours for travel time, allowance for personal vehicle vs. rental car. How about group car rental insurance?

• There should be a transit pass or at least pre-tax payment, this IS the EPA. Will the requirement for DC in 2016 make this more likely for the SEE program?

Health Insurance

• Health insurance: is generally great, but are there alternate insurance options, like reimbursement for enrollee-paid insurance? Sometimes there are problems with UHC.

• United HealthCare coverage is not as good at Aetna.

• SEE should reimburse for individual health insurance, since it’s less expensive than the one insurance promoted by the SEE program.

Recognition/Status• Need more appreciation and recognition, enrollees work hard for low pay. Have heard that SEE

enrollees are “lowly”, and are disrespected.

• Monitors don’t all know about how low the pay is, and about recognition restrictions (no monetary). We need to make suggestions to monitors.

• Maybe monitors or managers should get to attend SEE grantee meetings, so they better understand the program, and can offer input there.

• Yes, it’s “at will”, but some monitors want to terminate or reduce hours before annual renewal time, can’t the enrollee be moved to other work?

• What happened to health screening events? It provides a tangible benefit to enrollees, particularly to those who do not have other medical coverages as well as it provides a “gift” of appreciation of SEE enrollees’ work and service from NAPCA/EPA to enrollees.

• Having a “monitor”, perpetuates disrespect, like a child needs a monitor. Unit Manager might be okay, but having someone who really knows the work is very important, too.

• EPA federal employees need more education about the SEE program, so they are not so disrespectful.

• Enrollees are not employees and they’re not contractors, it’s very confusing.

• Let SEE enrollees use the health and/or fitness facilities, or have access to training programs that are restricted by HQ, like Skillport.

Federal Employment, Retirement

•How can enrollees transition to Federal employees?

• SEE enrollees should have some preferential benefit for federal jobs, especially at EPA, for something they’ve been doing for years.

•Could enrollees have retirement benefits?

Telework

• If type of work allows, can enrollees telework?

• Telework was great for when the Pope was visiting, can enrollees do episodic telework on a regular basis?

Other

• Standardize more forms: Leave of Absence, Travel Advance.

• Do monitors and enrollees have to keep hard copies of the timesheets? (no, just so they’re accessible.)

• I like the new excel timesheet with calculations.

• We should have more meetings like this, and meet with monitors, too.

• Do EPA officials within the office of Workforce Development in EPA approve/or make suggestions to the policy/guideline booklet(s), and if so what is the platform for discussion, such as has there ever been any input by SEE enrollees?

• How have the age demographics changed by region of SEE employees from the program implementation by Congressional Mandate?

• Is there a component for advancement training measures in SEE program, such as policy for advancement to the various levels of I, II, III, IV.

Other

• If the enrollee doesn’t feel like they are a good “fit” with their monitors, can they change their monitors?

• Is “at will” part of EPA SEE requirements? Or is that NAPCA policy?

• Are NAPCA’s financial statements available? Want to see how much of our budget is SEE.

• Enrollees should be allowed to use federal government vehicles.

• Could the name Senior Environmental Employment be changed? Don’t want to be a “senior” just yet.

More (email feedback)

• If the EPA could afford to pay full wages for the positions filled by SEEs, there wouldn't be any SEE program.

• The SEE program, NAPCA, or both, should make it clear to SEE applicants that becoming a SEE is not a path to federal GS employment.

• SEE applicants need to read the position description and understand the nature of the job before accepting employment, and acknowledge that in writing.

• Although most of us have held positions of respect and responsibility in our previous careers, we are here to support other federal employees with our professional skills, not necessarily to be their professional equals.

• The SEE program, in my case, allows me to continue to perform professional duties that the private sector is just not looking for.

More (email feedback)

In my Office, we feel very much appreciated as SEE enrollees and members of the work team.  Our monitors are pleasant, helpful, and accommodating to our individual needs and schedules.   

I found it a good idea to go back and read the purpose and history of the SEE program and its structured differences from regular federal employment and that helped me feel more satisfied with the program and grateful for its many benefits and flexibilities for a retirement lifestyle.   I think the difference is for those who depend on SEE as their only source of income (and are struggling on that amount) rather than as a supplement for someone receiving other retirement benefits.     

I’m sorry so many of those on the phone seemed disgruntled with the program.   I think that the idea of pushing for a higher set of levels is a good one that would reward and provide some incentive for those who are working hard and contributing to the success of their departments.  Thank you for being available to us and responding so promptly to our individual questions and situations.   

My sincere appreciation for the SEE Program!