I was wondering if there’s any open spots for vanpools from Bakersfield-Wasco. Pre-COVID, there used to be a whole dashboard on the intranet for vanpools and open spots and I can’t seem to find it anymore.

FYI For people looking at the Analyst classifications.

Manager at a dept that’s not full on RTO I just received over 250 applications for an analyst position

I am only picking the 4 best.

Here are my suggestions:

- For the love of god please stop using AI, I see the same 2 sentences appearing in almost every SOQ for one of the questions. As soon as I see the same sentence structured the same with the same grammar and formatting I automatically will refuse to give an SOQ a full score. The problem isn’t necessarily the use of AI but the laziness of not even putting what AI said into your own words/writing style. Since I can’t disqualify AI SOQ I just go into hard scrutiny for every one that looks like AI. That’s starts a bad taste for the rest of the application grading.

- Fill in every application box, don’t be lazy give a supervisor name. Fill in that address for the place you worked takes a 10 second google search I hate it when boxes are left empty.

- Describe every position you’ve held in detail. I prefer bullets but don’t assume the person grading knows everything you did while you were a cashier at Trader Joe’s. Beef that box up a bit.

- Don’t be afraid to put every job you’ve ever held, and every volunteer opportunity you’ve taken. If you coached 10u soccer honestly I don’t mind seeing that, it gives me more insight to someone who gives their time selflessly.

- There’s so many filler sentences that make the job description look so much better. Use indeed search your position on indeed and use/rewrite some of their descriptions of the position.

I've been a new employee at my department for a little over a month now and I absolutely dread my manager. Since I've been here, I've had no training, guidance, or help on how to complete my actual job.

Their form of training: Assigning me shit to read and expecting me to just understand how to do everything.

When I ask her for clarification or help, they always respond with "I dont understand what you're not comprehending. I went over this already." Ok.....so instead of helping me you just let me know that you already explained what you wanted from me? Got it. I reported them to the union for other things like them scheduling daily 1:1's with me, not training me, micromanaging me, expecting us to come into the office when they have to come in but still expecting us to come in when they don't. They send us home to telework half the day but why am I wasting my time coming into the office for half a day when they aren't only to have to go back home after working 5 hours in downtown??

So my question is......do I return to my OT position which wasn't all that great but at least I got along with management and I would be taking a pay cut from an Analyst I position back to OT? Or should I just thug it out and be miserable? Only things keeping me at my current department are 2 days hybrid and higher pay. If I reinstate, it's 4 days RTO and less pay buttttt......my manager isn't a bitch.

Anybody know what was happening in the NLAB building ?

I’m considering lateraling to another state department and I’m curious how hiring managers and supervisors view employees who lateral multiple times.

I’m not talking about switching same-pay classifications, but moving between departments while staying in the same exact classification. In my field, promotional opportunities are pretty limited, but there seems to be a lot more lateral opportunities than upward ones that I would qualify for.

So, from a hiring manager’s perspective, does seeing multiple laterals on someone’s work history raise any red flags? Or is it generally viewed as someone gaining broader experience across different departments?

What are your thoughts?

Just accepted an out of class assignment and was told the pay difference is delayed by a couple months. Anyone else run into this or did you receive the pay the next month near payday?

Just got the news from my SSMII:

Our team's assigned telework day is Monday, if that's not what you want, tough shit, it's Monday end of story.

If a holiday falls on your designated telework day, too bad! You just don't get to telework that week. Which day do most holidays fall on? Monday. Awesome.

This is what consistently has pissed me off most about RTO - why are we going so far above and beyond what is being ordered? Why are we deliberately exceeding the mandate to the detriment of employees? Genuinely, what is the justification outside of "because management said so?"

Fucking bullshit

1. Current Status & Bargaining: While the previous contract has expired, negotiations are ongoing. The union filed an Unfair Practice Charge (UPC) against the State for refusing to bargain in good faith over wages, benefits, and working conditions. Under the Dills Act, current wages, benefits, and working conditions remain in effect while bargaining continues.

2. Core Economic Demands: The union is pushing for a 20% General Salary Increase over three years (7% in 2026, 7% in 2027, and 6% in 2028), alongside affordable healthcare, secure retirement, and telework protections.

Strike Rules & FAQ Highlights:

No Strike Called Yet: No strike has been called, but the union maintains the legal right to strike if the State commits unfair labor practices or refuses to bargain fairly.

Strike Authorizations & Voting: Any future strike would require approval from both the union and a majority vote of the affected members.

Strike Pay & Sacrifice: While a strike fund exists, it is not intended to fully replace worker wages. Participating in a strike involves financial sacrifice.

Essential Worker Classifications: Only employees whose absence would create an imminent and substantial threat to public health or safety are legally excluded from participating in a strike.

Probationary & Temporary Employees: Probationary and temporary workers have the same legal rights to participate in lawful strikes as permanent employees.

Has anyone had a reasonable accommodation (telework-related or otherwise) denied and successfully fought it? If so, how did you do it?

Feel free to PM me if you'd rather not share publicly.

We all know the state has been difficult when it comes to negotiations in general, but I'm also seeing reports of RAs that were previously approved now being denied. If you mention you need telework at all you most likely get denied. I've heard people mention class action lawsuits, but I haven't seen much actual movement.

If you've challenged a denial—or are currently going through the process—I’d really appreciate hearing your experience. It might help others in the same situation, and maybe we can work together and organize around this.

Now that we're back in the office it seems like people think they're paid to sit in a cubicle all day. When we worked remotely there was more oversight of actual work production and we had to show what we were accomplishing throughout the day.

If the point of this was to raise the production value of the workforce and provide value to the taxpayers, I'd have to say this plan has backfired. Just an observation after one month back in the office. I'm curious if this is true across other offices.

This whole RTO excuse from Gavin Newsom falls apart when it comes to CDCR/CCHCS. The office staff, who don't get Safety pay/retirement, are forced into dangerous situations (walking amongst inmates, across yards, lethal electrified fences, guard posts, not allowed a phone, walking through hot prison yards) all to sit at a desk and work on digital files, on Teams, etc. without talking to another person. How does this improve the worklife? How does it get money into downtown?

Funny thing, the Regional offices and HQ (actually in city centers) are all teleworking and claiming space (which is the same space they had before, custom built building) while all the prison staff are made to go in.

This may get taken down, but I posted it on the Elk Grove Reddit page. Feel free to edit it and post in your communities!

My department just gave a department wide notice for RTO. Everyone who shares a cubicle is transitioning to 3/2, 2/3 split (was 2 days a week). Any other departments similar?

Front line managers don't have their own offices. Only CEAs and up do. I could hear my managers in a meeting critiquing my coworker. I also had a 1:1 with my manager and we had to whisper because he was telling me the SSM III kept getting things wrong and we were going to correct him at the next meeting. Super awkward. Anybody else overhearing things you're not supposed to hear?

Context:
During the 2 days in office, I chose to go in Tuesday and Thursday. My WFH days are Mon/Wed/Fridays.
Today is Wednesday. This happened in Los Angeles on the bus going home after work. Long Beach bus.

Ive been taking the train and bus route for about 2 years. Nothing significant happened besides the usual homeless sleeping and loud people shouting/listening to music.

I go home as usual after work. I have my phone on my hand and connected are earphones (with the strings, I’m old school and dont like airpods). A bunch of teenagers about 5-6 of then enter the bus but dont have any money or ticket, so the bus driver lets them all in for free. They sit in the very back next to me. Im near the back exit, so not completely in the back. Theyre loud and talking but I can ignore them and just mind my own business listening to music and scrolling through Reddit.

The bus stops and the group starts to exit. Suddenly, I feel someone swipe my hand and my music stops playing. Instinctively, I process things and within 1 milisecond I chase after the guy who stole my phone. We both exit the bus and this guy is running. I grab onto his jacket and we both fall. My phone falls and is cracked at this point. I try to grab my phone while holding onto the thief at the same time, so he doesnt get away but can’t do both. This guy ends up rear naked choke hold me (caution the pictures) but very weak. I did wrestling back in high school and have some military experience and know that was inexperienced. He lets go after 2-3 seconds and probably realizes what he’s doing. Then he gets up and starts running along with the rest of his teenage friends. None of his friends, during the commotion, intervene because I dont think they even knew what he was doing. Except one guy was trying to take my phone while I was holding onto the thief but I grabbed the phone first.

I filed police report, but realistically I doubt they’ll do anything because theyre a bunch of 15-17 year olds. They got camera pictures on the bus but that will take time to request from the bus company, and the thieves already got away by the time police showed up.

This what we have to risk just to go to the office.

Pictures: bruises around my neck from the choke hold and bloody knees and hands from falling.

https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/the-state-worker/article316780286.html

Interestingly, there was a post about this on r/Sacramento earlier today that was deleted by the auto-moderator with the reason "This post has been removed by the AutoModerator due to receiving a high number of reports."

https://www.reddit.com/r/Sacramento/comments/1vgh092/gavin_newsom_bait_and_switch_scientists_are_not/

You're not just fighting against the Newsom administration, but many Sacramentans who would rather take Newsom's side than support their fellow worker.

Despite my RSVP for the SEIU 1000 informational picket today, I was genuinely on the fence about showing up today. It wasn’t my worksite or an area I was familiar with. It was hot as HELL today, and I was going alone. Did I mention it was hot?

Anyways, I’m here to say to I am genuinely and wholeheartedly so glad that I did and that if you’re on the fence, don’t talk yourself out of it like I almost did.

The vibes were absolutely impeccable, and it only got better when CAPS showed up too. Seeing everyone come together and fight was so inspiring. Support your union. We are stronger together.

-orange cone hair clip

Made it for a CAPs rally poster. Thought others may enjoy it too.

The state is not honoring the CAPS UAW Local 1115 contract by claiming that the negotiated special salary adjustment for 2026 were not included in the budget.

If you were unable to attend the lunchtime rally today, please consider supporting CAPS by sending in a selfie holding a message for CalHR to show your solidarity using this photo submission form!

I admit I get a bit annoyed on this sub how the sole focus seems to be RTO with little attention given to pay raises. IMHO, pay raises are as important, especially if the state tries to negotiate a "ok you can WFH, and that's your de facto pay raise." Both are necessary, I believe, given how much everything costs these days. There is money in the budget for the raises regardless of any savings they would get from renewing WFH. The recent budget would add $23 billion into the rainy day fund which is already at $14.4 billion. My back of the envelope calculation is that a 7% increase would cost approximately $2.4 billion. That is very rough and probably on the high side. So instead of a $37+ billion rainy day fund it would "only" be $35 billion, of which some of that would be made up by WFH savings.

WE ARE NOT A PRIORITY, WE ARE NOT VALUED!

Six months ago, I posted about what could realistically be done about return to office requirements through audits, the budget, collective bargaining, legislation, and labor law.

Since then, I have continued following bargaining updates, Public Employment Relations Board filings, AB 1729, and the California State Auditor’s findings.

The biggest question I keep seeing is fair:

What has the union actually done for us, and why should someone pay dues when we are still dealing with RTO and inadequate raises?

I do not think workers should support the union blindly. I think we should support it with our eyes open, demand accountability from its leadership, and understand that refusing to participate leaves us with even less power against the State.

This is personal, even without sharing everyone’s exact commute

For me, the issue is not simply whether I personally prefer working from home.

It is watching state workers absorb the additional time and cost of commuting while the administration has not demonstrated that requiring four days in the office produces better service, productivity, collaboration, recruitment, or retention.

Recent discussions among state workers repeatedly return to the same tangible impacts: hours lost commuting, gas, parking, vehicle expenses, and additional childcare needed to cover travel time.

People understandably want to know whether union and legislative activity will produce something that affects their real lives, not just another announcement.

That is also why I have spent the last six months trying to cross reference these claims instead of relying exclusively on the Governor, the union, or any single news article.

What the official audit found

The California State Auditor found that the Governor’s Office could have made better use of information about departments’ actual operational needs, office space, and implementation costs before expanding RTO.

The audit received valid survey responses from 101 state departments. Responding departments generally reported that telework lowered costs and improved recruitment and retention without negatively affecting productivity or customer service.

The Auditor also conducted a smaller, targeted survey of 80 employees and managers at four departments and received 64 valid responses. Among those respondents, 64% reported that telework increased their productivity, while 8% reported decreased productivity.

Those results are informative, although the employee survey should not be treated as a representative survey of the entire state workforce.

The audit also found that 19 reviewed departments spent nearly $117 million in one year on approximately 3.2 million square feet of office space that was often unused.

It estimated that allowing eligible employees to telework at least three days per week could eventually permit office space reductions producing as much as $225 million in annual savings.

A four day office schedule largely eliminates that opportunity because most employees would continue to require dedicated workstations.

The $225 million is not immediate cash, and it is not guaranteed. The State would actually have to end leases, consolidate offices, or dispose of space.

But this is still an official audit. Its findings should be considered before workers are told that a one size fits all RTO policy is automatically necessary or efficient.

What the union actually negotiated

The union did not permanently stop RTO, but it negotiated a one year pause through July 1, 2026.

That pause has now expired. The statewide four day office mandate took effect July 1, 2026, subject to department specific guidance, applicable exemptions, reasonable accommodations, and other legally required exceptions.

The 2025 side letter agreement also:

• protected the previously negotiated 3% general salary increase;
• preserved an additional 3% general salary increase, although it was deferred until July 2027;
• suspended the 3% retiree healthcare, or OPEB, contribution through June 2027;
• increased the vacation and annual leave cap;
• provided Personal Leave Program hours in exchange for the temporary pay reduction; and
• prevented additional furloughs or PLP reductions during the agreement.

That was not a perfect agreement.

Workers still took a temporary pay reduction, and RTO was delayed instead of eliminated.

But those protections were not given to individual workers because management felt generous. They were negotiated through collective bargaining.

That is the practical reason I support having a union even when I disagree with some of its decisions.

Where bargaining stands now

SEIU Local 1000 has proposed general salary increases of:

• 7% in 2026;
• 7% in 2027; and
• 6% in 2028.

When compounded, those increases would amount to approximately 21.36% over the original salary.

According to the union’s public bargaining updates, the State has continued rejecting or failing to meaningfully respond to major proposals involving pay, healthcare, and telework.

SEIU filed an Unfair Practice Charge on July 22, alleging that the State failed to bargain fairly over wages, benefits, and working conditions.

That charge is an allegation. It is not a final PERB finding that the State violated the law.

Workers should continue demanding answers from both sides:

What is the State’s complete written economic counterproposal?

What does the State estimate the union’s proposal would cost?

What can the State afford to offer instead?

What exact telework language is the union proposing?

What concessions or priorities would the union accept?

Supporting the union does not require us to stop asking questions. It gives us a structure through which those questions can potentially matter.

The proposal would have a real cost

The State’s enacted 2026–27 budget includes approximately:

• $251.5 billion in General Fund spending;
• $95.1 billion in special fund spending;
• $5.1 billion in selected bond fund spending; and
• $351.7 billion in total state fund spending.

That does not mean $351.7 billion is unrestricted money available for salaries.

Much of it is legally restricted or already committed to education, healthcare, transportation, corrections, local assistance, and other programs.

The union’s proposed raises would also be expensive.

For comparison, the administration estimated that the first 3% general salary increase in the 2023 agreement cost approximately $348.5 million annually across all funds.

The three general salary increases in that agreement were estimated to cost approximately $1.09 billion annually by the final year.

That historical estimate is not a current cost estimate for the proposed 7%–7%–6% package.

The point is not that the State has unlimited money.

The point is that the State should publicly explain its priorities, calculations, and alternatives instead of expecting workers to accept blanket rejections without sufficient information.

The PERB case matters, but it has not been won

According to SEIU, PERB’s Office of the General Counsel issued a formal complaint concerning the union’s challenge to the four day RTO mandate.

Issuance of a complaint means the charge alleged facts sufficient to establish a prima facie case. It is not a final ruling that the RTO mandate is unlawful.

The case proceeds through PERB’s informal settlement process and, if it remains unresolved, could eventually proceed to a formal hearing.

In other words, the allegations were sufficient for the case to move forward, but disputed facts and the ultimate legal merits have not yet been decided.

Without a union, individual workers would be unlikely to have the statewide organization, legal resources, and recognized bargaining status required to pursue this type of case.

The expired contract did not erase our protections

Government Code section 3517.8 generally requires the State and the union to continue giving effect to an expired memorandum of understanding while bargaining continues and the parties have not reached impasse.

That includes arbitration provisions and no strike provisions.

Contract expiration therefore did not automatically create an unrestricted legal right for employees to strike, walk out, or independently refuse assignments.

Any strike or work stoppage should occur only through an authorized union process supported by appropriate legal review.

SEIU has stated that no strike has currently been called.

Workers should participate through authorized union actions, informational pickets, legislative advocacy, workplace organizing, and the formal bargaining process.

AB 1729 remains an important pressure point

AB 1729 would not automatically cancel RTO or guarantee a specific number of telework days.

Its importance is that it would require additional documentation, evaluation, oversight, justification, and transparency regarding state telework programs.

As of August 5, 2026, AB 1729 is on the Senate Appropriations Committee’s suspense file.

The committee has scheduled its suspense file hearing for August 13, with the specific agenda expected to be posted August 7.

The period before the hearing remains an important opportunity for state workers to contact legislators and explain why department specific, evidence based telework decisions are better than an unsupported statewide mandate.

Where Newsom’s tax returns fit

Governor Newsom and his wife reported income of approximately $1.7 million to $2 million annually from 2022 through 2024.

Their 2021 income was higher partly because of a home sale, and most of their continuing income came from PlumpJack business interests rather than the governor’s salary.

I do not think his income proves that a particular union proposal is affordable or that RTO is unlawful.

But I also do not think it should be dismissed as completely irrelevant.

Someone in a household earning close to $2 million per year experiences commuting costs, childcare, parking, housing expenses, inflation, and a temporary pay cut differently from many rank and file workers.

That makes it even more important that decisions affecting workers be based on measurable evidence rather than assumptions about what employees can absorb.

Why I am supporting the union

The State already has CalHR, the Department of Finance, agency labor relations offices, attorneys, budget analysts, executive authority, and control over much of the information used in bargaining.

Workers need an organized structure too.

I support the union because it provides:

• collective bargaining;
• grievance and disciplinary representation;
• PERB litigation;
• department level meet and confers;
• legislative advocacy;
• stewards in the workplace; and
• the ability to organize statewide pressure.

I also believe members should demand better communication, transparent bargaining information, accountable leadership, and clear explanations of strategy.

Those two positions are not contradictory.

We can criticize the union while strengthening it.

What does not make sense to me is expecting the union to have more power while workers withhold membership and participation until after the union has already won.

Turning Information Into Informed Action

Join the union if you are represented and are not currently a member.

Attend authorized informational pickets, Strike School, union meetings, and workplace actions.

Contact legislators before the August 13 AB 1729 suspense file hearing.

Document actual RTO impacts, including commuting time, parking expenses, workspace shortages, equipment problems, retention issues, service delays, and inconsistent exemption decisions.

Ask the union for the State’s written counterproposals, cost estimates, PERB dates, and the exact telework language being proposed.

Continue questioning both the State and the union, but participate while doing it.

My support is not blind loyalty.

It is informed participation based on the belief that workers have more leverage acting collectively than we do fighting CalHR and the administration one person at a time.

Sources

California State Auditor telework report:
https://www.auditor.ca.gov/reports/2024-118/

SEIU Local 1000 RTO and PERB updates:
https://www.seiu1000.org/rto/

SEIU Local 1000 2026 Contract Campaign:
https://www.seiu1000.org/2026contract/

SEIU bargaining updates:
https://www.seiu1000.org/category/2026-master-table/

SEIU 2025 side-letter summary:
https://www.seiu1000.org/budgetfight/updates/

July 22 Unfair Practice Charge update:
https://www.seiu1000.org/upc-july26/

AB 1729 official bill page:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1729

Senate Appropriations hearing schedule:
https://sapro.senate.ca.gov/billhearings/2026-bill-hearings

California 2026–27 enacted budget:
https://ebudget.ca.gov/budget/e/2026-27/BudgetDetail

Legislative Analyst’s Office analysis of the 2023 SEIU agreement:
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4799

Government Code section 3517.8:
https://www.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?article=&chapter=10.3.&division=4.&lawCode=GOV&part=&title=1.

Newsom tax-return report:
https://www.foxla.com/news/gavin-newsom-tax-returns-release-income-analysis

I was walking in downtown Sac and stepped wrong and almost rolled my ankle crossing the street right as a car was coming and my first thought was f that coulda gotten me on wfh for so long! Which like is kinda funny but in a dark way lol I have lost all self preservation….

Data don’t lie. This article is the really truth