October 3, 2011
Anibal Ramos, Director
Essex County Department of Citizen Services
18 Rector Street, Floor 9
Newark, NJ, 07102
Re: Step III Class Action Contractual Grievance
Extremely Excessive FSCSC Caseloads
Article I. Purpose
Article VII. Discipline
Article XXV. Non-Discrimination
Article XXX. Work Distribution and Practices
Dear Mr. Ramos:
CWA Local 1081 submits this Step III Class Action Contractual Grievance on behalf of our Family Service Worker-titled members, as well as our Clerical-titled members, assigned to the Food Stamp office to protest the alarming fact that the FSW's are each carrying a respective caseload of approximately five-hundred (500) clients at any given moment in time.
ASFS Linda Bass did not reply to our Union's attached Step I Class Action Contractual Grievance of August 16, 2011 submitted her regarding this precise respect, and nor did Director Yvonne Davis to our Union's attached Step II Class Action Contractual Grievance of September 12, 2011.
These extremely excessive caseloads are resulting in significant employee stress, the unwarranted imposition of discipline upon the employees when the work cannot get done in a timely fashion and a delay in providing legally required client services which oft precipitates frustration and anger amongst adversely affected clients which is more often than not directed toward our Union's FSW and Clerical members alike.
As you are aware, the County of Essex annually renews an agreement with the State of New Jersey whereby the latter advances the former $15 million in TANF administrative funding in exchange for the County's pledge to maintain no fewer than 822 total agency employees. Not only does the County annually violate this agreement by failing to maintain 822 total agency employees, but the Division of Welfare has for many years failed to even attain that number.
The resolution CWA Local 1081 respectfully re-reiterates to this grievance consists of the following:
- The County shall expedite its hiring of both FSW and Clerical employees so as to attain, and then maintain, the stipulated total of 822 agency employees.
- The County shall deploy more employees to the Food Stamp office.
- The County shall cease imposing discipline upon Food Stamp office employees whose alleged transgressions are actually the result of that office maintaining too few staff to adequately service its clients.
We seek a hearing in this regard.
Sincerely,
David H. Weiner, President
CWA Local 1081