Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Your Local 685 Executive Board continues to work with Probation and DCFS executive staff, management, and directors to ensure the safety and protection of clients (both juveniles and adults) and Local 685 members.
Local 685’s Executive Board has fostered a strong labor-management relationship with Interim Chief Raymond Leyva and the Probation Department executive team by enhancing communications and collaboration; and sharing information to meet the dynamic fluid changes in operations, staffing levels, work schedules, and the daily changes in the juvenile populations in the institutions and camps. Your Local 685 Executive Board also has reached out to DCFS management to protect the safety of members working in the Department of Children and Family Services.
Problems and issues arising from the challenges of COVID-19 are being resolved by open-dialogue and real time reviews of issues to make necessary changes when medical and other documentation is provided.
COVID-19 Positive Tests
During the COVID-19 pandemic – at a time when other probation agencies across the country have released high-risk juvenile offenders into the community for fear of contracting the virus – not a single juvenile in L.A. County’s institutions has reported a positive test for COVID-19. Five (5) youths are currently under observation for symptoms (1 at BJN and 4 at CJH).
As of today, the number of our Brothers and Sisters that have tested positive (17) has not increased since the publication of the E-blast last on Monday, April 20, 2020.
Local 685 members continue to receive personal protection equipment (PPE), including cloth masks that were disseminated by Probation and DCFS management services.
Current Probation Department Stats
- 41 – Employees quarantined as of 4/22 (self-imposed or 0rdered)
- 931 – Employees now are on Telework as of 4/22 (department-wide on various schedules)
- 364 – Current DSB population (-2 from yesterday)
- 193 – Current RTSB population (-4 from yesterday)
- 2,000 – Cloth masks were distributed to facilities
While the pandemic seems to be flattening, I would urge each of you to remain vigilant as probation-peace officers to ensure the safety of the community, to our Brothers and Sisters on the front line, and to ensure the safety of the juveniles in our care.
Disaster Service Worker Designation
Based the declared National Emergency on the COVID-19 Pandemic, County CEO Sachi Hamai issued an order declaring all County employees as Disaster Service Workers (DSW). As a result, some members have been pressed into alternative emergency work, sometimes completely outside of their regular jobs. We recognize that this has placed an extra burden on some of you, and we want you to know that we reviewed this County order and found it was legal under federal and state law, and under our MOU.
This has been difficult for Local 685 members and we continue to work with Probation and DCFS management to make sure that you continue to have safe work conditions as DSWs. Please contact your Steward or Vice President if you have any concerns regarding DSW work or any safety issue as we are committed to keeping you safe at work.
If you have an issue or concern regarding COVID-19, staffing, or a special family matter, please email the Executive Board or steward so that we can have this matter reviewed by the Department (
click here
for email addresses).
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