Platform Discussion Notes 1/8/07

ASED Executive Group Drafts Session Notes from 1/8/07

Present: Amy, Jan, Mary, David, Mike, Grant, Scott, Len, Katie

Agenda: Scott reviewed the 2007 Platform (outlined below) and suggested the group start the brainstorming discussions around Platform Plank #2, the assessment issue. Len then facilitated the discussion:

Alliance of State Employees w/ Disabilities

2007 Action Platform

1. Develop our mentoring role by identifying and reaching out to as many current SOM employees with disabilities as possible.

1. Become a stimulus for the SOM to explain what is currently being done to hire, retain and promote employees with disabilities and use that information to:

1. assess strengths and opportunities
2. develop recommendations for future directions for the SOM to take

1. Sponsor a Second Annual ASED Conference, based on the above two themes.

Platform Plank Two: Become a stimulus . . .

A.  Background Thoughts

• Has there been any follow-up on assigned Handicap spots?
• Transportations statewide planning is not taking any disability issues into account
• We need to be clear on our scope, like Disabled Workers vs Disabled Community
• Do we have an overall Vision? Like how things are now and how things ought to be in the future?
• Do the issues of Workers with Disabilities have any visibility in the Management thought process in state government?
• Where are we (and where is the Governor), relative to affirmative action and the impact of Proposition 2 on employees with disabilities?
• We need information from the following:
• By state agency (maybe by relevant parts of agencies)
• By the Governor's Office
• By CIOs
• By Control Agencies
• OSE (Office of the State Employer)
• DMB (Department of Management and Budget)
• CS (Civil Service)
• Treasury
• Unions

B. Issues or Areas that Need Attention

1. Career Paths

• Promotions
• Training
• Relationships between Performance, Discipline, and Disability

2. Accommodations

• Resistance to making on the job accommodations
• Coverage by state sponsored insurance
• Parking
• Transportation

3. Disclosure

• Hiding because of fear of impact on career
• Passing by choice

4. Return to Work

• Getting benefits when disability interrupts work
• Getting back to work
• How is the person treated differently if the disability is work-related?

5. Disability Retirement

• Pushing SSDI
• Denying Disability Retirement

6. New Hires

• Disclosure
• Outreach

C. Action Outline

1. Establish a Vision of what we want now and what we want next
2. Use the Vision to create a ‘report card' or evaluation points
3. Ask the First Gentleman to help us learn!
1. Help us assess where we are relative to our Vision or evaluation points
2. Perhaps build some evaluation into the 360 process (to allow protection for undisclosed)
3. Perhaps have ADA Coordinators report out

D. Next Steps

1. Work group of Jan, Scott, Grant, & Len will:
1. Formalize the Vision or evaluation points
2. Devise a strategy for engaging the First Gentlemen
2. Work group will report back at the February meeting

In the frantic final minutes, the group also discussed:

Platform Plank Three: Annual Conference . . .

• Establish a Conference work group soon
• Scott will reserve a Fall date at the State Library facility

Platform Plank One: Mentoring . . .

• Mentoring is not just ‘older' folks helping ‘newer' folks
• Establishing ‘support groups' (perhaps like affinity groups) would allow us to mentor each other and provide a vehicle for ASED members in other parts of the state to have a stronger sense of affiliation or involvement.
• We may want to adopt a ‘special' activity, cause or fundraiser to allow us to more formally contribute to disability causes.
• See if there might be a tie-in with the First Gentleman and the Administration's commitment to mentoring.

Housekeeping . . .

The next ASED meeting will be the first full week of February, after work, and probably at Leroy's. Other details to follow!