May 2020 Scoop

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Friday, May 1, 2020

SEANC more important than ever in this time of uncertainty!

In this time of uncertainty, membership in SEANC is more important than ever. We are proud to stand up and advocate for our state employees and retirees in tough times like this. Already, our "SEANC Cares" team has fielded more than 750 member concerns, and are proud of the 129 new members who joined in April!.

We stand ready to assist members with any question or concern they may have in coming days. Click here to send us your thoughts, and a team member will get back with you to find a solution. You can also send an email to seanccares@seanc.org.

Also, we need your help to grow. Please forward this email to all the nonmembers you know, to help us spread the word. Encourage them to click below to join the movement!

View FAQs

Nominations sought for employees who go the extra mile May 3rd-9th is Public Service Recognition Week and we need to share some love for our unsung heroes – the state employees on the front lines.

Take a moment of your time to nominate someone who goes above and beyond in their job, before and during this crisis. We all know they deserve some time to shine in the spotlight! Click below to nominate someone.

Legislators return to session The legislature returned to Raleigh this week, focusing on relief and recovery efforts for the COVID-19 crisis. SEANC has lobbied extensively for hazard pay for mandatory employees who can’t social distance on the job.

As of now there are three proposals on the table – one each from the governor, House and Senate – for the state’s response. None of them explicitly spell out hazard pay provisions.

Legislators will return tomorrow for a Saturday session, and will return later this month for the 2020 short session. They need to hear from you! If you haven’t already, please reach out to your legislator now. If you’ve already sent them an email, consider calling them by clicking the phone icon on the action page.

DPS employees: We need your input SEANC Executive Director Ardis Watkins will host a conversation with officials at the Department of Public Safety on dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. The discussion will be recorded and SEANC will broadcast it to social media to help our DPS navigate these tough times.

We need your input! Please submit your questions BEFORE WEDNESDAY, May 6, at 5 p.m., so we can address them with DPS leadership.

Questions can be submitted with contact information, or you can leave those fields blank if you wish to remain anonymous. Please help us by submitting a question so we can have a productive conversation that is beneficial to employees.

Also, be on the lookout Monday, as we will send out an email informing all DPS employees of their rights pertaining to COVID-19 testing plans.

Submit your questions for DPS officials

Ready to take the next step into a leadership role in your job, your community or SEANC? Now's your chance. SEANC’s Emerging Leaders Council has established a scholarship program to allow one SEANC member the opportunity to participate in Leadership North Carolina (LNC), a two-year training program where participants acquire the skills necessary to take the lead.

Each year, Leadership North Carolina selects a class of 50-60 current and emerging leaders from across the state through a competitive application process.

Participants attend six two-day sessions between Oct. 2020 and May 2021 in various locations across the state where they learn about the challenges and opportunities facing North Carolina, with a focus on building networks and turning knowledge into action to benefit their communities and the state.

Participation in LNC requires a two-year commitment. Only active SEANC members working full time for the state are eligible to apply. Selection as the Emerging Leaders/LNC scholarship finalist does not constitute automatic admission into LNC. The individual selected will be required to submit an application to LNC and be accepted for admission into the program.

Scholarship funds will cover the cost of tuition, meals, travel and lodging. The application is due May 30. Apply online at seanc.org/leadership-ncscholarship.

The SEANC Insurance Department is available to assist you Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 800-222-2758 or insurance@seanc.org.

Coronavirus resources for state employees

Stay tuned to SEANC Social Media for updates

www.seanc.org | The State Employees Association of North Carolina | © 2020

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Friday, May 8, 2020

SEANC stands up for state employee safety in COVID-19 crisis SEANC continues to be the one voice standing up for state employees through the COVID-19 crisis. That fight was on full display this week after it was announced that the plan to provide testing for all correctional, juvenile justice and probation/parole employees had been scrapped.

DPS is unwilling to cooperate with the plan to use 20,000 tests secured by State Treasurer Dale Folwell for onsite testing for all of these employees by medical personnel. The department put up multiple roadblocks to the onsite testing effort.

So, we spelled out the truth for our members.

SEANC continues to work on this issue, and won't stop until correctional personnel and probation/parole officers have the peace of mind they need to perform their jobs.

In this time of uncertainty, membership in SEANC is more important than ever. We are proud to stand up and advocate for our state employees and retirees in tough times like this.

We stand ready to assist members with any question or concern they may have at their workplace. Click here to send us your thoughts, and a team member will get back with you to find a solution. You can also send an email to seanccares@seanc.org.

Also, we need your help to grow. Please forward this email to all the nonmembers you know, to help us spread the word. Encourage them to click below to join the movement!

View FAQs

Celebrating employees during Public Services Recognition Week This week is Public Service Recognition Week, and we received more than 90 nominations for employees who have gone the extra mile during the COVID-19 Crisis. Thank you to all members who nominated a coworker, and to all state employees who are working hard to keep the state moving forward!

Click the image to read about these wonderful people!

Legislators return to session on May 18 The legislature return will return May 18 for the short session. They need to hear from you on the need for hazard pay and worker safety! If you haven’t already, please reach out to your legislator now. If you’ve already sent them an email, consider calling them by clicking the phone icon on the action page.

Start recruiting now for Treasure Chest Thursday!

Congrats to new member Emily Wyatt and her recruiter District 20 Chairwoman Jacque Chatman, who both won $25 in last week’s Treasure Chest Thursday recruiting challenge!

We will hold the same challenge once again next Thursday, so start recruiting!

Ready to take the next step into a leadership role in your job, your community or SEANC? Now's your chance. SEANC’s Emerging Leaders Council has established a scholarship program to allow one SEANC member the opportunity to participate in Leadership North Carolina (LNC), a two-year training program where participants acquire the skills necessary to take the lead.

Each year, Leadership North Carolina selects a class of 50-60 current and emerging leaders from across the state through a competitive application process.

Participants attend six two-day sessions between Oct. 2020 and May 2021 in various locations across the state where they learn about the challenges and opportunities facing North Carolina, with a focus on building networks and turning knowledge into action to benefit their communities and the state.

Participation in LNC requires a two-year commitment. Only active SEANC members working full time for the state are eligible to apply. Selection as the Emerging Leaders/LNC scholarship finalist does not constitute automatic admission into LNC. The individual selected will be required to submit an application to LNC and be accepted for admission into the program.

Scholarship funds will cover the cost of tuition, meals, travel and lodging. The application is due May 30. .

Apply today!

The SEANC Insurance Department is available to assist you Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 800-222-2758 or insurance@seanc.org.

Stay tuned to SEANC Social Media for updates

www.seanc.org | The State Employees Association of North Carolina | © 2020

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Friday, May 15, 2020

SEANC cares and is ready to assist members in time of uncertainty The legislature will return on Monday for its short session. An expected loss of state revenue as a result of the COVID-19 crisis makes SEANC more important than ever for state employees and retirees. We are the one voice standing up against job cuts and furloughs, and for safer working conditions and better pay for state employees, as well as retirement security.

In this time of uncertainty, membership in SEANC is more important than ever. We are proud to stand up and advocate for our state employees and retirees in tough times like this.

We stand ready to assist members with any question or concern they may have at their workplace. Click here to send us your thoughts, and a team member will get back with you to find a solution. You can also send an email to seanccares@seanc.org.

Also, we need your help to grow. Please forward this email to all the nonmembers you know, to help us spread the word. Encourage them to click below to join the movement!

View FAQs

DPS COVID-19 testing puts an undue burden on officers, staff The Department of Public Safety announced plans Thursday to test employees for COVID-19 using LabCorp tests and FastMed facilities around the state.

Some prisons are as far as 112 miles away from the nearest FastMed testing location.

SEANC, State Treasurer Dale Folwell and the State Health Plan had worked out a better solution last month to test every staff member at prisons, juvenile justice facility and probation/parole staff involving mobile units to make the process accessible.

Photo courtesy WRAL-TV

DPS was determined to use their vendor, though, a decision that will make participation less likely.

“We are glad DPS is finally making an effort toward beginning testing,” said SEANC Executive Director Ardis Watkins. “We are truly unclear why they want to limit the testing to locations that might be far from prisons and a hindrance.”

Folwell’s plan could have started two weeks ago. Instead, correctional personnel has spent that time worrying over whether or not they are bringing the virus home to their families.

“This plan is too little, too late, and will create a false sense of comfort,” said Watkins. “At the end of the day, no testing will be effective until the department stops moving inmates from facility to facility.”

Ready to take the next step into a leadership role in your job, your community or SEANC? Now's your chance. SEANC’s Emerging Leaders Council has established a scholarship program to allow one SEANC member the opportunity to participate in Leadership North Carolina (LNC), a two-year training program where participants acquire the skills necessary to take the lead.

Scholarship funds will cover the cost of tuition, meals, travel and lodging. The application is due May 30. Click below for more information.

Apply today!

The SEANC Insurance Department is available to assist you Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 800-222-2758 or insurance@seanc.org.

Stay tuned to SEANC Social Media for updates

www.seanc.org | The State Employees Association of North Carolina | © 2020

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Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove™ Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.

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Friday, May 22, 2020

SEANC stands up for DOT workers facing furloughs SEANC stood up for workers at the Department of Transportation this week after officials announced that DOT would begin mandatory furloughs for staff members.

CBS-17 in Raleigh reported that under DOT’s plan, executive leaders have to take off 30 hours unpaid by June 26. That drops to 25 hours for senior leaders and 20 hours for all other full-time employees. The furloughs are expected to save the agency about $7 million, said DOT spokesman Steve Abbott.

Though the department portrayed the cuts as a result of COVID-19 uncertainty, SEANC senior lobbyist Suzanne Beasley said that SEANC has been pointing out DOT’s spending issues for years.

“So, we think it’s disingenuous at best to say that these problems are coming directly from the COVID-19 crisis,” she told CBS 17. “This has been going on for years. SEANC actually started asking questions way back in 2015.”

State Auditor Beth Wood hammered home this point in a blistering summary of her recent audit of the department before a legislative committee on Wednesday. Wood showed that the department had overspent by more than $700 million in the last fiscal year alone.

This is a prime example of why SEANC opposes privatization in all its forms. In the end, state employees and taxpayers always suffer the most.

SEANC has put together a set of frequently asked questions to help members navigate the furloughs process. If you have questions after reading it, please contact us.

Death of DPS nurse raises deeper concerns over transparency, safety The heartbreaking story of Barbara Stewart, a DPS nurse at Caswell Correctional Center, showed the dangers facing state employees on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic every day.

Barbara Stewart, 57, was a longtime member of SEANC District 17. She died on May 7 after battling the virus for more than a month.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends. Her death also highlights the need for real, accessible testing for employees on the frontlines, especially at prisons.

“They’re used to going into danger every day, and they know that’s part of the gig,” SEANC Executive Director Ardis Watkins said. “But to bring danger into their homes, into their families is taking things to another level, and they’re uncomfortable with it in terms of anger, in terms of fear and worry. And it’s just ridiculous.”

Senate Leader Phil Berger sent a letter to Commissioner of Prisons Todd Ishee on Friday, saying Stewart's death "raises grave concerns" about the department's handling of testing.

“The report points to a systemic failure of accountability, competence, and execution, and I want answers,” Berger wrote.

SEANC cares and is ready to help!

In this time of uncertainty, membership in SEANC is more important than ever. We are proud to stand up and advocate for our state employees and retirees in tough times like this.

We stand ready to assist members with any question or concern they may have at their workplace. Click here to send us your thoughts, and a team member will get back with you to find a solution. You can also send an email to seanccares@seanc.org.

Also, we need your help to grow. Please forward this email to all the nonmembers you know, to help us spread the word. Encourage them to click here to join the movement!

SEANC scholarship deadline postponed to June 15 Due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the SEANC Scholarship Foundation has extended the deadline to apply for a 2020 award to June 15. Additionally, districts must submit information to the state committee by June 30.

The Foundation's annual raffle will continue despite this week's announcement that the 2020 SEANC Convention has been canceled. All tickets/money is due to the SEANC Office by Aug. 28. More information on the raffle process will be announced at a later date.

Check out SEANC's Vision insurance plans through Spectera!

The SEANC Insurance Department is available to assist you Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 800-222-2758 or insurance@seanc.org.

Stay tuned to SEANC Social Media for updates

www.seanc.org | The State Employees Association of North Carolina | © 2020

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Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove™ Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.

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1621 Midtown Place Raleigh, NC | 27609 US This email was sent to .

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Friday, May 29, 2020

Folwell, Wood recommend outside oversight of DOT finances This week the financial turmoil at the Department of Transportation came under close scrutiny in a two-day Senate Transportation Committee meeting.

SEANC's lobbying team closely monitored the virtual meeting and communicated with legislators throughout to make sure hard questions were asked.

Treasurer Dale Folwell and State Auditor Beth Wood both recommended that oversight of DOT's finances be moved to the Office of Management and Budget.

Last week, the department began furloughing employees, citing the COVID-19 crisis.

Woods and SEANC both pointed out that the DOT was in financial trouble long before the virus and had overspent by more than $700 million in the last year alone.

SEANC has put together a set of frequently asked questions to help members navigate the furloughs process. If you have questions after reading it, please contact us.

DPS resumes movement of inmates Also this week, SEANC President Jimmy Davis called the Department of Public Safety out for restarting transfers of inmates, a decision that will endanger prison staff and the communities surrounding prisons.

“Though other facets of life may be opening up, we are in no way out of the danger zone in our prisons," Davis said in a statement. "Moving inmates now will lead directly to more outbreaks and unnecessary deaths in our inmate populations, among our staff and in the community at large. Now is not the time to return to normal in our crowded and short-staffed prison system.”

DPS announced Thursday that COVID-19 testing for employees at FastMed locations would be extended through July 31. SEANC's Ardis Watkins pointed out that testing is made irrelevant by the movement of inmates.

"How limited can (transfers) be and still be effective to contain a virus?" Watkins asked.

"None of their actions indicate that the department is serious about employee safety."

SEANC cares and is ready to help!

In this time of uncertainty, membership in SEANC is more important than ever. We are proud to stand up and advocate for our state employees and retirees in tough times like this.

We stand ready to assist members with any question or concern they may have at their workplace. Click here to send us your thoughts, and a team member will get back with you to find a solution. You can also send an email to seanccares@seanc.org.

Also, we need your help to grow. Please forward this email to all the nonmembers you know, to help us spread the word. Encourage them to click here to join the movement!

SEANC scholarship deadline postponed to June 15 Due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the SEANC Scholarship Foundation has extended the deadline to apply for a 2020 award to June 15. Additionally, districts must submit information to the state committee by June 30.

The Foundation's annual raffle will continue despite the announcement that the 2020 SEANC Convention has been canceled. All tickets/money is due to the SEANC Office by Aug. 28. More information on the raffle process will be announced at a later date.

The SEANC Insurance Department is available to assist you Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 800-222-2758 or insurance@seanc.org.

Stay tuned to SEANC Social Media for updates

www.seanc.org | The State Employees Association of North Carolina | © 2020

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Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove™ Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.

View this email online.

1621 Midtown Place Raleigh, NC | 27609 US This email was sent to .

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