Local 1000 and CalPERS work together to improve privacy and conflict of interest policies

Systems and Work Place Privacy Policy

This week, Local 1000 and CalPERS worked together to clarify the language in CalPERS’ Systems and Work Place Privacy policy, in order to make sure that it was no more expansive than necessary . The Union was represented by Brenda Modkins, Bargaining Unit 1 chair, Karen Jefferies, a Unit 4 Bargaining Unit Negotiating Committee member, Latreece Smith, the president of DLC 781 and CalPERS representative and the contract department staff. 

“At CalPERS, we have to balance an employee’s right to privacy against issues of work place safety and the protection of our retirement fund.  By working with CalPERS on this issue, we were able to strike a clear and fine balance,” said Smith.

Conflict of Interest Policy (Form 700)

Local 1000 and CalPERS conducted a Meet and Confer which eliminated the need for 151 of our CalPERS members to disclose their personal investments and business assets each year through the State’s Conflict of Interest (aka Form 700) forms. The Union team was led by Brenda Modkins, Bargaining Unit 1 chair, Karen Jefferies, Unit 4 BUNC member,  Smith, the president of DLC 781, and the contract department staff. 

“This reform will help streamline CalPERS’ economic disclosure process so that only those employees who directly manage CalPERS assets and contracts will have to complete these forms each year. This is about improving how we do our work while increasing protections at CalPERS,” said Modkins. She maintains that CalPERS needs to continue provide adequate training, time and resources so that our employees can comply with all provisions of this law.