OVR COMMITTEE MINUTES 3-31-09
OVR Meet and Discuss Minutes
March 31, 2009
CWDS -- Ryan Hyde gave a UAT (User Assisted Testing) update, saying that 1,132 scenarios were tested on CWDS, and 908 of them passed and 174 failed. There is a defect with Plan functionality – how it is saved. The remedy will involve a partial re-write – will take one week to do. No critical errors were observed in the testing. The next release will feature a new 169, which involves 5 calculations. They are also working hard on the “plan”, but it probably won’t be completed this week. Correspondence issues were also dealt with. Roll out will be 5-9-09.
SSA Reimbursement in CWDS -- the figures were not matching up, the data corrections are being done now. The problem was that one figure in CWDS was not being populated with the proper figures in regard to SSA Reimbursement. To correct this, 21,000 cases had these figures populated. There is no concern now in Central Office that we won’t get reimbursed properly by SSA. When the survey is filled in, the SSA form must be filled in also, so that proper SSA info is in CWDS. The Annual Review problem should be fixed now, but there is no additional functionality- it is figured from the original plan date. It is still a problem because it is still not showing as being done. This is still a problem. The cost of CWDS to OVR is $8,848,279.
Budget Update -- There has been $51,000,000 released into the field for case service in the first 3 quarters. Central Office also has a fund of $2 million for big ticket items.
State VR Program -- Management will tell us when we will again be able to open new State VR cases – Management is waiting to see how the budget goes. Management did say that “we won’t do any more State VR cases this year”. The money not used goes back to the State.
ICAN Program -- this program’s money was reduced significantly, to $543,000. Supported employment was cut to $975,000.
ARRA Money (Federal Stimulus Money) -- We will be getting $20.9 million, with no state match needed. We can’t use this to hire more Counselors. We may be resurrecting Job Creation Grants to use the ARRA money. This money must be liquidated by 12-2011. We are also looking at expanding OJT.
Office Leases -- Reading DO – recommendation made, current lease expires. It is on a bus route, has a lot of parking. BVS goes to the 4th floor. Pittsburg DO – there is still no sign on the front of the building. (Mr. Washic will check on this) Emergency exit is still blocked, but the landlord did paint the curb yellow, which doesn’t seem to suffice in keeping the Emergency exit unblocked. Police want to enforce this, but a sign needs to be painted, saying “Do not block”. Also the HVAC is really loud. Mr. Washic will follow up on this.
Workgroups -- No change – the Clerical workgroup did meet, as did the Diversity workgroup, and the Employer Services workgroup.
PC Replacements -- The survey of the field has been completed. The lease on the computers expires on 7-24-09. We are getting new computers in mid-June. They will include a DVD burner, 22 inch monitor, 4.0 GB of RAM, they weigh 5.1 lbs., they are WIFI capable, (it won’t be disabled), and maybe a wireless mouse. There will be 400 desktops, and 579 laptops (including HGAC). Management did not know if they can but individual printers. There will be 20 installations a day. Still working on getting more air cards for the field. We are also going to update the equipment in the DO resource rooms. There was also a concern about the PSSU website being blocked in the Careerlinks. Management said they will do a survey of our offices regarding this.
UC Overtime – Mr. Washic says he had not heard of any OVR staff working on this.
Goals and Statistics -- We did not make our goal last year. This year our goal is 8,837 rehabs, and at 6 months, we are at 66% of this year’s goal. At this time in 2007, we were 63%. We are going to look at halting the entry of 26’s early, but not at 6 months – we will be looking at it this summer.
Staffing -- We have 5 Annuitants this year, same as last year. Overall, we look good with Counseling staff. However, clerical vacancies are increasing. The Administration is not looking at hiring more clerical staff, and we have no control over this. There has been a long-standing problem with vacancies in the Dubois RCD, and in the Reading DO Bilingual position, but some people are applying now for the Reading DO Bilingual position, which is good. We have a waiver for OVR for hiring Counselors, even when the rest of the State is in a hiring freeze. HGAC wanted to hire PSA’s, but they were denied (they could not get a hiring exception). PSSU wants to see the Social Worker and PSA Job Descriptions. We don’t want PSA’s doing counseling of clients. PSSU also wants to see HGAC’s budget request.
The Whiteboard at HGAC -- PSSU voiced concern over the whiteboard placed on the wall in HGAC, showing where all Counselors are at all times, even when they are taking a restroom break. PSSU wants it taken down, because it is too invasive, and embarrassing, also.
Masters Degrees -- The Counselors remaining who still need the Masters Degree is 70, and in BVRS it is 57 people. Management will take a different approach to convincing these Counselors that they need to obtain a Masters Degree. It will involve Central Office personnel visiting with each person, on a yearly basis, and telling them about the risks of not getting a Masters Degree, plus about the support and options they have. They will also be asked to sign a form, saying they were advised of all this information. OVR is committed to paying for any Counselor to get their Masters Degree. Counselors have until 2016 to get their Masters Degree, or they will lose their ability to do their job, because they don’t have the proper qualifications. Of the 70 people in OVR who do not have their Masters Degree, many (33 of them) are within 10 years of retirement, and have 26 plus years of service. For 27 people, there is a great risk for not getting their Masters Degree soon. The 2010 State Plan (attachment 410) is on the OVR website.
Training -- The amounts available for training are $287,000 for OVR, $177,000 for basic training, and $22,000 for transition conference. The OVR amount is for training all existing staff, not for Masters Degree training.
Careerlinks -- There will be no Careerlinks closing till 2011. The Careerlinks got some significant funds from ARRA, the economic recovery money. Also discussed was the need for additional LAN drops in the Wilkes Barre Careerlink, for OVR Counselor use.
Pittsburgh DO Clerical problems -- PSSU expressed concerns over how long it is taking Clerical staff in Pittsburg to complete their work, some work taking 6 months to complete, if it is done at all. Clerical staff is refusing to do some of their work, and saying that they don’t know how to do some of it. Denise Verchimak said that applying discipline and firing staff will make the problems worse. Maybe we can do more training, which may help with professionalism.
Next Meet and Discuss – either June 9th or June 30, 2009. Management will let us know which date would be better.