President’s Letter 
By: Tye Gillespe

“Conflict, when handled correctly, strengthens.“
– Benjamin Watson

When I joined the CCEA board of directors 6 years ago the association was in constant conflict with the city. Between contentious negotiations, Baker Tiley evaluations and a slew of disciplinary issues, there seemed to always be something simmering. Add to that the lawsuit the association filed against the city, which was subsequently settled, and you have the
makings of a severely strained relationship.

Though we can’t avoid conflicts we can get better at resolving them. To that end, the board has worked hard to improve relations with all levels of
leadership. We have met with every council member and city manager during that stretch. We have met regularly with HR management and worked to streamline how our board interacts with them. Importantly we have also made changes in how we address conflicts.

Sometimes when employees have issues with management their first thought is to contact our attorney. This is understandable since having that representation is a benefit of membership in the association. Enlisting our attorney, however, will not always be the first step. Instead we will:

• Ensure that the board has the necessary information – On more than one occasion, the board has pursued complaints only to find that we have incomplete or inconsistent information. If you contact your representative, expect that they will ask questions to assess the situation.
• See if it can be resolved between the employee and supervisor – Employees will be able to resolve some issues by working with their supervisors. We will try to see if this is an option each case. Further, attempting to resolve the issue this way gives the case more credibility if it needs to be escalated.
• Contact HR to makes sure they are aware of the issue – In some cases, HR is not aware that the manager is taking a certain action. We can quickly resolve these cases by notifying HR who can then work with the manager to correct the problem.
• Escalate within the city leadership – Our periodic meetings with city leadership including the city manager offer opportunities to achieve resolutions that may not be possible at lower levels.
• Engage with the attorney – Though our attorney attends all board meetings and advises the board on all cases, he is brought in to resolve conflicts as the last resort. Typically, cases that involve the attorney require a much more time.

This methodology has enabled us to quickly resolve many while fostering a good working relationship.

Thanks,
Tye

Note: For disciplinary cases, the attorney is always brought in for the Skelly hearing if the case goes that far. For more information about the Skelly hearing CLICK HERE. Additionally, some issues, such as questions about job classifications, require significant time to resolve due to the process.

2019’s New Laws Impact Everything from Straws to Pets (part 1)   
By: Jim Cunningham Esq.

AB 1884: Plastic straws Plastic straws are going the way of plastic bags. Dine in restaurants in the state will be prohibited from giving out single-use plastic straws unless they are requested by a customer. Businesses that don’t comply will be fined $25 a day and up to $300 a year.

Minimum wage The state minimum wage gets another boost to $11 an hour for people working at companies with 25 or fewer employees, and to $12 an hour for those working at companies with 26 or more employees.

SB 1252: Work personnel file Employees wanting a look at their employment records will be able to do more than just see them at their human resources office. They will be able to request a personal copy of their employment file.

AB 2989: Electric scooters Adults 18 or older will be allowed to ride electric scooters without a helmet. The new law also increases the speed limit for scooters from 25 to 35 mph. It would still be illegal to ride a motorized scooter on a sidewalk.

AB 216: Mail-in ballots Election departments must now include a return envelope with prepaid postage for vote-by-mail ballots.

SB 568: Presidential primary Moves up California’s 2020 primary to the first Tuesday in March to have more influence in the presidential primaries.

SB 1100: Firearm sales to minors The minimum age to buy a rifle or shotgun in California increases from 18 to 21 years.

For any questions about the law or your rights please do not hesitate to call (877) 976-7766 Law Offices of James J. Cunningham A.P.C.

Jim Cunningham
CCEA General Counsel

Training Opportunities

Respectful Workplace

Tuesday March 5th
Thursday March 7th
Wednesday March 20th
Wednesday March 27th

Time Dynamics
Thursday March 14th

Communication & Perception
Tuesday March 19th

Dealing with Change Effectively
Thursday February 28th

Yoga
Every Wednesday & Friday

Emily Guinaugh
(760) 602-2436
emily.guinaugh@carlsbadca.gov

CCEA Board Members

Tye Gillespie President
Hallie Thompson Vice President
Marie Ashe-Nutter Treasurer
Mayra Turchiano Secretary
Allison Dietrich CED
Terry Ennis Public Works: Transportation
Daisy Hernandez Public Works: GFE
Tom Vega Public Works: Utilities
Allen Edwards Housing & Neighborhood Services, Policy & Leadership, and Safety 
Eric Smith Parks 
Rosario Aranda HR, IT, and Finance
Bonnie Crane -Sullivan Library & Recreation 
Tammy McMinn At-Large

Anniversaries

February