Welcome to the August 2017 Q&A.
This addresses questions and suggestions received through the online suggestion box (top menu bar on the intranet). We respond to questions with agency-wide relevance, and we cannot answer questions that may affect client or staff/personnel confidentiality protections. If you have individual- or office-specific questions, please communicate that within your office or division.
Some questions/suggestions are summarized or simplified in the interest of clarity, brevity or to address tone.
Some questions require more time to answer than is available or are received after we started drafting this Q&A, so missed this installment. We’ll work to address them in later installments.
Suggestions/Questions list
- Why does CMS not work properly when opened in Mozilla Firefox
- Emails/attachments with Social Security numbers blocked
- Staff phone numbers
- Raises
- Children at work
- Differing responsibilities among AA with the same titles
Suggestion/Question: Why does CMS not work properly when opened in Mozilla Firefox
Firefox runs faster and with fewer bugs than Internet Explorer, but I am unable to open boxes (e.g., to enter a person’s information) when using Firefox.
Response:
The short answer is: the technology CMS (and TRIS and CASEY) are built-on doesn’t work with modern browsers like Firefox and Chrome, only Internet Explorer.
Firefox (and Chrome) are much better browsers than Internet Explorer (IE). No argument. Personally, I use Chrome (switched from Firefox), and avoid IE (unless I have no choice).
However, when CMS/TRIS/CASEY were built, they were built (and this was, unfortunately, a common mistake) to work specifically to IE standards. Technology has moved on since then, and as Firefox and Chrome improved, they became incompatible with the technology used to build CMS/TRIS/CASEY. Even more recent upgrades to IE have problems with the technology on which the case management systems are built, which is why we have frozen IE so an upgrade doesn’t break its functioning with CMS/TRIS/CASEY.
So, a reasonable response would be: well then, fix the issue.
To fix the issue, the entire application would have to be re-written (a very large effort) with no improvement to the functionality just to simply get them to work with Chrome and Firefox.
Instead we have decide to build a ground-up, new case management system that integrates CASEY/TRIS/CMS, built on modern technology, and addressing the deficiencies in the current systems (e.g., make them mobile friendly, radically improve search and conflict checking, simplify the interface, improve reporting, simplify data entry, automate data entry, provide training, improve navigation, etc.). This way, not only will it work properly with the browser of your choice, but it will improve the effectiveness and usefulness of CMS/TRIS/CASEY.
Expect announcements in the coming months about this project. The first such announcement was when we solicited survey responses for requirements in an email sent out 6/12/17.
Division: Daniel Saroff, IT
Suggestion/Question: Emails/attachments with Social Security numbers blocked
Recently, my emails to other retained professionals on my case have been blocked because the email or attachments contained a SSN. While I can appreciate the concern over SSNs, they are routinely contained in police reports, CORIs, medical and other records, and on our releases. I have lost 5-7 days in searching for a witness on a case that is rapidly approaching trial because of these blocked emails. Is there a compromise as we often scan and email sensitive documents to investigators, social workers, experts, DAs, hospitals, etc?
Response:
We have both an ethical and mandated requirement to protect PII (personally identifiable information), such as SSN. Unfortunately, emailing SSNs is a very bad practice since they can easily be mis-directed. For this reason, we scan and block any SSN in email or in email attachments from leaving our network.
However, we also recognize that at times sending SSN numbers is critical. So, there is a way to address your problem (besides, providing the SSN directly to someone over the phone). You may send a social security number as an encrypted attachment. If you do, it will reach your recipient. To use this method, see this earlier posting on the intranet on how to create and send encrypted attachments.
Division: Daniel Saroff, IT
Suggestion/Question: Staff phone numbers
It used to be that everyone’s phone extension was on the website so if we needed to call someone in another office we could. They no longer seem to be there. Can we please have them back? I understand maybe not putting them on the public website, but if we could have them on the intranet, it would be very helpful.
Response:
Currently, all staff phone numbers can be found in the staff directory listing on the HR home page.
Additionally, we have been testing a method to add people’s phone numbers (and locations, departments, titles, etc.) directly to their contact information in Outlook. This would enable folks to simply look up contact information directly from Outlook. The plan would be to update this information every two weeks. We should have completed testing (and worked out most of the bugs) by the end of August. I’ll announce when it is fully ready.
You can currently see how it works if you go to Outlook, and click on the “address book” link in the tool bar.
You’ll see a listing of everyone with location, phone number(s), etc. We are currently working with Finance to get clean data feeds for this. We know there are currently errors, so don’t notify us if you find one. When it is announced as production ready, I’ll provide instructions on how to submit a change request.
Division: Daniel Saroff, IT
Suggestion/Question: Raises
Are there any plans/hopes for another staff-wide raise?
Response:
Yes. As Anthony indicated during his agency-wide email of 7/25/17, raises are a priority for him and the senior management team.
Anthony has re-constituted the raise recommendation team, and they are working at creating models (based on budget and other priorities) of the raise options, which will benefit all staff. The expectation (as in the previous two years) would be for raises to take effect in January 2018.
Suggestion/Question: Children at work
What is the policy, if any, regarding employees bringing their children to work? I am sympathetic to parents who may unexpectedly find themselves without daycare. Nevertheless, it is distracting for there to be children in the office.
Response:
When employees find themselves unexpectedly without daycare for children, CPCS understands that the child’s needs take precedence. As a result, where reasonable, the agency allows employees to use available accrued paid vacation, personal, and comp leave if they are unable to work due to unexpected child care issues. When the child care issue is the result of a “qualifying exigency” that arises from a relative or similar person being placed on or notified of an order to report for active military duty, leave for that purpose is available under the military leave portion of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Employees with any questions about that aspect of the FMLA can contact our Benefit Coordinator, Lien Dang, at [email protected].
Bringing a child to work for other than a brief visit can be both distracting to other employees and disruptive to the work of the employee who is caring for the child. Employees are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate child care coverage during work hours and should not be using the workplace as a substitute for childcare.
Division: Lisa Bacon, HR
Suggestion/Question: Differing responsibilities among AA with the same titles
When will the agency address the difference between an AA III that is alone and one that has direct reports (1 or more)? All AA III’s have the same title. While salaries differ due to experience, years of service, education, etc. There is no distinction between an AA III that is by themselves and one that is in charge of hiring/firing/training/supervision of staff. The first is a non-exempt position while the second is a management position (without the title, stipend or training). Why is it that all other positions within the agency that supervise have this designation but AA III’s do not? The phrase “Other duties as assigned” should NOT be the catch all for the AA position. CPCS should acknowledge that an AA III position that manages staff is a more difficult position and give those who supervise the resources to do the job to the best of their ability. HR and the senior management team should create a new Supervising AA position and pay a stipend to those who hold the position.
This practice is unfair and has gone on too long. The job classification study should have addressed and resolved this issue, but unfortunately that never happened.
Isn’t it time that CPCS treats ALL staff with the same respect across the board so that we all contribute to the advocacy of our clients?
Thank you
Response:
The Human Resources Department is currently working with a vendor to resolve several outstanding items from the 2015 job classification study and the subsequent reviews by the Classification Steering Committee and the Senior Management Team. These items include updated job descriptions and an analysis of comparative compensation for all positions. We think bringing this work to conclusion is critically important for CPCS and our employees. Once the process is complete, we will ensure that the results and plans for next steps are clearly communicated.
Division: Lisa Bacon, HR