Molly Janczyk re: Severance Checks/HC for laid off workers

Molly Janczyk to STRS Board, August 22, 2007
Subject: FYI: Severance Checks/HC for laid off workers

I have sought answers to some disturbing questions: Here are my findings from reliable sources.

The STRS Board has voted 7-0 to look into the following matters: (Thank you all!)

Recent severance checks (and continued STRS-paid health insurance) for eight laid-off IT employees.

Reasons: Asking if this matter was pursuant to policy:

It seems that there is NO support that the checks issued were pursuant to board-adopted policies, the board-adopted associate handbook, or board-adopted administrative regulations at STRS. Nothing has been found and it seems no policy or revisions have been brought before the Board and no approvals in effect about severance for laid off workers at all.
This issue is disturbing because Leone, Lazares and CORE have worked hard on these matters which were brought to the Board. According to my notes and information upon request, the Board cut staff perks, including severance cash for unused sick leave, to save $410,000. Severance cash regarding unused sick leave was on this list, so wouldn't this pertain to severance cash for laid-off employees? The Board approved these changes with staff perks in 2006, so they would ,then, have to approve the 9-11-06 revisions and the policy involving severance cash for laid-off employees. No evidence of such approval, then or previously.

I asked IF laid off workers had a signed contract and am told that the settlement agreement that laid-off employees sign makes multiple reference to the term "employer." This Employer is the Board. So agreements reached CAN NOT BE without the board even having knowledge of such agreements.

Evidently two IT employees were laid off in 2002 and the "policy" given to the board by Damon a few weeks ago was used during Herb Dyer's reign. This certainly did not make it right then or now as a basis. During Herbie's days expenses of board member spouses were paid for out-of-state trips by STRS. Our dollars spent on bar bills, $1000 flights to N.Y., $600 dollar rooms in exotic locations where Herbie is said not even to have attended the inservices but went straight to the golfing range with his buddy Jack! (Told directly to me by Joe Endry). Past practice means nothing to me unless the "practice" was adopted by the Board. No evidence of such and Herbie's rules don't apply: He was convicted along with his approving all he wanted 6 Past Board Members.

I asked about the money for bonuses already in place: It has been confirmed during the board meeting on August 17 that the severance checks are NOT to be confused with the $700,000 the board set aside to pay bonuses to IT employees to get them to stay longer with the initiation of Vi-Tech. Those dollars are there to keep people longer, not to give them cash so they continue making car payments after they are gone Damon brought proposed changes in staff travel expenses to the May STRS Board Meeting in the associate handbook to the Board as they pertained to the staff's travel policy. Since expense implications were associated with this language, Damon knew that the board needed to approve it before it could be implemented. A policy on severance cash (and continued STRS-paid health insurance) for laid-off employees is no different.

This matter has nothing to do with whether the severance cash is deserved, desired or needed. The question is one of authorization, whether the payments were proper, and whether they pursuant to Board-adopted policies, handbooks, or rules.

We clearly do NOT go with implied promise or wishful perks or retirees would still have affordable HC and a stream of revenue would long ago have been sought. Educators had the past practice (though not mandated as policy) and the implied promise of secure retirements with HC second to none. We were ripped of our retirements virtually overnight and we had house payments, car payments, bills, medical expenses, college tuitions to pay, etc. WHO CARED? It is ALWAYS about the staff! The staff supposedly works for OUR benefit. Priorities , ladies and gentlemen! Not hoped for but mandated: ORC:3307.15. Yet, Board Members continue to be swayed by the nice folks who work so hard at STRS and forget those dollars are needed for retiree survival. As Tom Johnson said upon his induction: 'My Mother told me to watch the pennies because they belonged to others' (and those pennies add up to dollars to allow resources for needy retirees who can benefit from more extensive assistance plans.). $400,000-700,000 to retirees is beyond huge in assistance being tossed to workers to keep them on a job or because they , as knowing temp workers, have car payments. WE COUNTED ON STRS! WE WERE BETRAYED! HOW MANY INSULTS ARE WE EXPECTED TO ENDURE??????

See the faces of those suffering for whom YOU WORK, Mr. Asbury, and Co.: Mary Ann, Jeff, Conni, Mark, Steven. Yes, you voted to look into this issue. When time comes to vote on it: REMEMBER US! (FOR A CHANGE!) Go to bed at night with the ORC: as your prayer and meditation!