California prisons want to hire more women. How will corrections attract female officers?

Good Wednesday morning, and welcome to the State Worker Newsletter.

Programming note: This is the first edition of the newsletter, and we’re taking title suggestions. If you’ve got one, send it to The Bee’s State Worker reporter Maya Miller at mmiller@sacbee.com.

THIS WEEK’S BUZZ

Can CDCR recruit and retain more women correctional officers?

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has pledged that by 2030, at least 30% of its correctional officer cadets will be women.

CDCR Secretary Jeff Macomber last week signed the national “30x30” pledge, a movement to increase female representation in law enforcement ranks. Currently, women make up 17% of CDCR’s sworn officers and 19% of leadership positions. Nationally, 12% of sworn officers are women and 3% of law enforcement leadership is female, according to the 30x30 initiative.

The national initiative cites research that women officers often use less excessive force, are cited less frequently in complaints and lawsuits, make fewer discretionary arrests and are perceived as more honest and compassionate by their communities.

“The under-representation of women in policing undermines public safety,” reads the 30x30 website.

But CDCR has a troubling history of sexual misconduct settlements, as previously reported by The Sacramento Bee. Between 2015 and 2018, CDCR paid more than $15 million in 36 cases to settle sexual harassment claims against the department. While the most expensive settlement cost $10 million and involved accusations from male inmates against a male guard, most of the complaints come from female officers against their male counterparts.

That historically male-dominated workplace culture could potentially impede a female recruitment effort.

“The men, no matter what — they stick together. They know they have control over the female staff,” said Irma Sanchez of Hanford, a former correctional officer at California State Prison, Corcoran, The Bee reported in 2018. Hanford settled her case in 2016 for $750,000 after winning a jury verdict.

“They can make your job a living hell,” she said. “And that’s what they did.”

CDCR’s subject matter expert for 30x30 was unable to provide comment for this report, but department spokesperson Todd Javernick provided a statement from the team:

“CDCR joined the 30x30 initiative to further expand our female recruitment efforts. We have a very robust statewide recruitment team, and this will only add to their efforts.”

It’s CalPERS open enrollment season. Will Anthem Blue Cross drop UC Health?

State workers have just over a week left to choose their health care plans for 2024. Open enrollment ends next Friday, Oct. 13.

The CalPERS Board of Administration approved significant rate increases in July — about 11% on average and as high as 13% for the state’s most popular plan, Kaiser Permanente’s HMO.

One consideration for CalPERS members as they make their choices is whether the University of California Health system will remain in network with Anthem Blue Cross. The statewide health provider and the insurance giant are renegotiating a contract that’s set to expire at the end of December.

Gay Arakawa, a California State University retiree, and her husband Chris Foster were shocked when they received a notice from UC Irvine Health that said Anthem had terminated its contract with the health system. Foster has stage two pancreatic cancer and is currently undergoing intensive treatment. The couple chose their health plan — the PERS Platinum PPO administered by Anthem Blue Cross — specifically so they could access cancer treatment at UC Irvine.

“UC Health is deeply concerned about Anthem Blue Cross’s decision to issue a termination letter, effective December 31, 2023, for the current agreement that makes all UC Health academic health centers available to Anthem health plan members on an in-network basis,” wrote UC Health spokesperson Heather Harper in an email to The Bee.

Anthem spokesperson Mike Bowman said such negotiations between insurance companies and providers are typical and that UC Health is sending confusing messages to its patients since the two parties are currently in talks. People who are actively receiving treatments don’t need to worry about losing access to care, he said, although he didn’t confirm whether the parties would reach a deal before the end of CalPERS open enrollment.

But Foster is concerned that even if he’s able to continue care with his current providers for a period of time, eventually he’ll have to start over with a different provider that’s in-network. He’s at a point in his treatment where any gap in coverage could mean he loses progress toward recovery.

“When you have cancer, it becomes very personalized and very localized for you,” Foster said. “It’s hard not to take this personally.”

CalPERS CEO earns six-figure bonus for 2022

The California Public Employee Retirement System awarded its chief executive officer a nearly $200,000 bonus and almost 5% raise.

Marcie Frost pocketed $192,682 for her 2022 “annual incentive bonus,” essentially a performance bonus, much to the chagrin of outspoken retirees who criticized her handling of the data breach that exposed the social security numbers of more than 769,000 CalPERS beneficiaries.

The Board of Administration also voted to give Frost a raise of nearly 5% to $578,267 for the 2023-24 fiscal year. Deliberations for executive compensation take place in closed session.

“The performance review of anybody is a personnel issue,” said CalPERS spokesperson John Myers. “Those aren’t done in an open session for anybody.”

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…

▪ California State University students have PERB’s approval to hold a union election. The students would become the latest state worker union if the vote goes their way. Plus, their organizing strategy could help unite teleworkers and Gen Z, too.

▪ CDCR gets sub-par grades for employee misconduct investigations. The Office of the Inspector General monitors prison personnel probes, and the latest report doesn’t look great.

▪ State scientists are at impasse with CalHR. Here’s why a labor expert says the post-impasse timeline is murky.

▪ Have you ever wondered how state workers get paid every month? Here’s how the checks are cut and how new raises are added.

WHAT I’M READING

Caltrans’ deputy director of planning and modal programs says she was demoted and is now facing termination for speaking out against highway expansion, Politico reports.

YOUR TURN

State civil service has long maintained a reputation as a stable and reliable career that guarantees a secure retirement. But as the cost of living rises and wages fail to keep pace, do today’s young workers still view state government jobs with the same reverence? Are younger workers willing to sacrifice higher wages today with the promise of retirement security down the road?

The Sacramento Bee knows that civil service often runs in the family. We want to talk with people whose families have worked for the state of California across multiple generations. Did someone in your family inspire you to join state service? If so, what convinced you to pursue the opportunity?

Please share your experience with us using the form below or by emailing mmiller@sacbee.com.