State of California M E M O R A N D U M REFERENCE CODE: PML 95-041 SUPERSEDES PML 94-66 DATE: October 17, 1995 TO: Personnel Officers SROA Coordinators Workers' Compensation and Return to Work Coordinators FROM: Department of Personnel Administration Classification and Compensation SUBJECT: Changes in the State Restriction of Appointments (SROA) process to facilitate placing State Employee Placement (NextSTEP) Program candidates for California Youth Authority, Department of Corrections and Department of Mental Health, and Injured State Workers' Assistance Program (ISWAP) Employees (All State Department). The NextSTEP program was previously known as Industrial Disability Retirement Plus (IDR+). CONTACT: Vickie Cooley, Statewide SROA Coordinator (916) 324-0450, CALNET 454-0450 Office Vision: DPA (VSCOOLEY) Internet: VSCOOLEY@SMTP.DPA.CA.GOV It is the Department of Personnel Administration's (DPA) policy to do everything possible to assist qualified injured workers in returning to meaningful work. The use of the SROA mechanism already in place will accomplish this and will enable us to avoid the creation of yet another new system for departments to deal with. This memo relates changes to two SROA programs. The two distinct programs for injured State workers that are addressed by the guidelines in this memorandum are the SROA/ISWAP and SROA/NextSTEP. STATE EMPLOYEE PLACEMENT PROGRAM (NextSTEP) California Youth Authority, Department of Corrections, and Department of Mental Health The NextSTEP rules are fully explained in PML Memorandums 94-15 and 94-30, and apply to employees in Bargaining Units 1, 4, 15, 18, 20, only. The NextSTEP program rules will follow the IDR+ PMLs until those PMLs are superseded. Pursuant to Government Code Section 139.5(g), an employee who suffers a qualifying industrial injury or illness and who is permanently unable to perform the duties of his/her current position is eligible to participate in this program. The injured employee's name will be placed on as many lists as deemed appropriate when it is determined that the medical condition is permanent and stationary, and the employee is unable to return to his/her regular job. The names may remain on the list for up to 15 months. These employees will be given hiring preference over everyone except mandatory reinstatements. When a certification is ordered, the IDR+ employees' names will appear at the top of the SROA list and will be flagged. The participant in this program will not have the option of waiving appropriate job offers. If a job offer is not accepted, the NextSTEP benefits will be terminated effective the date the job offer is made. It is anticipated that there will be approximately 20 employees in this program annually. INJURED STATE WORKER PLACEMENT All State Departments The ISWAP program is intended to identify employees who are injured and need to be place. An employee's name may be placed on a SROA list for up to one year. The injured employee's name will be placed on up to twelve (12) job classification lists as deemed appropriate when it is determined that the medical condition is permanent and stationary, and the employee is unable to return to his/her regular job. When a certification is ordered to fill a position, the ISWAP employees will appear along with the SROA and NextSTEP names. The ISWAP employees do not receive preferential hiring consideration. Appointing powers should, however, give consideration to them when making appointments. ISWAP names will appear at the bottom of the SROA list. HOW MANY PLACE NAMES ON THE SROA LISTS When your department has an employee who is to be included in either the NextSTEP or ISWAP programs, you must fill out and submit the attached forms. Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) counselors obtained through State Compensation Insurance Fund are available to assist with assessment testing of industrially injured state workers and to advise you and the injured worker regarding the appropriate job classification lists on which to place the participants' name. The department should advise the VR counselors regarding state jobs which fall in the salary range of the participant at the time of injury and which may be available in the geographic areas under consideration. Care should be taken to determine that participants meet the minimum qualifications of education, licensing or legal requirements listed for the class. The minimum qualifications of education, licensing or legal requirements listed for the class. The minimum qualifications of education, licensing or legal requirements listed for the class. The minimum qualifications regarding "experience" may be waived. DPA will examine, on a case by case basis, any special circumstances which may give justification for exceptions to the educational requirement of these two programs. It is also important that the jobs being considered are within the restrictions placed on the participant by his/her physician. Identify the employee as SROA/NextSTEP or SROA/ISWAP by using the appropriate attached form. Incomplete information will result in processing delays. For quick reference, the SROA overview has been included. SROA/NextSTEP forms should be sent to DPA's Workers Compensation and Safety Program Division (attention: IDR+ Coordinator). If you have questions concerning the SROA/NextSTEP list, please call Gail Heuer at (916)322- 4753. SROA/ISWAP forms should be sent to Vickie Cooley, Classification and Compensation Division. If you have any questions concerning placement of names on the SROA/ISWAP lists, please call Vickie Cooley at (916) 324-0450. Mike Vargas, Section Manager Classification and Compensation Division Attachments will be mailed with hard copy of PML.