Representation Update: Assessor Department Management Can Do Better

Under the former-appointed Chief Deputy Assessor, Santos Kreimann, the Assessor Department received praise from some sources for restoring credibility and improving operations. CAPErepresented employees – with their consistent, professional approach to their jobs – deserve much of the credit.

Regardless of who gets the credit, one area that definitely suffered under the former Chief Deputy Assessor was employee relations. We are sincerely hoping for an improvement in employee relations at the Assessor’s Office under newly appointed Chief Deputy Assessor, Sharon Moller.

The following two examples help shed light on the failures of Assessor management under the former Chief Deputy Assessor to adequately respond to the legitimate concerns of Assessor employees.

On March 26, 2013, CAPE submitted to Chief Deputy Assessor Kreimann, a petition signed by106 employees at the West L. A. Assessor Office, citing a security risk due to the inadequate barrier between the appraisal and support staff and the public at the public counter, as well as the lack of a barrier preventing the public from potentially accessing workers in their work areas. At that time, just three months had passed since the random shooting deaths at Santa Monica City College in the nearby West L.A. area. A month later (April 23rd) CAPE received a response indicating that “an update would be provided at the end of the fiscal year” and that “employee safety is always of paramount importance to the Assessor’s Office”. The end of the fiscal year came and went, but CAPE received nothing in response from Kreimann’s administration. Despite our best efforts to date, the barrier at the West L.A. Assessor Office remains insufficient to protect the appraisal and support staff should a member of the public intend harm to them.

More recently, a CAPE member at the Assessor’s Office who is suffering physical limitations which are medically documented was rotated to a different work location requiring more drive time. The new work location was not listed on the employee’s Rotation Preference Sheet, and serves no Departmental operational need. The increased drive-time is worsening the member’s medical condition.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that employers make reasonable efforts to accommodate the medical restrictions of employees. This member’s immediate supervisor, and others in the Department, have witnessed the deterioration of this person’s physical health. However, rather than advocate for accommodation, under the guise of career counseling, the supervisor tried to convince the member to ignore his/her own medical needs and the advice of his/her doctor, and accept the rotation. That’s aggravation, not accommodation. As of this writing, Management continues to ignore the member’s condition.

CAPE representatives will continue to press for fair resolution to these and other employee relations matters which were mishandled by the former Chief Deputy Assessor. Assessor Management can do better!