>>> READY WHEN YOU ARE.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.
TODAY IS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER
15th.
THIS IS A MEETING OF THE
GOVERNANCE, NATIVE COMMUNITIES
AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS
COMMITTEE . THE DATE -- I
ALREADY SAID THE DATE.
LET'S CALL THIS MEETING TO
ORDER.
CHAIR, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE
ROLE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> PRESENT.
>> THERE ARE FOUR PRESENT.
>> WE WILL MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE
THIS MORNING.
I WILL GO THROUGH THE APPROVAL
OF THE AGENDA.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE APPROVED.
NOT HEARING OR SEEING ANY
OBJECTION.
AGENDA ITEM 1, THE APPOINTMENT
OF SUMMER HEPBURN TO SERVE ON
THE JOINT APPRENTICESHIP
TRAINING COMMITTEE.
NEXT, WE WILL CONSIDER KIMBERLY
LOVING TO BECOME DIRECTOR OF
THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
SERVICES.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT DEPUTY
MAYOR GREG WONG WILL JOIN US.
HEY, KIMBERLY.
GOOD MORNING.
AND FINALLY, WE WILL BE JOINED
BY SEVERAL FOLKS FROM THE
OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS,
INCLUDING STEVE MARCHESE,
CARMIE ESTANDIAN, SR. -- I
PROBABLY GOT THAT WRONG TOO.
AND KATIE JO KEPPINGER.
THEY ARE JOINING US TO SHARE
RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
PRESENTATION.
I UNDERSTAND YOU GUYS HAVE A 17
PAGE POWERPOINT TO WALK US
THROUGH.
STEVE, DID I GET EVERYONE'S
NAME?
CORRECT ME ON THE NAMES ON
WHICH ONES I GOT WRONG.
>> YOU ARE VERY CLOSE. CARMIE
ESTANDIAN IS PROBABLY THE NAME
YOU GOT THE FURTHEST WRONG, BUT
FOR EVERYONE ELSE, YOU DID JUST
FINE.
>> PEOPLE ALWAYS GET MY NAME
WRONG, SO WANT TO MAKE SURE I
HONOR PEOPLE AND SAY IT
CORRECTLY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, MR. STEVE
MARCHESE.
>> YOU ARE WELCOME.
PEOPLE DO INTERESTING THINGS
WITH MY NAME AS WELL.
>> BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, WE
WILL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
COLLEAGUES, WE WILL MOVE INTO
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
MADAM CLERK, DO WE STILL HAVE
ONE PERSON IN CHAMBERS AND NO
REMOTE CALLERS?
>> YES.
>> OKAY.
THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE ONE
INDIVIDUAL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
AND THAT INDIVIDUAL WILL HAVE
TWO MINUTES.
MADAM CLERK, I WILL HAND IT
OVER TO YOU TO PRESENT THE
INSTRUCTIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENT
RECORDING.
>> HELLO, SEATTLE.
WE ARE THE CITY OF FLOWERS AND
THE CITY OF GOODWILL, BUILT ON
INDIGENOUS LAND, TRADITIONAL
TERRITORY OF THE PEOPLE'S.
THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
WELCOMES REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENT
AND IS EAGER TO HEAR FROM
RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY. IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO BE A SPEAKER AND
PROVIDE A VERBAL PUBLIC
COMMENT, YOU MAY REGISTER TWO
HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING VIA
THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
WEBSITE.
HERE IS SOME INFORMATION ABOUT
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PROCEEDINGS.
SPEAKERS ARE CALLED UPON IN THE
ORDER IN WHICH THEY REGISTERED
ON THE COUNCIL'S WEBSITE.
EACH SPEAKER MUST CALL IN FROM
THE PHONE NUMBER PROVIDED WHEN
THEY REGISTER ONLINE AND USE
THE MEETING I.D.
AND PASSCODE EMAILED UPON
CONFIRMATION. IF YOU DO NOT
RECEIVE AN EMAIL CONFIRMATION,
PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM OR JUNK
MAIL FOLDERS.
A REMINDER, THE SPEAKER MEETING
I.D.
IS DIFFERENT FROM THE GENERAL
LISTEN LINE MEETING I.D.
PROVIDED ON THE AGENDA.
ONCE A SPEAKER'S NAME IS
CALLED, THE SPEAKER'S
MICROPHONE WILL BE UNMUTED AND
AN AUTOMATED PROMPT WILL SAY,
"THE HOST WOULD LIKE YOU TO
UNMUTE YOUR MICROPHONE."
THAT IS YOUR QUEUE THAT IT IS
YOUR TURN TO SPEAK.
AT THAT TIME, PRESS SIX STAR .
YOU WILL THEN HEAR A PROMPT OF,
"YOU ARE UNMUTED." AS A
SPEAKER, YOU SHOULD BEGIN BY
STATING YOUR NAME AND THE ITEM
YOU ARE ADDRESSING.
A CHIME WILL SOUND WHEN 10
SECONDS ARE LEFT IN YOUR
ALLOTTED TIME.
AS A GENTLE REMINDER, WRAP UP
YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AT THE END OF THE ALLOTTED
TIME, YOUR MICROPHONE WILL BE
MUTED AND THE NEXT SPEAKER
REGISTERED WILL BE CALLED.
ONCE SPEAKERS HAVE PROVIDED
PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE
DISCONNECT FROM THE PUBLIC
COMMENT LINE AND JOIN US BY
FOLLOWING THE MEETING VIA
SEATTLE CHANNEL BROADCAST OR
THROUGH THE LISTENING LINE
OPTION LISTED ON THE AGENDA.
THE COUNCIL RESERVES THE RIGHT
TO ELIMINATE PUBLIC COMMENT IF
THE SYSTEM IS BEING ABUSED OR
IF THE PROCESS IMPEDES THE
COUNCIL'S ABILITY TO CONDUCT
BUSINESS ON BEHALF OF RESIDENTS
OF THE CITY.
ANY OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE
DISRUPTIVE TO THESE PROCEEDINGS
, OR THAT IS NOT FOCUSED ON AN
APPROPRIATE TOPIC AS SPECIFIED
IN COUNCIL RULES MAY LEAD TO
THE SPEAKER BEING MUTED BY THE
PRESIDING OFFICER.
OUR HOPE IS TO PROVIDE AN
OFFICER OPPORTUNITY TO ASSIST
OUR ORDERLY CONSIDERATION OF
ISSUES BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
NOW OPEN AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH
THE FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST.
PLEASE ARE MEMBER TO PRESS SIX
STAR AFTER YOU HEAR THE
PROMPT, "YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTED."
THANK YOU, SEATTLE.
>> OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS ALEX
TSIMERMAN .
'S
>> [ SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH ]
>> FASCIST MOB, YES.
MY NAME IS ALEXANDER AND I WANT
TO SPEAK ABOUT AGENDA NUMBER 3.
25 YEARS, I HAVE LIVED IN THIS
CITY AND I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE
DAY OR ONE HOUR OF RACIAL
INJUSTICE FOR EVERYBODY.
I WILL GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF
EXAMPLES, SO YOU UNDERSTAND
WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT.
I SPOKE WITH ALEX PEDERSEN
ABOUT WHY YOU DON'T SHOW US
SPACES AND HE TOLD ME THIS WILL
BE CHANGED IN SEPTEMBER.
TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 15th.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED.
IT IS VERY INTERESTING FOR ME.
FASCIST AND NAZIS HAVE
HAPPENED.
NO ONE CAN SEE WHO IS BLACK,
WHITE, BROWN, OR YELLOW.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I TOLD YOU.
SECOND EXAMPLE, WHICH I FIND
VERY INTERESTING, THE PRESIDING
JUDGE IN COUNCIL CHAMBER
ELECTED ONLY BECAUSE SHE HAS
50% MEXICAN BLOOD. I AM
CONFUSED.
YES, EXACTLY.
WHEN YOU HAVE 50% MEXICAN BLOOD,
YOU CAN BE THE PRESIDENT OF
SEATTLE, MAYBE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
>> MADAM CLERK, CUT THE
MICROPHONE.
WE WILL NOT ENTERTAIN THAT.
NO COMMENTS ABOUT RACE, GENDER,
ETHNICITY.
YOU ARE DONE, MR. TSIMERMAN .
SECURITY, HAVE MR. TSIMERMAN
REMOVED.
TODAY'S PUBLIC COMMENT, WE
SPEAK TO THE MATTERS ON THE
AGENDA, NOT TO PEOPLE'S
ETHNICITY. WE ARE NOT DOING
THAT TODAY, SO ARE WE DONE WITH
THAT?
>> THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS.
>> GREAT.
ALL RIGHT.
NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR --
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA HAS
JOINED US.
>> OH, GOOD.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, AND THANK YOU FOR
THAT.
>> LET'S START ON A GOOD NOTE
IN A GOOD WAY.
WE HAVE REACHED THE LIST OF
REGISTERED SPEAKERS AND WE HAVE
CLOSED PUBLIC COMMENT, SO LET'S
MOVE ON TO OUR AGENDA.
OUR ITEMS OF BUSINESS, MADAM
CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ ITEM
1 INTO THE RECORD?
>> 1,APPOINTMENT 02267,
APPOINTMENT OF SUMMER HEPBURN
AS MEMBER,JOINT APPRENTICESHIP
TRAINING COMMITTEE, FOR A TERM
TO DECEMBER 31, 2023 .
>> THANK YOU.
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME MR.
SCHNEIDER, WHO WILL BE
INTRODUCING THE NOMINEE.
MR. TODD SNIDER , I SHOULD ADD
-- WHERE IS SUMMER?
OH, THERE IS SUMMER.
WE HAVE HAD YOUR APPLICATION
PACKET FOR A WHILE. WE HAVE
THIS IN FRONT OF US.
THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL.
I AM TODD SNIDER, CURRENT
SECRETARY.
THE WASHINGTON STATE
APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINING
COUNCIL HAS RECOGNIZED THE CITY
OF SEATTLE WASHINGTON TO JOIN
JT SEEK WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY
AND AUTHORITY FOR ADMINISTERING
ALL REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAMS SPONSORED BY THE CITY
OF SEATTLE.
THIS MAKES AS PART OF THE 50
STATE SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE
GRADUATING APPRENTICES ARE
PUBLIC RECORD AND LIKE A
COLLEGE DEGREE, THEY CAN NEVER
BE TAKEN AWAY.
CURRENTLY I BELIEVE WE HAVE 10
SEPARATE OCCUPATIONS WITH
APPRENTICES EMPLOYED BY CITY
LIGHT, FINANCE AND
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES,
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES,
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION DOES HAVE AN
APPROVED OCCUPATION UNDER THE
STANDARD THAT HAS YET TO
ACTIVATE THAT PROGRAM, SINCE
RECEIVING APPROVAL.
OUR COMMITTEE IS A JOINT
COMMITTEE EQUALLY REPRESENTING
LABOR AND MANAGEMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR
LOCAL 32 MEMBER, SUMMER HEPBURN
. MISS HEPBURN IS A GRADUATE OF
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
SANTA CRUZ WITH A BACHELORS IN
ANTHROPOLOGY. SHE JOINED SPU IN
2013 AS A WATER PIPE WORKER
APPRENTICE, GRADUATING IN 2015.
SINCE THEN, SHE HAS BECOME A
SENIOR AND HAS JOINED OUR
SUBCOMMITTEE, THE WATER PIPE
WORKERS SUBCOMMITTEE AND HAS
CHAIRED THAT FOR THE LAST I
BELIEVE NEARLY 3 YEARS AND HAS
ACTED AS A LEAD TRAINER FOR OUR
COHORT OF WATER PIPE WORKER
APPRENTICES.
SHE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST
OUTSTANDING PEOPLE I HAVE EVER
MET AT SPU.
>> THANK YOU, MR. SNIDER .
BEFORE I ASK ANY QUESTIONS, I
WANT TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF
THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS I WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE BEFORE I HAND IT
OVER TO SUMMER HEPBURN.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS?
NOT SEEING ANY, I WANT TO JUST
FIRST OF ALL -- SUMMER, I THINK
I HAVE MET YOU BEFORE.
I'M SURE WHEN YOU HAD THAT
ANNUAL LABOR GIG AT THE
CONVENTION CENTER.
I HAVE BEEN THERE TWICE.
YOU KNOW, THE WOMEN LABOR PEOPLE
. I WAS BLOWN AWAY AT THE
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND THE
WOMEN FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED
STATES.
WE HOSTED A CONFERENCE THREE
YEARS AGO AT THE CONVENTION
CENTER.
ANYWAY, I HAD A CHANCE TO GO
THROUGH YOUR CONFIRMATION
PACKET.
WE ARE BIG SUPPORTERS OF THE
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS.
WE HAVE ONE AT NORTH SOUND
COLLEGE THAT WE DID WITH DR.
CRAWFORD AND DR. BROWN,
PARTICULARLY EMPHASIZING WOMEN
OF COLOR. I UNDERSTAND YOU ARE
IN A MAYORAL APPOINTMENT.
I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO SHARE
SOME OF YOUR RESUME AND
ACCOMPLISHMENTS. I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO SEEING YOU CONFIRMED
TODAY, SHOULD YOU BE ON THIS
COMMITTEE.
GO AHEAD, SUMMER.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL . I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
INTRODUCTION, MR. SNIDER . I AM
SO HAPPY TO BE HERE AND I'M
HONORED TO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN AS
A REPRESENTATIVE OF LOCAL 32 AND
SPU AS A WHOLE. I
TRULY WANT TO UPHOLD THE VALUES
OF SPU AND THE APPRENTICESHIP.
IT IS, I BELIEVE, MY
RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT APPRENTICESHIP IN ANY
WAY I CAN, PUSH FOR BETTER
RECRUITMENT, INCLUDING FOR
WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.
YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T HAVE THIS
JOB IF THAT HADN'T BEEN MADE
AVAILABLE TO ME BY SOMEONE WHO
WORKED FOR SPU WHO HAPPENED TO
TAKE THE TIME TO LET ME KNOW
THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT I
COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS,
WHICH IS WHY I FEEL RESPONSIBLE
TO BE PART OF WOMEN IN THE
TRADES AND OTHER TRADES WHERE
WE CAN SPEAK TO YOUNGER
GENERATIONS AND THOSE WHO MAY
OR MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THIS
IS MADE AVAILABLE TO THEM. MY
LIFE CHANGED GREATLY WHEN I WAS
ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM AND I
REALLY WANT TO MAKE SPACE FOR
OTHERS WHO MAY NOT UNDERSTAND
THAT AS POSSIBLE FOR THEM.
I TRULY ALSO BELIEVE
APPRENTICESHIP AS A WHOLE AS
FAR AS APPRENTICESHIP FOR THE
CITY, INCLUDING CITY LIGHT AND
S.WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
FUTURE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO, WITHOUT THAT, WE DON'T HAVE
A FUNCTIONING CITY.
WE AREN'T ABLE TO DRINK WATER.
WE AREN'T ABLE TO HAVE
ELECTRICITY.
WE AREN'T ABLE TO HAVE THE
COMFORTS AND SAFETY WE HAVE
NOW.
I BELIEVE WE CAN MAKE SPACE FOR
FOLKS TO THRIVE WITHIN AN
APPRENTICESHIP.
WE CAN MAKE SPACE FOR OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE TO THRIVE.
THAT IS WHY I'M HERE AND I
REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR
TIME TODAY.
>> THANK YOU.
I DID NOT KNOW YOU ARE PART OF
LOCAL 32.
THERE ARE SO MANY NUMBERS.
I APOLOGIZE.
I WOULD BE LYING IF I SAID I
KNEW EVERY MEMBER.
BEFORE I MOVE ON TO A VOTE, ARE
THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM
MY COLLEAGUES?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR VOLUNTEER SERVICE AND
THE PERSPECTIVE YOU'RE BRINGING
IN YOUR STATEMENTS JUST NOW,
EXPLAINING WHY THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT PROGRAM AND WHY YOU
ARE A GREAT CANDIDATE. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
>> GREAT.
WITH THAT -- OH, MS. HEPBURN
IS HERE TODAY TO START US OFF
WITH A GOOD MEETING WITH OUR
HEARTS IN THE RIGHT PLACE
BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE SHOULD
BE DOING AS GOOD PEOPLE SERVING
THIS GREAT CITY.
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE
THE COMMITTEE TO RECOMMEND
CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENT
02267, SUMMER HEPBURN.
>> SECOND .
>> THERE IS NO FURTHER
DISCUSSION.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE APPOINTMENT?
>> COUNTY PEDERSEN?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> FIVE IN FAVOR, NOT OPPOSED.
>> THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED
CITY COUNCIL CONFIRM SUMMER
HEPBURN, APPOINTMENT 02267 AT
THE -- I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE
IT IN FRONT OF ME.
>> JOINT APPRENTICESHIP
TRAINING COMMITTEE.
>> CONGRATULATIONS, SUMMER, AND
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
I HOPE YOU HAVE A LOVELY REST
OF YOUR MEETING AND I
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL.
>> OKAY, WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE
SECOND MATTER.
WILL YOU PLEASE READ ITEM 2
INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 2,APPOINTMENT
02348 APPOINTMENT OF KIMBERLY
LOVING AS DIRECTOR OF THE
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
RESOURCES, FOR A TERM TO
SEPTEMBER 1, 2026.
>> THANK YOU.
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME DEPUTY
MAYOR GREG WONG . I WAS GOING
TO SQUISH THEM ALTOGETHER, BUT
I CANNOT EVEN SAY IT RIGHT.
DEPUTY MAYOR GREG WONG WILL
INTRODUCE THE NOMINEE SO WE CAN
DISCUSS KIMBERLY LOVING.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT JUAREZ.
I DO TRULY BELIEVE THIS WILL
CONTINUE WITH OUR DISCUSSION
WITH MS. LOVING . IT IS MY
PLEASURE TO BE BEFORE YOU TODAY
AT MY FIRST COUNCIL APPEARANCE
AS DEPUTY MAYOR . THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
IS IN MY PORTFOLIO, WHICH IS
WHY I HAVE GREAT PRIDE TO
INTRODUCE YOU TO DIRECTOR OF SD
HR, KIMBERLY LOVING . THE
PERSON WHO MANAGES AFFECTS THE
ENTIRE LOCAL GOVERNMENT
WORKFORCE.
RESULTANTLY AFFECTS THE PEOPLE
OF SEATTLE. TOWER CITY FAMILY
DESERVES A QUALIFIED, CAPABLE,
TESTED DIRECTOR AND WE HAVE
FOUND THAT IN KIMBERLY LOVING.
I THINK MANY OF YOU ALREADY
KNOW KIMBERLY.
SHE WAS CHIEF OF STAFF AND
SINCE AUGUST OF LAST YEAR,
INTERIM DIRECTOR.
OVER THE PANDEMIC, KIMBERLY AND
HER TEAM WERE ASKED TO ADVISE
SOLUTIONS TO UNPRECEDENTED
PROBLEMS AND FOR EMPLOYEES
ACROSS THE CITY INCLUDING
VACCINE EXEMPTION REVIEW AND
REMOTE ACCOMMODATIONS.
SHE MANAGED THOSE CHALLENGES
WHILE MAINTAINING A FOCUS ON
FOSTERING THE TOP TALENT IN HER
DEPARTMENT, SUPPORTING MORELL
AND THE EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE,
AND ENGAGING WITH HER LABEL
LABOR UNION PARTNERS.
BEFORE THE MAYOR NOMINATED HER
TODAY, OUR OFFICE WAS SURE TO
CONSULT STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING
DIRECTORS OF CITY APARTMENTS,
SEVERAL EMPLOYEES ON THE SDHR
TEAM INCLUDING DIRECT AND
NONDIRECT REPORTS OF MS.
LOVING, AND LABOR UNIONS
REPRESENTING EMPLOYEES.
WE TOOK A CLOSER LOOK AT HER
WORK OVER THE PAST YEAR AND
RECOGNIZE THE CARE SHE HAS FOR
HER TEAM, THE SERVICE YOU
PROVIDE OUR DEPARTMENTS, AND
THE DEDICATION SHE HAS TO THE
PURSUIT OF EQUITY.
COUNCILMEMBERS, WE ARE
FORTUNATE THAT KIMBERLY LOVING
IS WILLING TO SERVE THE PEOPLE
OF SEATTLE AND I HOPE THAT
AFTER MEETING WITH HER TODAY,
YOU WILL AGREE SHE WILL MAKE AN
EXCELLENT PERMANENT DIRECTOR OF
THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
RESOURCES.
WITH THAT, LET ME TURN THINGS
OVER TO KIMBERLY BEFORE TAKING
QUESTIONS.
>> HOLD UP, MAYOR WONG.
I'M SORRY, WE HAVE GOT TO SEE
IF OUR COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS, AND THEN I WILL MAKE
SURE THEY GET ALL OF THEIR
QUESTIONS IN BEFORE I HAND THE
FLOOR OVER.
THANK YOU FOR STEPPING IN
THERE.
COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS?
I KNOW THAT HE ANSWERED 11
QUESTIONS FOR SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT
OF US, ALONG WITH YOUR PACKET.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS YOU
WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE NOMINEE
BEFORE WE HAND THE FLOOR TO MS.
LOVING?
OKAY, NOT SEEING ANY.
EVERYONE IS GOOD.
GREAT.
MS. LOVING, PLEASE, THE FLOOR
IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, AND THANK YOU,
DEPUTY MAYOR WONG. FIRST AND
FOREMOST, I WANT TO THANK MAYOR
HARRELL FOR PLACING HIS TRUST
IN ME AND NOMINATING ME.
THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE ON
GOVERNANCE, NATIVE COMMUNITIES,
AND A TRIBAL GOVERNANCE. I AM
TRULY GRATEFUL, EXCITED,
HONORED, AND HUMBLED TO BE
BEFORE YOU TODAY.
I, AGAIN, WOULD LIKE TO SAY
THANK YOU TO DEPUTY MAYOR WONG
FOR HIS SUPPORT OF ME, FOR THIS
POSITION. I WANT TO TAKE A
MOMENT TO THANK COUNCIL . ALL
OF YOUR LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT,
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF , YOU DO
AMAZING WORK EVERY DAY.
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF
WORKING WITH SOME OF YOU AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR
PARTNERSHIP INTO THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU TO THE CITYWIDE HR
LEADERSHIP TEAM, PARTICULARLY
FOR YOUR WORK OVER THE LAST TWO
YEARS.
I HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED SO
MANY OF YOU RAPIDLY ADAPTING
WHILE REMAINING CALM TO CITY
LEADERS AND EMPLOYEES DURING
THE TOUGH CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE
PANDEMIC.
THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS PUSHED
US ALL PERSONALLY AND
PROFESSIONALLY AND WHILE WE
STILL HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF WORK
TO DO, I AM GRATEFUL TO HAVE
WORKED THROUGH SOME OF THOSE
VERY CHALLENGING DAYS ALONGSIDE
YOU.
A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MY
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR
EMBRACING ME AND TRUSTING ME.
AND FINALLY, MY SINCERE THANKS
TO THE HUMAN RESOURCE
DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES WHO ARE
INCREDIBLE AND DEDICATED PUBLIC
SERVANTS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING
EQUITABLE HUMAN RESOURCES TO
SUPPORT SERVICES TO OUR CITY
EMPLOYEES, AND WHO WORK HARD
EACH DAY TO CREATE A COMMUNITY
WHERE EACH OF US CAN CONTINUE
TO GROW AND LEARN TOGETHER.
DURING LAST SUNDAY'S WEEKLY ZOOM
CALL WITH MY FAMILY, MY MOTHER
ASKED IF I HAD A BUSY WEEK
AHEAD.
I REMINDED HER, MOM, THURSDAY
IS GOING TO BE A PRETTY BIG DAY
FOR ME.
REMEMBER THE CONFIRMATION
PROCESS I SHARED WITH YOU?
AND SHE SAID, OH, YEAH, THAT.
JUST BE YOURSELF.
I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY HUMBLED
AND WITH MY MOM'S ADVICE FRONT
OF MIND TO BE MY AUTHENTIC
SELF.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SAY A FEW WORDS, CHAIR
JUAREZ.
I AM HAPPY TO TAKE ANY
QUESTIONS YOU HAVE AT THIS TIME
.
>> GREAT.
DEPUTY MAYOR, YOU ARE RIGHT.
NORMALLY I HAVE THE DIRECTOR
INTRODUCE, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE
MY COLLEAGUES AN OPPORTUNITY
BECAUSE MS. LOVING WAS
PROVIDED WITH THE MAYORAL PACKET
. WE HAD YOUR RESUME AND ALL OF
YOUR INFORMATION AND GLOWING
LETTERS, SO I WANTED TO GIVE MY
COLLEAGUES A CHANCE TO SEE IF
THERE WAS ANYTHING FROM THE 11
QUESTIONS YOU HAD ANSWERED SO
THOROUGHLY BEFORE I GAVE YOU AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
NOW THAT YOU HAVE SPOKEN, I
WANT TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF
THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS TO PRESENT TO MS.
LOVING , NOW THAT SHE HAS THE
FLOOR?
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, THEN
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT IS WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU,
MS. LOVING.
IT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL TO WORK
WITH YOU AS WELL.
I APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP
ON THE RETIREMENT SYSTEMS BOARD
. IN THE PAST, IT WAS GREAT TO
HAVE YOUR PARTICIPATION IN
THOSE MEETINGS. I ABSOLUTELY
HAVE FOUND THAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS
BEEN YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF, SO I
AM EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH YOU.
I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
YOU DID ADDRESS THESE ON A
MACRO LEVEL, BUT I WANTED TO
GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO ADDRESS
THEM IN A BROADER SETTING HERE
FOR THE PUBLIC.
THERE HAS BEEN A MERGER OF HR
THE PAST FEW YEARS.
I BELIEVE IT STARTED BEFORE I
WAS HERE, SO ABOUT FIVE YEARS
AGO.
I AM WONDERING IF THERE WAS AN
OPPORTUNITY AS YOU TAKE THE
HELM AT A MORE PERMANENT WAY TO
LOOK AT FRONTLINE STAFF TO SEE
HOW THAT HR SYSTEM IS GOING, AT
LEAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO,
THERE WERE HICCUPS TO BEGIN
WITH AND CONCERNS AROUND HOW
FOLKS WERE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE
SYSTEM.
IT HAS BEEN SMOOTHED OUT QUITE
A BIT AND I WONDER IF NOW WOULD
BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY WITH YOUR
LEADERSHIP TO GO BACK AND
REALLY ASSESS IF THERE ARE
STILL ISSUES OR CONCERNS,
ESPECIALLY AMONG FRONT-LINE
WORKERS OR AMONG REPRESENTED
UNIONS AND HOW THEY WOULD LIKE
TO SEE IMPROVEMENTS AND MERGERS
úTAKE PLACE.
AND THE SECOND QUESTION I WOULD
HAVE, RIGHT WHEN I STARTED,
ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDST OF THE
ME TOO MOVEMENT, THERE WERE A
LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO LOOKED
AND FELT LIKE WE COULD DO
BETTER IN TERMS OF IMPROVEMENTS
IN TERMS OF HOW TO ADDRESS
HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION,
RETALIATION. EVEN JUST MAYBE
INAPPROPRIATE COMMENTS.
PART OF WHAT I TRIED TO DO WAS
SET UP THE OFFICE OF THE
EMPLOYEE ON BUD SO PEOPLE HAD A
PLACE TO GO, BUT I WONDERED IF
YOU COULD REFLECT A LITTLE BIT
AS WELL ON HOW THAT PROCESS IS
GOING AND IF YOU HAVE THOUGHTS
COMING INTO THIS ROLE ON
LEADERSHIP AND HOW YOU WOULD
LIKE TO TAKE THOSE ISSUES HAD ON
. AS WE KNOW, SOMETIMES
CONCERNS OR COMPLAINTS ON HOW
SYSTEMS ARE WORKING DON'T
REALLY GET EXPRESSED BECAUSE OF
PEOPLE'S FEAR OR TRAUMA THEY
HAVE BEEN THROUGH.
THOSE ARE THE TWO QUESTIONS I
WOULD ASK OF YOU IN TERMS OF
SYSTEM REFORM.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA. IT IS GREAT TO SEE
YOU AS WELL TODAY.
I WILL TAKE YOUR FIRST
QUESTION, BUT I MAY HAVE A
QUESTION ABOUT IT.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MERGER, WHAT
COMES UP FOR ME IS THE
CONVERSATION THAT ONCE UPON A
TIME, PULLING HR TOGETHER
ACROSS THE CITY.
I SEE YOU ARE NODDING
AFFIRMATIVELY.
THAT DID NOT HAPPEN.
WE HAVE A FEDERATED MODEL OF HR
IN THE CITY.
IT REMAINS THAT WAY, AS IT WAS
WHEN I JOINED SIX, ALMOST 7
YEARS AGO.
THERE WAS CONVERSATION AT THAT
TIME.
THERE ARE DEPARTMENTS THAT
REMAIN TO HAVE THEIR OWN HR
TEAMS THAT WORK WITH US, THAT
PARTNER WITH THE CENTRAL
DEPARTMENT AND THE CENTRAL
DEPARTMENT, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE HR SERVICES FOR 20
DEPARTMENTS. SOME OF THE
SMALLER DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING
SHR, WE MANAGE ALL OF THE S HR
SERVICES.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IN TERMS OF
SYSTEMS AND CHALLENGES AND
OPPORTUNITIES AND PROBABLY WHAT
YOU MIGHT BE REFERENCING IN
TERMS OF HICCUPS, WHAT WE HAVE
WORKED REALLY HARD TO DO IS --
I MENTIONED THIS IN ONE OF MY
ANSWERS ABOUT THE CITYWIDE HR
LEADERSHIP TEAM -- WE MEET
REGULARLY. IT IS USUALLY
BIWEEKLY AND THAT IS WHERE THE
HR LEADERS ACROSS THE CITY
DISCUSS AND SORT OF WORK
THROUGH HR POLICY AND ANY OTHER
ISSUES.
THE THING THAT HAS BEEN FRONT
OF MIND FOR ALL OF US IS HOW WE
CAME TOGETHER IN ORDER TO
ADDRESS THE PANDEMIC AND, YOU
KNOW, SORT OF MOVE AS A SCHOOL
OF FISH, IF YOU WILL.
ALTHOUGH WE ARE THIS ENTERPRISE
WITH VERY DIFFERENT LINES OF
BUSINESSES ACROSS THE CITY. I
WILL STOP THERE WITH THAT.
IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS
-- IN REGARD TO YOUR QUESTION
ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
OFFICE, I WOULD SAY THAT IS ONE
OF THE DEPARTMENTS WHERE OUR
DEPARTMENT AND I HAVE ONE OF
THE STRONGEST RELATIONSHIPS
BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT THEY
ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR AND THE
SYNERGIES WITH OUR HR
INVESTIGATIONS UNIT.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I RECENTLY
IMPLEMENTED AN ORGANIZATIONAL
SHIFT THAT PUT OUR LEARNING AND
DEVELOPMENT TEAM WITHIN THE
DIVISION THAT ALSO HOUSES THE HR
INVESTIGATIONS UNIT AND THE
REASON FOR DOING THAT AT A HIGH
LEVEL WAS BECAUSE THE DATA AND
INFORMATION WE HAVE RECEIVED AS
A RESULT OF THE INVESTIGATIONS
THAT COME OUR WAY WITH RESPECT
TO HARASSMENT ET CETERA, WE WANT
TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THAT
INFORMATION AND UNDERSTAND WHAT
WE COULD BE DOING ON THE FRONT
END FROM A LEARNING,
DEVELOPMENT, AND TRAINING
STANDPOINT.
I WILL END THAT BY SAYING THE
OFFICE OF DR. KOHN IS INVOLVED
IN ALL OF THAT WITH US ALONG
THE WAY.
HER EXPERTISE AND PARTNERSHIP.
>> THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANY FOLLOW-UP,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA BEFORE
HE MOVED TO COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS?
>> I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE
NOMINEE AND I APPRECIATE THAT
PERSPECTIVE.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
NOT A QUESTION, JUST A COMMENT
AFTER HEARING A COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA'S COMMENTS AND YOUR
COMMENTS, DIRECTOR.
I AM HERE TO SAY THAT YOUR MOM
IS RIGHT.
COME AS YOU ARE AND WE ARE
LOVING YOU, SO I AM LOVING
HAVING YOU ON BOARD.
>> THAT IS THRILLING TO HEAR.
THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT.
I WILL BE SURE TO LET HER KNOW.
WHEN I HAVE LISTENED TO HER
THROUGHOUT MY LIFE -- WHEN I
DON'T LISTEN TO HER IS WHEN I
REGRET IT.
I HAVE FINALLY LEARNED THAT
LESSON, SO THANK YOU FOR
FINALLY SAYING THAT.
>> FOR ALL OF THE MOMS OUT
THERE, THE MOMS ARE ALWAYS
RIGHT.
IT NEVER CHANGES.
OKAY, ARE THERE ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS WE HAVE FOR THE
NOMINEE, MS. LOVING , BEFORE I
MOVED TO A VOTE?
DEPUTY MAYOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
ADD ANYTHING BEFORE WE MOVE TO
A VOTE?
>> JUST A SINCERE THANKS TO MS.
LOVING FOR HER WILLINGNESS TO
SERVE THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE.
I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW HER OVER MY
TIME AS MAYOR AND ALTHOUGH
BRIEF, I AM JUST THRILLED AND I
THINK SHE IS GOING TO BE A HUGE
ASSET TO THE WORKERS, WHO WORK
AT THE CITY AND IN THE END, THE
PEOPLE OF SEATTLE BY IMPROVING
SYSTEMS AND EQUITY THROUGHOUT.
IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO
PUT HER FORWARD FOR
CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU.
MS. LOVING , YOU HAVE BEEN WITH
THE CITY FOR OVER A DECADE,
CORRECT?
>> NO, MA'AM.
>> OH, OKAY.
>> SOME DAYS IT FEELS LIKE THAT.
I AM BEING STRETCHED TO LEARN
AND BE CHALLENGED, BUT I STARTED
IN 2016.
>> OH, 2016.
OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND YOU HAVE BEEN SERVING AS
INTERIM FOR A YEAR?
>> YES, MA'AM.
I WAS ASKED TO STEP INTO THE
ROLE IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR.
YES, I HAVE.
>> I WANT TO THANK MY CLERK.
SHE PUTS TOGETHER THESE FAST
FACTS AND SHE HAS TRACKED YOUR
WHOLE CAREER FOR ME.
THANK YOU.
WITH THAT, I WILL MOVE TO A
VOTE.
I MOVE THE COMMITTEE RECOMMEND
THE CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENT
02348, KIMBERLY LOVING.
CAN I GET A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE
VOTE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> FIVE IN FAVOR, NONE OF POST.
>> GREAT.
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THE
CITY COUNCIL APPOINT KIMBERLY
LOVING AS DIRECTOR OF SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.
THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION
WILL BE HEARD AT CITY COUNCIL
ON EITHER SEPTEMBER 20th OR
27th, DEPENDING ON DIRECTOR
LOVING'S AVAILABILITY.
THE COMMITTEE CLERK WILL BE IN
TOUCH.
THANK YOU, MS. LOVING .
CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBERS AND
COUNCIL PRESIDENT. IT IS A
PLEASURE.
>> THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR.
>> THANK YOU, ALL.
>> ON THE AGENDA, LET'S MOVE ON
TO ITEM NUMBER 3. PLEASE READ
ITEM NUMBER 3 INTO THE RECORD.
>> SEATTLE OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS, RACE AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE INITIATIVE PRESENT
TATIAN.
>> GREAT.
DIRECTOR, I WILL LET YOU
INTRODUCE YOUR WHOLE CREW,
SINCE I DIDN'T DO A VERY GOOD
JOB IN MY OPENING. I WILL LET
YOU DO IT AND WE WILL OPEN IT
UP FOR QUESTIONS AFTER YOU DO
YOUR PRESENTATION BECAUSE I
KNOW YOU HAVE A POWERPOINT AS
WELL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I WILL GET THIS SHARED IN THE
ZOOM MEETING, SO GIVE ME A
SECOND WHILE I GET THAT LOADED
UP, IF I CAN GET THAT DONE.
CAN YOU ALL SEE IT?
>> YES.
AND I AM GLAD YOU ARE DOING THE
TECH STUFF.
>> YOU WILL SEE HOW GLAD WE ARE
ONCE WE GET TO THAT POINT.
LET ME GET GOING.
I WILL GET STARTED. OKAY, WELL
--
>> YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE YOUR
TEAM?
>> SURE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT AND COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M HERE WITH MEMBERS OF THE
OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS WHO
WILL PRESENT THE RACE AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE
REPORT.
I AM JOINED BY KATIE JO
KEPPINGER, OUR ENFORCEMENT
MANAGER, CARMIE ESTANDIAN,
RESEARCH PERSON, JOSHUA
TREYBIG , ONE OF OUR
INVESTIGATORS, LAINE MIDDAUGH,
POLICY ANALYST . WE ARE EXCITED
TO SPEND TIME WITH YOU TO LET
YOU KNOW WHAT WE HAVE BEEN UP
TO SINCE 2021.
MUCH OF THIS DOES TRANSLATE
INTO 2022 AND WE WILL TALK
ABOUT THAT.
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO
ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS AS WE
GET THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
EACH PERSON WILL INTRODUCE THE
NEXT PERSON AS THEY MOVE
THROUGH, SO I WILL DO THE HAND
OFF THAT WAY.
I WILL BEGIN WITH A BRIEF
OVERVIEW OF THE PRESENTATION SO
WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
IT.
WE WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE COVID-19 RESPONSE.
WE WILL HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT
CHANGE TEAM AND THE BUDGET, THE
TRANSPARENCY PROCESS. WE WILL
HAVE A DISCUSSION GROUP ON
SKILLS TRAINING WORK WE HAVE
DONE THE PAST YEAR, A
DISCUSSION ABOUT ONE OF OUR
PARTICULARLY FOCUSED
INITIATIVES TO PROVIDE A PER
DIEM POLICY FOR MEMBERS WHO ARE
WORKERS AND ALSO A DISCUSSION
ABOUT RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKITS
AND A PREVIEW FOR 2022.
I WILL START BACK UP AND RE-
CENTER US ON THE WORK OUR
OFFICE IS DOING.
IT IS REALLY KEY TIED TO THE
RSJI WORK OVERALL.
OUR WORK IS EMBEDDED IN THE
VERY PURPOSE FOR OUR OFFICE.
YOU DON'T GET AN OFFICE LIKE
OURS UNLESS WE ARE IN A PLACE
WE WANT TO UPLIFT THE
EXPERIENCE AND THE NEEDS OF LOW
INCOME, PARTICULARLY BY PARK
AND IMMIGRANT WORKERS.
WE WANT TO FOCUS RESOURCES AND
MAKING EQUITY FOR THOSE WORKERS.
THAT HAS INFUSED OUR MISSION AS
YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN.
WE ARE FOCUSED ON ENGAGING WITH
WORKERS IN THE COMMUNITY,
FOCUSED ON WORKING WITH
BUSINESSES, PARTICULARLY SMALL
BUSINESSES WHERE THEY DON'T
HAVE A GENERAL COUNCIL TO BE
THERE AND MAKE SURE THEY CAN
COMPLY.
WE THINK ABOUT HOW WE DO OUR
OUTREACH WORK, WHETHER WE ARE
FOCUSED ON EQUITY AND
LINGUISTICALLY ACCESSIBLE WORK
WITH ORGANIZATIONS DOING WORK
IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE THINK ABOUT THIS IN OUR
POLICY WORK, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
HOW WE ARE ENFORCING NETWORK.
WE ALSO THINK ABOUT THIS IN
TERMS OF HOW WE TRY TO OPERATE
OUR OFFICE.
THIS IS CENTRAL TO THE WORK WE
DO AT THE OFFICE OF LABOR
STANDARDS AND I WANT TO
APPRECIATE THE WORK AND THE
FACT THAT YOU AS COUNCILMEMBERS
AND YOUR PREDECESSORS HAVE
PROVIDED US WITH THE
OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS WORK
THROUGH THE LEGISLATION YOU
HAVE DONE BECAUSE YOU HAVE
GIVEN US THE TOOLS TO STAND UP
FOR WORKERS AND MAKE IT
POSSIBLE FOR THEM.
I WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THAT IN HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2021.
WE ARE ALWAYS MEETING EMERGENT
NEEDS AND POLICIES AS WE THINK
ABOUT WHAT WE DO.
WE HAD TO RESPOND TO COVID WITH
PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES
RELATED TO LEGISLATION THE
COUNCIL PASSED FOR HAZARD PAY
FOR GROCERY STORE EMPLOYEES,
PANDEMIC PREMIUM PAY FOR GIG
WORKERS. THESE OBVIOUSLY WERE
IMPORTANT TO THOSE WORKERS AND
PROVIDED THEM WITH SUPPORT AT
THE TIME THEY WERE GOING TO BE
MOST AT RISK FOR WORKING WITH
THE PUBLIC IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
PANDEMIC AND THAT HAS BEEN KEY
AND HAS CONTINUED DURING 2021.
WE WERE PROVIDING A LOT OF
INFORMATION ABOUT THE KINDS OF
LABOR STANDARDS THAT ARE MOST
RELEVANT TO WORKERS.
FOR EXAMPLE, PAID SICK TIME.
THAT IS CRITICAL FOR WORKERS TO
KNOW THAT WHEN FAMILY MEMBERS
ARE BECOMING ILL AND THEY NEED
TO CARE TAKE, OR WHEN CHILDREN
ARE HOME AND THEY NEED TO BE
TAKEN CARE OF AND THEY NEED
TIME OFF, TO INFORM COMMUNITY
MEMBERS AND WORKERS THEY HAVE
ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION.
ALSO TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE
INFORMATION IN ACCESSIBLE WAYS
SO THEY CAN PROVIDE THAT
VIRTUALLY IN WAYS THAT WOULD
MAKE SENSE TO REACH THE
COMMUNITIES THEY CONNECT WITH.
WE ALSO HAD REAL SUCCESS IN
2021 WITH ENFORCING THE
PROTECTIONS THAT WE HAD.
I WANT TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE
$11 MILLION WE WERE ABLE TO
RECOVER FOR WORKERS AND I WANT
TO HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE I
THINK IT IS KEY TO
UNDERSTANDING HOW TANGIBLE THE
WORK THAT WE DO DIRECTLY
IMPACTS THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS MONEY WE HAD ASSESSED
THROUGH LEGISLATION YOU PAST
THAT ENABLES US TO COLLECT THAT
ON BEHALF OF WORKERS AND BRING
IT TO WORKERS DIRECTLY. THAT IS
MONEY GOING TO COMMUNITY AND
THAT IS A BENEFIT WE WERE ABLE
TO PROVIDE FOR WORKERS WHEN WE
ARE ABLE TO ENFORCE EFFECTIVELY
THE LAWS YOU CREATE.
THIS IS IMPORTANT AT A TIME OF
STRESS FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO BE
ABLE TO DO THAT EFFECTIVELY.
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT
JUST BRIEFLY ABOUT OUR INTERNAL
WORK.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE BEEN IN
DIFFERENT BUDGET SITUATIONS
BETWEEN LAST YEAR AND THIS
YEAR, BUT WE HAVE BEEN
COMMITTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH,
SINCE THE START OF THE
PANDEMIC, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR
TEAM TO ELEVATE THEIR
OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK
INPUT ON OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
MY PREDECESSOR, THE INTERIM
DIRECTOR AND OUR FINANCE MANAGER
WHO ARE LEAVING THE OFFICE
REALLY WORKED WITH OUR CHANGE
TEAM TO BUILD A PROCESS TO BE
INCLUSIVE OF OUR STAFF AND
STAFF PERSPECTIVES ON HOW WE
CAN DEVELOP THE BUDGET GOING
FORWARD. THEY CREATED A PLAN OR
SHARING INFORMATION AND WE
BEGAN USING THAT INFORMATION AS
PART OF A PROCESS TO BUILD THE
BUDGET WE DELIVERED -- REQUEST
WE DELIVERED IN 2021 AND PART
OF THE 2022 BUDGET.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CAME
OUT OF THAT HAVE BEEN INQUESTS
FOR OUR PARTNERS IN THE
COMMUNITY DOING OUTREACH, OR
INCREASING FUNDING FOR THE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPLEMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE
STANDARDS BOARD.
WE HAVE USED THAT INFORMATION
AS PART OF OUR BUDGET CREATION
AND WE DID IT AGAIN THIS YEAR
AND YOU WILL SEE THOSE RESULTS
WHEN THE BUDGET IS RELEASED TO
YOU LATER THIS MONTH BY THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE.
WE HAVE TAKEN THIS TO HEART AS
PART OF AN INTERNAL OPERATING
ASPECT OF WHAT WE DO.
WE HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY
THINKING ABOUT HOW TO MAKE OUR
PRACTICE AND THE WORK WE DO
STRONGER AND MORE EQUITABLY
BASED.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE
WILL BE ABLE TO DO IN THE 2021
CYCLE TO INCREASE OUR SKILLS
AND COMPETENCIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, BEST PRACTICES
WITH OUR COLLEAGUES, WORKING ON
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKITS TRAINING
WITH THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS
ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT
ASPECTS INCLUDING GENDER
JUSTICE TRAINING WITH THE
OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS. OUR
COLLEAGUES THERE HAVE BEEN VERY
GENEROUS WORKING WITH OUR
STAFF.
BUT ALSO OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM
TOOK TIME LATE IN 2021 TO THINK
ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK ON BEING
MORE EQUITABLE IN OUR
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND WORK
WITH THE ORGANIZATION ON HOW TO
BUILD OUR COMPETENCIES AS A
MANAGEMENT TEAM.
SO NOW I WILL TURN THE
CONVERSATION OVER TO MY
COLLEAGUE, JOSHUA TREYBIG . HE
WILL TALK FURTHER ABOUT THE
WORK OUR OFFICE IS DOING.
>> THANKS, STEVE.
AS HE SAT, MY NAME IS JOSHUA
TREYBIG AND I AM ONE OF THE
COLD LEADS . SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES OUR TEAM HAS FACED
THIS YEAR, CONTINUITY WITH
MEMBERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP. LIKE
THE REST OF THE WORLD, MANY
FOLKS ARE EXPERIENCING BURNOUT
FROM THE PANDEMIC TO THE
NATIONAL AND LOCAL CLIMATE
AROUND RACIAL JUSTICE.
HOWEVER, OUR GOAL FOR 2022, WE
ARE STILL HERE DESPITE THESE
CHALLENGES.
OLS HAS RECOGNIZED OUT-OF-STATE
WORK.
I HAVE BEEN JOINED BY A NEW
COLLEAGUE, JENNIFER MOLINA, WHO
BRINGS GREAT ENERGY.
WE ARE CHANGING THE TEAM AT OLS
AND WE ARE EXCITED TO BE
WORKING WITH OUR NEW DEPUTY
DIRECTOR. WE WILL CONTINUE TO
WORK WITH MANAGEMENT TO PROMOTE
EQUITY AND PROMOTING JOB
QUALIFICATION.
NEXT SLIDE?
ONE OF THE GREAT AND LESS
FORMAL WAYS WE ARE PROMOTING
RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IS WITH
OUR RSJI DISCUSSION GROUP.
THIS GROUP CREATES A SAFE SPACE
TO DISCUSS SOCIAL JUSTICE
ISSUES AND EXPERIENCES IN OUR
WORK AT OLS AND IN OUR
PERSONAL LIVES.
WE USE MATERIAL TO EXPAND AND
DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF
HYSTERIC AND SYSTEMIC RACISM
AND THE WORK WE DO EVERY DAY AT
OLS.
WHILE OUR GROUP IS OPEN TO ALL,
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE
MATERIALS WE HAVE BEEN WORKING
WITH . SO YOU WANT TO TALK
ABOUT RACE?
A DOCUMENTARY DEEP DIVE INTO
THE WAY HISTORIC RACISM HAS
BROUGHT US TO TODAY.
REGULATING THE POOR, EXAMINING
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYERS AND
WORKERS, AND LOOKING AT THE
COST OF RACISM ON ALL PEOPLE,
ALL RACES, ALL PARTS OF
SOCIETY, AND HOW WE CAN PROSPER
TOGETHER.
WE WILL HEAR FROM POLICY
ANALYSTS.
>> JOSHUA, CAN I ASK YOU A
QUICK QUESTION?
>> YES.
>> I DON'T MEAN TO PUT YOU ON
THE SPOT, BUT ONE OF THE
SOURCES, WASN'T THAT A BOOK
THAT CAME OUT?
>> YES, IT IS A FAIRLY RECENT
BOOK, I BELIEVE.
YES.
VERY INSIGHTFUL.
>> OKAY.
>> THANK YOU, JOSH.
MY NAME IS LAINE MIDDAUGH AND I
AM A POLICY ANALYST WITH OLS
AND THE DEPARTMENT'S LIAISON
TO THE STATEMENT BOARD, WHICH
IS MADE UP OF DOMESTIC WORKERS,
HIRING ENTITIES, AND COMMUNITY
MEMBERS.
OUR RELATIVELY NEW PER DIEM
POLICY CAME OUT FROM A
RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOARD
WHICH IDENTIFIED A SINGLE
BARRIER TO PARTICIPATION FOR
SOME BOARD MEMBERS. IT IS
DIFFICULT FOR BOARD MEMBERS TO
FULLY ENGAGE AND PARTICIPATE IN
BOARD ACTIVITIES AND WE CANNOT
AFFORD TO MISS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO WORK, OR THEY MAY INCUR
OTHER COSTS BY PARTICIPATING IN
BOARD ACTIVITIES, LIKE ADDED
CARE COSTS OR TRANSPORTATION
EXPENSES.
SO, IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE FULL
PARTICIPATION, WE DEVELOPED A
POLICY WHERE FOR BOARD MEMBERS
THAT HAVE LOST OPPORTUNITY
COST, WHICH COULD INCLUDE
FORGOING PAID WORK OR CARE COSTS
, ANYTHING THAT CAN BE
COMPENSATED FOR ANY COST THAT
MAY OTHERWISE HINDER THEIR
SUSTAINED PARTICIPATION IN
BOARD ACTIVITIES.
SO, IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT
HAPPEN, ELIGIBLE BOARD MEMBERS,
SO THOSE WERE NOT BEING
COMPENSATED BY ANOTHER
ORGANIZATION FOR WORK ON THE
BOARD MAY RECEIVE $25 AN HOUR
VIA GIFT CERTIFICATES WORK
QUALIFYING BOARD ACTIVITIES.
THAT CAN INCLUDE MONTHLY PUBLIC
MEETINGS, SUBCOMMITTEE
MEETINGS, AND REQUIRED
TRAININGS, AS WELL AS THE
BOARD'S ANNUAL RETREAT. TO MAKE
SURE EVERYTHING IS ACCORDING TO
POLICY, WE GOT DIFFERENT
DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED,
INCLUDING ELIGIBILITY FORMS,
VERIFYING ATTENDANCE, AND
REQUIRED WRITTEN RECEIPTS FOR
THE GIFT CARDS.
AND SO, WE HAVE SEVERAL
VACANCIES ON THE BOARD RIGHT
NOW.
WE HOPE THIS POLICY CAN
ENCOURAGE FULL PARTICIPATION
FROM EVERYONE.
>> HOW MANY BOARD MEMBERS ARE
THERE AND HOW MANY VACANCIES DO
YOU HAVE?
>> I BELIEVE WE HAVE 4 OUT OF A
TOTAL OF 13.
THE BOARD IS ACTIVELY RECRUITING
.
>> LET'S CONNECT WITH OUR
OFFICE TOO BECAUSE WE HAVE
FOLKS UP NORTH.
>> WONDERFUL.
>> YES, AND I WANT TO BRING UP
A SHOUT OUT TO COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA. WE HAVE A PLACE TO
PLACE PEOPLE DOING THIS TYPE OF
WORK. I'M SURE COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA WILL MAKE HEALTHCARE
PORTABLE AS WELL FOR THESE
TYPES OF WORKERS.
GREAT.
THE POLICY ADVISOR SAYS OH,
YOU'RE NOT OUT THERE.
THAT DOESN'T MATTER.
WE WILL BE IN TOUCH.
>> SOUNDS GOOD.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER
QUESTIONS, I WILL PASS IT ON TO
KATIE JO KEPPINGER.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I AM KATIE JO KEPPINGER AND I
AM AN ENFORCEMENT MANAGER AT THE
OFFICE OF LABOR STANDARDS.
I WILL BE TALKING ABOUT ONE OF
OUR RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKITS FROM
2021.
THIS TOOLKIT IS CONTINUING THIS
YEAR AND IT IS CONCERNING OUR
SETTLEMENT DISTRIBUTION. AFTER
OUR SETTLEMENTS, THERE IS A
PROCESS THAT WE HAVE BEEN
EXAMINING INTERNALLY AND
EXTERNALLY WITH THE EMPLOYERS
BEING INVESTIGATED FOR GETTING
THE WORKERS THE MONEY THAT THEY
ARE OWED IN THE SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENTS.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS WAS TO
ATTEMPT TO ELIMINATE RACIAL
DISPARITIES AND THE SPEED AND
SUCCESS OF THE DISTRIBUTION
PARTICULARLY FOR BIPOC WORKERS,
LOOKING WITH A CAREFUL EYE ON
FOLKS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING
LANGUAGE BARRIERS, IMMIGRATION
BARRIERS, HOUSING INSTABILITY
WHO MAY HAVE MISTRUST OF
GOVERNMENT OR LACK OF ACCESS TO
MAINTAIN.
WE SPOKE INTERNALLY QUITE A LOT
ABOUT THIS NOT JUST WITH OUR
INVESTIGATORS AND ENFORCEMENT
TEAM, BUT WITH STAFF AND WE
ALSO CONSULTED WITH THE OFFICE
FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, THE FINANCE
AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES,
WHO WE WORK WITH AT
DISTRIBUTING CHECKS AND ALSO
CONSULTED WITH THE EQUAL
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
COMMISSION TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
THEIR PROCESS. WE INTERVIEWED
SEVERAL CLAIMS ADMINISTRATOR
COMPANIES AND SPOKE WITH OTHER
LABOR STANDARDS ENFORCEMENT
JURISDICTIONS ABOUT THEIR
CACTUSES AND CHALLENGES THEY
ARE SEEING.
WE CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF WORKERS
WHO HAD RECEIVED SEVERAL FUNDS
FROM OUR OFFICE IN 2021.
SOME OF THE ISSUES WE
IDENTIFIED, WE WERE INTERESTED
IN WHETHER USING PREPAID DEBIT
CARDS OR SOME OTHER PAYMENT
THAT FORM OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT WOULD WORK, BECAUSE WE
HAVE FOUND MANY WORKERS MAY NOT
HAVE EASY ACCESS TO BANKING.
UNFORTUNATELY WE FOUND THAT
THERE IS A PRETTY HIGH RISK
ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE AND THE
FUNDS NOT REACHING THE CURRENT
PERSON.
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING WE CAN
PURSUE RIGHT NOW.
WE ALSO HAVE IDENTIFIED THE
DISTRIBUTION IS VERY TIME AND
LABOR INTENSIVE. OUR
INVESTIGATIONS COVER CURRENT
AND FORMER EMPLOYEES.
WE GO BACK THREE YEARS FROM THE
DATE OF THE COMPLAINT, SO OFTEN
THERE IS A PRETTY LARGE CLASS
OF WORKERS, MANY OF WHOM DIDN'T
KNOW OUR INVESTIGATION WAS
UNDERWAY UNTIL THEY HEAR ABOUT
THEIR SETTLEMENT CHECK. SO,
TRACKING THOSE WORKERS DOWN AND
GETTING THEM THEIR FUNDS CAN
TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME AND
EFFORT.
>> HEY, LET ME SAY SOMETHING
REAL QUICK.
YOU KIND OF ANSWERED IT, BUT
WHEN YOU SAID YOU HAVE
DIFFICULTY GETTING FUNDS TO THE
WORKERS, DO YOU MEAN FINDING
THEM?
IS THAT WHAT YOU MEAN?
THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL, OR FINDING
THEM?
>> FINDING THEM AND MAKING SURE
WE HAVE THE RIGHT CONTACT
INFORMATION AND ADDRESS SO WE
CAN BE ASSURED THEY ARE GOING
TO RECEIVE THEIR CHECK.
>> YOU SAID SOMETHING REALLY
INTERESTING AND I'M GLAD YOU
SAID IT BECAUSE THIS IS COMING
I THOUGHT ABOUT IN MY HEAD.
HOW DO YOU INTERFACE WITH EEOC?
>> WE DON'T DIRECTLY INTERFACE
WITH THEM BUT I REACHED OUT
BECAUSE I KNOW THEY HAVE THESE
INVESTIGATIONS AND THE CASES TO
ASK THEM HOW THEY APPROACH THE
A SETTLEMENT DISTRIBUTION AND
-- HER NAME IS ESCAPING ME
RIGHT NOW, BUT I DID SPEAK TO
SOMEONE AT EEOC IN WASHINGTON,
D.C. AND THEIR SYSTEM IS
DIFFERENT THAN OURS.
HOWEVER, THEY WORK WITH CLAIMS
ADMINISTRATORS AND THEY PUT ME
IN TOUCH WITH VARIOUS CLAIMS
ADMINISTRATORS THAT I COULD
INTERVIEW AND LEARN MORE ABOUT
THEIR PROCESSES, SO THEY DON'T
DO WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING.
THEY DON'T GENERALLY DISTRIBUTE
THE CHECKS THEMSELVES. THEY
USUALLY HAVE A THIRD-PARTY THAT
DOES THAT, OR PERHAPS THE
EMPLOYER THEMSELVES.
THAT WAS MY EXPLORATION, TO TALK
MORE WITH HIM ABOUT THAT.
>> I THINK YOUR INSTINCTS ARE
RIGHT ON THAT.
WHEN THE GOVERNMENT WANTS YOUR
MONEY, THEY CAN FIND YOU.
WE SEE THIS IN SETTLEMENTS.
WE OFTEN USE A THIRD-PARTY.
I KNOW YOU MENTIONED LOSING
CONTROL, BUT FINDING THAT THIRD-
PARTY FISCAL AGENT THAT IS A
SAFE THIRD PARTY, WHETHER IT BE
A CREDIT UNION, BANK, UNION --
SOME ALONG TO A UNION.
THAT IS GOOD BECAUSE THEY
NORMALLY KNOW WHERE THEY ARE
WORKING.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE OUT-OF-
THE-BOX THINKING. IF THERE IS
ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO WORK WITH
YOU ON THAT PIECE, I WORK WITH
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA AND I
KNOW SHE IS LISTENING INTENTLY.
I JUST WANTED TO FLAG THAT, SO
THANK YOU.
>> YES. WE HAVE WORKED VERY
SUCCESSFULLY WITH SOME UNIONS
IN LOCATING WORKERS AND WE HAVE
BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN
REACHING A VAST MAJORITY OF THE
WORKERS FOR A COUPLE OF THESE
CASES.
WE WORKED WITH ONE OF THE
UNIONS.
THOSE WORKERS MAINLY WORK
NUMBERS OF THE UNION, SO THEY
WERE ABLE TO CONTACT THEM AND
THE WORKERS WERE ALREADY
FAMILIAR WITH THE UNION.
I THINK SOMETIMES WHEN WORKERS
AREN'T HEARING FROM US OUT OF
THE BLUE, THEY AREN'T REALLY
SURE WHO WE ARE.
>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.
>> THAT HAS BEEN A HELPFUL
PARTNERSHIP, TOO.
ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES, OF
COURSE, IS THE PANDEMIC RELATED
LIMITATIONS.
PEOPLE MOVING MORE AND OUR
OFFICE BEING CLOSED FOR A PERIOD
, SO, YOU KNOW, WORKERS WERE
NOT COMING IN TO PICK UP
CHECKS.
IT IS NOT THAT FREQUENT, BUT IT
NARROWS DOWN THE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR THEM TO CONNECT WITH US.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE?
SO, OUT OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS,
OUR TEAM CAME UP WITH
RECOMMENDATIONS.
THOSE ARE TO DEVELOP WRITTEN
POLICIES FOR OURSELVES,
INCLUDING SOME PILOT PAYMENT
GUIDELINES FOR SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENTS AND FINDINGS. ALSO
AN INTERNAL CHECK DISTRIBUTION
PROCEDURE TO LAY THAT OUT MORE
CLEARLY FOR OURSELVES AND FOR
THE INVESTIGATORS WHO ARE
ASSISTING IN TRACKING DOWN
WORKERS.
AND THEN UPDATING OUR
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT LANGUAGE
TO INCORPORATE THIRD-PARTY
CLAIMS ADMINISTRATORS AND IN
SOME INSTANCES, EMPLOYEES
DISTRIBUTE THE MONEY TO TAKE
THE FIRST SWING AT IT.
YES, COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU.
MADAM CHAIR, SHALL I?
>> YES, GO AHEAD.
>> I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT
YOU, SO IF YOU WANTED TO
CONTINUE WITH THIS SLIDE AND I
WILL SAVE MY HAND FOR
AFTERWARDS.
>> OH, SURE.
WRITTEN POLICIES ARE ONE
RECOMMENDATION. THE OTHER
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SOMEWHAT
RELATED TO THAT.
THAT IS THE INTERNAL CLARIFYING
RELATIONSHIPS AMONGST THE STAFF.
WE, YOU KNOW, DUE TO THE NUMBER
OF CHECKS AND WORKERS WE ARE
TRYING TO REACH, WE DO NEED TO
SHARE THAT WORK AMONG OUR
ENFORCEMENT STAFF.
WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO SHORTEN
THE TIME BETWEEN, YOU KNOW,
GETTING THE CHECK FROM THE
EMPLOYER, HAVING THAT DEPOSITED
WITH TREASURY, WAITING FOR IT
TO CLEAR, AND DISTRIBUTING
INDIVIDUAL CHECKS TO THE
WORKERS.
I AM ALWAYS TRYING TO KEEP THAT
TIME AS SHORT AS WE CAN.
ALSO CLARIFYING THE RULES AND
EXPECTATIONS WITH EMPLOYERS AND
CLAIMS ADMINISTRATORS, TRYING
TO STREAMLINE THAT PROCESS AND
AVOID, YOU KNOW, CHECKS EXPIRING
OR COMING BACK UNDELIVERABLE,
THAT KIND OF THING.
AND FINALLY, ANOTHER
RECOMMENDATION WAS TO REQUIRE
DISTRIBUTION BY EMPLOYERS AND
CLAIMS ADMINISTRATORS IN LARGE
CASES, NOT WITH SMALL BUSINESSES
, BUT WITH SOME OF THE LARGER
INVESTIGATIONS, TRYING FOR A
MORE EFFICIENT AND STREAMLINED
PROCESS WITH THOSE PLAYERS. SO,
THAT IS THAT SLIDE.
I THINK I HAVE ONE MORE.
>> DID YOU WANT AFTER QUESTION
NOW, COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA? OR
DID YOU WANT TO WAIT?
>> I WILL WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT
SLIDE.
>> OH, I THINK THAT WAS MY LAST
SLIDE.
I'M SORRY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> OKAY, I WILL ASK.
ON SLIDE 13, I JUST WANTED TO
DOUBLE CHECK ABOUT THE STAFF
CAPACITY. THIS IS A REALLY
GREAT RECOMMENDATION HERE.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE
CLAIMS, AS THE DIRECTOR SAID,
ARE DIRECTLY GOING INTO THE
HANDS OF WORKERS AND NOTABLY
HIGHER RATES OF WAGES FOR
WORKERS OF COLOR AND YOUNGER
WAGE WORKERS.
IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE PEOPLE
GET THEIR CLAIMS, HOW MUCH OF
THIS IS FEASIBLE?
HOW MUCH OF THIS RECOMMENDATION
IS FEASIBLE WITH EXISTING
STAFF?
AND IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL
INVESTMENT NEEDED FOR YOUR
STAFF TO MAKE SURE WE CAN BRING
FORWARD THESE RECOMMENDATIONS?
THAT, I THINK, WILL MAKE THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHETHER OR
NOT YOU ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE
YOUR WORK ON RACIAL EQUITY AND
MAKING SURE OUR INSTITUTIONS
BECOME MORE GROUNDED IN OUR
COMMITMENTS TO FOLKS OF COLOR
AND FRONT-LINE WORKERS,
ESPECIALLY LOW-WAGE WORKERS.
DO YOU HAVE THE STAFF CAPACITY
TO DO ALL OF THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS CURRENTLY?
>> I CAN SPEAK TO THAT A BIT
AND THEN PERHAPS DIRECTOR STEVE
MARCHESE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING
TO ADD. CURRENTLY WE ARE
TESTING THESE WITH THE STAFF
THAT WE HAVE AND IT IS STILL IN
THE BEGINNING STAGES.
WE WILL TAKE A FIRST PASS AT
EVALUATING THAT AT THE
BEGINNING OF 2023.
SO FAR, IT APPEARS TO BE
FUNCTIONING, BUT WE WILL HAVE
TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE
SUCCESS RATE WILL BE.
WE HAVE A PARALEGAL WHO SORT OF
MANAGES THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.
IT IS NOT HER SOLE
RESPONSIBILITY, WHICH IS WHY WE
ARE INCORPORATING INVESTIGATORS
SOMEWHAT INTO PARTS OF THIS
PROCESS.
IT DOES TAKE TIME, THOUGH. A
LOT OF TIME.
IT TAKES THEM FROM THEIR
INVESTIGATIONS, BUT IT IS ALSO,
YOU KNOW, VERY SATISFYING TO
KNOW THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY
MAKING GOOD ON THOSE SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENTS AND GETTING MONEY
INTO THE HANDS OF THE WORKERS.
>> THANK YOU, KATIE JO
KEPPINGER.
YOU HAVE GIVEN ASPECTS OF THE
ANSWER.
AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA, FOR THE QUESTION.
ONE THING THAT THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS HIGHLIGHT IS
THAT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE
INFRASTRUCTURE WE NEED TO
IMPLEMENT THE THINGS THAT WE
ARE DOING IN AN EFFECTIVE WAY.
AND SO, ONE OF THE REALITIES OF
OUR STAFFING HAS BEEN THAT OVER
THE COURSE OF TIME, OUR
CAPACITY TO SUPPORT WHAT WE ARE
DOING ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE
HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH WHAT WE
NEED ON POLICY AND ON THE
ENFORCEMENT SIDE.
WE HAVE ONE A PARALEGAL DOING
MULTIPLE DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING
A SECOND PARALEGAL THAT WE
RECEIVED FUNDING FOR TO HELP US
WITH THE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR
PROPONENTS, PREDOMINANTLY
FOCUSED ON THE ALTERNATIVE
ENFORCEMENT OPTIONS FOR THAT,
BUT WHO CAN ALSO DO OTHER THINGS
. WE HAVE NOT HAD AN INCREASE
IN OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
SINCE THE INCEPTION OF OUR
OFFICE IN 2017, WHEN IT BECAME
AN INDEPENDENT OFFICE.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE HAVE
PEOPLE DOING MULTIPLE DUTY ON
THINGS AND NOT ABLE TO FOCUS ON
ONE THING, OR A FEW THINGS.
WE LOSE EFFICIENCIES AND
EFFECTIVENESS, AS KATIE JO WAS
SAYING WHEN OUR ENFORCEMENT
STAFF, WHO COULD BE DOING
INVESTIGATIONS, ARE DOING
OUTREACH TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO
TRACK DOWN SOMEONE TO GIVE THEM
THEIR CHECK.
AND SO I THINK IF I COULD SORT
OF SUGGEST THIS AS SOMETHING TO
KEEP IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND
AS YOU REVIEW BUDGET PROCESSES
AND YOU LOOK AT THE REQUESTS WE
PROVIDE, WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING
TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
FOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASPECTS OF
OUR OFFICE SO THAT WE CAN DO
THIS WORK MORE EFFECTIVELY.
THAT IS NOT EXTRANEOUS TO THE
MISSION OF THE OFFICE.
THAT IS ACTUALLY INTIMATELY TIED
TO BEING ABLE TO GET THE WORK
DONE. IF WE HAVE EXTRA STAFF,
EXTRA ENFORCEMENT STAFF, IT IS
NOT TO HAVE THEM SORT OF SIT
AND STARE AT THE WALL.
THERE ARE TANGIBLE TASKS WE
NEED FOLKS TO GET DONE AND I
THINK PART OF THE WORK WE ARE
DOING, THAT I AM DOING, THAT I
AM WORKING WITH MY MANAGEMENT
TEAM ON IS REVIEWING WHAT WE
HAVE TO DO SO WE CAN ALSO
DEVELOP NOT ONLY THE PROCESSES,
BUT WE CAN HAVE THE STAFF TO
REALLY FULFILL THE LARGER
MISSION AND GOALS THAT WE HAVE
AND THAT YOU HAVE HELPED SET UP
FOR US THROUGH LEGISLATION SO
WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN DOING
THIS.
WE WANT THE WORKERS TO GET THE
MONEY THAT THEY ARE OWED.
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE STAFF
SPENDING THE TIME AND THE
RECORDS IN THE FINDINGS AND THE
SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS.
THINK ABOUT HOW THESE THINGS
WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY ARE
INTERRELATED VERY CLOSELY.
>> AND I THINK WE ARE READY TO
MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE
CARMIE ESTANDIAN, SENIOR DATA
SPECIALIST.
>> GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS CARMIE ESTANDIAN AND
I AM THE SENIOR DATA SPECIALIST
FOR THE OFFICE . I WILL BE
TALKING ABOUT THE TOOLKIT.
THIS IS A CARRYOVER FROM THE
YEAR BEFORE.
WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS
PROJECT FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS
NOW AND THE TOP GOAL IS A DATA
COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS IN THE
COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE AND
IDENTIFYING THE GAPS AND THE
LIVES OF THE BIPOC WORKERS AND
HOW TO TELL THEIR STORY BETTER.
AS FAR AS THE METHOD AND A DATA
COLLECTION, WE SEND SURVEY
LINKS VIA EMAIL TO CONDUCT A
SURVEY OVER THE PHONE, THROUGH
EMAIL. WE HAVE ENGAGEMENT
PRESENTED THE RESULTS TO THE
EQUITY GROUP IN THE PAST AND WE
HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF FEEDBACK
AND RECOMMENDATION ON HOW TO
REDESIGN THE SURVEY BETTER, AS
WELL AS USING DIFFERENT
CONCERNS AND POLICY ISSUES.
WE CONTINUE TO CONSULT WITH
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CITY
DEPARTMENTS.
WE HAVE RESEARCHERS AND
STUDENTS FROM UNIVERSITIES AND
ISSUES WE HAVE IDENTIFIED, I
ANALYZE THE QUESTIONS AND REWORD
THOSE QUESTIONS AND ELIMINATE
IT.
WE HAVE IMAGES IN THE SURVEY AND
A LOT OF PEOPLE FIND THAT
CONFUSING.
AND ALSO WE HAVE CREATED A NEW
INTERNAL DATABASE TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND THE PATTERNS AND
TRENDS ON HOW TO REACH OUT TO
WORKERS MORE.
THERE WAS ALSO A CONCERN THE
SURVEY WILL GET TRANSLATED
INADEQUATELY AND HOW WHAT THE
QUESTION MIGHT BE DIFFERENT IN
SOMEONE'S PRIMARY LANGUAGE.
NEXT SLIDE?
AND FOR RECOMMENDATION, WE
WOULD LIKE TO IMPROVE THE
RESPONSE RATE.
RIGHT NOW, IT IS CURRENTLY
STILL AT 50% RESPONSE RATE. TO
INCREASE THAT, WE HAVE HAD TEAM
TRAINING ON HOW TO BEST
PRACTICE AND CONDUCT A SURVEY.
IMPROVING THE DESIGN OF THE
SURVEY USING MICROSCALE TO GET
A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW
THE OFFICE IS DOING.
WE CREATE SHORTER QUESTIONS AND
FOR ACCESSIBILITY, WE HAVE
SIMPLIFIED THE LANGUAGE.
WE GOT THE PREMIUM PACKAGE TO
ALLOW US TO DO THE TRANSLATION.
THERE IS A LINK WE CREATE TO
DIFFERENT GROUPS WE SEND OUT
TO.
HOPEFULLY WITH SOME OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND CHANGES, WE
WILL HAVE A HIGHER RESPONSE
RATE.
ANY QUESTIONS?
>> I THINK WE ARE GOOD.
>> I HAD MY HEAD DOWN, LOOKING
AT ALL OF THE TILES TO SEE IF
THERE ARE ANY HANDS UP. OH, I
SEE A HAND UP.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> CAN YOU TALK MORE ABOUT SLIDE
14 THERE, ENGAGEMENT WITH THE
OTHER DEPARTMENTS?
THANK YOU.
SO, AS WE LOOK AT TRYING TO
ADDRESS EMPLOYEE BURNOUT AND
HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ARE
OVERWORKED IN OUR CITY SYSTEM
OVERALL RIGHT NOW, PROBABLY
EVEN BEFORE THE COVID PANDEMIC,
BUT ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDST OF
A PANDEMIC STILL, IN THE
INTEREST OF EFFICIENCY, DO WE
KNOW IF OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE
DOING SIMILAR DEMOGRAPHIC WORK
ALREADY?
ARE THERE ANY JOINT SURVEYS
ACROSS DEPARTMENTS?
>> YES, THAT IS ACTUALLY A
CONVERSATION I HAD WITH THE
D.A.R.E.
TEAM . FOR US TO HAVE ONE
CENTRAL LOCATION, WE CAN USE
THAT.
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS USE
DIFFERENT QUESTIONS DEPENDING
ON THE NEED OF THEIR OFFICE,
BUT USING SOME OF THEIR
QUESTION METHOD AND THE RESULTS
THEY ARE GETTING TO FILL IN THE
GAPS IDENTICAL TO WHAT WE ARE
LOOKING FOR.
WE ARE NOT SERVING THE SAME
PEOPLE OVER AND GETTING THE
SAME QUESTIONS.
THAT IS THE GOAL, TO BASICALLY
SHARE MORE OF OUR COLLECTION
CITYWIDE AND IT HAS BEEN A
CONVERSATION WITH THE
DEMOGRAPHER. WE ARE TRYING TO
CONSOLIDATE THOSE AND FIND A
CENTRAL LOCATION.
THERE IS THE OPEN DATA PORTAL.
SOME ARE AVAILABLE, BUT NOT
SPECIFICALLY DEMOGRAPHIC
RELATED TO WORKERS, SO THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT IS MISSING.
I KNOW WE HAVE SOME DATA
RELATED TO LABOR AND WORKERS,
BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY IDENTIFY
DEMOGRAPHICALLY ON RACE AND
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD
LIKE TO COLLECT.
IT HAS BEEN A CONVERSATION AND
HOPEFULLY THERE IS AN END GOAL
IN HAVING THAT MORE
CENTRALIZED.
>> DID YOU SAY OED?
>> ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT .
>> OH, YOU MEAN THE CITY
DEPARTMENT?
>> YES.
>> SO IT IS OAD?
>> YES, THANK YOU.
>> I WAS TRYING TO WRITE IT
DOWN AND I WANTED TO ASK YOU
ABOUT THAT.
>> I WAS TALKING WITH SOMEONE
IN THE DATA TEAM THAT JUST
RECENTLY LEFT.
THEY HAD SOME DATA AVAILABLE ON
THEIR WEBSITE. I HAVE LOOKED AT
THAT BEFORE, BUT IT HAS
RECENTLY CHANGED.
>> WELL, ON THIS SLIDE, YOU PUT
DOWN THE GOAL STATEMENT. YOU
KNOW, YOU SHOULDN'T BE SO HARD
ON YOURSELF.
ADVANCING ECONOMIC ENFORCEMENT
THROUGH POLICY AND OUTREACH IS
A HUGE LIFT AND PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN DOING IT FOR DECADES.
I APPLAUD YOUR GOALS.
I DON'T THINK THEY ARE LOFTY.
I THINK YOU ARE DRILLING DOWN
ON A LOT OF THE STUFF.
YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU KNOW,
YOU ARE REALLY TARGETING AND
DOING A DEEPER DIVE AND
ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES.
I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB
. I WOULDN'T BE SO HARD ON
YOURSELF.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THERE IS A LOT TO DO.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR OUTREACH TEAM WILL CONDUCT
THE SURVEY.
THEY HAVE A LOT MORE IN PERSON
INTERACTION WITH A LOT OF THE T
IS A LOT HIGHER.
WE HAVE FOUND THAT IN PERSON
SURVEYS LEAD TO HIGHER RESULTS.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE
WATCHING EARLIER ABOUT OUR
APPOINTMENT TO SOMMER HEPBURN.
THAT IS A WHOLE OTHER AREA WHERE
THEY ARE BRINGING IN WOMEN OF
COLOR AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE OF
COLOR AND THAT IS ANOTHER AREA
YOU MIGHT WANT TO EXPLORE
BECAUSE THEY HAVE DATA AND
PEOPLE AND ADDRESSES.
THAT IS ANOTHER AREA TO GO TO
TO FIND OUT AND ANSWER SOME ON
THE ENGAGEMENT PIECE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS WILL FIT
HAND IN HAND ON THESE ISSUES.
THANK YOU.
I SAID YOUR NAME WRONG EARLIER,
RIGHT?
IT IS CARMIE ESTANDIAN.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE IS A
LETTER AND IN THERE, BUT THERE
IS NOT.
I WAS SAYING CARMEN, SO I
APOLOGIZE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS
ON THIS ONE BEFORE WE MOVE
FORWARD?
NOT SEEING ANY, I WILL HAND IT
BACK OVER TO YOU, MR. MARCHESE
.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
AND COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
THERE IS LOT OF WORK WE ARE
DOING AND I AM JUST GOING TO
PREVIEW 2022 TO GIVE YOU A
HEADS UP ON THE WORK IN THIS
AREA.
SO MUCH OF IT IS RSJI BASED
AND IT IS HARD TO TEASE OUT
WHAT IS AND WHAT ISN'T BEING
DONE IN THE WORK WE ARE DOING.
WHEN WE LOOK INTO WHAT WE ARE
DOING THIS YEAR, WE ARE
CONTINUING OUR RACE AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE DISCUSSION GROUP,
SHARPENING OUR ABILITY TO TALK
AND CONVERSE ON THE ISSUES, THE
LANGUAGE, THE UNDERSTANDING ON
THIS.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK AND
IMPROVE OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS
WORK.
WE DO A LOT OF LANGUAGE ACCESS
WORK AND IT IS CERTAINLY A
PRIORITY FOR THE CITY.
WE HAVE WORKED CLOSELY TO BUILD
CAPACITY INTERNALLY.
WE'VE HAD STAFF TURN OVER AND
TRADE UP THE PEOPLE THAT WERE
TAKEN OVER.
THE LANGUAGE IS INFUSED IN
EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, ALL OF
THE NEW LAWS.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
THINKING OF HOW TO DO THE
PRESENTATION EFFECTIVELY IN
LANGUAGE AND THAT IS A
SIGNIFICANT PART.
WE ESTIMATE COSTS THAT INCLUDE
TRANSLATION AND AFFECTIVE
PRESENTATION. WE ARE WORKING
WITH ANOTHER RET THAT WE HAVE
GOING ON TO THINK ABOUT THE
INTERSECTION OF IMMIGRANT
RIGHTS AND WORKER RIGHTS. IT IS
COMPLICATED BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY
FOLKS HAVE HESITATIONS ABOUT
REPORTING WHEN THEY FEEL THEIR
STATUS AND ABILITY TO REMAIN IN
THE UNITED STATES IS AT RISK.
WE THINK ABOUT HOW YOU THINK
ABOUT BEING EFFECTIVE AT
OUTREACH AND WE ARE SENSITIVE
TO THE COMMUNITY, TO HELP
PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY CAN DO
AND WHAT THEY CAN ASK FOR.
WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF THAT
PROCESS.
WE ARE NOT READY TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT THAT IS, BUT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT THAT AND THE
GROUP IS TALKING ABOUT THAT.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SORT OF
WHAT YOU ALL KNOW, AND
PARTICULARLY COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA WILL WORK WITH THE
STANDARDS BOARD'S
RECOMMENDATION THEY DELIVER TO
COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR AND TO
OUR OFFICE.
IT IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT
WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY
WITH THE BOARD TO RECEIVE THE
FUNDING YOU APPROPRIATED LAST
YEAR.
THERE WAS ORIGINALLY $500,000
AND IT WAS CUT DOWN TO $400,000
FOR THE YEAR.
WE HAVE BEEN GETTING THAT MONEY
OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IN DIRECT
ALIGNMENT WITH THE BOARD.
THE BOARD TALKED ABOUT HOW WE
CAN USE THIS WORK AND USE THIS
FUNDING IN RACIALLY EQUITABLE
WAYS IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOME OF THE
TANGIBLE THINGS WE ARE DOING.
FOR EXAMPLE, TO USE FUNDING,
$250,000 OF FUNDING TO DO
ORGANIZING IN DOMESTIC
COMMUNITIES WITH WORKERS, WITH
ORGANIZATIONS CONNECTED TO THE
WORKERS, AGAIN, TO DO
CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY
APPROPRIATE WORK.
THIS IS ORGANIZING WORK IN A
COMMUNITY THAT IS DIFFICULT TO
REACH BECAUSE DOMESTIC WORKERS
ARE IN DIFFUSE LOCATIONS.
MANY, MANY PEOPLE OF COLOR
WHERE LANGUAGE ACCESS IS
CERTAINLY AN ISSUE AND GAINING
ACCESS TO WORK SITES IS AN
ISSUE, SO THAT WILL BE IMPORTANT
AND THAT WORK WILL CONTINUE
INTO 2023.
WE ARE RESEARCHING AND WORKING
ON THE RESOLUTION YOU PASSED
LAST YEAR TO STUDY AND
AFFORDABLE PAID TIME OFF
PROGRAM FOR WORKERS.
THAT RESEARCH WORK IS ONGOING.
WE'VE GOT WORK TO HIGHLIGHT AND
TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING IS
TRAILBLAZING NATIONALLY.
NO OTHER JURISDICTION IN THIS
COUNTRY HAS IMPLEMENTED AN
EFFECTIVE PAID TIME OFF PROGRAM
CERTAINLY AT THE MUNICIPAL
LEVEL, SO THERE IS A LOT OF
WORK TO DO AND WE ARE WORKING
WITH THE COALITION OF ADVOCATES
WHO CARE ABOUT THIS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO AND
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WHAT WE
BRING TO YOU EARLY NEXT YEAR IS
A WELL RESEARCHED AND THOUGHT
OUT.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN THINK
ABOUT IMPLEMENTING IN THE END
STAGES.
WE ARE LEARNING A LOT THAT IS
APPLICABLE TO OTHER SECTORS,
BUT OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO THINK
FIRST OF HOW WE SCALE UP IN THE
SPHERE. AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
HIGHLIGHT THE WORK THAT WE ARE
DOING AND I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY FROM MY
STAFF MEMBERS TO JOIN ME AND TO
TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT OUR
OFFICE DOES OVERALL. I KNOW WE
ARE RELATIVELY NEW TO THIS
COMMITTEE.
WE ARE NOT NEW TO ALL OF YOU.
WE ARE EXCITED AS WE GO INTO
THIS YEAR, AS WE CONTINUE THE
WORK THAT WE ARE DOING, AS WE
CONTINUE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO
CONTINUE TO SUPPORT WORKERS AND
TO MAKE SURE THE PROMISE THAT
WE HAVE AS A CITY TO ENSURE
WORKERS ARE TREATED FAIRLY,
THEY GET THE FUNDING AND THE
RECOURSE THAT THEY NEED, THE
WAGES THAT THEY NEED, AND THEY
ARE TREATED IN WAYS THAT ARE
APPROPRIATE.
WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO THE PARTNERSHIP
WE HAVE WITH YOU IN ORDER TO
MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
I WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS.
>> I DIDN'T WANT TO STOP YOU
BECAUSE YOU WERE ON A ROLL
THERE.
BACK ON SLIDE 16 REAL QUICK
JUST SO I CAN CLARIFY SOMETHING
, AND I PROBABLY KNOW THE
ANSWER, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE
I UNDERSTAND AND SO DOES THE
VIEWING PUBLIC.
WHEN YOU HAVE THE SECOND ARROW
ON THE RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT,
IS THAT A SUBSECTOR INCLUDING
IN THE CONTINUATION OF RACE AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE?
I UNDERSTAND THE RACIAL TOOLKIT
WILL BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE AS
YOU HAVE SHARED, THERE IS A
LANGUAGE ISSUE AND IMMIGRATION
STATUS ISSUES, OUTREACH ISSUES.
JUST SO I UNDERSTAND THE SLIDE
DIRECTLY, THOSE ARE FOUR
HEADINGS.
THOSE ARE NOT THEIR OWN SEPARATE
THINGS.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THAT IS PART OF OUR OFFICE'S
WORK.
THE FIRST BULLET, THE FIRST
ARROW IS TALKING INTERNALLY FOR
THE STAFF TO CONTINUE WORKING
ON THE DISCUSSION GROUP AND
SHARPENING OUR OWN LANGUAGE AND
SKILLS.
IT HAS BEEN GOOD INTERNALLY
PARTICULARLY DURING THE COURSE
OF THE PANDEMIC WHEN STAFF HAD
BEEN IN DIFFERENT PLACES,
WORKING REMOTELY TO HAVE THAT
SPACE TO TALK AND CERTAINLY
ISSUES RELATED TO IMMIGRATION
AND LANGUAGE AND PAST HISTORIES
OF RACE AND RACIAL INJUSTICE.
THEY ARE REALLY MORE FOCUSED ON
INTERNAL STAFF.
THE RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT WILL
BE THINKING ABOUT OUR WORK AS
AN OFFICE AND THE MISSION WE
HAVE TWO SERVE THE COMMUNITY
AND PARTICULARLY TO DO THE WORK
THAT WE DO WITH AN
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW RACE AND
IMMIGRATION ARE TOGETHER AND
HOW THEY INTERSECT WITH THE
LAWS ENFORCED SO WE CAN BE MORE
EFFECTIVE.
>> WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IN THE
FUTURE -- AND I KNOW YOU WILL
COME BACK AGAIN TO DO ANOTHER
PRESENTATION, BUT IF WE COULD
-- AND I HAVE LEARNED A LOT
FROM LISTENING AS WELL, BUT THE
MORE WE KNOW OF THE IMMIGRATION
TOOLKIT AND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS,
WHY THEY ARE MORE DISTINCT AND
INTENSE AND EMOTIONAL THAN JUST
RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE, NOT
THINK THAT IT ISN'T, BUT THE
LANGUAGE AND IMMIGRATION STATUS
OUTREACH, WE ARE DEALING WITH A
GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE
ACTUALLY BEING THREATENED ON
THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS AND SO
BY REPRESENTING IMMIGRANTS AND
APPLE GROWERS -- WELL, NOT THE
APPLE GROWERS, BUT THE WORKERS.
THIS WAS DECADES AGO, WHEN
ACCOUNTS EAT MOSQUEDA WAS IN
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. YOU ARE
RIGHT, NATIONALLY IS THERE
ANYWHERE TO GO TO TELL OTHER
INSTITUTIONS WE NEED THE CITY
OR THE COUNTY OR THE STATE THAT
THESE ARE REAL THREATS
AFFECTING PEOPLE'S LIVES, IF
THEY GET DEPORTED AND THEY GET
HURT IN THE COUNTRY THEY CAME
FROM?
THESE ARE LIFE AND DEATH
DECISIONS.
IF WE COULD HAVE A SLIDE IN
YOUR PRESENTATION TO SAY WHY
THEY ARE DISTINCT, AND A LOT OF
THESE ARE LIFE AND DEATH
SITUATIONS, CERTAINLY IN THE
LAST FOUR YEARS WE SAW PRIOR TO
THIS ADMINISTRATION.
I THINK THAT IS SUCH A HUMAN
RIGHTS ABUSE AND I WOULD LOVE
TO SEE US WORK ON THIS AND TO
SHED MORE LIGHT ON WHAT WE CAN
DO AT THE CITY GOVERNMENT LEVEL.
THIS KIND OF LEADS INTO MY LAST
COMMENT. JUST SO I CAN CLARIFY,
WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT
POLICY AND THE ENFORCEMENT, YOU
ARE INCLUDING THE ENFORCEMENT
OF YOUR ADMINISTRATION, CORRECT?
IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE SAYING?
>> ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT IN
TERMS OF ADMINISTRATION OF OUR
OFFICE AND SUPPORT THROUGH THE
OFFICE WORK WE ARE DOING?
>> THERE IS THE POLICY, THEN
THERE IS THE ENFORCEMENT ON THE
ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE. THAT IS
UNDER THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE
AND NEEDS MORE FUNDING, JUST SO
WE ARE CLEAR.
>> THE ADMINISTRATION SHOULD BE
SUPPORTING THE WORK OF THE
ENTIRE OFFICE WE DO TO KEEP OUR
ENTIRE OFFICE FUNCTIONING.
THERE IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE
QUALITY TO LEGAL WORK. FOR
EXAMPLE, THAT IS DONE TO HELP
OUR ENFORCEMENT TEAM.
IT IS SORT OF A HYBRID. IT IS
SUPPORTING ENFORCEMENT, BUT
ALSO THE ACTUAL RESULT AND
GETTING THE WORK DONE. I DON'T
WANT TO PUT TOO MANY HARD LINES
BETWEEN THAT.
WE TALK IN TERMS OF OUR TEAMS
-- WE HAVE AN ENFORCEMENT
POLICY TEAM, OUTREACH TEAM, AND
EACH ONE OF THEM ARE DOING
THEIR FUNCTIONS.
THERE IS A LOT OF MATRIX WORK
BEING DONE.
OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM IS A
SECOND TEAM, BUT AGAIN, WORKING
ACROSS THE TEAMS.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO THINK
ABOUT SUPPORT TO ACCOMPLISH THE
MISSION, NOT JUST BEING
NARROWLY FOCUSED ON DO YOU HAVE
AN INVESTIGATOR TO INVESTIGATE,
OR DO YOU HAVE AN OUTREACH
SPECIALIST TO DO WORK? WE ALSO
THINK ABOUT WHAT THOSE STAFF
MEMBERS NEED AND FILLING THE
GAPS.
>> AROUND THIS BUDGET CYCLE, WE
CAN SEE A WORK CHART AND HOW
THAT IS DONE?
>> YOU WILL. ABSOLUTELY.
I APPRECIATE THE POINT YOU ARE
MAKING, COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUAREZ
. I KNOW OUR GROUP IS IN THE
MIDST OF DOING WHAT IT IS DOING
AND I WANT TO GIVE THEM THE
CHANCE TO GET TO THE POINT THEY
ARE READY TO GO PUBLIC WITH A
BIT MORE FINDINGS. THAT IS WHY
YOU DON'T SEE A SLIDE
SPECIFICALLY ON THAT.
THAT IS A PLACEHOLDER TO TALK
ABOUT THAT NEXT YEAR.
ONE OF THE SUCCESSES, OR AT
LEAST ONE OF THE PIECES WE DID
A FINDING OF LAST YEAR,
IMMIGRATION WAS A CENTRAL PART
ON A PRESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION
CASE THAT WE DID A VERY LARGE
FINDING ON RELATED TO BASICALLY
-- WE DO A FAIR AMOUNT OF
DIRECTED WORK AND ONE OF THE
PRIORITY AREAS HAS BEEN
RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION.
WHY?
WE KNOW THAT IN RESIDENTIAL
CONSTRUCTION, WE HAVE A LOW
RATE OF REPORTING AND HIGH RATE
OF POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS AND WE
HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE
CARPENTERS UNION TO REACH OUT
TO WORKERS AT ONE PARTICULAR
SITE AND FOUND THAT THERE WERE
NUMEROUS VIOLATIONS FOR MINIMUM
WAGE, PAID, SICK, AND SAFE
TIME.
THOSE WORKERS ALMOST
EXCLUSIVELY WERE IMMIGRANT MEN
IN THIS COUNTRY AND THE
CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR STATUS
WERE CERTAINLY RELATED TO THEIR
WILLINGNESS AND ABILITY TO TALK
. OUR INVESTIGATORS, WHEN THEY
ENCOUNTERED THAT AND SAW THAT
FIRSTHAND, THEY ELEVATED THAT
INTERNALLY AND SAID WE NEED TO
FOCUS ON EFFECTIVELY THINKING
ABOUT HOW WE CAN BE EFFECTIVE
GIVEN THE REALITY OF WHAT THAT
MEANS.
THAT IS WHAT LED TO THE RACE
AND EQUITY TOOLKIT AND LED US
TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO
DO, WHAT WE CAN DO, WHAT WE CAN
PROPOSE TO YOU AND THE MAYOR IN
TERMS OF LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
. WHAT WE CAN DO TO WORK
COLLABORATIVELY WITH
ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY,
TO INCREASE THE SAFETY OF
WORKERS TO BE ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE IN THIS.
THERE ARE NEW POLICIES IN THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT HAVE
COME OUT, WHERE THERE IS A
WILLINGNESS TO USE DISCRETION
TO REDUCE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT
STATUS WILL PREVENT PEOPLE
WILLING TO REPORT AND OUR
OFFICE WILL BE WORKING TO SEE
IF WE CAN PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
THAT HASN'T BEEN DIRECTED
TOWARD A LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AS
CLOSELY AS WE HAVE. WE HAVE
BEEN WORKING WITH OTHER
MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
TO SEE HOW WE CAN PARTAKE
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IS AN
ISSUE.
WITH THE VISA, WE CAN AUTHORIZE
NEW VISAS AND SIGN NEW VISAS.
WHEN WORKERS ARE IN SITUATIONS
THEY WILL BE REPORTING
COMPLAINTS, WE CAN ASSIST THEM
TO NOT HAVE THEIR STATUS BECOME
AN ISSUE.
THERE IS A RANGE OF STUFF GOING
ON AND A LOT MORE TO DO.
>> I AM SURE YOU CAN SHARE A
LOT WITH US.
I WILL END ON THIS NOTE BECAUSE
WE SEE A LOT OF RSJI REPORTS
AND OBVIOUSLY THIS ONE IS A LOT
MEATIER.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
SUPPORTING YOU AND THE EFFORTS
THAT YOU AND ALL OF YOUR TEAM
HAVE SHARED WITH US TODAY.
WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER
CLOSING COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS
MY COLLEAGUES MIGHT HAVE BEFORE
WE MOVE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS
PRESENTATION TODAY.
I THINK IT IS A NICE WAY TO
ROUND OUT THE YEAR OF PUBLIC
POLICY AND DISCUSSIONS BEFORE
WE HEAD TO BUDGET AND I
APPRECIATE THE BUDGET ITEMS
FLAGGED IN THIS PRESENTATION
AND IN THE REPORT TO MAKE SURE
THAT ALL OF THESE GREAT IDEAS
COME TO FRUITION.
I WANTED TO FLAG FOR
COUNCILMEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC AND IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE OFFICE OF LABOR
>>> DO NOT BE SHY ABOUT SENDING
US YOUR NEWS EVERY TIME YOU GET
A SETTLEMENT, SO WE CAN PUBLISH
IT AND PUT IT IN OUR
NEWSLETTERS AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE KNOW EVERY TIME AN EMPLOYER
SEES ANOTHER EMPLOYER BEING
HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR BAD
BEHAVIOR IT CORRECTS BAD
BEHAVIOR OUT THERE THAT HASN'T
BEEN INVESTIGATED YET.
IN SOME CASES WE HAVE SECTOR
WIDE INVESTIGATIONS THAT ARE
POSSIBLE.
WITH LIMITED STAFF, THE BEST
WAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO
PREVENT MAY BE MISUNDERSTANDING
OF THE LAW, OR CIRCUMVENTING
THE LAW IN A WORST-CASE
SCENARIO, IS TO MAKE SURE
PEOPLE KNOW THERE'S
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR NOT
COMPLYING WITH THE LAW.
WHEN A CLAIM IS SETTLED AND
WORKERS GET THE PAYMENTS THEY
WERE OWED, IF WE CAN PUSH THAT
OUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, IT HAS
A GREAT DETERRING EFFECT TO
OTHER EMPLOYERS.
FOR HIGH ROAD EMPLOYERS WHO
WANT TO BE IN LINE, THEY REACH
OUT AND SAY, HOW CAN I MAKE
SURE I AM COMPLYING.
FOR EMPLOYERS THAT ARE
CIRCUMVENTING THE LAW, IT'S A
REMINDER TO THEM THEY SHOULD
STOP THAT LAW.
THANKS TO OLS FOR STANDING UP
IT TO US AND ASKING US TO DO
SO.
>> I AM GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT
UP.
WE TRY TO TELL EVERYBODY,
PARTICULARLY EVERYONE IN OUR
CITY DEPARTMENT AND FAMILIES,
WE ALL HAVE NEWSLETTERS.
I LIKE TO BRAG I THINK I HAVE
THE MOST READERSHIP.
I'M WELL OVER 8000 NOW.
IT'S PRETTY GOOD.
I HAVE TRAVEL COMMUNITIES THAT
READ AS WELL.
THAT MAKES ME HAPPY.
ALL THAT ASIDE, THE 11 MILLION
IN THE SETTLEMENT IT MAKES.
I GET WEEKLY REPORTS FROM PARKS
AND SPD THAT I PUT IN MY
NEWSLETTER.
IT IS NOT JUST LIKE
INFORMATIONAL, BUT IT'S THE
IMPACT OF HAVING THE
INFORMATION, EVEN GOING BACK IN
YOUR SLIDE ABOUT OUTREACH AND
CONTACTING PEOPLE.
HAVING YOUR OFFICE GIVE US
WHATEVER YOU WANT US TO PUT IN
YOUR NEWSLETTER, WHETHER IT'S
TRAINING, OUTREACH. WE
RECOVERED 11 MILLION IN WAGE
THEFT.
THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN GO FOR
ENFORCEMENT OR REPORTING.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO AMPLIFY
THAT.
OUR DEADLINE IS THURSDAY AT
FIVE.
IT GOES OUT EVERY THURSDAY.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH
A LOT, PARTICULARLY WHEN I WAS
CHAIR OF PARKS.
PEOPLE UNDERSTANDING WHERE YOU
GO FOR PARKS.
HOW YOU FIX IT.
WE DO THE SAME THING WITH SPD,
THE POLICE, THE DASHBOARD, WHERE
THERE ARE HOT SPOTS.
HOW THE COMMUNITY CAN CALL IN.
HOW YOU CAN GET TRAINING.
WE ENCOURAGE A LOT OF CITY
DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES AND
COMMISSIONS FOR THE NEWLY FORMED
ADVISORY COUNCIL.
A LOT OF SUBJECTS THAT ARE
TIMELY.
NOT JUST LOCAL, BUT NATIONALLY.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO USE
THE GREAT IDEA.
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT
US TO GET OUT, IF IT'S WEEKLY,
BIWEEKLY, ONCE A MONTH.
LET US AMPLIFY THAT INFORMATION
SO WE CAN GET IT OUT.
WE'VE HAD SO MUCH AS YOU SAID
IN THE CONSTRUCTION CENTER
GOING ON IN THE NORTH END.
RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION.
IT IS CRAZY, PARTICULARLY WITH
LIGHT RAIL COMING IN.
WE'VE HAD OVER 5000 UNITS BEING
BUILT AND MORE TO COME.
IF WE CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE,
PLEASE LET US KNOW.
IF IT BECOMES A WEEKLY OR
MONTHLY ARTICLE.
LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THE OFFICE
OF LABOR'S OF STANDARDS IS
DOING THE WORK AND RECOVERING
FROM NONCOMPLIANT EMPLOYERS WHO
ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE LAW,
POLICY, AND ENGAGING IN
ANYTHING ELSE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
I WILL LEAVE IT ON THE IF THERE
IS ANYTHING ELSE SOMEONE WANTS
TO SAY.
WITH THAT, THANK YOU.
ALL OF YOU.
I LEARNED A LOT TODAY.
THANK YOU.
COLLEAGUES, WITH THAT, I THINK
THAT CONCLUDES OUR ITEMS OF
BUSINESS.
IT CONCLUDES OUR REGULAR
MEETING SCHEDULE FOR THE YEAR.
I AM HOPING WE WILL HAVE OUR
NEXT MEETING, A SPECIAL MEETING,
AND WE HOPE TO HAVE IT SOONER
OR LATER, THURSDAY, DECEMBER
15th AT 9:30 A.M.
COLLEAGUES, IS THERE ANYTHING
YOU WANT TO ADD BEFORE I
ADJOURN FOR THE GOOD OF THE
ORDER.
NOT SEEING ANYTHING, OR ANYONE
DIALING IT TO SAY ANYTHING.
WITH THAT, THANK YOU COLLEAGUES
FOR YOUR WORK.
WITH THAT, WE STAND ADJOURNED.