Workers of CIS Demand Safety and Dignity for Participants and Staff

*PLEASE USE PERSONAL EMAIL*
We demand:
Scheduling - We ask that CIS develop a scheduling system to be fair and manageable with the workers of the agency. We recognize CIS’s difficulty in trying to maintain a relationship with its many participants; however, coaches need adequate time to learn about new participants, to read their TLFP/ISP, contact their primary, and receive job shadow training in order to provide quality service. Late-night texts to cover shifts or scrambling to get enough "points" to receive the incentive bonus for covering emergency shifts wears coaches down. For this reason, we want a team dedicated exclusively to scheduling. We would like a schedule to be provided for the upcoming week by Sunday.

Participant-Centered Coaching - We want a team approach to coaching. If participants are supported by coaches who are familiar with them and their needs, they will be supported more effectively, consistently, and safely, and able to perform their jobs better. Participants are required to adjust to a new coach often and caseload sizes can be unmanageable. We believe that when working with a participant for the first time, the first-time coach should receive an in-person introduction and training by another job coach who is knowledgeable about that job site and participant. CIS workers have recounted multiple occasions when participants, their families, and job sites have been upset by the lack of consistency and attentiveness.

Training - We want CIS to provide its workers with ongoing training opportunities to promote their direct support potential. The workforce of care and support professionals is in need of serious investment to ensure commitment to the job. In addition to ODP and OVR training requirements and CIS’s company policies that must be followed, we want opportunities for serious professional development. We want training provided to us, such as, but not limited to, conflict-resolution training, ASL training, CPR training, seizure training, and training developed and led by those from the disability community—the community whom we serve. We also want to make sure that training is scheduled and paid within our work week, during the first three months of beginning a new position, and that new hires are provided with adequate supervision and guidance by staff who are compensated for this work. The current system of unpaid, volunteer peer "mentorship" for new staff members is neither fair nor effective.

Break Policy - We want CIS to develop and implement a clear paid break policy that guarantees coaches adequate breaks in between shifts. We want this break policy to be developed with the workers of CIS to ensure it meets the worker's and participants’ needs. Workers have described instances of having to eat in their cars while driving, not eating or drinking between shifts; having no bathroom breaks because they do not have someone to relieve them so they can use the bathroom; no time to process the services just provided before supporting another person; no breaks whatsoever in an entire workday; and confusion about when breaks are allowed, if breaks are allowed, and how breaks are billed for.

Transparency - We request greater communication surrounding billing and the reasoning behind our high billable targets. In addition, for those who are required to drive for their work, driving consumes a large part of the workday. We need time for communication, planning, and research to better support participants. The job is primarily focused on billing rather than providing quality services to people.

Wages and Merit-Based Promotion - We want wages commensurate with the great responsibility we have for supporting another human being in succeeding in their employment and maintaining their health and safety during our shift with them. A higher wage would lead to higher retention of workers and mitigate turnover. Pay raises and promotions also need to be based on merit. It is unclear why some workers get promotions and raises over others.

Safety - We want to be included in the health and safety procedure conversations, with our needs and the needs of the participants prioritized. The workers and participants of CIS have exposed themselves to dangerous health conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic and have experienced incidents of total disregard for their safety and wellbeing unrelated to the health crisis. Unreasonable expectations to complete work outside of one’s job responsibilities, knowledge, or skills with little to no support diminishes confidence and morale. Forcing workers and participants to work in potentially violent or unsafe conditions is wrong. We feel that our and the participants’ wellbeing is disregarded. These instances are unacceptable and may not continue. CIS must not only do this for the individuals who experience these issues but must remedy the problems by preventing their future occurrence for all.