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DEBS Newsletter – Summer 2026

Labor Management Collaborative Meeting (LMCM) Wins: What We Accomplished Together 

The LMCM exists because workers know the people doing the job are best positioned to improve working conditions. Due to issues workers have raised, we are witnessing meaningful changes that are making a difference across DEBS. 

Every improvement started with a coworker who identified problems, brought forward solutions, and sustained engagement through the LMCM process. 

There is still more work to do, but every issue raised and every conversation held moves us one step closer to creating a better workplace. 

Do you have an idea or concern LMCM can address? Speak to one of your LMCM representatives—we are here to bring our coworkers’ voices to the table: 

Helen Tran 

Georgina Guevara 

Christal Porras 

Adan Rivera Jr 

Jose Alonzo 

Valeh Pakdaman 

Angy Alcantar 

Desiree Vasquez 

Brian Cocar 

Christa Starr 

Julie Barajas 

You can also submit LMCM issues here: https://forms.gle/ysw3iiW6A48XVpfu9 

One of our biggest victories was getting management to formally acknowledge that workload adjustments should be implemented when workers need them. Workers are expected to request adjustment by speaking with their supervisors to initiate the process. 

Management committed to the following process and guidelines: 

  • Supervisors should have individualized workload adjustment conversations with employees. 
  • Adjustments should not be delayed for weeks. 
  • Directors will use tracking tools to ensure those conversations are happening and adjustments are implemented. 

Why this matters: Before the LMCM, many workers perceived there was an unspoken expectation to “get the work done”, regardless of their workload. Management publicly committed to a process that recognizes the need for a workload to be discussed and adjusted where necessary. 

Workers repeatedly raised their concerns about being expected to complete a full  workload while attending mandatory training, or working a partial day. 

Management agreed to: 

  • Partial-day schedules should come with reduced workload expectations. 
  • Mandatory training time away from your desk counts toward those adjustments. 
  • Workers should be taken offline appropriately when needed, to focus on processing cases without worrying about covering phone shifts or walk-in clients. 

Why this matters: This policy impact is a direct result of workers speaking up about unrealistic workload expectations. 

The stress of continuing to receive new assignments right up until planned leave was pointed to consistently as a source of undue burden of stress at work. 

Management agreed with the principle that employees should have time to prepare before being out of the office by: 

  • Exploring assignment cutoffs before extended leave. 
  • Allowing workers time to wrap-up existing work. 
  • Reducing new assignments immediately before vacation. 

Why this matters: Better planning means less stress before leave and a smoother transition for everyone. 

Management committed to improving the office transfer process by: 

  • Seeking volunteers first. 
  • Using inverse seniority if volunteers are insufficient. 
  • Considering program knowledge and training area expertise like CalFresh, CalWORKs, Medi-Cal. 
  • Increasing transparency around transfer decisions. 
  • Avoiding large moves during periods of heavy absences. This resolution will ideally prevent a domino effect of in-house confusion, and increased workloads. 
  • Gradually building transferred workers’ caseloads. 

Why this matters: Worker feedback created a process that is more predictable and fair to staff, clients, and program operations. 

Workers raised concerns about access to the workload matrix. 

In response: 

  • Management confirmed the matrix could be shared with workers. 
  • Supervisors may provide broader access moving forward. 

Why this matters: Greater transparency helps workers better understand workload expectations and available resources. 

A worker’s suggestion is now a permanent LMCM agenda item. 

Management agreed to: 

  • Continue discussing best practices. 
  • Share successful approaches across units. 
  • Explore DEBS-wide sharing of effective strategies. 

Why this matters: Good ideas shouldn’t stay isolated. Workers across DEBS can benefit from successful approaches developed by their coworkers. 

Workers proposed surveying employees about voluntary office transfers based on location preferences. 

Management agreed, and the survey was distributed. 

Why this matters: While administrative transfers aren’t currently planned, workers’ preferences are now part of transfer interest and process conversations. 

Floaters in Continuing identified a need for additional Amazon Connect training. 

Management responded by providing training the next day. 

Why this matters: This is a great example of how quickly issues can be addressed when workers raise them through the LMCM. 

Workers raised concerns about overwhelming intake workloads. 

Management began exploring drawing support from CalWORKs and Continuing to help address high application volume. 

Why this matters: Rather than leaving workload concerns unaddressed, management is reviewing concrete staffing solutions.