Classified Resources
Resources
Union Media
- Classified Insider contains valuable news and information about the workplace issues of California classified employees and paraprofessionals and is emailed to members.
- California Teacher is the CFT’s all-union magazine that contains information relevant to members including a section specific to the issues of classified employees. Don’t be fooled by the name — this magazine is for all members, classified too!
- AFT PSRP e-Newsletter contains news and information for classified employee and paraprofessional members of the AFT Paraprofessional and School-Related Personnel (PSRP) division.
- AFT Early Childhood Education e-Newsletter provides early educators national news and helpful workplace information.
- AFT PSRP Reporter is part of AFT’s Voices blog and covers issues of relevance to classified employees and support staff nationwide.
- AFT e-Activist Network offers alerts and easy ways to take important action quickly on legislation or initiatives that affects you, your workplace, and your community.
Organizing Materials
- Get to Know Your CCE! Learn more about the officers of the Council of Classified Employees on this flyer.
- How Can You Participate? Learn how you can get involved in the Council of Classified Employees and the larger CFT on this flyer.
- Poster: Be a UNIONIST – United in Fighting for Fairness, Prosperity, Justice, Equality. Post this colorful piece in your workplace!
Know Your Rights
- Know Your Rights: A guide to workplace laws for classified employees and paraprofessionals in California is a comprehensive 40-page booklet that outlines state laws and what you need to know about them. It also contains your Weingarten Rights.
- CalOSHA Health-and-Safety Rights for Workers: This concise booklet produced by the Department of Industrial Relations/Cal-OSHA outlines the injury and illness prevention program required by your employer under the California Labor Code, your right to a workplace inspection, your right to refuse hazardous work, and your right to obtain documents and records.
Classified School Employee Week
Once a year, we make an extra effort to celebrate the support staff and paraprofessionals who help our early childhood centers, schools, and colleges succeed. Classified School Employee Week is the time to showcase our work. It is celebrated during the third full week in May of each year. In 2020, Classified Employee Week is May 17-23.
Retirement System
CalPERS is the retirement system for numerous groups of public employees in California, including many members of the classified service. The CFT monitors CalPERS actions and sends a representative to its board meetings.
For Staff in the Community Colleges
Consultation Council comprises 18 representatives from all levels of the community college system who have an opportunity to advise the chancellor and board of governors on state policy decisions. Thanks to successful CFT-sponsored legislation, classified staff have two seats on the council. The CFT representative on the Consultation Council is Thomas Hamilton from Long Beach City College.
Know your rights: Family and medical leave
One CFT-sponsored bill in 2017 sought to provide women working in education up to six weeks of paid pregnancy disability leave without charging the woman’s sick leave bank. The Legislature passed AB 568, but the governor refused to sign it into law, saying other options were possible.
Family and medical leaves are defined in federal laws, state codes and individual collective bargaining agreements. Your union local may also bargain improvements.