Due to the coronavirus pandemic, we have shifted our annual Classified Conference online, and streamlined it into a single Saturday afternoon. You can attend valuable workshops on pandemic-related topics — and even join in a happy hour during the closing session — all without leaving home. There is no registration fee; the conference is also free for the first time ever.

With a theme of “Classified Professionals are Essential!,” our annual conference promises learning and fun — please join us online this year!

Registration & Conference Check-In

Conference registration is now closed. Registered attendees will receive the Zoom link for the conference by email on November 12. 

Conference log-in opens at 12:45 pm on Saturday. Please join the conference early as attendee check-in may take a few minutes. Please note: Your Zoom name must match the name on your registration for you to be admitted to the conference.  

Schedule

Time	Event
12 pm	Pre-Conference Presidents Collaboration
12:45 pm	Conference log-in opens
1 pm	OPENING SESSION
	Welcome: Carl Williams, President, Council of Classified Employees
	Panel Discussion: Worker Rights in the Time of COVID-19 Our lives have been deeply disrupted by the pandemic, creating dire concerns about health, safety, unemployment and childcare. The government response has been a complicated patchwork of federal and state programs that is difficult to understand. Our team of experts will provide the information you need to access these benefits. (See complete description in the next section.)
2:15 pm	WORKSHOPS
	• Problem Solving in the Workplace — Remote or On-Campus • Returning to Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic
3:15 pm	WORKSHOPS
	• Best Practices for Distance & Hybrid Learning • Minimizing Stress in the Workplace
4:15 pm	CLOSING SESSION & HAPPY HOUR
	Wind down in our closing session. Our happy hour theme is “Celebrate Classified with 20-20 Vision.” Wear your crazy glasses for this session!
	Officer Updates: Jeff Freitas, CFT President Luukia Smith, CFT Secretary Treasurer
	Raffles: Don’t miss our prize giveaways!
5 pm	ADJOURN

Panel Discussion

Worker Rights in the Time of COVID-19

Our lives have been deeply disrupted by the pandemic, creating dire concerns about health, safety, unemployment and childcare. The government response has been a complicated patchwork of federal and state programs that is difficult to understand. Our team of experts will provide the information you need to access these benefits. During this panel discussion, you will learn about:

• paid leaves available through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA);
• changes to the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the California Family Rights Act (CFRA);
• how a new Workers’ Compensation law addresses employee exposure at work;
• how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) can protect vulnerable employees;
• and the union rights that can be exercised to protect members from harm.

PANELISTS

• Hannah Weinstein  CFT General Counsel
• Danielle Short  Legal Counsel, AFT Guild, San Diego and Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community Colleges, Local 1931
• Zev Kvitky  CFT Training Director
• Michael Young  CFT Legislative Representative

Workshops

Workshop sign-up is now closed. If you did not sign-up for a workshop by the deadline of November 11, you will have an opportunity to be assigned one (via the Chat box) after the conference begins. The workshops will be held using break-out rooms during the Zoom conference. You must be registered for the conference to attend the workshops.

SESSION 1 — 2:15 pm

• Problem Solving in the Workplace — Remote or On-Campus
  This workshop will explain a variety of tools unions can use to solve problems in the worksite. Participants will leave with a better understanding of a variety of actions, how to choose the most appropriate one, and how to escalate actions toward a good outcome. Participants will also leave equipped to handle the initial steps of a grievance, including interviews, investigations, and informal meetings with management.
  PRESENTER
  Kassi Harris  CFT Field Representative
  MODERATOR
  Tina Solórzano Fletcher, CCE Southern Vice President
   
• Returning to Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic
  The concerns about returning to work are too numerous to list, and the depth of concern varies across local unions and geography. The CFT has prepared many resources that we’ll review in this workshop, including our health and safety checklist for safely reopening, and legal guidance on the rights of our unions to negotiate health and safety protections. We’ll also discuss some current disputes arising from these tensions, and offer guidance on the most effective and strategic use of our unions to protect the health and safety of our members and students.
  PRESENTERS
  Hannah Weinstein  CFT General Counsel
  Danielle Short  Legal Counsel, AFT Guild, San Diego and Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community Colleges, Local 1931
  Tristan Brown  CFT Legislative Representative
  Zev Kvitky  CFT Training Director
  MODERATOR
  Patti Serafin, CCE Secretary

SESSION 2 — 3:15 pm

• Best Practices for Distance & Hybrid Learning
  There are many questions about what good distance and hybrid techniques might look like. How can we do our jobs well and be effective? What does that look like? Join us as we discuss ways to support our students (and ourselves). We will talk about ways to communicate effectively — focusing on the important role that support staff play in the social and emotional support needs of our students. Our hope is that you’ll leave this virtual training with a few tips, tricks and tools to help you communicate effectively and authentically, in person or from afar. 
  PRESENTER
  Evan Lundeen​  Assistant Director, AFT Paraprofessional and School-Related Personnel (PSRP) Department
  MODERATOR
  Veronika Huntsberry, Berkeley Council of Classified Employees
   
• Minimizing Stress in the Workplace
  Stress is part of our daily personal and professional lives. There are a number of stressors in the workplace like bullying, insufficient staffing, demanding workloads, or unrealistic work expectations that challenge our physical and mental ability and well-being. A key factor in dealing with stress is how well we can manage it. When this is not done well, or at all, the consequences can have negative effects on our health and our interactions at work and home. We will examine sources of stress in the workplace, the physical and mental effects of stress, and some personal and collective strategies to help manage stress in the workplace and avoid or minimize its negative effects.
  PRESENTER
  Zev Kvitky  CFT Training Director
  MODERATOR
  Janet Eberhardt, CCE Northern Vice President

Local Presidents Collaboration

PRE-CONFERENCE EVENT

Whether you are a seasoned president, or brand new, this is an opportunity you won’t want to miss. Before the conference opens at 1 pm, local presidents from constituent unions of the Council of Classified Employees are invited to attend a casual seminar to share updates on current issues and get to know one another.

• The collaboration runs from 12 pm to 12:45 pm. 
• Presidents will be emailed a Zoom link on Thursday, November 12, to join the Local Presidents Collaboration. 

For More Information

If you have questions about the Classified Conference, please email Tina Solórzano Fletcher, CCE Southern Vice President.