Below is an overview of our wins:
Article 8 – Leaves
- Paid Sick time leave cannot be denied.
- Expanded definition of family to include; domestic partners, relationships that are like family, significant others, and more.
- Bereavement leave is now available to Paraproffesionals.
- Maternity leave has been changed to Parental & Childcare leave, to include any parent of a child.
- Establishes an opt-in Sick leave bank for all ESPs. This permits ESPs to be granted Sick leave time beyond a total Sick leave accrual.
Article 11 – Reduction in Force(excludes parapros/health aides, found in Article 5)
- New language stipulates that reducing 1 position is a RIF.
- Staff that are reduced have the opportunity to be placed in an opening in the district first.
- “Job Performance” or “Skills” are no longer used to determine the order of a RIF, but instead establishes that seniority is the only determining factor, which would otherwise allow admin to cut staff based on level of pay, age, or favoritism.
Article 16 & Food Service
- Article 16 establishes a pilot program that includes worker, family, and community voice in a committee with the goal of creating healthy, culturally relevant school meals for the students of Jeffco.
- The MEQ proposal resulted in a MOU to determine the fate of junk food in school kitchens and that no Food Service Manager can be red-circled or reduced in pay as a result of the sale of junk food.
Healthcare & Benefits
- JESPA members fought to renegotiate the Benefits Advisory Committee, which is comprised of billionaire insurance brokers, administrators, and JCEA. A new structure will create rules and boundaries that will not prevent JESPA from being able to negotiate healthcare in good faith with district counterparts and their third part interests.
- +$20 added to employer contribution, from $529 to $549
Wages & Compensation – 22% average increase!
- A historic multi-year proposal! Never before has the district budgeted for ESPs beyond the upcoming school year!
- JESPA members campaigned for a $3/hr increase to ALL ESPs and that has been achieved:
- $2/hr for all ESPs & step increases for eligible employees, to be implemented September of 2022 (average of 13.5% increase)
- $1/hr for all ESPs & step increases for eligible employees, implemented September of 2023 (average of 8.5%)
- Automatic reopening of financial compensation negotiations if the district receives any additional funding.
- The Wage Schedule Committee will meet and work on longevity schedule improvements.
The next step to secure these wins is for JESPA members to ratify this tentative agreement.
