Author: ACE

ACE Members,

President’s Message
Well done surviving 2025. Welcome to 2026. Since it’s the first week of the quarter, I’ll keep the message brief and tied to resolutions. Next week I’ll expand a bit more after I have more feedback from members and the executive board.

December Pay on 2025-2026 Salary Schedule
The recently negotiated salary schedule has been uploaded to the Human Resources website, and our most recent paystubs are in alignment with it (LINK). CalPERS has received the same information for purposes of creating pension estimates. If you have not already created an account and explored the CalPERS website, we would highly encourage you to do so – https://www.calpers.ca.gov/ .

• Create retirement estimates
• Update beneficiaries
• Get educated – https://www.calpers.ca.gov/education-center/member-education

Four Oh What Kay? 403bwise
Is your new year’s resolution to set aside additional money for retirement? Check out 403bwise.org’s vendor ratings (LINK) and information on their site to get started. When you’re ready, you can follow guidance from our Payroll department on the setting up an account (LINK).

ACE has found the most popular vendors among district employees to be Fidelity or Vanguard (403b) and CalSTRS Pension 2 (457). The typical contribution limit for 2026 either account is $24,500 and the two can be combined to contribute $49,000. Some employees may also be eligible for additional catch-up contributions – please share your advice if you’re able to defer that much money.

• There is no employee or district cost for establishing a Fidelity Account.
• Contributions can be updated or halted with no penalty.
• Contact an ACE rep if you need to know your exact start date.

Years ago I used to facilitate a common interest group through the De Anza Office of Professional Development.  

Sick Leave is Protected Time
Do you need to take care of a health issue this year?

• Your supervisor/manager cannot deny sick leave for purposes of diagnosis or treatment.
• Your supervisor/manager cannot ask you to reschedule a healthcare appointment when sick leave is used.
• Your supervisor/manager cannot request a sick note unless there is evidence of misuse or fraud.
• Your supervisor/manager cannot request that you to work while on sick leave.
• Your supervisor/manager cannot discipline you for using sick leave.

Personally I’m pursuing some dental work that I delayed in 2025. To maximize your Delta Dental benefit, be sure to schedule your regular cleanings.

Special Note: CareCredit Caution (Video LINK) – Be wary if you are offered “CareCredit” at your dental office or be sure you understand what it is. More providers are offering 0% interest options for services, but don’t know how it affects their patients. I signed off on this offer, no realizing it was a credit card. It caused a “hard pull” on my credit, I was issued a card that was maxed out, and the process for paying the company was needlessly complicated. The hard inquiry, fully utilized account, and new account immediately lowered my credit score.

T-Shirt Order
We’re still finalizing the last order – a box of hoodies was lost but a replacement is in transit. The ACE Executive Board will be sending out a survey to fill any gaps and perhaps maintain a small inventory for new members.

Do you have a colleague who isn’t receiving these messages? They may not yet be a member or not be on our mailing list. We’re in the process of cross referencing our roster with the list of recipients to make corrections.  

In Service,

Scott Olsen (he/him) | ACE President
https://acefhda.org | scott.olsen@acefhda.org 
650-949-7789 | M-F 8:30am-5:00pm

ACE Members,

President’s Message – Climate Survey
Results from the spring District Climate Survey were released this fall – see information here:

• https://foothill.edu/irp/ccs.html
• https://www.deanza.edu/ir/Climate.html

This survey was done at the request of the Chancellor as part of the desire to become an employer of choice. My big question to management is, now that you have the data what are you going to do? Messages of gratitude, listening tours, and social functions are nice, but will not permanently move the metrics. In my work what I can see as root cause for the different responses among employee groups is as a lack of a consistent standard for management and a lack of emphasis placed on management as a skill.

• Have you waited more than a week for your vacation leave to be approved?
• Has your manager tried to deny your sick leave or pressured you to reschedule a medical appointment?
• Are you frequently contacted while on leave? Do you work unpaid overtime?
• Does your manager really comprehend your workload before assigning more?
• Does your manager alter your work schedule often?
• Is your work positively acknowledged, or do you only interact with your manager when there’s a deficiency?
• Has your manager taken necessary steps to make sure your classification and compensation are accurate?
• Have you had an evaluation in the past 2 years? Are there ongoing conversations about performance?

There are many issues ACE pursues that don’t directly lead to “happiness” but the absence of human dignity and respect in the workplace creates a tremendous amount of ongoing friction that can make the workplace very rough day-to-day. I believe the Chancellor remains committed to follow-up so hopefully we begin to see actions put in place to smooth operations in a tangible way. Two example items brought to the Chancellor’s attention were the lack of response to break-ins on the Foothill Campus, specifically impacting the 5400 building (for over 4 years!) and planned implementation of 60-minute unpaid meal breaks leading to an extended workday at the De Anza Child Development Center.

SRP (Supplemental Retirement Plan)
We’re still awaiting complete information, but a chart was provided below to estimate what the 15 different options may look like for the average eligible employee (age 60, income 107k$/yr):

This plan is separate from CalPERS and Social Security. Our understanding is that it would have no impact on either of those other retirement plans. The agenda for Monday’s Board of Trustees Meeting should include more information ( https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/fhda/Board.nsf/Public ) but you can expect that there will be training/information sessions in January and February at each campus and virtually to assist employees in comprehending this incentive offer.

Why is the district doing this? It’s a periodic occurrence, usually every ~10 years. There are cost savings associated with encouraging the highest earning employees to retire. It allows for restructuring and creates opportunities for advancement.

Are there going to be layoffs? No. ACE has not been informed of any layoff plans, and this offer would decrease the likelihood that they would occur in the near future by creating more vacancies.

How will my workload be impacted if colleagues retire? Contact a union steward if you are assigned new duties or a volume of work that exceeds what’s achievable within a 40-hour workweek. We can assist in prioritizing that work and assist in communicating that a position is needed to provide what’s desired.

Special Note: District Human Resources has committed to submitting an updated salary schedule to comply with a CalPERS compliance request prior to the deadline to accurately reflect current compensation for all ACE classifications.

Language Proficiency Pay
Tony Brown in HR is finalizing a form/process for submissions hopefully by end of day. Thank you to those who’ve sent emails to hr@fhda.edu and cc’d me with a message from your manager/supervisor stating that you are required to provide services in a language in addition to English. Those messages serve as documentation of when pay should have begun and we may be able to obtain retroactive pay going back to that date following a successful language proficiency exam, but no earlier than November 2025 when out Agreement was ratified by the Board of Trustees.

December Dues Forgiveness
ACE union dues will not be charged in December paychecks. Our Executive Board voted to approve this after analysis by our Treasurer, Jesse Perez. As always, we can do this because we are a (frugal) independent labor association in control of our own money. When we have enough in our accounts to pay for monthly expenses, pending litigation, reserves, and a strike fund, we return money to members.

The .87% dues rate is only collected from the regular pay line item. Dues are not collected from special compensation such as PGA, Longevity, Overtime, Working Out of Class, etc.

December Executive Board Meeting Cancelled
The Executive Board voted to cancel the monthly ACE Board meeting to allow members to attend campus events schedule for that day. We will address items via email and report out during our January meeting.

In Service,

Scott Olsen (he/him) | ACE President
https://acefhda.org | scott.olsen@acefhda.org  
650-949-7789 | M-F 8:30am-5:00pm