Rewind: You Have the Right to Remain Silent

If you missed the San Diego Public Defender Community Outreach Team’s presentation on “Know Your Rights” hosted by the African American Association of County Employees (AAACE) and the Emerging Workforce Association (EWA) employee resource groups, watch it now.

The team covered basic rights including the right to remain silent, the right to protect oneself against unreasonable search and seizure, and the right to advocate for change. They also discussed police encounters, the rights of those with a criminal history and the rights of non-citizens.  

If you’d like to request the Public Defender Community Outreach Team to host a presentation at a school, community center, or any other location, please reach out to them.

Want the inside scoop on further micro-learnings, lunch and learns, and other cultural activities? Join one or all of the 10 ERG’s today!

Join SDCLA for a Soccer Game

Join the San Diego County Latino Association for a special match of San Diego Loyal verses the Tacoma Defiance at the University of San Diego. Twenty percent of ticket proceeds will support the SDCLA Scholarship Program.

• Date: Sept. 19

• Time: 3 p.m.

• Location: USD Stadium

• Price per ticket: $25

Ticket sales end Thursday, Sept. 2.

For more information and to purchase tickets please email SDCLA@sdcounty.ca.gov.

See the flyer below:

Book Club: Savushun, A Persian Novel by Simin Daneshvar

Join the Middle Eastern Employee Resource Group (MEERG) and the County of San Diego Filipino-American Employees’ Association (CSDFEA) for a book discussion of “Savushun” by Simin Daneshvar.

Date: Thursday, Sept. 30

Time: 5 – 6:30 p.m.

Location: MS Teams

Click HERE to register.

Book Description: Savushun is a folk tradition, surviving in Southern Iran from an undateable pre-Islamic past, that conjures hope in spite of everything. The novel chronicles the life of a Persian family during the World War II Allied occupation of Iran. The story is seen through the eyes of Zari, a young wife, and mother, who copes with her idealistic husband while struggling with her desire for traditional family life and her need for an individual identity.

The book discussion is open to County employees, family, and friends. The ERGs look forward to seeing you! For any questions/comments, contact MEERG@sdcounty.ca.gov or CSDFEA@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Going for Gold: Olympic Athletes Continue to Inspire

Scout Bassett

The Paralympics Games kicked off this week following a fantastic showing of the U.S. at the Tokyo Olympic Games.  In celebration of the summer games, get inspired by the athletes who are not only achieving athletic greatness, but are also stepping up to take action for good.

Watch these four videos spotlighting those who are using their voice and their platform to make a positive difference in their communities. 

• Track and field athlete Scout Bassett speaks about diverse abilities.

• Diver Tom Daley talks authenticity.

• Track and field athlete Allyson Felix addresses maternal mortality.

• Boxer Zeina Nassar touches on justice.

Pass on the torch, share these videos with a colleague.

A New Resource for Employees Who Work Remotely

Working remotely has become a permanent part of the way the County does business, and there’s a new resource to help employees.

It’s the GWOW webpage. GWOW stands for “Government without Walls.” Many of you may not be in the office every day, but it’s still important to stay connected to the team, initiatives and resources available to all County employees. Head over to the GWOW hub to find collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, online and mobile resources including a link to Kronos, helpful HR info, training opportunities, forms, policies and even health and wellness opportunities to help with work-life balance.

GWOW helps the County efficiently provide services to the public while also reducing the carbon footprint of our operations. Be sure to browse through the GWOW page for useful resources and check back often for updates.

Are you Ready for Your Next Interview?

The County of San Diego Filipino-American Employees’ Association will be hosting an Interview (virtual) Workshop on Tuesday, Aug. 31, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Register to attend at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/csdfea-interview-workshop-tickets-167519993811. Online details will be sent out to registrants before the event date.

Please note that limited registration is available and that there is a $5 fee for non-members.

See the flyer below.

Rethinking Thinking

Every day we meet people and process our interactions—making inferences and developing beliefs about the world around us. Watch this short Ted-Ed Talk video where business professor Trevor Maber introduces the idea of “ladder of inference” and a process for rethinking the way we interact.

Curious to know more? Watch now.

Celebrate National Nonprofit Day with CECO

Pledge to celebrate National Nonprofit Day on Aug. 17. Donate to San Diego County Employees Charitable Organization (CECO), the County’s very own nonprofit that supports other nonprofits and is 100% operated by fellow employees who volunteer their time to the organization's mission.

Since forming in 1956, CECO has given nearly $7 million back to San Diego County. Contributions from employees and retirees to CECO are awarded to local charitable organizations each year and employees in crisis. Earlier this year, CECO distributed $138,520 in grants to 86 local nonprofit programs and assistance. Charitable organizations receiving grants included Alzheimer's San Diego, Coastal Roots Farm, License to Freedom, MANA de San Diego, San Diego Civic Youth Ballet and the Urban Corps of San Diego County.

Pledge to celebrate National Nonprofit Day all year! Sign up to make bi-weekly payroll contributions of $2 or more.

Other ways to support CECO are to make a one-time contribution through PayPal or contact CECO directly; and by shopping AmazonSmile where a portion of your purchase will be donated to CECO. (AmazonSmile functions the same as Amazon, but the online retailer donates 0.5 percent of the product price of eligible purchases to a charity of your choice.)

For more about CECO, please visit sdceco.org.

Get Curious About the Work of OEC

Office of Ethics and Compliance staff in February 2020

Each day we find ourselves eager to connect and learn more about one another, what drives us and how the work we do may influence one another. Our curiosity may lead to benefits like opportunities for reflection, discovery and learning through shared experiences.

In an interview with the Office of Ethics and Compliance (OEC), Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Division Human Resources Services Manager Taryell Simmons sat down with the department staff to give us a peek into how this group uses their expertise and unique perspective to balance policy, law and human belief around the topics of privacy, ethics, compliance and diversity.

Get curious about the work of OEC that is vital to upholding equity throughout the County and serves as a neutral space for us all. Read more in this Q&A article in the D&I Digest.

Don’t Miss Social Security, Medicare Lunch and Learns

Save the dates! The Department of Human Resources is hosting two virtual presentations to help you plan for retirement. Experts from Social Security and Medicare will discuss eligibility, enrollment and benefits.

Medicare Session

Wednesday, Aug. 25

Noon – 1 p.m.

Event Link

Social Security Session

Wednesday, Aug. 18

Noon – 1 p.m.

Event Link

For more information, contact the Department of Human Resources Employee Benefits Division at 888-550-2203 or DHRBenefits.FGG@sdcounty.ca.gov.