Know the Code–Discrimination and Harassment

A message from the Office of Ethics, Compliance and Labor Standards:

Everyone wants to be treated with respect ­- and they should be.

Unfortunately, some employees are treated poorly. In some cases, it might even be illegal.

California law says employers cannot harass or discriminate against employees because of their:

• Race

• Color

• National Origin

• Culture

• Ancestry

• Religious Creed

• Political Affiliation

• Sex

• Gender Identity

• Gender Expression

• Sexual Orientation

• Marital Status

• Age

• Disability

• Military and Veteran Status

• Pregnancy

These are protected characteristics.

There is a difference between harassment and discrimination. When someone calls you names, or sends offensive texts, emails or pictures, because of your protected characteristic, that is harassment.   

When an employer demotes, fires or cuts your pay, because of your protected characteristic, that is discrimination.  

If you experience or witness harassment and discrimination, or if you are a manager or supervisor and someone tells you about harassment or discrimination – do the right thing.

 Report it. Call the Ethics Hotline at 866-549-0004.

Check out the OECLS webpage on InSite for information about upcoming Ethics and Compliance Program events, training and resources including monthly “Know the Code” articles and micro-training videos. 

If you have questions about Ethics and Compliance training and other resources, contact the OECLS team at oec@sdcounty.ca.gov or 619-531-5174.  

HHSA staff may also contact the HHSA Business Assurance and Compliance team at compliance.hhsa@sdcounty.ca.gov or 619-338-2807. 

Honoring Helen Robbins-Meyer

The Board of Supervisors presented a proclamation on Tuesday to Helen Robbins-Meyer for her 26 years of service to the County. The recognition was given during Robbins-Meyer’s last day. She served as chief administrative officer since 2012. Watch the Board of Supervisors award the proclamation.

Supervisors Approves Appointment of Interim Chief Administrative Officer

Sarah Aghassi has been selected by the Board of Supervisors to serve as Interim Chief Administrative Officer for the County of San Diego, bringing more than 20 years of progressively responsible executive-level strategic, political, and operational leadership in both the private and public sectors.

Read more on County News Center.

CAO Message: Farewell and Thank You!

Message from Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer:

How does one say goodbye and thank you to friends and colleagues who have been such a joy to work with? Over the years, I’ve had the honor of getting to know many of you. I’ve relied on you to serve our residents with compassion and excellence. You’ve built a reputation for San Diego as one of the most respected and admired counties in this nation. You’ve worked tirelessly to keep our roads in great condition, to help our most vulnerable residents get the assistance they need, to keep our communities safe, to preserve our environment for future generations, to help our kids grow up happy and healthy, and so much more. 

Public service is the most rewarding opportunity one could ever imagine. Every day we are faced with challenges. And every day we rise to them, with commitment to ensure we are doing everything possible to help improve the lives of our residents. It’s not easy. In fact, it’s really hard. But every day YOU make it happen. And for this I will be forever grateful. I couldn’t have asked to serve beside more caring, compassionate and competent people. You’ve made me proud every single day to work for the County of San Diego as your CAO.

Retirement is something we all dream about. But when it actually comes, it is daunting. Because you leave behind decades of relationships and feelings of professional accomplishments every single day and step into the unknown. But there is also a sense of wonder as to what’s next. For me, it’s spending time with my husband, my children, and my grandchildren. It’s volunteering with some of the organizations that I’ve had a chance to learn about. And most importantly, it’s about stepping aside to allow a new generation of leaders to take over. It’s time for me to get out of their way and cheer them on from the sidelines! They are ready! And so are you. Change keeps things fresh, exciting and relevant. And all of you have so much to look forward to as the Board officially appoints a new Interim CAO tomorrow while they conduct the search for a permanent replacement.

Let me wrap up 26 years of service with a very simple THANK YOU. It’s been an absolute honor to work with you and to play a small part in making San Diego County great. 

Best wishes forever.

Join MLK Jr. Parade

The African American Association of County Employees invites County employees to march in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade in San Diego on Jan. 14. The employee resource group will be walking in the parade with the AAACE banner.

There is no need to register. Just meet at the Guardian of the Water fountain on the west side of the County Administration Center located at 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego at 9 a.m. (See a photo of the fountain below.) Look for AAACE President Kalia Kincade, Office of Equity and Racial Justice Director Andrew Strong or the OERJ or AAACE banners.

Learn more about AAACE on InSite.

AAACE members in 2023

Guardian of the Water Fountain

Changes to Your 2024 Paychecks

County employees may see a change to their net pay starting Friday Jan.5. These changes are due to new 2024 tax rates that took effect Jan. 1.

Changes include updates to mileage reimbursement rates, SDI employee withholding rates and Social Security base limits.

You can find a full list of 2024 tax changes here.

For more information, visit Auditor and Controller, Central Payroll Administration’s InSite page for Federal and California withholding schedules, IRS tax withholding estimator and more.

Employees wanting to make changes to their income tax withholding information can do so through Employee Self Service.

The deadline to submit a request for a paperless 2023 W-2 and to update your mailing address is Friday, Jan. 5 at 5 p.m.

Employees with questions about their tax circumstances should seek professional tax advice.

Deadline to Submit Request for Paperless 2023 W-2 and Update Mailing Address Is Friday

A reminder that employees who would like to receive their 2023 W-2 electronically must give their consent by 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5. 

If you elect to receive your W-2 electronically, you will not receive a paper version of your W-2 from the County. 

Among the benefits of receiving your W-2 electronically are providing you access to your W-2 earlier, eliminating the chance of it being lost in the mail, enhancing your data security and identity protection, and supporting the County’s core value of sustainability. 

Once your consent is submitted, it automatically continues forward each year. It does not need to be resubmitted unless you have withdrawn your consent and wish to give consent again. 

To sign up for W-2 electronically, use the Instructions for Electronic W-2 Consent.  

If you do not elect to receive your W-2 electronically, the County will mail a paper W-2 no later than Jan. 31 to the current mailing address in PeopleSoft. 

For those who will receive their paper W-2 via U.S. mail, the deadline to review and update your mailing address through Employee Self Service is also 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5.  

Verify that your address is up to date and contains the correct nine-digit zip code. 

For more information or questions, email Central Payroll Administration, Auditor & Controller at CentralPayroll@sdcounty.ca.gov. 

'Listening Is One of the Loudest Forms of Kindness'

Being a good listener is one of the most important life skills anyone can have. And i is said that “listening is one of the loudest forms of kindness.”

Watch this TED Ed video “Being a Good Listener” from last quarters D&I Digest and think through these four key points:

1. Good listeners egg us on. It's hard to know our own minds. We often worry in the vicinity of something, but do not quite close in on what's bothering or exciting us. We benefit from encouragement to elaborate, to go into greater detail, to push a little further.  

2. Good listener urges clarification. It is easy to say vague things. We simply mention that something is lovely or terrible, nice, or annoying, but we do not explore why we feel this way. The friend who listens often has a productive and friendly suspicion of some of our own first statements. That friend is after the deeper attitudes that they are lurking in the background. 

3. Good listeners do not moralize. They give the impression that they recognize and accept our follies. They reassure us that they are not going to shred our dignity. Our vulnerability is something they warm to, rather than they are appalled by. 

4. Good listeners separate disagreement from criticism. They are powerfully aware that a lovely person could end up a bit muddled and in need of some gentle untangling. When we are with people who listen well, we experience a powerful pleasure but too often we do not realize what it is this person is doing that so nice. By paying strategic attention to the pleasure, we can learn to magnify it and offer it to others, who will notice, hear and repay the favor in turn. 

Top County Stories in 2023

Last year was a busy one —from Tropical Cyclone Hilary bringing lots of rain to a new County supervisor being sworn into office. Here’s a glimpse of the top-viewed topics and stories from InSite over the past year.

County Names Interim HHSA Director

In June 2023, County Chief Medical Officer Dr. Eric McDonald was named to serve as interim Health and Human Services Agency director by Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer.

Dr. McDonald continues to hold the position as the County hears from the community about the qualities and qualifications, they would like in the next leader of HHSA. The agency oversees numerous programs and has nearly 8,000 employees who directly provide services to more than a third of the region’s residents.

County Gets a New Brand

The County adopted a new logo on July 1, 2023. It reflects the region’s geographic diversity, the County’s new energy and takes inspiration from the County seal and the Live Well San Diego brand.

The logo is meant to complement our County seal which has been in use since 1937. The seal will continue to be used for formal official documents like Board of Supervisors policies, County proclamations and others.

Find all the logo information you need to roll through 2024 on-brand and in style.

Picture Lovers

Employees loved showing off their personalities in 2023. More than 555 photos were submitted to a gallery filled with employees’ cute pets. More than 250 photos were shared in the virtual costume party and costume contest on Halloween! And a jolly amount of pictures were shared in a gallery showcasing “ugly” holiday attire.

Jay’s Program

In March 2023, the County hosted a graduation ceremony with five interns from an inclusive employment internship called Jay’s Program. Watch a short video from this celebration.

Jay’s Program helps those with intellectual and developmental disabilities improve their job skills and increase opportunities for future employment while allowing participating County departments to expand their perspective on inclusivity and belonging in the workplace. 

Buildings on the Horizon

In February 2023, General Services shared an update on ribbon cuttings, groundbreakings and capital expansion projects for both 2022 and the upcoming year of 2023. Projects included the Lakeside Library, the Southeastern Live Well Center and the East Otay Mesa Fire Station 38.

Recognizing Our Long-time Employees

Each month we recognize long-time employees of the County in Service Awards. The list honors employees who have been with the County for 20, 25, 30 years and more!

In addition, we celebrate those who have retired after serving the public through the retirement post.

Positive Experience

County employees are committed to providing our customers with a positive experience. Quotes from customer satisfaction surveys, online reviews and social media comments are highlighted each week on InSite. And employees LOVE to read them. The “Positive Experience” quotes are some of the most read content on InSite. If you want to share your own Positive Experience, email communications@sdcounty.ca.gov or share Praise on Teams.

InService

We met 50 incredible employees through the InService this year. The video series, which features a different employee each week, is a celebration of everyone who makes the County work. Check out all the videos. We look forward to celebrating more of you in 2024!

Read more popular stories from 2023: Top Stories from the San Diego County News Center in 2023

Get Information at Social Security and Medicare Lunch and Learn Sessions

Want to retire? Attend Department of Human Resources virtual presentations on Social Security and Medicare. Experts will discuss eligibility, enrollment and benefits.

Registration is not required. Save the event session information below to join.

Social Security Session
Wednesday, Jan. 10
Noon – 1 p.m.
Click here for the Social Security session

Medicare Session
Wednesday, Jan. 17
Noon – 1 p.m.
Click here for the Medicare session

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