I started working for the state some four decades ago.  Way back then, things were much different.  Some things were better, and some things were worse.  One thing that always remains the same is the Utah Public Employees’ Association’s (UPEA’s) constant work and support for public employees.  Our Association understands how difficult public employment can be and that the employer doesn’t hand out very many gold stars.

UPEA supports, defends, and fights for us all year not just during the legislative session.  It holds Public Employee Appreciation Days all summer long; sponsors flu-shot clinics; hosts Public Employee Salute winners nominated for their work by fellow employees; holds benefit fairs; and attends district meetings to answer questions and provide information. In addition, there are committee meetings designed for members to give their input into any issues they may want addressed.  This is truly an organization of the people and for the people!

It is so important to have our coworkers as members, too.  You can give them the information you receive from the Association and they will receive any benefits UPEA wins for employees, but they will not have the support and defense the Association provides.  The feeling of having a strong Association watching your back can only be experienced first-hand.

A rule change affects public employees using public property for personal use. According to Utah State Code 76-8-402(2), “It is unlawful for a public servant to: appropriate… public property to the public servant’s own use or benefit…” The code goes on to explain that if employees use government property for their own personal tasks, they can be charged with a second-degree felony.

However, a change authorized by Commissioner Todd E. Kiser states, “A public servant is not guilty of a violation of Utah Code section 76-8-402 for authorized personal use of public property.” As a result, public employees are now allowed to use public property for personal use as long as it is authorized. This recent policy change also states that, “This policy does not grant to employees or create an inherent right to use government resources, and one should not be inferred. The privilege to use public property for personal purposes may be limited or revoked at any time by an appropriate supervisor in the employee’s organizational chain of command.  Employees do not have a right to nor should they have an expectation of privacy while using government resources at any time… Employees who wish for their personal activities to be private should not conduct such activities using public property.”

Another rule to be aware of in relation to this slight policy change is the Hatch Act. This federally mandated law has not changed. It states, “No officer or employee in career service may engage in any political activity during the hours of employment” Therefore, even if public employees are given authorization to make calls or use public electronic devices, they cannot use public property (including time on the job) for political activity. This even includes sharing political posts on social media or doing any type of work to raise funds or promote a political office.

In an age where so much of our life is surrounded by electronics, instant communication and more, it is a nice benefit that the state is now allowing employees to operate public property for personal use. However, as the rule states, make sure that you have the proper authorization from your supervisor before you use any government property for personal use and ensure you are not participating in any political activity while you do so.

The Utah Public Employees’ Association (UPEA) is proud to participate in the Public Employee Salute Program.  The idea for the program began in 1999, when a past UPEA executive director noticed that KSL Radio had a special segment to recognize Utah teachers.  The segment is commonly known as the “Teacher Feature.”  However, there was no feature recognizing Utah’s public employees.  The following year, the UPEA and Mountain America Credit Union Public Employee Salute program began.

The following individuals have been nominated and recognized with the Public Employee Salute for their hard work for the state of Utah.

April

Teri Anderson

Teri Anderson is a 4^th District Court case manager. She is noted for being a supervisor who treats her team, coworkers, and the public with respect. She treats all court patrons with dignity and patience, and doesn’t let external factors influence how she interacts with others. She provides fair and impartial access to justice.

Danna Allen

Danna Allen is an agent associate with the Utah Department of Corrections. She is an amazing officer and is recognized for her work with offenders. She goes above and beyond in helping female offenders in their sobriety and programming while they are residents at the treatment center. She is caring, respectful, and knowledgeable about her position.

Natalie Thomas

Sgt. Natalie Thomas has been with the Utah Department of Corrections for five years. During her time at the Utah State Prison, her positive attitude and upbeat personality help both inmates and staff develop more cohesive relationships. Her work ethic and ideas for change have made her an integral part of the programming department.

Jaime Jensen

Sgt. Jaime Jensen is a programming sergeant and is assigned to work with the sex offender population. In this difficult line of work, she has always been professional and helpful to both inmates and staff. She pitches in to assist with daily operations and duties outside of her assignment whenever needed. She is a powerhouse member of the team and is an example to everyone.

May

Mark Robertson

Mark Robertson has a master’s degree in clinical social work, has specialized training in attachment disorders, and is the clinical director for the Northern Region of the Department of Child and Family Services. For more than20 years, Robertson has been leaving lasting impressions on every soul he meets and has bee finding creative ways to assist victims in their healing process. He is a great example of what a trauma-informed advocate and leader should be. He spends countless hours preparing lessons and trainings, and guiding a peer support group for others working with victims so they are able to provide the best support.

Ryan Putman

Deputy State Fire Marshall Ryan Putman has been invited by the Federal National Institute of Standards and Technology to present his expertise on two programs improving hazardous materials training and response in Utah. He helped develop the hazmat virtual reality and drone programs from mere ideas to world-leading technology in just eight months. Virtual reality helps first responders make strategic and tactical decisions, and the integrated drone collects data, delivering anywhere with wireless connections.

Jennifer Shipman

Jennifer Shipman, a Utah public employee for 19 years, is an office specialist II at the Utah Department of Corrections. She continually goes above and beyond, and is the go-to person in the office. She has trained all new clerical staff assigned to community correctional centers in Salt Lake County for the past 14 years. She also serves on a number of committees.

Tavish Paulsen

Tavish Paulsen, a Division of Child and Family Services caseworker, is an amazing caseworker and coworker. She works with the family dependency drug court and helps advocate for her clients. She is always there to lend a hand, a supportive word, and a listening ear. When clients finish with drug court, Paulsen gives her clients a binder with positive reminders of sobriety and how far they’ve come.

June

Shawn Bekkemellom

Officer Shawn Bekkemellom is an Adult Probation and Parole agent associate for the Utah Department of Corrections. He has worked for the state for 14.5 years, ensuring public safety by enforcing policies and laws when inmates are released. He helps others without complaint and keeps track of a voluminous amount of details, always ensuring he is prepared to testify in court.

Sandra Gustaveson

Sandra Gustaveson is a Division of Child and Family Services caseworker. Gustavesony is a great example to her coworkers, supporting them and sharing her vast knowledge about the policies. She works with the family dependency drug court system, and has been effective in getting parents help and holding them accountable for their actions, helping reunify them with their children. She takes her role seriously, and advocates for her clients whenever possible.

David Bybee

David Bybee is a transportation technician III for the Utah Department of Transportation. He gets along with everyone, and treats everyone, regardless of whether they’re coworkers or members of the public, professionally and with respect. For 14 years, he has been dedicated to the job, and now knows how to solve any problems his crew runs into.

Johanna Gross

Sgt. Johanna Gross has been an integral part of the LS/RNR team for the Utah Department of Corrections, created by legislation that requires assessments to be completed on every offender. She assisted in providing training for staff members and the Board of Pardons and Parole, always willing to help others understand, and keep the fidelity of assessments. Her work ethic is an example to all.

July

Delroi Warnok

Sgt. Delroi Warnock is a programming sergeant for the Central Utah Correctional Facility. He has been serving the public for 20 years. Warnock teaches a number of classes to inmates, and supervises even more. He is a powerful instructor as well as a respected officer. He is recognized by inmates as treating each with equal potential and encouragement.

Mark Ashcroft

Mark Ashcroft is a program manager for the Utah Department of Agriculture. He is an exceptional employee and is very organized. He always goes the extra mile and is always willing to help those he works with. Ashcroft worked hard through each rank of the department, and because of this, he understands problems at each level of the department.

Shanell Beecher

Shanell Beecher is the director of accounting and operations in the Mayor’s Financial Administration of Salt Lake County. She is intelligent and performs her accounting functions with knowledge and precision. Beecher is a manager who treats her employees with kindness, dignity, and respect. Her work is essential to the success of her team, which results in accuracy and timeliness of the county’s financial reporting.

UPEA wants to congratulate all of our Public Employee Salute honorees and thank them for their extraordinary work for the state of Utah. The Public Employee Salute is an ongoing program UPEA is proud to be a part of. Please nominate any coworkers who you believe deserve recognition for their hard work.

The staff at the Utah Public Employees’ Association (UPEA) always looks forward to the warmer summer months filled with sunshine, pool days, and Public Employee Appreciation Days. Each summer, UPEA visits the various agencies around the state to take lunch and treats to all of the amazing and hard-working public employees. These events are a great opportunity for public employees to learn about the benefits of joining UPEA and to check in with employee representatives.

Colonial Life sponsored this year’s Public Employee Appreciation Days. UPEA partners with Colonial Life to bring UPEA members supplemental insurance. Open enrollment for the various insurance benefits has been extended to Aug.16. Please contact Dan Ison at 385-535-0766 with any questions. Mountain America Credit Union, Financial Education Systems, and Costco also joined UPEA at these events.

UPEA wants to thank all the dedicated employees who represent the great state of Utah. If UPEA didn’t hold a Public Employee Appreciation Day at your office, or an office near you, and you would like one next year, please contact your employee representative.

Paul Gillette (May 26, 1938 – July 10, 2019)

Paul Gillette was elected president of the Utah Public Employees’ Association in 1975. In his editorial to members, he called for unity, for “working together to create a better UPEA.” At the time, UPEA was going through some changes; The Association was transitioning from being a “state-only” group to a “public-employee” organization. The Utah State Employees’ Association, as it was previously called, had decided it could be more effective when all public employees had access. This action would allow all employees who worked in the public sector to be represented. Gillette spoke about how UPEA’s progress from serving as a social organization to becoming an  “effective employee [representative].” While a few members criticized this change, Gillette implored members to accept the expanded role of advocating for themselves and their jobs. “We are more oriented today in pursuing salary adjustments and other fringe benefits than in the past where the social aspects of the organization seemed more important.”

During his year as president, Gillette saw an increase of members from across Utah. Many joined from Brigham City, Logan, and Salt Lake County. During one membership drive in 1975, UPEA gained 506 members. He advocated fiercely for a wage increase for public employees. During the legislative session of 1976, the Legislature approved a 7.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment. UPEA also successfully lobbied to keep the Salary Act intact.

In early July, Gillette passed away at the age of 81. He spent nearly his whole career as an employee of the Department of Water Resources, eventually serving as the deputy director. After retiring, he was selected for the Utah State Retirement Board and eventually became the president. The board built the new PEHP/Retirement building at 500 East and 200 South in Salt Lake City. Gillette loved serving his community and Utah. His dedication to the public sector will always be remembered and we thank him and his family for the service provided to UPEA, its members, and the state of Utah.