Amidst the clamor over the upcoming election for governor, propositions and school board positions, an opportunity has arisen for part-time faculty to vote in their very own election.

Part-time faculty members will now be able to vote in the first week of November to receive State Disability Insurance thanks to Assembly Bill 381 which took effect January 1, 2010.

AB 381 allows part-time community college faculty across the state the ability, as a separate unit, to vote to participate in the California SDI program.

Part timers at DVC have never before been given the opportunity to gain SDI, however full-time faculty members already have this coverage.

Under the current law, only private-sector employers are required to provide SDI coverage for their employees, while public agencies, which include the state, cities, counties, school districts, community college districts and other local districts, are under no requirement to provide coverage for their employees.

According to information provided by Jeffrey Michels, president of the United Faculty, SDI is a partial wage-replacement insurance plan consisting of Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave Insurance.

Deborah Dahl-Shanks, part-time faculty representative at UF, said, “There are people who this will very much help, and it’s good to have, and be a part of, in case they might need it.”

The only downside Dahl-Shanks sees with SDI is the withholding rate, currently at 1.1 percent.

Manijeh Kashi, a part-time Persian professor who plans on voting affirmative on this initiative, said, “I have never needed and never will need to use SDI. But I am willing to pay the small rate of 1.1 percent in order to ensure that people, because of pregnancy or sickness, who need it, will be able to use it.”

As clarified by a United Faculty notice, in order to be eligible to receive SDI there are many requirements which must be met including being unable to work for at least eight consecutive days and having to complete and mail in a claim form within 49 days of the date you became disabled.

Dahl-Shanks, said it’s important to understand that it “also helps people who need to take care of a sick or dying parent, so it’s not just limited to people who have disabilities.”

For example, eligible employees will be able to take six work weeks of paid leave during a 12-month period for the birth and care of a new born child or to care for an immediate family member.

If the initiative passes then all part-time faculty members must participate and no one would be able to opt out.

Contact Taliah Mirmalek at [email protected]