A modernization and consolidation plan for some operations within the Department of Human Services would expand benefits for the needy and save the state about $8 million a year, the Lingle administration says.

But the union for 228 employees that would be laid off in the process says the plan is ill-conceived and has not been thoroughly vetted.

  Department Of Human Services Lose Over 200 Workers

 

The Department of Human Services is closing dozens of public assistance offices.

 

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The Hawaii Government Employees Association also says the state and Human Services Director Lillian Koller intend to push the plan through without proper consultation with the union.

Workers would be laid off by June 30 and already have begun receiving notices.

“;She (Koller) has told us that she's going to do this,”; said Nora Nomura, deputy executive director of the HGEA, the state's largest public worker union. “;We can provide input, but she's going to do (it). So that's not consultation.

“;We will take whatever action we need to make sure that she follows the law.”;

Nomura said the union was consulting with its attorneys to decide what course of action to take.

Koller, in a 25-page letter to the HGEA, said the union has taken an “;obstructionist strategy”; and thwarted all attempts by the state to engage in meaningful discussion over the consolidation plan.

The state, in its continuing effort to cut costs, wants to streamline the process for applications and renewals of public assistance benefits, including welfare, Medicaid and food stamps.

Under the plan, 31 offices statewide that handle applications and renewals in person would be shut down and their functions consolidated at two Eligibility Processing and Operations Division offices that would process applications from facilities in Honolulu and Hilo.

The offices would accept applications by phone, fax and e-mail, and would require less manpower, enabling staff to process more applications and get more people into needed services, Koller said.

Koller said applicants can expect the same level of service, but in a more convenient manner.

“;It's the same eligibility workers who now you can only access by going in person and spending hours and hours waiting for your name to be called to come up and see a person,”; Koller said. “;That same eligibility worker will be manning phone banks and be accessible much more easily over the phone to assist you on how to answer questions.”;

Similar streamlining operations have been undertaken on the mainland as states cope with growing budget deficits during the recession. But union officials say successful consolidation plans have had better planning.

Nomura said most Hawaii workers did not know of the consolidation plan until it was raised by lawmakers at a public hearing in February.

“;If you do it as Hawaii—as the Department of Human Services is trying to do right now, without any planning, without any forethought, just with doing it for the sake of doing it—that's when you run into problems,”; Nomura said.

In her letter to the union, Koller said the HGEA abruptly canceled a planned meeting on Feb. 9 before using legislative hearings to “;mislead lawmakers and the public”; by exaggerating the numbers of jobs that would be lost.

“;The anti-EPOD public relations campaign has been very unfortunate,”; Koller said. “;We approached the union in good faith ... and instead of engaging in that in a meaningful way, instead they have spent a lot of time going around the state and creating a lot of fear and creating a lot of mischaracterization of our proposal.”;