Monica Hess

As the Executive Assistant I have prioritized and determined what requires direct and/or immediate attention from the Warden. I field telephone calls and correspondence from the Governor’s Office, headquarters, legislators, the public, departmental administrators, other institutions, inmate families, etc. I review incoming documents, including Department Operations Manual Supplements and Operational Procedures. I have updated Restricted DOM Supplements/OPs and act as liaison between the Warden and the Executive and institutional staff. I gather background information for the Warden’s response and review, compose, and prepare correspondence for the Warden’s signature. I screen visitors & address questions or concerns and handle whatever possible or refer to appropriate staff. I am responsible for reviewing incoming/outgoing correspondence from institutional staff for grammar, accuracy, format, completeness, and composition. I direct the activities of the support staff for the Warden’s Office. I maintain a tracking system on my work computer to ensure compliance with due dates on assignments designated by the Warden/on behalf of
the Warden to staff. I maintain the Warden’s calendar on Outlook and print the daily agenda for the Warden’s use. I maintain a calendar for the Warden’s Conference Room and Executive Conference Room. I make all travel arrangements for the Warden. I have also been continued to be clerical support to the Chief Deputy Warden while acting as the Executive Assistant.

Researches confidential and sensitive departmental or program issues; redirects and/or responds to telephone calls and written inquiries from the Governor's Office and Legislature and other high level contacts on behalf of the Chief Deputy Warden (CDW) or Warden; maintains the CDW's working schedule and calendar; follows up on projects and requests assigned to programs; as delegated by the CDW or Warden, reviews materials submitted by programs for format, content and grammar; routes, tracks, reviews and sometimes prepares correspondence responses to inmates/public, assists the Executive Assistant with directing the activities of support staff; provides and/or directs the typing and secretarial support services for the CDW and at times the Warden.

As a Return to Work Coordinator (RTWC), I perform Return to Work and Worker's Compensation duties. While in the Return to Work Office, I have maintained and tracked all absences for both DAI and CCHCS staff. I process all medical notes and request medical clarification when necessary. I gather information for both staff and inmate reportable and non-reportable claims; 3301s, 3067s, 3066s, AVSS footage, IIPPSs, 7219s, orders; etc. and then enter those claims in BIS and submit claim documents to SCIF. I process reasonable accommodations, limited term, light duty assignments and temporary, modified work assignments. I maintained a grooming accommodation log and other RA logs, including the Covid-19 medical exemption log. I assist staff with completing all necessary paperwork for Return to Work, Workers' Compensation and FMLA. I also maintain the FMLA log, start the FMLA eligibility process and notify employees of eligibility. I am proficient in BIS, SOMS, WFTS, Excel, and most other Microso􀀮 programs.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, my co-part has been absent from work multiple days a week, and at time on a continuous basis since October of 2022. Due to the staffing shortage, and increased workload with them being gone, and the California Correctional Center (CCC) closure, I have been working overtime in an attempt to complete their workload as well.

While in the Return to Work Office as an Office Technician Typing, I maintained and tracked all absences for both Division of Adult Institutions (DAI) and California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) staff. I processed all medical notes and requested medical clarification when necessary. I assisted in gathering information for both staff and inmate reportable and non-reportable claims; 3301s, 3067s, 3066s, Audio video surveillance system (AVSS) footage, IIPP5s, 7219s, orders; etc. and then submitted claim documents to SCIF. I assisted with reasonable accommodations, limited term, light duty assignments and temporary, modified work assignments. I maintained a grooming accommodation log and other RA logs, including the Covid-19 medical exemption log. I assisted staff with completing all necessary paperwork for Return to Work, Workers' Compensation and Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). I also maintained the FMLA log, started the FMLA eligibility process and notified employees of eligibility. I am proficient in BIS, SOMS, WFTS and Excel. I learned to enter different types of Workers' Compensation claims and processed the claims from beginning to end.

During my time as a Timekeeper, I keyed FlSA watch sheets and posted attendance, made changes to time, corrected or changed pay codes as necessary, Including holding shifts as absent due to non-complete stgn-ins. I malhtained HR Master Data and
checked-in 998s and cleared sick time. I then alphabetized the 998s by unit and
distributed them to the Personnel Specialists. I ran leave usage sick & FMLA reports
daily and transferred that. information to an excel sheet. I ran over and under reports and worked with BIS to ensure that any mistakes were corrected. I printed the
monthly 998 delinquency letters to staff, folded, stuffed and mailed them. I printed the monthly TSS reports for the Personnel Specialists and made corrections as needed. I answered the phone, screened calls, and helped fellow staff members with whatever they needed, This included sorting mail, date stamping, creating state identification
cards, paper filing, shredding, etc.

I began working in Nursing Education and tracked all Nursing/Medical Staff's training, created trainings and entered that training Into BIS In 1ST. While in Nursing Education I taught myself how to download ZOL defibrillator reports after they were used in a code along with how to properly use a-KED extrication device, and I trained other staff how to properly do these things as well. I was also given the opportunity to be a BLS Instructor and teach my fellow Nursing Staff during this time. I then covered the Outside Specialty Clinic and worked in Nursing Education starting in November 2014 until I rolled over permanently to Outside Specialty OT. Although my full time job was the Outside Specialty OT, I covered all yards at HDSP when they were In need and took an ASU and Level 1 full-time for years as well as my main job. Working as the Outside Specialty Office Technician required professional customer service Interactions, medical knowledge, the ability to work independently􀚛 give direction and have knowledge of computer programs such as SOMS, Cerner, Excel, Word1 Quest, RIS and many others. My daily duties included speaking with the public to schedule offsite appointments with contracted medical specialists serving the inmate population, analyzing medical charts to make sure the correct care was being provided by the correct specialist, including sending imaging, labs and all other supporting documentation. I created paperwork for the Inmate-Patient to temporarily leave the institution and coordinated these appointments with Transportation on a yearly Excel calendar schedule for staff and the inmate patient population while staying within court ordered timeframes. I took the initiative to learn about medical contracts and worked with the Medical Contracts Analyst at HOSP as well as other institutions to coordinate care when we were not able to provide services here at HOSP. I requested new contracts, requested letters of agreement, monitored current contracts and I provided updated contract information to Direct Care Contracts Section at Headquarters. I corresponded with contracts on a frequent basis and analyzed data, tracked information and made recommendations to contracts and management based on our needs. There were times that I reached out to multiple organizations or specialists to meet our institutional needs when contracts was not able to assist me. I took it upon myself to reach out to multiple Dermatologists near HOSP due to the fact that our last contracted Dermatologist was no longer willing to see Inmate-Patients. After many phone calls and referrals, I was able to schedule our patients within compliance timeframes. I also requested and tracked specialty reports for each appointment I scheduled, as Medical Records did not have anyone to do that job for five years. I then ensured that the PCP at High Desert was aware of any recommendations, and that they followed up with the Inmate-Patient in the required timeframe.

As a Customer Service Representative for the UPS Store, I maintained the front desk area in a neat and organized fashion, managed the cash register and balanced the tills each night. I dispersed incoming mail to the correct recipient/customer's post office boxes in a timely manner, assisted customers with making copies, creating graphic designs, and enlarging prints. I also participated in many large printing jobs for businesses and organizations. Some of the work that I would have helped produce could have been seen at functions put on by Lassen Land & Trail Trust, The Sheriff's Posse, Pheasants Forever, the Chamber of Commerce or the Elks Lodge. To complete some of these jobs I operated a large industrial cutter, a perforating machine, corrugating device, T-shirt press and others. I also sent faxes, received and screened a high volume of internal and external communications, including email and mail, ordered supplies for the store and packed and shipped any desired object allowed by UPS and USPS. There were also times where contacting the Sheriff's Office was necessary so that illegal substances that customers attempted to ship could be confiscated.

As a Customer Service Representative for Allstate Insurance I processed quotes for the Insurance Agent to review and present to prospective customers. I received payments over the phone via credit/debit card as well as in person by cash or check and made the daily deposits. I frequently made policy corrections/changes and occasionally helped customers with filing claims. I called numerous amounts of warm leads each week to expand client base and promote agency products to the customers. I also called each customer to remind them of any upcoming or past due payments and sent cancellation letters as necessary.

As a Customer Service Representative for Colco Insurance Services; my duties were to organize and schedule meetings, organize papers and files, create quotes, prepare documents and spreadsheets, order supplies, take payments and deposit those payments into a company account. I would also solve any problems a customer may have and keep the office a clean and friendly environment. I would also answer telephones, ascertain the nature of the call and direct the caller to the appropriate staff or take messages or personally provide desired information to the person