can't put a band-aid on an amputation OR how fast is the Santa Ana DLSE Wage Claim office falling?

Fish stink from the head, or so the Japanese saying goes. It was bad enough (at Wage Claims) when the bosses took DLC Mary Tokar out of rotation, and then DLC Chopra unexpectedly passed. The DLSE's band-aid approach was to remove DLC Sal Trujillo from the Retaliation Unit and to transfer DLC Chopra's cases to him. Mr. Trujillo will not be assuming DLC Chopra's case load, as he is leaving DLSE and gave notice to supervisor Jorge Gomez on 09/28/07. So what do the management clowns do now?

Your guess is as good as mine. We have a United States president, dedicated to killing soldiers in the name of democracy but really for oil. The taxpayers are footing the bill at the current rate of +/-$12 billion per month for soldiers to come back injured or dead, yet we cannot have a normal healthcare or educational system in the (supposed) greatest nation in the world. The War on Terror is just as effective as our War on Drugs. Cost plus contracting is the name of this game, and you can catch it all right here: Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers (click this bluelink to jump to website).

I see a lot of connection between this Bush administration and our very own GAS puppets. Jones, Bradshaw, Rea, Baker, Culbeaux & Rupp: even Bradstreet claims to be a Democrat but with rich people, there's only one green priority: you either have it or you don't. People who have a lot of green don't want to lose it and generally want to keep it. In my book, Bradstreet might as well be a Republican: she was appointed by one, she seems to jam employees they way owners do, and she's faithfully represented management in the private sector.

These GAS morons will not do the right thing and make things better in the Santa Ana office; they will only make it worse. This is why Labor Commissioner Bradstreet sent us that dipshit rah-rah, hang-in-there cheerleading memo about CMS. Whatever solution they devise for DLC Chopra's caseload, you can bet the solution will be just as genius as those responsible with solving it: Angela Bradstreet, Lupe Almaraz, Abigael Calva, and Jorge Gomez: put your little heads together and stop the bleeding in the DLSE Santa Ana Wage Claims office.

Bradstreet's new policy on making phone calls wastes time and in the end, screws the taxpayer-again! (click pic to enlarge)

Can you imagine if the judicial system instituted a policy of making phone calls to inquire if civil lawsuits could be settled before using the courts? What makes DLSE's policy (even) more retarded is that Labor Commissioner Angela Bradstreet is a dipshit lawyer! None of these morons (Bradstreet, Almaraz, Calva, and Gomez) have settled cases like this..if they did, let's see the case files (900 Notes and all!). All it does is gum up the works and f*ck things up for the taxpayer...because cases are being delayed due to Bradstreet's new policy.

So this is how it probably played out: some asshole buzzes in Bradstreet's ear about how cases can be resolved with a phone call, and Angela runs with it. She talks about it with Lupe Almaraz, and being the butt-kissing bitch that he is, he tells her it's a great idea. He now tells Abigael Calva, who sits on her ass all day saying 'yes' to her bosses and 'no' to her staff, so (of course) she'll play along because she'll never make one of these phone calls. The next genius going down the management food chain is Jorge Gomez, who also is one of those "yes/no" managers: "yes" to the bosses and "no" to the subordinates. Now, he's gotta tell those who will eventually make these phone calls that this new policy is the priority.

The next day, a deputy makes 5 phone calls, all of them resulting in failure. It wasted one hour of the 8-hour day, resulting in a 12.5% screwing-over of the taxpayer. Not only did this fail, but it took time away from what succeeds, but these desk donkies making & encouraging such policy couldn't find their ass with a funnel.

Here's another hint, Angela: when you solicit opinions from morons, what you'll get is moron opinions. You're surrounded by people who are either too stupid to solve the puzzle, or they violate the US Constitution. Sit down & chat with DLC Bruce Broadwater; he's acquired some of the best statistics for the DLSE and he's been elected to serve the people (not the political appointee that you are)...you might actually learn something about this job.

CMS delayed for another year, nothing but cowards at DLSE that keeping pouring money into this toilet

Last week, a member of management informed us that CMS would not be ready for another year. I was told by a confidential source that the Van Nuys office is 2+ months behind in issuing the DLSE's Entertainment Work Permits, so they've been authorized to create two additional clerk vacancies....JUST TO TYPE THAT GARBAGE INTO CMS.

CMS is an abortion, and for Labor Commissioner Angela Bradstreet to notify her staff of CMS responsibility transfer from DLSE to EDD is a mother fcuking joke. They have millions of dollars to spent on this piece of shit, and these jerkoffs are going to spend millions more trying to get it to work, and will spend hundred of thousand of dollars on employees who merely enter data. When will the butt-rape of the taxpayer be stopped? Will someone just make the decision that screwing the taxpayer is not justified?

DLSE: bending over for corporatations and giving the middle finger to the taxpayer, one government contract at a time.

DIR's Office of the Director-Legal Unit. 1st Class losers and 3rd Rate lawyers (definitely not ready for the private sector)

Well, the morons at OD-Legal are wasting taxpayers funds yet again. Chief homewrecker Counsel Vanessa Holton, Asst. Chief Counsel Steve McGinty, and Flunkie Richard Munoz are crying about the judge's proposed decision. These morons still don't understand the 1st Amendment. They have an endless bank account because it's the taxpayers that are footing the bill!

Can you imagine if Vanessa Holton had to personally tap Lloyd Aubrey's bank account to fund this witch-hunt? Why aren't these morons doing the job that they are paid to do, which is to lose in front of state Adminstrative Law Judges? Oh wait, we don't have the decision on Miles' fate just yet, but it's coming.

Why is the Office of the Director-Legal Unit fighting some dipshit blogger? Why is so much money being thrown at all of these OD-Legal morons, authorized to continue this losing battle? Which #1 moron is authorizing OD-Legal to continue this battle? Is it our top secretary, Victoria Bradshaw? Is it that other moron Robert Jones (who can't read meal & rest periods), or is it someone else? OD-Legal cannot shit in the woods without an instruction manual, so who is pulling their strings? In any event, every time those morons file a court document is just another opportunity for them to get beat. It's too bad that the judge cannot fine them for wasting the court's time and wasting the taxpayer's money for such intentional & consistent losses. Unfortunately for Vanessa Holton, this is not (any sort of) a husband stealing contest; it's a 1st Amendment issue. These jackasses don't care if they continuing losing, because the financial fraud, waste, and abuse is committed upon the taxpayer; not one DIR turd is telling them to halt and to cut their losses, because they have no losses; it's the taxpayer's loss.

I'm not sure if Vanessa Holton took any recent legal ethics classes, but is there any ethical connection to harassing a blogger exercising free speech, unrelated to DLSE's mission and stealing someone else's husband? I'm not really sure, so please have Vanessa click the 'comment' button and pontificate about this possible nexus. Typically, it's been my experience that an asshole at work is an asshole at home, but I'd really need a video camera at Greg Rupp's house to solidify my theory. Having Vanessa Holton as OD-Legal's Chief Counsel is like having Alberto Gonzales as our Attorney General....oh wait.

What games are being played with translator payments? Is this any way to act when entrusted with taxpayer funds? (click pic to enlarge)

There's a backstory on this whole translator issue; one that management is already trying to spin/downplay. Apparently, one translator was already ordered from Nellis, then a hearing officer removed those document(s) from the file and ordered another translator Uniworld. This hearing officer, per the Nellis translator, was rude and discourteous to her as she was told to leave. The hearing officer refused to pay the translator the $25 for showing up; in effect, the translator, duly ordered by the DLSE to attend, failed to be properly compensated while the other translator was overpaid.

What games are being played with translators, and how is it that the jackasses have left their barn?

Eric Rood, hand-picked from EDD: how did he pass the DLC IV exam and furthermore, how did his answers surpass guys that've been w/DLSE for 25+ years?

This just goes to show that at the end of the day, the DLSE will do whatever it wants to do. If I had to guess, then this guy-who's very young to be a DLC IV-is being groomed for bigger things. The only person that controls both EDD & DLSE is Secretary Victoria Bradshaw...and I do mean Secretary. Whatever he's being groomed for..he'll get the promotions, as the DLSE took a huge shit on those that have given their lives and careers to DLSE....those guys are CHUMPS! There are DLC IIIs that have spent decades doing the job, and the DLSE cannot devise an exam where the best DLC IIIs pass an exam, and some newbie passes it? Yeah, I'm sure it wasn't rigged! And to the DLC IIIs who failed the exam & have given decades of dedicated service to the DLSE: the higher-ups think that you are dirt and chumps. "You will continue to be dumped on because that's what we think of your service. New guys like Eric Rood will get the promotion because that's how we roll. You don't like it? Quit. By the time you read this, the DLSE just turned you into a prison wife! Just kidding! Keep up the great work!" I bet that not one of the DLC IIIs (who failed the exam) protested it, as fighting (even soooo close to retirement) is in direct opposition to ass-kissing.

Loyal morons like Deputy Chief Lupe Almaraz still get named as Defendants in losing lawsuits, but promoting him to Deputy Chief was (still) the better choice than promoting that other asshole Assistant Chief Greg Rupp. Of course, only both of them have been named by judges for failing to read the US Constitution & understand what was written over 200+ years ago. Maybe our founding fathers should have used smaller words.

Labor Commissioner has money to fly her crew all over the place, but there's no money to fill vacancies? WTF?

Something dawned on me a few days ago. After the DLSE flew two officials from Northern California to Orange County to spend a couple hours asking bullshit questions, I realized that the DLSE is managed by those that truly didn't give a shit about serving the People of California. Labor Commissioner Angela Bradstreet knew about this expenditture (probably authorized it), and seemed not to care as this was not coming out of her Saulsalito checking account.

These Spenders-of-taxpayer-funds are the same assholes that had a supervisors "Band Camp" stayover at the Atrium in Irvine. Yeah, these retards don't hesitate to drop mucho taxpayer funds on nice hotels for their moron conventions, but it would seem prudent that before they start spending money on these lavish items...that every, single god-damn vacancy should be filled. Instead, they run around on airplanes and at hotels, going here and going there, and then cry like little babies about how there's no money.

I'm calling bullshit.

The DLSE has money for manager conventions at the Irvine Atrium but does not have funds to fill vacancies? The DLSE has money to fly two butt-licks down to So Cal for 3 hours of work but no money to fill vacancies? Besides, what was so special about these two 'tards that could not have been done by local 'tards? You know what those two 'tards did? They read from sheets of paper, as the questions came from OD-Legal. Any local DLSE manager could have read from those sheets, so once again, why did the DLSE spend so much money on flying them down to read?

Hey dumbshit: fill the vacancies, then take airplane trips & have your retard conventions on the taxpayers' dime...it's called prioritization.

How many of Labor Commissioner Angela Bradstreet's managers have been found to violate the US Constitution? 2. Has she disciplined them? No. Why not?

Labor Commissioner Bradstreet allowed DLSE Deputy Chief Lupe Almaraz to be named in a lawsuit, and then they lost the lawsuit: on all counts. Not one of the judge's rulings were in favor of the DLSE. At any time, they could have put the brakes on that lawsuit, and not one of those turds did so because it wasn't their money; it was the taxpayer's money.

Labor Commissioner Angela Bradstreet talks a whole lot of shit about trying to solve Corrales, so why are there vetted applicants effectively sitting on approved hiring eligibility lists, waiting to fill vacancies in the Santa Ana office? We have bosses like Assistant Chief Greg Rupp, Regional Manager Abigael Calva, and Deputy Chief Lupe Almaraz who have had their thumbs up their asses their entire careers, and these are the same people who advise Labor Commissioner Angela Bradstreet on how to fix these problems.

Deputy Chief Lupe Almaraz violated the blogger's constitutional rights, and Assistant Chief Greg Rupp violated the constitutional rights of those victimized in the Corrales decision, and Labor Commissioner Angela Bradstreet has done nothing to discipline these douchebags. These are the DLSE's "leaders," and they are a joke. Of course I'm going to question their orders; judges say they violate the United States Constitution. They cannot solve problems legally.

Maybe Angela Bradstreet would consult with the late Ted Bundy on women's rights issues or use the accountants from Enron to assist the DLSE in making the budget numbers "fit." When she decides to pull her head out of her ass will be about the same time I'll be able to hear her about truly solving the Corrales problems. Until then, it's just some weak-ass political appointee polishing the apples of her handlers and not doing a damn thing about that Supreme Court decision. Oh yeah, any time she wants to get off her lazy ass and discipline those executive managers that have been found to have violated the rights of others would be a good time. Idiot.

If DLSE management spent more time on proper problem identification & solution, then Santa Ana Wage Claims would not be as screwed up as it is

The first thing that DLSE did to screw the public was their failure in having any policies and procedures concerning settlement conferences. If that wasn't bad enough, these management jackasses - to this day - absolutely refuse to compile any sort of performance standards. Then, they do not properly fill the vacancies needed to efficiently serve the public. Then, they intentionally mandate a Deputy Labor Commissioner to the bench where she's not allowed to hold any conferences and spends her day at counter, answering phones or trying to make progress on wage claims that have already had their conference date.

Meanwhile, not one manager properly identifies who her case load replacement will be...Santa Ana receives about 350+ wage claims per month, and they take a Deputy Labor Commissioner off the caseload rotation without a replacement? WTF? Is Labor Commissioner Angela Bradstreet intentionally screwing over the public with this feces-style of case file management? At this point, any retarded executive manager can see that the planets are slowly starting to align. This combination of increased case load, reduction in settlement conference deputies, and an intentional lack of guidelines only makes for shitty and inefficient service to the public. Now, an unexpected death in our wage claim family only makes things worse; there is one less deputy to hear cases.

These asshole managers will try and make asshole excuses and pin all of their woes on Nita's death, because that's what chickenshit DLSE managers do. Unfortunately for these assholes managers, the serious problems happened well before Nita's unexpected departure. Unfilled vacancies, no policies, procedures or performance standards, and removing a fully capable Deputy Labor Commissioner out of the case load rotation; that's what should be addressed at tomorrow's dipshit emergency manager's meeting in Los Angeles. The issue is not Nita's caseload; it's the DLSE & how it got to be so shitty before Nita's situation became an issue.

Instead, these douchebags are still trying to get rid of the blogger; that has nothing to do with proper & efficient service to the public. Once again, these douchebags are nowhere near fulfilling DLSE's mission. They are still screwing the public over with their idiot managers in their cheap suits, their cheap shoes, and their cheap attitude toward serving the public. What has Labor Commissioner Angela Bradstreet done, except collect her paycheck, lose to the blogger, get named in Corrales, and become "confused" after trying to comprehend meal & rest periods?

Commissioner Bradstreet: get off your ass and start fixing the problems. The buck stops with you: lead, follow, or get the fcuk out of the way.

The harassment of the blogger continues...

The day after the blogger received the judge's decision in the trial against the DLSE & Lupe Almaraz, the DLSE smacked the blogger with another internal affairs investigation meeting set for September 7th.

The interrogators refused to divulge who typed the 8+ pages of single-spaced questions, but newly promoted Regional Manager trainee Eric Rood mentioned OD-Legal in an earlier conversation. If OD-Legal's involved, then you can bet those lard asses Vanessa Holton, Steve McGinty, Richard Munoz, and Anthony Mischel had their hands in this.

The issue involved a complaint sent to the Labor Commissioner because the claimant's case was dismissed at the settlement conference. Earlier, the claimant wrote a letter requesting a telephonic conference because he would be in Missouri. In actuality, the claimant was in Riverside and only packing his belongings to move to Missouri. Sitting at home in Riverside is quite different than being in Missouri, so it was dismissed. The claimant, Bryan Davenport, complained in a letter to the Labor Commissioner. Then, OD-Legal became involved, & then shit rolls downhill! Apparantly, putting coffee mugs in a box is enough for Regional Dumbshit Manager Abigael Calva to authorize a telephonic conference. Calva's given the green light to re-open the case. Maybe Calva's dumb/lazy ass can settle it, since she wants it opened. Her and that other moron Lupe Almaraz can do the DLSE-Wage Claims a huge favor and put a policy into play that explains the procedures and reasons why telephonic conferences should be granted at the settlement process, because right now, Calva & Almaraz have given the DLSE shit.

A complaint like this should have never been escalated to the point where OD-Legal drafted questions for two desk donkies, who then flew down from Nor Cal for this inquisition. By the way, Bob Brock was the same asshole who interrogated Bruce Broadwater about that Vicky Tamoush bullshit complaint against Jim Jackson concerning translators. Interrogate first, drum up/manufacture the evidence later....serving the public and ass-raping taxpayer funds...one inquisition at a time. Thanks to newly-installed Governator appointee Angela Bradstreet, the Labor Commissioner who authorized such taxpayer waste without so much as a smidgen of corroborative evidence before green-lighting and wasting such money.

Great job, Angie, you're fitting in quite well with the other wasteful retards.

The passing of a dear friend,

It is sad news to report that Deputy Labor Commissioner Nita Chopra died while on vacation in India. She suffered a massive heart attack. She did a great job at the Santa Ana office and was liked by all. There are a few of those co-workers who will miss her terribly.

The Santa Ana office is now down to 3.5 conference deputies (Bruce, Kim, Chris, and 1/2 of Eveanna). I assume that there will be a shuffle of case loads and an unknown delay in bringing another conference deputy into the mix, as this could not have been predicted by anyone at DLSE.

Words are hard to find, and she will be missed.

What the heck is going on with Jim Culbeaux, Dan Hishijima, Jeff Seeman, CMS, and DLSE-Nor Cal? Do these comments "concern" Bradstreet?

Here's a little something that those turds attorneys in OD-Legal can corroborate, but the theory on OD-Legal investigations is similar to the theory on mushroom growth: feed them bullshit and keep them in the dark. Let's see if these morons can initiate, facilitate, and consumate an honest investigation that would benefit the taxpayers of California. If they're finished losing to the Blogger, then let's see what the DLSE/DIR morons can do with these comments:

Comment #1) Jim Culbeaux was hired at DIR as a student assistant by his sister Christine Baker. Christine was head of the IT Department, that at the time, was small, and was part of the Division of Labor Statistics and Research (DLSR). Jim Culbeaux majored in Forestery and has absolutely no knowledge in the computer industry. Christine Baker has ties to corrupt senators and politicians and has used this influence to push for Jim Culbeaux's promotions over the years. Jim Culbeaux was promoted to Data Processing Manager IV (DPM IV) when other Departments with much bigger and larger operations such as CalTrans did not have their Chief Information Officers above the DPM III level. There is not one successfull project that Jim Culbeaux can take credit for......posted by Anonymous : 9/02/2007 6:50 AM

Comment #2) Here's news from Nor Cal. I heard that last year Jim Culbeaux held exams for the Systems Software Specialist series I, II and III. Prior to the exams Jim Culbeaux and his accomplice Dan Nishijima asked certain individuals what questions they could answer so as to ask those same questions at the exams. As predicted only the individuals with advance knowledge of the questions made it to the lists. One such individual named Jeff Seeman was insulted by the offer and the outcome and thought is was unfair to the other individuals taking the exams and came forward and turned Jim Culbeaux and Dan Nishijima in. The exams were abolished and are being held again this time by the SPB. However nothing has been done to the perpetrators of this crime namely Jim Culbeaux and Dan Nishijima. Does this sound unique at DIR or has this happened many times before?...posted by Choclate Swirl : 9/02/2007 10:05 AM

Comment #3) Is Rea going to be put up at a Hotel at Taxpayer expense? Rea lives in Berkeley some 80 miles from where he is to report at Sacramento.Rea was given a office in Oakland (a stones throw from Berkeley), in the middle of the IT Department, a month ago by Mr. Culbeaux, manager of the failed CMS system. IT Department folks please report back if this office has been given up by Rea....posted by Anonymous : 8/11/2007 7:27 AM

Comment #4) WE KNOW ABOUT JIM CULBEAUX, REA'S UNDERLING AND THE CREATOR OF THE CMS SYSTEM FIASCO. WE ARE AMAZED AT HIS INSIDIOUSNESS IN DIVERTING THE BLAME ONTO DLSE STAFF AND REA....posted by Anonymous : 8/11/2007 6:29 PM

Comment #5) They are still paying big money to the private consultants to fix the failed CMS. The consultants are working with at the IT site(near close friends, Clubeaux and Clement). I don't believe they are working for free. You see, they are still making big money for their Hansen on a computer system that they know it is not fixable since it is their creation. WHO IS RIPPING OFF TAXPAYERS WITH THIS PHONY IT CONSULTING WORK ??...posted by Anonymous : 8/12/2007 8:06 AM

Comment #6) It looks like; Mr. Rae does have an office in the IS Unit in the Oakland building. Rae will be close to those responsible for the CMS fiasco, Culbeaux, and the private IT consultants who created this non-functioning computer system. May be Culbeaux and other DLSE managers connected to the CMS need an attorney!...posted by Anonymous : 8/12/2007 3:58 PM

Comment #7) In regards to the comments above. I can bet Jim Culbeaux was not given a reprimand. He maintains strong ties to the insurance industry, Labor, Management and UC Berkeley. Jim Culbeaux's sister, Christine Baker of Committee on Health and Safety at DIR, funds many UC Berkeley studies, thru DIR funds. These studies can be skewed to suit the insurance industry, the AFL-CIO and others that Christine has connections and in return for favors for DIR. See article http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/08/11/BU4FRGLB5.DTL&hw=health+safety&sn=003&sc=396 in the San Francisco Chronicle. I bet Rea, Jones, Holton etc. will be gone before they can get close to Culbeaux, for any kind of reprimand....posted by Anonymous : 8/13/2007 7:05 AM

Is there anyone in DLSE management that does not violate the constitutional rights of other co-workers? Why are these violators not disciplined?

DLSE Assistant Chief Greg Rupp takes (hundreds or thousands) of wage claim victims and violates their 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. After the California Supreme Court so states, why is Labor Commissioner Angela Bradstreet not disciplining Mr. Rupp?

DLSE Deputy Chief Lupe Almaraz takes a fellow co-worker and violates the 1st Amendment to the US Constitution as well as the employee's right to privacy. After having three different judges so state, why is Labor Commissioner Angela Bradstreet not disciplining Mr. Almaraz?

At her senate confirmation hearing, she'll be asked what she did to these two violators, and she better have an answer if she hopes to be confirmed...then they'll ask the status of that CMS abortion and what's been done during her watch.

DLSE has a BOFE manual and a Hearing Officer's manual, but nothing for the settlement conferences. Why does the DLSE practice such inefficiency?

The DLSE has a book for hearing officers and a book for BOFE (Bureau of Field Enforcement), but what these retards don't have is a book for settling conferences.

These retards are wasting state time, resources, and money by focusing on items that are not mission-related, like losing in court to the blogger. Who is authorizing these costs to the taxpayer? Make no mistake that this was their sad attempt at harassment & retaliation, and they (still) couldn't get it right.

When retards are in charge, they rarely get it right. Is this why Anglela Bradstreet is (now) cheerleading for that multi-million dollar abortion called CMS? Is this why she lost Corrales? Is this why Bradshaw lost Livadas? Is this why Miles Locker will beat them and come back to DLSE? Arguments from retards are almost always unsuccessful because they are fatally flawed; justice & law are on their other side of the fence, and those in charge think they can overcome justice & law by argument.

It is these people (Robert Jones, Richard Munoz, Vanessa Holton, Anthony Mischel, Steve McGinty, and now-Angela Bradstreet) that perpetuate the stereotypes about lawyers. As the zealous advocates for their clients they will claim, they are not acting in the best interest of their client. They can't fix shit, they can't resolve shit, they can't mediate shit....and DLSE is the mediating agency between employees and employers. I D I O T S or R E T A R D S...you decide