93 SIIS workers victims of high-tech upgrade

Friday, July 19, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Layoff notices have gone out to about 10 percent of the employees -- or 93 workers -- at the State Industrial Insurance System.

The layoffs came Thursday as part of the system's move toward electronic systems, and away from paper processing.

Seventy workers in Las Vegas and 23 in Carson City were notified they will be terminated Nov. 1 from the agency that employs about 950.

Most of the workers are file clerks and administrative aides. Employees in the bill paying functions in Las Vegas also received notices. That work is being transferred to SIIS headquarters in Carson City.

Douglas Dirks, SIIS general manager, said the affected employees took the news well. He said they have known since November that changes were coming.

Robert Gagnier, executive director of the State of Nevada Employees Association, said his organization has been working with the SIIS management and the state Personnel Department to ensure the protection of the rights of the laid-off workers.

The workers with the least seniority are the first to go.

"This is fully in accordance with state personnel rules," Dirks said. "It's not discretionary. You have to follow seniority rules in the state."

He said SIIS is working with the personnel division to find other jobs for these individuals. And some of them may have "bumping rights" by moving down to a lower level job and knocking out the worker there.

SIIS, which has reduced its long-term debt from about $2.2 billion to $1.4 billion, is getting ready to compete in an open marketplace in 1999, the year private insurance companies will be allowed to write workers' compensation coverage.