On May 16, 2025, United Public Employees (UPE) met with Merced County’s Human Services Agency (HSA) to discuss proposed updates to employee evaluation forms. These forms are used to evaluate employees based on job-related factors. Factors on the form include but are not limited to, job skills, ability, quality and quantity of work, work habits, and personal relations, where applicable.
The department had included an extra section labeled “Other,” which allowed management to rate employees on any factor of their choosing. UPE raised serious concerns that this section lacked fairness, consistency, and transparency. It opened the door to unequal treatment and possible misuse. As a result, UPE proposed that this section be removed — and the department agreed.
UPE also proposed adding a box to the form that reads, “Please see attachment for additional remarks.” This provides employees with a clear option to attach a written response, rebuttal, or comments regarding their evaluation. Employees may also include their own feedback about their supervisor in the attachment if they wish. Notably, the old form included a corrective action plan section, but the new version does not — reinforcing that evaluations are not meant for discipline.
The department assured UPE that they are committed to fair and consistent evaluations moving forward. UPE would like to see these evaluations being used as useful tools — helping members understand where they are doing well and where they can grow.
UPE WOULD LIKE TO THANK UPE MERCED COUNTY UNIT 3 GOVERNING BOARD MEMBER MELISA HERNANDEZ FOR THEIR ADVOCACY AND PARTICIPATION.
