FAQs for Incoming Fellows

This was emailed to incoming Assembly Fellows on 8/6/09. I was able to get a lot of this information from '08-'09 Assembly fellows, but it was nice to officially get this information from the program administrators.


Hello again and welcome to the 2009-2010 Jesse Marvin Unruh Assembly Fellowship Program. For eleven months, beginning in late October, you will be given the opportunity of a lifetime, to serve as professional staff to the California State Assembly.

START AND END DATES

The fellowship is scheduled to begin on October 26, 2009. We will be meeting that day at Sac State. I will be sending you more information about the first day of orientation later this summer. I will let you know then where we will be meeting, what time and appropriate dress. The complete orientation schedule will be distributed at the first day of orientation. As of now, the fellowship program will tentatively conclude on Friday, September 10, 2010; one week after the Legislature adjourns.

ORIENTATION

Orientation will run from October 26, 2009 to December 4, 2009. It will consist of presentations and seminars that provide you an overview of California’s Legislature and current public policy issues. You will have the opportunity to speak with legislators, Capitol staff, lobbyists, journalists, former fellows and others. You will learn about the many aspects of the State Assembly. Before interviewing with legislators’ offices, you will know the ins and outs of the California State Assembly.

Your placement in the member’s office will begin on Monday, December 7, 2009.


OFFICE PLACEMENT PROCESS

Prior to your arrival, the fellowship program contacts all Assembly Member offices and invites them to interview fellows for potential placement in their office. Typically, 65 of the 80 Assembly offices request fellows. During orientation, you will receive a list of offices requesting fellows. You can select from that list the offices with which you would like to interview. You will have one week to interview with Assembly offices. I encourage you to interview with several offices so that you can see the variety of opportunities available to you.
After your interviews you will rank the offices where you would like to be placed. Similarly, the offices will rank the fellows that they believe would best suit their needs and fit well in the office. I will then tentatively match you with an office. Final placement decisions are made after I consult with each fellow and the Assembly leadership.

You will begin working in your offices on Monday, December 7, 2009.

ACADEMIC SEMINAR

The academic component of the Assembly Fellowship Program consists of two courses: Government 294A (Seminar in California Government and Politics, 3 units) and Government 294B (Seminar in State Policy Choices, 3 units). The remaining 6 units are attributed to Government 295, which is the internship portion of the fellowship. Application, enrollment and student fees are fully paid for by the Assembly Fellowship Program.
Government 294A meets for 9 hours per week during the first five weeks of the program (including research hours); and Government 294B meets on Friday afternoons from January until May.
Your graduate student fellowship requires full participation in the weekly seminar and completion of all assigned work. Attendance at seminar is mandatory. Upon successful completion of the program, you will be awarded 12 units of graduate level credit by the Sac State Department of Government.

STIPEND

As an Assembly Fellow, you are a Sac State employee and student. You commit to participation in academic seminars and are assigned to work in an Assembly Member's office. You will be paid a monthly stipend of $1,972. Standard taxes and deductions are taken out of your paycheck. Social Security will not be deducted but you will be required by federal law to participate in a retirement plan that takes approximately 7.5% of your salary. After the program ends, you will be eligible to receive a lump sum distribution of your contributions to the retirement plan.


Your first paycheck will be distributed by mid-November for those days you worked in October. You are paid monthly and are eligible for direct deposit. Payroll information will be sent to your home address before orientation begins. Please remember to bring it with you on the first day. You will not accrue sick leave or vacation although fellows may get time off when needed for justifiable reasons.

EMPLOYMENT AND BENEFITS

In mid to late September, I will forward to you more details of the orientation, as well as a payroll and benefits packet. Please bring the completed packet with you on Monday, October 26. In order to process the required employment paperwork, you will also need to bring an original Social Security card and a picture ID. If you plan to enroll a spouse or child for health benefits, you must have your spouse’s or child’s Social Security number and a marriage or birth certificate.

You will complete all necessary employment and benefits forms at Sac State. Payroll and benefits personnel will be available to go over the information to help you with the required paperwork. You will receive medical, dental and vision coverage. All benefits will begin on November 1 and will remain in effect through October 31, 2010 for those who end the fellowship in September.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Sacramento Regional Transit provides public transportation in and around the Sacramento area. During the fall, you will be able to purchase a discounted bus pass as an employee of Sac State at $10 per semester. In the spring, you can receive a student sticker that allows you to ride at no cost. These passes will be available to you on the first day of orientation.

LOAN DEFERMENT

The fellowship entitles you to deferment of student loans for the entire period of the fellowship. Please send paperwork pertaining to loan deferment to the program assistant and she will forward it to the appropriate office on campus.

FINAL TRANSCRIPTS

If you have not already done so, please arrange to have your final transcript sent to us ASAP so that we have an official copy on file indicating your undergraduate degree and graduation date. To be eligible for the program we must receive verification of your graduation date and degree by September 11, 2009. If you are unable to provide your transcript by that date please contact us immediately as you may not be able to participate in the program.



CAMPAIGN OR POLITICAL WORK

Campaign or political work on state time and during normal business hours is prohibited by law and will not be permitted while you are working as a fellow. You are free to pursue civic, volunteer, campaign or political activities on your own personal time.