Title
Human Resources Department recommending the Board consider the following:
1) Make findings in accordance with Ordinance 3.13.030 that a contract for professional employment investigation legal services and other specialized personnel services are necessary to protect against a conflict of interest or to ensure independent and unbiased findings where there is a need for an outside perspective and where work must be completed in limited timeframes;
2) Approve and authorize the Board Chair to sign Agreement 8689 with Prentice Long, PC, a firm that was identified through a County request for qualifications process, for a term of three years and in an amount not to exceed $200,000; and
3) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute any necessary amendments relating to Agreement 8689, excluding term extensions and increases to the amount, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management.
FUNDING: General Fund.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Human Resources receives complaints of alleged misconduct in the workplace, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and abusive conduct by County employees. Human Resources receives and provides for investigations of these complaints in accordance with County policy or rule, including Board Policy E-5 and Personnel Rule 309.4, or as it and affected department heads deem necessary. The department has contracted with outside vendors when special skills and qualifications are involved in the performance of the work, when it is necessary to protect against a conflict of interest and obtain an outside perspective to make independent and unbiased findings, or when it is otherwise necessary to ensure a prompt and thorough investigation and resolution of the complaints filed. The nature of the work involves temporary, occasional, and urgent services.
Prentice Long, PC has the personnel and equipment necessary to provide legal services in connection with labor and employment matters including, but not limited to, investigations, mediation, trainings, and services related to other various employment relations subjects. In order to ensure that Human Resources has a wide variety of vendors with different areas of specialty, this agreement is one of multiple agreements for as-needed legal services.
On March 25, 2024, as a result of RFQ #24-918-029, Prentice Long, PC was identified as a firm qualified for as-needed workplace investigation services. Human Resources recommends approval of this agreement for an amount not to exceed $200,000 and a term of three years.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to approve the contract and instead allocate additional personnel and funding for the hiring and development of additional internal workplace investigators and mediators, or direct Human Resources to find another vendor to provide employment labor and law services. Given the sporadic nature of complaints, and the need for sufficient availability of external investigators and mediators when subject matter expertise, conflicts of interest, or potential litigation issues arise, these alternatives are not recommended.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
None.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Procurement and Contracts, County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Human Resources is reimbursed for costs associated with investigations from the department in which the complaint is filed. This results in the agreement being funded from a variety of departments from within their allocated resources. Departments also reimburse Human Resources for direct costs borne by complaints. Departments from which multiple complaints are filed, or for which complaints are more extensive or complex, will be financially impacted more than others given the increased cost to investigate and resolve such complaints. For all other specialized personnel services rendered under this agreement, as requested by or for Human Resources, funding for this agreement is available in the Human Resources budget. There is no change in Net County Cost, as funding for these as-needed services has been included in Human Resources' FY 2024-25 Budget. Future years costs will be budgeted appropriately.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Obtain Board Chair signature on one copy of Agreement 8689 and send to CAO Fiscal Attn: Kelley Lawrie.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Joseph Carruesco, Director of Human Resources