Title
Human Resources Department recommending the Board:
1) Receive and file a presentation on the County’s compensation structure for the classifications referenced in the Salary and Benefits Resolution (037-2025) for Unrepresented Employees, Section 602 (Section 602) and the County’s compensation philosophy; and
2) Provide direction to staff on proposed revisions to the Salary and Benefits Resolution (037-2025) for Unrepresented Employees; salary structure of classifications referenced in Section 602; and the County’s compensation philosophy resolution.
FUNDING: N/A
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On December 9, 2025, with Legistar file 25-2000, the Board directed staff to "return to the Board in March 2026 for a discussion to review Resolution 037-2025, Section 602 for unrepresented employees and all classifications affected by El Dorado County Charter Section 504”.
In March 2026, staff returned to the Board with a presentation (Legistar File 26-0449) on compensation. That presentation focused on classifications referenced in Section 602, as well as a recommendation to the Board to look more broadly at our current compensation philosophy and the compensation structure for all unrepresented employees. In further detail, the presentation included the following information:
- History on the development of Section 602, including compensation data
- Elements of a total compensation study
- Current total compensation data for unrepresented employees, including those specifically referenced in Section 602
- Historical information on countywide compensation increases across all represented and unrepresented employee groups
- Recommendations for revisions to the Countywide compensation philosophy resolution, compensation structure for unrepresented employees, and compensation structure for Board Members
From that March meeting, the Board further directed staff to:
“Return to the Board after consultation with labor groups and Ad Hoc Committee consisting of Chair and Vice Chair with revisions to the Compensation Philosophy Resolution to reflect a data-driven approach to compensating employees, which maintains the goal of bringing employees to the median of established comparator agencies and includes consideration of other factors such as fiscal outlook, vacancy rates, hard-to-fill positions, and other operational needs;
Conduct a total compensation survey of all benchmark classifications, countywide, at least every two years;
Draft revisions to the Unrepresented Salary and Benefit Resolution for Unrepresented Employees to require an annual Board review each fall of compensation for Unrepresented Employees and the Board of Supervisors;
Develop benchmarks and internal linkages for all unrepresented classifications for positions that currently don’t have benchmarks or linkages to roughly maintain structure within Section 602.”
Based on that direction, staff have prepared a subsequent presentation to include, recommended revisions to the Salary and Benefits Resolution (037-2025) for Unrepresented Employees; salary structure of classifications referenced in Section 602; and County’s compensation philosophy resolution.
Staff are recommending the following with respect to each item listed above:
- County’s compensation philosophy resolution:
Staff are prepared to return to the Board with revisions to the County’s compensation philosophy resolution to address concerns relating to internal equity, recruitment and retention, market comparators, implementation and consistency, and the overall structure of the compensation philosophy, which includes feedback and concerns raised by the County’s labor partners. These changes also account for the Board’s direction to update the compensation philosophy to reflect a data-driven approach to compensating employees, which maintains the goal of bringing employees to the median of established comparator agencies and includes consideration of other factors such as fiscal outlook, vacancy rates, hard-to-fill positions, and other operational needs.
- Salary and Benefits Resolution (037-2025) for Unrepresented Employees:
Staff are prepared to return to the Board with changes to the Salary and Benefits Resolution (037-2025) for Unrepresented Employees to reflect a compensation study will be conducted every two years; a review of compensation for Unrepresented classifications will be presented to the Board each year; benchmarks and linkages for the unrepresented classifications that do not currently have them; and the direction received by the Board regarding classifications referenced in Section 602 of the Salary and Benefits Resolution for Unrepresented Employees.
- Salary structure of classifications referenced in Section 602:
Staff will be reviewing two options with the Board for the classifications referenced in Section 602. The first option being to maintain the structure currently outlined in the Salary and Benefits Resolution (037-2025) for Unrepresented Employees. This option would ensure the hierarchical order of the seven classifications is maintained pursuant to Board direction provided on March 24, 2026. The other option would be to establish the Chief Administrative Officer as a benchmark for future compensation studies and corresponding wage adjustments and link the other 602 referenced classifications so that they would receive the same wage adjustments as the Chief Administrative Officer when adopted by the Board. This option would also maintain the hierarchical order of the seven classifications pursuant to Board direction provided on March 24, 2026 and would remove any formal wage linkage to Charter Section 504.
Staff are specifically seeking direction regarding the two options for the Section 602 referenced classifications.
ALTERNATIVES
N/A
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
03/24/2026 Legistar file 26-0449: Compensation presentation to the Board. Board made motion to return with proposed changes to the Salary and Benefits Resolution for Unrepresented Employees and options for classifications referenced in its Section 602.
12/09/2025 Legistar file 25-2000: Board Resolution #184-2025 made adjustment to classifications formally linked to and included in Section 504 of the County’s Charter. The Board made motion for staff to return in March 2026 for a discussion to review Resolution 037-2025, Section 602 for unrepresented employees and all classifications affected by El Dorado County Charter Section 504.
09/12/2023 Legistar file 23-1488: Board Resolution 137-2023 adopted County’s current compensation philosophy.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Chief Administrative Office
County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Receive and file the presentation and provide direction to staff.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact associated with this item.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Workforce Excellence
Priority: Enhance Employee Retention
Action Item: Attract and retain the best employees by providing competitive compensation, training, and advancement opportunities, and creating a positive and thriving culture.
CONTACT
Joseph Carruesco, Director of Human Resources