Title
Chief Administrative Office and Human Resources Department recommending the Board:
1) Approve and authorize the chair to sign Resolution 040-2026 effective the first pay period following adoption to revise the Salary Schedule increasing base wages for most unrepresented classifications by four percent (4.0%); and
2) Direct the Human Resources Department and the Auditor-Controller’s Office to administer and implement the associated changes.
FUNDING: Primarily General Fund with some positions being paid with State and Federal Funding.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The County’s Elected and Appointed Department Heads, Administrative Management, and Confidential Employees play an essential role in carrying out the policy directives of the Board of Supervisors. These employees hold key leadership positions in the County and are responsible for delivering the services that County residents and visitors rely upon.
The County’s 2024 Strategic Plan identifies “Workforce Excellence” as a Strategic Focus Area and includes an action item to “attract and retain the best employees by providing competitive compensation, training, and advancement opportunities, and creating a positive and thriving culture.” This cannot be achieved without talented County leadership.
In November 2024, with Legistar file 24-1908, the Board of Supervisors approved Human Resources’ recommendation to increase the base wages of unrepresented classifications by three percent with the exception of the following classifications: Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator, Chief Administrative Officer, County Counsel, Undersheriff, District Attorney, Public Defender, Alternate Public Defender, Chief Probation Officer, and all classifications that include one or more allocated positions that are represented by a bargaining unit.
It is the long-term goal of the Board of Supervisors that total compensation, inclusive of special pays, differentials, and benefits, be approximately equal to the median of the total compensation of the County's compensation comparator agencies as established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors, subject to funding availability. Staff plan to deliver a presentation in March, outlining strategies to help the County make significant progress toward achieving this goal. With that being said, at this time, to maintain parity with other County classifications (some of which recently received a seven percent base wage increase), invest in its workforce through a sustainable compensation philosophy and plan for the future, engage in continued effort to recruit and retain qualified employees in a competitive compensation and labor market, the Chief Administrative Office and Human Resources recommends, effective the first pay period, following Board adoption, that the Board increase the base wages of Elected Department Heads (EL), Appointed Department Heads (UD), Administrative Management (UM), Confidential (CO), and Extra Help (EH) classifications by four percent with the exception of the following classifications: Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator, Chief Administrative Officer, County Counsel, Undersheriff, District Attorney, Public Defender, Alternate Public Defender, Chief Probation Officer, Snow Removal Worker - EH and all classifications that include one or more allocated positions that are represented by a bargaining unit.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to adopt the recommendations and direct staff to provide an alternative.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
11/12/2024 Legistar file 24-1908: Salary and Benefits Resolution for Unrepresented Employees was most recently adopted.
09/12/2023 Legistar file 23-1488: Revisions and additions to the Board of Supervisor’s Compensation Philosophy adopted.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The approximate ongoing annual cost of the proposed changes for unrepresented employees is $1,232,600 per year in salary and benefit costs.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Upon Board adoption and approval, please provide the executed resolution to Heather Andersen in Human Resources.
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