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Human Resources recommending the Board consider the following:
1) Approve changes to the classification specification, Epidemiologist, creating a flexibly staffed classification, Epidemiologist I/II with a difference of approximately $10,480 in salary/benefits between the current step 5 of the Epidemiologist classification and the salary/benefits for step 5 of the new Epidemiologist II classification;
2) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 117-2014 establishing the salary range and bargaining unit designation for the Epidemiologist I/II; and
3) Waive the requirement for filling the upgraded position through a competitive examination process allowing the current incumbent to be appointed to the position.
FUNDING: Federal, State, Realignment and Grant Funding.
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Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost
There is no Net County Cost associated with this change in the salary schedule due to additional State realignment dollars being used for the increase. Currently, the incumbent's salary/benefits are approximately $97,911 and the proposed reclassification to an Epidemiologist II Step 4 will bring the incumbent's salary/benefits to approximately $103,235. The Epidemiologist II has a proposed top step (step 5) salary/benefits of approximately $108,391.
Background
The Epidemiologist classification was created in El Dorado County (EDC) in 2008. However, since that time, the role of the Epidemiologist in Public Health Departments across the country has expanded to include a leadership role in the national accreditation process through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB), the development of a performance management system including continuous quality improvement, and an emphasis on planning for the prevention of a bioterrorism event post 9/11.
In addition to these expanded duties, the scope of the Epidemiologist's role in El Dorado County has increased with the creation of the Health and Human Services Agency. Historically, the skill set of the Epidemiologist was confined to Public Health. However, now there are many programs across the Agency that benefit from the expertise of an Epidemiologist and the role has grown to support the Agency as a whole.
The current job specification does not reflect the expanded duties and responsibilities of the incumbent Epidemiologist. An example of duties performed by the incumbent, but not reflected in the job specification includes:
· Formulating policies, procedures and plans for epidemiological control and assessment issues faced by the Health and Human Services Agency.
· Serving as the Agency technical expert on communicable, chronic, and environmental disease hazards; providing consultation to independent and departmental investigators on epidemiologic research methodology, design, and results; leading an evaluation team of staff from various departmental programs to respond to public and agency requests for epidemiologic research and analysis.
· Making recommendations to departmental management regarding impact of studies on current programs and evaluating impact of current programs on community health indicators.
· Acting as the County's Deputy Registrar of Vital Statistics; overseeing the County's vital records registration process, including the collection, compilation and maintenance of vital statistics records, and the collection of vital statistics fees.
· Providing recommendations for exclusions and closures during major outbreaks; acting as a liaison between healthcare facilities, public health, and patients.
In conducting the classification study, standards set by the Council of Linkages between Academia and Public Health Practice (the Council), a collaboration of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Public Health Foundation were utilized. The Council has developed a set of core competencies for public health professionals. The core competencies stemmed from a desire to help strengthen the public health workforce by identifying basic skills for the effective delivery of public health services. To improve measurability, the Council developed three tiers of Core Competencies, with each tier using more precise verbs to describe the desired levels of competence. Tier 1 includes skills relevant for entry-level public health professionals; Tier 2, skills for those in program management or supervisory roles; and Tier 3, skills for senior management or executives.
The incumbent in the classification of Epidemiologist is currently functioning at what is defined by the Council as a Tier 2 Epidemiologist. This is considered an intermediate-level (journey level) professional Epidemiologist, responsible for carrying out a broad and complex range of investigative and analytical epidemiologic activities related to the surveillance, detection, and prevention of diseases and injuries.
Reason for Recommendation
It is recommended that the job specification for Epidemiologist be updated to include the expanded duties required of the position and that it be reclassified to Epidemiologist II. It is further recommended that the entry level classification of Epidemiologist I be created. The creation of this alternatively staffed classification will clearly differentiate the County's journey level position from other like-titled classes in other counties and will provide the County a mechanism to underfill certain positions at the "I" level for training, cost control, or other reasons, if or when additional staff is needed.
In reviewing the salaries of Epidemiologist classifications in our comparable agencies, it was found the current salary for the El Dorado County Epidemiologist will be within .2% of our comparable market as of 7/1/15. As those classifications function at the Tier 1 level (entry level) it is recommended that salary for the Epidemiologist I be set equal to the current Epidemiologist salary. It is further recommended that the salary for the Epidemiologist I level be set 10% below the Epidemiologist II. It is further recommended that the current incumbent be placed at Step 4 of the Epidemiologist II salary range with a waiver of the examination and appointment process.
Clerk of the Board Follow Up Actions
Following approval by the Board, Human Resources will update the classification specification and salary schedule for the Epidemiologist I/II. . The Health and Humans Services Agency will submit the paperwork to reclass the incumbent to the new Epidemiologist II position to be effective the first full pay period after Board approval
Contact
Mike Strella, Senior Human Resources Analyst
Concurrences
Health and Human Services Agency
Public Employees Union, Local #1