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Chief Administrative Office recommending the Board consider the following:
1) Approve the attached list of applications recommended for approval for the early separation incentive program;
2) Deny the applications of the remaining applicants;
3) Approve the attached budget transfer increasing use of fund balance in the Retiree Health Account and increasing special department expense by $750,000 to cover the approved employee separation incentive payments and any fees related to setting up the Health Savings Accounts (4/5 vote required); and
4) Direct Departments to absorb the leave balance payout costs related to the separations resulting in no additional costs to the General Fund.
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Chief Administrative Office recommending the Board approve the attached list of applications recommended for approval for the Early Separation Incentive Program for Fiscal Year 2015-16; Deny the applications of the remaining applicants; Approve the attached budget transfer; and Direct departments to absorb the leave balance payout costs related to the separations.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The County is facing a General Fund fiscal deficit. While through the Budget hearings, the Board was able to adopt a proposed budget that was balanced, the proposed budget called for some reductions in the workforce. In order to eliminate and/or mitigate the need for reductions to the workforce due to a lack of funds and to bring the County closer to a structurally balance budget into the future, the County is attempting to reduce salary and benefits expenditures by offering an opportunity for attrition through an early separation incentive.
On June 2, 2015 the Board approved the Early Separation Incentive ("ESI") program and directed the Chief Administrative Office to return on July 14, 2015 with a recommended list of employees to participate in the ESI program.
The ESI program in its simplest form provides as follows for those approved applications:
If the...
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