Title
Human Resources Department recommending the Board approve the following:
1) Revised department-specific class specification for the Environmental Management Department: Environmental Health Specialist Supervisor (Title change from: Supervising Environmental Health Specialist);
2) Revised department-specific class specification for the Public Defender’s Office: Assistant Public Defender; and
3) Adopt and authorize the Chair to Resolution 128-2018 to approve the bargaining unit change and new salary range for the Assistant Public Defender classification.
FUNDING: General Fund, Public Safety Sales Tax Revenue, Public Safety Realignment.
Body
DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Human Resources Department recommending the Board approve the following:
1) Revised department-specific class specification for the Environmental Management Department: Environmental Health Specialist Supervisor (Title change from: Supervising Environmental Health Specialist).
2) Revised department-specific class specification for the Public Defender’s Office: Assistant Public Defender.
3) Adopt and authorize the Chair to Resolution 128-2018 to approve the bargaining unit change and new salary range for the Assistant Public Defender classification.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
In June 2016, the County engaged Koff and Associates (K&A) for the provision of professional services to design, conduct, and assist in recommending an implementation approach of a classification (Phase I) and compensation (Phase II) study for all County positions. The overall goals of the classification and compensation study included: developing a competitive and fiscally responsible pay and benefit structure that is based upon market data and meets the needs of the County with regards to recruitment and retention of qualified staff; ensuring employees be recognized for the level and scope of work performed, and that they are paid on a fair and competitive basis, and ensuring class specifications reflect current programs, responsibilities, and technology.
In September 2017, the Human Resources Department requested and received Board approval (Legistar # 16-0098) to implement, in phases, the County-Wide classification study.
The Human Resources Department has been working with departments (management and employees) and unions to finalize for Board consideration the newly proposed class specifications and allocation changes.
Environmental Management Department:
Department-specific class specifications:
• Environmental Health Specialist Supervisor
o Title change from: Supervising Environmental Health Specialist
Public Defender’s Office
The Human Resources Department has been working with the Public Defender on a re-organization. The Public Defender’s Office operates two offices, one in Placerville and one in South Lake Tahoe (SLT), which were both staffed with an Assistant Public Defender, one of which wasunderfilling the Chief Assistant Public Defender allocation. The Tahoe Office is staffed with a smaller number of employees than the Shingle Springs office; however, maintaining a presence in Tahoe is vital to the services provided by the Public Defender’s Office, whose attorneys go to court and meet with clients on a daily basis. In March 2018, the Assistant Public Defender in SLT resigned, leaving the Chief Assistant Public Defender allocation vacant and creating an opportunity for the Department to re-organize. It was determined that it would be more operational and cost-effective to staff the office with a Supervising Deputy Public Defender to provide supervision on to the Tahoe office, and to allocate one Assistant Public Defender to act as the Assistant Department Head and to provide oversight to Attorneys on both the West and East Slopes.
Based on this determination, the Human Resources Department developed a class specification and salary for a Supervising Deputy Public Defender, which was adopted by the Board on May 8, 2018 (Legistar #18-0453).The FY 2018-19 Recommended Budget included the deletion of 1 FTE- Chief Assistant Public Defender and addition of 1 FTE- Supervising Deputy Public Defender.
Given this change, the Department will have one Assistant Public Defender that will function as the assistant department director. As such, the class specification has been revised to reflect such level of responsibilities and the barging unit is recommended to be changed, consistent with other unrepresented assistant department directors.
The change in salary is a result of compaction. Prior to the adoption of the Supervising Deputy Public Defender, there was only a 10% differential between the Assistant Public Defender and the Deputy Public Defender IV. According the the Koff Study, depending on the organizational structure, scope of supervision and breadth of responsibility, mid-management classifications would typically be aligned at least 20 to 40% above the highest level supervised, and a full supervisory class is normally placed at least 15% to 25% above the highest level supervised. Given the increased duties and responsibilities, which place the Assistant Public Defender at the Assistant Director level, and to account for an adequate differential, the Supervising Deputy Public Defender’s salary was placed to be 10% above the Deputy Public Defender IV. The salary for the Supervising Deputy Public Defender and Assistant Public Defender are currently the same. The proposed salary for the Assistant Public Defender is 10% above the new Supervising Deputy Public Defender salary.
Department-specific class specifications:
• Assistant Public Defender
o Change in bargaining unit from MA to UM since this classification will function as an assistant department head.
o Increase the salary range from $56.69-$68.91 hourly to $62.35-$75.79 hourly to eliminate compaction between classifications.
o Place the incumbent at step 4 of the new salary range ($72.18 hourly), in accordance with Section 1311 of the Personnel Rules, which states that whenever the salary range for a class is revised, each incumbent in a position to which the revised schedule applies shall remain at the step held in the previous range, unless otherwise specifically provided by the Board.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to adopt and approve any of the recommendations listed herein and request that revisions be made.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
El Dorado County Managers’ Association
CAO RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The title change in Environmental Management will not result in any financial impact, as there are no corresponding changes to the compensation structure.
The change in salary and bargaining unit for the Assistant Public Defender classification will result in an annual increase of $17,000. The 2018-19 Recommended Budget anticipated a $19,000 savings in salary and benefit costs as a result of the reorganization. This savings calculation included the anticipated increase to the Assistant Public Defender Salary.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Upon Board adoption and approval, please provide Katie Lee in Human Resources with a copy of the fully executed Resolution.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance
CONTACT
Tameka Usher, Director of Human Resources