Title
Human Resources Department recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign the Salary and Benefits Resolution 108-2019 for Unrepresented Employees which:
1) Modifies the existing language pertaining to Salaries/Compensation of Elected Department heads to incorporate and further memorialize existing language from Resolution 084-2019;
2) Modifies the existing language related to the grievance procedure to remove inapplicable references to labor representatives; and
3) Adds language to provide for sufficient extra help staffing for special events pertaining to the elections cycle, notwithstanding Personnel Rule 1108, Nepotism.
FUNDING: N/A
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On May 14, 2019, the Board of Supervisors directed staff to return to the Board with a Resolution to 1) increase the base salary of the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator by 2.5% to address compaction issues, 2) to provide that the base salary of the District Attorney shall be equal to that of the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator, and 3) to adjust the salaries effective immediately. On June 4, 2019, the Board adopted Resolution 084-2019 to this end.
Part 602 of the Salary and Benefits Resolution, Salaries/Compensation - Elected Department Heads, provides for the setting of salaries for elected department heads. This item proposes to modify Part 602 in order to memorialize that the base salary of the District Attorney shall be maintained so that it is equal to the base salary of the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator consistent with Resolution 084-2019. This modification ensures that this will remain in application so long as the Salary and Benefits Resolution is in effect, without need for reiterating the language in any successor Resolution that updates the base salaries of the District Attorney and Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator.
Section 15 of the Salary and Benefits Resolution pertains to the Grievance Procedure for Unrepresented Employees. Part 1502, Informal Discussion, currently makes reference to assistance from a “shop steward and/or labor representative” - such terms are applicable to employees represented by an employer labor organization and not to Unrepresented Employees. Therefore, the modifications to Part 1502 would remove the moot references.
The final and only substantive change to the Salary and Benefits Resolution is the addition of a new Section 19: Nepotism. County Personnel Rule 1108.1, Nepotism, restricts the employment of relatives such that:
“No relative of a County employee may serve in or be appointed, promoted, demoted, or transferred to a position which involves a direct supervisor-subordinate relationship. For purposes of this Rule 1108, the appointing authority is considered in the direct line of supervision in that department. In addition, the employment of relatives within the same supervisory unit of a County department or agency is prohibited.”
Personnel Rule 1108.1 has created undue operational challenges for the County’s Elections Department pertaining to sufficient staffing for special events during elections cycles. The new Section 19: Nepotism would provide for a limited exception to the Personnel Rules such that the employment of extra help employees within the County’s Elections Department who are related to employees within the same supervisory unit of the Elections Department to which the extra help employee is assigned would be allowed under specific circumstances, including that no employee shall be in the direct line of supervision with a relative and such appointees will not have ongoing duties/work hours outside the scope and duration of such special events.
Additional “house-keeping” formatting changes are included in the recommended Salary and Benefits Resolution.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose to reject or modify these changes, and provide staff with alternative direction.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
The Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution 084-2019, on June 6, 2019, Legistar item 19-0854, which provided in relevant part that the base salary of the District Attorney shall be maintained so that it is equal to the base salary of the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator.
The Board of Supervisors adopted the most recent Salary and Benefits Resolution 260-2018, on December 18, 2019, Legistar item 18-1922.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Chief Administrative Office
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no cost increase resulting from this item.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Provide one copy of the executed Resolution to Katie Lee in the Human Resources Department.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance
CONTACT
Tameka Usher, Director of Human Resources