Title
Human Resources Department recommending the Board adopt and authorize the Chair to sign the negotiated Letter of Agreement to the Memorandum of Understanding between the County of El Dorado and El Dorado County Employees’ Association, Local No. 1, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 57, representing the General, Professional, and Supervisory bargaining units, so that the 2.0 FTE Community Health Advocate incumbents subject to a reduction in force shall be permitted to transfer to the Library Department the calendar day following the reduction in force.
FUNDING: General Fund.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On April 13, 2021, the Board approved a Reduction In Force (RIF) for 2.0 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Community Health Advocate (CHA) allocations in the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) effective June 30, 2021 (the “HHSA RIF”). At the time, HHSA had recommended the RIF as a means to make the Community Hubs model more sustainable, and through consideration that the CHA staff operate at the Hubs library locations, developed a plan for the Library Department to go through the process of requesting 3.0 FTE CHA allocations during the upcoming FY 2021-22 budget process. If approved during that process, this would result in the Library being responsible for the 3.0 FTE CHA positions, and as such, those same staff would cost the Hubs program 25.53% less than if those positions remained in HHSA. This was determined by HHSA to be the most fiscally responsible approach to maintaining levels of service in the Hubs while reducing the cost.
Should the Board approve the Library Department’s request for CHA allocations through the budget process, the allocations would be effective July 1, 2021 - one day following the effective date of the HHSA RIF. In order to allow the existing two CHA employees to continue providing their services in the Hubs Program, they would need to transfer their employment from HHSA to the Library Department.
The existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County and El Dorado County Employees’ Association, Local No. 1, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 57, representing the General, Professional, and Supervisory bargaining units (Union) currently only permits employees scheduled to be laid off to transfer or demote to positions in other departments prior to the scheduled layoff effective date. As such, the County and Union have negotiated a Letter of Agreement (LOA) to permit a seamless transfer of the existing CHA employees from the HHSA to the Library Department, even though the HHSA allocations will be eliminated one day before the Library allocations would become effective.
Therefore, the Human Resources Department recommends the Board adopt and authorize the LOA, so that the 2.0 FTE Community Health Advocate incumbents subject to the HHSA RIF shall be permitted to transfer to the Library Department the calendar day following the HHSA RIF, subject to the Board’s adoption of the Library’s Community Health Advocate allocations.
The LOA, which shall supersede all previous agreements and any policies, practices, or ordinance provisions with which it may be in conflict, shall become of full force and effect upon approval and adoption by the Board of Supervisors.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could reject this LOA and the existing provisions of the MOU would remain in effect; the 2.0 Community Health Advocates subject to the HHSA RIF would be laid off and would not be able to transfer to the Library except through competitive recruitment.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
The LOA amends the MOU adopted by the Board of Supervisors on December 19, 2017, Resolution 196-2017, Legistar item 17-1358. The MOU was earlier amended December 4, 2018, Resolution 245-2018, Legistar item 18-1877; June 11, 2019, Legistar item 19-0813; June 25, 2019, Legistar item 19-0874; and July 14, 2021, Legistar item 20-0862.
The Board authorized the HHSA RIF on April 13, 2021, Legistar item 21-0327. The FY 2020-21 Recommended Budget includes the 3.0 FTE Community Health Advocate positions be allocated to the Library in the Special Budget Hearing to be held on June 7, 2021.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
El Dorado County Employees’ Association, Local No. 1, AFSCME Council 57
Library Department
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The LOA imparts no new cost items for these bargaining units. There would be indirect cost savings resulting from Human Resources Department and the Library not having to conduct a competitive recruitment for the selection of the two Community Health Advocates, plus intangible savings from transferring a skilled workforce, rather than training new hires.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Human Resources will provide the Clerk with three (3) original LOAs for the Chair to sign; and
2) The Clerk will return two (2) original LOAs to Misty Garcia in Human Resources once fully executed by the Chair, and retain one (1) fully executed LOA for the Board.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance
CONTACT
Joseph Carruesco, Director of Human Resources