REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 24, 2022
FROM
LEONARD X. HERNANDEZ, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT
Title
Adoption of an Ordinance Amending the San Bernardino County Code Relating to Compensation, Terms and Conditions of County Officials, Exempt and Non-Represented Employees
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Adopt Ordinance relating to the amendment of Sections 13.0613, 13.0614, 13.0617c, 13.0617f, 13.0628, 13.0629, and 13.0660 of the San Bernardino County Code relating to compensation and terms and conditions of County Officials, Exempt and Non-Represented employees, which was introduced on May 10, 2022, Item No. 62.
(Presenter: Leonard X. Hernandez, Chief Executive Officer, 387-4811)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Create, Maintain and Grow Jobs and Economic Value in the County.
Improve County Government Operations.
Operate in a Fiscally Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will result in the use of additional ongoing Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost) of approximately $1 million in 2022-23, $2.6 million in 2023-24, $4.3 million in 2024-25, $5.4 million in 2025-26 and in ongoing years. The total estimated ongoing cost associated with the proposed amendments to the ordinance is $2.7 million in 2022-23, $7.1 million in 2023-24, $11.4 million in 2024-25, $14.6 million in 2025-26 and in ongoing years. These items also include a one-time cost of approximately $4.6 million for COVID-19 premium bonus pay. It is expected that the County will be reimbursed for this cost through an allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, contingent upon the cost being eligible under ARPA guidelines. Approval of the necessary budget adjustments is not requested at this time but may be included on a future quarterly budget report presented to the Board of Supervisors (Board) for approval, if necessary. Sufficient appropriation will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Chapter 6 of the San Bernardino County Code establishes the salaries and working conditions of the Exempt Group, unrepresented employees covered by the ordinance, as well as Elected Officials, including the members of the Board and county-wide elected officials.
The ordinance amending the San Bernardino County Code relating to Compensation and Terms and Conditions of County Officials, Exempt and Non-Represented Employees was introduced on May 10, 2022 (Item No. 62). The recommendation before the Board today will adopt the ordinance on the Consent Calendar. It is proposed that the ordinance amend Section 13.0613, the salaries and working conditions of the Exempt Group as follows:
• Effective July 30, 2022, provide all classifications in the Exempt Group with an additional 1% across the board salary increase.
• Provide all classifications in the Exempt Group a 3% across the board salary increase effective February 25, 2023, February 24, 2024, and February 22, 2025.
• Update classification and salary range structure to reflect changes approved in the County’s 2021-22 First Quarter Budget Report.
• Add a provision to request an adjustment to a salary step to maintain salary equity within the system to align with the majority of bargaining units.
• Add employee demotion provision guidance to align with the majority of bargaining units.
• Update sections of the Medical and Dental Coverage Insurance provision to provide clarity for administration.
• Add June 19th (Juneteenth) as a Fixed Holiday and update the Maximum Holiday Leave Accrual Balance to reflect the addition of the new holiday.
• Update Medical Premium Subsidy (MPS) amounts.
• Add a Tuition Loan Repayment program, consistent with other bargaining units.
• Update Moving Expense Reimbursement.
• Rename Longevity Pay to Retention Pay.
• Provide the Director of Human Resources the authority, with the approval of the County’s Chief Executive Officer, to provide Exempt Group employees COVID-19 Premium Pay consistent with COVID-19 premium pay provided to the majority of the bargaining units.
• Update Benefits-Countywide Elected Officials, Section D, to correctly read Total Years of Service for administration purposes.
The ordinance proposes an amendment to Section 13.0614 to provide COVID-19 premium pay consistent with COVID-19 premium pay provided to the majority of the bargaining units for Countywide Elected Officials only.
The ordinance proposes to amend Section 13.0617c of the San Bernardino Code, relating to Student interns as follows:
• Impacted by minimum wage increases and to remain consistent with similar level classifications and remain competitive in the market, update the salary range for Student Interns to 4M of the MOU applicable to the Administrative Services Unit and Graduate Student Interns to 5M of the MOU applicable to the Administrative Services Unit.
• Provide the Director of Human Resources the authority, with the approval of the County’s Chief Executive Officer, to provide Student Interns and Graduate Student Interns COVID-19 Premium Pay consistent with COVID-19 premium pay provided to the majority of the bargaining units.
The ordinance proposes to amend Section 13.0617f of the San Bernardino County Code, relating to Student Nurses as follows:
• Provide the Director of Human Resources the authority, with the approval of the County’s Chief Executive Officer, to provide Student Nurses COVID-19 Premium Pay consistent with COVID-19 premium pay provided to the majority of the bargaining units.
The ordinance also proposes to amend Section 13.0628 of the San Bernardino County Code, the terms and conditions of Extra Help Employment, as follows:
• Provide the Director of Human Resources the authority, with the approval of the County’s Chief Executive Officer, to provide Extra Help employees COVID-19 Premium Pay consistent with COVID-19 premium pay provided to the majority of the bargaining units.
• As an impact of minimum wage increases, delete the provision limiting the designation of step, to allow Human Resources to develop and implement salary ranges specifically for Extra Help employees to reflect hourly rates aligned with duties for entry level, mid-level, and professional positions.
It is proposed that the ordinance amend County Code section 13.0629, the terms and conditions of Recurrent Employment, as follows:
• Provide the Director of Human Resources the authority, with the approval of the County’s Chief Executive Officer, to provide Recurrent employees COVID-19 Premium Pay consistent with COVID-19 premium pay provided to the majority of the bargaining units.
It is also proposed that the ordinance amend Section 13.0660 of the San Bernardino County Code, relating to Public Service Employees as follows:
• Provide the Director of Human Resources the authority, with the approval of the County’s Chief Executive Officer, to provide Public Service Employees COVID-19 Premium Pay consistent with COVID-19 premium pay provided to the majority of the bargaining units.
The proposed amendments to all County Code sections, except 13.0614, provided for in the ordinance will become effective immediately upon the date of final passage. Proposed amendments to Section 13.0614 will become effective 30 days from the date of final passage should the Board adopt the ordinance.
Approval of this item would adopt the ordinance relating to the amendment of Sections 13.0613, 13.0614, 13.0617c, 13.0617f, 13.0628, 13.0629, and 13.0660 of the San Bernardino County Code.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Cynthia O’Neill, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 12, 2022; Human Resources (Diane Rundles, Director, 387-5570) on May 16, 2022; Leonardo Gonzalez, Deputy Director/Labor Chief, 387-5568) on May 12, 2022; County Finance (Abigail Buecheler, Administrative Analyst, 387-4603, and Tom Forster, Administrative Analyst, 387-4635) on May 16, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on May 16, 2022.