REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 13, 2023
FROM
DIANE RUNDLES, Assistant Executive Officer, Human Resources Department
SUBJECT
Title
Memorandum of Understanding with the San Bernardino County Public Attorneys Association
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve the proposed Memorandum of Understanding between San Bernardino County and the San Bernardino County Public Attorneys Association, representing the employees in the Attorney Unit, extending the terms and conditions of employment through February 28, 2027.
(Presenter: Diane Rundles, Assistant Executive Officer, 387-5570)
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.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost) of approximately $2.7 million in 2023-24, $4.7 million in 2024-25, $6.9 million in 2025-26, $8 million in 2026-27, and $7.8 million in ongoing years. The total estimated ongoing cost associated with the approval of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is approximately $3.4 million in 2023-24, $5.9 million in 2024-25, $8.6 million in 2025-26, $10 million in 2026-27, and $9.7 million in ongoing years. Approval of the necessary budget adjustments for 2023-24 is not requested at this time but will be included on a future budget report presented to the Board of Supervisors (Board) for approval, if necessary. Sufficient appropriation will be included in future recommended budgets.
The total estimated one-time costs of the vacation leave cash out option increase associated with this MOU is approximately $94,300 in 2023-24, $448,900 in 2024-25, $461,200 in 2025-26, and $461,200 in 2026-27. These costs will result in one-time uses of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost) of approximately $76,000 in 2023-24, $362,000 in 2024-25, $371,000 in 2025-26, and $371,000 in 2026-27.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Representatives of San Bernardino County (County), under direction of the Board, met and conferred with representatives of the San Bernardino County Public Attorneys Association (SBCPAA) to reach a successor agreement covering wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment for employees in the Attorney Unit (Unit). After several months of bargaining, the parties reached agreement on the proposed MOU, which contains the following terms:
• Move the effective date of the scheduled 3% across-the-board wage increase in July 29, 2023 to the pay period following Board approval; new 3% across-the-board wage increase effective February 24, 2024, February 22, 2025, and February 21, 2026.
• Restructure Ranges 60, 71, and 77 effective July 15, 2023.
• Eliminate step 1-3 for Range 82, effective July 15, 2023.
• A 2.5% new top step for Range 82, effective July 15, 2023.
• Move current employees on Range 82, step 4-12, three steps up on the salary range.
• Move current employees on Range 82, step 13-15, to Step 16 (top step).
• One time Restructure Payment of $2,000 for Attorney IVs who do not qualify for range restructure, to be paid on or about August 6, 2025.
• Clean up obsolete language in Authorized Employee Representative article.
• Clean up obsolete language in Classification article.
• Increase the County match contribution to the County’s deferred compensation plan to 1% of base salary upon completion of one year of County service, effective July 12, 2025.
• Update the leave provisions in compliance with changes to California law.
• Increase Vacation and Paid Time Off cash out to 80 hours per calendar year.
• Increase the Medical Premium Subsidy for all coverage levels effective July 15, 2023, July 13, 2024, July 12, 2025, July 11, 2026.
• Administrative changes to Probationary and Trainee Periods article reducing the service hour requirement at trainee classification levels.
• Sunset the Remote Assignment Incentive and replace it with a new Remote Assignment differential of $77 per pay period.
• Clean up obsolete language in Retirement Medical Trust article.
• Clean up language to Merit Advancements.
• Effective July 13, 2024, New Longevity Tier at 10 years of service of 1% of base rate of pay and an increase to current Longevity Tier of 15 years of service to 3%.
• Include June 19th as a fixed County holiday.
SBCPAA has notified the County that the Unit has ratified the proposed MOU extension. The proposed MOU, if approved, will extend the terms and conditions of employment for the Unit through February 28, 2027.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Cynthia O’Neill, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 24, 2023; Human Resources (Leonardo Gonzalez, County Labor Relations Chief, 387-5568) on May 23, 2023; Finance (Abigail Grant, Administrative Analyst, 387-4603) on May 30, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on May 30, 2023.