REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 15, 2022
FROM
LEONARD X. HERNANDEZ, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
DAN MUNSEY, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, San Bernardino County Fire Protection District
SUBJECT
Title
Side Letter Agreement with The Association of San Bernardino County Fire Managers
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, approve a Side Letter Agreement between San Bernardino County Fire Protection District and The Association of San Bernardino County Fire Managers amending the Memorandum of Understanding to provide for the Modified Benefit Option for employees in the Fire Management Unit.
(Presenter: Diane Rundles, Director, 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.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of the Side Letter Agreement on the Modified Benefit Option (MBO) will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The MBO is a benefit package that provides a 4% wage differential in exchange for reduced leave time accruals and medical premium subsidy. As a result, the MBO is estimated to have marginal impact on the San Bernardino County Fire District’s annual budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The MBO is an alternative benefit package that provides eligible classifications an increased wage in lieu of certain County-paid benefits and traditional leave accruals (i.e., sick and vacation leaves).
To improve the recruitment and retention of employees in certain classifications at various County departments, the MBO was established in a number of labor contracts including some of the following: Teamsters Local 1932 (December 15, 2015, Item No. 17), Service Employee International Union Local 721 (July 12, 2016, Item No. 21), and the California Nurses Association (February 13, 2018, Item No. 25). Currently, 552 classifications in 17 bargaining units/groups are eligible for the MBO.
The Association of San Bernardino County Fire Managers requested to meet and confer to discuss establishing the MBO for classifications in the Fire Management Unit (Unit). The County and The Association of San Bernardino County Fire Managers met, conferred, and agreed to establish the MBO to include the following modified benefits for all Unit classifications:
• A 4% per hour Wage Differential for all classifications;
• A reduced Medical Premium Subsidy;
• Paid Time Off (PTO) in lieu of Vacation Leave and Sick Leave accruals.
Except as provided above, employees who select the MBO shall receive the same benefits and leaves that employees who select the Traditional Benefit Option receive (e.g., Opt-Out/Waive Amounts and Retirement Medical Trust). The benefits in this Side Letter Agreement are available to employees effective the pay period after Board of Directors approval.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Cynthia O’Neill, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on February 17, 2022; Human Resources (Leonardo Gonzalez, Human Resources Deputy Director/Labor Chief, 387-5568) on January 15, 2022; Finance (Tom Forster, Administrative Analyst, 387-4635) on February 16, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Diana Atkeson, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on February 17, 2022.