REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
THE BIG BEAR VALLEY RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT
THE BLOOMINGTON RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 27, 2023
FROM
DIANE RUNDLES, Assistant Executive Officer, Human Resources Department
BRENDON BIGGS, Director, Department of Public Works - Special Districts
DAN MUNSEY, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, San Bernardino County Fire Protection District
SUBJECT
Title
Extension of Supplemental Military Leave Benefits
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Acting as the governing body of San Bernardino County, approve extension of the Supplemental Military Leave/Pay Program through June 28, 2024, for all employees.
2. Acting as the governing body of San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, approve extension of the Supplemental Military Leave/Pay Program through June 28, 2024, for all employees.
3. Acting as the governing body of the Big Bear Valley Recreation and Park District, approve extension of the Supplemental Military Leave/Pay Program through June 28, 2024, for all employees.
4. Acting as the governing body of the Bloomington Recreation and Park District, approve extension of the Supplemental Military Leave/Pay Program through June 28, 2024, for all employees.
(Presenter: Diane Rundles, Assistant Executive Officer, 387-5570)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Improve County Government Operations.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Supplemental Military Leave/Pay Program (Program) offers pay differential benefits to military reservist employees who are involuntarily ordered to active duty and placed on extended military leave. Based upon employees’ current military orders, the estimated Program cost is approximately $183,000 for fiscal year 2023-24, of which approximately $132,500 is funded with Discretionary General Funding. County departments with employees receiving benefits from the Program have sufficient appropriation included in their 2023-24 Budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Pursuant to California law (California Military and Veterans Code section 395 et. seq.), employees who are military reservists have a statutory right to be paid their regular salary during the first 30 days of military duty. On October 16, 2001 (Item No. 99), following the terrorist attacks on the United States and activation of military reservists, the Board of Supervisors approved the establishment of the Program. The Program provides employees the difference between their base County pay and their base military pay with continuation of full benefits (i.e., health insurance contributions, retirement service credit and contributions, leave accruals, and other miscellaneous employment benefits) while on active duty, following exhaustion of their entitlement under the 30-day full pay program. Only military reservist employees who are involuntarily ordered to active duty (i.e., those employees ordered to active duty for the purposes of mobilization as opposed to active duty for training, military school, etc.), will be placed on extended military leave and receive the benefits of this Program.
The Program has been in effect continuously for County employees since October 2001 through a series of amendments to the various Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), the County Exempt Employee Compensation Ordinance, and Compensation Plans. On March 18, 2003 (Item No. 62), the Board of Supervisors approved amendments to the MOUs/Compensation Ordinance/Compensation Plans to extend the Program through the end of 2003-04. This item also allowed the Board of Supervisors to unilaterally extend the Program further without negotiating with the employee associations/unions and amending the MOUs, Exempt Compensation Ordinances, and Compensation Plans. Each subsequent year, the Board of Supervisors and Board of Directors have extended the Program. On May 24, 2022 (Item No. 107), the Board of Supervisors and Board of Directors approved the current extension of the Program, which is set to expire on June 30, 2023.
Since the inception of the Program, approximately 373 employees have been placed on extended military leave and received the benefits of the Program. Currently, there are five employees on extended military leave and shall continue to receive the benefits, contingent upon approval of the Program extension. The extension of the Program is recommended to allow employees who qualify for the Program to continue the benefits for an additional year. The recommended actions will extend the Program through June 28, 2024.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Ken Brown, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on June 1, 2023; Finance (Abigail Grant, Administrative Analyst, 387-4603) on June 2, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on June 9, 2023.