REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
SITTING AS THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE FOLLOWING:
COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
BOARD GOVERNED COUNTY SERVICE AREAS
AND RECORD OF ACTION
REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE FOLLOWING:
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
BIG BEAR VALLEY RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT
BLOOMINGTON RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 8, 2021
FROM
DIANE RUNDLES, Director, 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 County of San Bernardino, approve extension of the Supplemental Military Leave/Pay Program through July 1, 2022 for all employees.
2. Acting as the governing body of the Board Governed County Service Areas, approve extension of the Supplemental Military Leave/Pay Program through July 1, 2022 for all employees.
3. Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, approve extension of the Supplemental Military Leave/Pay Program through July 1, 2022 for all employees.
4. Acting as the governing body of the Big Bear Valley Recreation and Park District, approve extension of the Supplemental Military Leave/Pay Program through July 1, 2022 for all employees.
5. Acting as the governing body of the Bloomington Recreation and Park District, approve extension of the Supplemental Military Leave/Pay Program through July 1, 2022 for all employees.
(Presenter: Diane Rundles, Director, 387-5570)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Improve County Government Operations.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approving the extension of the Supplemental Military Leave/Pay Program (Program) will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The 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 $47,000 for fiscal year 2021-22. County departments with employees receiving benefits from the Program have sufficient appropriation included in their respective 2021-22 Recommended Budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The recommended actions will extend the Program through July 1, 2022. 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. 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.
On October 16, 2001 (Item No. 99), following the terrorist attacks on the United States and activation of military reservists, the Board approved the establishment of a Supplemental Military Leave/Pay Program. Since the inception of the Program, approximately 364 employees have been placed on extended military leave and received the benefits of the Program. Currently, there is one employee on extended military leave and shall continue to receive the benefits, contingent upon Board approval of the Program extension. The extension of the Program is recommended to allow military reservist employees who qualify to continue to benefit from this program for an additional year.
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 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 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 has extended the Program. On June 23, 2020 (Item No. 121), the Board approved the current extension of the Program, which is set to expire on June 18, 2021.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Suzanne Bryant, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 10, 2021; Employee Relations (Leonardo Gonzalez, Employee Relations Chief, 387-5568) on May 13, 2021; Finance (Jessica Trillo, Administrative Analyst, 387-4222) on May 13, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on May 21, 2021.