REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
July 27, 2021
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 San Bernardino County Professional Firefighters IAFF, Local 935 Regarding Disability Insurance
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District:
1. Approve proposed Side Letter Agreement between the San Bernardino County Professional Firefighters IAFF, Local 935 and the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District regarding disability insurance.
2. Approve the following classification actions, as described in the Classification Actions Summary (Attachment A), in accordance with agreed upon language in the Memorandum of Understanding between the San Bernardino County Professional Firefighters IAFF, Local 935 and the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District:
a. Establish classification and salary for the new classification of Heavy Fire Equipment Operator, and;
b. Reclassify two positions from Captain to Heavy Fire Equipment Operator.
(Presenter: Diane Rundles, Human Resources 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 will increase ongoing costs by approximately $5,000, which will be funded by the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (County Fire) without the need for additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). There is no increase in costs from the recommended classification actions.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In recent discussions between the Human Resources Department and the San Bernardino County Professional Firefighters IAFF, Local 935 (Local 935), it was identified that the Fire Suppression Aides in the Firefighters Unit represented by Local 935 are currently paying the premium for their State Disability Insurance while also receiving disability insurance coverage under Local 935’s self-administered disability plan. The duplication of these benefits results in unnecessary costs to the employees. Therefore, the County engaged in discussions with Local 935 to determine a course to cease these contemporaneous benefits. Those discussions resulted in the proposed side letter agreement, which, if approved by the Board of Directors, would, beginning on July 31, 2021, begin the process of phasing out State Disability Insurance for Fire Suppression Aide IIs and IIIs and establishing a Fire Protection District contribution to Local 935’s disability plan on behalf of these employees in the same amount as the contribution the Fire Protection District is currently providing for all other Firefighter Unit employees.
Additionally, to address the need for dedicated positions to operate and oversee wildland dozer equipment and operations, Human Resources and Local 935 met to discuss the establishment of a new classification that would have the primary responsibility of a Heavy Fire Equipment Operator (HFEO). Currently, Fire Captains assigned to stations who have completed required training and certification may be assigned to perform as an HFEO and receive a bi-weekly differential equivalent to 10% of the top step Firefighter Paramedic level. However, only a few Captains have the HFEO certification required to perform this job. A dedicated HFEO classification will provide the Fire Protection District appropriate staffing to perform all required HFEO duties. In addition, this new classification will reduce the need to backfill Captains at stations as assignments to HFEO duties will be reduced. The County and Local 935 agreed to create the HFEO classification at the same salary range as a Fire Captain, which is consistent with HFEO pay in other fire agencies. This new classification will not be eligible for the 10% differential. Upon approval of this item, two existing vacant Captain positions will be reclassified to HFEO.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Cynthia O’Neill, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on July 13, 2021; Human Resources (Diane Rundles, Human Resources Director, 387-5570) on July 13, 2021; Finance (Tom Forster, Administrative Analyst, 387-4635) on July 13, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on July 13, 2021.