REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 10, 2023
FROM
DIANE RUNDLES, Director, Human Resources Department
SUBJECT
Title
Employment Contract for Supervising Occupational Health Physician at the Center for Employee Health and Wellness
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve employment contract with Monica L. Brown, to serve as Supervising Occupational Health Physician at the Center for Employee Health and Wellness, for an estimated annual cost of $410,624 (Salary: $243,022, Benefits: $167,602), for the period of January 14, 2023 through June 14, 2024.
2. Authorize the Director of the Human Resources Department to execute amendments to extend the term of the employment contract for a maximum of two successive one-year periods on behalf of the County, subject to County Counsel review.
3. Direct the Director of the Human Resources Department to transmit the employment contract amendments to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(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.
Provide for the Safety, Health, and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Center for Employee Health and Wellness (CEHW) is a fee-for-service clinic and sufficient appropriation is included in the Human Resources Department’s (HR) 2022-23 budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
HR recommends the Board of Supervisors (Board) approve a 17-month employment contract with Dr. Monica L. Brown, M.D., M.P.H., Board Certified Occupational Medicine, to serve as the County’s Supervising Occupational Health Physician. The employment contract provides for the Director of HR to authorize and execute amendments to the contract to extend the term for a maximum of two successive one-year periods, unless terminated by either party with at least 14-day prior written notice.
The Supervising Occupational Health Physician assists the County in reducing its costs for workplace injuries and illnesses and increases the overall health status and productivity of employees. The occupationally trained physician will assist the County by:
• Recommending preventative measures and practices to prevent further injury/illness for the dual purpose of reducing costs and increasing employee productivity.
• Providing pre-placement physical assessments, preventative health program consultations, return-to-work and fitness-for-duty medical evaluations, and specialized training/consultative services for private physicians treating County employees.
• Consulting with federal, state, and local agencies for ensuring the County’s compliance with mandated medical requirements (e.g., California Occupational Safety and Health Act (Cal/OSHA), American’s with Disabilities Act, Worker’s Compensation, etc.).
• Establishing and maintaining programs with Loma Linda University and Arrowhead Regional Medical Center for assisting in the occupational health training of medical residents. These programs ensure that CEHW is delivering high quality, cost effective occupational health medical care on an ongoing basis.
PROCUREMENT
In October 2022, the Supervising Occupational Health Physician for CEHW announced her plan to retire from her position with the County. Upon notice of her planned retirement, HR began a nationwide search for a Board Certified Supervising Occupational Health Physician.
The search resulted in HR evaluating the background, training, and medical expertise of four physicians. As a result, the selection committee for this position recommends Dr. Monica L. Brown as the candidate for serving as the Supervising Occupational Health Physician at CEHW.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Resources (Gina King, Deputy Director, 987-5570) on November 22, 2022; County Counsel (Cynthia O’Neill, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on November 21, 2022; Finance (Abigail Grant, Administrative Analyst, 387-4603) on December 14, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Paloma Hernandez-Barker, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on December 20, 2022.