REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 24, 2023
FROM
DIANE RUNDLES, Director, Human Resource Department
SUBJECT
Title
Side Letter Agreement with California Nurses Association
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve a Side Letter Agreement between San Bernardino County and the California Nurses Association, which includes a step advancement salary adjustment and a retention bonus, effective January 28, 2023.
(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 this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Side Letter Agreement (Agreement) includes a one-time 5% retention bonus with a cost of approximately $3.4 million and a one-time Step Advancement with a cost of approximately $800,000. The estimated costs for this Agreement are not included in the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator (Sheriff) Detention’s 2022-23 budget. If appropriation is not sufficient, the Sheriff will request the use of additional Assembly Bill (AB 109 funding. Sufficient appropriation is included in Arrowhead Regional Medical Center’s (ARMC) 2022-23 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The County engaged in the meet and confer process with the California Nurses Association (CNA) to address issues related to recruitment and retention of nurses. ARMC and the Sheriff continue to face increased difficulties recruiting and retaining Registered Nurses due to pandemic-related issues and labor shortages. At the conclusion of the meet and confer, the parties agreed to the Agreement.
Nurse Unit employees who are regularly assigned to work at ARMC (including ARMC Behavioral Health) and at the Sheriff in the below classifications will receive a salary adjustment by advancing two steps in their current salary range, not to exceed Step 12.
• Registered Nurse II - ARMC
• Specialty Care Registered Nurse - Trainee
• Specialty Care Registered Nurse
• Specialty Care Registered Nurse Critical Care - Trainee
• Specialty Care Registered Nurse Critical Care
• Registered Nurse III
• Registered Nurse III - Specialty Care
• Registered Nurse III - Specialty Care Critical Care
• Registered Nurse II - Clinic
• Correctional Nurse II (Sheriff Only)
• Correctional Nurse III (Sheriff Only)
• Nurse Educator
• Nurse Educator - Specialty Care
• Nurse Educator - Specialty Care Critical Care
• RN Case Managers
• RN Care Managers
Nurse Unit employees in the above referenced classifications regularly assigned to work at ARMC (including ARMC Behavioral Health) and at the Sheriff who are at Step 12, on Longevity Steps, or were not impacted by the Step Adjustment shall be eligible to receive a one-time lump-sum Retention Bonus payment of approximately 5% of base rate of pay on paid hours up to standard hours.
Per Diem Nurse Unit employees in the below classifications, who are regularly assigned to work at ARMC (including ARMC Behavioral Health) and at the Sheriff, shall be eligible to receive a one-time lump-sum Retention Bonus payment of approximately 5% of base rate of pay.
• Registered Nurse I - Per Diem
• Registered Nurse II - Per Diem
• Specialty Care Registered Nurse - Per Diem
• Specialty Care Registered Nurse ER/Trauma - Per Diem
• Registered Nurse II Clinic - Per Diem
• Correctional Nurse - Per Diem (Sheriff Only)
• RN Case Managers - Per Diem
If approved, the proposed Agreement will be become effective on January 28, 2023.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Cynthia O’Neill, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on December 20, 2022; Human Resources (Diane Rundles, Director, 387-5570 and Leonardo Gonzalez, Deputy Director/Labor Chief, 387-5568) on December 16, 2022; Finance (Abigail Grant, Administrative Analyst, 387-4603) on January 5, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on January 5, 2023.