REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Update Regarding an Upcoming Pilot Program for Citywide Year-End Holiday Closure
Report
BACKGROUND
In December 2004 (Resolution No. 143-04), the City Council authorized a pilot program for reduced staffing during the year-end holidays, allowing department heads to minimize staffing levels while maintaining basic public services and permitting voluntary unpaid leave without loss of benefits or seniority. This approach was adopted as a cost-saving measure and received unanimous support from employee representatives at the time. Since then, the City has maintained a policy of encouraging voluntary leave during the holiday break, with department heads authorized to determine minimum staffing levels to ensure continuity of City services.
The City is conducting a pilot Citywide Holiday Closure of non-essential City services and facilities during the three workdays between the City-observed Christmas and New Year holidays for Fiscal Year 2026/27, with the intent to provide clear expectations for both employees and the public, and to evaluate the effectiveness of a uniform closure model for potential future adoption.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.3.1 Legislative Management - Goals and Policies, Goal 7.3D: Maintain a quality work force, consistent with state and federal laws, City Charter, and adopted policies in order to assure that City services are provided in an effective, efficient, and high-quality manner.
Salary Resolution Section 3.300. Holiday Leave - City Observed Holidays: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year Day. When a City holiday falls on a Saturday, the holiday will be observed on Friday; when a holiday falls on a Sunday, the holiday will be observed on Monday; or as designated by the City Council.
Administrative Policy Manual Chapter 3 Personnel Article 15 Reduced Staffing Between the Christmas and New Year Holidays.
Council Adopted Strategic Goals (July 2025 to June 2027) - A responsive, transparent and efficient City government.
DISCUSSION
The Citywide Holiday Closure Pilot Program builds upon the existing reduced-staffing framework outlined in the Administrative Policy Manual (Chapter 3 Personnel Article 15 Reduced Staffing Between the Christmas and New Year Holidays) by:
• Setting consistent, organization-wide expectations for employees and the public during a predictable low-activity period;
• Supporting employee wellbeing by encouraging time off (where operationally feasible) to rest and spend time with families and friends; and
• Promoting a safe work environment by avoiding on-site work situations with insufficient staffing at a facility.
The pilot program will be implemented for the workdays between the City-observed Christmas and New Year holidays (“holiday break”), which is December 26, 2026 (Saturday) to December 30, 2026 (Wednesday). During the holiday break, City non-essential services and facilities will be closed with following exceptions:
• Essential services such as public safety, critical infrastructure, emergency response, etc. will remain fully operational.
• Non-essential facilities and services that may require public access will operate with full or reduced staffing as needed to meet public demands, such as libraries, parks, etc.
The City Manager and department directors will assess essential services that must remain operational and determine alternative staffing models for non-essential services or facilities with ongoing public demand appropriate to this defined, low-inquiry, and relatively short five-day period (including three weekdays). The assessment ensures continuity of critical functions and public safety. The following is a list of City facilities and their status during the closure:
|
Location |
Status |
|
City Hall |
CLOSED |
|
Community Center |
CLOSED |
|
Columbia Neighborhood Center |
CLOSED |
|
Corporation Yard |
OPEN - Skeleton Crew |
|
Public Safety |
OPEN |
|
Golf Courses |
OPEN |
|
Kifer Building |
OPEN |
|
Library-Main |
OPEN - Limited hours |
|
Library-Lakewood |
OPEN - Limited hours |
|
Sunnyvale Materials Recovery and Transfer Station (SMaRT Station®) |
OPEN - Contractor |
|
Sunnyvale Donald M. Somers Clean Water Facility (formerly Water Pollution Control Plant) |
OPEN |
During the holiday break, employees who are not required to provide services are strongly encouraged to take time off using available paid leave in accordance with City policies. Employees may work during the holiday break with pre-approval from their managers if meaningful work supporting City business is available during the closure. Alternatively, employees may take unpaid time off during the holiday break consistent with the existing Administrative Policy Manual.
The City Manager will evaluate the pilot program and determine whether to continue the program in future years.
Notice about the pilot holiday closure has been provided to the bargaining units, and any permanent changes to the City’s holiday closure practices will be subject to review by employee bargaining units prior to adoption, as required by City policy.
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed pilot program may result in minor cost savings by reducing Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) and electricity usage, and would decrease the City’s unused vacation liability.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council meeting agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board at City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Public Library and in the Department of Public Safety Lobby. In addition, the agenda and this report are available at the City Hall reception desk located on the first floor of City Hall at 456 W. Olive Avenue (during normal business hours), and on the City's website.
Levine Act
LEVINE ACT
The Levine Act (Gov. Code Section 84308) prohibits city officials from participating in certain decisions regarding licenses, permits, and other entitlements for use if the official has received a campaign contribution of more than $500 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant in the previous 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to-play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
An “X” in the checklist below indicates that the action being considered falls under a Levine Act category or exemption:
SUBJECT TO THE LEVINE ACT
___ Land development entitlements
___ Other permit, license, or entitlement for use
___ Contract or franchise
EXEMPT FROM THE LEVINE ACT
___ Competitively bid contract*
_X_ Labor or personal employment contract
___ Contract under $50,000 or non-fiscal
___ Contract between public agencies
___ General policy and legislative actions
* "Competitively bid" means a contract that must be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.
Prepared by: Vienne Choi, Principal Human Resources Analyst
Reviewed by: Heather Ruiz, Director, Human Resources
Reviewed by: Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Tim Kirby, City Manager