REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Amend the Temporary/Casual Employee Salary Table to Comply with CalPERS Requirements, Amend the Salary Resolution, and Add the Classifications of Casual and Casual Seasonal Senior Center Case Manager
Report
BACKGROUND
Within the Temporary/Casual Employees Salary Table, there are several classifications that have broad open ranges without steps. These classifications are general in nature, and can be assigned to casual employees who perform a variety of job functions. CalPERS has recently notified the City that we must narrow the pay ranges for these classifications, add steps to the ranges, and ensure that incumbents are being paid at a step that is within the pay range for the performance and work functions of the equivalent regular classification. Additionally, the City must consolidate its Salary Table for Regular Full-Time and Part-Time Employees, the Salary Table for Temporary/ Casual/Casual Seasonal Employees, and the Salary Table for Mayor and Councilmembers into one Salary Table.
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 polices in order to assure that City services are provided in an effective, efficient, and high quality manner.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
N/A
DISCUSSION
Temporary/Casual classifications such as Casual Clerical, Casual Professional, and Casual Manager are general classifications that can be utilized to perform a wide variety of work at varying levels within the organization. These employees are not typically enrolled into CalPERS membership. However, in situations where the City hires a temporary/casual employee who is already a CalPERS member at the time of hire, the City is required to continue the employee's CalPERS membership. The entire employee contribution is paid by the employee and the employer pays the established employer CalPERS rate. Additionally, in situations where a temporary/casual employee works more than 1,000 hours in a fiscal year, the City is required to enroll the employee into CalPERS membership.
As a result of the above mentioned CalPERS membership criteria, the City is mandated to comply with specific CalPERS requirements related to how Temporary/Casual employees are compensated. Currently, these classifications have wide pay ranges that allow a hiring manager to place a new hire at an appropriate pay rate for the level of work to be performed. While the City is in compliance with CalPERS requirements for many of its Temporary/Casual classifications, CalPERS has indicated that the City must make specific changes for its general Temporary/Casual classifications where currently there are broad open pay ranges and no steps within the ranges. Further, the City must compensate incumbents in these classifications within the pay range of the equivalent regular classification that would ordinarily perform the work that the temporary/casual employee is being assigned.
As a result, staff is recommending that the Council narrow the pay range for these general Temporary/Casual classifications by converting the general Temporary/Casual classifications to series classifications. Each level of the series will have 6 steps with a 5% spread between each step, similar to the majority of the City's regular classifications. Moving forward, hiring managers utilizing general Temporary/Casual classifications will be required, per the City's Temporary Employee Policy (Administrative Policy Manual, Chapter 3, Article 29), to select a series level and pay step that is within the pay range of the equivalent classification. Additionally, the City must consolidate its Salary Table for Regular Full-Time and Part-Time Employees, the Salary Table for Temporary/Casual/Casual Seasonal Employees, and the Salary Table for Mayor and Councilmembers into one Salary Table.
If approved, the proposed Salary Table (Attachment 1) will be effective the first full pay period in May 2015 (May 10, 2015), allowing time for staff to make the appropriate changes in the City's Human Resources Information System. The Department of Human Resources has already worked with City departments to determine the equivalent classification, and the appropriate level and step for each incumbent in a general Casual classification. There are two employees currently in general Casual classifications that, due to the nature of their assigned duties, require the creation of the new Casual classifications of Casual and Casual Seasonal Senior Center Case Manager.
Additionally, in an effort to simplify and streamline the Salary Resolution language related to Temporary/Casual employees, staff is recommending the elimination of Categories H and I. Categories H and I are both for Casual classifications, but are intended to distinguish between classifications used on a seasonal/short term basis in recreation related roles, and those used on a more long term basis outside of recreation. This distinction was previously used to allow for merit/step increases in short intervals for recreation staff because they typically only work for limited time periods during a given year. The amended Salary Resolution has been revised to include uniform criteria for determining merit/step increase eligibility. These criteria require completion of 1,040 hours of work for an initial merit/step increase, and 2,080 hours of work between subsequent increases along with a satisfactory performance evaluation. These criteria match the criteria used for merit/step increases for regular employees. Additionally, given the short term and/or seasonal nature of some Casual assignments, language has also been added to allow individual departments to have the ability to establish lower hour thresholds within a 12 month period for merit/step increases.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approximately 150 current Casual employees will receive either an increase or a decrease from their current rate of pay to a specified step on the amended Salary Table. In most cases, the increase or decrease is relatively minor and each individual employee's manager will be meeting with affected employees to communicate the changes regarding their compensation. Departments that employ Temporary/Casual workers will absorb any cost increases or decreases due to these changes within their existing budgets. It is not anticipated that this change will have any material impact on the City's financial position going forward.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Adopt the resolution to implement a single consolidated Salary Table in compliance with CalPERS requirements, amend the Salary Resolution and add the classifications of Casual and Casual Seasonal Senior Center Case Manager.
2. Do not adopt a resolution to implement a single consolidated Salary Table in compliance with CalPERS requirements, amend the Salary Resolution and add the classifications of Casual and Casual Seasonal Senior Center Case Manager.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 1: Adopt the resolution to implement a single consolidated Salary Table in compliance with CalPERS requirements, amend the Salary Resolution and add the classifications of Casual and Casual Seasonal Senior Center Case Manager.
Staff
Prepared by: Doug Baker, Human Resources Manager
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Director, Department of Human Resources
Reviewed by: Robert A. Walker, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution to Adopt a Consolidated Salary Table and Amend the Salary Resolution