To: Board of Supervisors of the County of Sonoma, Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Water Agency, Board of Commissioners of the Community Development Commission, and the Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District
Department or Agency Name(s): Human Resources Department
Staff Name and Phone Number: Janell Crane, 707-565-2885
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Miscellaneous Classification, Compensation, and Allocation Changes
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a Concurrent Resolution amending the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County and Service Employees International (SEIU), Local 1021, to adjust the salaries for eight classifications, effective, April 28, 2026.
end
Executive Summary:
The County’s Human Resources Department is responsible for managing the County‐wide classification and compensation structure. Components of this responsibility include ensuring employees are appropriately classified, administering the County’s Compensation Plan, and assisting departments with organizational changes when they involve classification reviews. Regularly, the department conducts classification and compensation analyses, develops reports, and presents recommendations to incumbents, unions, departments, and in many situations the Civil Service Commission. However, four agencies (Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, Community Development Commission, Sonoma County Fair, and Sonoma County Water Agency) are not governed by the County’s Civil Service System and the Board has sole authority to approve revisions to their classifications.
In this item before your Board today, Human Resources requests approval to implement the second set of recommendations resulting from the conclusion of the meet and confer process related to a SEIU 2023-2026 side letter agreement in which the County would evaluate salary administration differentials for non-benchmark job classifications.
Discussion:
SEIU 2023-2026 Evaluation of Non-Benchmark Salary Administration Differentials
In a side letter of agreement between the County of Sonoma and SEIU, the parties agreed that the County would evaluate fifteen (15) non-benchmark classifications during the term of the SEIU contract for the purpose of salary administration differential evaluations. To evaluate the classification differentials impacting salary ranges, Human Resources conducted informational meetings with representative samples of incumbents and thoroughly evaluated relevant factors associated with salaries, including both external market survey and internal salary reviews. Additionally, as needed, Human Resources sought further subject matter expertise from the representative department management.
Human Resources and SEIU representatives participated in meet and confer sessions and reached agreement on the second set of differential evaluations, inclusive of five of the fifteen job classifications, which resulted in the second Letter of Agreement between the parties (Resolution 1; Attachment B).
As a result, Human Resources seeks approval to adjust the salaries for the identified job classifications as listed in Resolution 1, Appendix A, and the second Letter of Agreement between the parties (Resolution 1; Attachment B).
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
Throughout the year, Human Resources submits several Miscellaneous Classification, Compensation, and Allocation Change Board Items that require Board approval to be fully adopted and implemented.
March 24, 2026 (item 45; File Number 2026-0055 <https://sonoma-county.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7953683&GUID=7C2F6015-3A19-47F9-A61C-D933A603B128>) Implementation of other SEIU non-benchmark differential changes.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
HSD: $3,900 PRB: $816 SPI: $10,570 |
HSD: $21,400 PRB: $4,992 SPI: $61,446 |
HSD: $21,800 PRB: $5,142 SPI: $68,153 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$15,286 |
$87,838 |
$95,095 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
PRB: $816 |
PRB: $4,992 |
PRB: $5,142 |
|
State/Federal |
HSD: $3,900 |
HSD: $21,400 |
HSD: $21,800 |
|
Fees/Other |
SPI: $10,570 |
SPI: $61,446 |
SPI: $68,153 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$15,286 |
$87,838 |
$95,095 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Human Services Department (HSD)
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-2026, the increased cost to adjust the salaries of 6.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) Human Services Aide II, 4.0 FTE Human Services Network Analyst, and 4.0 FTE Residential Service Worker from 4/28/26 through 6/30/26 is estimated to be $3,900. The department has sufficient salaries and benefits appropriations to absorb this cost increase.
The increased cost in subsequent years is $21,400 and $21,800 in Fiscal Years 2026-27 and 2027-28, respectively.
The increased cost for Fiscal Years 2026-27 and 2027-28 includes a 3% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) each year.
In FY 2025-26, and future fiscal years, this cost will be funded by state and federal funding sources.
Probation Department (PRB)
This is a 5% increase in costs. The Probation Department has one full-time allocation in the Residential Service Worker job class. The FY 25-26 anticipated cost increase is based on 4.4 remaining pay periods (4/28/26-6/30/26). The projected cost increase in FY 27-28 assumes a 3% increase over the FY 26-27 budgeted figures and will have a General Fund impact.
Sonoma Public Infrastructure (SPI)
The Airport is currently allocated eight Airport Operations Specialists, two Airport Operations Specialist Trainees, one Senior Airport Operations Specialist, and one Airport Operations Supervisor. It is anticipated the Airport will add one additional Airport Operations Specialist position in FY 26-27, and one Airport Operations Specialist position in FY 27-28. Appropriations for the requested increase in base salary are available in the FY 25-26 Airport Operations (41301-34030101) Adopted Budget and will be included in future Recommended Budgets. The Airport operates as an Enterprise Fund within the County and generates revenue for operating expenses from rates and fees charged for use of Airport facilities.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
N/A |
|
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
SEIU 2023-2026 Evaluation of Non-Benchmark Salary Administration Differentials
There are no staffing impacts.
Attachments:
1. Concurrent Resolution amending the MOU between the County and Service Employees International (SEIU), Local 1021, to adjust the salaries for eight classifications.
2. Attachment A - Appendix A
3. Attachment B - Letter of Agreement, Evaluation of Salary Administration for Non-Benchmark Differentials
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A