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 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: Jennifer Lelouarn, 707-565-2235
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): All
Title:
Title
Miscellaneous Classification, Compensation, and Allocation Changes
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt Resolutions reflecting the recommendations of completed classification studies and other position allocation changes:
A) Adopt a Concurrent Resolution amending the Memorandum of Understanding between the County and Service Employees International Union, Local 1021, Salary Table Scales, to establish the new classification and salary of Senior Auditor-Appraiser; to amend the salaries of the Auditor-Appraiser I and Supervising Auditor-Appraiser classifications; and to retitle the classifications of Automotive Fleet Maintenance Supervisor to Automotive Fleet Supervisor, Heavy Equipment Fleet Maintenance Supervisor to Heavy Equipment Fleet Supervisor, Micrographic Technician I to Document Imaging Technician, Micrographic Technician II to Document Imaging Specialist, and Supervising Micrographic Technician to Document Imaging Supervisor, effective August 13, 2019.
B) Adopt a Concurrent Resolution amending the Department Allocation Tables of the County Administrator’s Office, Economic Development Board, Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Department, the Department of Health Services, and effective August 13, 2019.
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, and develops reports and presents recommendations to incumbents, unions, departments, and in many situations the Civil Service Commission. Ensuring employees are appropriately classified and having a sound classification plan results in the County’s ability to attract and retain a highly qualified, engaged workforce charged with providing the most efficient services possible for our community.
In resolutions before your Board today Human Resources requests approval to implement the final recommendations resulting from classification studies and program change requests in the County Administrator’s Office, Economic Development Board, Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Department, Department of Health Services, and Human Services Departments.
Discussion:
Classification is a method for categorizing jobs based on duties, responsibilities, and a variety of other factors. A classification plan contains all of the classifications in the agency and forms the basis for setting job expectations, consistent and fair job entrance requirements, equitable compensation, and plays an important role in the budget. Human Resources is responsible for managing the County’s classification plan by evaluating job descriptions for vacant, filled, and new positions to ensure that they are assigned to the appropriate classifications. Positions are assigned, or allocated, to departments based on Human Resources’ determination of the appropriate classification.
The majority of the County’s positions/classifications are in the County’s Civil Service System. Therefore, most classification changes and new classifications are reviewed and approved by the Civil Service Commission, and the Board has final approval authority prior to the implementation of any classification changes. However, four agencies (i.e., 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 for the related classification and compensation issues. As part of this effort, Human Resources is seeking approval for the following changes in classifications and allocations.
County Administrator’s Office (CAO)/Economic Development Board (EDB):
In the wake of local and Federal cannabis legislation changes, the EDB spearheaded the County’s involvement in supporting cannabis industry stakeholders. The responsibilities of this body of work have significantly increased, and are anticipated to expand for the near future. In response to the changes in the scope of work being performed, it is now appropriate for these efforts to continue under the purview of the County Administrator’s Office.
Further, a review of the these positions by the County Administrator’s Office has resulted in the belief that the increased complexity and critical nature of the expanding duties being performed necessitate classification changes, from Business Development Manager to Deputy County Administrator, and Administrative Aide to Department Analyst. HR conducted a review of the body of work these allocations will perform and has concurred with this assessment.
The county’s initial Cannabis program implementation plan anticipated the need to provide business development services to facilitate that the industry to comply with local Cannabis ordinance. The plan anticipated a Business Development manager assisted with an entry level administrative support, Administrative Aide. The program is entering its second year and we have learned policies and procedures need revisiting, including the effort of developing Phase II of the ordinance while synchronizing state and local rules as well as evaluating the impacts of the new federally allowed Hemp crop.
The additional workload and the level and type of services require more diverse skills which are outside the Business Development Manager job description. Therefore, the CAO through executive leadership and analyst level capacities will centrally provide the public and operating department’s policy development guidance, constituent interface, and budgeting services to the Cannabis program.
The County Administrator’s Office and Economic Development Board seek approval to delete 1.0 FTE Business Development Manager and 1.0 FTE Administrative Aide allocations from the EDB allocation table, and to add 1.0 FTE Deputy County Administrator and 1.0 FTE Department Analyst allocations to the CAO allocation table.
Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Department (CRA):
The Auditor-Appraiser classification family is comprised of entry, journey, and supervisory level classifications, which handle the audits and appraisals of business personal property in compliance with the State Board of Equalization’s requirements. A request was made by both CRA management and the incumbents to determine the most appropriate structure for a new, advanced journey level in the series.
After evaluating the required duties and responsibilities of the existing positions, Human Resources determined that the addition of an advanced journey classification was warranted. Additionally, Human Resources determined that a separately-allocated class, distinguished by responsibilities for serving as a lead to organize and review the work of staff and/or handle administrative responsibilities, would be most appropriate.
Human Resources, CRA Department Management, and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) participated in meet and confer sessions over these recommendations, which resulted in a Letter of Agreement (Resolution 1; Attachment B). On August 1, 2019, the Civil Service Commission approved the adoption of the Senior Auditor-Appraiser classification.
Bargaining Unit, Fair Labor Standards Act, and Salary Determination:
Human Resources’ Employee Relations Division conducted a Community of Interest Analysis and determined that the new class of Senior Auditor-Appraiser should be assigned to the SEIU-05 Non-Supervisory bargaining unit and designated as non-exempt for the Fair Labor Standards Act status. Human Resources determined that the salary of the new classification should be set at $7,472/top step monthly, 7.5% above the Auditor-Appraiser II benchmark classification. The 7.5% differential should be maintained from ongoing salary administration purposes.
In order to maintain overall internal equity, Human Resources also reviewed the salary for the existing classes of entry-level Auditor-Appraiser I and the Supervising Auditor-Appraiser. The salary for Auditor-Appraiser I is currently set at 17% below the benchmark, journey-level Auditor-Appraiser II. Given recruitment challenges and the fact that this differential is atypically large between alternately-staffed entry and journey levels, Human Resource recommends narrowing the differential and setting the salary for the Auditor-Appraiser I at $6,317/top step monthly, which is 10% below the benchmark, and maintaining this differential for ongoing salary administration.
The recommended salary of this new, advanced journey-level class will only result in a 9% differential between the new job class and the Supervising Auditor-Appraiser. Therefore, Human Resources recommends increasing the Supervising Auditor-Appraiser salary to $8,406/top step monthly, which is 12.5% above that of the new Senior Auditor-Appraiser class, and maintaining this differential for salary administration purposes.
Human Resources’ seeks approval to create the new classification and salary of Senior Auditor-Appraiser, and to amend the salaries of the Auditor-Appraiser I and Supervising Auditor-Appraiser classifications. Further, the Clerk-Recorder-Assessor seeks approval to delete two Auditor-Appraiser II allocations and add two Senior Auditor-Appraiser allocations to its department allocation table.
Department of Health Services (DHS):
Human Resources conducted a study of a Public Health Nurse II position, to determine if the scope of duties being performed exceeded the bounds appropriate for the current classification.
Through the study process, Human Resources determined that the position should be reclassified to the Senior Public Health Nurse based on the specialized caseload, complexity of medical determinations, program oversight responsibility, and independence of decision making.
Engineer and Scientist of California, Local 20 and the incumbent concurred with HR’s reclassification recommendation, and on July 18, 2019, the Civil Service Commission approved Human Resources’ recommendation to reclassify the studied position from Public Health Nurse II to Senior Public Health Nurse, with the retention of the incumbent in accordance with Civil Service Rule 3.3B.
DHS now seeks approval for the addition of 0.75 FTE Senior Public Health Nurse allocation, and the deletion of 0.75 FTE Public Health Nurse II allocation to its department allocation table.
General Services Department:
In 2017, the specifications for the non-supervisory classes in the Automotive and Heavy Equipment series were revised and re-titled, to bring them into alignment with the updated Memorandum of Understanding between the County and the International Union of Operating Engineers, Stationary Engineers, Local 39, and to reflect current industry terminology and County classification standards.
To ensure consistency at all levels in these two families, Human Resources then worked with General Services to update and re-title the specifications of the two supervisory classes, the Automotive Fleet Maintenance Supervisor and the Heavy Equipment Fleet Maintenance Supervisor.
Human Resources and Service Employees’ International Union (SEIU), Local 1021, met and conferred over the impacts of the updates to specifications and, on July 18, 2019, the Civil Service Commission approved the Automotive Fleet Maintenance Supervisor and the Heavy Equipment Fleet Maintenance Supervisor specifications be revised and re-titled Automotive Fleet Supervisor and Heavy Equipment Fleet Supervisor, respectively. Human Resources now seeks Board approval to amend the County’s Memorandum of Understanding with SEIU to reflect these changes in title, which will have no fiscal or staffing impact.
Human Services Department:
Human Resources conducted a classification study of the Micrographic Technician I and Micrographic Technician II positions allocated to the Human Services Department, as requested by the incumbents. Through the study process, Human Resources determined that the positions are appropriately classified, but that significant changes in technology, tools, and terminology associated with the imaging, archiving, storing, and retrieving of official documents warranted the revision and re-titling of the specifications for three classifications in the Micrographic Technician series.
Human Resources and Service Employees’ International Union, Local 1021, met and conferred over the impacts of Human Resources’ recommendations regarding the classification of positions and the updates to specifications. On July 18, 2019, the Civil Service Commission approved the revised and re-titled specifications of Micrographic Technician I, Micrographic Technician II, and Supervising Micrographic Technician to Document Imaging Technician, Document Imaging Specialist, and Document Imaging Supervisor, respectively. Human Resources now seeks the Board’s approval to amend the County’s Memorandum of Understanding with SEIU, to reflect the changes in title, which have no fiscal or staffing impact.
Prior Board Actions:
Throughout the year, Human Resources submits several Miscellaneous Classification, Compensation, and Allocation Change Board Items that require Board approval in order to be fully adopted and implemented.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 19-20 Adopted |
FY20-21 Projected |
FY 21-22 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
CAO: $102,000 CRA: $13,190 DHS: $10,107 |
CAO:$104,000 CRA: $15,828 DHS: $10,612 |
CAO: $109,000 CRA: $15,828 DHS: $11,143 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$125,297 |
$130,440 |
$135,971 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
CRA: $13,190 |
CRA: $15,828 |
CRA: $15,828 |
|
State/Federal |
DHS: $10,107 |
DHS: $10,612 |
DHS: $11,143 |
|
Fees/Other |
CAO: $102,000 |
CAO:$104,000 |
CAO: $109,000 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$125,297 |
$130,440 |
$135,971 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
County Administrator’s Office/Economic Development Board: Budgetary adjustments transferring the salaries and benefits costs from the Economic Development department to the County Administrator budget will be included during Consolidated Budget adjustments. The increased cost will be financed from Cannabis Tax revenue.
Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Department: The additional cost for replacing two Auditor-Appraiser II with Senior Auditor-Appraiser allocations is $13,190 for FY 19-20, $15,828 for FY 20-21 and FY 21-22. The Department will request additional General Funds for the increased costs during mid-year estimates, if FY 19-20 appropriations are not sufficient.
Department of Health Services: The additional cost for replacing 0.75 Public Health Nurse II with 0.75 Senior Public Health Nurse is $10,107 for FY 19-20, $10,612 for FY 20-21, and $11,143 for FY 21-22. The department will cover the increased cost through current year salary savings and will program the annual cost into the department’s future operational budgets.
General Services Department: There are no fiscal impacts associated with the re-titling of these classifications.
Human Services Department: There are no fiscal impacts associated with the re-titling of these classifications.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
Business Development Manager |
$8,404.14 - $10,216.45 |
|
(-1.0) |
|
Administrative Aide |
$4,576.01 - $5,562.18 |
|
(-1.0) |
|
Deputy County Administrator |
$11,011.30 - $13,383.66 |
1.0 |
|
|
Department Analyst |
$5,790.02 - $7,038.81 |
1.0 |
|
|
Auditor-Appraiser II |
$5,718.71 - $6,950.11 |
|
(-2.0) |
|
Senior Auditor-Appraiser |
$6,145.00 - $7,472.00 |
2.0 |
|
|
Public Health Nurse II |
$7,059.68 - $8,581.54 |
|
(-0.75) |
|
Senior Public Health Nurse |
$7,590.16 - $9,226.81 |
0.75 |
|
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
County Administrator’s Office (CAO)/Economic Development Board (EDB): No net total position allocation as positions are being transferred between departments while job classifications are aligned to meet Cannabis Program needs.
Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Department: The department will be underfilling the Senior Auditor-Appraiser allocations at the Auditor-Appraiser II level until a promotional recruitment can be conducted.
Department of Health Services: There is no net change in the number of FTEs. The incumbent in the Studied Public Health Nurse II position will be retained in the Senior Public Health Nurse position, in accordance with Civil Service Rule 3.3B.
General Services Department: There are no staffing impacts associated with the re-titling of these classifications.
Human Services Department: There are no staffing impacts associated with the re-titling of these classifications.
Attachments:
1. Resolution 1: Concurrent Resolution amending the Memorandum of Understanding between the County and Service Employees International Union, Local 1021, Salary Table Scales.
2. Resolution 1: Attachment A - Salary Tables.
3. Resolution 1: Attachment B - Letter of Agreement between the County of Sonoma and SEIU Local 1021.
4. Resolution 2: Resolution amending the Department Allocation Tables of the County Administrator’s Office, Economic Development Board, Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Department, and the Department of Health Services.
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
1. Classification Study Report by Human Resources on the Position Review of Auditor-Appraiser I/II positions in the Business Unit of the Clerk-Recorder-Assessor’s Office.
2. Classification Study Report by Human Resources on the Position Review of a Public Health Nurse II in the Public Health Division of the Department of Health Services.
3. Classification Study Report by Human Resources on the Position Review of Automotive Fleet Supervisor & Heavy Equipment Fleet Supervisor positions in the Fleet Operations Division of the General Services Department.
4. Classification Study Report by Human Resources on the Position Review of Micrographic Technician I & II positions in the Information Technology Section of the Human Services Department.