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: Spencer Keywood, 707-565-3568
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Miscellaneous Classification, Compensation, and Allocation Changes
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
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 for Human Services Department Database Administrator, effective July 13, 2021.
B) Adopt a Concurrent Resolution amending the Salary Resolution 95-0926, Salary Tables, to adjust the salary of Public Defender, effective July 13, 2021.
C) Adopt a Resolution amending the Department Allocation List of the Human Services Department, effective July 13, 2021.
D) Approve the revised classification specification of Public Defender, effective July 13, 2021.
E) Authorize use of FY 21-22 General Fund Contingencies to cover the estimated annual compensation increase of $6,500 for the Public Defender.
(4/5th Vote Required)
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 for Human Services and the Public Defender’s Office, and an amendment to the Department Allocation List for Human Services. The request also seeks approval of a revised classification specification and authorization for use of General Fund contingencies.
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 change. As part of this effort, Human Resources is seeking approval for the following changes in classifications and allocations.
Human Services Department
A classification study was conducted of a Human Services Systems and Programming Analyst position in the Information Systems division of the Human Services Department. This single position class administers and manages the availability, integrity, and security of HSD data server systems. Reporting to the Department Information Systems Manager, the class works with significant independence in the management and maintenance of Human Services databases including design, application and software development, data security, and programming for the County of Sonoma Human Services database systems.
The study resulted in Human Resources recommending the development of a new job classification, Human Services Department Database Administrator, and reclassification and retention of the incumbent, in accordance with Civil Service Rule 3.3B. The Civil Service Commission approved Human Resources recommendations at their February 18, 2021 meeting.
Bargaining Unit, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and Salary Determination:
Pursuant to the County’s Employee Relations Policy, Human Resources determined the appropriate bargaining unit for the new Human Services Database Administrator classification to be Bargaining Unit 05-SEIU. This classification is exempt, pursuant to the guidelines of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
As such, Human Resources, Human Services Management, and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) participated in a meet and confer session regarding the new classification, which resulted in a Letter of Agreement between the parties (Resolution 1; Attachment B). Human Resources seeks approval to amend the SEIU Memorandum of Understanding to establish the new classification and salary of Human Services Database Administrator.
Based on an evaluation of both market data and internal equity factors, Human Resources has determined that the salary for Human Services Database Administrator should be set at $10,956.44/I-step monthly. For ongoing salary administration purposes, the salary will be tied to the Systems Software Analyst classification.
Human Resources seeks approval to establish the new classification and salary of Human Services Database Administrator, and make adjustment to the Human Services Department’s Allocation List to reflect the deletion of a 1.0 FTE Human Services Systems and Programming Analyst, and the addition of a 1.0 FTE Human Services Database Administrator.
Public Defender
In preparation for an upcoming recruitment, Human Resources reviewed the classification specification and conducted a compensation analysis for the Public Defender classification.
An accurate and up-to-date classification specification provides an organization with the necessary tools for successfully administering recruitment, performance management, compensation, and succession planning programs. Compensation analysis ensures positions are compensated fairly for the work performed and that salaries are in alignment with the comparator labor market. A fair and competitive salary is a necessary component in ensuring the County is able to recruit and retain a well-qualified workforce to serve the needs of our community and affirms the County’s commitment to compensating its employees in a manner that reflects and furthers workforce equity, retention, diversity, and stability.
Human Resources found that the classification specification was last revised in 1994, and, to varying degrees, does not accurately reflect current industry nomenclature and best practices; appointing authority, reporting requirements, and organizational structure; scope of duties performed; the knowledge and abilities, and the minimum qualifications necessary upon entry.
Human Resources has recommended edits to the Public Defender classification specification. These edits been reviewed and approved by the County Administrator. Human Resources seeks the Board’s approval to revise the specification as presented.
For the compensation analysis, Human Resources evaluated the total compensation package in comparison to the eleven (11) agencies used as the County’s comparator labor market. Human Resources found that the Public Defender is compensated 1.7% below the market average. Based on these recommendations, the salary should be set as follows:
• Public Defender should be set at $20,565/monthly I-Step
Human Resources seeks the Board’s approval to amend Salary Resolution 95-0926, Salary Tables, to adjust the salary as recommended.
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 20-21 Adopted |
FY21-22 Projected |
FY 22-23 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
HSD: $23,500 |
HSD: $24,300 PDO: $6,630 |
HSD: $25,100 PDO: $6,760 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
PDO: $6,500 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$30,000 |
$30,930 |
$31,860 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
PDO: $6,630 |
PDO: $6,760 |
|
State/Federal |
HSD: $23,500 |
HSD: $24,300 |
HSD: $25,100 |
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
PDO: $6,500 |
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$30,000 |
$30,930 |
$31,860 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Human Services Department
No additional appropriations are required to cover the increased cost of the upgraded position of Human Services Database Administrator from Human Services Systems and Programming Analyst. In FY 2021-2022, the higher payroll cost amounts to $23,500, which will be covered by salary savings. Assuming a 3% COLA for each subsequent year, the HSD Fiscal Budget Office is projecting a higher cost differential of $24,300 and $25,100 in fiscal years 22-23 and 23-24, respectively.
Public Defender
The proposed 1.7% increase to the Public Defender’s Department Head salary would increase total compensation by an estimated $6,500 in FY 21-22, which includes $4,250 for the salary adjustment and $2,250 for the benefits component. The departmental budget for the Public Defender would require additional expenditure appropriations in FY 21-22 to accommodate this increase, financed by General Fund Contingences. Upon Board approval, the necessary adjustments to the Public Defender’s budget and use of General Contingencies would be included in the upcoming Quarter 1 Consolidated Budget Adjustment. The compensation increase will also have a projected ongoing General Fund cost impact in future fiscal years, as noted in the above fiscal table.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
Human Services Database Administrator |
$8,273.69 - $10,956.44 |
1.0 |
|
|
Human Services Systems and Programming Analyst |
$7,404.06 - $9,000.71 |
|
(1.0) |
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
Human Services Department
There is no net change to the number of FTEs. The incumbent in the studied Human Services Systems and Programming Analyst position will be retained in the Human Services Database Administrator position, in accordance with Civil Service Rule 3.3B.
Attachments:
1. Resolution 1: 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 for Human Services Database Administrator.
2. Resolution 1: Attachment A - Appendix A - Salary Tables
3. Resolution 1: Attachment B - Side Letter Agreement
4. Resolution 2: Concurrent Resolution amending the Salary Resolution 95-0926, Salary Tables, to adjust the salary of Public Defender
5. Resolution 2: Attachment A - Appendix A - Salary Tables
6. Resolution 3: Resolution amending the Department Allocation List of the Human
Services Department
7. Director of Public Defender Class Specification
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
1. Classification Study Report by Human Resources on Human Services Systems and Programming Analyst in Human Services