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: Majority
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 Paralegal, effective December 14, 2021.
B) Adopt a Concurrent Resolution amending the Salary Resolution 95-0926, Salary Tables, to amend the Job Code for Assistant Retirement Administrator/Chief Legal Counsel, effective December 14, 2021.
C) Adopt a Resolution amending the Department Allocation List of the County Administrator’s Office, effective November 16, 2021, and the Department Allocation Lists of County Counsel and Regional Parks, effective December 14, 2021.
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 amendments to the Department Allocation Lists for the County Administrator’s Office, County Counsel, and Regional Parks.
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 Counsel
A position review classification study was conducted of the Legal Assistant positions within the County Counsel’s Office, which resulted in the development of the new classification of Paralegal. Under general direction, this class will perform a wide variety of responsible paraprofessional legal work for County attorney staff including conducting legal research, drafting and preparing legal documents; assisting in case and court preparation; performing difficult and responsible duties in support of an attorney’s case work, independently or with minimum direction, along with performing other related duties as assigned. The study further concluded that a reclassification of the studied positions and retention of the incumbents, in accordance with Civil Service Rule 3.3B, was appropriate. The Civil Service Commission approved the recommendation of the position review classification review study at their July 1, 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 Paralegal classification to be Bargaining Unit 05-SEIU. This classification is non-exempt, pursuant to the guidelines of the Fair Labor Standards Act. As such, Human Resources and the 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).
Based on an evaluation of both market data and internal equity factors, Human Resources has determined that the salary for Paralegal should be set at $6,230/I-step monthly. For ongoing salary administration purposes, the salary will be placed at 10% above the benchmark classification of Legal Assistant.
Human Resources seeks approval to establish the new classification and salary of Paralegal, and amend the County Counsel’s Office Department Allocation List to reflect the deletion of eight FTE Legal Assistant-Confidential allocations, and the addition of eight Paralegal allocations.
Regional Parks
Human Resources recently concluded a position review study of an Administrative Aide position at Regional Parks. Based on information provided in the study, it was determined that the scope of work assigned to the position had changed and was outside to scope of the Administrative Aide classification.
As such, it was determined a reclassification of the position to Project Specialist with the retention of the incumbent, in accordance with Civil Service Rule 3.3B, was appropriate. The Civil Service Commission approved the recommendation of the Position Review study at their September 16, 2021, meeting.
Human Resources seeks approval to change Regional Parks’ Department Allocation List to reflect the deletion of one FTE Administrative Aide allocation and the addition of one FTE Project Specialist allocation.
Sonoma County Employees' Retirement Association
At the September 14, 2021, Board meeting the new classification of Assistant Retirement Administrator/Chief Legal Counsel was established, and an incorrect Job Code number was included in the Appendix A - Salary Resolution 95-0926, Salary Tables. Human Resources seeks approval to correct the administrative error and revise the Job Code.
County Administrator’s Office
At the November 16, 2021 Board meeting, Personnel Resolution 21-0461 was approved, deleting one FTE Department Analyst, and adding one FTE Administrative Analyst I for the Cannabis Local Equity Program. The Administrative Analyst classification series is alternatively staffed and should be appropriated and allocated at the highest level of the series, Administrative Analyst III, not the entry level, Administrative Analyst I. Human Resources seeks approval to correct the administrative error and revise the County Administrator Office’s allocation table, effective November 16, 2021, to reflect the addition of 1.0 FTE Administrative Analyst III in place of 1.0 FTE Administrative Analyst I.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
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 21-22 Adopted |
FY22-23 Projected |
FY 23-24 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
CNS: $43,344 |
CNS: $44,644 RPK: 17,553 |
CNS: $45,984 RPK: $21,936 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
RPK: $13,378 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$56,722 |
$62,197 |
$67,920 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
CNS: $43,344 RPK: $13,378 |
CNS: $44,644 RPK: 17,553 |
CNS: $45,984 RPK: $21,936 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$56,722 |
$62,197 |
$67,920 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
County Counsel
The primary source of funding will be through ongoing County Counsel billing revenue.
Regional Parks
The Project Specialist begins at A-step and increases 5% per year. The difference in cost will be absorbed in the current year by savings achieved from a vacant Park Program Manager position initially. The program manager position is Measure M funded (Regional Parks sales tax measure). In future fiscal years the difference in Administrative Aide and Project Specialist expense will be funded through Measure M.
Sonoma County Employees' Retirement Association
There are no fiscal impacts associated with this correction.
County Administrator’s Office
There are no fiscal impacts associated with this correction.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
Legal Assistant - Confidential |
$4,793.41 - $5,828.28 |
|
(8.0) |
|
Paralegal |
$5,125.62 - $6,230.05 |
8.0 |
|
|
Administrative Aide |
$4,807.33 - $5,842.20 |
|
(1.0) |
|
Project Specialist |
$6,957.07 - $8,458.05 |
1.0 |
|
|
Administrative Analyst I |
$6,483.99 - $7,882.36 |
|
(1.0) |
|
Administrative Analyst III |
$8,247.60 - $10,023.39 |
1.0 |
|
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
County Counsel
There is no net change to the number of FTEs. The incumbents in the studied Legal Assistant positions will be retained in the Paralegal positions, in accordance with Civil Service Rule 3.3B.
Regional Parks
There is no net change to the number of FTEs. The incumbent in the studied Administrative Aide position will be retained in the Project Specialist position, in accordance with Civil Service Rule 3.3B.
Sonoma County Employees' Retirement Association
There are no staffing impacts associated with correcting the administrative error.
County Administrator’s Office
There is no net change to the number of FTE’s. The County Administrator’s Office will work the Human Resources to fill the new position.
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 Paralegal
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 amend the Job Code for Assistant Retirement Administrator/Chief Legal Counsel
5. Resolution 2: Attachment A - Appendix A - Salary Tables
6. Resolution 3: Resolution amending the Department Allocation Lists for the County Administrator’s Office, County Counsel, and Regional Parks
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
1. County Counsel Legal Assistant Classification Study Report
2. Regional Parks Administrative Aide Classification Study Report