REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
August 20, 2020
FROM: JEFF CARDELL, Director
Personnel Services Department
BY: RICH BOYD, Labor Relations Manager
Personnel Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to Side Letters of Agreement
1. *** Approve a Side Letter of Agreement with the Fresno Police Officers Association (FPOA), for Unit 4 - Non-Management Police, regarding Police Officer Lateral Hire Incentives (Subject to Mayor’s Veto)
2. *** Approve a Side Letter of Agreement with the Fresno City Employees Association (FCEA), for Unit 3 - Non-Supervisory White Collar, regarding Emergency Services Dispatcher Lateral Hire Incentives (Subject to Mayor’s Veto)
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended Council: (1) approve a Side Letter of Agreement with FPOA which renews the provision of hiring incentives for qualified lateral police hires from other California police agencies and provides incentives for current Fresno Police Officers who refer lateral hires, and (2) approve a Side Letter of Agreement with FCEA which renews a provision for incentives for qualified Emergency Services Dispatcher (ESD) II/III lateral hires and current ESDs who refer lateral hires.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Council is asked to approve a Side Letter of Agreement with FPOA to renew the provision of hiring incentives for qualified lateral police officer hires from other California police agencies and incentives for current Fresno Police Officers who refer lateral hires to assist with continued efforts in achieving the City’s hiring goals for Police Officers. Council is also asked to approve the renewal of the Side Letter of Agreement with FCEA for qualified ESD II/III lateral hires and current ESDs who refer lateral hires for an additional year in order to assist with filling vacancies in Dispatch. The side letters are retroactively effective July 1, 2020 respectively.
BACKGROUND
Police Officer Lateral Hire Incentives Side Letter of Agreement
In 2015, Council approved a Side Letter of Agreement with FPOA which provided hiring incentives for lateral Police Officers and incentives for current Fresno Police Officers who referred lateral hires through June 30, 2016. The Side Letter of Agreement has been renewed each year since with Council approval in recognition of the competitive employment environment for experienced Police Officers. The renewal of the Side Letter provides a useful tool in the recruitment of experienced Police Officers to the Fresno Police Department.
Side Letter Provisions
Lateral hires are eligible for forty hours of vacation leave and forty hours of sick leave upon hire, a payment of $2,500 upon hire, $2,500 upon completion of the Police Department’s field training program, $2,500 upon successful completion of probation, and $2,500 after an additional one year of service following the completion of the probationary period. This totals to a value of $10,000 in incentive pay and 80 hours of sick/vacation leave per lateral hire. Additionally, lateral hires will be hired at the C Step or above. Further, lateral hires hired on or after August 1, 2015 will be credited with years of sworn service in previous employment for the purpose of determining vacation accruals.
In order to qualify for the incentives a lateral hire must be currently working for another California law enforcement agency, have at least two years of experience as a Police Officer in a California law enforcement agency, possess a current California P.O.S.T. certificate, and must be hired by the Fresno Police Department.
In addition, current Officers who refer a qualified lateral hire will receive $250 at each of the steps noted above for a lateral hire, (i.e. hire, completion of the field training program, completion of probation and an additional one year of service after completing probation) for a total of $1,000 per lateral hire. Only one Officer is eligible for a referral for any one lateral hire, and Officers are limited to payment for five referrals (i.e., $5,000) in any fiscal year.
The side letter is effective through June 30, 2021, but can be renewed upon mutual agreement of the parties.
ESD II/III Lateral Hire Incentives Side Letter of Agreement
In 2018, the City Council approved a Side Letter Agreement with the FCEA which provided hiring incentives for lateral ESDs through June 30, 2019. The Side Letter Agreement was renewed in 2019 in recognition that the employment market for experienced ESDs is very competitive and to assist with continued efforts in rebuilding Emergency Services Dispatch staffing levels. Renewal of the Lateral Hire Incentives Side Letter with FCEA provides a useful tool in the recruitment of experienced ESDs.
Side Letter Provisions
Lateral hires are eligible for forty hours of vacation leave and forty hours of sick leave upon hire, a payment of $1,000 upon hire, $1,000 upon successful completion of a Police Department ESD training program, $1,000 upon successful completion of probation, and $1,000 after an additional one year of service following the completion of the probationary period. Additionally, lateral hires will be hired at the C Step or above.
In order to qualify for the incentives a lateral hire must be currently working for another law enforcement agency, have at least two years of experience equivalent to an ESD II with the City of Fresno, and must be hired by the Fresno Police Department.
In addition, current ESDs who refer a qualified lateral hire will receive $250 at each of the steps noted above for a lateral hire, (i.e. hire, completion of the training program, completion of probation and an additional one year of service after completing probation) for a total of $1,000 per lateral hire. Only one ESD is eligible for a referral for any one lateral hire, and ESDs are limited to payment for five referrals (i.e., $5,000) in any fiscal year.
The side letter is retroactively effective from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021, but can be renewed upon mutual agreement of the parties.
The City Attorney’s Office has approved side letters as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378 this item does not qualify as a “project” and is therefore exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act requirements.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not implicated because this item does not involve public contracting or bidding with the City of Fresno.
FISCAL IMPACT
In FY20 the Police Officer Lateral Hire Incentives Side Letter of Agreement resulted in the payment of $78,300 in incentives. Some of the incentive payments were for lateral hire Police Officers hired before FY20 due to the structure of the incentive program.
In FY20 the ESD Lateral Hire Incentives Side Letter of Agreement resulted in $1,000 in incentives.
Attachments:
FPOA Police Officer Lateral Hire Incentives Side Letter of Agreement
FCEA ESD II/III Lateral Hire Incentives Side Letter of Agreement