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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/21/1998, 11 - NEW LOWER ENTRY LEVEL SALARY STEPS AND NEW EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS FOR FIREFIGHTERS, AND THE ADDITION OF ONE REGULAR FIREFIGHTER POSITION councit j agenda Report ®N CITY OF SAN LUIS OBI S PO FROM: Ken Hampian,Assistant City Administrative Officer Prepared By: Wendy George,Assistant to the City Administrative Officer SUBJECT: NEW LOWER ENTRY LEVEL SALARY STEPS AND NEW EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS FOR FIREFIGHTERS, AND THE ADDITION OF ONE REGULAR FIREFIGHTER POSITION CAO RECOMMENDATION A. Adopt a resolution 1) adding four new lower steps on the firefighter salary range($29,874, $31,434, $33,098 and $34,840 annually); 2)requiring the State Fire Marshal's Firefighter I certification for all newly hired firefighters except paramedics; and 3)requiring a minimum of Firefighter I Academy graduation for all newly hired firefighter/paramedics. B. Authorize the addition of one regular firefighter position in the Fire Department. DISCUSSION Background In an effort to reduce overtime in the Fire Department created by the need to maintain a minimum staffing level at all times, the City and the San Luis Obispo Firefighters' Association met and conferred on a number of proposals. Ultimately, a proposal was developed by both negotiating teams which would add four lower steps to the firefighter salary range. By filling vacancies at these lower, but still competitive, salary steps, the City would be able to hire an additional firefighter at no additional cost. The additional firefighter would become a "floater" who could be used to fill vacancies that would otherwise require overtime to be filled This proposal was ultimately rejected by the Association members, and the labor relations impasse process was invoked That process has now been completed and, consistent with the fact finder's report, staff is recommending that the Council approve the proposed four new salary steps. In addition, staff is proposing a modification to the current employment standards and the addition of a new firefighter position. New Salary Steps The proposed new annual salary steps of$29,874,$31,434, $33,098 and$34,840 will be added to the bottom of the current firefighter salary range, creating a nine step range from $29,874 to $45,032 annually. New employees would move from the first to the second step after six months, assuming satisfactory performance. Thereafter, employees would move to the next step on an annual basis until reaching the next to the top step. Two years would then be required before reaching the top step of the range. Applying this progression, an employee would move from the entry level salary step to the top step in eight and one-half years. Any future salary increases will be added to these new steps. In recommending these steps, staff has considered whether or not they would have a negative impact on our ability to recruit high quality employees. Staff believes that there will not be a negative impact based on a number of factors. First, the City of San Luis Obispo has always been Council Agenda Report-Firefighter Salary Steps,etc. Page 2 an extremely desirable place to live and work. During past firefighter recruitments we have had potential candidates line up around the block for applications as early as two days before the recruitment officially opens. Second, although the new steps are lower than those currently found in neighboring cities, many of those cities utilize reserve and/or volunteer programs offering minimal salaries which are the "de facto" entry level positions. Third, no changes are being made to the top of the firefighter salary schedule. The top of our range is still the highest in the county at $45,032 annually. When average overtime of$9,061 is added on to that salary, a firefighter at top step could make an average of$54,093 a year, not including any additional pay incentives such as paramedic pay. Equivalent figures for Fire Engineer and Fire Captain are $58,482 and $68,811 respectively, including overtime. Finally, the City has a long history of investing in its Fire Department to assure the best possible training, equipment and facilities. A case in point is the recently completed$5 million headquarters fire station project. Modifications to Employment Standards Currently, entry level firefighters are only required to be high school graduates, or the equivalent, and possess a valid Emergency Medical Technician- 1 certification. In order to assure that the City will continue to hire well-qualified employees, even at the lower salary steps, staff is proposing to change the entry level standards for firefighters to include requiring the State Fire Marshal's Firefighter I Certification. This certification requires a minimum of 6 months experience in a California fire department as a full-time,paid fire fighter or a minimum of 12 months experience in a California fire department as a volunteer or part-time, paid fire fighter, plus the completion of training specified in the Fire Fighter I instructor guide. On the occasions when the City hires a firefighter/paramedic, the requirement will be reduced slightly to graduation from a Firefighter I academy such as that available at Alan Hancock College. This reduction in requirements is necessary because it is more difficult to recruit qualified paramedics. By adding the higher State Fire Marshal's Firefighter I Certification standard to the already difficult paramedic training requirement, we would likely limit our candidate field too severely. Additional Firefighter Position To provide adequate fire response for community safety,the Fire Department maintains a minimum staffing level twenty-four hours a day. Even though normal staffing is in excess of that minimum level, vacancies caused by vacation, illness, injury and employee turnover frequently require bringing in personnel on an overtime basis to meet the minimum. As the amount of overtime expenditures in the department grew,the Council directed staff to explore ways to reduce this cost. The City currently has a high number of vacancies. It is possible to hire an additional firefighter at no additional cost to the City, by reducing the entry level salary of those hired to fill these vacancies, as proposed above. This new position would be considered a "floater" and would be assigned to different shifts, as needed, to fill long-term vacancies. Overtime saved by filling vacancies with the "floater", plus on-going savings created by continuing to hire firefighters at the new lower entry level step, is estimated to be sufficient to continue to support the additional position. While the proposed addition of a firefighter position may not necessarily save the City money in a given year, it provides insurance against the huge peaks in overtime that can be . triggered by a long-tens injury or illness—a not uncommon occurrence in the department. CONCURRENCES The Fire Chief fully supports the actions recommended in this report. //r G Council Agenda Report-Firefighter Salary Steps,etc. Page 3 FISCAL IMPACT Staff has performed a significant analysis of the cost of the additional firefighter position, compared to the estimated savings in overtime plus the salary savings from filling current vacancies at the new, lower entry level step. Included in that analysis is a assumption of turnover and overtime based on historical experience. While it is difficult to accurately to predict how much overtime would truly be reduced by the use of the "floater" and what the actual turnover rate will be, based on the reasonable assumptions used by staff, the savings should be sufficient to pay for the additional position. Attachment Resolution 1 RESOLUTION NO. (1998 Series) A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO ADDING NEW LOWER ENTRY LEVEL SALARY STEPS AND NEW EMPLOYMENTSTANDARDS FOR FIREFIGHTERS and WHEREAS, the City wishes to add four new lower steps to the firefighter salary range; WHEREAS, the City wishes to insure the high quality of new employees in the Fire Department; and WHEREAS, the City has met and conferred with the San Luis Obispo Firefighters' Association in good faith on the impact of the proposed salary steps and employment standards; and WHEREAS, the impasse process set out in Resolution No. 6620 (1989 Series) has been completed. NOW, THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows: SECTION 1. The following new annual salary steps will be added to the bottom of the existing firefighter salary range $29,874 $31,434 $33,098 $34,840 Upon satisfactory performance, new employees will move from the first new step after the completion of six (6) months service. Movement through the remaining steps will be at annual intervals until the last step. It will take two years to move to the final step of the range. Any future cost-of-living increases will be added to these steps. SECTION 2. Employment standards for firefighters will be modified to require the State Fire Marshal's Firefighter I certification-for all newly hired firefighters except paramedics and graduation from a Firefighter I Academy for all newly hired firefighter/paramedics. Upon motion of seconded by and on the following roll call vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: /� 7 Resolution No. (1998 Series) Page 2 the foregoing resolution was adopted this day of 1998. Mayor Allen Settle ATTEST: City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: *e - ity Attorney