TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
John Jalili, Interim City Manager
FROM:
Cathy A. Hanson, Human Resources Director
SUBJECT:Title
Side Letter Agreement with the Manhattan Beach Fire Association (Human Resources Director Hanson).
APPROVE
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that City Council approve the Side Letter Agreement between the City of Manhattan Beach and the Manhattan Beach Fire Association (FA).
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications with approving this side letter.
BACKGROUND:
The City and the FA entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) beginning on January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2015. As part of the MOU the City agreed to a trial period for compensating and backfilling employees attending training under the MOU (Article 23). Additionally, the parties want to clarify MOU Article 13 Technical Specialty Pay Section (b).
DISCUSSION:
Article 13 specifies the amount of technical specialty pay to be received, the number of employees in the bargaining group who may receive the pay, and the requirements to continue to receive technical specialty pay.
The Side Letter Agreement adds a section to MOU Article 13 (b) which clarifies the party responsible for paying for the training as well as how the employee will be paid while attending the training. The following will be added to the end of Article 13 (b): "The Department shall pay the tuition or cost of training, any travel or lodging costs per City policy, overtime for members attending training off-duty, and backfill for time the employee attends training during their regular work hours. All overtime will be for actual hours of training and coverage will include travel time back to work at the end of the training day. Employees authorized for travel and lodging will have their full 24-hour shift covered."
Per Article 23, each employee covered under the MOU shall have the option to select and attend a minimum of one Fire Service-related training class per year at City expense. This Article goes on to state, "For the period of March 23, 2013 through March 23, 2014, employees who attend the training class(es) shall be paid their regular compensation (for their 24 hour shift) if any of the training days fall on their regular workdays and the City shall provide coverage for the employee's regular shift. On employees' regular days off, employees shall be paid for their actual time in the training at time and one half. In the month of March 2014, the Fire Chief shall determine whether this compensation method for training is acceptable. If so, it will continue. If not the practice of time off and compensation shall revert to the past practice described in the Leave/Overtime Policy.
The City met with the Association and agreed to add language to specify that the backfill coverage for the employee's regular day during the training period will be filled without force hiring and the employee in training will not be force hired during the scheduled training unless exigent circumstances exist.
Additionally, language was added that allows employees to attend additional training after the March 1 deadline if funds are available in the training and training overtime accounts.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that City Council approve the Side Letter Agreement between the City of Manhattan Beach and the Fire Association.
Attachment:
1. Draft Side Letter Agreement