TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Lisa Jenkins, Human Resources Director
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of a Resolution Memorializing Previously Authorized Incentives, Discounts, and Recognition Programs for City Employees. (Human Resources Director Jenkins).
ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 24-0088
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 24-0088, memorializing approval for previously authorized incentives, discounts, and employee recognition programs for City employees, and delegating authority for future modifications to various aspects of these programs to the City Manager.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The incentive and employee recognition programs outlined are already budgeted, and there is no additional cost for memorializing authorization for these programs.
BACKGROUND:
Various award recognition programs have been previously approved under the City Manager’s authority or were otherwise authorized by the City Council.
Personnel Instruction P-08 established various employee recognition programs, including the Retirement and Service Award recognition programs. The established programs provide employees a certificate to commemorate their milestone, as well as the opportunity to select a retirement or service award recognition gift, depending on their years of service. The City partners with an awards company to provide employees a selection of available gifts. The dollar amounts associated with the gifts have remained in place since at least 2011, with a minimum gift value of $25 for 5 years of service, and up to $750 for 35 or more years of service for service anniversary awards (And a similar range of gift values for retirement awards).
Additionally, discounts on Parks and Recreation classes, as well as merchandise, have previously been approved by the City Manager. Currently, employees receive a 50% employee discount on classes for themselves (this was extended to day camps for children during parts of COVID), as well as 30% off of City store merchandise. Additionally, as part of the City’s wellness programs, employees receive nominal incentives and prizes for participating in events sponsored by the City’s wellness committee (such as a $5 carrot coin for attending pier walks, or prizes for winning fitness challenges).
The City also previously approved an Alternative Transportation Program under Administrative Instruction A-10, which provides monetary incentives to employees who use alternative transportation (e.g. carpool, public transportation, walk or bike) for a certain number of days per month. Employees receive $60 per month for participating, and it appears that this amount has been in place since at least 2002.
Most recently, the City Council provided the authority to its labor negotiators for providing a 50% employee discount for electric vehicle (EV) charging at City parking lots and facilities, in connection with the Council decision to establish a fee for EV charging stations after they had historically been at no cost to both employees and members of the public.
DISCUSSION:
The City Council authorized its labor negotiators to offer a 50% employee discount on Electric Vehicle (EV) charging, when the City begins charging for this service in the near future. In addition, through the years, the City Council and the City Manager have authorized various programs, discounts and incentives available to City employees. In light of key leadership changes, in particular the retirement of the City Manager, it is a good practice to memorialize these programs and incentives and establish the authority delegated to the City Manager moving forward. Further, staff is planning to update several of these administrative policies in the near future to modernize the policies and ensure they are best aligned with the goals of employee recruitment, recognition and retention. The attached resolution will make it clear that these modifications and policy updates can be made under the City Manager’s authority.
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 24-0088, memorializing approval for previously authorized incentives, discounts, and employee recognition programs for City employees, and delegating authority for future modifications to these programs to the City Manager.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENT:
1. Resolution No. 24-0088