5.1 Salary Ranges
The salary ranges for all employees in the aforementioned representation units will be as set forth in the Exhibits which are attached hereto and made a part hereof.
The rates of pay set forth in the Exhibits represent for each classification the standard biweekly rate of pay for full-time employment. The rates of pay set forth in the Exhibits represent the total compensation due employees, except for overtime compensation and other benefits specifically provided for by the Board of Supervisors or by this Memorandum of Understanding.
The rates of pay set forth in the Exhibits do not include reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses for traveling, subsistence, and general expenses authorized and incurred incident to County employment.
Effective the first full pay period following Board of Supervisors’ approval of the successor MOU in 2024, there shall be a five percent (5%) cost of living adjustment for all represented classifications.
Effective the first full pay period following Board of Supervisors approval of the successor MOU in 2024, equity adjustments to individual job classifications will be applied in the amounts listed below:
| Job Classification | % Equity Adjustment after 5% COLA applied |
| Cardiac Sonographer I, II & Lead Ultrasonographer I, II & Lead |
4.6% |
| Medical Lab Technician | 6.0% |
| Park Ranger I, II, III, IV, Arborist | 2.7% |
| Physical Therapist I/II Occupational Therapist I, II |
1.5% |
| Speech Pathologist | 1.5% |
| Planner I, II, III | 3.1% |
| Radiologic Technologist I, II, III & Lead | 13% |
| Respiratory Therapist I, II & III | 0.4% |
| Respiratory Therapist Supervisor | 4.0% to offset compaction |
| Stationary Engineer I & II | 1.2% |
| Supervising Therapist – Exempt | 10.9% |
| Therapy Assistant II | Within 120 days following BOS approval of the MOU, the County will conduct a classification study for the Therapy Assistant regarding the establishment of a Therapy Assistant I/II series |
| Supervising Mental Health Clinicians | 1% to offset compaction |
| SIU Fraud Investigator Investigative Analyst |
4.7% to align with Fair Hearings Officer |
| Supervising Fraud Investigator | 4.8% to align with Supervising Human Services Hearings Officer |
| Children’s Services Social Work Supervisors | 1% to maintain parity with Supervising Mental Health Clinician |
| Physician Assistant | 7.2% |
| Automotive Service Supervisor | 5.3% |
| Automotive Services Worker I/II/III | Within 120 days following BOS approval of the MOU, the County will conduct a salary survey of the Auto Services Worker series |
| Deputy Public Administrator Series | Within 120 days following BOS approval of the MOU, the County will conduct a classification study of the Deputy Public Administrator II classification |
Effective October 12, 2025, there shall be a three percent (5%) cost of living adjustment for all represented classifications.
Effective October 11, 2026, there shall be a four percent (4%) cost of living adjustment for all represented classifications. The October 2026 cost of living adjustment shall be increased by an additional one percent (1%), for a total cost of living adjustment of five percent (5%) under the following circumstances:
1. Not later than October 1, 2026, the State Legislature enacts and the Governor signs legislation to ensure that San Mateo County receives its full Vehicle License Fee Adjustment Amount under Revenue & Taxation Code 97.70, as calculated under the laws in existence as of the date of this MOU on an ongoing basis (i.e., without any sunset provision), and
2. Neither the VLF bill nor any companion legislation contains any offsets, reductions or limits to other County funding sources (e.g., a reduction in excess or returned Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund amounts).
Longevity Pay
Effective February 24, 2019 (for all represented classifications excluding those in the Human Services Unit), and effective March 24, 2019 (for all represented classifications in the Human Services Unit), longevity pay shall be paid as follows:
- One percent (1%) of base salary after the equivalent of five (5) years of full time County service (10,400 hours).
- An additional one and one-half percent (1.5%) of base salary (for a total of two and one half percent (2.5%)) after the equivalent of ten (10) years of full time County service (20,800 hours)
- An additional one and one-half percent (1.5%) of base salary (for a total of four percent (4%)) after the equivalent of twenty (20) years of full time County service (41,600 hours)
- An additional two percent (2%) of base salary (for a total of six percent (6%)) after the equivalent of twenty-five (25) years of full time County service (52,000 hours)
5.2 Entrance Salary
Except as herein otherwise provided, the entrance salary for a new employee entering County service shall be the minimum salary for the class to which they are appointed. When circumstances warrant, the Human Resources Director may upon recommendation of the department head approve an entrance salary which is more than the minimum salary. The Human Resources Director’s decision shall be final. Such a salary may not be more than the maximum salary for the class to which that employee is appointed unless such salary is designated as a “Y” rate by the Board of Supervisors.
5.3 Salary Step Increases
Permanent and probationary employees serving in regular established positions shall be considered by the appointing authority on their salary anniversary dates for advancement to the next higher step in the salary schedule for their respective classes based on hours served in that classification as defined below. All increases shall be effective at the beginning of the next full pay period. Salary range adjustments for a classification will not set a new salary anniversary date for workers serving in that classification.
Hours of Service Necessary for Step Increases
- After completion of 1040 regular hours satisfactory service in Step A of the salary schedule, and upon recommendation of the appointing authority, the employee shall be advanced to the next higher step in the salary schedule for the classification. If an employee is appointed at a step higher than the first step of the salary range for that classification, the first merit increase shall be after completion of 2080 regular hours of satisfactory service.
- After the completion of 2080 regular hours of satisfactory service in each of the salary steps above A, and upon recommendation of the appointing authority, the employee shall be advanced to the next higher step in the salary schedule for the classification until the top of the range is reached.
- If an employee completes the 1040 or 2080 hours in the middle of a pay period, the employee shall be eligible for an increase as follows:
a. if the merit increase period is completed during the first week of a pay period the increase will be made effective with the start of the then current pay period.
b. if the merit increase period is completed during the second week of a pay period the increase will be made effective with the start of the next pay period.
4. If an operating department verifies in writing that an administrative or clerical error was made in failing to submit the documents needed to advance an employee to the next salary step on the first pay period when eligible, said advancement shall be made retroactive to the first pay period when eligible. This section also applies to fully flexibly staffed promotions in which case the advancement shall be made retroactive to the first pay period when approved by the appointing authority.
Special Merit Increases
Upon recommendation of the appointing authority and approval by the Human Resources Director, employees may receive special merit increases at intervals other than those specified in this Section. The Human Resources Director’s decision shall be final. Changes in an employee’s salary because of promotion, upward reclassification, postponement of salary step increase, or special merit increase will set a new salary advancement hours balance for that employee.
Salary Step if Rejected During Promotional Probation
Employees who are rejected during the probationary period and revert to their former classification shall return to the salary advancement hours balance held in the former class unless otherwise determined by the Human Resources Director. The salary advancement hours balance for an employee shall not be affected by a transfer, downward reclassification or a demotion.
General Salary Range Adjustments
Salary range adjustments for a classification will not set a new salary advancement hours balance for employees serving in that classification.
Prior Service Credits
- A permanent employee accepting provisional employment in a higher or different class in the County Classified Service, and who reverts to the former classification, shall retain the salary advancement hours balance in the former class on the same basis as if there had been no such provisional appointment.
- Upon recommendation of the appointing authority and approval by the Human Resources Director, provisional and temporary employees shall be advanced to the next higher step in the salary schedule upon completion of the periods of service prescribed in this Section, provided that their service has been satisfactory. Continuous service in provisional, temporary, seasonal or extra-help capacity shall be added to service in a regular established position for the purpose of determining an employee’s salary anniversary date, eligibility for salary increases, as well as vacation and sick leave accrual.
However, such service may not be added if it preceded a period of over twenty-eight (28) consecutive calendar days during which the employee was not in a pay status, except when the employee is absent from their position by reason of an injury or disease for which they are entitled to and currently receiving Workers’ Compensation benefits.
5.4 Salary Step When Salary Range is Revised
Whenever the salary range for a class is revised, each incumbent in a position to which the revised schedule applies shall remain at the same step as in the previous range, unless otherwise specifically provided by the Board of Supervisors.
5.5 Salary Step After Promotion
When an employee is promoted from a position in one class to a position in a higher class and at the time of promotion is receiving a base salary equal to, or greater than, the minimum base rate for the higher class, that employee shall be entitled to the next step in the salary schedule of the higher class which is at least one step above the rate they have been receiving, except that the next step shall not exceed the maximum salary of the higher class.
5.6 Salary Step After Demotion
When an employee is demoted, whether such demotion is voluntary or otherwise, that employee’s compensation shall be adjusted to the salary prescribed for the class to which demoted, and the specific rate of pay within the range shall be determined by the Human Resources Director, whose decision shall be final; provided, however, that the Board of Supervisors may provide for a rate of pay higher than the maximum step of the schedule for the employee’s classification, and designate such rate of pay as “Y” rate (see Section 5.8), and also provided that an employee demoted as a result of abolition of position shall be placed at the salary step in the lower classification which most closely approximates (but does not exceed) their salary in the higher classification.
If an employee takes a voluntary demotion to a classification previously held, the employee shall be placed at the same step in that classification which the employee held last. The employee’s service time at such step shall be the same as the service time held at such step previously.
In order to further the movement from lower-level to higher-level careers, an employee taking a voluntary demotion to a classification in the higher series (e.g., clerical employee to Eligibility Worker I classification) shall be placed at the salary step in the new salary range which most closely approximates such employee’s salary in the prior classification.
5.7 Reclassification of Position
An employee in a position reclassified to a lower classification shall have the right of either: (1) transferring to a vacant position in their present classification in the same or another department, provided the head of the department into which the transfer is proposed agrees, or (2) continuing in the same position in the lower classification at a “Y” rate of pay when the incumbent’s pay is higher than the maximum step of the salary range for the lower classification.
5.8 “Y” Rate Process Upon Reclassification
When an employee is reclassified downward, they shall continue in their present salary range, with cost of living adjustments, for two years, at which point the employee’s salary shall be frozen (“Y” – rated) until the salary assigned to the lower classification equals or exceeds such “Y” rate. The “Y” rate provisions of this Section shall not apply to layoffs, demotions, or other personnel actions resulting in an incumbent moving from one position to another.
5.9 Salary Step Defined
For purposes of salary administration in this contract a step is defined as 5.74%.
5.10 Classification and Compensation Review
The County incorporated the following recommendations of the 2020 Compensation Philosophy Study into the County’s Compensation Philosophy:
- Increase the number of Bay Area counties used as comparators from six (6) to eight (8), adding Marin and Sonoma counties, and continuing to include the cities of San Jose and Oakland to increase the likelihood of five (5) matches for each benchmark classification.
- Use the median as the measure for determination of labor market placement and compensation adjustments, in addition to internal equity, pursuant to meet and confer and Board approval.
- Maintain a list of classifications to benchmark for negotiations and ensure that classifications being surveyed represent ten (10) percent of the union’s classifications and at least 50% of the union’s membership.
- Maintain current practice of surveying base pay only when conducting salary surveys.
The County will conduct a total compensation review one year prior to the expiration of the MOU and deliver to the Union for review. This will include a full, total compensation survey for one benchmark classification in each of the AFSCME bargaining units. The following compensation elements to be included in total compensation surveys:
- Top step base salary (offset by negotiated employee pension cost share above statutory requirements);
- Average employer contribution to pension (PEPRA rate, or average based on age range for legacy employees);
- Employer highest contribution to medical, dental, vision based on family coverage; and
- Employer deferred compensation contribution.
The Compensation Philosophy is incorporated in the County’s Classification and Compensation Guideline, published online on the County’s website.
See https://www.smcgov.org/hr/classification-and-compensation-guidelines