6.1 Survey
In recognition of the additional ten percent (10%) differential pay, which is not base pay, paid to Deputy Sheriffs in Santa Clara County as of August 2022, the County and Association agree to the following salary provisions, which shall resolve all current and potential issues/disputes related to the Santa Clara County ten percent (10%) differential for the purpose of the salary formula in Section 6.1 of the MOU between San Mateo County and the DSA entitled “Salary”:
Effective the pay period in which the Board of Supervisors’ approves a successor MOU in 2022, salary ranges for Deputy Sheriff will be increased by ten percent (10%).
On or before the first Monday in April in each year, commencing in the calendar year 2023, and ending in the calendar year 2024, the representatives of the County and the representatives of the Deputy Sheriffs Association shall jointly certify to the Board of Supervisors the highest pay rate in effect as of January 31 of that year for deputy sheriffs in the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma. The terms “pay”, “rates of pay”, and “pay rates” are hereby defined and intended to include the maximum rate of base pay provided in each of the above jurisdictions for deputy sheriff positions equating to the classification of Deputy Sheriff in the County of San Mateo. Unresolved disputes regarding the interpretation or application of this paragraph shall be resolved by submission to a jointly chosen, neutral arbitrator whose decisions shall be final and binding on the parties and shall be submitted to the Board of Supervisors. The Board of Supervisors shall thereupon fix the rates of pay of the classification of Deputy Sheriff at 1% above the highest pay rate specified in this survey. In addition to 1% above the highest pay rate specified in the survey, the County will add an additional 3.3% equity adjustment for the 2023 and 2024 calendar years only. Such rates of pay shall be fixed to be effective as of the first day of the first full pay period in January of each year specified above (2023-2024). The County shall not reduce salaries during the term of this agreement.
On or before the first Monday in April of 2025, the representatives of the County and the representatives of the Deputy Sheriffs Association shall jointly certify to the Board of Supervisors the highest pay rate in effect as of January 31 of that year for deputy sheriffs in the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma. The terms “pay”, “rates of pay”, and “pay rates” are hereby defined and intended to include the maximum rate of base pay provided in each of the above jurisdictions for deputy sheriff positions equating to the classification of Deputy Sheriff in the County of San Mateo. Unresolved disputes regarding the interpretation or application of this paragraph shall be resolved by submission to a jointly chosen, neutral arbitrator whose decisions shall be final and binding on the parties and shall be submitted to the Board of Supervisors. The Board of Supervisors shall thereupon fix the rates of pay of the classification of Deputy Sheriff at 1% above the highest pay rate specified in this survey. Such rates of pay shall be fixed to be effective as of the first day of the first full pay period in January of 2025. The County shall not reduce salaries during the term of this agreement.
Salary increases for the classification of Sheriff’s Correctional Officer shall be set at eighty-five percent (85%) of the Deputy Sheriff’s salary. In 2022, this salary adjustment will be effective the pay period in which the Board of Supervisors’ approves a successor MOU . In calendar years 2023, 2024 and 2025, the salary adjustment will be effective in January of each year once the Deputy Sheriff’s salary for the calendar year has been set.
Salary increases for the classification of District Attorney Inspector shall be the same percentage as that of Deputy Sheriffs, as described above. In 2022, this salary adjustment shall be effective the pay period in which the Board of Supervisors’ approves a successor MOU in 2022. In calendar years 2023, 2024, and 2025, the salary adjustment will be effective the first full pay period in January of each year
Effective the first full pay period following Association ratification and Board of Supervisors’ adoption of a successor MOU, each employee in active full time paid status will receive a lump sum payment of two thousand dollars ($2,000) as a non-discretionary incentive to ratify the agreement. It is the intent of the parties that the lump sum payments will not be treated as salary or wages, as the payments are not provided as compensation for hours of employment or longevity pay. The lump sum payments will not be included in overtime/regular rate of pay calculations, will not be treated as pensionable compensation, and there will be no roll up effect of the lump sum payments. The County will withhold taxes from lump sum payments in accordance with federal and state requirements. The lump sum payments will be prorated for part-time employees.
6.2 Experience Pay and Safety Longevity Pay
In addition to the salary provisions described in Section 6.1 above, employees in the classifications of Deputy Sheriff, Sheriffs Correctional Officer and District Attorney Inspector shall receive experience pay at the following rates:
Effective the first full pay period following Association ratification and Board of Supervisors’ adoption of a successor MOU, 2% at the beginning of the eighth (8th) year
3% at the beginning of the fifteenth (15th) year
4% at the beginning of the eighteenth (18th) year
5% at the beginning of the twentieth (20th) year
Such experience pay shall be paid bi-weekly, beginning on the first full pay period after the above periods of service with the County of San Mateo, for the classification of Deputy Sheriff and District Attorney Inspector based on total years of California Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) qualified peace officer experience service for the County of San Mateo and/or on total years of qualified California correctional officer experience service for the County of San Mateo. Such experience pay shall be paid biweekly, beginning on the first full pay period after the above periods of service, for the classification of Sheriffs Correctional Officer based on total years of qualified California correctional officer experience service for the County of San Mateo. This experience pay shall be calculated as the above stated percentage of the employee’s current step base pay. Base pay shall be defined as the base salary listed in the County salary schedules and shall not include employer pick up of the employee’s retirement contribution or any differentials or premium pays.
Effective January 31, 2016 and for the term of this Agreement, employees in the classifications of Deputy Sheriff, Sheriff’s Correctional Officer and District Attorney Inspector hired by the County of San Mateo into Retirement Tier 4 will receive one and nine-tenths percent (1.9%) Safety Longevity Pay; and employees in the classifications of Deputy Sheriff, Sheriff’s Correctional Officer and District Attorney Inspector hired by the County of San Mateo into Retirement Tier 1 or Tier 2 will receive three and fifteen one hundredths percent (3.15%) Safety Longevity Pay.
6.3 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 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.
6.4 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 as follows. All increases shall be effective at the beginning of the next full pay period.
(1) 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 class. If an employee is appointed at a step higher than the first step of the salary range for that class, the first merit increase shall be after completion of 2080 regular hours of satisfactory service.
(2) After completion of 2080 regular hours 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 class until the top of the range is reached.
(3) 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:
if the merit increase period is completed during the first week of a pay period the increase will be made effective the start of the then current pay period.
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 period.
(4) Upon the 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.
6.5 Employees shall be considered for salary step increases according to the date of their appointment or the revised salary adjustment hours balance. Changes in employees’ salary because of promotion, upward reclassification, postponement of salary step increase or special merit increase will set a new salary adjustment hours balance for that employee, which balance shall be as stated in the preceding paragraph.
Employees who are rejected during the probationary period and revert to their former class shall return to the salary adjustment hours balance held in the former class unless otherwise determined by the Human Resources Director. The salary adjustment hours balance for an employee shall not be affected by a transfer, downward reclassification or a demotion.
A permanent employee accepting provisional employment in a higher or different class in the County Classified Service, who reverts to the former class, shall retain the salary adjustment hours balance in the former class on the same basis as if there had been no such provisional appointment.
Salary range adjustments for a class will not set a new salary adjustment hours balance for employees serving in that class.
Upon recommendation of the appointing authority and approval of the Human Resources Director provisional, temporary, seasonal and extra help 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. Also, upon recommendation of the appointing authority and approval by the Human Resources Director, continuous service in a provisional, temporary, or extra help capacity shall be added to service in a regular established position for purposes of determining an employee’s salary adjustment hours balance, eligibility for salary increases, and vacation and sick leave accrual. However, such service may not be added if it preceded a period of over twenty-eight consecutive calendar days during which the employee was not in a pay status, except when the employee is absent due to an injury or disease for which they are entitled to and currently receiving Worker’s Compensation benefits.
6.6 Salary Step When Salary Range Is Revised
Whenever the salary range for a class is revised, such incumbent in a position to which the revised schedule applies shall remain at the step in the previous range, unless otherwise specifically provided by the Board of Supervisors.
6.7 Salary Step After Promotion or Demotion
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, they 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. When an employee is demoted, voluntarily 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 class, and designate such rate of pay as a Y rate.
6.8 Reclassification of Position
An employee in a position reclassified downward shall have the right to either (1) transfer to a vacant position in their present class in the same or another department, provided the head of the department into which the transfer is proposed agrees, or (2) continue in the same position in the lower class at a “Y” rate of pay when their pay is higher than the maximum step of the salary range for the lower class.
6.9 “Y” Rate Process
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 class 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.
6.10 Salary Step Defined
For purposes of salary administration in this contract a step is defined as 5.74%.