5.1.  Salary Ranges

The salary ranges for all employees in the bargaining unit are as set forth in the attached Exhibits. These Exhibits represent the standard biweekly rate of pay for full-time employment unless the schedule specifically indicates otherwise, and represent the total compensation due employees, except overtime and benefits specifically provided by the Board of Supervisors or by this MOU. The rates do not include reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses for traveling, subsistence and general expenses authorized and incurred incident to County employment.

As reflected in the Exhibits, salaries for all covered classifications shall be adjusted as follows:

Effective the first full pay period following Board of Supervisors approval of a successor MOU, there shall be a three percent (3%) cost of living adjustment plus a one percent (1%) equity adjustment (for a total adjustment of 4%) for all represented classifications.

Effective the first pay period following Board of Supervisors’ adoption of a successor MOU in 2019, step “E” of the salary schedule for the Road Equipment Operator II classification shall be adjusted to one step (5.74%) above step “E” of the salary schedule for the Road Equipment Operator I classification.

Effective February 9, 2020, there shall be a three percent (3%) cost of living adjustment plus a one percent (1%) equity adjustment (for a total adjustment of 4%) for all represented classifications.

Effective February 7, 2021, there shall be a three percent (3%) cost of living adjustment plus a one percent (1%) equity adjustment (for a total adjustment of 4%) for all represented classifications.

Effective February 6, 2022, there shall be a cost of living adjustment for all represented classifications that is at least two percent (2%) and no more than four percent (4%), determined by the 2020-21 fiscal year average of Bureau of Labor Statistics San Francisco Bay Area Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all Urban Wage Earners.

Effective February 5, 2023, there shall be a cost of living adjustment for all represented classifications that is at least two percent (2%) and no more than four percent (4%), determined by the 2021-22 fiscal year average of Bureau of Labor Statistics San Francisco Bay Area Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all Urban Wage Earners.

5.2. Longevity Pay

Effective the pay period following the Board of Supervisors’ approval of a successor MOU in 2019, longevity pay provided in Section 24.4 of the 2015-2019 MOU shall cease; and longevity pay shall instead 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)

5.3. Entrance Salary

Except as otherwise provided herein, the entrance salary for employees new to County service shall be the minimum salary for the class to which appointed. When warranted, the Human Resources Department Director may, upon the department head’s recommendation, approve an entrance salary above the minimum salary. The 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.

5.4. Salary Step Increases

Permanent and probationary employees in regular established positions shall be considered by the appointing authority on their salary anniversary date for advancement to the next higher step as follows. All increases shall be effective at the beginning of the next full pay period directly following their advancement to the next higher step in the salary schedule for their respective class.

Hours of Service Necessary for Step Increases

  • After completing one thousand and forty (1,040) regular hours of satisfactory service in Step A, and with the appointing authority’s recommendation, employees shall be advanced to the next higher step in the salary schedule. If an employee is appointed at a step higher than the first step of the range for the class, the first merit increase shall be after completing two thousand eighty (2,080) regular hours of satisfactory service.
  • After completing two thousand eighty (2,080) regular hours of satisfactory service in each step above A, and with the appointing authority’s recommendation, employees shall be advanced to the next higher step until the top step is reached.
  • If an employee completes the one thousand forty (1,040) or two thousand eighty (2,080) hours in the middle of a pay period, the employee shall be eligible for an increase as follows:
    1. if the merit increase period is completed during the first week of a pay period the increase will be effective at the start of the current pay period.
    2. if the merit increase period is completed during the second week of a pay period the increase will be effective at the start of the next pay period.
  • If a department verifies that an administrative or clerical error was made in failing to submit documents needed to advance employees 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 applies to fully flexibly staffed promotions in which case advancement shall be retroactive to the first pay period when approved by the appointing authority.

Special Merit Increases

When recommended by the appointing authority and approved by the Human Resources Department Director, employees may receive special merit increases at intervals other than those specified in this Section. The Director’s decision shall be final. Changes in an employee’s salary because of promotion, upward reclass, 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 Probation

Employees rejected during the promotional probationary period who revert to their former class shall return to the salary advancement hours balance held in the former class, unless otherwise determined by the Human Resources Department Director. The salary advancement hours balance shall not be affected by transfer, downward reclass or demotion.

General Salary Range Adjustments

Salary range adjustments for a class will not set a new salary advancement hours balance for employees serving in that class.

Prior Service Credits

  • A permanent employee accepting provisional employment, as defined in the Civil Service rule XI, Section 7, in a different class in the Classified Service who reverts to the former class shall retain the salary advancement hours balance in the former class on the same basis as if there had been no such provisional appointment.
  • When recommended by the appointing authority and approved by Human Resources Department, provisional, temporary and extra help employees shall be advanced to the next higher step upon satisfactory completion of the periods of service prescribed herein. Continuous provisional, temporary or extra help service shall be added to service in a regular established position to determine salary anniversary date, eligibility for salary increases, 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 when the employee was not in a pay status, except when the employee is absent due to injury or disease covered by Workers’ Compensation benefits.

5.5. Salary Step When Salary Range is Revised

If the salary range for a class is revised, incumbents in positions to which the revised schedule applies shall remain at the same step as in the previous range unless otherwise provided by the Board.

5.6. Salary Step After Promotion

If an employee is promoted to a higher classification and at the time of promotion is receiving a base salary equal to or greater than the minimum rate for the higher class, the employee shall be entitled to the next step of the higher class at least one step above the rate he/she has been receiving, except that the next step shall not exceed the maximum salary of the higher class.

5.7. Salary Step After Demotion

If employees demote, voluntarily or otherwise, their compensation shall be adjusted to the salary for the class to which demoted. The rate of pay within the range shall be determined by the Human Resources Department, whose decision shall be final; provided that the Board may set a rate of pay higher than the maximum step, and designate such rate as “Y” rate (See Section 5.8), and also provided that employees demoted through abolition of position shall be placed at the salary step in the lower class which most closely approximates (but does not exceed) their salary in the higher class. Employees voluntarily demoting to a class previously held shall be placed at the same step last held in that class and their service time at such step shall be the same as the service time held at such step previously. Employees who voluntarily demote to a class in a higher series (e.g., clerical to Benefits Analyst I) for the purpose of improved career advancement opportunities, shall be placed at the step in the new salary range most closely approximating their salary in the prior class.

5.8. Reclassification of Position

Employees reclassified downward shall have the right to either: (1) transfer to a vacant position in the present class in the same or another department, subject to approval of the head of the department into which the transfer is proposed; or (2) continue in the same position in the lower class at a “Y” rate when the incumbent’s pay is higher than the maximum step of the range for the lower class.

5.9. “Y” Rate Process Upon Reclassification

Employees reclassified downward shall continue in the present salary range with cost of living adjustments for two years, at which point their salary shall be frozen (“Y” – rated) until the salary assigned to the lower class equals or exceeds such “Y” rate. These “Y” rate provisions shall not apply to layoffs, demotions, or other personnel actions resulting in an incumbent moving from one position to another.

5.10. Salary Step Defined

For purposes of salary administration in this contract a step is defined as five and seventy-four one-hundredths percent (5.74%).

2016-02-23