Fremont City Council Meeting: 12/03/24 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Human Resources
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Labor Relations
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5325) DOC ID: 5325 E
Updated: 11/27/2024 11:47 AM by Dina Lewis E Page 1
FREMONT POLICE ASSOCIATION – Authorize City Manager to Execute Side Letters of Agreement to Reestablish Hiring Incentives and Amend the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Fremont and the Fremont Police Association (FPA) to Increase Compensation, Create a Pilot Double Overtime Program, and Revise Longevity and Educational Incentive Pays Contact Persons:
Name: Kelly Wright Brian Stott
Title: Human Resources Deputy Director Assistant City Manager Div/Dept: Human Resources City Manager's Office
Phone: 510-494-4666 510-494-4660
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: This report requests that the City Council authorize the City Manager, or her designee, to execute side letters of agreement between the City of Fremont and the Fremont Police Association (FPA) to reestablish hiring incentives and amend certain provisions of the FPA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The proposed amendments to the MOU include a 2% increase in base wages, creation of a Pilot Double Overtime Program, and changes to Educational Incentive and Longevity Pays. These changes are designed to improve the City’s recruitment and retention efforts, while incentivizing current employees to support the hiring process.
BACKGROUND: The City of Fremont reached agreement in June 2022 with the Fremont Police Association (FPA) for a three-year Memorandum of Understanding: July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2025 (MOU). The FPA bargaining unit represents 162 current members, including Police Officers and Sergeants.
The City of Fremont’s Police Department has been facing significant challenges in employee recruitment and retention, a trend seen across law enforcement agencies nationally. To help address these issues, with the support of the City Council, the City has implemented various hiring incentive programs. The City and FPA have engaged in discussions aimed at further addressing these challenges and have agreed to enhance hiring incentive programs for the Police Department.
The proposed side letters of agreement with FPA include enhancements to the existing hiring and referral incentive programs, as well as revisions to the MOU to increase compensation, establish a Double Overtime Pilot Program, and replace the existing Educational Incentive Pay Program with a combination of POST Certification Pay and Longevity Pay. These negotiated changes are intended to help address the recruitment and retention challenges within the Police Department and ensure adequate staffing and the continued delivery of services to the Fremont community.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
The proposed side letters of agreements with FPA will revise the following provisions of the Council Staff Report (ID # 5325) Meeting of December 3, 2024 Updated: 11/27/2024 11:47 AM by Dina Lewis E Page 2
Memorandum of Understanding:
1. Employee Compensation
• Effective the first full pay period following FPA union ratification and City Council approval, all FPA members will receive a base wage increase of 2.0%.
2. Double Overtime Pilot Program
• Effective as soon as administratively feasible following FPA ratification and City Council approval, the Police Department shall establish a temporary pilot program to evaluate the use of Double Overtime for certain patrol-based mandatory overtime assignments. The Pilot Program will end on June 30, 2025, unless extended by mutual agreement of the parties.
3. Educational Incentive Pay
• The existing Educational Incentive Pay Program will be replaced with a combination of POST Certification Pay and Longevity Pay. These changes are intended to ensure compliance with CalPERS’ requirements for Special Compensation under California Code of Regulations Title 2, Sections 571 and 571.1, while supporting employee retention and fostering professional development for FPA members.
The proposed side letters of agreement with FPA will also establish the following hiring incentives:
1. Hiring Bonus for Laterals
• Up to 10 lateral Police Officers hired into the classification of Police Officer for the City of Fremont will qualify for a new hire bonus of up to $100,000 paid over a five- year period, following FPA union ratification and Council approval of the side letters of agreement.
2. Referral Incentive Bonus
Eligible employees who refer successful candidates for lateral Police Officer positions will receive a referral bonus of $10,000, paid over a 5-year period.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact of the terms of the proposed side letters of agreement are as follows:
1. Compensation Increase
• Fiscal Year 2024/25 Anticipated Impact: $442,000
2. Double Overtime Pilot Program
• Fiscal Year 2024/25 Anticipated Impact: $259,000
3. Educational Incentive Pay Change to POST Certificate Program • Fiscal Year 2024/25 Anticipated Impact: $10,000
4. Hiring Incentives
• $100,000 Hiring Bonus paid over five years for up to 10 lateral Police Officers:
Council Staff Report (ID # 5325) Meeting of December 3, 2024 Updated: 11/27/2024 11:47 AM by Dina Lewis E Page 3
$1,000,000
• Fiscal Year 2024/25 Anticipated Impact for $10,000 Referral Bonus paid over five years: $10,000
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The proposed action is exempt from and not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because, without limitation, it is not a “project” as defined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(2) and/or 15378(b)(5) and it has no possibility of a significant effect on the environment, as specified in CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), each as a separate and independent basis for CEQA compliance.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
RECOMMENDATION: Approve the terms negotiated with the Fremont Police Association (FPA) to reestablish hiring Incentives, adjust base compensation, and replace the existing Education Incentive Program with a combination of POST and Longevity Pays, and authorize the City Manager, or her Designee, to execute Side Letters of Agreement with FPA memorializing the negotiated terms.