STAFF REPORT
City of Lancaster
CC 17
6/9/2026
TN
Date:June 9, 2026
To: Mayor Parris and City Council Members
From:George N. Harris II, Senior Director/Treasurer – Administrative Services Trolis Niebla, City Manager
Subject:Adoption of Revised Personnel Rules and Regulations Recommendations:
Adopt Resolution No. ____, amending Resolution No. 14-65 approving the revisions to the City of Lancaster Personnel Rules and Regulations.
Repeal and replace the existing Personnel Rules and Regulations with the revised Personnel Rules and Regulations attached hereto.
G.C. Section 84308: No
Fiscal Impact:
The proposed revisions include enhancements to certain employee benefits, including vacation accrual rates, promotional salary adjustments, sick leave cashout eligibility, and sick leave payout upon separation. These changes may result in increased personnel costs and leave-related liabilities over time. Staff anticipate that the fiscal impacts associated with these revisions can be accommodated within existing personnel budgets and future budget planning efforts. The exact fiscal impact will vary based on employee utilization, promotions, years of service, and separation activity and therefore cannot be precisely determined at this time.
Background:
The City of Lancaster Personnel Rules and Regulations establish policies and procedures governing personnel administration, recruitment, classification, compensation, employee relations, disciplinary actions, leave administration, and other employment-related matters. 2 4
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The current Personnel Rules and Regulations were last comprehensively revised in 2015. Since that time, changes in federal and state employment laws, personnel administration practices, and the City's organizational structure have necessitated a comprehensive review and update of the Personnel Rules and Regulations.
The proposed revisions update and clarify numerous provisions throughout the document, including equal employment opportunity protections, recruitment and hiring procedures, employment classifications, disciplinary and appeal procedures, exempt employee designations, organizational references, and administrative provisions. The revisions also include a comprehensive update to the City's Employment of Relatives policy and incorporate changes necessary to maintain compliance with current California employment laws and best practices.
In addition to updating the Personnel Rules and Regulations to reflect current legal requirements, organizational structure, and personnel administration practices, the proposed revisions include several employee benefit enhancements intended to support employee recruitment, retention, and workforce competitiveness. These revisions include:
Floating Holidays: Two working days converted to 20 hours annually. Vacation Accrual: Increased accrual rates.
Promotional Salary Increases: Minimum increase from 5% to 10%. Sick Leave Cashout: Minimum bank reduced from 320 to 160 hours. Sick Leave Upon Separation: Enhanced payout schedules up to 100% after 15 years.
Staff believe these changes will enhance the City's ability to attract, retain, and reward qualified employees while maintaining consistency and competitiveness within the regional labor market.
The revised Personnel Rules and Regulations have been reviewed by staff and legal counsel and are recommended for adoption. In accordance with Section 19.01, any amendments to the Personnel Rules and Regulations require City Council approval.
Attachments:
Resolution No. ____ Adoption of the Revised Personnel Rules and Regulations Exhibit A – Revised Personnel Rules and Regulations