City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: MARCH 28, 2023 FROM: HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL SUBJECT: REVISIONS TO THE MASTER FRINGE BENEFITS AND SALARY PLAN FOR SALARY ADJUSTMENTS TO THE OUTREACH WORKER TRAINEE, OUTREACH WORKER, LEAD OUTREACH WORKER, AND OUTREACH SUPERVISOR CLASSIFICATIONS; AND A TITLE CHANGE FOR THE ARTS AND CULTURE MANAGER CLASSIFICATION ISSUE:
Approve a revision to the Citywide Fringe Benefits and Salary Plan for salary adjustments to the Outreach Worker Trainee, Outreach Worker, Lead Outreach Worker, and Outreach Supervisor classifications; and a title change for the Arts and Culture Manager classification.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council:
Approve the salary adjustments to the Outreach Worker Trainee, Outreach Worker, Lead Outreach Worker, and Outreach Supervisor classifications; Approve a title change for the Arts and Culture Manager classification; and Adopt the attached Resolution amending the Master Fringe Benefits and Salary Plan to reflect the salary adjustments to the Outreach Worker, Lead Outreach Worker, and Outreach Supervisor classifications; and the title change for the Arts and Culture Manager classification.
DISCUSSION:
The Human Resources Department conducted a review of the compensation for the Outreach Worker classification series to ensure the City of Riverside is within the market salary average as compared with other agencies within the City’s approved labor market basket. The review was conducted to ensure the City’s ability to attract and retain qualified applicants.
Outreach Worker staff are assigned to the Office of Homeless Solutions, Housing Authority, and in the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department. The Outreach Worker is part of a classification series that includes the Lead Outreach Worker and Outreach Supervisor classifications. These classifications are vital to the City of Riverside to provide outreach, assistance, and support to individuals in need in our community. The Outreach Worker conducts mobile outreach and provides intake and assessment, counseling, crisis intervention, resource referral, and case management to homeless individuals and families on the streets, in service venues, and in other locations where they can be found within the City of Riverside or to a pre-selected caseload of applicants and/or recipients. Positions in this classification series perform routine services, which include counseling, basic assessment, crisis intervention, and resource referral.
The Outreach Worker assigned to the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department works as part of the City’s gang intervention and prevention program which serves at-risk youth by providing program assistance and mentorship, job search education, family services, and other services. These Outreach Workers conduct mobile outreach and provide intake and assessment, counseling, crisis intervention, resources referral, and case management to at-risk youth on the streets, in service venues, and in other locations. Some of the functions they perform are to review cases and formulate plans for clients to participate in educational and psychological assessments and treatments, work skills training, parenting classes, anger management and substance abuse workshops, and diversity training; conduct home visits with participants to provide assistance, answer questions, assess needs, and provide orientation on available services and resources to at-risk youth and their family; serve as liaisons in securing housing and social services to adolescents ages 12 to 22; participate in community activities and projects such as community services hours, and mural paintings; serve as liaisons between the City of Riverside, Riverside Police Department, and other agencies in terms of probationary and court-mandated needs for at-risk youth.
The recommended salary adjustments align the Outreach Worker series classifications to the labor market average using the Outreach Worker classification as the benchmark classification for the proposed salary adjustments. As reflected in Exhibit B, the Outreach Worker classification is -24.11% behind the market average, and in order to attract and retain qualified candidates, it is recommended the position be adjusted by that total percentage. Furthermore, it is recommended that the Lead position have an adequate differential of at least ten percent (10%) with the lower level and with the Supervisor level, with a total adjustment of 32.54% for each of those classifications from the current salary. The City of Riverside Fringe Benefits and Salary Plan, Part II, Section 5, Salary Differentials, I. Miscellaneous (1), states that the top step of the salary range of any Sr. Management/Management/Professional/Supervisory classification shall be a minimum of two steps (approximately ten percent) above the top step of the closest subordinate classification, with the exception of those classifications supervising specialized classifications which are highly compensated due to labor market conditions. Subordinate classification shall be defined as any position classification in which there are employees who are supervised by the management employee.
The proposed adjustments are illustrated below:
Job Code
Classification Title
Current Monthly Salary Range
Proposed Monthly Salary Range
% Increase to Max Salary
8759
Outreach Worker Trainee
(BU 25)
$2,730 - $3,010
$3,388 - $3,735
24.08%
8756
Outreach Worker (BU 25)
$3,160 - $4,235
$3,922 - $5,256
24.11%
8757
Lead Outreach Worker (BU 25)
$3,264 - $4,372
$4,326 - $5,795
32.54%
8755
Outreach Supervisor (BU 50)
$3,600 - $4,823
$4,771 - $6,392
32.54%
Title Change of Existing Classification:
The Human Resources Department in coordination with the Community and Economic Development Department, recommends a title change for the Arts and Culture Manager classification to better align with the division and focus of the position.
Job Code
Current Classification Title
Proposed Classification Title
8136
Arts and Culture Manager (NC)
Arts and Cultural Affairs Manager (NC)
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This action contributes to Strategic Priority 5 – High Performing Government and Goal 5.1 – Attract, develop, engage and retain a diverse and highly skilled workforce across the entire City organization.
This item aligns with each of the five Cross Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust – Classifications and salaries are reviewed and adjusted to ensure proper placement of salary ranges to closely align with comparable market classifications, and to attract the appropriate workforce skillset to efficiently maintain City services.
Equity – Classifications and salaries are reviewed against comparable classifications within the approved City market basket and are reviewed internally to ensure the appropriate alignment with comparable internal classifications.
Fiscal Responsibility – Salaries are reviewed both internally and within the City’s comparable market basket to ensure appropriate salary alignment.
Innovation – Classifications are reviewed to ensure the City is progressive on new fields of study, changes to specific fields related to certifications, associated technology, educational, and experience requirements.
Sustainability & Resiliency – Classifications and salaries are reviewed and adjusted to ensure employees can work effectively and efficiently; and at the same time retain a diverse range of highly skilled employees who can adapt to the changing needs of the City both internally and externally.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The proposed salary adjustment for the Outreach Worker represents a cost increase of $762 to $1,021 monthly in base salary costs to the min/max salary range.
The proposed salary adjustment for the Lead Outreach Worker represents a cost increase of $1,062 to $1,423 monthly in base salary costs to the min/max salary range.
The proposed salary adjustment for the Outreach Supervisor represents a cost increase of $1,171 to $1,569 monthly in base salary costs to the min/max salary range.
There are currently six incumbents in the Outreach Worker classification and two incumbents in the Lead Outreach Worker classification, no incumbents in the Supervisor classification. Total Fiscal Year 2023-2024 fiscal impact for all employees is $343,618; the anticipated cost increases will be factored into the mid-cycle budget update coming to council for approval in June, 2023.
Prepared by: Rene Goldman, Human Resources Director
Certified as to
Availability of funds: Edward Enriquez, Interim Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer/City Treasurer
Approved by: Rafael Guzman, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachments:
Resolution Amending the Fringe Benefits and Salary Plan Exhibit A – Job Code Table - Salary Adjustments, Title Change Exhibit B – Outreach Worker Salary Survey Data
Fringe Benefits and Salary Plan