City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: JULY 16, 2024 FROM: HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: ADMINISTRATIVE LANGUAGE REVISIONS TO THE MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE RIVERSIDE POLICE OFFICER’S ASSOCIATION UNIT AND THE RIVERSIDE POLICE OFFICER’S ASSOCIATION-SUPERVISORY UNIT.
ISSUE:
Approve administrative language revisions to the Memoranda of Understanding with the Riverside Police Officer’s Association (RPOA) Unit and Riverside Police Officer’s Association Supervisory Unit (RPOA Supv).
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council approve the administrative language revisions to the Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with the Riverside Police Officer’s Association Unit and Riverside Police Officer’s Association Supervisory Unit.
BACKGROUND:
The City completed negotiations and adopted the existing MOUs with RPOA and RPOA Supervisory on December 19, 2023 and February 27, 2024 respectively. Following the adoptions of the MOUs, the City and the Unions became aware of necessary administrative language revisions related to the Holiday pay rate and specific language required by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). CalPERS requires that the MOU revisions be adopted and approved by City Council in order to properly report holiday pay for employees in the RPOA and RPOA Supervisory groups.
DISCUSSION:
Article 7, Section 7.1 of the existing RPOA and RPOA Supervisory MOUs outline provisions related to Holiday pay as well as observance and corresponding payment of negotiated Holidays. CalPERS refers to the adopted MOUs to ensure the language is consistent with reporting requirements of salary and other negotiated benefits, including holiday pay, when calculating retirement benefits for prospective retirees. Due to recent retirements in the Police Unit, the City and the Unions became aware of concerns brought up by CalPERS related to missing language specific to holiday rate of pay. The City and Union have met and discussed this item and agree that administrative language revisions are necessary to ensure holiday pay is accepted and recognized by CalPERS as pensionable compensation. The administrative language revisions include a specific definition of what an employee’s regular rate of pay includes, such as specialty pay, education incentives, assignment pay, bilingual pay, etc. The City and the Union have confirmed with CalPERS that the proposed revisions to the holiday pay are acceptable.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This council item contributes to the High Performing Government Strategic Priority, Goal 5.1. Attract, develop, engage and retain a diverse and highly skilled workforce across the entire City organization and aligns with each of the City’s Strategic Cross-Cutting Threads.
Community Trust – Fairly negotiated salary and benefits provide the City the ability to retain and attract skilled employees that can provide high quality of public service and increase community trust and engagement.
Equity – The Union negotiation process ensures that employees receive fair wages, competitive benefits and good working conditions resulting in a workforce that, in turn, also serves the community in a fair and equitable way.
Fiscal Responsibility – To ensure responsible management of the City’s financial resources all fiscal impacts were carefully assessed by the City’s Finance and City Manager’s Departments.
Innovation – The City and Union engaged in creative discussions and sought solutions that would allow both parties to benefit from the updated/new provisions in the contract. Creative ideas from both parties were shared that allowed for a successful agreement.
Sustainability & Resiliency – The City of Riverside is committed to meeting the needs of its changing workforce while also implementing contracts that are sustainable to the City.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
Prepared by: Rene Goldman, Human Resources Director
Certified as to availability
of funds: Kristie Thomas, Financial Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Edward Enriquez, Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachments: Redlined Memorandum of Understanding for RPOA and RPOA Supervisory Units Revisions to the RPOA MOU – Page 2