City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: JUNE 10, 2025 FROM: HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: ADMINISTRATIVE LANGUAGE REVISIONS TO THE MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE RIVESIDE POLICE OFFICER’S ASSOCIATION UNIT, THE RIVERSIDE POLICE OFFICER’S ASSOCIATION-SUPERVISORY UNIT AND THE RIVERSIDE POLICE ADMINISTRATORS’ ASSOCIATION.
ISSUE:
Approve administrative language revisions to the Memoranda of Understanding with the Riverside Police Officer’s Association (RPOA) Unit, Riverside Police Officer’s Association Supervisory Unit (RPOA Supv) and Riverside Police Administrators’ Association (RPAA).
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council:
Approve the administrative language revisions to the Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with the Riverside Police Officer’s Association Unit, Riverside Police Officer’s Association Supervisory Unit and Riverside Police Administrators’ Association.
BACKGROUND:
The City completed negotiations and adopted the existing MOUs with RPOA, RPOA Supervisory and RPAA on January 14, 2025 and February 25, 2025 for contract term of January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2027. During the negotiation process, the City and the Unions became aware of necessary administrative language revisions related to various special compensation provisions throughout the MOUs and specific language required by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) to ensure these provisions are compliant with California Code of Regulations Section 571-Special Compensation. The review process with CalPERS went beyond the Union and City negotiations and the MOUs were adopted to avoid delays, with the understanding from both sides that further revisions will still be necessary for CalPERS compliance. CalPERS requires that the MOU revisions be adopted and approved by City Council in order to properly report various special compensation for members of the Police groups.
DISCUSSION:
The California Code of Regulations (CCR), Section 571, outlines all eligible special compensation for Classic and Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) members that is allowable as pensionable compensation. The negotiated MOUs with RPOA, RPOA Supervisory and RPAA have historically included a number of special compensation provisions that the City and the Unions have agreed over the years. These special compensation provisions as written in each respective MOU needed to be revised and updated to be compliant with CCR Section 571. The City and the Union have confirmed with CalPERS that the proposed revisions to the various special compensation provisions are acceptable. The revisions to the MOU include updates to the education pay, certificate pay, uniform allowance, holiday pay, bilingual pay and fugitive officer premium pay and hazard pay provisions.
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 financial impact to updating the existing language to be in compliance with California Code of Regulations Section 571-Special Compensation.
Prepared by: Rene Goldman, Human Resources Director
Certified as to availability
of funds: Kristie Thomas, Financial Director/Assistant CFO Approved by: Edward Enriquez, Assistant City Manager/CFO/Treasurer Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
Redlined Memorandum of Understanding for RPOA, RPOA Supervisory and RPAA Units Revisions to the Police MOU – Page 2