CONSENT CALENDAR
City of San Bernardino
Request for Council Action
Date: October 21, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
From: Andrea Russell, Director of Human Resources
Department: Human Resources
Subject: Side Letter Agreement with General Unit Employees represented by Teamsters, Local 1932, regarding Hazard
Pay (All Wards)
Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California, adopt Resolution No. 2026-175, authorizing the City Manager to execute a side letter agreement to the 2025-2028 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of San Bernardino and General Unit Employees represented by Teamsters, Local 1932, Amending Article III – Compensation, Section 13: Hazard Pay.
City Manager's Comments
The City Manager recommends approval.
Executive Summary
The City Council is being asked to approve a correction to the classification designation for employees assigned to the Public Works Encampment Cleanup Crew who are eligible for hazard pay. The current designation identifies Maintenance Worker I employees but does not account for employees who flex into the Maintenance Worker II classification while remaining permanently assigned to the Cleanup Crew.
To address this issue, staff recommends adding the classification designation Maintenance Worker I/II Flex to ensure employees assigned to the Cleanup Crew remain eligible for hazard pay regardless of whether they are working in the Maintenance Worker I or Maintenance Worker II classification.
The proposed change will have no financial impact on the City and will not add any employees to the hazard pay program. The amendment is intended solely to correct the classification designation and ensure that employees assigned to the Cleanup Crew continue to receive the hazard pay for which the position was originally designated.
Background
On June 30, 2023, the City Council held a special workshop (“Workshop”) to discuss the Council’s goals and priorities. The Workshop was informational in nature and provided an opportunity for staff to present strategic initiatives, programs, and proposals for future City Council consideration.
On September 12, 2023, staff presented a follow-up to the Workshop, including an analysis of the City’s economic forecast, position control, and a comparative analysis of other cities. The presentation also expanded upon the City’s quality-of-life tools and services intended to improve the appearance, cleanliness, safety, and overall attractiveness of the City for residents, businesses, and the development community.
On January 17, 2024, the City Council approved side letter agreements with various bargaining groups authorizing hazard pay for employees assigned to the Public Works Encampment Cleanup Crew. At the time, the crew consisted of two (2) Maintenance Supervisors, two (2) Lead Maintenance Workers, and eight (8) Maintenance Worker I employees. Employees assigned to the crew became eligible for hazard pay due to the nature of their work, which includes cleaning City parks and other public spaces of hazards and biohazards associated with homeless encampments.
Discussion
Following the designation of the classifications eligible for hazard pay, it was determined that the original designation of the Maintenance Worker I classification did not account for employees who flex into the Maintenance Worker II classification.
Because this flex assignment is not formally identified in the MOU, employees were no longer eligible to receive hazard pay once they moved into the higher classification, even though they remained permanently assigned to the Cleanup Crew.
Adding the classification designation Maintenance Worker I/II Flex will ensure that employees assigned to the Cleanup Crew remain eligible to receive hazard pay while performing the duties of the crew.
If approved by the City Council, employees who promoted to Maintenance Worker II and subsequently became ineligible for hazard pay will be retroactively compensated for the hazard pay beginning on the date they became ineligible.
This correction to the classification titles of employees eligible for this special pay will have no financial impact on the City. No additional employees are being added to the hazard pay program. The proposed change is intended to correct the classification designation and ensure that employees who are assigned to the Cleanup Crew and otherwise eligible for the special pay continue to receive it.
Strategic Goals and Priorities
The proposed Side Letter Agreement aligns with Key Target No. 2: Focused, Aligned Leadership and Unified Community: Build a culture that attracts, retains, and motivates the highest quality talent.
Fiscal Impact
There is minimal financial impact to the budget. When the employees were promoted, their special pay ceased, resulting in unused budgeted funds. No additional employees were assigned to receive the special pay during that time. Therefore, the retroactive payments can be primarily covered by the existing budget allocation.
Conclusion
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California, adopt Resolution No. 2026-175, authorizing the City Manager to execute a side letter agreement to the 2025-2028 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of San Bernardino and General Unit Employees represented by Teamsters, Local 1932, Amending Article III – Compensation, Section 13: Hazard Pay.
Attachments
Attachment 1 – Resolution No. 2026-175
Attachment 2 – Side Letter Agreement
Ward:
All Wards
Synopsis of Previous Council Actions:
On January 17, 2024 The Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California, adopted Resolution No. 2024-028, authorizing the City Manager to execute side letter agreements with various bargaining groups regarding hazard pay.
CC
Eric Levitt, City Manager