Side Letter Agreement
To the Memorandum of Understanding effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029, Between the City of Stockton and the Stockton City Employees’ Association (SCEA) Unit.
This will confirm an understanding reached between the City of Stockton (hereinafter referred to as the “City”) and the Stockton City Employees’ Association (SCEA) Unit.
A. Temporary Recruitment Incentives for Newly Hired Telecommunicators within the Fire Department
In an effort to increase recruitment, the City and the Association have met and conferred and agree on the following:
1) All new first-time hires in the Fire Telecommunicator Call Taker, Fire Telecommunicator I, and Fire Telecommunicator II classifications are eligible for a ten thousand dollar ($10,000) signing bonus when hired on or after July 1, 2026. This provision shall sunset and become ineffective at 11:59 pm on June 30, 2029. This bonus is non-pensionable and subject to applicable state and federal taxes. The bonus will be distributed as follows:
a. Two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) payable no later than the fourth full pay period upon hire, or the full pay period following City Council adoption, whichever is later.
b. Seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) payable on the first full pay period following the first anniversary of the employee’s start date. c. Employees who separate prior to their first anniversary in a Fire Telecommunicator classification will be required to reimburse the City two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) of the signing bonus which they received. d. An employee who transfers into a Fire Telecommunicator classification from the Police Department, shall not be considered a new hire for purposes of this provision and shall not be eligible for the signing bonus. e. Employees reinstated by Civil Service Resolutions shall not be considered a “new first-time hire” and shall not be eligible for the new-hire incentive under this provision.
B. Temporary Retention Incentives for Current Telecommunicators within the Fire Department
In an effort to increase retention of current employees, the City and the Association have met and conferred and agree on the following:
EXHIBIT 2
Side Letter Agreement – SCEA Fire Tele Recruitment & Retention Incentives
1) Each employee assigned to the Fire Telecommunicator Call Taker, Fire Telecommunicator I, and Fire Telecommunicator II classifications and employed as of September 29, 2026, will receive a Retention Bonus in the amount of three thousand dollars ($3,000) payable by October 15, 2026.
2) Each employee assigned to the Fire Telecommunicator Call Taker, Fire Telecommunicator I, and Fire Telecommunicator II classifications and employed as of September 29, 2027, will receive a Retention Bonus in the amount of three thousand dollars ($3,000) payable by October 15, 2027.
3) The parties understand that the City has authorized allocation to fund the abovedescribed temporary programs through June 30, 2029. Continuation of this temporary recruitment incentive shall be subject to available allocation through the City’s budget process.
4) This side letter agreement shall be effective upon the date this agreement is fully executed by the parties and shall sunset and become ineffective at 11:59 pm on June 30, 2029. This side letter shall not be included in any successor agreement between the parties unless both parties agree to extend this side letter. The provisions of this side letter are not subject to the grievance process.
FOR THE CITY: FOR THE ASSOCIATION:
______________________________________
Johnny Ford
City Manager
Date: _________________
______________________________________
Mehran Tahoori
SCEA Attorney
Date: _________________
______________________________________
Gilbert Garcia
Administrative Services Director / Chief
Financial Officer
Date: _________________
EXHIBIT 2
Side Letter Agreement – SCEA Fire Tele Recruitment & Retention Incentives
_________________________________
Marie Guillory-Jones
Director of Human Resources
Date: _________________
Approved as to form:
________________________________
Donald A. Larkin
Interim City Attorney
Date: ________________
EXHIBIT 2