RESOLUTION 2026.20
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
TORRANCE SETTING FORTH WAGES, HOURS AND
WORKING CONDITIONS FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS
BEGINNING FEBRUARY 24, 2026 AND REPEALING
RESOLUTION NO. 2025.16
The City Council of the City of Torrance does hereby resolve as follows:
sEcTtoN I
That Resolution No. 2025-16 is hereby repealed in its entirety.
SECTION II
The following personnel wage and expense procedure is adopted for Elected Officials of the City of Torrance to read in its entirety as follows:
Effective January 1, 2026
ARTICLE 1 - ELECTED OFFICIALS COMPENSATION
SECTION 1.I COMPENSATION
Job Glassification Pay Rate Pay Basis
Mayor $2,929.33 Monthly
City Councilmembers $2,929.33 Monthly
City Clerk $15,799 Monthly
The monthly compensation for Mayor and City Councilmembers will be calculated by taking the minimum wage of the State of California and multiplying it by 2,080 hours to get the yearly amount and dividing the yearly amount by 121o get the monthly compensation. City Councilmembers are not employees, are not hourly workers, and will not be entitled to overtime. The reference to minimum wage is just for the purposes of calculating the monthly compensation in accordance with Article 4 of the City Charter.
ARTICLE2.CITYCLERK
SECTION 1.I PREMIUMS
A.lncumbent in the position of City Clerk will be eligible for either one of the two premiums noted below:
1Resolution 2026-20 Elected Officials
1 . A longevity premium in the amount of 10o/o awarded with the completion of five years as an elected department head and with the commencement of 25 years of service with the City of Torrance. This premium is over and above base pay. Earned PERS service credit in another agency can be credited for up to seven years of the required 25 years of service;
-or-
2. A longevity premium in the amount of loo/o for the acquisition of the designation of "Certified California Municipal Clerk" awarded by the lnternational lnstitute of Municipal Clerks. This designation must be retained in order to receive the premium.
SECTION 1.2 INSURANCE
A. Cost of Medical lnsurance:
The City shall pay the applicable monthly PERS minimum employer contribution per incumbent for active employee health insurance. ln addition to the PERS minimum contribution, the City shall provide active employees with an additional contribution. The aggregate amount shall be referred to as the "City Contribution".
Effective Jan I 2025
B. Cash-ln-Lieu Payments
incumbents who meet the following requirements will receive a cash-in-lieu payment of $400.00 per month for as long as the incumbent opts-out of medical coverage:
L The incumbent provides proof of minimum essential coverage ('MEC") through another source (other than coverage in the individual market, whether or not obtained through Covered California) for the plan year for which the incumbent opts-out of City-offered coverage ("alternative required coverage").2. The proof of coverage must show that the incumbent and all individuals in the incumbent's expected tax family have (or will have) the required MEC for the plan year.
The incumbent must provide reasonable evidence of the MEC for the applicable period by signing and submitting an attestation to the City.
3. The incumbent must provide such reasonable evidence and attestation of alternative coverage every plan year during open enrollment.4. The City will not provide the cash-in-lieu payment if it knows or has reason to know that the incumbent or tax family member does not have the alternative required coverage.
C. Retiree lnsurance
The City shall pay to PERS directly the mandated monthly PERS minimum employer contribution per incumbent for retired employee health insurance. This only applies to those on a PERS medical plan and has no cash value is not used in this manner. The PERS minimum employer contribution amount changes annually as directed by CaIPERS.
I Party 2Pafi Family
City Contribution $678.36 per month $1,308.51 per month $1,795.34 per month Resolution 2026-20 2 Elected Officials
D. Life lnsurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment lnsurance The City shall cover a $100,000 accidental and $200,000 term life insurance policy in accordance with all carrier provisions.
E. Long TermiShort-Term Disability lnsurance
lncumbents qualify for the commercial insurance long{erm/short-term disability program as follows:
a. Two-thirds (7s) base pay for a period as determined by the insurance carrier, after a 14-day waiting period, up to the limits of the policy.
b. Eligibility for all provisions of the commercial plan is in accordance with the commercial insurance policy.
c. An incumbent requesting receipt of such benefits will be decreed on a leave of absence and shall receive no other benefits except 3.1.4.1.
F. Dental lnsurance
All incumbents will receive two-party dental insurance at no cost to the incumbent. This benefit has no cash value if not used. lf incumbents want to cover additionalfamily members, additional insurance may be purchased.
G. Vision lnsurance
All incumbents will receive one-party vision insurance at no cost to the incumbent. This benefit has no cash value if not used. lf incumbents want to cover additional family members, additional insurance may be purchased.
H. Any incumbent terminating or retiring at the end of the eight-month medical leave of absence shall be paid an amount equal to four months of City health insurance contribution (including health contribution and City supplemental). On a case-by-case basis, the City Manager or his/her designee may waive the eight month eligibility requirement. Such amount shall not exceed the amount received by the incumbent immediately prior to separation of employment. The incumbent may choose to receive the full amount subject to 1099, defer the funds to the City 457 plan within the plan guidelines, or receive a net check with the appropriate federal, state and social security deductions. This provision applies only to incumbents participating in a City-sponsored health insurance program at the time of termination or retirement.
SECTION I.3 RETIREMENT
A. lncumbents shall be covered by either the appropriate safety or miscellaneous retirement plan provided by the City. The City shall pay the incumbent's contribution to PERS for employees pursuant to the applicable sections of the California Government Code. Such payments shall be reported simply as normal contributions and shall be credited to member accounts. These contributions shall at time of termination belong to the incumbents. These contributions shall be reported to PERS as compensation as provided by SB 53.
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B. Effective June 11, 1995, theTo/o for miscellaneous positions or 9%o for safety positions shall be paid by the City and the City will report the same percent of compensation earnable and shall be considered as employer-paid member contributions (EPMC) in accordance with Government Code Section 20023.
C. Effective September 21,2010, all new hires shall be responsible for the incumbent's contribution to PERS, currently 7o/o ol pay for miscellaneous incumbents or 9o/o of pay for safety incumbents. Section 3.2(B) would no longer be applicable to incumbents hired after September 21,2010.
D. Effective January 1,2013 and in accordance with the provisions of the 2013 Public lncumbents' Pension Reform Act (PEPRA), incumbents covered by this agreement hired on or after January 1,2013 who do not qualify as "classic members" of PERS, shall be considered "new members" and shall be enrolled in the 2o/o at age 62 for miscellaneous positions and 2.7o/o at age 57 flor safety positions defined benefit formula with final compensation calculation period of three (3) consecutive years. lncumbents shall be responsible for fifty percent (50%) of the normal cost attributable to the applicable retirement formula. Section 3.2 (E) and (F) would no longer be applicable.
Note: The definition of "classic member" or "new membe/' is established per the California Public lncumbents Retirement System (CALPERS).
1. Effective May 26, 2000, the PERS contract shall provide one-year final compensation provisions when calculating retirement benefits for miscellaneous incumbents.
2. Effective November 24,2000, the PERS contract shall provide to miscellaneous members the 2% @ 55 formula. Miscellaneous members who retire after the effective date of the contract amendment will be subject to this formula.
3. Effective November 24, 2000, a lump sum death benefit of $5,000 will be paid to beneficiaries of retired members. This benefit will be applicable to deaths occurring after the effective date of the contract amendment.
4. Effective May 26,2000, the PERS contract shall provide for the Pre-Retirement Optional Settlement 2 Death Benefit. Under this provision, the spouse of a deceased member, who was eligible to retire for service at the time of death, may elect to receive a monthly allowance in lieu of the lump sum Basic Death Benefit.
SECTION 1.4 DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN
A. lncumbents are required to participate in a 457 deferred compensation plan, a 401(a) deferred compensation plan, and a Retirement Health Savings Plan pursuant to this resolution.
B. Plan documents outlining all three plans have been adopted by the City Council and are on file in the Office of the City Treasurer.
C. The City will match an incumbent contribution, on a dollar for dollar basis each pay period, to the 401(a) plan up to a maximum of 0.5% of base pay per calendar year.
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sEcTroN 1.5 RETTREMENT HEALTH SAVTNGS PLAN (RHSP)
A. For retiring or separating incumbents, the following shall apply:
1. All hours equal to or less than 500 for sick accruals and 500 for vacation accruals will be deposited into the Mission Square Retirement Health Savings Program, therein referred to as the RHSP.
2. After satisfying Section 3.3.D.1.a, the remaining balance up to limits allowed by law shall be disbursed into the City's 401(a) plan. Any amount exceeding legal limits shall be paid out to the incumbent.
B. SICK LEAVE
1. Sick Leave Use
An incumbent may use sick leave to care for themselves or family members in compliance with the City's Policy on Leaves of Absence in accordance with State and Federal Law. Such time shall be deducted from the existing sick leave accruals of the incumbent. ln addition, incumbents may use sick leave for the following reasons:
2. Retirement Early Notification lncentive Program
An incumbent may use sick leave in accordance with the Retirement Early Notification lncentive Program requirements.
3. Accrual Rate:
lncumbents shall be granted six hours of sick leave per month
4. Conversion of Sick Leave:i. An incumbent may select to convert any sick leave granted but unused over three hundred (300) hours into cash or into the 457 deferred compensation plan at the rate of one hour of pay for each hour of unused sick leave. Requests for such payments or deferral to the 457 plan shall be made before the 1st of December each year. Payments shall be made no later than 30 days after date of request.
ii. For those incumbents who do not wish to convert any sick leave, any sick leave in excess of 500 hours on the books as of December 1st will be automatically deferred into the aU@) by December 31't at the rate of one hour of pay for each hour of unused sick leave.
iii. For incumbents separating or retiring from the City, the provisions outlined in Section 3.3.D shallapply.
iv. ln case of death of an incumbent, each hour of accumulated sick leave shall equal one hour of salary to be paid to the incumbent's designated beneficiary.
V The incumbents are eligible to participate in the Catastrophic Leave Program
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C. INDUSTRIAL INJURY LEAVE
1. ln the event the incumbent sustains an injury or illness out of and occurring in the course of his/her employment with the City, the incumbent shall be entitled to industrial injury leave as follows:i. Up to three (3) months during the first three (3) years of employment. ¡i. Up to six (6) months during the fourth (4th) year of employment. ¡ii. Up to eight (8) months after four (4) years of employment for industrial injury.
iv. Such leave shall be at eighty-five percent (85%) of regular salary rate. Said leave shall terminate upon return to regular work or when the injury is deemed permanent or stationary, at the expiration of the maximum time period listed in this section.
D. ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE
lncumbents shall receive eight (8) days of administrative leave per fiscal year. This leave may not be cashed out and cannot be carried forward to a subsequent fiscal year.
E.HOLIDAYS
For the purpose of this Resolution, the following days shall be considered holidays with pay:
' New Year's Day. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
' Lincoln's Birthday. Washington'sBirthday. Memorial Day. lndependence Day. Labor Day. Veterans Day ' Thanksgiving Day. Day after Thanksgiving* Christmas Eve. Christmas Day* New Year's Eve
1. When a holiday occurs on Saturday, the day immediately preceding will be observed as the holiday. When a holiday occurs on Sunday, the day immediately following will be observed as a holiday.
2. A holiday shall be construed as the value of the normal work shift.
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F VACATION
lncumbents shall earn vacation leave as follows:
1. The rate of 9.33 hours per month of continuous and total employment as a regular incumbent.
2. Commencing with the 2nd year of continuous and total employment as a regular incumbent, at the rate of 10 working hours per month .
3. Commencing with the Sth year of continuous and total employment as a regular incumbent, at the rate of 12.67 working hours per month .
4. Commencing with the 1Oth year of continuous and total employment as a regular incumbent, at the rate of 16.02 working hours per month
5. Commencing with the 21't year of continuous and total employment as a regular incumbent, at the rate of 17.34 working hours per month.
6. Commencing with the 25th year of continuous and total employment as a regular incumbent, at the rate of 18 working hours per month.
7. Eligibility:
lncumbents shall earn vacation only while receiving compensation from or through the City.
8. Accrual Limit:
Vacation accruals over 500 hours which are on the books as of December 1't of each year will be automatically deferred into the 401(a) account by December 31't at the rate of one hour of pay for each hour of unused vacation leave
9. Vacation leave is allocated to an incumþent's bank as earned on an hour by hour basis.
10. At the time of retirement or separation, the provisions of RHSP shall apply
G VEHICLE ALLOWANCE
lncumbents receive a car allowance in the amount of $976 per month, payable in biweekly installments. Such allowance is not intended to cover mileage reimbursement for business trips of over 25 miles each way. Such excess miles (over 50 miles round trip) shall be reimbursed at the City's specified rate. This car allowance is separate from base pay.
H. REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES Effective February 3, 2025
The City shall reimburse up to 1,500 each fiscal year for the following eligible expenses
1. Employee medical-related purposes such as medical examination and treatment, optical, dental, or prescription drugs; or family counseling for the management employee or dependent.
2. Tuition or training reimbursement.
Resolution 2026-20 7 Elected Officials
3. Acquisition of City compatible computer hardware, software or peripheral equipment including cell phone data plans.
a. Any reimbursement balance remaining from the previous fiscal year shall be carried foruvard to the following fiscal year, for a maximum of two years. Any expense remaining from the previous fiscal year (not reimbursed since over the allotted amount) shall be carried forward for a maximum of three years. b. ln the event an employee is hired or promoted within a fiscal year, they will be entitled to the full allocation if the hire/promotion date falls between July 1 and December 31. The employee is eligible for half of the annual allocation if hiredipromoted between January 1 and March 31. lf the hire/promotion date falls between April 1 and June 30, the employee will not be eligible for any reimbursement in that current fiscal year
ARTIGLE 3 - MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SECTION 3.1 ROUTINE LOCAL EXPENSES
A. Public resources should only be used when there is a substantial benefit to the City, such benefits include:L The opportunity to discuss the community's concerns with state and federal officials;
2. Participating in regional, state and national organizations whose activities affect the City;
3. Attending educational seminars designed to improve officials'skill and information levels;
4. Promoting public service and morale by recognizing such service.
Each expenditure must comply with the limits and reporting requirements of local, state and federal law, as well as the standards against which those expenditures will be measured to satisfy the requirements of Government Code sections 53232.2 and 53233.3 in the event such requirements'could be constitutionally applied to charter cities.
Routine monthly expense reimbursements for the Mayor and City Council shall be in accordance with the City's Routine Monthly Expense Report Policy.
SECTION 3.2 VEHICLE ALLOWANCE
Elected Officials covered by this resolution receive a car allowance in the amount of $976 per month, payable in biweekly installments. Such allowance is not intended to cover mileage reimbursement for business trips of over 25 miles each way. Such excess miles (over 50 miles round trip) shall be reimbursed at the City's specified rate. This car allowance is separate from base pay.
SECTION 3.3 CONFERENCE AND OTHER TRAVEL
Each expenditure must comply with the limits and reporting requirements of local, state and federal law, as well as the standards against which those expenditures will be measured to satisfy the requirements of Government Code sections 53232.2 and 53233.3 in the event such requirements could be constitutionally applied to charter cities.
Routine monthly expense reimbursements for the Mayor and City Council shall be in accordance with the City's Seminar, Conference and Travel Policy.
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c
A.
B.
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A
SECTION 3.4 OTHER MEETINGS EXPENSES
ln addition to the amounts set forth in Sections 2.1,2.2, and2.3 herein, the Mayor and each member of the City Council shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses while engaged in City business as a result of travel to and attendance at meetings held outside the boundaries of Los Angeles County in an amount not to exceed a sum which shall be determined in each case in advance by the City Council.
SECTION 3.5 OTHER EXPENSES
Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4 herein, the Mayor and any member of the City Council may receive reimbursement for any other actual and necessary expenses upon approval of the City Council for good cause shown.
SECTION 3.6 INSURANCE
The City shall pay the applicable monthly PERS minimum contribution per elected official for active and retired elected official health insurance. The PERS minimum contribution can only apply toward the health insurance plans. lf the elected official does not participate in the City's insurance plans, the PERS minimum contribution cannot be used for any other purpose.
B. Cost of Medical lnsurance
ln addition to the PERS minimum contribution, the City shall provide active elected officials with an additional contribution which may be used by the elected official to pay for approved health insurance plan premiums, dental, or vision insurance ("Cafeteria Contribution.") The aggregate amount of the Cafeteria Contribution and the PERS minimum contribution shall be referred to as the "City Contribution." The Cafeteria Contribution will be calculated by deducting the applicable PERS minimum contribution from the total City Contribution. The City Contribution cannot be taken in cash and will be made by the City to the extent of the eligible elected official's election of insurance pursuant to the limitations in this Section 2.6.
Elected officials may opt-out of the City-offered benefits.
Effective January 1, 2025, elected officials covered by this resolution are eligible to receive the following City-provided health insurance:
lf the elected official covered by this Resolution opts out of health coverage, they will receive a cash-in-lieu payment of $400.00 per month for as long as they opt-out of medical coverage and meet the following requirements:
a. The elected official provides proof of minimum essential coverage ("MEC") through another source (other than coverage in the individual market, whether or not C
No Covêraqe I Partv 2Partv Familv
Cafeteria Contribution
$400
(Per Section
2.6.C.)
$678.36 less the
PERS Minimum
Contribution
$1,308.51 less the
PERS Minimum
Contribution
$1,795.34 less the
PERS Minimum
Contribution
Resolution 2026-20 9 Elected Officials
D.
obtained through Covered California) for the plan year for which the elected official opts-out of City-offered coverage ("alternative required coverage"). b. The proof of coverage must show that the elected official and all individuals in the elected official's expected tax family have (or will have) the required MEC for the plan year. The elected official must provide reasonable evidence of the MEC for the applicable period by signing and submitting an attestation to the City. c. The elected official must provide such reasonable evidence and attestation of alternative coverage every plan year during open enrollment. d. The City will not provide the cash-in-lieu payment if it knows or has reason to know that the elected official or tax family member does not have the alternative required coverage.
The City shall cover each elected official under a $100,000 accidental and $200,000 universal term life insurance policy.
ARTICLE 4 - EFFECTIVE DATES
SECTION 4.1 PROVISIONS EFFECTIVE
The provisions of this Resolution shall be effective commencing February 3,2025.
SECTION III
lf any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this Resolution is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of the Resolution. The City Council hereby declares it would have passed this Resolution and each section, subsection, sentence, clause and phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
INTRODUCED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this 24th day of February 2026. '1r-
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
PATRICK Q. SULLIVAN, City Attorney
M George K. Chen
by
a Y. Strader, Assistant City Attorney Poirier, MMC, City Clerk Resolution 2026-20 10 Elected Officials
TORRANCE CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 2026.20
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
CITY OF TORRANCE
ss
Kaji, Kalani, Lewis, Mattucci, Sheikh, and Mayor Chen
None.
None.
Gerson
¿
Poirier,
Clerk of the City of Torrcnce
)
)
)
l, Rebecca Poirier, City Clerk of the City of Torrance, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly introduced, approved, and adopted by the City Council of the City of Torrance at a regular meeting of said Council held on the 24th day of February 2026 by the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN
ABSENT:
COUNCILMEMBERS
COUNCILMEMBERS
COUNCILMEMBERS
COUNCILMEMBERS
Date
Resolution 2026-20 11 Elected Officials