11.B.
City Council Draft Agenda
- Meeting Date:
- 06/07/2022
- Co-Submitter:
- Jeanie Gallagher
- From:
- Brandi Suda, Interim Human Resources Director
TITLE:
Consideration and Adoption of Ordinance No. 2022-14: An ordinance of the City Council of the City of Flagstaff, Arizona, amending the Flagstaff City Code, Chapter 1-14, Personnel System by amending the Employee Handbook of Regulations relating to voluntary reassignment and transfer.
STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION:
At the June 7, 2022 Council Meeting:
1) Read Ordinance No. 2022-14 by title only for the first time
2) City Clerk reads Ordinance No. 2022-14 by title only (if approved above)
At the June 21, 2022 Council Meeting:
3) Read Ordinance No. 2022-14 by title only for the final time
4) City Clerk reads Ordinance No. 2022-14 by title only (if approved above)
5) Adopt Ordinance No. 2022-14
1) Read Ordinance No. 2022-14 by title only for the first time
2) City Clerk reads Ordinance No. 2022-14 by title only (if approved above)
At the June 21, 2022 Council Meeting:
3) Read Ordinance No. 2022-14 by title only for the final time
4) City Clerk reads Ordinance No. 2022-14 by title only (if approved above)
5) Adopt Ordinance No. 2022-14
Executive Summary:
1-20-020 (I), Appropriate Salary: A Voluntary Reassignment provision provides for City support and administrative procedures for employees to voluntarily request to 1) be placed in a vacant position in a lower pay range for which they are qualified, and 2) the administrative guidelines if they are selected during a recruitment for a position in a lower pay range. These are voluntary requests from the employee and are very different than demotions, which are not voluntary and are connected to a performance concern.
Reference to Voluntary Reassignment occurs in the Employee Handbook of Regulations in both Article 1-20-020 (I) Appropriate Salary and Article 1-40-020 Voluntary Reassignment. Unfortunately, there has been conflicting use of terminology (demotion versus reassignment) and conflicting statements as to whether or not an employee choosing a voluntary reassignment would experience a change in their classification date (the anniversary date upon which they are eligible for their merit increase), perhaps going back to as early as 2001.
A detailed audit conducted by Human Resources confirmed that going back to 2005 we have consistently changed the classification date for every employee experiencing a Voluntary Reassignment. This is consistent with the intent to change the classification date whenever an employee changes position classifications. This allows the performance evaluation to cover only one position classification for the rating period.
A recent detailed policy discussion with City Leadership confirmed the desire to continue this practice going forward.
Therefore, this ordinance change modifies the current language in such that the employee shall receive a new classification date for purposes of merit pay increases and performance evaluations. This will remove the conflict with Article 1-40-020, Voluntary Reassignment which does reflect the desired language and current City practice.
1-20-20 Appropriate Salary (J): This language provides the administrative provisions for an employee Transfer. A Transfer occurs when an employee moves from one position to another either in the same pay range or from one area of the City to another in the same position. Current language provides the employee would not experience a change in their classification date (the anniversary date upon which they are eligible for their merit increase).
And, further,
1-40-030, Transfer: provides the same language with respect to classification date.
As referenced above, in keeping with the desire to consistently change the classification date whenever an employee changes position classifications and/or the transfer results in moving to another area with a new supervisor, both policy sections to be revised to indicate the employee shall receive a new classification date when experiencing a Transfer.
It is important to note that a pro-rated merit increase is applied to the salary for both Voluntary Reassignment as well as Transfer to ensure the new classification date does not adversely impact their opportunity for merit increase.
Reference to Voluntary Reassignment occurs in the Employee Handbook of Regulations in both Article 1-20-020 (I) Appropriate Salary and Article 1-40-020 Voluntary Reassignment. Unfortunately, there has been conflicting use of terminology (demotion versus reassignment) and conflicting statements as to whether or not an employee choosing a voluntary reassignment would experience a change in their classification date (the anniversary date upon which they are eligible for their merit increase), perhaps going back to as early as 2001.
A detailed audit conducted by Human Resources confirmed that going back to 2005 we have consistently changed the classification date for every employee experiencing a Voluntary Reassignment. This is consistent with the intent to change the classification date whenever an employee changes position classifications. This allows the performance evaluation to cover only one position classification for the rating period.
A recent detailed policy discussion with City Leadership confirmed the desire to continue this practice going forward.
Therefore, this ordinance change modifies the current language in such that the employee shall receive a new classification date for purposes of merit pay increases and performance evaluations. This will remove the conflict with Article 1-40-020, Voluntary Reassignment which does reflect the desired language and current City practice.
1-20-20 Appropriate Salary (J): This language provides the administrative provisions for an employee Transfer. A Transfer occurs when an employee moves from one position to another either in the same pay range or from one area of the City to another in the same position. Current language provides the employee would not experience a change in their classification date (the anniversary date upon which they are eligible for their merit increase).
And, further,
1-40-030, Transfer: provides the same language with respect to classification date.
As referenced above, in keeping with the desire to consistently change the classification date whenever an employee changes position classifications and/or the transfer results in moving to another area with a new supervisor, both policy sections to be revised to indicate the employee shall receive a new classification date when experiencing a Transfer.
It is important to note that a pro-rated merit increase is applied to the salary for both Voluntary Reassignment as well as Transfer to ensure the new classification date does not adversely impact their opportunity for merit increase.
Financial Impact:
None.
Policy Impact:
These represent updates to the Employee Handbook of Regulations, Article 1-20-020 (I) Appropriate Salary to eliminate an unintended conflict with the Employee Handbook of Regulations, Article 1-40-020 Voluntary Reassignment, as well as updates to Article 1-20-020 (J) Appropriate Salary and Article 1-40-030 Transfer with respect to assigning a new classification date.
Connection to PBB Priorities/Objectives, Carbon Neutrality Plan & Regional Plan:
Priority Based Budget Key Community Priorities and Objectives
High Performing Governance
High Performing Governance
- Become an employer of choice and provide employees with the necessary tools, training, and support
Has There Been Previous Council Decision on This:
Yes. With regard to Voluntary Reassignment, this topic has been addressed a few times over the past several years primarily to update terminology and remove the use of the word “demotion” since it has a negative connotation.
Options and Alternatives:
Option 1: Adopt as presented
Option 2: Decline and provide alternative direction to correct the conflict.
Option 2: Decline and provide alternative direction to correct the conflict.