REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL November 7, 2019 FROM: JEFF CARDELL, Director Personnel Services Department BY: KEN PHILLIPS, Labor Relations Manager Personnel Services Department SUBJECT ..Title ***Approve a Side Letter of Agreement with the Fresno City Employees Association (FCEA), for Unit 3, Non-Supervisory White Collar, regarding Lateral Hire Incentives for Emergency Services Dispatchers II/III (Subject to Mayor's Veto) ..Body RECOMMENDATION It is recommended Council approve a Side Letter of Agreement with FCEA which renews a provision for incentives for qualified Emergency Services Dispatcher (ESD) II/III lateral hires and current ESDs who refer lateral hires. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The City Council approved a Side Letter Agreement with FCEA effective August 30, 2018 through June 30, 2019, providing hiring incentives for lateral hires from other law enforcement agencies. Renewal of the side letter for an additional year will assist with continued efforts in filling vacant Dispatch positions. The attached side letter renews the provisions providing leave and cash incentives In order to maintain continuity with the earlier Side Letter and to ensure that any lateral hires or referrals are properly compensated, the Side Letter is retroactive to July 1, 2019. BACKGROUND In 2018, the City Council approved a Side Letter Agreement with the FCEA which provided hiring incentives for lateral ESDs through June 30, 2019. This is the first renewal of the Side Letter Agreement, and is in recognition that the employment environment for experienced ESDs is competitive and the City is still in the process of rebuilding Emergency Services Dispatch staffing levels. Renewal of the Lateral Hire Incentives Side Letter with FCEA provides a useful tool in the recruitment of experienced ESDs. Side Letter Provisions Lateral hires are eligible for forty hours of vacation leave and forty hours of sick leave upon hire, a payment of $1,000 upon hire, $1,000 upon successful completion of a Police Department ESD training program, $1,000 upon successful completion of probation, and $1,000 after an additional one year of service following the completion of the probationary period. Additionally, lateral hires will be hired at the C Step or above. In order to qualify for the incentives a lateral hire must be currently working for another law enforcement agency, have at least two years of experience equivalent to an ESD II with the City of Fresno, and must be hired by the Fresno Police Department. In addition, current ESDs who refer a qualified lateral hire will receive $250 at each of the steps noted above for a lateral hire, (i.e. hire, completion of the training program, completion of probation and an additional one year of service after completing probation) for a total of $1,000 per lateral hire. Only one ESD is eligible for a referral for any one lateral hire, and ESDs are limited to payment for five referrals (i.e., $5,000) in any fiscal year. The side letter is effective from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020, but can be renewed upon mutual agreement of the parties. The Office of the City Attorney has approved the side letter as to form. ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378 this item does not qualify as a "project" and is therefore exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act requirements. LOCAL PREFERENCE Local preference is not implicated because this item does not involve public contracting or bidding with the City of Fresno. FISCAL IMPACT Approval of the Side Letter will not result in additional salary and benefit expenses. The Fiscal Year 2020 Budget includes additional resources for these additional expenses. Attachments: Side Letter of Agreement - Lateral Hire Incentives