TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Christine Briceño, Director of Human Resources
REPORT BY: Joy Cadiz, Staff Services Manager
SUBJECT: Resolution Amending Napa County Policy Manual Part I Section 37BB - Hiring and Promotional Incentive Pilot Program Policy
RECOMMENDATION
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Adopt a Resolution to amend Napa County Policy Manual Part I, Section 37BB - Hiring and Promotional Incentive Pilot Program Policy, effective November 12, 2024. (Fiscal Impact: $200,000 Expense; Fund dependent upon Department usage; Budgeted; Discretionary)
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BACKGROUND
On September 26, 2017, this Board adopted a resolution to create a Hiring and Promotional Incentive Pilot Program (Pilot Program) to run for four years from October 1, 2017, through September 30, 2021. The Pilot Program included five incentives:
1) a $5,000 Signing Bonus for designated hard-to-fill classifications,
2) a $750 Employee Referral Bonus,
3) approval of an Advanced Vacation Accrual depending on certified years of public services,
4) Up to $30,000 paid towards a student loan with Loan Forgiveness Program, and
5) an internal promotional recruitment opportunity for eligible Correctional Officers to become a deputy with the Sheriff’s Office.
The Pilot Program was amended in October 2018 to include clarifying language and replace the Advanced Vacation Accrual Incentive with a Vacation Leave Bank Incentive. The Vacation Leave Bank Incentive provided a lump sum of 80 hours of vacation leave after successfully passing the probationary period or at the conclusion of 12 months of employment for eligible at-will classifications.
The Pilot Program was amended again in September of 2021 extending the Program’s term another four years through September 30, 2025, adjusting timing of incentives, and authorizing the County Executive Office and Director of Human Resources to apply the incentives to classifications they deem as hard-to-fill.
After reviewing the Pilot Program, Human Resources recommends that the temporary status be removed and the Program become a permanent County Policy. References to the Pilot Program term and “pilot” have been removed. After conducting comparable market research, consultation with affected departments, the County Executive Officer’s Office, and County Counsel, the major recommended policy amendments include:
1) increase the Signing Bonus from $5,000 to $15,000,
2) a tiered signing bonus ranging from $15,000 to $30,000 for the Deputy Sheriff classification series based on certified years of prior law enforcement service, and
3) increase the Employee Referral Bonus from $750 to $1,000 because the incentive has been underutilized.
While there is a fiscal impact from the recommended policy changes, the $200,000 projected expense is estimated on doubling the cost of actual program usage from the last two fiscal years. As in previous years, the hiring departments will fund the different incentives through the salary savings generated by budgeted vacancies.
Requested Action:
Adopt a Resolution to amend the Napa County Policy Manual Part I, Section 37BB - Hiring and Promotional Incentive Pilot Program Policy, effective November 12, 2024.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
Yes |
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Where is it budgeted? |
Individual County departments depending on usage. |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
The Policy updates allow the County to continue to attract the most qualified candidates for critical positions in public safety and behavioral health and other hard-to-fill positions. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
The annual cost of the increase in incentives is estimated to be $200,000 and will be funded through salary savings or budgeted for accordingly in the future. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
The Pilot Program will sunset on September 30, 2025 and the County will face additional challenges in attracting and retaining qualified candidates to critical vacancies in this very competitive employment market. |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.