ARTICLE 2

WAGES & BENEFITS

(revised July 14, 2010)

 

2.1.        Health Insurance Benefit

 

2.1.1.   All Employees eligible for enrolment in CalPERS retirement shall be enrolled in the District health insurance plan.  The District health insurance plan shall be purchased through the CalPERS Retirement System.

 

2.1.2.   Employees entering the CalPERS retirement system with the District, while employed by the District or retiring from the District in the CalPERS system prior to August 1, 2010 will be considered “Tier One.”

 

2.1.3.   Tier One employees may opt into Tier Two, as permitted by CalPERS.

 

2.1.4.   Employees entering service with the District after August 1, 2010, hereafter referred to as “Tier Two” will be subject to the following requirements for retirement medical benefit, if eligible for CalPERS retirement programs:

 

2.1.4.1.       Tier Two Retirees will be eligible for post retirement health benefits as defined in the CalPERS vesting programs.  This will be consistent with the current benefit schedule in Section 2.1.2. and not less then the minimum contribution defined in Government Code Section 22892(b) for active employees.

 

2.1.4.2.       Tier Two Employees are eligible to receive the percentage payable for post retirement health benefits for each retired employee. This shall be determined by the employee’s completed years of credited service based upon Government Code Section 22893; plus administrative fees and Contingency Reserve Fund assessments.

 

2.1.4.3.       Health Insurance shall be maintained at the current level of benefit (CalPERS Bay Area/Sacramento Region Blue Shield) not to exceed a ten percent (10%) increase in premium cost over the 2009/2010 approved rates. In the event that the 2010/2011 premiums exceeds the agreed upon 10% increase, the Board and Employees Association(s) will meet and confer on this item.

 

2.2.        Health Savings Benefit

 

2.2.1.   Health Savings Benefit (Defined):  The District will provide a fund  for employees that will provide benefits for vision, dental & hearing.

 

2.2.2.   Employees to be reimbursed monthly through the District’s vendor payment process by submitting a receipt for covered services prior to the Friday before the regular board meeting. 

 

2.2.2.1.         The District will allot into an accumulating fund (the Fund) for dental/vision/hearing care for each employee and their dependents as defined by California Public Employee Retirement Law Section 22775

 

2.2.3.   In the event that all employees agree to join the same dental/vision/hearing plan, fund resources shall be used to pay the premiums for such plan, but in no event will the District be obligated to pay any funds in addition to those available in the Fund.  So long as a single dental / vision / hearing plan has not been agreed to and joined by all the employees, each employee shall be entitled to draw up to his/her contributed share of the Fund for dental / vision / hearing charges, provided written verification of such charges is submitted to the District prior to reimbursement.  All interest accrued on the Fund shall remain within the fund.

 

2.2.3.1.         Retirees shall carry over their existing dental / vision / hearing account balance with no further contributions by the District; and shall be allowed to draw up to his /her contributed share of the Fund for dental / vision / hearing charges, provided written verification of such charges is submitted to the District prior to reimbursement, until such fund is exhausted.

 

2.2.3.2.         An employee who separates, rather than retiring, from the District will be cashed out of his /her dental / vision / hearing account.

 

2.2.3.3.          Accrual amounts will post effective the first of the month.

 

2.2.4.   HSB Section 1 coverage for current employees shall be provided by a District created employee health savings benefit (HSB) account .  The District agrees to fund this account in total for the entire fiscal year, beginning 2009/2010 as follows:

 

$120.00/month for single member status = 1,440.00 annually.

$150.00/month for double member status=$1,800.00 annually.

$200.00/month for 3 or more member status = 2,400.00 annually.

 

Individual accounts will accrue monthly beginning August 1, 2010.

 

2.2.5.   The District agrees to pay the deductible premium for employees' physical exam and $40.00 per year towards a physical exam for volunteers. These costs will only be paid if the employee/volunteer returns to the department the required examination forms.

 

 

2.3.        Disability Insurance

 

2.3.1.   Paid Employees -   The district shall contract with Myers - Stevens Insurance for Group Long Term Disability Insurance Plus, Multi Level 90 day waiting period, disability insurance.

 

2.3.2.   Volunteer  Personnel - the district will provide an insurance plan for income protection through C.S.F.A. that will guarantee $150.00 per week for a district related disability.  (Insurance Carrier Myers - Sevens Co.)

 

2.4.        Retirement

 

2.4.1.   Public Safety - All employees of the district that are defined as public safety employees by P.E.R.S. will receive P.E.R.S. 3% @ 50 modified public safety retirement plan.

 

2.4.2.   Miscellaneous  -  All employees that are not  public safety employees,  as defined above, shall receive P.E.R.S. 2.7.% @ 55 modified retirement plan.

 

2.4.3.   The district will pay the employee's contribution to P.E.R.S. for all employees.

 

2.4.4.   Volunteer personnel as of July 1990 will be enrolled in the Volunteer Firefighters Length of Service Award System administered by the Public Employees Retirement System.  (Note:  Contract dated July 5, 1990)

 

2.5.        Uniform Allowance

 

2.5.1.     The district will purchase required uniforms for employees not to exceed $525.00 each fiscal year.

 

2.5.2.     The district will purchase safety boots for employees and volunteers. boots will be replaced when no longer serviceable.

 

2.5.3.     The district will provide one dress uniform for each volunteer upon successful completion of their six month probationary period.  The dress uniform shall consist of those items outlined in Administrative Policy #110, Section 1A & coveralls approved by the District.  Uniforms will be replaced if damaged or worn;  at the discretion of the department. 

 

2.5.4.     Any personnel that damage or destroy any portion of their uniform while on an emergency call or district function will have it repaired or replaced at district expense.

 

2.5.5.     Volunteer Firefighters will be issued a uniform allowance to be paid in a fashion consistent with the career staff.  This allowance will be paid in an amount of $300.00 per year.  The following conditions will apply: Firefighters must have completed their probationary period.  Firefighters must meet the annual training requirement in Policy 403, equivalent to 16 Monday night regular trainings in the prior reporting period (32 hours) and have participated in ten incidents in the same reporting period.

 

2.6.        Salary & Wages

 

2.6.1.   Basic Wage Plan - Each position shall have a stated wage plan.  This scale (see Appendix  I)  may be adjusted annually to reflect changes paid to employees in the comparable job market.  Starting compensation may, at the discretion of the chief, be below such scale on a temporary evaluation basis.  In such an event, increases may be made after a period of ninety (90) to one hundred twenty (120) days, to adjust to stated wage schedule.

 

2.6.2.   Basic Salary Plan - The basic salary of all salaried employees shall be reviewed by the district board annually.

 

2.6.3.   Overtime  - All hours (except as noted in 2.5.4) past 53 hours per week for shift employees and 40 hours per week for employees other than those on salaries shall be paid at 1 1/2  times their regular hourly pay rate.

 

2.6.4.   Employees  who are called back for emergency calls, other than salaried employees, shall receive compensatory time off or paid overtime, accumulated at 1 1/2 times the hour/s served.  The maximum amount of compensatory time accumulated shall not exceed 48 hours.  Response for emergency calls shall be calculated on 1/4 hour increments.

 

2.6.5.   Working  Out  of Classification -  Any employee who is appointed to work out of their classification for more than thirty (30) consecutive calendar days shall be paid 5% above their current pay step or to the next corresponding pay step in the rank assigned (which ever is greater) for the time the employee is assigned an out of grade position.

 

Any employee working in an out of grade position less than thirty consecutive calendar days or without an appointment to the out of grade position shall receive a 5% increase over the employees current step in grade. The employee must work a minimum of twenty (20) consecutive hours to receive this increase.

 

If the employee is temporarily working in a lower classification, their wages shall be paid at their present classification.

2.6.6.   Volunteer training shifts shall be paid a stipend of $145.00.

 

2.6.7.   Employees will be compensated for expenses and time for all certificates required by job description.  District approval shall be required prior to course enrollment or application for a certificate.

 

2.6.8.   Effective January 6, 2007   Shift Differential shall no longer apply for employees scheduled on any JPA funded Medic Unit.

 

2.6.9.   Effective June 30, 2007 Employees working a 56 hour per week schedule shall no longer be eligible to accrue  Compensatory Time Off.  Employees working a 40 hour per week schedule or other schedule that does not require cover staff to backfill will still be eligible to accrue Compensatory Time Off.

 

2.7.        Salary & Wage Increases

 

2.7.1.   Salary  and wage increases shall not be granted automatically, but be at the sole discretion of the District Board.

 

2.7.2.   Appointment at a higher starting salary or wage will be given consideration depending on labor market conditions and the experience and qualifications of the proposed employee.

 

2.7.3.   Promotions  -  In the event of a promotion of an employee to a position with a higher starting salary or wage, such employee shall be entitled to receive the rate of compensation at the starting salary or wage of the position to which the employee has been promoted, provided that the starting salary or wage of that position insures a 5% salary or wage increase for the promoted employee.  Should the starting salary or wage of that position not reflect a 5% increase for the employee, then the employee shall be placed in the next salary or wage step, of that position, that will reflect a minimum 5% increase.

 

2.8.        Special Death Benefit Fund

(applies to employees & volunteers on the membership roster on or after 1973)

 

2.8.1.   Designated beneficiaries of employees and retired firefighters will receive $750.00 upon death of those listed in Appendix VI.

 

2.8.2.   For the purpose of this section a retired firefighter is  considered to have a minimum of 15 years of service with the department.

 

2.8.3.   The district will maintain a current list of beneficiaries and will updated Appendix VI annually.

 

2.9.        Deferred Compensation

 

2.9.1.   This policy only applies to employees that contribute to the District approved deferred compensation plan.

 

2.9.2.   The district will contribute each pay period  (1) one dollar for every dollar, not to exceed five (5) percent of the employees gross salary, that an employee places in their deferred compensation account.

 

 

2.10.     Executive Leave

 

2.10.1.    Management employees of the district shall receive ten (10) days of executive leave per fiscal year.

 

2.10.2.    Unused executive leave days cannot be carried over from year to year.

 

2.10.3.    Executive leave days have no cash value. No compensation shall be paid to any management employee for unused executive leave at the end of the fiscal year or upon separation from employment.

 

2.10.4.    Management employees may not take more than four consecutive days of executive leave without the approval of the Fire Chief.

 

2.10.5.    Management employees may not combine vacation with executive leave without the approval of the Fire Chief