DATE: July 13, 2021
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: American Avenue Disposal Site Waiver of Extra-Help Maximum Hour Limitation
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Authorize a waiver of the 28 hours per week and 960 hours per calendar year maximum hours limitation for the Extra-Help position(s) listed on Attachment A in the Department of Public Works and Planning, Org 9026 - American Avenue Disposal Site, pursuant to the provisions set forth in Salary Resolution, section 1100 and Personnel Rules 2040 and 4240.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will ensure American Avenue Disposal Site (AADS) has adequate staffing to meet the operational needs of the landfill. AADS is funded through the AADS Enterprise Fund 0700. This item pertains to a location in District 1.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There is no viable alternative to immediately fill this position due to the historical difficulty in recruiting candidates for this classification and the time required to train the new employees in this classification at AADS.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues for the appointments and for any additional related costs are included in the FY 2020-21 AADS Org 9026 Adopted Budget and will be requested for in the FY 2021-22 budget.
DISCUSSION:
On January 13, 2015 and June 7, 2016, your Board reiterated County policy that the use of Extra-Help employees should:
• be of limited duration;
• not be used as a first response to staffing requirements;
• not supplant work regularly performed by permanent employees; and
• only be used to meet the critical, seasonal, or temporary work needs of departments on a limited basis.
On June 7, 2016, your Board approved Salary Resolution Amendments that provided departments with the requested flexibility, while limiting the use of most Extra-Help employees. As provided in those Amendments, the Department of Public Works and Planning (Department) is recommending a waiver of the 28 hours a week and 960 hours per calendar year limitation for the positions listed on Attachment A due to the significant increase in daily tonnage received at AADS during FY 2020-21 and compounded by the acceptance of Creek Fire debris. AADS expects to continue to accept Creek Fire debris through October 2021.
In January of this year, the Department received approval by the CAO to hire up to five (5) Extra-Help positions at AADS due to Creek Fire debris acceptance and increased tonnage since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The approval was effective January 25, 2021 through May 2021. The Department requested an extension of the waiver due to acceptance of Creek Fire debris through October 2021. However, since the waiver request was not COVID related, the CAO could only approve a waiver of the 28 hours a week limit. The Department has an operational need at the landfill to waive both the 28 hours a week limit and the 960 hours per calendar year limitation to accommodate the increased tonnage and Creek Fire debris.
AADS is a regional landfill that operates six days a week for approximately 310 days a year. Without the continued use of the Extra-Help positions, AADS will incur operational bottlenecks that will delay the dumping and processing of waste and increase mandatory overtime on permanent staff.
In FY 2021-22, the Department will be requesting two additional net position allocations, in the Disposal Site Equipment Operator Trainee classification, for AADS Org 9026. If these permanent positions are approved, the waiver of 28 hours a week and 960 hours per calendar year limitation for the Extra-Help positions will no longer be necessary.
The Department anticipates that one of the three Extra-Help employees reflected on Attachment A will exceed the County’s 960 hours per calendar year limitation on July 13, 2021; and the remaining two Extra-Help employees will exceed the limitation on October 18, 2021.
Your Board’s approval of the recommended action will allow the positions listed in Attachment A in the Department to exceed the maximum hour limitation for Calendar Year 2021.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #37 - June 7, 2016
BAI#19 - January 13, 2015
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Attachment A
CAO ANALYST:
Ron Alexander