DATE: February 26, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Kari Gilbert, Director, Department of Child Support Services
SUBJECT: Salary Resolution Amendment - Child Support Officer Classification
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve Amendment to the Salary Resolution re-allocating 6 positions within the Department of Child Support Services Org 5110, effective March 11, 2019 as reflected in Appendix D.
2. Approve Amendment to the Salary Resolution retitling the Child Support Officer I/II/III/Senior/Supervising classification series to Child Support Specialist I/II/III/Senior/Supervising, effective March 11, 2019 as reflected in Appendix D.
REPORT
There is no Net County Cost associated with the approval of the recommended actions. Approval of the first recommended action will amend the Salary Resolution to re-allocate five (5) Senior Child Support Officer positions and one (1) Supervising Child Support Officer position, resulting in no change to the 143 total positions currently allocated to the Department. Approval of the second recommended action will retitle all classifications within the Child Support Officer series. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the Board does not approve the first recommended action, the Salary Resolution would remain unchanged. If the second recommended action is not approved, the current classification series will remain unchanged; however, the Fresno County Department of Child Support Services would continue to be inconsistent with other Child Support agencies in California.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The Department is funded 100% by the State; 66% funded through Federal Welfare Administration and 34% funded through the State Aid Support Enforcement. The Department has sufficient appropriations in its FY 2018-19 Adopted Budget to cover the incremental cost of $160,336.18 that is associated with the proposed re-allocation of positions. The retitling of the Child Support Officer series will update classification titles only with no impact to job specifications or compensation.
DISCUSSION:
The Fresno County Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) functions as the State’s Local Child Support Agency (LCSA) for Fresno County. California’s Child Support program establishes and enforces orders for Child Support which includes provisions for monetary and/or medical support, provides collection and distribution services, determines paternity, and provides other public services in accordance with the requirements of Title IV-D of the Social Security Act (Title 42 United States Code 651, et. seq.).
Due to a recent increase in both funding and staffing levels, additional Senior and Supervising Child Support Officer positions are being requested in order to fulfill the operational needs of the Department. In consultation with the Department of Human Resources, DCSS is requesting to re-allocate six (6) Child Support Officer positions to one (1) Supervising Child Support Officer and five (5) Senior Child Support Officer positions. The increase of supervisory staff is needed to help train, review, and coordinate the work of lower-level staff as well as balance out the caseworker/supervisor ratio. The re-allocation of these positions will result in no net change in the total of 143 positions currently allocated to the Department.
The Child Support Officer classification series is unique to DCSS. In an effort to promote consistency among all LCSAs in California, the Department is also requesting to retitle the Child Support Officer classification series to “Child Support Specialist”. Caseworkers in other LCSAs who perform similar job functions as caseworkers in Fresno County use the Child Support Specialist job title. California’s Child Support program is considered a statewide system and the recommended change will help reduce confusion to employers and customers who may have cases across multiple counties.
One hundred nineteen employees’ job titles will change as a result of the recommended action. There will be no change to job specifications or compensation.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Appendix D
CAO ANALYST:
Yussel Zalapa