Agenda Item #
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
July 25, 2006
Agenda Report #
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBJECT: FY2007 Pay Plan Amendments
INITIATED: City Manager and Staff
Recommendation: Approve an ordinance adopting administrative rules and plan
amendments necessary for the implementation of the University of Georgia Pay
Plan adopted by Columbus Ordinance No. 06-40.
Background: The University of Georgia Pay Plan adopted by Columbus Council
with Ordinance No. 06-40. Research was then conducted to identify conflicting
ordinances that required amendment or repeal. The new Pay Plan was also
analyzed for special situations affecting the uniform and fair implementation
of the plan and administrative rules were developed to address the same. All
of these presently known situations are incorporated in the recommended
legislation.
Analysis: The following rules are necessary to provide clarity to
administration of the new Pay Plan.
1. Because the actual Pay Plan implementation date is July 1, 2006, The Table
III footnote for equity (longevity) increases measuring service as of December
31, 2005 is changed to June 30, 2006.
2. The date used for longevity calculations is the date of full time
employment. Service time in a part-time or temporary capacity is not
considered and equity adjustments are limited to full time employees.
3. Public safety officers hired after June 30, 2006, are eligible to receive a
sign-on bonus of $2,000.00, provided that they continuously meet the written
criteria established by their departments and approved by the City Manager.
The bonus will be paid semi-annually in $500 increments to qualified employees.
4. Ordinance No. 04-10, Section I, Item 18 that originally established
certification pay for Fire/EMS employees with EMT-I certification is being
repealed because the new Pay Plan provided for this payment in the new
Firefighter/EMT classification. To prevent loss of salary for employees
receiving the certification pay, after placement in the new Pay Plan, this
amount will be added to those employees base salaries.
5. Ordinance No. 02-103 that originally established certification pay for
Fire/EMS employees with Paramedic certification is being repealed and Columbus
Ordinance No. 06-40 is amended by adding a new section to compensate qualified
employees who receive salary incentives for being certified as Paramedics at
the new rate of $2400. The difference between the current payment received by
these qualified employees and the new $2400 rate will be added to those
employees base salaries to prevent lose of salary.
6. To accommodate the step system that is part of the new Pay Plan, the current
?Promotion Policy? contained in Columbus Code Section 16B-3-2.1 is deleted and
replaced by a new Section 16B-3-2.1 linking promotion to steps rather than a
percentage of salary.
7. The Pay Plan adopted by Columbus Ordinance No. 06-40 must be amended to
direct HR to use the maximum pay in Pay Plan ?A? when administering the Pay
Plan adopted by said ordinance.
8. Ordinance No. 00-31 and Ordinance No. 96-79, regarding educational
incentives, are deleted and Columbus Code ?Article III, Pay Plan? is amended by
adding a new Section 16B-3-12 providing for a $1200 educational incentive for
the first Bachelor?s or Master?s degree received after June 30, 2006;
authorizing the hiring of entry level public safety officers at Step ?B? and
authorizing advancement by one step for officers obtaining their first
associate?s degree or equivalent after June 30, 2006; establishes an new
definition of educational equivalency to an associate?s degree; and establishes
a formula to determine the proper placement of officers with advanced degrees
into the new pay plan that protects the educational incentive payment they are
currently receiving.
9. Ordinances No. 02-13, No. 02-1 and No. 04-31, regarding mandatory attainment
of associate?s degrees or their equivalency, are repealed.
Legal: Approval of the Columbus Council is required.
Financial Considerations: The additional costs associated with this ordinance
were provided for in the FY2007 Budget.
Recommendation/Actions: Recommended by City Manager and Staff.
Attachments
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