Agenda Item #
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
April __, 2007
Agenda Report #
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBJECT: UGA Classification Plan Appeals
INITIATED: Human Resources Department
Recommendation: Approve an ordinance adopting the changes to the Columbus
Consolidated Government Classification and Pay Plan recommended by the Carl
Vinson Institute of the University of Georgia (hereafter UGA) and/or by the
Mayor and City Manager. The ordinance also provides for changes to the title,
grade, step, salary or method of promotion of some appealing employees and
inclusion of certain firefighters as eligible for receipt of the $2600 EMT-I
certification payment that existed prior to July 1, 2006.
Background: As a result of a study conducted by UGA the Columbus Council
adopted a new Classification and Pay Plan with an effective date of July 1,
2006. Said plan provided for an appeal procedure for employees that believed
that their positions were not properly classified. Council adopted said appeal
procedure with Resolution No. 319-06 on August 8, 2006. The adopted appeal
procedure required employees to submit their initial appeal to UGA, after which
the employee could further appeal to the City Manager. After review, the City
Manager is to submit his list of recommended changes to the Council for
adoption. In some cases a title or grade change may be recommended for a
position classification, in other cases the recommendation may be for
individual employees to move to another established position classification
based upon their job description and other recommendations may include changes
in step or salary or authorize treatment as a promotion. Council may adopt the
recommendations with or without change. Council may also elect to hear appeals
from employees desiring to appear and present their case.
The background for the EMT-I certification payment goes back to post Fire/EMS
consolidation, when the consolidated department began requiring new employees
to sign a contract acknowledging that they would participate in City provided
EMT-I training and that their continue employment was contingent upon
satisfactorily completing that training and subsequent state certification.
Because of limitations on the number of employees that could be scheduled at
one time, 45 employees still must receive this training and become EMT-I
certified in order to continue their employment with the department. Because
they are contractually at risk, it is reasonable for these employees to receive
the same salary entitlement as others that were able to be scheduled for the
training on a more timely basis. Accordingly, it is requested that the former
$2600 annual EMT-I supplement be used to compensate these employees rather than
the two-grade promotional method prescribed by Ordinance No. 06-87.
Analysis: The Classification and Pay Plan study was conducted by a highly
respected state agency with many years of experience in this field. The UGA
evaluators relied on their experience in completing similar studies for over
400 similar organizations and extensive data compiled on municipal government
jobs within and outside of Georgia. Using a modified Factor Evaluation System
(FES), the most widely utilized point-factor evaluation system, UGA evaluates
the key factors involved in the performance of each job. When applied
skillfully and properly, the FES produces an internally equitable
classification plan. Using this system, UGA does not generally experience many
appeals but reviews and appropriately addresses those that do appeal.
Accordingly, it is reasonable to conclude that there should be little need for
further changes to the submitted recommendations.
Legal: The Council must authorize changes to the Classification and Pay Plan
per ?8-304 of the Charter.
Financial Considerations: The estimated annual cost of the recommended changes
is $135,700 for the appeals and up to $45,000 for the EMT-I certification
payments.
Recommendation/Actions: the Mayor and City Manager recommend the proposed
ordinance.
Attachments
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