CIVIL SERVICE RULES

Compensation Plan | Establishing Salary Rates | Pay Periods and Pay Days | Computation of Salary | Beginning and Ending Compensation | Salary for New Employees | Salary on Reemployment and Reinstatement | Anniversary Dates | Increases Within the Salary Range | Salary on Promotion | Salary on Demotion | Salary on Transfer | Salary on Change in Range Assignment | Salary on Position Reallocation | Priority of Increases | Salary for Portion of a Pay Period | Special Compensation | Salary on Temporary Assignment Out of Class

Rule Four
COMPENSATION

401. Compensation Plan.

The compensation plan of the County of Santa Barbara shall consist of the schedule of ranges or rates of pay as approved by the Board of Supervisors by resolution or ordinance. Each class in the classification plan shall be assigned by the Board of Supervisors to the appropriate range or rate in the compensation plan.

402. Establishing Salary Rates.

In establishing the range or rate to which each class shall be assigned, the Board, upon recommendation from the Administrative Officer, assisted by the Personnel Director, shall give appropriate consideration annually to:

a. maintenance of equitable relationships between related classes, based on their relative duties and responsibilities;

b. the general level of rates in the appropriate labor markets for comparable work under similar working conditions; and,

c. current recruitment and retention experience.

403. Pay Periods and Pay Days.

The pay period for all employees, except those specifically designated by the Board of Supervisors, shall be biweekly. Salaries shall be paid at such times as designated by the Board of Supervisors. When a holiday falls on the regular payday, the payday will be transferred to the previous workday. Payment of final compensation due at the time County employment terminates shall coincide with the regularly scheduled payday for the biweekly pay period in which County employment ceases.

404. Computation of Salary.

When not specified in the salary ordinance, the basic biweekly salary shall be computed in any of the following manners:

a. multiplying a monthly salary by twelve and dividing the resulting product by twenty-six.

b. dividing an annual salary by twenty-six.

c. multiplying an hourly rate by the number of hours worked during the specific biweekly pay period.

d. multiplying a daily rate by the number of days worked during the specific pay period.

The basic hourly rate of each biweekly salary shall be computed by dividing the biweekly salary by eighty except for personnel assigned to shift duty in the Fire Department where the basic hourly rate shall be computed by dividing the biweekly salary by twice the number of contract hours in a week.

In the computation of salaries for persons temporarily disabled or on salary in lieu of temporary disability because of an injury or illness arising out of County employment, procedures and rules established by State law shall prevail.

405. Beginning and Ending Compensation.

Employees entering County service shall be paid as of the first day of work, and the effective date of employment shall be the first day of work.

Permanent, regular employees leaving the County service shall be paid for all unused, accrued vacation and appropriate compensatory time in a lump sum at the regularly scheduled time of payment. If an employee resigns while on vacation, vacation accruals shall run through the last day of approved vacation.

If an employee resigns while on paid sick leave, the sick leave will be considered time worked for final compensation purposes provided the employee furnishes a physician's statement which indicates that the employee was unable to work. If a physician's statement is not provided, the final compensation covering accrued vacation shall be based on the last day worked.

406. Salary of New Employees.

New employees shall be appointed at the first step of the salary range for their class except that an applicant who is exceptionally well qualified because of previous experience, education, or training may, upon approval of the department head, be appointed at a salary step above step "A" of the salary range for the class of position involved.

407. Salary on Reemployment and Reinstatement.

a. When an employee is reemployed in a class from which laid off, the salary shall be restored in the current salary range for the class at the step attained at the time of the layoff; however, if the provisions for salary on promotion, as outlined in Section 410 of these Rules, are applicable, the employee shall be placed on a higher step in accordance with the provisions of Section 410. Establishment of an anniversary date and credit for prior service in the class to which the employee is restored shall be in accordance with Section 409(d), of these Rules.

b. An employee who is being reinstated after a break in service to a position in the same or a related class may be paid at or below the step held previously if recommended by the appointing authority. If the range of the class has been adjusted during the break in service, the employee's salary upon reinstatement shall reflect that increase.

408. Anniversary Dates.

Whenever any officer or employee is appointed and begins working in such position on or before the 15th day of the month, the initial employment date for merit salary increase purposes shall be counted from the first day of that month during which employment commenced. If employment occurs on or after the 16th day of the month, the initial employment date for merit salary increase anniversary purposes shall be counted from the first day of the month following the date of employment.

409. Increases Within the Salary Range.

Increases within a salary range shall be governed by the following:

a. Salary increases within a range shall not be automatic, but shall be granted only upon the affirmative recommendation of the appropriate department head, including written certification that the employee's overall performance has been satisfactory or better.

b. Such merit salary increases shall be effective on the first day of the pay period in which the salary anniversary date occurs.

c. Time intervals for merit salary review of employees, except as otherwise provided, shall be as set forth below and shall be effective when approved and in accordance with anniversary dates provided in these Rules:

Step A -
Step B - 6 continuous months on Step A,
Step C - 12 continuous months on Step B,
Step D - 12 continuous months on Step C,
Step E - 12 continuous months on Step D.

d. When an employee's performance has been superior or better and the employee has twelve (12) continuous months on Step B or Step C, the employee may be accelerated to Step D or Step E respectively, upon approval of the appropriate department head.

e. When an employee's service in a class is interrupted due to a layoff in excess of thirty calendar days, upon reemployment in the class at the step from which laid off, the employee's anniversary date shall be postponed one calendar month for each calendar month or major fraction thereof that the employee was separated from the class and the step due to layoff. Upon reemployment in the class at a step higher than the step from which laid off due to provisions of these Rules for salary on promotion, the anniversary date shall be determined according to the provisions of Section 410 of these Rules.

f. Except for military leaves of absence, as governed by State law, the granting of any leave of absence without pay in excess of thirty calendar days shall cause the employee's merit salary increase anniversary date to be postponed one calendar month for each calendar month, or major fraction thereof, of such leave taken.

g. An employee returning from a disability leave brought about by an injury or illness caused by or arising out of County employment, and who was eligible for merit increase during the leave of absence, shall be reviewed by the appropriate department head within sixty calendar days from the employee's return to work. Salary anniversary dates shall not be postponed as the result of a leave of absence caused by an injury or illness arising out of employment. Changes in salary are not effective during a disability leave caused by or arising out of employment but may be effective beginning the first pay period following return to work.

h. Merit salary increase recommendations for department heads shall be made by the Administrative Officer in conformance with these Rules.

410. Salary on Promotion.

Upon promotion, the salary step for any appointing officer or employee shall be at the next higher salary step in the salary range of the new classification which provides for at least a five percent salary increase over base salary except as provided otherwise in this section. No salary increase on promotion shall exceed the top of the range, however.

a. At the time an employee is promoted and assumes a line-supervisory position, the employee shall be placed in the salary range of the promotional position at the lowest salary step which is at least five percent above the top step of the classes supervised.

b. At the time of promotion, an employee who is exceptionally well qualified for the new position because of previous experience, education, or training may at the discretion of the appointing authority, upon recommendation by the Personnel Director and approval of the Administrative Officer, be appointed at a salary step in the new range which is greater than as provided above.

c. Upon promotion, the salary anniversary date shall be established in accordance with 409(c).

d. The effective date of all promotions, demotions, and within-range salary changes shall coincide with the first day of the pay period coinciding with or following approval of the action, except that demotions in lieu of layoff and disciplinary demotions shall be effective any date set by the appointing authority in accordance with the rules and regulations governing such demotions unless otherwise provided in these Rules.

e. A person who is reemployed in the same class from which demoted due to layoff shall be restored to the current salary range for the class either at the step the employee had attained in the salary range for the class at the time of layoff, or at the step which would result from the application of rules concerning salary on promotion, Section 410 of these Rules, whichever is greater.

411. Salary on Demotion.

When an appointive officer or employee is demoted to a position in a class with a lower salary range, the salary shall be reduced to the nearest step in the range for the lower class which provides a salary decrease except that upon approval of the Personnel Director, the appointing authority may fix the salary of the demoted employee at any step within the appropriate salary range. In either case, the employee's salary anniversary date shall not change.

If an employee is rejected during the probationary period from a position achieved through promotion or if the employee returns to the position by choice, the employee's salary shall be restored as though the promotion had not occurred. Upon recommendation of the appointing authority, the employee may receive any salary adjustment for which eligible by having remained in the former position.

The effective date of all demotions shall coincide with the first day of the pay period coinciding with or following approval of the action, except that demotions in lieu of layoff and disciplinary demotions shall be effective any date set by the appointing authority in accordance with the rules and regulations governing such demotions.

412. Salary on Transfer.

Any appointive officer or employee who is transferred from one position to another position in the same class, or to another position in a class having the same salary range, shall be compensated at the same step in the salary range as previously received, and the salary anniversary date shall not change.

413. Salary on Change in Range Assignment.

Whenever a class is reassigned to a higher or lower salary range, the salary of each incumbent in such class shall be adjusted to the step in the new range that corresponds to the step the employee was receiving in the former range, unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Supervisors. The salary anniversary date shall remain the same.

414. Salary on Position Reallocation.

When a position is reallocated because of reclassification of the position or because of reorganization of the department, not caused by lack of work or funds, the salary of the incumbent of the position shall be determined as follows:

a. If the position is reallocated to a class having the same salary range, the salary and anniversary date of the incumbent shall not change.

b. If the position is reallocated to a class which has a higher salary range, the salary and anniversary date of the incumbent shall be governed by Section 410 of this Rule.

c. If the position is reallocated to a class which has a lower salary range, the salary of the incumbent shall be adjusted to the step in the new range which provides the same salary as received immediately preceding the effective date of the new range. If there is no such step, the salary shall be provided below:

1. If the current salary of the incumbent is less than the maximum salary for the new class, the salary shall remain unchanged until such time as the employee ceases to occupy the position or the employee's salary is otherwise adjusted. Upon receiving a merit increase, the employee's salary shall be adjusted to the appropriate step in the new range which provides a salary increase.

2. If the current salary of the incumbent is greater than the maximum salary for the new class, the "Y" rate principle shall apply and start with the first pay period on or after the reallocation date and end the first pay period two years after the reallocation date unless extended in accordance with Rule 417. An official leave of absence shall not be counted toward the two-year limit. If, at the expiration of the two-year period the incumbent still remains in the position, the employee's salary shall be adjusted in accordance with Rule 411.

In any case, the incumbent shall retain the same anniversary date.

415. Priority of Increases.

Whenever an employee is promoted, receives a range change, or the position is reclassified to a class with a higher salary range on the salary anniversary date, the employee shall receive any within-range increase to which entitled and then receive the higher step in the new salary range as provided in this Rule.

416. Salary for Portion of a Pay Period.

Salary for a portion of a pay period shall be governed as follows:

a. Any regular, full-time employee who is absent without pay on a scheduled workday immediately preceding a holiday shall not have any compensation reduced by reason of the absence on the said holiday.

b. Any regular, full-time employee who is absent without pay on a scheduled workday immediately following a holiday shall not leave any compensation reduced by reason of the absence on said regular holiday.

c. Any regular, full-time employee who is absent without pay on a scheduled workday preceding and following a holiday shall be deemed to have been absent without pay on said holiday and shall not be compensated for said holiday.

417. Special Compensation.

Column "Y" of the salary range for any designated position is hereby defined as a rate of compensation in excess of the maximum compensation provided by Column "E" of the Basic Pay Plan. Such Column "Y" shall be discontinued whenever Column "E" of the salary range assigned equals or exceeds such "Y" rate or when the incumbent has occupied a designated position for two years from the effective date of a reallocation to a lower class in accordance with Rule 414. Such two year period may be extended, however, upon recommendation of the Civil Service Commission and approval of the Board of Supervisors.

418. Salary on Temporary Assignment Out of Class (not Temporary Appointment).

The salary for a regular employee temporarily assigned to perform all of the duties of a higher classification shall be within the salary range of the higher class, and the salary of the regular employee shall be governed by Section 409 and 410 of these Rules. The employee so assigned shall be entitled to the higher salary on the first day of a biweekly pay period, after the time worked in a higher class exceeds thirty consecutive calendar days. Upon termination of a temporary assignment to a higher class, the salary of the employee shall be restored with all adjustments which would have occurred had the temporary assignment not been made.

A regular employee so temporarily assigned must meet the minimum qualifications of the higher class, but need not be qualified by examination nor have standing on an eligible list for the higher class. A temporary assignment of the duties of a higher class under this Section is distinguished from a temporary appointment, as provided by Section 904 of these Rules, in that the employee is not appointed to the higher class but is assigned all of the duties of the higher class and paid the salary as provided for that higher class. The temporary assignment, unlike a temporary appointment, may be made without reference to an eligible list.

A temporary assignment by a department head of a regular employee to work in a higher class requires a recommendation by the Personnel Director and a prior authorization by the Administrative Officer.

Temporary assignments may be made by the appointing authority subject to the provisions above when a position is vacant or when an incumbent employee is absent from a position. This section shall not apply to periods of vacation, except as provided in Rule Fourteen. Such assignments shall be temporary and shall terminate when the position is filled, when incumbent employee returns to work, or when the temporary assignment is discontinued. In no event shall the temporary assignment exceed 365 consecutive days.