EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

  Mission Statement

"Santa Barbara County’s elected representatives and employees are committed to providing excellent and cost-effective public services utilizing public and private means to promote a life of quality for all County residents."

Statement of Purpose

This handbook has been created to give you information about the employment practices, benefits and programs that are available to you as a County employee.

The material in this handbook is only a summary. If you have any questions about your job, benefits, or County policies and programs, please contact your supervisor or the Personnel Department for further information. Also, you can check the specific policies, Memorandums of Understanding, etc., mentioned under the various subject headings in this handbook. Many of these are now included on the Personnel Department’s Intranet web site.

This handbook does not constitute a legal contract or entitlement to benefits not otherwise provided. In cases where discrepancies occur, the Plan Document, insurance contract or approved County Code, Civil Service Rule, Memorandum of Understanding or adopted policy shall prevail. The County of Santa Barbara reserves the right to amend or terminate any of the plans described in this booklet at any time and for any reason subject to applicable legal requirements.

The County of Santa Barbara

The County of Santa Barbara is a governmental entity governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors that is elected by the public. Under the leadership of the County Administrator, the County’s operations and programs are carried out through 20 departments and several Special Districts and Commissions.

County Employment

Responding to Emergencies | New Employee Orientation | Types of Employees | Work Schedules | Rest Periods | Attendace | Personal Appearance | Smoking | Courtesy | Outside Employment | Memorandums of Understanding

A variety of positions and work environments are available with the County of Santa Barbara. More than 4,000 regular and temporary employees enjoy the challenge of County employment as well as opportunities for career growth. This section discusses general employment rules that apply to most County employees. Please note that there can be differences in operating policies among departments.

Responding to Emergencies

In emergencies, the public relies on County services for information and assistance. All County employees, by the nature of their employment, are emergency workers. Employees may be called upon to perform duties other than their regular assignments to aid County emergency efforts.

Please be sure that your department head has a current phone number where you can be reached if you are needed during an emergency. Also, make sure you understand your department’s procedures during emergency efforts.

New Employee Orientation

The Santa Barbara County Employees’ University offers a course entitled "Employee Orientation" as part of its core certificate program. New employees are encouraged to attend this course to learn more about the County’s structure, operation, Civil Service system, labor relations agreements and other workplace rules. Some County departments offer their own employee orientation programs; please check with your supervisor for more information.

Types of Employees

County employees are classified into different groups, as follows:

*regular (permanent) full-time or part-time employees. Regular employees are either "at will" employees or Civil Service employees.
*"extra help" (temporary employees).

The County may, on occasion, hire contract employees to perform specific work.

Work Schedules

Most employees work a 40-hour, five-day workweek, typically from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a one-hour lunch period. Some work units, such as the Sheriff’s Office, Fire Department, Juvenile Hall, and Psychiatric Health Facility operate 24 hours a day and have different work schedules. Some departments also offer flexible or alternative work schedules including 9-80 and 4-10 plans.

Your supervisor will notify you of your schedule as well as any related department operational requirements.

Rest Periods

Department heads may grant rest periods to employees for every four consecutive hours of work. You should check with your supervisor about your department’s policy. Rest periods cannot be:

*taken at the beginning or end of a work period; or
*accumulated for use at another time.

Attendance

  The service employees provide to the public is important; therefore, the County expects regular and sustained attendance from all of its employees. Attendance is a significant part of your job performance. The County expects all employees to be at their work site, ready to work at their regular work time.

If you are going to be late or absent, you are expected to tell your supervisor before your regular work hours are to begin. Check with your supervisor as to the procedure your department wants you to follow when you are not able to be at work. If you are absent for five days without notifying your supervisor, you will be considered to have voluntarily terminated your employment.

Personal Appearance

As a County employee, you represent the County to members of the public. Therefore, your appearance is an important factor in your job performance. All employees are expected to be neat, clean, well groomed and dressed appropriately for their position. Your department supervisor will notify you if any specific dress requirements for your position exist.

Smoking

Smoking is not allowed in County buildings. Certain job classifications, such as firefighters, are restricted from all use of tobacco products as a condition of employment.

CourtesyThe manner in which you deal with members of the public also has a significant impact on the County’s image. Employees are expected to be courteous both in person and on the telephone. Every phone call should be treated as an important call.

Make an effort to provide real service. If you cannot help someone who has called or come to an office with a request, see that he or she is directed to the appropriate office.

In addition, don’t forget your co-workers. Be courteous and thoughtful when working with other employees in your department and other County departments.

Outside Employment

It is the County’s policy to restrict outside employment (work other than County employment) when:

*there is a conflict of interest; or
* the employment may negatively affect an employee’s ability to perform County duties.

Before you accept regular or occasional outside employment, you must obtain your department head’s approval in writing. Failure to do so may be cause for disciplinary action. Check with your supervisor about your department’s rules on outside employment.

Memorandums of Understanding 

More specific information on these and other employment policies can be found in the Civil Service Rules, County Administrative Policy Manual, your department policy manual and on the County Intranet site under Personnel-Salaries and Benefits. Most County employees are represented by employee organizations that collectively bargain wages as well as terms and conditions of employment. Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) are documents that describe the rights and benefits of the employees in a particular bargaining unit. You can find out which bargaining unit your position is in by checking the unit number on your earnings statement.

You can:

*get a copy of the MOU for your unit through the County’s Intranet/Internet on your computer; or
* ask your department payroll clerk to see a copy.

Also, departments have copies at many work locations for reference. Ask your supervisor how to read the MOU if you need help understanding the information.

Wages and Other Compensation

The County offers a competitive compensation package to all of its employees. The actual compensation you earn is made up of salary and other special allowances and payments that vary depending on your particular job assignment. Some of the general types of compensation are described below.

Base Pay and Salary Ranges

As a regular employee, you are assigned a specific job classification. Most classifications have a salary range of five steps that are approximately 5% apart. When you start County employment, your salary starts at Step A unless you received an advanced step appointment. If your performance is satisfactory, your department can raise your salary to Step B after six months, and to Steps C-E after one year at each step.

Merit increases are not automatic. If your performance is unsatisfactory or if improvement is needed, you will not receive a merit increase from your department until your performance has improved for a sustained period.

Special Allowances and Differentials

Employees may be eligible for additional compensation under certain circumstances. The amount of additional compensation varies. Some of the more common allowances and differentials are the following:

Shift differential¾ If the majority of hours you work on a shift are between 5:30 or 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 a.m., you may be authorized to receive additional compensation.

Standby pay¾ Employees assigned to standby duty by their department heads may receive compensation for being "on call." If you are on standby duty, you must:

*stay within a certain distance or time from your workstation;
* be available by telephone or paging device;
* respond within a reasonable amount of time to calls for your service; and
* refrain from activities that might interfere with your ability to perform your job.

Call back pay¾ Employees who are not at work or on standby may receive additional compensation if they must report back to a work location (in emergencies, for example).

Bilingual allowance¾ Employees whose assignments require the regular and frequent use of language skills in English and either Spanish or Hmong may be eligible for additional compensation.

Uniform allowance¾ Employees whose positions require uniforms may receive an allowance to purchase replacement uniforms and other clothing items (safety shoes, for example).

If you have questions, ask your supervisor about the allowances and differentials for which you may be eligible. In addition, the Memorandum of Understanding for your bargaining unit describes available allowances and differentials.

Overtime

Under Federal law, employees are either eligible to receive overtime or exempt from overtime payment. Overtime must be authorized in advance by your supervisor or department head. Overtime hours worked will be paid or banked; compensatory time may be available. The Memorandum of Understanding for your bargaining unit explains how overtime is paid. Employees exempt from overtime are not compensated for hours worked beyond their normal work schedule.

Administrative Leave

Managers and other salaried employees may be required to periodically work long or irregular hours or attend meetings outside normal business hours. In recognition of this fact, employees who are exempt from overtime may receive administrative leave subject to the approval of their department head. A maximum of 108 hours of administrative leave per year may be granted to a salaried employee. These hours are used to supplement regular, vacation, sick or holiday hours. There is no entitlement to these hours and their use is completely discretionary on the part of the department head.

Pay Periods Santa Barbara County employees are paid biweekly for work performed in the previous pay period. Payday is the second Thursday after the close of a pay period. The payroll schedule (available from the Office of the Auditor-Controller, Payroll Division) lists specific pay dates.

The Payroll Division of the Auditor-Controller processes all payroll payments and deductions. Employees with questions regarding their pay should check first with their department payroll clerk before contacting the Payroll Division.

Automatic Payroll Deposit

All regular employees are required to use automatic payroll deposit and have their paychecks deposited directly into a bank account. Paychecks are not distributed at work sites, but you will receive an earnings statement that details your pay, leave balances, and deductions. You must complete a payroll authorization form when you are hired and submit it to the Auditor’s Office, after which your net pay will be automatically deposited into the designated bank account each biweekly payday.

Your Paycheck

If you believe that your paycheck is incorrect, please check with your department payroll clerk or with the Payroll Division of the Auditor-Controller’s Office. If you have been underpaid, the County will correct the amount. If you have been overpaid, the County will make the necessary adjustment to recoup the overpayment.

Your Department Payroll Clerk Any questions you have about your salary should be handled by your department payroll clerk or your immediate supervisor.

County departments usually have a supply of payroll-related and personnel-related forms such as W4s, medical forms, Designation of Beneficiary, medical and dental insurance enrollment forms, etc. Some forms, such as Spending Account Enrollment and Spending Account Request For Reimbursement, can be found on the Personnel Intranet site. More specific information on these and other employment policies can be found in the Civil Service Rules, County Administrative Policy Manual, your department policy manual and on the County Intranet under Personnel.