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Home My WebLink AboutE-15 Staff Report - COVID-19 Appreciation PayCONSENT ITEM E-15 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL VIA: SERGIO GONZALEZ, CITY MANAGER FROM: TALIKA M. JOHNSON, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR DATE: JULY 18, 2022 SUBJECT: ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ONE-TIME APPRECIATION PAY TO EMPLOYEES FOR CONTINUING SERVICE DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC BACKGROUND: The City Council acknowledges the dedication and commitment City of Azusa employees demonstrated during the past two years. City employees showed up, worked hard, and continued to provide essential services to the Community regardless of the circumstances. Though the pandemic is not quite over, the Council wishes to reward those employees who were with us through the height of this public health emergency by providing one-time lump sum appreciation payments. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the City Council take the following action: 1)Adopt Resolution No. 2022-C52 authorizing one-time Appreciation Pay to employees for continuing service during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic. ANALYSIS: On March 4, 2020 the State of California proclaimed a State of Emergency as a result of the threat of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic required City employees to report to their critical jobs and to provide continuous essential services ensuring the Azusa Community could maintain a semblance of typical life during this challenging time. The City Council recognizes the inimitable difficulties the City’s workers have experienced in performing their job during the ongoing federal, state and local state of emergency due to COVID-19. Although the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the threat of serious illness was greatly diminished when the COVID-19 vaccine became widely available. The City offered to all employees the opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on March 18, 2021, and on April 15, 2021 Governor Newsom announced eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines for those 16 years of age and older. Since the vaccine was APPROVED CITY COUNCIL 7/18/2022 COVID-19 Appreciation Pay July 18 , 2022 Page 2 available to all City employees on or before April 15, 2021, all Staff had the ability to meet the Center of Disease Control’s (CDC) definition of “fully-vaccinated” by June 30, 2021. Due to prudent fiscal management during the pandemic and previous years, the City Council has determined that there are adequate funds available in the Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget to reward the City employees who worked during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, covering the time period between March 4, 2020 to June 30, 2021. Much consideration and insight from key leaders was made in determining who would be eligible to receive the one-time Appreciation Pay. Considerations included: number of actual base hours worked during the critical dates of the pandemic; full-time and part-time employment status; types of leaves taken during the date parameters; job nature; and more. In order to reward the maximum employees possible, Staff recommends Council authorize payment to part-time and full-time employees alike, in four tiers based on total number of hours paid for the following: regular; telecommuting; COVID paid- time off; holiday; regular leaves for vacation, sick, personal, part-time, comp time used, personal business, admin, industrial accident, jury duty, military, floating holiday, bereavement (herein considered REGULAR HOURS). Disability and FMLA time, unless directly related to an employee testing positive for COVID-19, will be excluded. This exclusion is not to penalize any employee who was on a protective leave, but rather to recognize those who showed up to work except for the occasional time off to recuperate. The March 4, 2020 through June 30, 2021 period totals 69 weeks. A regular work week consists of an average of 40 hours. 69 weeks multiplied by 40 hours per week amounts to a total 2,760 hours, which is the baseline in establishing the following four payment tiers: Minimum Maximum 2,760 100%1,000$ 2,070 2,759 75%750$ 1,380 2,069 50%500$ 690 1,379 25%250$ REGULAR HOURS % of Appreciation Pay Appreciation Payment *partial hours will be rounded to the nearest whole number. FISCAL IMPACT: City Council authorized Fiscal Year 2022/23 budget appropriations totaling $360,500, of which $217,840 is allocated to the General Fund and the remaining $142,600 to various other Funds. Staff estimates total payments of approximately $297,750 based on the recommended payment structure. Payouts will take place on the August 25, 2022 pay date, and subject to the parameters set forth in the attached resolution. Prepared by: Reviewed and Approved: Talika M. Johnson Sergio Gonzalez Director of Administrative Services City Manager Attachment: Resolution authorizing one-time COVID-19 Appreciation Pay RESOLUTION NO. 2022-C52 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AZUSA AUTHORIZING ONE-TIME APPRECIATION PAY TO EMPLOYEES FOR CONTINUING SERVICE DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WHEREAS, on March 4, 2020 the State of California proclaimed a State of Emergency as a result of the threat of COVID-19; and WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic required City employees to report to their critical jobs and to provide continuous essential services ensuring the community could maintain a semblance of typical life during this challenging time; and WHEREAS, the City offered to all employees the opportunity to receive the COVID- 19 vaccine on March 18, 2021; and WHEREAS, on April 15, 2021 Governor Newsom announced eligibility for COVID- 19 vaccines for those 16 years of age and older (with the ability to meet the Center of Disease Control’s definition of “fully-vaccinated” by June 30, 2021); and WHEREAS, although the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the threat of severe illness was greatly diminished with the availability of COVID-19 vaccinations; and WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes the inimitable difficulties the City’s workers have experienced in performing their job during the ongoing federal, state and local state of emergency due to COVID-19; and WHEREAS, due to prudent fiscal management during the pandemic and previous years, the City Council has determined that there are adequate funds available in the Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget to reward the City employees who worked during the height (time period between March 4, 2020 until vaccinations became available to all adults in California) of the COVID-19 pandemic; and WHEREAS, the City Council therefore desires to provide one-time payments to City Employees as set forth below. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Azusa does hereby resolve as follows: Section 1. That the City Manager is authorized and directed to provide a one-time lump sum payment to each City employee meeting that specified criteria as follows: Attachment 2 A. City employees holding a full-time or part-time appointment and in active paid status as of the date of payment and had REGULAR HOURS (as defined in B) between March 4, 2020 through June 30, 2021, will receive the following one-time payment based on total number of REGULAR HOURS: Minimum Maximum 2,760 100%1,000$ 2,070 2,759 75%750$ 1,380 2,069 50%500$ 690 1,379 25%250$ REGULAR HOURS % of Appreciation Pay Appreciation Payment *partial hours will be rounded to the nearest whole number. B. For the purpose of the one-time payment, REGULAR HOURS as defined in the payroll system are: regular; telecommuting; COVID paid-time off; holiday; regular leaves for vacation, sick, personal, part-time, comp time used, personal business, admin, industrial accident, jury duty, military, floating holiday, bereavement. Disability and FMLA time, unless directly related to an employee testing positive for COVID-19, are excluded from REGULAR HOUR - this exclusion is not to penalize any employee who was on a protective leave, but rather to recognize those who showed up to work except for the occasional time off to recuperate. C. No employee who was on leave for the entirety of the March 4, 2020 through June 30, 2021 period shall receive this payment. Section 2. That such one-time payments shall be made in a lump sum with the August 25, 2022 paycheck (covering pay period beginning August 7, 2022 and ending August 20, 2022). This payment shall not be considered “salary”, rather a “bonus” for purposes of CalPERS contributions, but shall be subject to applicable taxes and withholdings. The employees receiving the payment must be actively employed with the City as of the pay period ending August 20, 2022 and active in the payroll system on pay date August 25, 2022. Section 3. For purposes of this Resolution only, members of the City Council are not deemed to be included within the definition of City Employees and are therefore ineligible for the one-time lump sum payment. Section 4. That the City Manager and the Director of Administrative Services are authorized to interpret and to apply the provisions of this Resolution. The City Clerk shall certify the passage of this Resolution. APPROVED AND PASSED this 18th day of July, 2022. MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AZUSA I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was duly passed by the City Council of the City of Azusa at a regular meeting thereof held on the 18th day of July, 2022. AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: CITY CLERK OF THE CITY OF AZUSA