Title
POSITION RECLASSIFICATIONS
Staff Contact: Jim Brown, Director, Human Resources and Risk Management
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Purpose and Recommended Action
Recommendation
This is a request for the City Council to authorize the City Manager to reclassify existing positions within the organization that have experienced a change in duties and/or responsibilities.
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Background
As the City seeks out ways to more innovatively provide city services, jobs must adapt to address those changes. Department Directors work closely with the Human Resources and Risk Management Department to conduct job studies and make these changes when necessary. At times this may require a change in job duties and/or responsibilities that places the job in a different job classification. When this occurs, a reclassification of the job is necessary. Reclassifications, while permitted under Human Resources Policy 301, do create a change to Schedule 9 of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016-17 Budget. Human Resources Policy 301.II.A.4 states the following with regard to position reclassifications:
A position may be reclassified when the essential duties and responsibilities of the position change significantly through the addition or deletion of essential job functions. Positions may be reclassified to a higher or lower classification and pay range as a result of a job study. The recommendation made to the City Manager by the Human Resources & Risk Management Director and approved by the City Council is final. Classification decisions are not appealable or grievable.
a. When a filled position is reclassified to a class in a higher pay range, the employee occupying the position may receive a salary adjustment for the reclassification as determined by Human Resources. If the employee’s current salary is less than the minimum of the new range the employee will be placed at the minimum of the new range.
b. If, at the time of the reclassification, an employee is receiving temporary assignment pay for performing additional duties that fall within the scope of the new classification, the employee’s base salary will be adjusted accordingly but shall not exceed the maximum of the new grade and the temporary assignment pay shall cease.
c. If a filled position is reclassified or reevaluated and assigned a lower pay range, the employee’s pay will not be reduced. However, if the employee’s current salary is above the maximum of the new pay range, the employee will not be eligible for any additional increase in salary until the pay range maximum is once again higher than the actual salary.
It is prudent to continually assess the current structure and opportunities for realignment to better prepare the city for the future.
The Budget and Finance department has requested that a vacant Customer Service Representative position be reclassified to a Licensing Specialist. The department has one Licensing Specialist but that position cannot cover the volume of work. The additional work has been covered by temporary employees but there is an ongoing need for additional help to ensure that businesses are licensed properly.
The Engineering department is asking that a vacant Administrative Support Specialist position be reclassified to a Cell Site Program Coordinator. This position would coordinate various aspects of the City’s cell site construction and licensing programs, to include communication with wireless vendors to develop and manage license agreements and issuing and monitoring ROW permits related to cell site construction.
Engineering would also like to reclassify an Administrative Support Coordinator position to a Supervisor, Engineering Support. The position has been responsible for supervising 1.5 administrative support staff, and will now also supervise the Cell Site Program Coordinator. In addition, the position now has increased responsibility for the preparation, reconciliation, analysis and forecasting of the department’s budget and expenditures. The current incumbent will receive an increase to place them appropriately in the salary range of the new classification.
The Public Works department (Field Operations) has requested that a vacant Equipment Operator position be reclassified to a Solid Waste Routing Specialist. The Solid Waste Management Division has in the past manually created routes for the residential, commercial and bulk trash pickups. These routes have been observed to be inefficient so the department would like to devote a position to evaluate the efficiency of various routes through time studies, data analysis and computer assisted routing tools.
The Fire department is requesting that a vacant Fire Inspector, Sr. be reclassified as a Fire Inspector. To accommodate reduced staffing in the Fire Marshal's office, the Inspection Program was restructured to help meet state statute.
Water Services would like to reclassify a vacant Water Services System Technician to a Supervisor, Water Services. The Waste Water Division currently has 14 Water Service System Technicians reporting to one supervisor. These technicians are assigned to one of two areas: hydro-cleaning or sewer lines. This reclassification will allow the division to have two supervisors, one over each area and reduce the amount of direct reports for the current supervisor.
The Police department is requesting that a vacant Account Specialist position be reclassified to a Supervisor, Support Services. Technology changes have reduced the need for the Account Specialist role. This reclassification will allow for a more streamlined management structure in the department and also address span of control issues which currently exist within the Division.
The Police department would also like to reclassify a vacant Police Community Services Officer to a Police Forensics Specialist. This position was originally transferred to this unit in 2012 and has been functioning as a Police Forensics Specialist. Now that the position is vacant it is appropriate to reclassify it to reflect the actual work being performed.
As a result of the City Manager’s departmental restructuring, the Public Affairs department was created. This change requires some reorganization within the department as follows:
• Reclassify and promote through a recruitment process a current Council Assistant to an Intergovernmental Coordinator to provide additional professional level support to review, research and analyze proposed state and federal legislation affecting the City
• Reclassify and promote a current Executive Assistant to a Council Assistant to maintain service levels to the City Council at three Council Assistants
• Reclassify an Administrative Support Specialist that was transferred to the Public Affairs department due to the reorganization to an Executive Assistant to reflect the level of duties being performed
The City Attorney’s Office is requesting that the Records Coordinator position be reclassified to a Legal Assistant. While performing some of the functions of a Records Coordinator, the position will now be responsible for additional records redaction for the Prosecutor’s Office during the discovery phases due to the use of body cameras for police officers. It will also oversee the work performed by the legal support staff and assist the City Prosecutor with assigning duties and projects as needed.
The Community Services department is requesting that the Neighborhood Services Coordinator position be reclassified to Neighborhood Services Program Manager (title change only) to better reflect the scope of responsibility. The position supervises thousands of volunteers and several processes.
As a result of the City Manager’s departmental restructuring, the Public Facilities, Recreation and Special Events department was created. This change requires some reorganization within the department as follows:
• Reclassify a vacant Park Ranger position into a Supervisor, Park Ranger position. This is based on the need to address a supervisory deficit in the Park Ranger division and strong desire to have a more elevated enforcement and customer service presence at City parks and recreational facilities. The position will manage the current Park Ranger program and service delivery.
• Reclassify one of the Administrators, Community Services positions to Administrator, Civic Center (title change only). The Administrator, Civic Center would manage the Civic Center as well as Audio-Video Services for the city. This position had been overseeing the staff and programs of Sahuaro Ranch in addition to the Civic Center. Sahuaro Ranch will now move to the other Administrator position.
• Reclassify (title change only) the Community Services Program Manager to Public Facilities, Recreation and Special Events Program Manager to match the change in department title.
Analysis
The Human Resources and Risk Management Department work closely with Department Directors in conducting job studies to determine whether a job requires reclassification. It is important that job descriptions accurately reflect the duties being performed by employees and that the job classification reflects the level of duties and responsibilities required of the position. This helps ensure that the City provides a clear understanding to employees of what their duties are, helps to identify the appropriate level within the organization the position holds and helps supervisors with directing and assessing the performance of employees. It also assists with any confusion that might arise between the City and employees as to the duties and responsibilities required of a position.
Previous Related Council Action
On June 14, 2016, Council approved the FY 2016-17 Budget which includes a listing of all approved positions in Schedule 9 of the Budget Book.
Community Benefit/Public Involvement
Ensuring that job descriptions appropriately reflect the duties being performed protect the city from potential litigation and help ensure that the citizens are receiving the appropriate level of services necessary.
Budget and Financial Impacts
Based on salary savings, there is no budget impact this fiscal year.