Issue Statement: The City may provide wage increases for its civil service and non-classified employees, subject to appropriation in the budget, recommendation of the City Manager, and approval of the City Commission.

Recommended Action: Adopt a resolution approving the recommended lump sum wage increases for civil service and non-classified employees at the top of their pay ranges.

For purposes of compensation structure, the City's general employees (non-public safety staff) fall into two main categories: those covered by collective bargaining agreements negotiated with unions and those who are not, i.e. civil service and non-classified.

Historically, the recommended percentage increases in civil service and non-classified employees' wages has been intended to provide a comparable adjustment to that provided to the City’s AFSCME and FOPE members to ensure equity within the City workforce. On November 6, 2019, the City Commission approved Resolution 2019-154, approving 3% wage increases for Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021 for Civil Service and Non-Classified Employees to maintain this parity with the Unions.

The City now has ratified agreements with both AFSCME and FOPE (on tonight's agenda for ratification by the City Commission) providing for the same 3% base wage increases for both years. FOPE's contract also provides that employees at the top of their pay ranges shall receive lump sum payments of 3% in year one and year two of the contract in lieu of base wage increases. Since AFSCME's contract (ratified last year) contains a "me too" clause, this requires the City to provide the same 3% lump sum payments for AFSCME employees at the top of their pay ranges. 

Resolution 2019-154 did not provide for lump sum payments to go to Civil Service and Non-Classified employees at the top of their respective pay ranges, and the purpose of this agenda item is to approve such payments to maintain the equity among these work groups.