Memorandum
City of Lawrence
Fire Medical
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TO: |
David Corliss, City Manager Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager Cynthia Wagner, Assistant City Manager
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FROM: |
Mark Bradford, Fire Chief
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Date: |
May 10, 2011
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RE: |
FM Accruals & Compression
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Accruals
In 2009, the City’s Personnel department conducted a comprehensive wage and compensation survey of surrounding communities. Sick leave accruals for comparable cities were as follows:
· Wyandotte County unlimited
· Topeka unlimited
· Shawnee 1040
· Overland Park unlimited
· Olathe unlimited
· Lenexa unlimited
· Lee’s Summit 1440
As a result of the survey, the 2010/2011 Memorandum of Understanding with the IAFF Local 1596 increased annual sick leave accrual rates for covered members from 144 hours to 257.608 hours (78.9%) for those working 2912 hours annually, and from 96 hours to 170.3 hours (77.4%) for those working 2080 hours annually. However, sworn fire medical employees not covered under the memo (Chief Officers and Captains) remained at 144 for those working 2912 and 96 for those working 2080. The vacation accrual rates for MOU and non-MOU covered employees are identical.
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Annual VA Accrual MOU Covered |
Annual VA Accrual Non-MOU Covered |
Diff. VA Accrual |
Max SL Accum. MOU Covered |
Max SL Accum. Non-MOU Covered |
Diff. Max SL Accum. |
No. of Shift Days Diff. |
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2912 Annual Hours |
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257.608 |
144 |
113.608 |
4.7 |
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1 - 5 years of service |
144 |
144 |
0 |
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6 - 10 years of service |
192 |
192 |
0 |
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11 - 15 years of service |
216 |
216 |
0 |
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16 - 20 years of service |
240 |
240 |
0 |
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21 - 25 years of service |
264 |
264 |
0 |
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26 or greater years of service |
288 |
288 |
0 |
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2080 Annual Hours |
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170.3 |
96 |
74.3 |
9.3 |
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1 - 5 years of service |
96 |
96 |
0 |
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6 - 10 years of service |
128 |
128 |
0 |
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11 - 15 years of service |
152 |
152 |
0 |
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16 - 20 years of service |
176 |
176 |
0 |
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21 - 25 years of service |
192 |
192 |
0 |
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26 or greater years of service |
200 |
200 |
0 |
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I am requesting that the sick leave accrual rates for Chief Officers and Captains be adjusted to reflect the increase given to those covered by the MOU. In addition to it being an issue of fairness, such a disparity in sick leave accruals affects morale and is one of the reasons why our pool of applicants for promotions to senior management
has been so small. The estimated cost to the department is $88,927 based on the maximum hourly pay rate for each category for 2011. This is approximately one-third of the cost to increase all MOU-covered sick leave accruals. The cost to increase the accruals for MOU employees was approximately $254,465 in 2010.
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TITLE |
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HOURLY |
MAX HOURLY |
CURRENT SL ACCRUAL |
PROPOSED SL ACCRUAL |
DIFFERENCE SL ACCRUAL |
CURRENT PAY DIFFERENCE |
MAX PAY DIFFERENCE |
|
Chief |
Bradford |
$54.7419 |
$56.0436 |
96 |
170.3 |
74.3 |
$4,067 |
$4,164 |
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Division Chief |
Coffey |
$48.6005 |
$48.6005 |
96 |
170.3 |
74.3 |
$3,611 |
$3,611 |
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Division Chief |
Green |
$34.7146 |
$34.7146 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,944 |
$3,944 |
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Division Chief |
Hoelscher |
$34.7146 |
$34.7146 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,944 |
$3,944 |
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Division Chief |
King, J |
$45.9905 |
$48.6005 |
96 |
170.3 |
74.3 |
$3,417 |
$3,611 |
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Division Chief |
Schwartz |
$32.8504 |
$34.7146 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,732 |
$3,944 |
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Division Chief |
Stark |
$48.6005 |
$48.6005 |
96 |
170.3 |
74.3 |
$3,611 |
$3,611 |
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Division Chief |
Tolefree |
$48.6005 |
$48.6005 |
96 |
170.3 |
74.3 |
$3,611 |
$3,611 |
|
Captain |
Dennis |
$25.9285 |
$30.5868 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$2,946 |
$3,475 |
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Captain |
Dieker |
$30.5868 |
$30.5868 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,475 |
$3,475 |
|
Captain |
Easterwood |
$26.9914 |
$30.5868 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,066 |
$3,475 |
|
Captain |
Elliott |
$30.5868 |
$30.5868 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,475 |
$3,475 |
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Captain |
Ens |
$30.5868 |
$30.5868 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,475 |
$3,475 |
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Captain |
Holloman |
$30.5868 |
$30.5868 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,475 |
$3,475 |
|
Captain |
Hummel |
$30.5868 |
$30.5868 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,475 |
$3,475 |
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Captain |
Johnson |
$30.5868 |
$30.5868 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,475 |
$3,475 |
|
Captain |
Karlin |
$30.5868 |
$30.5868 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,475 |
$3,475 |
|
Captain |
King, C |
$42.8216 |
$42.8216 |
96 |
170.3 |
74.3 |
$3,182 |
$3,182 |
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Captain |
Morgan |
$30.1193 |
$30.5868 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,422 |
$3,475 |
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Captain |
Ray |
$30.5868 |
$30.5868 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,475 |
$3,475 |
|
Captain |
Saladin |
$30.5868 |
$30.5868 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,475 |
$3,475 |
|
Captain |
Schaumburg |
$30.5596 |
$30.5868 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,472 |
$3,475 |
|
Captain |
Stover |
$30.5868 |
$30.5868 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,475 |
$3,475 |
|
Captain |
Talkington |
$42.8216 |
$42.8216 |
96 |
170.3 |
74.3 |
$3,182 |
$3,182 |
|
Captain |
Temple |
$27.6497 |
$30.5868 |
144 |
257.608 |
113.608 |
$3,141 |
$3,475 |
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TOTAL |
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$87,097 |
$88,927 |
|
AVE |
$3,484 |
$3,557 |
Increasing non-MOU covered employees’ sick leave accrual to match those covered by the MOU will not increase the payout at time of retirement because the maximum accrual (1464 hours for those working 2912 shifts and 1040 hours for those working 2080 shifts) remains the same as it currently is. Under the current plan, assuming no sick leave is used, it will take approximately 15 years for a 2912 employee and 10 years for a 2080 employee to reach the maximum sick leave bank accrual. Under the proposed changes, assuming no sick leave is used, it will take approximately 8.5 years for a 2912 employee and six years for a 2080 employee to reach the maximum sick leave bank accrual. When employment with the City is terminated, employees are paid 25% of their sick leave bank hours. Using today’s pay rate and assuming the employee has maxed out their sick leave bank, the City will pay out $7,558 for a 2912 employee and $5,336 for a 2080 employee.
On average, department members use 5.0% of available sick leave. The detailed breakdown is as follows[1]:
· 27.3% of department members have used no sick leave;
· 60.9% of department members have used less than 5% of available sick leave;
· 89.1% of department members have used less than 25% of available sick leave;
· 98.4% of department members have used less than 50% of available sick leave;
· 98.4% of department members have used less than 75% of available sick leave;
· 100.0% of department members have used less than 100% of available sick leave.
Increasing the sick leave accrual simply maxes out the employee’s sick leave bank faster and provides the employee with more usable time should they need it, which is particularly important in our field where the risk of illness is high.
Compression
In addition, there are compression issues. According to FY 2010 actual salaries, the Fire Chief position earned $8,007 (7.1%) more than a Division Chief and only $5,528 (4.9%) more than the highest earning Lieutenant with overtime. The lowest paid Division Chief earned $15,321 (16.5%) less than the highest paid Captain and $14,756 (15.8%) less than the highest earning Lieutenant with overtime. The lowest paid Captain earned $32,746 (21.6%) less than the highest earning Lieutenant with overtime.
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2010 Actual Gross Annual Salary |
Pct. Of Max Salary in Grade |
Salary Compression difference $ |
Pct. above next lowest grade |
Max Salary in Grade |
Max Salary Compression difference $ |
Max Salary Compression difference Pct. |
|
Fire Chief |
$113,420 |
97.8% |
$8,007 |
7.1% |
$115,991 |
$15,404 |
15.3% |
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Division Chief |
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Highest |
$105,413 |
104.8% |
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$100,587 |
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Lowest |
$93,136 |
92.6% |
($15,321) |
-16.5% |
$100,587 |
$11,961 |
13.5% |
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Captain |
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Highest |
$108,457 |
122.4% |
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$88,626 |
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Lowest |
$75,146 |
84.8% |
($32,746) |
-43.6% |
$88,626 |
$15,088 |
20.5% |
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Highest Lt with Overtime |
$107,892 |
146.7% |
$23,265 |
21.6% |
$73,538 |
$6,590 |
9.8% |
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Highest all other MOU-covered Employee with Overtime |
$84,627 |
126.4% |
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$66,948 |
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For a decrease in salary, significantly less accrued sick leave, and significantly greater responsibility and unpaid work time due to the exempt status of the positions, fewer and fewer qualified applicatants for managerial positions are being received. Until issues of compression can be budgetarily addressed, increasing the accrued sick leave to match what was given to those covered by the MOU will be a positive step in the right direction.