Form revised December 4, 2006
FISCAL NOTE FOR NON-CAPITAL PROJECTS
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Department: |
Contact Person/Phone: |
DOF Analyst/Phone: |
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Legislative |
Patricia Lee 386-0078 Barbara Clemons 4-5326 |
Carolyn Iblings 4-5211 |
· Summary of the Legislation:
This ordinance supersedes Ordinance 121885 to provide a wage supplement to City employees ordered to active military duty prior to January 1, 2005 and still on active military duty on July 27, 2005. The previous ordinance included only employees called to military service since January 1, 2005.
This ordinance also continues eligibility for City health care and other City benefits for employees on unpaid military leave of absence while on active duty for Operating Enduring Freedom. Both the wage supplement and health care and other City benefits end in 2010 or when the United States withdraws from military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, whichever occurs first.
The City will notify labor unions of the proposed benefit change and bargain the impacts if requested.
· Background: (Include brief description of the purpose and context of legislation and include record of previous legislation and funding history, if applicable):
In 2001 the City authorized the Personnel Director to continue health care coverage for employees mobilized by the United States Armed Forces for active military service for Operation Enduring Freedom between September 11, 2001 and December 31, 2002. The City approved extension of health care and other employee benefits for 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.
In 2005 the City authorized, by Ordinance 121885, further support for City employees called to active military duty by implementing a wage supplement program to pay them the difference between their base military wages and their base City wages, if higher, while they are on active military duty.
Ordinance 121885 applied to City employees ordered to active military duty since January 1, 2005 and still on active military duty on July 27, 2005. Ordinance 121885 did not include City employees who had been called to active military service before January 1, 2005 and who were still on active military duty on July 27, 2005
City of Seattle employees who are members of the United States military reserves and the National Guard continue to be activated for duty in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere.
· Please check one of the following:
____ This legislation does not have any financial implications. (Stop here and delete the remainder of this document prior to saving and printing.)
_x___ This legislation has financial implications. (Please complete all relevant sections that follow.
The Personnel Department estimates (7) seven additional City employees will be eligible for this wage supplement; 3 employed by the Seattle Police Department, 3 employed by the Fire Department and 1 employed by Seattle Center. However, without knowing what their military pay is, Personnel is not able to calculate the cost of this benefit.
This legislation does not request additional appropriation authority. The costs of providing the benefits and wage supplement contemplated by this ordinance are less than the budgeted position authority for affected employees. City departments are charged for health care based on budgeted, not filled, positions. Therefore, there is not an additional charge for health care for the employees who are deployed because the departments pay the health care premiums regardless. There may however be additional costs to the employing unit if an employee’s position is backfilled using overtime or temporary workers.
Since 2005 when the wage benefit was implemented, 22 employees have received this benefit, which averages to about $12,000 an employee.
|
Department |
Number of Employees |
Cost in thousands |
|
Fire |
9 |
$119,800 |
|
Police |
8 |
80,337 |
|
SPU |
2 |
42,235 |
|
Law |
1 |
9,109 |
|
Fleets |
1 |
2,640 |
|
Seattle Center |
1 |
630 |
|
Cost to Date |
22 |
$254,743 |