Deputy Sheriff's Law Enforcement Management Unit (DSLEM)

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2019 - 2023 DSLEMMemorandum of Understanding: Article 4: Salaries and Administration of the Salary Schedule

Deputy Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Management

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4.1 Salaries

Salary range/scale shall be as specified in Appendix A for each classification contained within each of the units represented by the Association.
Effective the pay period that begins May 21, 2019, the County will increase the current I step of each Civil Service job classification in the Salary Table specified in Appendix A and attached to this agreement by $1.15/hour. The County will then recalculate each salary scale in Appendix A from the adjusted I step to maintain an approximate 2.5% differential between salary steps consistent with the definition of Salary Range or Salary Scale in Article 3.2 (Definitions).

Following the above adjustments, the County will provide a salary adjustment by increasing the adjusted A Step of each job classification in Appendix A, where the benchmark for those classifications was below the market average based on the County’s 2018 Total Compensation Study as of November 30, 2018, by fifty percent (50%) of the percentage below market average provided in Appendix B.
Effective the pay period that begins June 4, 2019, and after the salary adjustments specified in Article 4.1.b above, the County will provide a salary adjustment by increasing the A Step of each job classification in Appendix A by two and eight tenths percent (2.80%).
Effective the pay period that begins April 7, 2020, the County will increase the current I step of each Civil Service job classification in the Salary Table specified in Appendix A and attached to this agreement by $1.15/hour. The County will then recalculate each salary scale in Appendix A from the adjusted I step to maintain an approximate 2.5% differential between salary steps consistent with the definition of Salary Range or Salary Scale in Article 3.2 (Definitions).

Following the above adjustments, the County will provide a salary adjustment by increasing the adjusted A Step of each job classification in Appendix A, where the benchmark for those classifications was below the market average based on the County’s 2018 Total Compensation Study as of November 30, 2018, by fifty percent (50%) of the percentage below market average provided in Appendix B.
Effective the pay period that begins April 7, 2020, and after the salary adjustments provided for in Article 7.l(d) above, the County will provide an additional equity adjustment by increasing the adjusted A step of each Civil Service job classification in the Salary Table specified in Appendix A and attached to this agreement as follows:

Assistant Sheriff $0.53/hr
Sheriffs Captain $0.55/hr
Sheriffs Lieutenant $0.51/hr

The additional equity adjustments provided above were authorized by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on May 14, 2019 to account for and redress calculation errors in the County's Total Compensation Study as of November 30, 2018.
Effective the pay period that begins April 21, 2020, and after the salary adjustments specified in Articles 4.1(d) and 4.1(e), above, the County will provide a salary adjustment by increasing the A Step of each job classification in Appendix A by two and eight tenths percent (2.80%).
Effective the pay period that begins March 23, 2021, the County will increase the current I step of each Civil Service job classification in the Salary Table specified in Appendix A and attached to this agreement by $1.15/hour. The County will then recalculate each salary scale in Appendix A from the adjusted I step to maintain an approximate 2.5% differential between salary steps consistent with the definition of Salary Range or Salary Scale in Article 3.2 (Definitions).

Following the above adjustments, the County will provide an additional equity adjustment by increasing the adjusted A step of each Civil Service job classification in the Salary Table specified in Appendix A and attached to this agreement as follows:

Assistant Sheriff                             $0.52/hr
Sheriffs Captain                              $0.54/hr
Sheriffs Lieutenant                        $0.50/hr

The additional equity adjustments provided above were authorized by the County Board of Supervisors on May 14, 2019 to account for and redress calculation errors in the initial “Emp. Ret” column in the County’s 2018 Total Compensation Study as of November 30, 2018.
Effective the pay period that begins April 6, 2021, the County will provide a salary adjustment by increasing the adjusted A step of each job classification specified in Appendix A by at least one and three quarters percent (1.75%) and not more than three and sixty-five hundredths percent (3.65%). To determine the actual salary increase, the County will compare the following values:
- (V1) The San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward All Urban Annual Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in January 2021 for the preceding December percentage change from December of the prior year.
- (V2) The County’s actual annual growth percentage of secured property taxes collected between fiscal years 2018-2019 and 2019-2020, divided by 1.5.
The effective salary adjustment to be applied to the salary scale will be based on the lesser of value (V1) and value (V2), above, in the following manner:
- If the lesser of value (V1) and value (V2) is less than or equal to 2%, then the effective salary adjustment will be 1.75%.
- If the lesser of value (V1) and value (V2) is greater than or equal to 4%, then the effective salary adjustment will be 3.65%.
If the lesser of values (V1) and (V2) is between 2% and 4%, the effective salary adjustment shall be calculated according to the following formula:
- Lesser of value (V1) and value (V2) = (X)
  - (X) – 2% = (F)
  - (F) x 0.95% = (G)
  - (G) + 1.75% = effective salary adjustment: (H)
  - Examples:
  - (X) = 2.50%
  - 2.50 - 2.00 = 0.50
  - 0.50 x 0.95 = 0.475
  - 0.475 + 1.75 = 2.225% (H)
  - (X) = 3.50%
  - 3.50 - 2.00 = 1.50
  - 1.50 x 0.95 = 1.425
  - 1.425 + 1.75 = 3.175% (H)
Effective the pay period that begins April 5, 2022, the County will provide a salary adjustment by increasing the A step of each job classification specified in Appendix A by at least two percent (2%) and not more than four percent (4%). To determine the actual salary increase, the County will compare the following values:
- (V1) The San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward All Urban Annual Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in January 2022 for the preceding December percentage change from December of the prior year.
- (V2) The County’s actual annual growth percentage of secured property taxes collected between fiscal years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, divided by 1.5.
- If the lesser of value (V1) and value (V2) is between 2% and 4%, the County will increase the A Step by the lesser of the two values.
- If the lesser of value (V1) and value (V2) is less than or equal to 2%, the County will increase the A Step by 2%.
- If the lesser of value (V1) and value (V2) is greater than or equal to 4%, the County will increase the A Step by 4%.

4.2 Salary Upon Appointment

Except as otherwise provided herein, appointment to any position in any class shall be made at the minimum rate, and advancement to rates greater than the minimum rate shall be within the limits of the salary range / scale for the class.

In exceptional cases after reasonable effort has been made to obtain employees for a particular class at the minimum rate, employment of individuals who possess special qualifications higher than the minimum qualifications prescribed for the particular class may be authorized at a rate higher than the minimum upon recommendation of the Department Head with approval of the County.

4.3 Consideration Upon Reappointment or Return

A full-time or part-time employee who resigns in good standing and is reappointed on a full-time or part-time or Extra Help basis in the same, or a closely related class in the same or a lower salary range / scale, within two years of resignation shall not be paid less than two steps below the step paid at the time of resignation. Approval of the County is required only if the person is rehired at a step which exceeds the step paid at the time of resignation. A full-time or part-time employee who resigns in good standing and, within one month of the date of resignation, is appointed to an Extra Help job in any unrelated class may, with approval of the Department Head, receive the salary step rate which is closest to but does not exceed the step rate received upon resignation.

4.4 Extra Help to Permanent Appointment

An Extra Help employee who is appointed to an allocated part-time or full-time position in any class and without a break in service, shall be paid at a step in the appropriate salary range/scale which is nearest in amount to that of the step received in the classification in which the employee was Extra Help. Employment at a higher salary step not to exceed the maximum of the range / scale may be authorized upon recommendation of the Department Head and approval of the County.

4.5 Extra Help to Extra Help Appointment

An Extra Help employee who is appointed to another Extra Help job in the same class or in another class to which the same salary range / scale is applicable, shall continue to receive the same salary step.

An Extra Help employee who was employed in one class and who, without a break in service, is appointed as an Extra Help employee, to a different class at a lower salary range / scale, shall receive the salary rate step in the lower range / scale which is closest to, but not exceeding, the rate paid in the former range / scale. This provision does not apply to Extra Help employment in more than one Extra Help position.

4.6 Return of Extra Help Employees

When an Extra Help employee returns within one year from the date of termination to a classification which the employee previously occupied, the employee shall receive the same step of the range / scale as the employee received upon separation. Such employee shall be considered for merit increase when the employee’s total hours in pay status before and after separation and restoration equal the number of hours required for a merit increase.

4.7 Salary Upon Restoration

Any full-time or part-time employee displaced, laid off, or voluntarily demoted in lieu of layoff and reappointed within two years from date of layoff in the same class from which separated, or in a closely related class in the same salary range / scale or in a lower salary range / scale than the class from which separated, shall be paid at the same step in the salary range / scale as the employee was paid at the time of displacement, layoff, or voluntary demotion, or the step of the range / scale which is closest to but not exceeding the rate the employee is currently being paid as a County employee, whichever is greater. Such employee shall be considered for a merit increase when the employee’s total hours in pay status before and after separation and restoration equal the number of hours required for a merit increase.

4.8 Salary Upon Promotion

Except as otherwise provided herein, any full or part-time employee who is promoted to a position or a class allocated to a higher salary range / scale than the class from which the employee was promoted shall receive the salary step rate of the appropriate range / scale which would constitute an increase of salary most closely equivalent to but not less than five (5) percent of the employee’s salary step rate before promotion, but not less than the minimum salary range / scale of the new class nor greater than the maximum salary of the new class.

If a promotion occurs during the same pay period a merit increase is due and approved, the merit increase shall be computed first and subsequently the increase due to promotion.

An employee who receives a promotion from line staff to a supervisory position or class shall receive the salary step of the appropriate scale that would constitute an increase of salary most closely equivalent to but not less than ten (10) percent of the employee’s salary step before promotion but not less than the minimum salary step of the new class or greater than the maximum salary step of the new class. If a promotion occurs on the same day a merit increase is due and approved, the merit increase shall be computed first and subsequently the increase due to promotion.

An employee who is promoted shall be considered for a merit increase when the employee’s total hours in pay status, exclusive of overtime subsequent to promotion, equals 1,040 hours. The effective date of the merit increase shall be in accordance with Article 4.18.

4.9 Advanced Salary Upon Promotion

Upon promotion of a full-time or part-time employee to a new class, the Human Resources Director may recommend to the County Administrator that the person being promoted shall receive a rate of pay which is higher than that to which the employee is entitled, but does not exceed the top of the range / scale.

4.10 Salary Upon Demotion During Probation (Failed Probation)

Any full-time or part-time employee who, during the employee’s probationary period, is demoted to a class which the employee formerly occupied in good standing during the same period of continuous employment in paid or unpaid status shall have the employee’s salary reduced to the salary the employee would have received if the employee had remained in the lower class throughout the employee’s period of service in the higher class. The employee’s eligibility for merit advancement shall be determined as if the employee had remained in the lower class throughout the period of service in the higher class.

4.11 Salary Upon Involuntary Demotion

A full or part-time employee, to whom the circumstances described in Article 4.10 above do not apply, who is demoted involuntarily to a position of a class which is allocated to a lower salary range / scale than the class from which the employee is demoted shall have the employee’s salary reduced to the salary in the range / scale for the new class next lower than, or not more than five (5) percent lower than, the salary received before demotion, except that such employee shall not be paid more than the maximum of the range / scale of the class to which the employee is demoted. The employee’s eligibility for merit advancement shall not change as a result of demotion.

4.12 Salary Upon Voluntary Demotion

A full or part-time employee, to whom the circumstances described in Article 4.10 above do not apply, who is demoted voluntarily or who displaces as a result of layoff to a position in a class which is allocated to a lower salary range / scale than the class from which the employee is demoted or displaced as a result of layoff shall receive the highest salary step in the range / scale for the new class which does not exceed the salary received before demotion or displacement but not exceeding the maximum of the salary range / scale for the new class. The employee’s eligibility for merit advancement shall not change as a result of demotion or displacement.

4.13 Salary Upon Reappointment From Voluntary Demotion

Any full-time or part-time employee who is demoted voluntarily and who is reappointed on a full-time or part-time basis in the same class, within two years, shall be reappointed at either the same step the employee received at the time of demotion or the salary step nearest the amount of the employee’s present salary step, whichever is greater.

4.14 Salary Upon Transfer

A full-time or part-time employee who transfers from one allocated position to another allocated position in the same job class or in another class to which the same salary range / scale is applicable, shall be placed at the same salary step which the employee was receiving prior to the transfer.

A full or part-time employee who transfers from one allocated position in a job class to another allocated position in a closely related class as defined in the Civil Service Rules, for which s/he possesses the minimum qualifications, shall be paid at the step in the new range / scale nearest the amount to what the employee received prior to transfer.

4.15 Salary Upon Reallocation of Class

An employee in a position of a class which is reallocated from one salary range / scale to another shall continue to receive the same salary step.

4.16 Salary Upon Reclassification of Position

Whenever a position is reclassified to a class which is allocated to the same salary range / scale, the incumbent shall retain the same salary step received prior to the reclassification if the incumbent is appointed to fill the position in accordance with Civil Service Rules.

Except as otherwise provided herein, whenever a position is reclassified to a class which is allocated to a higher salary range / scale, the salary of the incumbent shall be as provided by this Section upon promotion, if the incumbent is appointed to fill the position in accordance with Civil Service Rules.

Whenever a position is reclassified to a class which is allocated to a lower salary range / scale, the salary of the incumbent shall be as provided by this Section upon voluntary demotion, if the incumbent is appointed to fill the position in accordance with Civil Service Rules. Whenever the effect of reclassification is to reduce the salary of an incumbent appointed to the position, the Board of Supervisors may, upon recommendation by the Director of Human Resources, direct that the incumbent shall continue to receive the previously authorized salary until termination of employment in the position, until a percentage increase in pay may be authorized, or as otherwise agreed to by the affected employee and the Department Head, with the approval of the Human Resources Director and the Association, whichever first occurs. Appropriate records shall show such an incumbent as being paid at a special fixed rate (Y-rate) of the salary range / scale for the employee’s class.

4.17 Merit Advancement Within Salary Range / Scales

Merit increases within a range / scale shall not be automatic. They shall be based upon merit and shall be made only upon written approval by the employee’s Department Head. Merit increases shall be made within the appropriate salary range / scale for the class by computing the new salary step rate which is most closely equivalent to five percent (5%) higher than the previous base hourly salary.

Each employee shall be considered for an initial merit increase when the employee’s total hours in pay status exclusive of overtime within the current class equals 1,040 hours. Each such employee shall be considered for subsequent merit increases when the employee’s total hours in pay status, exclusive of overtime at each step to which advanced, equals 2,080 hours.

4.18 Effective Date of Merit Increase

All merit increases will be effective on the date that the employee is eligible in accordance with Section 4.17 (Merit Advancement Within Salary Range/Scale).

4.19 Salary Upon Temporary Promotion

An employee assigned by the Department Head to perform the full range of duties of a higher classification to fill a vacancy caused by resignation, termination, promotion or an approved leave of absence, who is expected to serve continuously in such assignment for more than 15 consecutive days of work, shall be paid according to the salary of the range / scale for the new class which would constitute an increase in salary at the step most closely equivalent to five (5) percent greater than the employee’s salary before promotion, but not less than minimum salary of the new class, nor greater than the maximum salary of the new class. The employee shall receive this salary as long as the employee continues to serve in such assignment and shall be entitled to receive increases for the position in accordance with the merit increase Section of this Memorandum as though the employee had been appointed on the day that the employee began to receive the salary designated for the position.

4.20 POST Premiums

Each eligible employee (Lieutenant or Captain) who has been awarded a valid Intermediate, Advanced, Supervisory, or Management Certificate issued by the California Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training (POST) shall be eligible for POST premium compensation upon presentation of said certificate to the County.

Each eligible employee (Lieutenant or Captain) who has been awarded a valid POST Intermediate Certificate shall receive 3.25% of base hourly rate thereafter; each eligible employee (Lieutenant or Captain) who has been awarded a valid Advanced Certificate shall receive 6.75% of base hourly rate thereafter, added to the employee’s base hourly rate for all compensation. Each eligible employee (Lieutenant or Captain) who has been awarded a valid supervisory certificate shall receive 8.0% of base hourly rate thereafter, added to the employee’s base hourly rate for all compensation purposes, including overtime. Each eligible employee (Lieutenant or Captain) who has been awarded a valid management certificate shall receive 8.5% of base hourly rate thereafter, added to the employee’s base hourly rate for all compensation purposes, including overtime.

The premiums listed in this Section 8.8 represent the maximum amount paid at the respective level and are not subject to stacking.

Each Assistant Sheriff who has been awarded an Advanced Certificate issued by the California Commission on Peace Officer’s Standards and Training (POST) shall be eligible for POST Premium compensation upon presentation of said certificate to the County. Each eligible Assistant Sheriff who has been awarded a valid Advanced Certificate shall receive three percent (3%) of base hourly rate thereafter, added to the employee’s base hourly rate for all compensation purposes. Each eligible employee (Assistant Sheriff) who has been awarded a valid management certificate shall receive 3.5% of base hourly rate thereafter, added to the employee’s base hourly rate for all compensation purposes, including overtime.

The payments set forth in this Article shall become effective at the beginning of the first full pay period following date of eligibility or application for the specified POST premium, whichever date is later.

4.21 Specialty Premium – Town of Windsor Chief

One Sheriff’s Lieutenant may be appointed as the Chief for the Town of Windsor. The incumbent will receive a five percent (5%) premium for all hours in pay status. Should the service contract between the County and the Town of Windsor be terminated or revised to discontinue the premium at the discretion of the Town, this premium will be discontinued. There is no guarantee period associated with this specialty premium.

4.22 Specialty Premium – City of Sonoma

One Sheriff’s Lieutenant may be appointed as the Chief for the City of Sonoma. The incumbent will receive a five percent (5%) premium for all hours in pay status. Should the service contract between the County and the City of Sonoma be terminated or revised to discontinue the premium at the discretion of the City, this premium will be discontinued. There is no guarantee period associated with this specialty premium.

4.23 Hourly Cash Allowance

Effective the first full pay period closest to May 19, 2009, the County shall pay each permanent full and part-time employee, in addition to their hourly regular earning rate from the salary schedule, a cash allowance of $3.45 per pay status hour that the employee is in paid status excluding overtime, up to a maximum of 80 hours in a pay period, or approximately a maximum of $600 per month.

Such hourly cash allowance is compensation for services rendered in that pay period and shall be taken into account for the purposes of computing employees’ final compensation for pension purposes, as well as all usual taxation as their regular earning rate from the salary schedule. It shall not be included on the salary schedule and shall not be impacted by future increases on the salary schedule. It is not intended as a supplement toward medical, dental, or any other insurance or benefit.

Effective May 21, 2019 the County will reduce the hourly cash allowance to $2.30 paid per paid status hour that the employee is in paid status, excluding overtime, up to a maximum of 80 hours in a pay period.

Effective April 7, 2020, the County will reduce the hourly cash allowance to $1.15 paid per paid status hour that the employee is in paid status, excluding overtime, up to a maximum of 80 hours in a pay period.

Effective March 23, 2021, the County will reduce the hourly cash allowance to $0.00 paid per paid status hour that the employee is in paid status, excluding overtime, up to a maximum of 80 hours in a pay period.

4.24 Overtime – Sheriffs’ Service Agreements

In addition to their regular salary, employees shall be entitled to overtime compensation at their base hourly rate, and applicable premiums, for each hour worked on Sheriffs’ Service Agreements.

Hours worked on Sheriffs’ Service Agreements shall not increase the employees’ FTE or service hours.

4.25 Comparison Agencies

Unless mutually agreed to, all classifications within bargaining unit 0043 shall utilize the following for comparable agency purposes:

Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Marin County, Napa County, Sacramento County, San Mateo County, San Luis Obispo County, Santa Clara County, Santa Cruz County, Solano County, and the City of Santa Rosa shall all be included as comparable agencies.

For purposes of understanding market data in applicable classification studies, top-step salary of comparable job classifications within the composite list of eleven agencies will be determined, then the two agencies showing the highest and lowest top-step salary will be removed from the calculation. At least four match classes must exist in order to conclude there is sufficient market data.