As part of approving the consent agenda at its Nov. 10 meeting, the board gave the OK to passing on to employees a one-time stipend of $700.
The California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) notified the county that due to excess reserves for certain of its health insurance plans, it would have a “premium holiday” and not charge the county health care premiums for November and December.
As a result, the county wanted to pass the savings back to employees, according to a report from Chief Deputy Administrative Officer Matt Perry.
Those eligible for the stipend are permanent full-time staff hired before Sept. 21 and covered under current resolutions or memoranda of understanding, according to Perry's report to the board. The amount will be pro-rated for part-time staff.
Perry noted in a report to the board that the county would realize an unanticipated savings from the premium holiday.
“Since this money is budgeted for employee benefits, the Board of Supervisors has expressed a desire to use it to provide a benefit to employees,” Perry explained. “This is in accordance with the Board's consistent position and its commitment to employees that if the County had any money to provide to employees, it would do so.”
On Tuesday, the board approved amendments to memoranda of understanding with the employees associations to approve the stipend.
Employees will receive a lump sump payment within 90 days of the ratification of the amendments, according to the amendments' language.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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