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Home My WebLink About2017-08-15; City Council; ; Adopt a Resolution reinstating the temporary enhancement of military leave benefits for employees called to active duty with the armed forcesPage 25 #2 CITY COUN CIL Staff Report Meeting Date: To: From: Staff Contact: August 15, 2017 Mayor and City Council Kevin Crawford, City Manager Julie Clark, Human Resources Director Julie.Clark@carlsbadca.gov or 760-602/2440 CAReview (µ0 Subject: Adopt a Resolution reinstating the temporary enhancement of military leave benefits for employees called to active duty with the armed forces. Recommended Action Adopt a Resolution reinstating the temporary enhancement of military leave benefits for employees called to active duty with the armed forces. Executive Summary The City of Carlsbad currently complies with fed,eral and state laws concerning employees serving in the military reserve or National Guard. These laws protect employees who are performing military service of short duration; however, public agencies must pass resolutions to provide an additional temporary partially paid military leave of absence and a continuation of benefits in order to cover longer periods of deployment and to protect employees from financial hardship. From 2003 through 2015, the City of Carlsbad provided additional temporary partially paid military leave of absence and continued health, retirement and leave accrual benefits to employees called to active duty with the armed forces. The attached Resolution would reinstate these temporary benefits effective August 15, 2017 and would allow them to remain in effect unless rescinded. Discussion In response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the President of the United States began calling up military reservists and members of the National Guard to strengthen homeland defenses. As a result, on February 11, 2003, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2003-042 which provided a temporary mechanism to supplement employees' military pay to equal their regular city gross bi-weekly wage at the time of activation and a continuation of health, retirement, and leave accrual benefits. The temporary benefit was set to expire on February 1, 2004 but was extended through March 1, 2005 via Resolution No. 2004-077. On January 11, 2011, the council approved Resolution No. 2011-003, which reinstated the benefits that remained in effect until December 31, 2015. Since February 11, 2003, there have been four City of Carlsbad employees called to active duty and it is anticipated that an additional city employee will be called to active duty within the next thirty days. Should the City Council desire to continue its practice of providing additional temporary partially paid military leave of absence and continued health, retirement, and leave accrual benefit s, staff recommends reinstating the enhanced military leave benefits that were Page 26 provided in 2003 through 2015. The attached resolution would reinstate these temporary benefits effective August 15, 2017 and would allow them to remain in effect unless rescinded. Fiscal Analysis The full fiscal impact of this action is difficult to determine at this time. It is predicted that at least one employee of the City of Carlsbad will be called to active duty in the next year. Using this employee situation as an example, the estimated fiscal impact will be approximately $39,900, which represents the difference between what has already been budgeted for the employee's salary and benefits as a full time employee for six months, less the salary associated with the deployment. In the employee's absence, the decision would be made to either leave the position(s) vacant or backfill the position(s) with other staff until the employee's return. Should the decision be made to backfill the position(s), existing funds in the affected department's block budget would be used to cover this additional expense. Next Steps Staff recommends the reinstatement of temporary partially paid military leave of absence and continued health, retirement and leave accrual benefits for employees called to active duty by the armed forces. Environmental Evaluation (CEQA) Pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21065, this action does not constitute a "project" within the meaning of CEQA in that it has no potential to cause either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonable foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment; and therefore, does not require environmental review. Public Notification This item was noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for viewing at least 72 hours prior to the meeting date. Exhibits 1. Resolution approving reinstating the temporary enhancement of military leave benefits for employees called to active duty. RESOLUTION NO. 2017-155 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, REINSTATING THE TEMPORARY ENHANCEMENT OF MILITARY LEAVE BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY WITH THE ARMED FORCES EXHIBIT 1 WHEREAS, the President of the United States has the power to order military reservists and members of the National Guard to active duty to strengthen homeland defenses; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Carlsbad, California desires to continue to support employees called to active military duty by ensuring their pay and benefits will be continued equal to their regular City pay and benefits during their time of activation. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Carlsbad, California, as follows: 1. That the above recitations are true and correct. 2. That temporary partial military leave pay equal to the difference between the amount of the employee's regular pay, excluding overtime, and the employee's military pay will be provided by the City effective August 15, 2017. 3. That health insurance, retirement and leave accrual benefits will continue for the employee and the employee's family, with the employee continuing to pay for his/her respective portion of the benefit programs during his/her military leave of absence. 4. That this temporary partially paid military leave benefit is in addition to the City's standard military leave policy to cover the period during which an employee is called and serves on active duty for a specific operation. 5. That this temporary partially paid military leave benefit will remain in effect unless rescinded. EXHIBIT 1 PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Carlsbad on the 15th day of August, 2017, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: M. Hall, K. Blackburn, C. Schumacher, M. Packard. NOES: None. ABSENT: M. Schumacher (SEAL)