Placement: Second Reading of Ordinances / Public Hearing
Action Requested: Motion / Vote
title
Ordinance 21-51, Public Hearing, An Ordinance of the City of Port St. Lucie, Florida, Pursuant to Section 10.03 of the Charter of the City of Port St. Lucie, Florida, Providing for the Adoption of Amended Personnel Rules and Regulations; Providing for the Repeal, and Declaring Ineffective, All Previously Adopted Personnel Rules and Regulations Inconsistent with the Personnel Rules and Regulations Hereby Adopted; Providing for the Repeal of Ordinances, Resolutions, and Policies Inconsistent Herewith; Providing That There Shall Be One Comprehensive Handbook Comprising the Personnel Rules and Regulations for the City of Port St. Lucie, Florida; Providing for Conflict; Providing for Severability; and Providing an Effective Date.
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Submitted By: Kimberly A. Sala, Human Resources Analyst
Strategic Plan Link: The City's Goal of a high-performing city government organization.
Executive Summary (General Business): Repeal of all previously adopted Personnel Rules and Regulations for the City of Port St. Lucie, Florida, and adoption of amended Personnel Rules and Regulations contained in one comprehensive handbook.
Presentation Information: Staff will be available to answer any questions the Council may have.
Staff Recommendation: Move that the Council adopt the Ordinance and amended Personnel Rules and Regulations for the City of Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Alternate Recommendations:
1. Move that the Council amend the recommendation and adopt the Ordinance.
2. Move that the Council deny the recommendation and provide staff direction.
Background: The City has historically used two (2) versions of the Personnel Rules for its workforce - one for bargaining unit employees and the other for non-bargaining unit employees. At the time these two (2) documents were adopted, a significant amount of employees were non-bargaining unit so it made sense to maintain separate policies and procedures, as bargaining unit employees’ terms and conditions of employment were detailed in collective bargaining agreements (“CBAs”). However, due to the relatively recent unionization of the majority of the City’s workforce, their wages, hours, terms and conditions of employment are presently governed by six (6) CBAs. Therefore, the utility of maintaining separate Personnel Rules for a minority subset of non-bargaining unit employees has greatly diminished.
Issues/Analysis: The amended and restated Personnel Rules and Regulations for the City of Port St. Lucie is a single document applicable to all employees; thus eliminating the dual version. To the extent feasible, both versions were combined therein. Though these Personnel Rules do not serve to unilaterally change the wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment for bargaining unit employees, as the CBAs supersede, it reflects an attempt to promulgate uniform policies and procedures for the workforce. That said, the Personnel Rules include up-to-date and comprehensive policies and procedures that comply with federal, state, and local laws regarding employment. The revisions also reflect the current standards of the City’s operations and remove obsolete and legally outdated policies and procedures.
The following policies and procedures have been included and/or substantively
updated in the revised Personnel Rules:
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Management Rights |
Workplace Dress and Grooming |
Property Loss/Damage |
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Ethical Guidelines |
Social Media Acceptable Use |
Political Activities |
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Nepotism |
Electronic Systems Usage |
Smoke Free Work Environment |
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Equal Employment and Non Discrimination |
Leave Benefits |
Workplace Violence |
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Reasonable Accommodations |
Disciplinary Offenses |
Veterans’ Preference |
|
Hiring and Recruitment |
Public Records Processing |
Nursing Mothers at the Workplace |
|
Salary Progression and Regression |
Disciplinary Due Process |
Family and Medical Leave |
|
Exempt Employee Salary |
Harassment and Complaint Procedure |
Immigration Law Compliance |
The attached Ordinance, which amends and restates the Personnel Rules, has been prepared by the City’s outside labor counsel and reviewed by the City Attorney’s Office.
Financial Information: N/A
Special Consideration: N/A
Location of Project: N/A
Attachments:
1. Ordinance 21-___ with Personnel Rules and Regulations for the City of Port St. Lucie attached as Exhibit “A” (strikethrough/underline);
2. Summary of Substantive Revisions.
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
Internal Reference Number: 5258 and 6060
Legal Sufficiency Review:
Reviewed by James D. Stokes, City Attorney. Approved as to Legal form and sufficiency by James D. Stokes, City Attorney.