Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the standard salary schedule shall be used to determine the biweekly compensation of all officers and employees in the County service.
A. 
The appropriate salary range for each class shall be established in the annual salary ordinance, and the appropriate salary step within the range so established shall be determined in accordance with this chapter.
B. 
The entry step within the established range for each class shall be Step "5," unless specifically designated as Step "6," "7," "8" or "9."
C. 
Whenever it is inappropriate to establish the compensation for a class in accordance with the standard salary schedule, a different rate of compensation may be established in the annual salary ordinance, which rate shall be the compensation of all officers and employees in such class.
D. 
Whenever an employee would suffer an actual decrease in salary as a result of action taken by the County, without fault or inability on the part of the employee; or, where the employee is changing from one class series to another as a normal consequence of career development sponsored by the County's upward mobility program; or, where the employee is changing from one class to another as a result of a determination that the employee suffered a work related injury or illness and is no longer capable of performing the duties of the class to which he or she was assigned before such transfer, and the salary of the entry level class in the new class series is less than the salary the employee was receiving in the class in the former class series, the Board of Supervisors may adopt a Y-rate to apply only to the employee so affected. As used in this chapter, "Y-rate" means a salary rate which is more than the maximum rate of the established salary range for an employee's class.
E. 
The standard salary schedule shall be the Sacramento County salary range table approved by the Board of Supervisors on August 6, 1973, as amended from time to time. The official salaries of officers and employees shall be based on biweekly compensation except where otherwise expressly indicated in the annual salary ordinance.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975; SCC 246 § 1, 1976; SCC 1104 § 2, 1998; SCC 1168 § 1, 2000; SCC 1242 § 1, 2003; SCC 1316 § 1, 2006)
A. 
The County Executive shall, at least every five years, conduct a salary study, in cooperation with the personnel director, and shall recommend to the Board of Supervisors such salary adjustments as the County Executive considers appropriate. The Board of Supervisors shall determine the appropriate adjustments, if any, and include them in the annual salary ordinance.
B. 
When the salary range for a class is changed in the annual salary ordinance, employees in such class shall receive a salary increase or decrease equivalent to that provided for the class.
C. 
When the top step for a class is increased in the annual salary ordinance, the salary step for each employee in such class shall be increased in proportion to the change in top step; provided, however, that no employee shall advance beyond Step "9" or that step warranted by the employee's current performance rating. The salary increases at each lower step may vary slightly because of rounding.
D. 
When the entry step for a class is decreased in the annual salary ordinance, such employee in such class shall retain the same step in the range as that held prior to the adjustment.
E. 
An employee for whom a Y-rate is established pursuant to subsection C of Section 2.78.410 shall not receive any increase in salary until such time as the Y-rate of compensation is within the established range for the employee's class, at which time such employee shall receive the highest step of the range for the class. Such employee shall receive a proportionate decrease in salary whenever a lower range is established for the class in the annual salary ordinance.
F. 
If, in the opinion of the County Executive, the application of the provisions of this chapter results in payment to a prospective employee or employee of an inequitably low step of the salary range, the County Executive, upon the recommendation of the department head, may establish the prospective employee's or employee's salary at the step within the authorized range for the class which the County Executive deems most equitable. Such action shall not be contrary to the general intent and spirit of this chapter.
G. 
When employee changes in class and/or salary occur simultaneously with adjustments in the annual salary ordinance, the employee changes shall precede the ordinance adjustments in application.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975; SCC 1104 § 3, 1998; SCC 1131 § 1, 1999; SCC 1242 § 1, 2003; SCC 1718 § 1, 2023)
A. 
Whenever exceptional recruitment and/or retention difficulty is encountered in a class due to the established salary range, the Board of Supervisors may establish a temporary recruitment and/or retention pay allowance for the class.
B. 
Such temporary pay allowance shall be the equivalent of one or more salary steps which shall be paid in addition to the established salary range for the class.
C. 
The Board of Supervisors shall designate the step or steps of the established salary range for the class to which the temporary pay allowance shall apply and the pay allowance shall apply uniformly to every employee in the salary steps so designated.
D. 
Such temporary pay allowance shall automatically terminate upon the effective date of the new annual salary ordinance.
E. 
The establishment and termination of such temporary recruitment pay allowance shall not affect any employee's merit increase date or step within the established salary range for his class.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975)
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, any person appointed to a class shall receive the entry step of the range for such class and shall accrue other benefits as a new employee.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975)
Any person appointed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter governing reemployment following layoff shall receive compensation and benefits as though the employee had been on leave without pay.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975)
Any person appointed in accordance with the rules governing reinstatement following resignation in good standing shall be considered as a new employee; provided, however, that at the discretion of the appointing authority, such employee may receive a starting salary higher than Step "5" but not exceeding the step which he received at the time of his resignation.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975; SCC 1104 § 4, 1998; SCC 1168 § 2, 2000)
Whenever an employee is returned to the employee's former class following promotion, transfer or demotion due to layoff, the employee shall receive that step of the range which the employee would have received had the employee never left the former class.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975)
Whenever an employee is promoted to a class, the range for which is at least five percent or the equivalent of one step greater than the range of the employee's former class, such employee shall receive the lowest step in the higher range which provided an increase of five percent or one step, adjusted in accordance with Section 2.78.460 if applicable; provided, however, that the application of Section 2.78.460 shall not result in a lower monthly salary, following promotion, than that received in the former class.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975)
Whenever an employee is transferred to a class, the range for which is less than five percent or the equivalent of one step different from the range of the employee's former class, or which is determined to be an appropriate class for transfer by the civil service commission, such employee shall receive the same step in the new range as was received in the former range, adjusted in accordance with Section 2.78.460, if applicable.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975)
Except as provided in subsection C of Section 2.78.410, whenever an employee is demoted due to layoff without cause or inability on the employee's part to a class having a lower salary range, the salary shall be that step in the new range which provides equal or, in absence thereof, the nearest lower salary to that which was received prior to the demotion. In all cases of demotion for cause, the employee shall receive the same step in the lower range as was received in the higher range, adjusted in accordance with Section 2.78.460, if applicable. An employee with permanent status in a class who, with approval of the appointing authority, voluntarily demotes to a lower class shall receive the step in the lower range which provides equal or, in the absence thereof, the nearest lower salary to that which was received prior to demotion.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975)
The salary advantage of an entry step above Step 5 shall apply only to the class for which it is established and shall not apply to an employee who changes to another class. The salary step for an employee who changes to a class with a lower entry step shall be reduced to the step that is commensurate with the employee's length of service in the former class.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975; SCC 1104 § 5, 1998; SCC 1168 § 3, 2000)
Return following leave without pay is not an appointment but is a continuation of service; however, salary and benefits, other than employment status, shall be based on actual service. This section shall not apply to employees returning from military leave.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975)
At the request of the appointing authority and subsequent to a recommendation by the personnel director, the County Executive may approve a salary above the established entry step for the class in order to recruit an individual who has demonstrated superior knowledge and ability in the civil service examination process and whose combined education and experience represent substantially better preparation for the duties of the class than required by the minimum employment standards. In the application of this provision, consideration also shall be given to current employees in the same class who possess comparable qualifications, and if determined equivalent, adjustments shall be made in accordance with the provisions of subdivision F of Section 2.78.415.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975)
a. 
Whenever the civil service commission grants an employee direct status in a higher paying class, the range for which is at least five percent or the equivalent of one step greater than the range of the employee's former class, the employee shall receive the lowest step in the higher range which provides an increase of five percent or one step, adjusted in accordance with Section 2.78.460, if applicable; provided, however, that the application of Section 2.78.460 shall not result in a lower salary, following the direct status appointment, than that received in the former class.
b. 
Notwithstanding subsection (a), whenever an employee has been granted status in a new higher paying class relating to information technology, the range for which is at least five percent or the equivalent of one step greater than the range of the employee's former class, the employee shall receive the same step in the higher range in the new class as the step which the employee received in the former class if the justifications for the new class included the resolution, in whole or in part, of recruitment and retention problems.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975; SCC 1119 § 1, 1998)
Notwithstanding provisions of Section 2.78.425, a deputy sheriff may be hired at above the entry step if such deputy is eligible for appointment from a civil service list and has had experience in a medium or large sheriff's or police department in California for at least one year and is eligible for a basic certificate issued by the California State Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Such persons shall not receive more than one additional step for each full year of service with another department. The hiring salary, including educational or other bonus payments, shall not be more than five percent above the salary, including educational and bonus payments, received by such person in the department in which he was most recently employed. Experience considered for the purposes of this section shall not be considered in determining seniority or other benefits except as otherwise required by law. Hiring at above the entry step shall be authorized only when recommended by the sheriff and approved by the County Executive.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975)
Notwithstanding provisions of Section 2.78.425, a deputy marshal may be hired at above the entry step if such deputy is eligible for appointment from a civil service list and has had experience in a medium or large sheriff's, police, or marshal's department in California for at least one year and is eligible for a basic certificate issued by the California State Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Such persons shall not receive more than one additional step for each full year of service with another department. The hiring salary, including educational or other bonus payments, shall not be more than five percent above the salary, including educational and bonus payments, received by such person in the department in which he was most recently employed. Experience considered for the purposes of this section shall not be considered in determining seniority or other benefits except as otherwise required by law. Hiring at above the entry step shall be authorized only when recommended by the marshal and approved by the County Executive.
(SCC 419 § 1, 1980)
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.78.425, a nurse may be hired at above the entry step if such nurse is eligible for appointment from a civil service list and has had experience in a medium or large hospital or health department in California for at least one year. Such persons shall not receive more than one additional step for each full year of such service. The hiring salary shall not be more than five percent above the salary received by such person in the organization in which he or she was most recently employed. Experience considered for the purposes of this section shall not be considered in determining seniority or other benefits except as otherwise required by law. Hiring at above the entry step shall be authorized only when recommended by the appointing authority and approved by the County Executive.
(SCC 521 § 1, 1982)
a. 
Increases to steps above the entry step shall be based on performance and length of service. The employee must have earned the equivalent of at least 52 weeks of full-time eligible service since his or her step increase date.
b. 
Except as otherwise provided herein, an employee's step increase date shall be the first day of the first full biweekly pay period in any class or the date of his or her last step increase, whichever is most recent.
c. 
An employee's step increase may be deferred while he or she is in provisional or probationary status. Upon receipt of a deferred increase, the employee's step increase date shall be the same as it would have been had the increase not been deferred; and retroactive payment will be made.
d. 
Upon change in class which results in a salary decrease or in a salary increase of less than ten percent or the equivalent of two steps, an employee shall retain the same step increase date.
e. 
An employee in Step "9" shall have no step increase date, and service in Step "9" shall not be considered as eligible service for future step increases.
f. 
Extra-help employment shall not be considered eligible service for step increases except that:
1. 
Continuous extra-help employment up to 26 biweekly pay periods of full-time service, or the equivalent, may be considered as eligible service for employees who transfer to a regular position without a break in service, and
2. 
Extra-help employment, in the class of Election Clerk, whether continuous or not, of 26 biweekly pay periods of full-time service, or the equivalent, may be considered as eligible service for step increases for any subsequent period of extra-help employment in that class.
g. 
Overtime work shall not be considered as eligible service.
h. 
A step increase may be denied only for just cause.
i. 
The existing policy applicable to physicians shall remain in effect.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975; SCC 489 § 1, 1981; SCC 1104 § 6, 1998; SCC 1112 § 1, 1998; SCC 1168 § 4, 2000)
a. 
The pay period for all boards, commissions, officers and employees shall cover 14 calendar days, starting on a Sunday and ending with the second Saturday thereafter. Salaries shall be paid on the Friday following the end of the pay period; except that if Friday falls on a holiday, salaries shall be paid on Thursday. Salaries shall be computed as provided in this section.
b. 
The regular salary for each officer and employee shall be based on the actual number of days or hours worked in the pay period, including authorized absences with pay, multiplied by the employee's daily or hourly rate. Such payments shall not exceed the bi-weekly rate as determined by the employee's range and step.
c. 
Special payment, including standby, overtime, premium and other special payments, shall be calculated in accordance with the applicable provisions of this chapter and the annual salary ordinance.
d. 
Compensation paid pursuant to this chapter and the annual salary ordinance shall be payment in full for services rendered in a County position. No board, commission, officer or employee shall accept any other compensation for services performed in such position.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975)
a. 
Authorized employees shall receive night shift differential pay if more than half their work period is before eight a.m. or after five p.m.
b. 
Unless otherwise provided in the annual salary ordinance, night shift differential pay shall be at the rate of five percent (two ranges), paid to eligible employees in addition to their regular salary. A seven and one-half percent (three ranges), ten percent (four ranges) or flat rate may be paid to designated classes if justified by local prevailing practices.
c. 
Night shift differential shall be paid to employees in classes that do not characteristically work nights, if more than one-half of their work time during a bi-weekly pay period is before eight a.m. or after five p.m.
d. 
Departments and classes authorized night shift differential pay and the rate thereof shall be designated in the annual salary ordinance.
(SCC 226 § 2, 1975; SCC 244 § 1, 1976)
a. 
The purpose of this section is to ensure the orderly administration of the County payroll by providing for: (1) a fixed period of time within which the County or an employee may recover back compensation or credits for payroll errors as well as unused furlough credit and/or time, and (2) a procedure for correcting payroll errors and recouping any accrued and unused furlough credit and/or time.
b. 
The following definitions shall govern the interpretation of this section:
1. 
"Base salary" means the bi-weekly amount to be paid to an employee, including special pay allowances and differentials but excluding overtime cash payment.
2. 
"Overtime cash payment" means authorized pay for working in excess of a prescribed number of hours, usually eight hours per day or 40 hours per week.
3. 
"Paid leave" means vacation, sick leave, compensating time off, and all other types of authorized leave with pay.
4. 
"Furlough credit and/or time" means the hours of unpaid furlough imposed by the Board of Supervisors whether by ordinance, resolution or labor agreements and required to be taken by any affected employee during a specified period of employment.
c. 
This section shall have application only to base salary, overtime cash payment, furlough credit and/or time, or paid leave accruals, balances, or usage. No provision of this section shall preclude the correction or recovery by the County of past overpayments or overcrediting, or other losses which result from errors involving other matters including but not limited to insurance, retirement, Social Security, and court ordered payments.
d. 
With regard to payroll errors of matters defined in subsection (b), reimbursement to the County by the employee or to the employee by the County shall be limited to those overpayments and overcredits or underpayments and undercredits which occurred during the one-year period prior to the date of the notice given under subsection (f)(1).
e. 
With regard to offset of any accrued unused furlough credits, reimbursement to the County shall be limited to those accrued unused furlough credits which occurred during the two-year period prior to the date of the notice given under subsection (f)(1).
f. 
Where the Director of personnel management, as designee of the County Executive, has determined a payroll error has been made with regard to the matters defined in subsection (b) or that there are accrued unused furlough credits, the Director, or designee, shall take the following action:
1. 
Give written notice to the employee;
2. 
With regard to future payrolls, immediately correct the error to avoid overpayment and overcrediting or underpayment and undercrediting to the employee;
3. 
In the case of overpayment of base salary or overtime cash payment, reimbursement of the overpayment shall be made through payroll deduction from the employee's future salary in installments until the overpayment is fully reimbursed. Generally, the installments may only extend for that period of time equivalent to the period during which the error existed. However, if the payroll deduction would exceed ten percent of the employee's base salary, the employee shall have the option of extending reimbursement over a longer period of time, with deductions of at least ten percent of base salary. In lieu of payroll deduction, an employee may make full reimbursement through single cash payment;
4. 
In case of overcrediting of paid leave accruals, balances, or usage, reimbursement shall be made through: (a) deduction from existing balances, (b) by payroll deduction of the overpayments from the employee's future salary in installments until the overpayment is fully reimbursed, or (c) a single cash payment. A charge against future accruals shall not be permitted;
5. 
In the event that an employee has accrued furlough credits that are not used during any applicable furlough period, the amount of such accrued but unused furlough credits shall be recouped through: (a) deduction from existing balances, (b) by payroll deduction of such unused furlough credits from the employee's future salary in installments until the amount of the unused furlough credit has been fully satisfied, or (c) a single cash payment. A charge against future accruals shall not be permitted;
6. 
An employee whose employment terminates prior to full reimbursement of an overpayment or overcrediting shall have withheld from any salary owing the employee upon termination an amount sufficient to provide full reimbursement. If that amount is not sufficient to provide full reimbursement, the County shall have the right to exercise other legal means to recover the additional amount owed;
7. 
An employee whose employment terminates prior to the employee's utilization of all accrued furlough credits shall have withheld from any salary owing the employee upon termination an amount sufficient to equal the unused accrued furlough credits. If the salary owing upon termination is not sufficient to fully offset the unused accrued furlough credits, the County shall have the right to exercise other legal means to recover the additional amount owed;
8. 
If the payroll error has resulted in underpayment of past base salary or overtime cash payment or undercrediting of paid leave accrual or balances, the employee shall be reimbursed by the County.
(SCC 418 § 1, 1980; SCC 1429 § 1, 2009)
a. 
A retired County employee who is subpoenaed to appear in court on behalf of the County in his or her capacity as a former County employee shall receive a court appearance fee if the employee reports at the time specified for his or her particular testimony regardless of whether the employee is ultimately required to testify. The court appearance fee shall be $125 for a full day or $75 for a half day, which is defined as four hours or less.
b. 
Amounts paid hereunder are inclusive of any fees, including mileage fees, otherwise required by law to be paid for a subpoenaed court appearance.
c. 
This section shall not apply to a retired County employee who, at the time he or she is subpoenaed to appear in court on behalf of the County, is under contract to provide services to the County or is employed as retired annuitant.
d. 
Nothing herein shall serve to establish an employment relationship for any purpose, including, but not limited to, employee benefits, reimbursements, compensation, court cancellation fee, or any other rights.
(SCC 1187 § 1, 2001)