Memorandum
Date: February 27, 2024
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Pam Samac, Human Resources Director
Subject: Consideration of Updated Hiring Incentive Policy
Executive Summary:
Staff submits for your Board’s consideration and approval the attached updated Hiring Incentive Policy, pending the Meet and Confer meeting with the unions.
Based on feedback from the Department Heads we are recommending the following changes to the County of Lake Hiring Incentives Policy:
• Change newly-appointed employee to: applicant must NOT have been employed by the County of Lake as an employee in the last 18 months.
• Change second payment upon successful completion of probation period to: second payment upon completion of the first year of employment.
• Change repayment requirement from full amount to paid back on a prorated basis.
• Add a time limit for the employee to fill out and submit the Hiring Incentive Form.
• Add Deputy Public Defender and Employment and Eligibility Worker to the Hard to Fill list.
• Add a provision to allow the Department Head to request an incentive for positions that have been historically hard to fill without meeting the hard-to-fill criteria.
Hiring / Sign-on Incentive for Positions that do not meet Hard to Fill Criteria
Upon special circumstances, a Department Head may request to the CAO and Human Resources Director approval to request a hiring incentive for a position that does not meet the hard-to-fill criteria.
• The Department Head must e-mail their justification to the CAO and HR Director for approval.
• If approved by the CAO and HR Director, a Department Head may request a Sign-on Incentive payment of 10% of the annual rate of pay to a employee not to exceed $10,000.00.
• The hiring incentive will be made in two (2) equal payments. The first payment will be made to an employee within the next available pay period following the date of hire and the second payment will be made upon completion of the first year of employment.
• The employee must remain employed with the County for two (2) years or repay the incentive on a pro-rated basis.
• The employee shall authorize such repayment as a payroll deduction from the final paycheck, and/or repay any shortage not covered in the final paycheck with a personal check payable to the County of Lake within 15 days of termination.
If not budgeted, fill in the blanks below only:
Estimated Cost: ________ Amount Budgeted: ________ Additional Requested: ________ Future Annual Cost: ________
Purchasing Considerations (check all that apply): ☐ Not applicable
☐ Fully Article X. <https://library.municode.com/ca/lake_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH2AD_ARTXPU_S2-38EXCOBI>- and/or Consultant Selection Policy <http://lcnet.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/Intranet/Policy/Policies+$!26+Procedures+Manual/Ch4_2021v2.pdf>-Compliant (describe process undertaken in “Executive Summary”)
☐ Section 2-38 <https://library.municode.com/ca/lake_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH2AD_ARTXPU_S2-38EXCOBI> Exemption from Competitive Bidding (rationale in “Executive Summary,” attach documentation, as needed)
☐ For Technology Purchases: Vetted and Supported by the Technology Governance Committee <http://lcnet.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/Intranet/Intranet+Forms/Information+Technology/AdvPlan.pdf> (“Yes,” if checked)
☐ Other (Please describe in Executive Summary)
Consistency with Vision 2028 <http://www.lakecountyca.gov/Government/Directory/Administration/Visioning/Vision2028.htm> (check all that apply): ☐ Not applicable
☐ Well-being of Residents ☐ Public Safety ☐ Disaster Prevention, Preparedness, Recovery
☐ Economic Development ☐ Infrastructure ☐ County Workforce
☐ Community Collaboration ☐ Business Process Efficiency ☐ Clear Lake
Recommended Action: Approve updated hiring incentive policy pending the meet and confer meeting with the unions.