02 Staff Report.Amendments to the Classification Plan
PREPARED BY: Lisa Velasco
Human Resources Director
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Finance Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 01/19/2021 ITEM NO: 2
DATE: January 13, 2021
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Approve an Amendment to the Temporary Classification Plan to Comply with
the California Minimum Wage Increase Effective January 1, 2021 and Add the
Confidential Classification of Legal Administrative Assistant
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve an amendment to the Temporary classification plan (Attachment 1) to comply with the
California minimum wage increase effective January 1, 2021 and add the Confidential
classification of Legal Administrative Assistant (Attachment 2).
BACKGROUND:
The Town of Los Gatos Personnel Rules and Regulations (Section 4.4) require that amendments
and revisions to the classification plan are effective upon approval by Town Council. The
Town’s classification plan is represented in each of the six separate employee group salary
schedules. The California Public Employees’ Retirement System that administers the Town’s
employee pension plan and health plan benefits, also require that salary schedule changes be
formally adopted by an agency’s governing body. In most cases, changes are typically
presented to Council for approval as part of the formal budget adoption or through the labor
negotiations process.
In 2016, the California Governor amended the State’s minimum wage orders to increase the
minimum wage rate one dollar each year beginning on January 1, 2017 and continuing through
January 1, 2022 until reaching the minimum wage rate goal of $15.00 per hour. The new
minimum wage rate effective January 1, 2021 is $14.00 per hour. The Town currently has
several temporary/hourly classifications listed on the Salary Schedule for Temporary
Classifications that have minimum rates of pay below $14.00 per hour.
PAGE 2 OF 3 SUBJECT: Approve Amendments to the Classification Plans DATE: January 13, 2021
BACKGROUND (continued):
The Deputy Town Attorney classification became vacant in December 2020. As a result of the
vacancy, the Town Attorney’s Office reassessed the body of work within the Department to
determine if a Deputy Town Attorney classification is the best suited to complete the various
projects and tasks that are not an efficient use of the Town Attorney’s time or expertise.
DISCUSSION:
The Salary Schedule for Temporary Classifications contains four classifications that have a
minimum rate of pay that is less than $14.00 per hour: Clerical Aide Temp/Hourly, Facility
Attendant Temp/Hourly, Library Page Temp/Hourly, and Ticket Booth Attendant. One
employee is assigned to the Facility Attendant classification and nine employees are assigned to
the Library Page classification. Currently, there are not any employees assigned to the Clerical
Aide or Ticket Booth Attendant classifications. To remain in compliance with the State’s
minimum wage order, staff recommends increasing the Step 1 rate for the four classifications
to $14.00 per hour and maintaining the five percent (5%) differential between steps one
through six.
The outcome of the recent evaluation of duties in the Town Attorney’s Office determined that
reinstituting the classification of Legal Administrative Assistant is appropriate to address the
current and anticipated future needs within the Department. The Town previously used the
structure of a Town Attorney and Legal Administrative Assistant prior to the creation of the
Deputy Town Attorney classification in 2013. If approved, the Confidential classification of
Legal Administrative Assistant will be placed in a lower salary range than the current
Management Deputy Town Attorney classification. The salary savings resulting from the
change would allow the replacement of the vacant part-time Deputy Town Attorney position
with a full-time Legal Administrative Assistant position.
CONCLUSION:
As a result of the State’s hourly minimum wage increase to $14.00 effective January 1, 2021,
staff recommends an amendment to the temporary classification plan for those classifications
that have a minimum hourly rate of pay less than $14.00. Staff also recommends that the
Confidential classification plan be amended to add Legal Administrative Assistant and the
Management classification plan be amended to remove Deputy Town Clerk (Attachment 3).
FISCAL IMPACT:
The annual fiscal impact related to the minimum wage increase is anticipated to be minimal
(less than $3,500) and will be absorbed in the FY 2020/21 operating budget.
PAGE 3 OF 3 SUBJECT: Approve Amendments to the Classification Plans DATE: January 13, 2021
FISCAL IMPACT (continued):
The annual fiscal impact related to the addition of a full-time Legal Administrative Assistant and
the deletion of a part-time Deputy Town Clerk classification results in an anticipated budget
savings of $17,790.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
Attachments:
1. Temporary Classifications Salary Schedule
2. Confidential Classifications Salary Schedule
3. Town Council and Management Classifications Salary Schedule