Human Resources  
In June 2017, the Board approved retitling Employee Benefits Manager to Human Resources Manager-Exempt and adding a Human Resources Manager-Exempt position in the Personnel Services Unit, in part to increase flexibility and employee development opportunities. Retitling Personnel Services Supervisor to Human Resources Supervisor and abolishing the separate classification of Employee Benefits Supervisor aligns with this strategy.  
  
The Personnel Services Unit recently moved to a team-based structure to ensure continuity of service to departments. The Lead Human Resources Analysts will provide technical oversight and have responsibility for the day-to-day work and integrity of an assigned team. The work of these positions emphasizes coordination with others to increase efficiencies and meet the operational needs of County departments.  
  
A number of Human Resources-specific classifications are significantly below the median of our comparator agencies. Despite repeated recruitment and extensive outreach, the Department has been unsuccessful in recruiting qualified candidates, resulting in a 40% vacancy rate in Human Resources Consultant positions. The salary adjustments, including collapsing two Human Resources Consultant levels into one classification titled Human Resources Analyst, will bring the County closer to market.  
  
The Board of Supervisors authorized the addition of a Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) Administrator position in the Employee Benefits Division in the 2017/18 budget and authorized the establishment of the classification in December 2017 to provide the technical expertise and oversight needed to support the new functionality and increased complexity introduced with the upgrade to PeopleSoft 9.2 and implementation of Benefits Administration.  
  
Since that time, the Department has attempted to recruit but has received no applications from candidates who possess the required skillset. As a result, the County continues to rely on a consultant to backfill the position. This is not a sustainable solution.  
  
The HRIS Administrator is critical to the County’s ability to provide PeopleSoft functionality for benefits administration, workforce and salary management, and integration with other HRIS systems, including the County’s applicant tracking and onboarding system. Without a competitive salary, we have no reason to believe we would not continue to experience the same recruitment failures.  
  
The level of responsibility and qualifications of the HRIS Administrator align with the Business Systems Manager classification. Therefore, it is recommended that the salary be reallocated to match that of Business Systems Manager.  
  
Auditor-Controller  
The proposed actions affect represented and unrepresented classifications used solely in the Auditor-Controllers’ Office. The first action combines the represented Auditor I-II-III/Supervisor and Accountant I-II-III classification series into an Accountant-Auditor I-II-III/Supervising Accountant-Auditor series to provide more flexibility for staffing and cross-training purposes. The second action eliminates one of the Assistant County Auditor-Controller positions and reclassifies the remaining position from a three-step class (one merit step and two performance steps) to a standard five step range. Eligibility for the existing accounting differential is eliminated, which has the net effect of adding two five percent steps to the series and brings the classification closer to market median. The third action reallocates the represented classifications of the Payroll Technician series to recognize the increased level of difficulty resulting from the recent upgrade and modifications of the PeopleSoft system and provide a career ladder by enabling incumbents to count qualifying experience towards the accounting series. The final action reallocates the five-step unrepresented classification of Auditor-Controller Division Manager. Eligibility for the existing accounting differential is eliminated, which has the net effect of adding less than five percent to the series and brings the classification closer to market median.   
  
County Administrator  
The proposed actions add additional steps to the unrepresented Management Analyst and Labor Relation classifications. These classifications are used solely in divisions of the County Administrator’s Office (County Administration, Office of Reentry and Justice, Clerk of the Board, and Labor Relations). These classifications are significantly below the median of our comparator agencies. Despite repeated recruitment and extensive outreach, the Department has often been unsuccessful in recruiting qualified candidates. The salary adjustments include adding three new steps to the Management Analyst series, and two new steps to the Labor Relations series, which will bring the County closer to market and enhance current recruitments.  
  
Veterans Services  
The proposed action moves the unrepresented, single position classification of County Veterans’ Services Officer from a one-step class to a four-step class to recognize the increasing level of complexity regarding provision of benefits to veterans in Contra Costa County.

For long-term continuity, the actions are required to reduce dependency on outside consultants and to train, retain and recruit qualified applicants.