Agenda

Return

C. 19

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Kathy Gallagher, Employment & Human Services Director
Date:	January 19, 2021

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Establish Child Nutrition Cook and Child Nutrition Assistant Project classes; allocate it in the salary schedule; Abolish Child Nutrition Series

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 01/19/2021

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:	Eva Gaipa, DHRA II, 925.608-5024
cc:	Eva Gaipa

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: January 19, 2021
,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

ADOPT Position Resolution No. 25666 to establish the Child Nutrition Cook-Project at salary plan and grade QH5 0632 ($3,235-$3,932) and Child Nutrition Assistant-Project at salary plan and grade QH5 0295 ($3,023-$3,675) classifications and allocate salaries in the salary schedule; Abolish Child Nutrition Worker I-Project (98W1), Child Nutrition Worker II-Project (98G1), and Child Nutrition Worker III-Project (98G2) classes; Reclassify positions #1055 and #1225 and incumbents to Child Nutrition Cook-Project; Reclassify positions #1060, #12165, #1059, and incumbents to Child Nutrition Assistant-Project in the Employment and Human Services Department, Community Services Bureau.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Upon approval, this action has an annual cost of approximately $76,755 based on the number of budgeted positions in the department. The costs for the incremental wage and fringe benefits increase is entirely offset with 100% Head Start/Early Head Start and Early Head Start Childcare Partnership revenues. This action has no impact to county general fund.

FISCAL IMPACT: (CONT'D)

Specifically, the annual incremental salary and fringe benefits increase for the Child Nutrition Worker I-Project (per position) is $17,384 and for the Child Nutrition Worker III to be reclassified as a Child Nutrition Cook-Project (per position) is $12,301. The Child Nutrition Worker II classification is eliminated as a result of collapsing the classification into the new Child Nutrition Cook classification and therefore has no direct fiscal impact

BACKGROUND:

Contra Costa County employers are currently offering more competitive salaries for both entry level and skilled food service positions making it difficult to fill vacancies and retain staff due to the high cost of living in the Bay Area and the current below-median salaries of these classifications. In October 2018 the Family and Human Services Committee requested the county to conduct classification and compensation studies for twelve (12) classifications in Employment and Human Services Department (EHSD), Community Services Bureau (CSB). The main reasons for this request were the lack of staffing and feedback received for candidates that the salary was too low to accept the position offered and feedback from resigning staff that they could no longer afford to hold the position while living in the area. In addition, there are Head Start salary studies which confirmed that the average salaries of some of our Head Start services support classifications are lower in comparison to other regional agencies. In March 2020 Human Resources completed the classification and compensation studies within the nine Bay Area and adjacent counties; the studies recommended varying levels of salary increases for 8 of the 12 classifications to bring them up to median market, livable, and competitive salary levels. Human Resources additionally recommends collapsing Child Nutrition Worker II and Child Nutrition Worker III classifications into one Child Nutrition Cook classification due to the similar job descriptions and minimum qualifications. For this purpose, the department is submitting this P300 Board Order Request addressing the three (3) classifications of Child Nutrition Worker I-Project (98W1); Child Nutrition Worker II-Project (98G1); and Child Nutrition Worker III-Project (98G2). Hence, the proposed salary increases and the collapsing of Child Nutrition Worker II –Project and Child Nutrition III-Project levels into one Child Nutrition Cook-Project job classification are aligned with Human Resources Compensation Salary Studies and resulting recommendation by Human Resources staff. Full and robust staffing ensures compliance with strict child nutrition mandates of state and federal funders. The proposed adjustment and reallocation of the above salaries will support improved recruitment, hiring and retention efforts.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If this action is not approved, CSB will continue to be at high risk for vacancies and high turn-over in these positions that are essential to child nutrition unit operation and required services, which will place the program in non-compliance for meeting state regulations and federal funder requirements to provide daily nutritional requirements for the children.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

The Community Services Bureau of the EHSD's Head Start, Early Head Start and Early Head Start Childcare Partnership programs support three (3) of Contra Costa County's community outcomes - Outcome 1: Children Ready for and Succeeding in School, Outcome 3: Families that are Economically Self-sufficient, and Outcome 4: Families that are Safe, Stable, and Nurturing. These outcomes are achieved by offering comprehensive services, including high quality early childhood education, nutrition, and health services to low-income children throughout Contra Costa County.