SR 10-24-2023 5K
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: October 24, 2023
Agenda Item: 5.K
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Lori Gentles, Chief People Officer, Human Resources Department
Subject: Adoption of a Resolution Revising Executive Pay Plan (EPP) to Provide for
Relocation Allowance Benefit
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt the attached Resolution authorizing the City Manager to revise the
Executive Pay Plan (EPP) to provide for a relocation allowance benefit.
2. Adopt a finding of categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15324 (Class 24
Regulations of Working Conditions) of the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) Guidelines.
Summary
The Executive Pay Plan (EPP) covers the City’s key management staff comprised of
Department Directors and other executive level employees who are among the few City
staff not represented by a labor union. The EPP was most recently updated for a three-
year term from July 1, 2022- June 30, 2025. The EPP recognizes the contributions of
these executive level unrepresented employees while promoting and providing
harmonious relations, cooperation, and understanding between the City and the EPP
participants. The City Manager proposes a revision to the EPP to allow for relocation
assistance to new employees covered under the Plan for the purpose of improving
recruitment efficacy.
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Discussion
The Executive Pay Plan (EPP) establishes terms and conditions of employment for
Department Directors and other at-will employees who receive EPP benefits as part of
their separate employment contracts. While there is a current expiration date of the
current plan, and amendments typically occur as changes are made to negotiated
agreements with other employee bargaining units, terms of the EPP may also be
amended as needed.
The overall policy of the City has been to maintain competitive benefits and working
conditions in a high-cost geographic labor market to retain and attract a high-quality
workforce to serve our community across a wide range of specialized services. One
area of executive-level benefits which can improve the City’s competitiveness in the
labor market, and which is not currently offered, is relocation assistance. In order to
improve the City’s ability to attract highly qualified candidates from outside the region,
staff recommends adding a one-time relocation benefit of up to $15,000 for EPP
employees new to the City. This reimbursement would be based on a candidate’s need
to relocate to the Los Angeles area and include items such as typical moving expenses,
temporary housing and travel costs.
Environmental Review
The benefit changes provided are categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15324
(Class 24 Regulations of Working Conditions) of the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA) Guidelines. Class 24 consists of actions taken by regulatory agencies to
regulate employee wages, hours of work, or working conditions where there will be no
demonstrable physical changes outside the place of work.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
The estimated cost of the changes contained in the Executive Pay Plan presented in
this report are dependent upon where candidates currently reside. In consideration of
the known and anticipated executive-level recruitments to be administered this current
fiscal year, the amount may be up to $45,000. No budget action is required at this time.
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The costs associated with this one-time relocation benefit would be absorbed by the
corresponding department’s current Fiscal Year 2023-25 Budget.
Prepared By: Sarah Rebensdorf, Senior Human Resources Analyst
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. HR-Res-EPP-10-24-23
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City Council Meeting: October 24, 2023 Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER
TO REVISE THE EXECUTIVE PAY PLAN
WHEREAS, on October 24, 2023, a revised Executive Pay Plan was presented to
the City Council of the City of Santa Monica for consideration;
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Pay Plan is to promote and provide harmonious
relations, cooperation, and understanding between the City and participants of the
Executive Pay Plan;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council of the City of Santa Monica hereby approves and
authorizes the City Manager to execute the revised Executive Pay Plan (FY2022-2025),
to add a relocation assistance benefit.
SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and
thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
DOUGLAS SLOAN
City Attorney
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Packet Pg. 206 Attachment: HR-Res-EPP-10-24-23 (6074 : EPP Relocation Allowance)