California City Municipal Code Art. 1 General

This chapter contains rules affecting employees individually and collectively.

( Ord. No. 14-725 , § 1, 10-21-2014)

Employees shall perform work assigned by the managers of their department. Employees may recommend ways to improve the efficiency of the City by working through the chain of command.

( Ord. No. 14-725 , § 1, 10-21-2014)

The following terms are defined for the purposes of this chapter:

(a) "Confidential employee" means an employee privy to the decisions of management affecting employee relations.

(b) "Consult or Consultation" means to communicate verbally or in writing to present and obtain views or advise of intended action.

(c) "Competitive service" means persons engaged to work for the City, except:

(1) Independent contractors;

(2) Management officials;

(3) Volunteers;

(4) Persons hired for the duration of an emergency; .

(5) Part-time employees; and

(6) Provisionally appointed employees.

(d) "Employee" means a permanent full-time employee.

(e) "Employee organization" means an organization which includes employees of the City and has as one of its primary purposes representing such employees in their relations with the City.

(f) "Fact finding" means identification of major issues in a dispute, review of the positions of the parties, resolution of factual differences by one or more impartial fact finders and, the making of recommendations to the Council for settlement. Fact finding shall furthermore be governed as provided in state law.

(g) "Grievance" means dispute concerning the interpretation or application of this Article, a written memorandum of understanding, rules and regulations governing personnel practices, or working conditions. A dispute concerning an initial or renewed memorandum of understanding does not constitute a grievance.

(h) "Impasse" means a deadlock in negotiations between a recognized employee organization and the City over a matter required to be negotiated over the scope or the subject matter of negotiations.

(i) "Management representative" means the City Manager or authorized representative.

(j) "Mediation" means efforts by an impartial third party, functioning as an intermediary, to assist the parties in reaching a voluntary resolution of an impasse through suggestion and advice.

(k) "Memorandum of Understanding" means a written document prepared by the parties incorporating matters on which agreement is reached following negotiations. The memorandum shall be presented to the Council for determination.

(l) "Negotiation" means the performance by management representatives and duly authorized representatives of recognized employee organizations of their mutual obligation to meet at reasonable times and confer in good faith with respect to wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment and includes the mutual obligation to execute a memorandum of understanding incorporating any agreement reached to be presented to the Council for determination. This obligation does not compel either party to agree to a proposal or make a concession.

(m) "Professional employee" means any employee engaged in work which is:

(1) Predominantly intellectual and varied in character as opposed to routine mental, manual, mechanical, or physical work;

(2) Involving the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment in its performance;

(3) Of such a character that the output cannot be standardized in relation to a given period of time; and

(4) Requiring knowledge of an advanced type in a field of science or learning requiring a prolonged course of specialized instruction and study in an institution of higher learning.

(n) "Recognized employee organization" means an employee organization formally certified by the City as representing a majority of the employees in a particular representational unit.

(o) "Representational unit or units" means a grouping of employee classifications for the purpose of establishing the employee classifications the subject of a particular negotiation.

(p) "Safety personnel" means persons employed by the police department or fire department as peace officers or fire fighters, respectively.

( Ord. No. 14-725 , § 1, 10-21-2014)

Personnel Rules shall be adopted by resolution after at least five (5) days prior notice.

( Ord. No. 14-725 , § 1, 10-21-2014)

Volunteer members of the Police or Fire Department reserves are employees only for workers' compensation coverage. Other volunteers are employees only for workers' compensation purposes if the volunteer is identified in writing by the City and the volunteer agrees to such coverage before activities commence.

( Ord. No. 14-725 , § 1, 10-21-2014)

Salary and benefits for employees shall be negotiated annually and set forth in memoranda of understanding.

( Ord. No. 14-725 , § 1, 10-21-2014)

(a) City personnel, including the Council, Commissioners, Board members and Employees, whether full-time, part-time, temporary, contract or otherwise, shall be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred on City business at the direction of the Council or City Manager.

(b) An expense reimbursement policy shall be established by resolution of the Council, and may be amended from time to time. All requests for reimbursement shall be submitted in compliance with the reimbursement policy, shall utilize the City's reimbursement form, and be supported by written documentation. Any requests for reimbursement of an expense not paid in advance by the City, shall be reviewed by the City Manager for compliance with this section before it is paid.

(c) The Council shall approve the budget for expense reimbursement for officers and employees, including elected officers. The City Manager shall approve specific requests for expense reimbursement for officers and employees other than elected officials. Except in the case of emergencies threatening the health, welfare or safety of the City, expense reimbursement shall not be paid without prior Council approval.

(d) Arrangements for expense reimbursement shall be made with the City Manager, or his designee, at least three working days prior to leaving the City, unless for good cause the City Manager deems is in the best interest of the City to allow a later request. The officer or employee shall provide the Finance Officer with a complete accounting of expenses, including expenses paid in advance, and shall refund any excess advance payment within ten days after the event.

( Ord. No. 14-725 , § 1, 10-21-2014)

(a) The Council hereby declares that it desires to qualify to receive aid from the State pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 1 of Title 4 of Part 4 of the Penal Code of the State.

(b) Pursuant to the provisions of Section 13522 of said Chapter 1, the City, while receiving aid from the State pursuant to said Chapter 1, shall adhere to the standards for recruitment and training established by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.

( Ord. No. 14-725 , § 1, 10-21-2014)