Los Angeles County Municipal Code Part 2 Physician Pay Plan

A.

"Demotion" means a decrease in a P or M schedule or a reduction from the M schedule to the P schedule.

B.

"Experience as a physician" means all physician experience except:

Experience as an intern; and

Experience in a residency necessary as a prerequisite to assignment in a medical specialty.

C.

"Intern" means a physician in the first year of postgraduate medical training.

D.

"Internship" means the first year of postgraduate medical training.

E.

"Management Physician" means any physician classification listed in Section 6.08.210 B.

F.

"Physician" means physicians generally.

G.

"Promotion" means an increase in a P or M schedule or an increase to an M schedule resulting from an appointment from one position to another position. A promotion sets a new step advance anniversary date.

H.

"Residency" means the period of postgraduate specialized medical training subsequent to the internship.

I.

"Resident" means a physician in the second and subsequent years of postgraduate specialized medical training.

J.

"Standby duty" means an off-duty period during which a physician is on-call and:

Available for immediate return to work via contact by telephone or electronic paging device or by such other means as may be approved by the appointing power; or

Away from the physician's regular work site but engaged in a telephone consultation or other actual work as a direct consequence of said on-call status.

(Ord. 2014-0020 § 4, 2014; Ord. 2006-0003 § 5, 2006; Ord. 2001-0074 § 1, 2001; Ord. 2001-0022 § 1, 2001; Ord. 2000-0071 § 5 (part), 2000.)

A.

Persons employed on any position whose salary is based on the Physician P Tables or Management Physician M Tables provided for in Section 6.26.030 of this code shall be compensated pursuant to the applicable provisions of Part 2 of this chapter and shall be placed on and moved to steps within the appropriate P or M range schedules as set forth in Sections 6.08.210, 6.08.220, and 6.08.230 unless stated otherwise in the respective Memorandum of Understanding.

B.

The Management Physician M Tables and Physician P Tables provided in Section 6.26.030 shall apply to positions compensated pursuant to those tables on the effective date shown for each table unless stated otherwise in the respective Memorandum of Understanding.

(Ord. 2014-0020 § 5, 2014; Ord. 2006-0003 § 6, 2006; Ord. 2001-0002 § 2, 2001; Ord. 2000-0071 § 5 (part), 2000.)

Physicians shall be compensated pursuant to the provisions of this Part 2 unless excluded by the terms of a specific provision within this Part 2.

(Ord. 2014-0020 § 6, 2014; Ord. 2001-0074 § 2, 2001; Ord. 2000-002 § 3, 2001; Ord. 2000-0071 § 5 (part), 2000.)

A.

Repealed.

B.

Compensation of Management Physicians.

Persons appointed to the classification of Medical Director I, MD (Item No. 5447) shall be compensated on Schedule Number 8 of the effective M Table.

The compensation of each Senior and Chief Physician shall be based on the medical specialty group which contains the specific medical specialty in which the physician is qualified to practice and does practice as the physician's principal assignment. The medical specialty groups are:

Group A, consisting of the following medical specialties: Preventive Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Dermatology, Emergency Medicine, Family Practice, Neurology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Psychiatry.

Group B, consisting of the following medical specialties: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pathology, Urology, Ophthalmology, General Surgery, Nuclear Medicine, Radiology, Otolaryngology, Neurosurgery, Anesthesiology, Orthopedics, Plastic Surgery, and Thoracic Surgery.

Group C, consisting of those physicians who currently practice no medical specialty.

Based on medical specialty group, Senior and Chief Physicians shall be compensated on the effective M schedule as indicated below:

(Ord. 2014-0020 § 7, 2014; Ord. 2013-0021 § 3, 2013; Ord. 2012-0058 § 1, 2012; Ord. 2012-0035 § 1, 2012; Ord. 2011-0046 § 8, 2011; Ord. 2008-0059 § 2, 2008; Ord. 2006-0003 § 7, 2006; Ord. 2004-0005 § 1, 2004; Ord. 2002-0001 § 1, 2002; Ord. 2001-0002 § 4, 2001; Ord. 2000-0071 § 5 (part), 2000.)

A.

Repealed.

B.

Repealed.

C.

Management Physicians. Any person appointed to Medical Director I, MD (Item No. 5447) who has less than one year of experience as a physician, exclusive of an internship and residency, shall be placed on Step 3 of the applicable schedule. Any person so appointed who has at least two years' experience as a physician, exclusive of an internship and residency, shall be placed one step higher in the range for each two years of such experience to a maximum of five additional steps.

D.

Repealed.

E.

Special Step Placement Provisions. At the request of the department head, the chief executive officer may approve the placement of any physician compensated pursuant to this Part 2 at any step of the appropriate schedule of the current Physician P or M Table, except that the rate shall not be lower than that provided in paragraph 1 of subsection B above.

F.

Manpower Shortage Ranges. A manpower shortage range is an alternative range which is at least one schedule, but not more than six schedules above the salary schedule established for a physician class in this Part 2 and any applicable monthly bonus which is established in this Part 2.

Determination of Range. When requested by the department head and the chief executive officer finds, after investigation, that a critical manpower shortage exists for certain positions within a physician classification, he may approve the establishment of a manpower shortage range.

Establishment of Range. The chief executive officer may establish such a manpower shortage range by authorizing the appointment of persons to specific positions within a classification at the specific alternate manpower shortage range designated by the chief executive officer.

Application of Range. The range may apply to a permanent or temporary position, regardless of whether it is compensated on a monthly, daily or hourly basis. The rate may apply to any type of appointment, such as original, promotion, reinstatement, except an appointment resulting from an involuntary demotion.

Effect on Filled Positions. A person already employed in a position to which a manpower shortage range applies, whose base rate is less than the established range, shall be advanced to the established range.

Step Advancement and Promotion. Persons receiving compensation pursuant to this section shall be entitled to step advancement and step placement upon promotion as designated by the chief executive officer.

Annual Review. At least once annually, the chief executive officer shall review all manpower shortage ranges and may discontinue the authority to appoint persons to a manpower shortage range if he finds that a critical manpower shortage no longer exists and the needs of the county have been met. The current rate of pay of any person already employed shall not be affected by such discontinuation; however, further advancement shall be limited to that fixed by this Part 2 for his position.

Not a Base Rate. Manpower shortage ranges approved pursuant to this section do not constitute a base rate.

(Ord. 2014-0020 § 8, 2014; Ord. 2004-0001 § 34, 2004; Ord. 2001-0074 § 3, 2001; Ord. 2000-0071 § 5 (part), 2000.)

A.

Repealed.

B.

Repealed.

C.

Any person appointed to a permanent position in a management physician classification listed in subsection B of Section 6.08.210 shall be advanced one step within the applicable range for each year of continuous service until the top step is

reached. Step advancement pursuant to this subsection C shall occur on the step advance anniversary date as defined in Section 6.08.270.

D.

Repealed.

E.

Notwithstanding subsection C of this section, any person for whom an "unsatisfactory" or "improvement needed" performance evaluation has been filed with the director of personnel shall not be granted a step advancement until a "competent" or better rating is filed.

(Ord. 2014-0020 § 9, 2014; Ord. 2001-0074 § 4, 2001; Ord. 2000-0071 § 5 (part), 2000.)

A.

Critical Shortage. When the Chief Executive Officer finds, after investigation, that an existing or impending critical shortage exists in a medical or surgical specialty, he shall submit his findings to the Board of Supervisors and may recommend the establishment of a recruitment rate for a position compensated pursuant to Section 6.08.210 which does not exceed twice the rate established for the position under Section 6.28.050 of this code.

B.

Home Care Compensation. Whenever it is medically required for a physician to provide medical services in a patient's home during other than his normally scheduled workday, his total compensation shall be $30.00 per home call. Payment for such services requires approval by the chief executive officer.

C.

Overtime Compensation.

Subject to the prior authorization by the chief executive officer, whenever it is medically required for a physician to be assigned by his department head to perform overtime work in excess of his workweek or workday and such work is performed at a county medical facility, he shall be compensated at his straight-time rate as defined in Section 6.15.060 unless he qualifies for the rate set forth in paragraph 2 of this subsection C or in subsection B above. All overtime shall be recorded at the physician's regular work location even though the overtime may be worked at some other work location. In such instances, the medical directors at both work locations shall agree in advance to the overtime at the second location. Upon approval of the department head, a physician may accumulate compensatory time off in lieu of paid overtime on an hour-for-hour basis, to a maximum of 240 hours at any one time in a calendar year. 144 hours of such compensatory time off may be deferred to the next calendar year during which any time not used with the permission of the department head shall be lost.

In the case of physicians employed in the class of Physician, MD, OT (Item No. 5421) who are required to perform overtime work in comprehensive health clinics, or public health clinics, the rate of pay shall be the higher of the physician's straight- time rate or $36.40 per hour.

Unused compensatory time off accrued during the period October 1, 1993 through June 30, 1994 shall be paid to the employee at the straight-time rate as defined in Section 6.15.060 in effect as of the date of payment, at the employee's option, on or after August 1, 1995, or upon termination from county service.

D.

Standby Compensation.

Except as provided in subsections D2 and 3, whenever a Physician is assigned to standby duty as defined in Section 6.08.190 J, he shall receive $7.30 per hour during said assignment. Such compensation shall constitute said Physician's total compensation during said assignment. Assignment to standby duty requires the prior annual authorization of the chief executive officer. Effective March 1, 2019, the standby rate for a Physician in the Department of Health Services shall be $10.00 per hour. All other Physicians shall receive a standby rate of $7.67 per hour.

Repealed.

Whenever a physician is assigned to standby duty in connection with the Home Care Program, he shall receive $25.00 for each 12 hours, or major portion thereof, of such duty. Such compensation shall constitute said physician's total compensation during said assignment, irrespective of whether or not said standby duty results in a return to the work site, a visit to a patient's home, or a telephone consultation. Assignment to said standby duty requires the prior annual authorization of the chief executive officer.

E.

Special Compensation Limitations.

No combination of pay under the provisions of subsections B, C, and/or D of this section shall exceed 60 percent of a physician's base monthly salary, calculated twice each month; once for the period of the first through the 15th of the month, and once for the period of the 16th through the end of the month.

In no event shall a physician receive compensation for overtime during a period of standby duty.

F.

Promotion.

Any person employed in the classification of Physician Specialist, MD (Item No. 5477), Senior Physician, MD (Item No. 5478), Chief Physician I, MD (Item No. 5479), Chief Physician II, MD (Item No. 5480), and Chief Physician III, MD (Item No. 5481) who receives a promotion as defined in Section 6.08.190 of this code, shall be placed on the step in the M Schedule for the higher-level classification that provides an increase in salary over the salary in the lower level classification to which he was entitled based upon experience only, which is equivalent to the number of steps listed below:

Repealed.

All other persons promoted to a higher-level position in accordance with the Physician Pay Plan shall be placed on the step in the appropriate P range which provides an increase in salary.

Repealed.

G.

Reinstatement. When an employee is reinstated following separation from county service he shall be initially step-placed pursuant to the provisions of this Part 2 of Chapter 6.08 as if he were entering county service for the first time. The date of reinstatement shall set a new anniversary date.

H.

Additional Salary for Certain Physicians. Any physician compensated pursuant to Section 6.08.200, who is employed in the eligible classes listed below and is also assigned to one of the eligible medical specialties listed below, during such assignment, shall receive an additional flat monthly amount equal to three percent of the step on the appropriate P or M Schedule provided by this Part 2. The rate established by this provision shall constitute a base rate.

Additional Salary for Psychiatrists. Any physician compensated pursuant to Section 6.08.200, who is employed in the eligible classes listed below and is also assigned to work as a medical specialist in psychiatry, during such assignment, shall receive an additional flat monthly amount equal to four percent of the step on the appropriate P or M Schedule provided by this Part 2. The rate established by this provision shall constitute a base rate.

Eligible Classes

Senior Physician, MD (Item No. 5478)

Chief Physician I, MD (Item No. 5479)

Chief Physician II, MD (Item No. 5480)

Chief Physician III, MD (Item No. 5481)

J.

Additional Salary for Certain Physicians. Any physician compensated pursuant to Section 6.08.200, who is employed in the eligible classes listed below and is also assigned to one of the eligible medical specialties listed below, during such assignment, shall receive an additional flat monthly amount equal to 5.75 percent of the step on the appropriate P or M Schedule provided by this Part 2. The rate established by this provision shall constitute a base rate.

K.

Additional Compensation for Certain Physicians. Notwithstanding any other provision of the County Code, effective beginning on the date persons holding positions in the classes of Physician, MD and Physician Specialist MD cease to be eligible for matching contributions pursuant to Chapter 5.23 of the County Code, any physician compensated pursuant to Sections 6.08.210, 6.78.350 L or 6.86.020 C of the County Code shall receive additional compensation equal to three percent of the physician's current pay rate. The rate established by this provision shall constitute a base rate.

L.

Additional Salary for Forensic Pathologists. Any physician compensated pursuant to Section 6.08.200, who is employed as a permanent employee in the eligible classes listed below and who is also assigned to work in the medical specialty of pathology as a forensic pathologist in the Department of Coroner, during such assignment, shall receive an additional flat monthly amount equal to three percent of the step on the appropriate P or M Schedule provided by this Part 2. The rate established by this provision shall constitute a base rate.

Eligible Classes

Senior Physician, MD (Item No. 5478)

Chief Physician I, MD (Item No. 5479)

Chief Physician II, MD (Item No. 5480)

Chief Physician III, MD (Item No. 5481)

M.

Placement in Salary Range. By specific action, the board of supervisors or the chief executive officer may provide for salary placement of a physician at any rate within the established Salary Range for the position which he/she holds.

(Ord. 2019-0043 § 1, 2019; Ord. 2016-0024 § 1, 2016; Ord. 2014-0020 § 10, 2014; Ord. 2008-0059 § 3, 2008; Ord. 2006- 0084 § 20, 2006; Ord. 2005-0047 § 2, 2005; Ord. 2002-0104 § 1, 2002; Ord. 2002-0001 § 2, 2002; Ord. 2001-0074 § 5, 2001; Ord. 2000-0071 § 5 (part), 2000.)

A.

Any persons appointed to the position of Senior Physician, MD (Item No. 5478), Chief Physician I, MD (Item No. 5479), Chief Physician II, MD (Item No. 5480), and Chief Physician III, MD (Item No. 5481), who has obtained certification by the appropriate American Medical Specialty Board in the specialty to which he is assigned, shall receive additional compensation as follows:

Repealed.

A flat-rate monthly bonus equal to 5.5 percent of the step on the appropriate P or M Schedule to which they are entitled based upon experience. Such bonus shall only be given for certification in one specialty. Such compensation shall not be effective before the first day of the month in which the department head notifies the chief executive officer of his eligibility for such credit.

B.

In lieu of obtaining certification by the American Board of Emergency Medicine, any person appointed on or before June 30, 1981 to the position of Senior Physician, MD (Item No. 5478), Chief Physician I, MD (Item No. 5479), Chief Physician II, MD (Item No. 5480), or Chief Physician III, MD (Item No. 5481), who is assigned to emergency medicine, and, has completed three years of specialized experience in emergency medicine, shall receive a flat monthly bonus equal to 5.5 percent of the step on the appropriate P or M Schedule to which he is entitled based upon experience. In no event shall persons appointed to emergency medicine on or after July 1, 1981, receive a bonus pursuant to this subsection.

C.

Any person appointed to the position of Medical Director I, MD (Item No. 5447); Medical Director II, MD (Item No. 5449); Medical Director II, MD (UC) (Item No. 5450); and Medical Director III, MD (UC) (Item No. 5452) shall receive a flat rate monthly bonus pursuant to one of the following:

For one year of experience in any residency, 2.75 percent of the step on the appropriate M Schedule to which he is entitled based upon experience;

For two years of experience in any residency, 5.5 percent of the step on the appropriate M Schedule to which he is entitled based upon experience;

For three or more years of experience in any residency, 8.25 percent of the step on the appropriate M Schedule to which he is entitled based upon experience.

D.

A physician in the department of health services assigned to act in the absence of the medical director of a hospital shall receive a flat-rate monthly bonus equal to 5.5 percent of the step on the appropriate P or M Schedule to which he is entitled based upon experience. No more than one such assignment may be made in each hospital. Such assignment requires prior annual authorization of the Chief Deputy Director, Health Services, Clinical & Medical Affairs (UC) (Item No. 4552) and the chief executive officer.

E.

Any physician who is appointed in accordance with this Part 2 of Chapter 6.08 who is assigned to work at the Los Angeles High Desert Health System and who was so assigned prior to January 1, 1986, shall receive a flat monthly bonus equal to 8.25 percent of the step on the appropriate P or M Schedule to which he is entitled based upon experience; provided, however, that in no event shall a physician receive said bonus if he is receiving compensation pursuant to Section 6.08.240 or 6.10.050.

F.

Repealed.

G.

Any person who ceases to be eligible for any credit provided in this Section 6.08.250 shall cease to receive said credit.

(Ord. 2014-0020 § 11, 2014; Ord. 2011-0046 § 9, 2011; Ord. 2008-0059 § 4, 2008; Ord. 2004-0005 § 2, 2004; Ord. 2002- 0001 § 3, 2002; Ord. 2001-0002 § 6, 2002; Ord. 2000-0071 § 5 (part), 2000.)

A.

Step Advance Anniversary Date. A step advance anniversary date shall be the date that an employee, paid pursuant to this Part 2 of Chapter 6.08, last received a step advance.

When a person's date for step advancement based on experience as described herein is between the first and the 15th of the month, such step advancement shall be made on the first day of that month, and if the date for said step advancement is between the 16th and the end of the month, such step advancement shall be made on the first of the following month.

B.

Special Credit Date.

When a person is to receive a credit for any reason described in Section 6.08.250, such credit shall be effective on the first of the month if eligibility for such credit is between the first and the 15th of the month, and shall be effective on the first of the following month if eligibility for such credit is between the 16th and the end of the month.

Effective with the pay period ending April 15, 2012, and upon notification to the Board of Supervisors by the Chief Executive Officer that the human resources management system implementing this provision is fully operational, credit for any reason as described in Section 6.08.250 shall be effective on the actual date of eligibility. Persons with special credit dates set according to the rules in effect prior to the 2012 system implementation shall retain those dates for their respective positions.

(Ord. 2016-0004 § 12, 2016; Ord. 2012-0017 § 15, 2012; Ord. 2000-0071 § 5, 2000.)

A.

Upon authorization of the chief executive officer, any physician compensated under this Part 2 of Chapter 6.08 shall be allowed time necessary to be absent from work at his regular pay to participate in seminars, conferences and other professional forums, provided such participation is otherwise in accordance with procedures established in the department of health services' Salary Only Travel Plan approved by the board of supervisors.

B.

Repealed.

C.

Notwithstanding subsection A above, department provided in-service training shall not count towards the training day limitations on continuing medical education specified in those subsections; however, travel time to and from such continuing medical education shall be counted against those limitations on a day-for-day basis.

(Ord. 2014-0020 § 13, 2014; Ord. 2002-0104 § 2, 2002; Ord. 2001-0074 § 6, 2001; Ord. 2000-0071 § 5 (part), 2000.)

Persons paid in accordance with the provisions of this Part 2 of Chapter 6.08 shall not hold more than one county position, except as otherwise approved by the chief executive officer.

(Ord. 2014-0020 § 14, 2014; Ord. 2005-0047 § 4, 2005; Ord. 2000-071 § 5, 2000.)