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HomeMy WebLinkAboutContracts & Agreements_106-2026MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN CITY OF REDLANDS AND Redlands Association Of Fire Management Employees J U LY 11 2026 - J U N E 3% 2029 MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING 0E f'tVEEN City of Redlands AND Redlands Association of Fire Management Employees July 1. 2026 - june 30, 2029 Table of Contents Article1: Term Of Agreement......................................................................................................--....................3 Article2: Preamble...............................................................................................................................................3 Article3: Recognition........................................................................................................................... .3 Article4: Management Rights..............................................................................................................................3 Article5: Salaries..................................................................................................................................................3 Article6: Retirement............................................................................................................................................4 Article7: Medical Insurance.................................................................................................................................4 Article8: Vision Care............................................................................................................................................5 Article9: Dental Insurance.................................................................................................................................-5 Article10: LifeInsurance........................................................................................................................................5 Article 11: Deferred Compensation................................................................................................... ...................6 Article 12: Educational Incentive............................................................................................................................6 Article13: Certification Pay.............................................................................................................. ..........6 Article14: Uniform Allowance.......................................................................................................................... .....6 Article15: Bilingual Pay.................................................................................................... ............. ..........6 Article 16: Incident Accommodations....................................................................................................................6 Article17: Longevity Pay........................................................................................................................................6 Article18: Shift Exchange.......................................................................................................................................7 Article 19: Shift Differential Pay for Fire Members................................................................................................7 Article20: Holidays.................................................................................................................................................7 Article21: Sick Leave..............................................................................................................................................8 Article 22: Defined Contribution & Contribution Plans.........................................................................................8 Arficle23: Vacation.......................................................................................................................................9 Article 24: Bereavement Leave..............................................................................................................................9 Article 25: Personal Leave......................................................................................................................................9 Article 26: Executive Leave.....................................................................................................................................9 Article 27: Compensatory Time Off And Overtime................................................................................................9 Article28: Workweek...........................................................................................................................................10 Article 29: Fire Battalion Chief Staffing ...............................................................................................................10 Article30: No Strike Provisions............................................................................................................................10 Article 31: Prevailing Benefits....................................................... ...............................................................10 Article32: Savings Clause....................................................................................................................................10 Article 33: Equivalent Benefits........................................................................................ Article34: Death Of Employee.............................................................................................................................10 Article35: Drop Program............................................................................................................... ..11 City of Redlands & Redlands Association of Fire Management Employees MOU-2026-2029 Page 2 Article 36: Zipper Clause Article 37: Signature...... Article 1: TERM OF AGREEMENT ..............11 ..............11 Except where expressly stated otherwise herein, the City of Redlands ("City") and the Redlands Association of Fire Management Employees ("Association") agreethatthe provisions of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) shall become effective on July 1, 2026 and shall expire on June 30, 2029. Article 2: PREAMBLE It is the intent and purpose of this MOU to set forth the understanding of the parties reached as a result of meeting and conferring in good faith regarding, but not limited to, matters relating to the wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment between the City and the Association. Article 3: RECOGNITION The Association is the recognized employee organization for the personnel employed in the Fire Department occupying the classifications of Fire Battalion Chief and Deputy Fire Chief. Article 4: MANAGEMENT RIGHTS The authority of the City includes the exclusive right to determine the mission of its constituent departments, commissions and boards; set standards of service; determine the procedures and standards of selection for employment and promotion; direct its employees; take disciplinary action; relieve its employees from duty because of lack of work or for other legitimate reasons; maintain the efficiency of work or for other legitimate reasons; maintain the efficiency of governmental operations; determine the methods, means and personnel by which government operations are to be conducted; determine the content of job classifications; take all necessary actions to carry out its mission in emergencies; exercise complete control and discretion over its organization and the technology of performing its work, provided, however, that the exercise and retention of such rights does not preclude employees or their representatives from meeting and conferring on the effects that decisions on these matters may have on wages, hours and working conditions. Article 5: SALARIES All Unit members will receive the following salary increases: A. Effective the first pay period following approval and adoption of this Agreement: All members will receive a base salary increase of 7%. B. Effective the first pay period following July 1, 2027: All members will receive a base salary increase of 3%. C. Effective the first pay period following July 1, 2028: All members will receive a base salary increase of 3%. D. Salary Range Restructure: a. Effective the first full pay period after July 1, 2026, the City shall eliminate Step 0 and Step 1 on the salary range for each classification. Employees on Step 0 or 1 at that time shall immediately be placed on the new Step 1. For those employees being advanced to new Step 1, service hours for the purpose of receiving their next merit increase shall not reset. b, Effective the first full pay period after July 1, 2026, the City shall establish three new steps (Steps 5, 6, & 7) at the top of the salary range for each classification. Each of the new steps shall be two and a half percent (2.5%) higher than the preceding step. c. Advancement to the new Steps 5, 6, & 7 shall continue to occur upon an employee's anniversary date. City of Redlands & Redlands Association of Fire Management Employees MOU - 2026-2029 Page 3 Unit members shall not receive any increase to base salary or other compensation during the term of this MOU, other than those increases and compensation expressly set forth in this MOU. Further, all Unit members are responsible for the employee contribution to Social Security and Medicare. The salary ranges for unit classifications shall be set to the closest rage that ensures a minimum salary differential between unit classifications as follows: Between Captain and Battalion Chief 15% Between Battalion Chief and Deputy Chief 21% Between Deputy Chief and Chief 13% Article 6: RETIREMENT A. Only as to unit members hired by the City in any role prior to January 1, 2013 ("Classic Members"), the City shall individually provide the following provisions in its contract with the PERS retirement system: 1. 3% @ 50 Retirement Formula 2. Survivor Continuance 3. Highest Single Year 4. All classic unit members, including those employed by the City prior January 1, 2013, shall individually pay the Government Code section 20678 CALPERS Local Safety Member Contribution as follows: 9% of "compensation" as defined in the Government Code. The Public Employees' Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) and application to PEPRA defined "New Members". Unit members who are "new members" as defined by the PEPRA (California Government Code section 7522.04(f)), shall be required to pay a PIERS member contribution in an amount equal to 50% of the normal cost rate for the Defined Benefit Plan provided for by PEPRA, in which the new member is enrolled, rounded to the nearest quarter of 1%, or the current contribution rate of similarly situated employees, whichever is greater, pursuant to Government Code section 7522.30. Those new members shall be enrolled in the 2.7% at 57 benefit plan, as provided for in Government Code section 7522.25(f), with a final compensation measurement period of 36 consecutive months as set forth in Government Code Section 7522.32(a), and their retirement benefits shall be calculated based on "pensionable compensation" (Section 7522.10) rather than compensation earnable (Section 20636). To the extent permitted by law, retirement contributions herein made by the employees shall be made on a pre-tax basis. The City shall report to CalPERS as compensation only the percent, if any, of the member contribution funded by the City. Article 7: HEVICAL INSURANCE A. The City shall contribute directly to CalPERS on behalf of each employee three hundred and ninety- seven dollars ($397.00) per month pursuant to Resolution No. 4572, adopted by the City Council on September 5, 1989. In addition, the City shall contribute an amount through the City's cafeteria plan that is equal to the difference between the City's minimum contribution and the following amounts effective July 1, 2026: Employee Only $900 Employee +1 $1,700 City of Redlands & Redlands Association of Fire Management Employees MOU - 2026-2029 Page 4 Family $2,200 B. City contributions to the cafeteria plan may be used toward available cafeteria benefits, including City medical plan premiums, flexible spending account, and post -employment health plan. C. The city agrees to provide a stipend of $350.00 on a monthly basis for those employees with alternative medical coverage who opt for the stipend in lieu of the medical insurance benefit. D. RETIREE HEALTH 1. For all unit members who qualify as an "annuitant" under PEMHCA, the City will contribute directly to CalPLRS on behalf of each annuitant three hundred and ninety-seven dollars ($397) per month pursuant to Resolution No. 4572, adopted by the City Council on September 5, 1989. 2. For unit members hired prior to October 16, 2012, upon service or disability retirement underthe PIERS retirement plan, or in the event of the death of an employee prior to retirement, employees who have served a minimum of fifteen (15) years of services with the City of Redlands and who qualify as annuitants under PEMHCA, the City shall contribute to a retiree health savings account the difference between the PEMHCA minimum and the cost of medical, dental and vision insurance premiums for the employee, spouse and eligible dependents ("lifetime health insurance") under the Association's current medical insurance program existing at the time of retirement. Lifetime health insurance shall be at no cast to the retired employee and shall cover the employee and eligible dependents. The plan shall be equal to that provided from time to time to fulltime employees. Lifetime health insurance includes medical, dental, vision care as provided in the unit MOU. Unit members hired on and/or after October 16, 2012, shall be ineligible to receive this post - retirement benefit. 3. Unit members hired after October 16, 2012 who achieve fifteen (15) years of service and who qualify as an annuitant under PEMHCA shall be entitled to a "medical bridge" program for themselves upon retirement from the City until they become Medicare -eligible. Under the "Medical Bridge," the City will contribute the difference between the PEMHCA minimum and the cost of employee -only coverage for the least expensive equivalent health, vision and dental insurance plan as provided by the City to its then existing unit members through the CalPERS medical plan until the annuitant reaches the age of Medicare eligibility at which time the benefit will cease and annuitants will only receive the PEMHCA minimum contribution. Unit members who receive the medical bridge program can select coverage for dependents, however, the additional cost must be paid for by the annuitant and will not be paid for by the City. Article 8: VISION CARE The City agrees to contribute the entire monthly premium for Association employees and their eligible dependents for a vision insurance plan with Medical Eye Services, or its equivalent. Article 9: DENTAL. INSURANCE The City shall pay the full monthly premium for dental insurance under the Principal Financial dental plan, or its equivalent, for Association employees and all eligible dependents. Article 10: LIFE INSURANCE The City provides Association employees with $25,000 of life insurance. Employees may also purchase additional increments of life insurance at the City's group rate. City of Redlands & Redlands Association of Fire Management Employees MOU - 2026-2029 Page 5 Article 11: DEFERRED EoN1nwTIoN Each January, the City of Redlands shall make an annual contribution to deferred compensation on behalf of each Association employee in the amount of up to $1125 per year + 3% of gross annual salary. The full contribution amount shall be provided based on a complete one year of service in the preceding year. For new Unit employees and employees transferring into the Unit, the amount shall be prorated on a monthly basis for period of service within Unit in the preceding year. In the event that an employee leaves the Unit, they shall receive a final contribution in a prorated amount of up to $1,125 + 3% of salary based on their period of service in their final year in the Unit and shall not receive an additional contribution in January. Article 12: EDucATIONAL INCENTIVE Unit members in the classification of Battalion Chief will qualify for a 10% increase in base salary upon submitting satisfactory proof of completion of a Bachelor's degree (i.e., official transcripts). Existing unit members as of the adoption of the 2023-2026 Memorandum of Understanding are eligible for a 7.5% increase in base salary upon submitting satisfactory proof of completing of an Associate's degree (i.e., official transcripts). Unit members in the classification of Deputy Fire Chief will qualify for a 10% increase in base salary upon submitting satisfactory proof of completion of a Master's degree (i.e., official transcripts). Article 13: CERTII:ICATION PAY Unit members in the classification of Battalion Chief with a minimum of 6 months as a Chief Officer, Chief Fire Officer, or Fire Officer 3 with the City of Redlands and certified as a Chief Officer by the Office of the State Fire Marshall shall be compensated ten percent (10%) of the employee's base monthly salary upon submitting satisfactory proof of the Chief Officer Certification. Unit members in the classification of Deputy Chief with a minimum of 6 months as a Executive Chief Fire Officer or Fire Officer 4 with the City of Redlands and certified as an Executive Chief Fire Officer by the Office of the State Fire Marshall shall be compensated five percent (5%) of the employee's base monthly salary upon submitting satisfactory proof of the Chief Officer Certification. Unit members are eligible to receive certification pay for either Chief Officer or Executive Chief Officer, which may not be combined. Article 14: UNIFoRMALLOWANCE Association employees shall receive a uniform allowance in the amount of $1700 per year. Article 15. BILINGUAL PAY Employees are eligible for bilingual pay in accordance with the City's Bilingual Pay Program and upon approval by the Department Head and City Manager. Authorized employees shall receive additional compensation in the amount of seventy five dollars ($75) per pay period. Article 16: INCIDENT A CCOMNIODA TIONS Unit members assigned to emergency incidents for extended periods shall be reimbursed for hotel/motel accommodations or other comparable facilities for sleeping and freshening up. With approval of the Fire Chief, the unit member may be reimbursed for up to 1 day prior to the incident to 1 day after the incident assignment. Unit members must comply with requirements related to expense and travel reimbursement as outlined in the City's Personnel Rule and Regulations. Article 17: LONGEVITYPAY City of Redlands & Redlands Association of Fire Management Employees MOU - 2026-2029 Page 6 A. Employees with fourteen (14) years of continuous service with the City shall receive compensation in the amount of five percent (S%) of base salary, effective at the beginning of the pay period closest to completion of their fourteenth (14th) year of service. B. Employees with nineteen (19) years of continuous service with the City shall receive an additional three percent (3%), effective at the beginning of the pay period closest to completion of their nineteenth (19t ) year of service. C. The 14-year longevity percentages shall be compounded with the 19-year longevity pay. Incentives and leave cash out shall be calculated based on the combination of base salary and longevity pay. D. The change in the manner in which longevity pay is administered and paid shall not result in any loss of compensation to any member. Article 18: SHIFT EARANGE Employees shall have the right to exchange shifts on an "unlimited freedom of trade" basis as long as the trade does not interfere with the normal operation of the Fire Department, The Fire Chief shall approve such procedure. Article 19: SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL PAY FOR FIREMEMBJJRS The Fire Battalion Chiefs who are assigned to a forty (40) hour workweek (or 9/80 schedule) shall be compensated at seven and one half percent (7.5%) times the base hourly rate for Shift Differential Pay. This benefit does not apply to Battalion Chiefs who are assigned to the twenty-four (24) hour shift work schedule. Article 20: HOLIDAYS A. The City of Redlands currently observes the following holidays, established by Resolution: New Year's Day January 1 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Third Monday in January President's Day Third Monday in February Farm Workers Day March 31" Memorial Day Last Monday in May Juneteenth June 191h Independence Day July 4th Labor Day First Monday in September Columbus Day Second Monday in October Veteran's Day November 111h Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November Friday after Thanksgiving Day Fourth Friday in November Christmas Eve December 24th Christmas Day December 251h B. In lieu of the above, Shift Battalion Chiefs shall be compensated with fourteen 12-hour holidays peryear. This compensation shall be based on 6.46 hours per 14-day pay period. C. Association employees shall also receive two (2) floating holidays annually. Fire Battalion Chiefs assigned to a twenty-four (24) hour schedule shall receive two (2) twelve (12) hour floating holidays. Floating holidays accrued but not used shall be paid in January of the following year. D. Holidays shall be paid at a rate of pay applicable to the shift to which the employee is regularly assigned and shall be include supplemental pay (shift differential, education incentive) which may apply to the specific Association employee. The City will report to CAPERS the Holiday Cash Out amounts. This amount is derived from an employee's left over Holiday Cash Out amount and paid at regular rate, which includes base pay rate and shift differential and educational incentive. The City will report the Holiday Cash Out on an annual basis to CalPERS in January of each year. City of Redlands & Redloads Association of Fire Management Employees MOU - 2026-2029 Page 7 E. Unit employees that are eligible for and have CTO leave banks may convert their holiday pay hours to their CTO leave bank for the ensuing calendar year. Article 21: SICK LEA VE ACCRUAL Association employees who work a forty (40) hour week shall accrue sick leave at a rate of 3.7 hours per pay period. Shift employees shall accrue sick leave at a rate of 5.6 hours per pay period; sick leave shall be taken in twenty-four (24) hour shifts. SICK LEAVE BUY-BACK PROGRAM Association employees may accumulate sick leave from calendar year to calendar year to an unlimited amount, or participate in the City's Sick Leave Buy Back program. In order to participate in the buy-back, the employee must have a minimum of 96 hours of sick leave on the booms. In November of each year, Association employees may elect to be paid cash at their current hourly rate for any hours earned in the following year in accordance with the schedule below, less any sick leave hours used during that period. The payment will occur in November of the following year. The election is irrevocable and may not be changed after the election is made. 40 hour personnel 96 Shift Personnel 144 ACCRUAL PAYNIENT UPON RETIREMENT A. Upon service or medical retirement under the PERS retirement plan, or in the event of the death of an Association employee prior to retirement, members with less than fifteen (15) years' of service with the City may elect one of the following options for payment of unused sick leave: 1. Convert all remaining sick leave accrued at the time of retirement to cash value at the final rate of pay and deposit in the Post Employment Health Plan (PEHP) where it can be used for applicable premiums payable underthe City's medical insurance program for the Association member and eligible dependents. In the event that the member dies prior to exhaustion of the cash value of said benefits, the remaining cash value may be applied towards the premiums of covered dependents until exhausted, subject to the conditions and limitations of the PEHP. 2. At the time of service retirement, disability retirement, separation, or at the death of an active Association employee, one hundred percent (100%) of accrued sick leave may be cashed out at the prevailing hourly rate. 3. At the time of retirement or disability retirement extend service credit equal to one hundred percent (100%) of accrued sick leave on the books. In addition, affected Association employees also have the option of being compensated for unused sick leave on the books at the time of retirement by either option A2 or A3 above. Article 22: DEFINED CONTRIBUTION & CONTRIBUTION FLANS A. The City shall make available to Association employees a qualified 401a, 401 Defined Contribution, Defined Distribution plan(s) and a Retirement Health Savings Plan, as allowed by law. All programs shall be structured in accordance with the latest IRS rulings. B. Upon retirement, Association employees shall deposit the cash value of their leave accruals into the 401(a) program up to the maximum allowed by law. C. Association employees who meet the following requirements the first day after the last pay period in October: 1. 24 hours of available floating holiday for shift personnel or 20 hours of floating holiday for 40 hour personnel; and 2. Have a 401(a) account in place with the City Shall contribute to the 401(a) program leave accruals in the order listed below up to the IRS maximum City of Redlands & Redlands Association of Fire Management Employees MOU - 2026-2029 Page 8 allowed. Deposits will be made on a pre-tax basis. All sick leave hours in excess of 1350 hours; All comp time in excess of 24 hours; All vacation hours in excess of 400 hours. Conversion and deposit of available time shall occur during the last pay period in November. Article 23: VACATION A. Vacation shall accrue for Association employees based on the following schedule: 1 - 5 (0-59 Mos) 80 6 - 7 (60-83 Mos) 120 8 - 9 (84-107 Mos) 128 10-11(108-131 Mos) 136 12-13 (132-155 Mos) 144 14-15 (156-179 Mos) 152 16-20 (180-239 Mos) 160 21(240-251 Mos) 168 22 (252-263 Mos) 176 23 (264-275 Mos) 184 24 (276-287 Mos) 192 25 (288+ Mos) 200 B. Vacation shall accrue for Association members on the 24-hour shift based on the following schedule: YEARS OF SERVICE SHiFrs 1— 5 (0-59 Mos) 5 6 — 7 (60-83 Mos) 6 8 — 9 (84-107 Mos) 7 10-13 (108-155 most 8 14-15(156-179 Mos) 9 16-19(180-239 Mos) 10 20 + (240+ Mos) 11 Article 24: BEREAVEMENT LEAVE In the event of the death in the immediate family, Association employees shall be compensated with two (2) days paid leave. In addition, eligible employees may be allowed to use accrued sick leave with full pay not to exceed three (3) days. Article 25: PERSONAL LEAVE Association employees may use up to a maximum of eight (8) hours of accrued sick leave per year for personal leave, subject to advance approval by his/her supervisor. Article 26: ExECUTIVELEAVE Association employees (with the exception of the shift B.C.'s) shall receive one hundred and twenty (120) hours of executive leave annually. Shift B.C.'s shall receive twenty-four (24) hours of executive leave annually. This leave must be used within the calendar year, or it will be removed from the books as of December 315tof each year. Article 27. CONIPENSATORYTIME OFFAND OVERTIME City of Redlands & Redlands Association of Fire Management Employees MOU- 2026-2R29 Page 9 A. Forty (40) hour Chiefs are exempt from the requirements of the FLSA and therefore ineligible to accrue compensatory time off or earn overtime pay at 1 % times their hourly rate. Fire Battalion Chiefs shall earn overtime at time and one half for those hours worked in excess of fifty-three (53) hours in one week, only when assigned to and actually working as suppression shift personnel. Fire classifications eligible to receive Compensatory Time shall have a maximum accrual of two hundred -forty (240) hours. B. Association employees ineligible to receive overtime compensation may receive overtime pay attime and one half of salary in certain situations ONLY if the hours are reimbursed by a third party, such as reimbursable mutual aid calls or billable contracts. C. Computation of overtime for eligible Association employees shall exclude time paid for holidays, vacation, sick leave, military leave, administrative leave, workers' compensation, and compensatory time off. D. Compensation for overtime for eligible employees shall be paid the payday following the seven (7) day work period in which the overtime is earned. Article 28: WORKWEEK Association members may be eligible to work a 4/10 schedule. This schedule shall be approved by the Fire Chief. Article29: FIRE BATTALION CRIEF STAFFING The City agrees that a minimum of one (1) Battalion Chief shall be on staff per twenty-four (24) shift. Article 30: N0 STRIKE PROVISIQNs The Association agrees that it shall not authorize, instigate, aid, condone, or engage in any strike which will interrupt or interfere with the operation of the City. The City places the Association on notice of its intention and right to terminate any employee who instigates or engages in any strike or work stoppage which interrupts or interferes with the operation of the City. Article 31: PREVAILING BENEFITS All terms and conditions of employment set forth in this MOU, including past practices defined as such by prevailing law and which clarify the meaning of a contract provision, will remain in full force and effect for the term of this MOU unless modified by mutual agreement of the parties. All other matters affecting terms and conditions of employment and which constitute actual past practices defined as such by prevailing law, shall be subject to change during the term of this MOU either by mutual agreement or by virtue of the meet and confer process and any applicable impasse resolution procedures being completed. Article 32: SAviNGs CLAUSE Should any provision of this MOU or the application of such provision be rendered or declared invalid by any court action or by reason of any existing or subsequently enacted legislation, the City and Association shall meet and confer immediately upon what constitutes an equivalent benefit to that which was determined to be unlawful. Such equivalent benefit will be implemented retroactive to the date the old benefit ceased. The remaining parts or portions of this MOU shall remain in full force and effect. Article 33: EQUIVALENT BENEFITS If during the term of this MOU, another Redlands safety unit negotiates an increase to compensation in the following areas: base salary, tuition reimbursement, education incentive or leave accrual, such terms shall become applicable to Association members who shall receive an equivalent increase in compensation, only if the change in compensation results in a net increase in total compensation (i. e. the value of City provided benefits) to any unit member in the other safety unit. Article 34. DEATH OF EMPLoyEE A. If an Association employee dies while on duty, the City shall calculate compensation for the entire shift. The City of Redlands & Redlands Association of Fire Management Employees MOU--2026-2029 Page 10 eligible dependents of deceased employees shall be entitled to benefits as follows: 1. Sick leave accruals, lifetime medical insurance and other applicable benefits shall be calculated and/or compensated according to the eligibility requirements stated in the current MOU. 2. In the event the deceased employee qualified for a service retirement (i.e. age 50 and with a minimum of five (5) years of service with the City), the City shall calculate and/or compensate benefits in the same manner as an employee service retirement. B. The City will inter at Hillside Cemetery, at no cost to the firefighter or his/her family, any active firefighter who dies in the line of duty or dies from any diseases that is recognized by the State of California as being associated with the job of being a firefighter. Article 35: DROP PROGRAM Should the Deferred Retirement Optional Program (DROP) become available, upon the request of the Association, the City agrees to meet regarding the possible implementation of the program. Article 36: ZIPPER CLAUSE The parties agree that all negotiable items have been discussed during negotiations leading to this MOU, including salaries and benefits, and conditions of employment and therefore further agree that negotiations will not be reopened on any item during the life of this MOU except my mutual agreement or as provided elsewhere in this MOU, Article 37. SIGNATURE REDLANDS ASSOCIATION OF EMPLOYEES Joshua Hannan, President Date City of Redlands & Redlands Association of Fire Management Employees MOU - 2OZ6-2029 Page 11