CITY OF LODI

ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL

SUBJECT: : LAYOFF - Procedure

DATE ISSUED: : May 1, 1995

SECTION: : L

SECTION 1: PURPOSE

The purpose of this procedure is to provide the plan of implementation in the event of a workforce reduction.

SECTION 2: ORDER OF LAYOFFS

A. Temporary employees in affected classifications will be laid off first whenever possible unless programs rely on them solely to operate.

B. Laid off employees will be given the option of accepting part-time temporary jobs in their same classifications if those positions so exist.

C. Positions to be eliminated shall be determined within City departments.

D. Layoffs shall be based on an employee's seniority.

SECTION 3: BUMPING RIGHTS

A. Affected employees may demote to a job which is vacant in their classification series.

B. Employees may bump/displace a person in the same or a lower level classification if the employee has greater seniority and has previously held the classification or the classification is within the affected employee's classification series (see Section 7). Due consideration will be given to reclassification and title changes in positions previously held.

C. Employees may only bump classifications within their own department unless they have previously held the position they would bump to in another department, or the classification is listed as part of a classification series (See Section 7) or the classification is generic to other city departments. Generic classifications are defined as follows:

1) Administrative Assistant

2) Department Secretary

Supervising Administrative Clerk

Administrative Clerk III

Administrative Clerk II/I

3) Building Service Worker

4) Maintenance Worker II/I/ Laborer/Parks

Maintenance Worker II/I/ Laborer

6) Welder-Mechanic

D. In the event of a tie in seniority dates, rank on the eligibility list from which the affected employee was hired will be used to break the tie. If an additional tie exists or if the eligible list was unranked, a system mutually agreed upon by the City and respective bargaining unit will be used to break the tie.

E. Employees who do not exercise their right to bump to another classification and choose to leave city service will not be placed on any re-employment lists.

SECTION 4: REINSTATEMENT/JOB TRAINING

A. The names of employees who are laid off or are bumped or who have bumped will be maintained on a re-employment list for the classification they were laid off or bumped from and those classifications within their classification series which are of equal or lessor salary for 36 months. When using a re-employment list to fill a position in a classification from which layoffs have occurred, the city shall re-employ laid off employees from the list in reverse order of layoff. During the 36 month period, no employee shall be hired nor shall any employee be promoted to a classification from which layoffs have occurred until all employees on layoff status in that classification have had the opportunity to return to work.

B. A laid off employee may be removed from City re-employment lists for any of the following reasons: 1) expiration of 36 months; or 2) regular re-employment with the City; or 3) failure to accept employment with the City; or 4) failure to appear for a job interview after 14 days notification (from postmarked date of letter) by certified mail of the interview; or 5) failure to report to work within 20 calendar days (from date of letter) of notification of available employment, 6) a written request by the affected employee to be removed from the list and 7) failure to meet the minimum qualifications of the position. It is the responsibility of the laid off employee to advise the Personnel Department of any change in address or phone number.

C. It is the City's intention to assist laid off employees through the transition from City service. Job counseling and outplacement services will be provided through the Personnel Department in conjunction with the Private Industry Council. Employees whose positions are proposed for reduction may schedule a meeting with a representative from the Personnel Department. In addition to providing job counseling to employees facing layoff, Personnel will function as a clearinghouse for resources, information and referrals on outside employment, training opportunities, and potential re-employment with the City.

SECTION 5: SALARY AND BENEFITS

A. A laid off employee's accumulated sick leave will be reinstated to the employee if the employee is re-employed within 36 months from the date of lay off.

B. Any employee who is reinstated from a re-employment list within 36 months from the date of layoff shall be entitled to full restoration of regular employment status, and credit for all years of service for the purposes of sick leave conversion and vacation accrual. Placement of the employee shall be at the same step of the salary range the employee held at the time of layoff. In the case of re-employment to a classification within the employee's class series the procedure outlined in subsection C (below) would be followed.

C. Employees exercising the option of bumping and therefore demoting to a lower classification in lieu of layoff will be placed at the next lower salary step of the salary range than the salary step they were receiving.

D. Any employee participating in the flexible spending account plan shall not be required to reimburse the city for the unreimbursed benefits option selected during the calendar year.

E. Each employee is eligible to continue group health insurance benefits (at his/her own expense) under the provisions of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) with the City's group health plan for a period of 18 months following the date of separation. In addition to this period of time, the city will extend group eligibility to employees for an additional 18 months (36 months total).

F. Under the provisions of COBRA, employees may also elect to continue dental, vision, and chiropractic coverage for 18 months at their own expense. In addition to this period of time, the city will extend group eligibility to employees for an additional 18 months (36 months total).

If the employee elects this coverage it shall remain in effect until:

1) The expiration of 36 months from the date of separation, or

2) The employee becomes covered under any other group health plan as an employee or dependent,or

3) The employee or covered dependent becomes eligible for Medicare, or

4) The employee fails to make premium payments in a timely manner.

Employees who are laid off will continue to receive coverage under the Employee Assistance Program for a period of 36 months. This coverage will be paid by the City of Lodi.

SECTION 6: DEFINITIONS

Cutback - An action taken to reduce costs. Cutbacks include but are not limited to layoffs, hiring freezes, benefit freezes, wage freezes, benefit cuts or voluntary early retirement programs.

Classification Series - A group of classes (two or more) similar in duties but different in level.

Layoff - An elimination of a job based on a reduction in the workforce. They may be of a temporary, indefinite, or permanent duration.

Re-Employment List - A list for a specific position or classification containing the names of laid-off employees who have reinstatement rights to that classification or position.

Regular Employee - An employee who occupies an authorized budgeted position.

Seniority - Length of continuous service in all regular positions within the City as determined by personnel records.

SECTION 7:	CLASSIFICATION SERIES
ADMINISTRATION	Secretary to City Manager Legal Secretary Risk Management Technician Deputy City Clerk Information Systems Coordinator
COMMUNITY CENTER	Sr. Services Coordinator
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT	Sr. Planner Associate/Assistant/Junior Planner
	Chief Building Inspector Sr. Building Inspector Building Inspector II/I
FINANCE	Purchasing Officer Buyer Sr. Storekeeper/Buyer Storekeeper
	Accounting Manager/Revenue Manager Accountant II/I Accounting Technician Sr. Account Clerk Parking Enforcement Assistant Account Clerk Purchasing Assistant

	Support Services Supervisor
	Data Processing Manager Senior Programmer Analyst Data Processing Operations Specialist
	Customer Services Supervisor Accounts Collector Meter Reader
FIRE	Fire Division Chief Fire Battalion Chief Fire Captain Fire Inspector Fire Engineer/Firefighter II/I
LIBRARY	Manager of Adult Services Children's Librarian Librarian II/I
	Sr. Library Assistant Library Assistant
	Building Service Worker
PARKS & RECREATION	Recreation Supervisor
	Park Superintendent Parks Supervisor Sr. Building Maintenance Worker Park Maintenance Worker III Park Maintenance Worker II/I/Laborer
	Welder-Mechanic
	Sr. Park Ranger

PERSONNEL	Personnel Analyst II/I
	Personnel Technician
POLICE	Police Captain Police Lieutenant Police Corporal Police Sergeant Police Officer
	Police Records Clerk III Police Records Clerk II/I
	Community Service Officer
	Lead Dispatcher/Jailer Dispatcher/Jailer
	Animal Control Officer Assistant Animal Control Officer
PUBLIC WORKS	Engineering City Engineer Sr. Civil Engineer Associate Civil/Assistant/Junior Engineer Engineering Technician Supervisor/Sr. EngineeringTechnician/Engineering Asst. Engineering Technician II/I
	Public Works Inspector II/I

	Building & Equipment Maintenance Building & Equipment Supt. Equipment Maintenance Supervisor Lead Equipment Mechanic Heavy Equipment Mechanic
	Welder-Mechanic
	Building & Equipment Supt. Sr. Building Maintenance Worker Building Service Worker
	Street Street Superintendent Street Supervisor Street Maintenance Worker III Street Sweeper Operator Maintenance Worker II/I/Laborer
	Water/Wastewater Water/Wastewater Superintendent Asst. Water/Wastewater Supt. Water/Wastewater Supervisor Plant & Equipment Mechanic Water/Wastewater Maintenance Worker III Maintenance Worker II/I/Laborer
	Asst. Wastewater Treatment Superintendent Chief Wastewater Plant Operator Wastewater Plant Operator II/I
	Laboratory Services Supervisor Water/Wastewater Inspector Laboratory Technician II/I
ELECTRIC UTILITY	Electric Utility Superintendent Electric Foreman/Forewoman Electric Troubleshooter Electric Lineman/Linewoman Electric Apparatus Mechanic
	Electric Systems Supervisor Electric Meter Technician Electrical Technician / Electrician / Metering Electrician
	Manager Rates & Resources Sr. Electric Utility Rate Analyst Electric Utility Rate Analyst
	Utility Operations Supervisor Utility Service Operator II/I / Utility Service Operator - Relief
	Electrical Drafting Technician
	Assistant Electric Utility Director Electrical Engineer Electrical Estimator

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