2.15.050 Salaries.
The board of directors shall annually adopt a salary schedule. In the event that the directors do not adopt a salary schedule prior to the beginning of a new year, the salary schedule approved for the prior year shall continue in force and effect until a new schedule is adopted.
A. Compensation of Officers. The compensation of district officers shall be fixed by resolution of the board of directors, except when by law otherwise determined.
B. Consultants. Health and accident insurance, sick leave, vacation leave, salary or life insurance, or any other benefit that may be added by policy shall not accrue to consultants, specialists or other contractual service personnel.
C. Position Classification (Job Titles). The positions, class titles and job descriptions shall be developed to accompany classification changes, copies of which shall be filed with the secretary upon approval by the general manager.
This section shall be effective on the first day of July, 2020.
1 Position Classification: Click here to view the current position classifications.
2 Salary Schedule: Click here to view the current salary schedule.
D. Assignments.
1. The general manager shall assign each employee. Such assignment shall be made in accordance with the employee’s qualifications and abilities and the needs and best interest of the district.
2. A district employee may be assigned to work out of classification for up to 320 hours for CVWDEA members and 360 hours for ACVWDM or ASSET members during any 12-month period without special compensation. An employee who believes he or she has been assigned duties beyond 320/360 hours in accordance with this policy may either request an informal review by the human resources director or file a grievance in accordance with district policy. Duties of the higher class would have to be performed at least one-third of the regular day (2.66 hours) to be counted as an eight-hour day toward the 320/360 hours. Calculations will be on a revolving 12 months.
E. Probation and Regular Employee.
1. Most original appointments of employees shall be for a probationary period of 180 calendar days. No more than two consecutive periods shall be served. Appointments to professional, technical or ASSET or ACVWDM supervisory positions shall be for a probationary period of one year. Positions that require special conditions to be met within specific time limits remain on probation for the specific time or until the conditions have been accomplished. If the conditions have not been accomplished in the allotted time, the employee may be transferred, demoted or terminated. Except for employees affected by special conditions, no merit step salary increases will be effective during a probationary period.
2. A newly hired probationary employee may be demoted, suspended or dismissed at any time during the probationary period and such action shall not entitle the employee to reimbursement for monetary value of employee benefits except as provided by law.
3. An employee who serves the required probationary period in a satisfactory manner shall be classified as a regular employee and shall be subject to dismissal for cause or reduction in work force.
4. Anniversary dates for salary purposes shall be set by the date of employment and changed as a result of a promotion, merit pay increase or involuntary demotion.
Service credit date will change due to leave of absence over 30 consecutive calendar days and shall be set by the date of return less the 30 calendar days.
5. Evaluation of Performance. Evaluation of an employee’s performance shall be directed by the human resources director.
F. Merit Increases. Merit increases upon completion of one year of satisfactory service shall be by recommendation of the employee’s supervisor and approval of the general manager. Merit increases may be made in less than one year where exceptional circumstance or outstanding performance prevails, the supervisor recommends and the department head and general manager approve.
G. Promotions.
1. A promotion shall cause transfer to the appropriate salary range for the position involved and be accompanied by an increase in salary.
2. An employee who is promoted shall serve at least one probationary period of 180 calendar days or 365 days if promoted into a professional, technical or ASSET or ACVWDM supervisory position.
3. A promotional probation shall be initiated by a personnel action, approved by the general manager and shall be terminated by the general manager by completion of the probation period(s) or reassignment as shown by a second personnel action report. (See CVWDC 2.15.040(B)(2).)
H. Transfers.
1. Transfer of an employee from one work assignment for operational necessity to another work assignment may be made by the general manager at any time. Transfers shall not be used as a disciplinary measure.
2. Requests for transfer to a lower paying vacancy shall require prior approval by both department heads and the general manager.
An employee must successfully complete its initial new hire probation before applying for an inter-district transfer. An exception may be made by the general manager if it is determined the transfer is in the best interest of the district (CVWDEA and ASSET only).
I. Salary Payment.
1. Salary payments will be made on a biweekly basis. The payday for each biweekly pay period will be on the fourth regular working day following the end of the pay period.
2. The hourly rate shall be determined by dividing the annual rate by 2,080.
J. Eligibility for Standby, Premium Time or Overtime Pay.
1. Positions exempt from overtime are denoted with an asterisk in subsection (C) of this section on the Position Classification listing.
2. “Premium time pay” (generally known as overtime) shall be paid at the rate of one-half times the regular rate upon approval by the supervisor with prior approval by management and paid to the employee at the same time as regular pay.
3. Zanjeros, control operators and water clerks shall be paid premium time pay for time worked between regularly assigned shifts.
4. All work in excess of eight hours, except for scheduled 10-hour days, in any work day, or 40 hours in any work week shall be authorized by the supervisor with approval by the general manager.
5. Special overtime pay shall be defined as overtime pay for the time worked beyond 12 consecutive hours. Payment for special overtime shall be at the regular hourly rate multiplied by two.
6. Employees working an alternative work schedule (a 9/80 schedule or a 3/12 schedule) will receive overtime pay after 40 hours of work in a work week. Special overtime pay does not apply to employees working an alternative work schedule.
7. Overtime (premium time) pay may be authorized each exempt employee who is called for service by the general manager or department head and directed to report to duty. (See subsection (L)(1) of this section.)
K. Standby Time Pay.
1. Standby time pay shall be at the regular hourly rate as follows:
a. One hour for each daily 16 hours following the regular workday.
b. Three hours for each 24-hour period (Saturday, Sunday and holiday).
c. Shall be in addition to any regular pay or overtime pay.
L. Call-Out Time. Call-out time shall be defined as overtime and paid as follows with regular salary check:
1. Two hours’ minimum overtime pay (see subsection (J)(2)) of this section for each call-out not to exceed the number of hours between assigned shifts.
2. Regular pay plus one-half time for overtime.
3. Regular pay plus one and one-half times for holiday (subsection (N) of this section) for exempt employees when authorized by the general manager or department head for unique service.
4. Payment of overtime for work in excess of 40 hours in any one work week shall be paid in accordance with this section (subsections (L)(1), (L)(2) and (L)(3) of this section) for exempt employees when authorized by the general manager/department head for unique service conditions; designation of those employees shall be by memorandum to the finance director for authorization to pay (see subsection (J)(6) of this section).
5. Call-out pay will start from the time the employee receives a confirmation call.
6. When scheduled for weekend or holiday work, water quality analysts I, II, laboratory technician, and biologist technician shall be paid “call-out” pay.
M. Fatigue Time. The purpose of fatigue time is to allow an employee to rest after being called out to work.
An employee shall be eligible for fatigue time if the employee has worked more than two and one-half hours of overtime and the completion of the overtime is less than eight hours before the start of the employee’s next regularly scheduled shift. An employee who is called out to work before the regular shift must be called a minimum of three hours before the regular start time to be eligible for fatigue time.
When an employee becomes eligible for fatigue time the supervisor, after consulting with the employee, shall have the option to:
1. Shift the employee’s next regular eight-hour shift to provide for eight consecutive hours off duty but no more than four hours past the end of the regular shift.
2. Pay the employee for the time off between the start of the employee’s next regular shift and the time the employee actually begins work after having eight consecutive hours off duty. The combination of fatigue time and work time shall not equal greater than eight hours per day.
3. Allow the employee to continue working through their regular shift without exceeding 16 continuous work hours. If necessary, the employee would only receive fatigue time to complete the rest of their regular shift to receive a full day of pay.
4. Allow the employee to report to work at the employee’s scheduled time, unless the supervisor feels it would be unsafe for the employee to start work or continue working without fatigue time. Fatigue time will not be used in overtime calculations for the remainder of the day that the fatigue time was earned to the start of the next regular shift. An employee, eligible for fatigue time, would need to actually work a minimum of eight hours after the end of the fatigue time before becoming eligible for overtime.
5. The district may reschedule or reassign employees as needed to cover the duties of an employee on fatigue time.
6. An employee may elect to refuse fatigue time and take available vacation or floating holiday.
7. Subject to availability of a replacement, an employee on standby who is called out after 11:00 p.m. may request to be removed from standby for the following night.
8. Fatigue time shall not apply to natural disasters such as earthquakes or floods unless the damage is no more than what would normally occur in a given day.
9. Exempt Supervisors. After a callout, the exempt supervisor will discuss with their supervisor whether or not there is a need for the exempt supervisor to continue working or take fatigue time. Exempt supervisors will not be required to use vacation or floating holiday to complete an eight-hour work day.
N. Holiday Pay. Employees shall be paid their regular rate of pay for district observed holidays. In addition, nonexempt employees who are required to work on district observed holidays will receive one and one-half times their regular rate for work performed on the holiday up to eight hours consecutive. Holiday work in excess of eight hours will be paid at two times the regular rate (and as stated in subsection (J)(5) of this section).
O. Shift Differential. A shift differential of $0.75 per hour shall be paid for all hours worked on a scheduled shift which predominantly falls between 5:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. but will include the mid-shift (12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.) domestic serviceworker.
P. Longevity Pay. The district does not provide longevity pay to employees unless the employee was grandfathered into the program. Employees not currently receiving longevity pay will not enter the program.
Q. Schedule Changes. Given the responsibilities of the district to its customers, public health and emergencies, whenever practical, employees affected by temporary schedule changes shall be given five days’ written notice of intended change.
Schedule changes due to shift rotation shall authorize time away from an employee’s job responsibility. Loss of pay for that period is a condition of employment. A schedule change absence shall not influence an employee’s benefits nor an employee’s “month-of-service.” “Schedule change absence” shall bear no relationship to a “leave of absence.” (The eleventh day worked as a result of the schedule change shall be paid as premium time.)
R. Crane Certification Pay. Any equipment operator I, distribution operator II, distribution operator III, collection systems II, collection systems III, or mechanical technician II who obtains certification from the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) will be eligible to receive a five percent increase in pay. This certification is recognized by OSHA who independently provides verification that the operators have met OSHA’s training requirements.
This is a one-time increase. Should additional equipment certification be required, there will be no additional compensation.
Employee will lose the additional pay should they not maintain the certification.
Should an employee transfer to another classification where the certification is not applicable, the employee will no longer receive the certification pay.
The district reserves the right to limit the number of crane certifications.
Employees who are equipment operator II will not be eligible to receive this certification pay.
S. Internship Program.
1. Purpose. To provide students with work experience and professional training in their related field of study; to give students a real-world perspective of the water industry; to create a partnership with colleges and the Coachella Valley Water District; and to help with recruitment for future job opportunities and workforce demands. An internship may be for either the summer or school year.
2. Eligibility. Students should be either junior level or above as an undergraduate student or a graduate student and must provide proof of enrollment. Immediate family members of current district employees are not eligible to participate in the program.
3. Requirements.
a. Maintain full-time student status;
b. Average 20 hours of work per week;
c. Students will be evaluated at the end of each semester or quarter and must provide to human resources a copy of transcripts upon completion of each semester or quarter;
d. May only participate in internship program for two years;
e. Internship is at-will.
4. Recruitment and Selection Process. Once a requisition for an intern has been approved, the department head will notify human resources to begin recruitment process. The department head will provide to human resources job duties, special projects, and required job skill, abilities and educational requirements for the intern position.
Human resources will only post externally. The recruitment process includes an announcement on the CVWD website, contacting local colleges regarding the internship program, posting on college job bulletin boards and participating in college job fairs. Supervisors for the prospective interns are encouraged to attend any on-campus recruitment.
Applicants will be required to fill out a regular employment application and a supplemental questionnaire regarding the applicant’s interest in interning at CVWD.
Human resources will pre-screen applicants to ensure that minimum requirements are met, then will forward to department head for selection for interviews. Criteria used in selection should include career and educational goals. There will not be a requirement for a minimum number to be interviewed. Interviews will be conducted using standard CVWD procedures.
Once a candidate has been selected and an offer has been made, the student will then complete the normal preemployment screening process.
5. Assignment. Interns will be given orientation and safety training on their first day of work. Interns will be paid at $15.00 per hour. Returning interns will be eligible for a five percent increase in salary. Interns will not be eligible for benefits.
Interns will be covered under workers’ compensation.
Interns must have approval from risk management to drive district vehicles.
Interns will be required to comply with all district policy and procedures.
6. Supervision. Supervisors are required to provide guidance, supervision and mentoring to the interns. This also includes providing a safe work environment.
Supervisors will evaluate their intern at the end of each quarter/semester. (Ord. 1425.13 § 5, 2020; Ord. 1425.12 § 5, 2019)