Adopt twelve resolutions which formally notifies the California Public Employees’ Retirement System of the 2017 calendar year changes in coverage for the County’s monthly group health contributions for the Board of Supervisors, Deputy Sheriffs’ Association, Deputy Sheriffs Association-Correctional Officers, Elected Department Heads, Mid-Management Bargaining Unit, Professional Peace Officers Association, Shasta County Employees Association-Supervisory Unit, Sheriff’s Administrative Association, United Public Employees of California-General Unit, United Public Employees of California-Professional Unit, Unrepresented Confidential Employees, and the Unrepresented Managers, effective January 1, 2017.

The County has Memorandum of Understandings (MOU’s) with all of the employee bargaining units, of which include the County’s monthly contributions for the employees’ group health for 2017.  The bargaining units include Deputy Sheriffs’ Association (DSA-DSS/DAI), Deputy Sheriffs Association-Correctional Officers (DSA-CO), Mid-Management Bargaining Unit (MMBU), Professional Peace Officers Association (PPOA), Shasta County Employees Association-Supervisory Unit (SCEA), Sheriff’s Administrative Association (SAA), United Public Employees of California (UPEC)-General, and UPEC-Professional.  Also included in this proposed action are the Board of Supervisors, Elected Department Heads, Unrepresented Confidential Employees, and Unrepresented Managers.  The resolutions include the bargained County contribution levels.  California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) requires resolutions which include any changes to contributions that the County is making on behalf of active and retired employees.  Each year staff present resolutions to the Board as required to notify CalPERS of those changes in order to provide a correct record for active and retired employees.  The resolutions are in the CalPERS required format.  This action does not change any previously approved benefit level.

The resolutions will be submitted to CalPERS upon signing, which will ensure that CalPERS adjusts the billing as of January 1, 2017.  The Public Employees’ Medical and Hospital Care Act (PEMHCA), Government Code section 22892 (c), determines the County’s contribution level for retirees and requires “specified and equal contributions towards premium costs for active employees and annuitants”.  Per Government Code section 22892, the County must contribute an equal amount towards a retiree’s health premium as it contributes towards an active employee’s health premium, based upon when CalPERS recognizes the employee group joining the CalPERS health program. DSA-DSS/DAI, MMBU, SAA, SCEA, UPEC-General, Board of Supervisors, Elected Department Heads, Unrepresented Confidential Employees, and Unrepresented Managers are considered to require equal contributions.  DSA-CO, PPOA, and UPEC-Professional are considered unequal groups, and at this time, do not require the County contribution for retirees to be equal to that of active employees due to their date of CalPERS recognition.  In order to systematically diminish the unequal contribution levels, the 2017 County contribution for the unequal groups is recommended to increase to the minimum PEMHCA contribution for each group but not to exceed $100 per month.

The Board may choose to not approve the recommendation or make modifications in whole or in a part to the resolutions.  This is not recommended as the resolutions are in the format required by CalPERS and reflect the benefits agreed upon and contained within the various bargaining unit MOU’s. 

The County Administrative Office and the Auditor’s Office have reviewed and concur with the recommendation.  The resolutions have been prepared by the Department of Support Services.

The cost of group health contributions by the County was part of the adopted MOU’s and has been included in the Fiscal Year 2016/17 budget.