Submitted By
Kira Tchang, Assistant Village Manager/HR Director
Reviewed By
Click here to enter text.
Agenda Item Title
Title
A Motion to Approve Staff’s Recommendation to Overhire Firefighter/Paramedic and Public Works Positions in Fiscal Year 2025
End
Overview
Overview
Staff is seeking approval to hire new firefighter/paramedic positions or public works positions when there is a pending retirement/resignation of an employee or a long-term employee disability where the employee is not expected to return to work for an extended time resulting in overtime expenditures to fill the “vacancy” when minimum staffing or service levels require.
End
Recommendation
Recommendation
Adopt the motion
Background
The Village has experienced a number of instances where it has knowledge of staffing changes such as a pending retirement/resignation necessitating hiring and cross-training a replacement employee prior to the departure of the existing employee or backfilling a position for an employee on long-term disability where the employee is not expected to return for an extended period of time. Given the 24/7/365 work schedules of firefighters/paramedics it is necessary to maintain staffing levels to provide proper coverage and as a result, overtime can be significant when there is an extended vacancy in an authorized position.
Prior to July 2017, the Village did not have a method to address these types of issues. At that time, the Village would have to wait until the pending retirement or separation occurred to fill the position and would not be able to fill the position vacated by an employee on extended leave. The result would be overtime wages at a minimum of 1.5 times the hourly rate. For the period of time between 2017 and 2021 and again in 2023, the Village had the opportunity to overhire when appropriate.
The use of an overhire program allows for the hiring of a firefighter/paramedic or public works employee and assumes that the departments may experience several position vacancies due to retirement, resignation or extended leave during a fiscal year and that the salary and fringe benefit savings from these vacancies will offset the cost of the overhire personnel. The overhire personnel, in turn, ensures that the department will not be forced to limit operations because of staffing shortages and can better control overtime expenditures.
For FY25, by motion, the Village Board is asked to authorize the continuation of the overhire program for firefighter/paramedic positions and the public works department.
Generally, the following circumstances would warrant consideration of an overhire request:
• Knowledge of a pending vacancy where it is desirable to recruit and hire a replacement employee such that there is no reduction in staffing and service levels; and
• Backfilling for an injured employee where the employee is not expected to return for an extended period of time, if ever.
Under all circumstances, approval of an overhire position is based upon the assumed permanent vacancy of an existing position in the near future. Positions will only be authorized following a review of the necessity for filling the position immediately as an overhire.
Approval of an overhire position is conditioned on the availability of adequate budget authority to guarantee the additional position will not exceed the authorized annual budget.
Fiscal Impact
None. The overhire position would be permitted only if the cost of doing so would be covered in the existing budget appropriation and/or reduce overtime costs by an equivalent amount.
DEI Impact
N/A
Alternatives
The Village Board could delay action to gain additional information or maintain the current position control requirements.
Previous Board Action
The Board previously adopted overhire programs in FY17, FY18, FY19, FY20, FY21 and FY23.
Citizen Advisory Commission Action
N/A
Anticipated Future Actions/Commitments
N/A
Intergovernmental Cooperation Opportunities
N/A