Translate[Archived] Question #59: Provide additional detail on the shift of the HR Analyst position from the pension funding to the General Fund, and subsequent plans to eliminate the General Fund impact in the future.
Question:
Can you provide additional detail on the shift of the HR Analyst position from the pension funding to the General Fund, and subsequent plans to eliminate the General Fund impact in the future? (Mayor Wilson)
Response:
The Fire and Police Pension Board had been concerned with the rising costs of its disability plan and along with City management wanted additional resources devoted to supporting the Alternate Employment Program when an illness or injury results in partial disability and prevents an employee from performing the duties of a sworn police officer or firefighter. These partially disabled employees in some cases can be placed in other City jobs to perform other duties. If a position shifts from pension funded disability to City paid work, then not only does the City save on disability pension costs, but it also can gain from the productive duties of the partially disabled City employee moved to an alternative placement.
The position initially began as pension funded in the Finance Department and was added to address disability pension costs incurred by the Fire and Police Pension Fund. As the work developed, it became clear that the position was more aligned to the Human Resources Department programs and responsibilities given the interrelationships of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Family Medical Leave Act, Workers’ Compensation, and Alternate Employment. Also, an issue of governance arose where Fire and Police Pension Board members felt that the HR disability staff position, because it was paid for by the Fire and Police Pension Fund, should take direction from the pension board. Given the work nexus was HR and the position needed to have one chain of command and not two chains of command, it is recommended that the funding source be switched from the Fire and Police Pension Fund to the General Fund.
It should be noted that the costs of this position were already charged to the General Fund, albeit indirectly through the employer contribution charges made to the General Fund by the Fire and Police Pension Fund. Now these charges are proposed to be directly carried as a cost of the General Fund instead of indirectly being carried as a cost of the General Fund. Hence, the change in funding is cost neutral to the General Fund.