Title
From the Department of Administrative Services, requesting authorization to amend Chapter 17 of the Milwaukee County Code of General Ordinances as it pertains to employee wages and healthcare benefits based on the provisions of the 2012 Adopted Budget and to codify certain benefits of represented employees. (Referred to the Committees on Finance and Audit and Personnel.)
Body
Background
Milwaukee County Code of General Ordinances contains various provisions that relate to employee wages and healthcare benefits. The wages and healthcare benefits defined in ordinance require modification due to changes approved in the 2012 Adopted Budget. As stated in the 2012 Adopted Budget, ordinance changes must be brought before the County Board for approval prior to January 1, 2012 to effectuate these changes.
Additionally, due to changes in collective bargaining under Wisconsin 2011 Act 10, the eligibility criteria for County paid retiree healthcare, which had been previously defined in collective bargaining agreements, will no longer be contained within future collective bargaining agreements for certain unions. In order to appropriately define the eligibility criteria, it is recommended that the Milwaukee County Code of General Ordinances be modified to reflect the eligibility criteria for all unions. Approval of this request will not modify these benefits.
Issue
The 2012 Adopted Budget assumes savings from changes in certain employee wages and healthcare benefits which would be effectuated by this resolution and ordinance change:
· Suspension of all step increases for employees in certain pay grades; this has the same effect as suspending step increases for all represented staff with the exception of the Milwaukee County Firefighters Association and Deputy Sheriffs' Association. (Although there is a freeze on step increases associated with the Deputy Sheriffs Association 2009 - 2012 collective bargaining agreement, no changes to the ordinance are recommended.)
· Implementation of a new employee health care plan for all employees and retirees and increased monthly premiums. (Recommended changes to the ordinances reflect that monthly premiums are still a negotiable item with the Milwaukee County Firefighters Association and Deputy Sheriffs' Association.) Major components of the new plan are outlined in Attachment #1.
· Implementation of the non-duplication Medicare coordination methodology.
· Expansion of the Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) contribution for active employees who are enrolled in the County medical plan. Active employees are only eligible for the FSA contribution if they 1) enroll in the 2012 health care plan as adopted; 2) pay the monthly premiums as adopted; and 3) pay a pension contribution. The County will make a FSA contribution of $500 for a single plan, $1,000 for a family of two, and $1,500 for a family of three or more.
With changes to collective bargaining under Wisconsin Act 10, eligibility criteria for represented employees to receive County paid healthcare upon retirement will no longer be defined in collective bargaining agreements for certain unions. Therefore, it is recommended that the eligibility criteria for all union members be specifically codified into ordinance for members of: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Workers; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; Technicians, Engineers and Architects of Milwaukee County; Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council; Milwaukee County Firefighters Association; Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals; Association of Milwaukee County Attorneys: and the Deputy Sheriffs Association. Approval of this request will not modify these benefits.
Recommendation
The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) is recommending approval of the proposed amendments to various sections of Chapters 17 of the Milwaukee County Code of General Ordinances regarding employee wage and healthcare benefits. The amendments are necessary to both effectuate the changes approved in the 2012 Adopted Budget to achieve budgeted savings and to codify eligibility for County paid retirement healthcare.