LTC 060-2010 Analysis of Fire Dept Unanticipated Leave Usage and Overtime Quarter 1 FS 09/10~E~;EIL?.n
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OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 060-2010 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Matti Hen'era Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
DATE: March 2, 2010
SUBJECT: Analysis of Fire Department Unanticipated Leave Usage and Overtime -Quarter 1 FY
2009/10
This letter provides the Fiscal Year (FY) 2009/10 Quarter 1 update to the analysis of Fire Rescue
Overtime and Leave Usage based on direction from the Budget Briefings at the Finance and
Citywide Projects Committee meeting June 30, 2008.
Background
At the City's annual Commission retreat in May 2008 and during the City's budget briefings, the
impact of the Fire Department unanticipated leave usage and overtime was discussed as overtime
has traditionally been an issue but had become even more pronounced since the minimum staffing
ordinance was implemented in February 2003 -- based on a review conducted in mid FY 2006/07,
the Fire Department level of unanticipated leave usage had the highest of any other department in
the City. Unanticipated leave (or unscheduled leave) includes sick leave, injury, and emergency
vacation.
As compared with FY 2002/03, overtime in the Fire Department Suppression, Rescue, and Support
Divisions has increased from $365,362 to $1.27 million through FY 2007/08. While the FY 2007/08
overtime reflected a decrease from the prior year, as well as a lower amount than had been
projected at mid-year, the total cumulative increase over FY 2002/03 is still significant at 247%.
Fiscal Year Adopted Budget Actual Over/(Under)
FY 02 426,986 368,680 (58,306)
FY 03 321,013 365,362 44,349
FY 04 321,013 700,805 379,792
FY 05 587,974 1,010,179 422,205
FY 06 652,488 1,057,701 405,213
FY 07 1,238,731 1,518,898 280,167
FY 08 1,272,219 1,269,597 (2,622)
Prior to FY 2007/08, efforts made to address overtime use in excess of budget continued to fail in
yielding results. These efforts included increasing the overtime budget, adding positions, hiring in
advance of anticipated vacancies and instituting a sick leave sell-back program as well as a
random drug testing for employees whose leave balance fall below 200 hours (300 hours for shift
personnels between FY 2001/02 and FY 2007/08, 7 fire fighter positions were added.
Current staffing levels provides coverage for leave types such as R-days, scheduled leave, training,
Analysis of Fire Department Unanticipated Leave Usage and Overtime
Quarter 1 FY 2009/10
Page 2 of 5
and some level of unanticipated leave. However, over the years, unanticipated leave usage
increased, resulting in the need for more overtime. In an attempt to address this issue, one of the
alternatives analyzed for the FY 2008/09 budget, was the impact of providing the Fire Chief with the
discretion to allow for a decrease from 44 to 42 in times of higher levels of unanticipated leave
usage. In the event of a major fire, in addition to the ability to call in additional personnel on
overtime, the Department would still have the ability to use mutual aid from other Fire departments.
Based on this analysis, it was estimated that over $800,000 in department overtime (approximately
2/3rds) could be eliminated by providing the Fire Chief flexibility to manage the minimum staffing.
However, as part of the FY 2008/09 budget discussions, it was agreed that, in lieu of changing the
minimum staffing ordinance to allow this discretionary reduction to 42 positions during periods of
higher unanticipated leave usage, the City would implement a more restrictive sick leave policy and
monitor the results.
FY 2008/09 Results
During the first quarter of FY 2008/09, overtime decreased significantly for all days of the week, for
a total overtime reduction from $386,108 to $206,733 (a 47 percent decrease) for the Fire
Suppression and Fire Rescue Divisions. However, the savings were derived from the five
additional personnel were added to the staffing of the Fire Suppression and Fire Rescue Divisions
from the Fire Prevention Bureau as the result of a separate initiative, that were equivalent to
$211,014 in savings rather than from any significant decrease in unanticipated leave usage.
Unanticipated leave usage only decreased 3 percent during this quarter. After presenting the
results of the first quarter to the Union President in February 2009, the union wanted to continue to
work on the use of Emergency Vacation and Sick Leave with the membership.
The Fire Department total overtime cost for the two divisions for the entire FY 2008/09 was
$805,123. W hile this was $63,383 over budget for the two divisions, it was $394,472 less than FY
2007/08 actual expenditures (a 33 percent decrease from FY 2007/08), although part of these
savings should be attributed to the presence of the 5 personnel from the Fire Prevention Division
for the month of January (Five personnel left the Division the 02/01/2009 after completion of the
City's Deferred Retirement Option Program -DROP). Further, reduction in overtime and leave
usage was significant only during the second quarter.
Fiscal Year Actual
FY 2007108 Bud et Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Total Difference
Overtime ($'s) 1,272,_2.1.9 386,109 380,475 271,795 161,466 1,199,845 72,374
Unanticipated ; _
leave (hrs) ! i 4,301 4,347 3,696 3,404 15,748'
Fiscal Year Actual
FY 2008/09 Bud et Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Total Difference
Overtime ($'s) 741,740 122,320 235,760 211,288 235,755 805,123 (63,383)
Unanticipated ,
leave hrs ' 4,082 3,140 3,997 4,582 15,801
Further, the trend of unscheduled leave being significantly higheron weekends continued, although
at lower levels than in the prior years on all days except Saturdays. This resulted in the continued
need for additional overtime to backfill on those days, although at lower levels than in prior years.
Analysis of Fire Department Unanticipated Leave Usage and Overtime
Quarter 1 FY 2009/10
Page 3 of 5
Unantici ated Leave Usa a FY 2007/08
Sunda Monda Tuesda Wednesda Thursda Frida Saturda
EVAC 1,469.5 793.0 1,053.5 373.0 575.0 885.5 1,604.5
SICK 2,247.5 1,834.3 1,919.0 800.5 849.0 1,038.5 1,800.0
Total 3,717.0 2627.3 2,972.5 1,173.5 1,424.0 1,924.0 3,404.5
Unanticipated Leave Usage FY 2008/09
Sunda Monda Tuesda Wednesda Thursda Frida Saturda
EVAC 1,448. 1,068. 649. 505. 504. 795.5 1,119.
SICK 1,940. 1,400. 1,352. 938. 907. 1,100. 2,029.
Total 3, 388. 2,468. 2,001. 1,444. 1,411. 1,895. 3,148.
Fiscal Year 2009/10 Results to Date
Results for the first quarter of 2009/10 showed that Emergency Vacation and Sick Leave similar to
the years prior to FY 2008/09. Similarly, overtime expenditures for the Fire Suppression and Fire
Rescue Divisions for the first quarter of 2009/10 reflected similar levels as in years prior to FY
2008/09. As of the first quarter, approximately 43 percent of the total overtime budget for the year
has been expended.
Fiscal Year Actual
FY 2009/10 Bud et Q1
Overtime ($'s) 754,590 321,385
Unanticipated i
leave (hrs) ~ ~ 5,356
Further, the trend of unscheduled leave being significantly higher on weekends continued, resulting
in the continued need for additional overtime to backfill on those days.
JMG/EY/KGB
Analysis of Fire Department Unanticipated Leave Usage and Overtime
quarter 1 FY 2009/10
Page 4 of 5
Attachment 1
Unantici ated Leave Us D f
p age by ay o the Week
Q109/10 Unscheduled Leave
mU
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FY 07/08 Unscheduledleave
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Sunday•Saturday
Analysis of Fire Department Unanticipated Leave Usage and Overtime
Quarter 1 FY 2009/10
Page 5 of 5
Attachment 2
Overtime Usage by Day of the Week
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