Special Salary Adjustment (SSA) Application Process – Deadline Approaching!

MEA’s recently adopted four-year labor contract includes across-the-board flex and salary increases that apply to all MEA-represented job classifications. In addition, a number of previously approved classification-specific “Special Salary Adjustments” (SSAs) were included to become effective on July 1, 2018.

MEA’s contract includes a process whereby additional SSAs that are approved by the City’s Civil Service Commission in FY 2017 or 2018 can also be considered for implementation effective July 1, 2018. This year’s Civil Service Commission process for evaluating those requests is upon us, and MEA is now soliciting requests from members who wish to be involved on behalf of their entire job classification.

The criteria for SSAs is described in the City Charter, which provides that the Civil Service Commission shall issue a report each year “identifying classifications which merit special salary consideration because of recruitment and retention problems, changes in duties or responsibilities, or other special factors that the Commission deems appropriate.” For more detailed information about the factors that the Commission considers in this process, please see the attached special salary adjustment request form.

The Charter also provides that only labor organizations or departments may bring forward requests for SSAs, new classes and title changes to the Civil Service Commission. Individual employee submissions to the Civil Service Commission are not allowed – employees must work through their labor organization on behalf of their entire classification.

If you believe that your classification has a meritorious case to be made to the Commission, here are your next steps:

1. Review the attached SSA Request Form and note the detailed information that needs to be included in each request. Also, see the attached Salary Review Schedule from the Civil Service Commission to learn more about the process.
2. Reach out to colleagues in your classification and form a team to help with the work that is involved. As the subject matter experts regarding your job, the efforts of you and your colleagues will make the difference between success and failure in this process.
3. Compile the needed information, complete the SSA Request Form, and return it to MEA on or before June 30, 2016. Completed request packages should be emailed to Cathleen Higgins at chiggins@sdmea.org. You can also call Cathleen at 619-264-6632 x117 if you have any questions or need more information about the process.
4. MEA will review any SSA request packages received before June 30 and assign staff to work with each group in advance of MEA’s submission to the Civil Service Commission on August 19, 2016. MEA will provide substantial assistance and guidance to each employee group, but the responsibility to take the lead in doing research and gathering information specific to your classification is yours.

Please review the attached materials and consider moving forward with this process. Contact Cathleen Higgins at MEA for assistance or for more information. We look forward to working with you!

Special Salary Adjustment Request Form
Civil Service Commission Salary Review Schedule