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HomeMy WebLinkAbout21 - Fire Department Timecare Software AcquisitionCITY OF °� mz NEWPORT BEACH C9C /Fp0.N`P City Council Staff Report Agenda Item No. 21 November 27. 2012 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: City Manager's Office Rob Houston, IT Manager 949-644-3033,rhouston@newportbeachca.gov PREPARED BY: Susan Giangrande, Budget Manager APPROVED: �ia A K.hq TITLE: Fire Department Timecard Software Acquisition ABSTRACT: Approve appropriation of funds to purchase computer software needed for payroll processing. RECOMMENDATION: Approve Budget Amendment 13BA- 021 in the amount of $104,026 from the Information Technology Strategic Fund unappropriated fund balance to expenditure account 6420- 9315. FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: The Budget Amendment records and appropriates $104,026 in increased expenditure appropriations from the Information Technology Strategic Fund unappropriated fund balance, 642 -3605. DISCUSSION: Calculation of payroll for Fire safety line personnel is the most complex of any City employee group. Fire safety line personnel work 24 -hour shifts and have schedules that do not follow the traditional pay period structure. In addition, they have negotiated with the City to receive level paychecks meaning that the City issues payment for an agreed upon number of hours per pay period and then conducts a reconciliation of the hours paid versus the actual hours worked at set intervals to ensure compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act. It is a challenge to ensure that all personnel are being paid accurately using our current software solution. The Fire Department uses a software scheduling program purchased eight years ago called Telestaff. It has many features that handle the complex hiring rules used when Fire Department Timecard Software Acquisition November 27, 2012 Page 2 scheduling to fill vacancies, prioritizing coverage employees on sick leave or industrial leave prior to filing vacation requests. It does not have an interface to transmit the daily schedules to the City's payroll program for actual payroll calculation. This means the City has had to rely on a series of customized coding solutions to manipulate the Telestaff scheduling data into accurate payroll information. This reconciliation has become increasingly complicated with recent MOU changes and now requires a more robust solution. A review of software alternatives was undertaken by staff and it was determined the industry standard product that worked best with the existing Telestaff scheduling software was made by Kronos. This research was reviewed and confirmed by the Synoptec IT consultant currently working with the City. Kronos, a well -known workforce management company, acquired Telestaff approximately two years ago. Kronos has an interface "timecard" program that would provide an accurate and complete reconciliation calculation to address the existing and new pay rules. It will also provide increased compliance in that it includes functionality that requires every employee to "approve" their time each pay period through an on -line process. We are requesting an increase in appropriation not to exceed $104,026. This provides for Kronos timecard software acquisition and training for all Fire Department employees. The annual software licensing costs will be less than $10,000 which will be included in the proposed Fiscal Year 2013 -14 budget. The final implementation cost for the Kronos product will likely be significantly less than the not to exceed amount as we anticipate that we will be able to reduce training costs by using a "train the Trainer" model that will involve training a select few experts who will train the rest of the Fire Department Staff. The contract will be signed by the City Manager once it's been finalized, but by requesting appropriation now, we will not lose any time on the implementation process. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act ( "CEQA ") pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly. The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item). The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item). 4 Fire Department Timecard Software Acquisition November 27, 2012 Page 3 Submitted by: Rob Houston, IT Manager Attachments: A. Budget Amendment City of Newport Beach N0, BA- 13BA -021 BUDGETAMENDMENT 2012 -13 AMOUNT: $1oa,azs.00 EFFECT ON BUDGETARY FUND BALANCE: Increase Revenue Estimates Increase in Budgetary Fund Balance X Increase Expenditure Appropriations AND X Decrease in Budgetary Fund Balance Transfer Budget Appropriations No effect on Budgetary Fund Balance SOURCE: from existing budget appropriations from additional estimated revenues X from unappropriated fund balance EXPLANATION: This budget amendment is requested to provide for the following: To Increase expenditure appropriations for the purchase of the Fire Department's new timecard software, Kronos Workforce, for payroll processing_ ACCOUNTING ENTRY: BUDGETARY FUND BALANCE Fund Account 642 3605 REVENUE ESTIMATES (3601) Fund/Division Account EXPENDITURE APPROPRIATIONS (3603) Description IT Strategic Fund - Fund Balance Descrption Description Division Number 6420 IT Strategic Account Number 9315 Kronos Workforce Signed: WC Signed: �r- 14j\ L (/ AdminisZ e+ itiity Manager Signed City Council Approval: City Clerk Amount Debit Credit $104,026.00 Aulomalic $104,026.00 r� - ac -►� Date Il ul 1 Date Date