Commission briefed on HR policy changes to streamline salary-approval tiers

Human Resources Director Sean Cho presented proposed edits to the county’s personnel policy to resolve conflicting language about when salary-setting requires full commission approval.

Cho said the current policy contained conflicting guidance in two places about whether setting a salary above the first quartile requires full commission approval. "So we are just changing it so that it'll only be the HR director's approval," Cho said, adding the controller and liaison commissioner would be kept informed and that directors would receive the proposed policy before it is presented to the board.

Staff also proposed reducing four tiers to three because two tiers were redundant, and clarified procedures for downgrading and upgrading positions: downgrades could be handled by HR and the liaison commissioner to save budgeted dollars quickly, while upgrades (for example moving a part‑time position to full‑time or changing grade upward) would continue to require full commission approval.

Cho said staff will distribute the revised policy to department directors before the next meeting and that policy language updates will be coordinated so other county policies align with this standard.

Next steps: HR will present the revised policy at the next Administrative Operations meeting and the commission will receive the draft language for review before formal adoption.