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Home My WebLink AboutOrdinance 21708-03-2015 II I ORDINANCE NO. 21708-03-2015 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH (1986), AS AMENDED, TO AMEND SECTION 27-28 OF CHAPTER 27, "POLICE" OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH (AS AMENDED) PROVIDING FOR SUPPLEMENTAL COMPENSATION IN THE FORM OF ASSIGNMENT PAY FOR BILINGUAL OFFICERS; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE CUMULATIVE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; i AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE I WHEREAS, Section 143.042 of the Texas Local Government Code permits the City Council to authorize assignment pay for police officers performing specialized functions in their j department; and i WHEREAS, On April 27, 1987, the City Council approved an amendment to Chapter 27 of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, adding section 27-28 which provided for the payment of assignment pay for certain Police Officers and civilian employees in the police department as "bilingual personnel" who, in addition to their regular duties, will perform certain specialized functions and be paid the sum of $25.00 per month as assignment j pay, as designated by the Chief; and i WHEREAS, the Police Department recommends authorization of assignment pay for Bilingual Officers by amending Section 27-28 to the Code of the City of Fort Worth; and I i I WHEREAS,the City Council finds it advisable to adopt staff s recommendations. i i Ordinance No.21708-03-2015 Page 1 of 3 i i f NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE i CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS: I SECTION 1. I That Chapter 27 of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, (1986), as amended, is hereby further amended Section 27-28 to read as follows: I Sec. 27-28. - Assignment pay - Bilingual Officers (a) The Chief of Police may designate certain Police Officers in the Police Department as bilingual personnel who, in addition to their regular duties, will perform certain specialized functions. Bilingual personnel so assigned will comply with the following for the department: i (1) Bilingual personnel means a Police Officer who, in the performance of the Officer's duties, is capable of effectively translating a language used by the residents of Fort Worth into English and English into the same language, orally j and/or in writing. (2) To be eligible for bilingual skills pay, the Officer must take and pass a language proficiency test administered by the Human Resources Department. If a language proficiency test is not available through Human Resources, employees must provide an appropriate certification from an accredited agency or institution to be eligible for bilingual skills pay. (3) Upon request, employees receiving bilingual pay are expected to assist other departments with translation. Refusal to assist may result in the loss of bilingual pay. Bilingual pay can be discontinued at any time at the discretion of the Chief of Police or designee as long as the employee no longer uses bilingual skills in the performance of their essential job functions. I (b) A Bilingual Personnel who has been designated by the Chief of Police will be compensated the sum of $100 per month for the use of verbal skills and an additional $25 per month for the use of writing skills for a total of$125 per month I as assignment pay, in addition to that individual's regular pay. I F SECTION 2. i The remainder of Chapter 27 shall remain in full force and effect, save and except as amended by this Ordinance. I Ordinance No.21708-03-2015 Page 2 of 3 i f 4 SECTION 3. 1 This ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordinances and of the Code of the I i City of Fort Worth, Texas, (1986), as amended, except where the provisions of this ordinance are I in direct conflict with other provisions of such ordinances or such Code, in which event the I conflicting provisions of such other ordinances or such Code are hereby repealed. SECTION 4. It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of this ordinance are severable, and, if any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared unconstitutional by the valid judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality shall not affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this ordinance, since the same i would have been enacted by the City Council without the incorporation in this ordinance of any such unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence,paragraph or section. � I i SECTION 5. This ordinance shall be effective as of XAWC� '---2015. b � f APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: i F By. AssisUnt City Attorney F Mary J. Kayser, i Se etary t j ADOPTED: March 24, 2015 EFFECTIVE:/-% 0 Gj i k Ordinance No.21708-03-2015 Page 3 of 3 I I I City of Fort Worth, Texas Mayor and Council Communication �`, ` , ° COUNCIL�ACTION Approved`:on'3%24%201;5 Ordinance No ,21708-03 2015mm�-}��# DATE: Tuesday, March 24, 2015 REFERENCE NO.: G-18448 LOG NAME: 35BILINGUAL POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS SUBJECT: Adopt Ordinance Amending Chapter 27 Section 27-28 of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986) Providing for the Payment of Assignment Pay for Bilingual Skills for Certain Police Officer Positions (ALL COUNCIL DISTRICTS) RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council approve the attached ordinance amending Chapter 27 Section 27- 28 of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), providing for the payment of assignment pay for bilingual skills for certain Police Officer positions. DISCUSSION: Section 143.042 of the Texas Local Government Code permits the City Council to authorize assignment I pay for police officers performing specialized functions in their department. The amount of assignment pay must be established by ordinance and is to be paid in addition to the police officer's regular pay. • On April 27, 1987, M&C G-7050 (Ordinance No. 9865) the City Council approved an amendment to Chapter 27 of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, adding Section 27-28 which provided for the payment of assignment pay for certain Police Officers and civilian employees in the police department as "bilingual personnel"who, in addition to their regular duties, will perform certain specialized functions and be paid the sum of$25.00 per month as assignment pay, as designated by the Chief. Such payment shall be in addition to the employee's regular pay. "Bilingual personnel" means a member of the police department who, in the performance of the member's duties, is capable of effectively translating Spanish into English and English into Spanish, orally and/or in writing. In order to be eligible for assignment pay as "bilingual personnel,"the employee must pass a Spanish proficiency test to be administered by the personnel department. • On February 10, 2006, the Personnel Rules and Regulations were revised to include a new policy increasing the rate of compensation for using verbal skills from $25.00 to $50.00 per month. i Furthermore, employees who are called upon to use their verbal and written skills and who translate written material will be compensated at a rate of$75.00 per month. • On February 23, 2009, the Personnel Rules and Regulations were revised to include employees whose job duties require the use of their bilingual skills may be eligible for additional compensation. Employees who use verbal skills only are compensated at $100 per month. Employees who also use writing skills are compensated at an additional $25.00 per month for a total of$125.00 per month. A language proficiency test administered by the Human Resources f Department must be taken and passed to be eligible for bilingual skills pay. The Police Department recommends updating Chapter 27 of the City Code to be consistent with the Personnel Rules and Regulations for assignment pay of bilingual officers. The amendments would include: Logname: 35BILINGUAL POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS Pagel of 3 i i Current Language Amended Language "Be paid the sum of twenty-five dollars Be compensated the sum of$100.00 per ($25.00) per month as assignment pay." month for the use of verbal skills and an additional $25.00 per month for the use of ! writing skills for a total of$125.00 per month as assignment pay, in addition to that individual's regular pay. "Bilingual personnel means a member of the Bilingual personnel means a Police Officer police department who, in the performance who, in the performance of the Officer's E of the member's duties, is capable of duties, is capable of effectively translating a effectively translating Spanish into English language used by the residents of Fort and English into Spanish, orally and/or in Worth into English and English into the same writing." language, orally and/or in writing. "In order to be eligible for assignment pay as To be eligible for bilingual skills pay, the bilingual personnel, the employee must pass officer must take and pass a language r a Spanish proficiency test to be administered proficiency test administered by the Human by the personnel department." Resources Department. If a language proficiency test is not available through ` Human Resources, employees must provide an appropriate certification from an accredited agency or institution to be eligible or bilingual skills pay. JJ N/A Upon request, employees receiving bilingual C pay are expected to assist other departments with translation. Refusal to assist may result in the loss of bilingual pay. Bilingual pay can be discontinued at any time at the discretion of the Chief of Police or designee as long as the employee no longer uses bilingual skills in the performance of heir essential job functions. I FISCAL INFORMATION /CERTIFICATION: t The Fiscal Year 2015 budget was developed based upon compensation of$100.00 per month for spoken bilingual pay and $125.00 per month for spoken and written bilingual pay. The Financial Management Services Director certifies that this Mayor and Council Communication confirms actual practices and approval of this recommendation will have no material effect on City funds. i FUND CENTERS: h TO Fund/Account/Centers FROM Fund/Account/Centers CERTIFICATIONS: Submitted for City Manager's Office by: Charles Daniels (6199) Logname: 35BILINGUAL POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS Page 2 of 3 i Originating Department Head: Rhonda K. Robertson (4231) Additional Information Contact: Shallah Graham (4229) i i I f l I 1 I i it t i a i i F i 4 i V 1 I l i Logname: 35BILINGUAL POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS Page 3 of 3