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ORD 5970
CITYOFRENTON,WASHINGTONORDINANCENO.5970ANORDINANCEOFTHECITYOFRENTON,WASHINGTON,ESTABLISHINGAVOLUNTARYSEPARATIONINCENTIVEPROGRAM,PROVIDINGFORSEVERABILITY,ANDESTABLISHINGANEFFECTIVEDATE.WHEREAS,theCityisofferingavoluntaryseparationincentiveprogramtohelpaddressprojectedbudgetshortfalls;andWHEREAS,theCitydeemsitinistheCity’sbestinteresttoprovideanincentiveforemployeestovoluntarilyseparatefromtheCity;andWHEREAS,thepurposeofavoluntaryseparationincentiveprogramistoreducecompensationcostsandfull-timeemployeelevels,aswellastofacilitateredeployment,reorganization,andothereffortstomakemoreefficientandeffectiveuseoftheCity’slimitedresources;andWHEREAS,theneedtoreducecompensationcostsandincurthecostsofprovidinganincentiveprogramisnecessitatedbytheimpactsoftheCOVID-19pandemic,forwhichtheMayordeclaredanemergencyonMarch5,2020;NOW,THEREFORE,THECITYCOUNCILOFTHECITYOFRENTON,WASHINGTON,DOORDAINASFOLLOWS:SECTIONI.TheCityCouncilherebyestablishesavoluntaryseparationincentiveprogram(the“Program”)forregularfull-timeandregularpart-timeCityemployeeswhohaveworkedfortheCityforatleasttwo(2)consecutiveyearsasoftheDateofSeparation.“DateofSeparation”isdefinedasthefinaldayofanemployee’semploymentwiththeCity,asspecifiedinavoluntarySeparationandReleaseAgreement(“SeparationAgreement”)approvedbytheCity1 ORDINANCENO.5970Attorneyandsignedbytheemployee,theCity,andtheapplicablelaborunion(ifany).TobeeligiblefortheProgram,theDateofSeparationmustbenolaterthanAugust31,2020unlessalaterdateisrequiredbytheMayorordesigneetomaintaincriticalCityservices.SECTIONII.TheProgramconsistsofthefollowingprovisions:A.ParticipationintheProgramshallnotbebasedonprotectedclassstatus,protectedactivity,orotherunlawfulfactors.B.ParticipationintheProgramisvoluntary.EmployeesapplyingtoparticipateintheProgramshallacknowledgeinwritingthattheirdecisiontoparticipateisvoluntary.TheProgramisdesignedtocreatebudgetsavingsthroughexpeditedvoluntaryattrition.Mandatorylayoffsarenotimminentnorthreatened,makingparticipants’decisiontoresignavoluntarydecision.C.Voluntaryseparationwillbesubjecttoallapplicabletermsandconditionsoflaboragreementsineffectonthedatetheemployeeappliesforvoluntaryseparation.NoemployeeshallhaveacontractualrighttoanincentiveofferedthroughthisProgram.D.IfmultipleapplicationsarereceivedforemployeeswiththesameorsimilarjobfunctionsinthesamedepartmentforwhichtheCityapproveslessthanallapplications,theemployeeswiththelongestServiceCreditwiththeCityshallbegivenpreferenceforapproval.E.TheMayorordesigneemaydenyanapplicationtoparticipateintheProgramifheorshedetermines,inhisorherfulldiscretion,thattheCitywouldbeunabletoachieveanetbudgetsavingswhilemaintainingcriticalCityservices.AnapplicantdeniedparticipationshallhavenoremedyagainsttheCityforsuchdenial.2 ORDINANCENO.5970F.EmployeeswhoareapprovedforparticipationintheProgramwillhaveseven(7)daysfromthedateofbeingnotifiedthattheirapplicationisacceptedbytheCitytomakeafinaldecisionastotheirvoluntaryresignationandprovidetheCitywithabindingfinalDateofSeparationthatisnolaterthanAugust31,2020.ToenabletheCitytoplanfortheimpactsofthevacancy,thisdecisiontoresignshallbenon-revocableunlessotherwiseagreedbytheMayorordesignee.G.EmployeeswhoseapplicationsareapprovedandprovidetheCitywithabindingfinalDateofSeparationwillhaveatleastforty-five(45)daystoenterintoaCityproposedSeparationAgreementfromthedateofbeingprovidedsuchagreementandapplicabledisclosuresrequiredbyfederallaw.ThedecisiontoresignshallnotbindtheemployeetoenterintoaSeparationAgreement;howeveremployeesarenoteligibletoreceivetheseveranceunlesstheydoso.NoemployeemaysigntheSeparationAgreementpriortotheirSeparationDateandeachemployeesigningtheSeparationAgreementwillhaveseven(7)daystorevoketheagreementpursuanttoapplicablelaws.H.EmployeesthatenterintoaSeparationAgreementwiththeCityanddonotrevokesuchagreementwillreceiveaone-timeseverancepaymentintheformofacontributiontoanon-taxableVEBA(VoluntaryEmployees’BeneficiaryAssociation)account.Thecontributionshallbeequivalenttowhattheemployee’scostswouldbetocontinuetheirexistingplanandlevelsofmedical,dental,andvisioninsurancecoverageatthecurrentratesforeighteen(18)monthscalculatedaccordingtothe3 ORDINANCENO.5970employee’sapplicablecostsharingrateforCOBRA(ConsolidatedOmnibusBudgetReconciliationAct).I.TheSeparationAgreementwillrequirethatparticipatingemployeeswhoreturntoemploymentfortheCityinlessthaneighteen(1$)monthsfollowingtheSeparationDatearerequiredtorepayaproratedportionoftheCity’sVEBAcontribution.ThemeansandmethodforsuchrepaymentshallbeagreedtobytheCityandtheemployeebeforetheemployeereturnstotheCityasanemployee.i.WhiletheCityacknowledgesthatemployeeschoosingtoparticipateintheProgrammayapplyforunemploymentcompensationbenefitsfollowingseparationfromtheCity,theCitywillobjecttosuchclaimonthebasisthatseparationfromtheCitywasvoluntary.K.Voluntaryseverancepaymentsarenotconsideredincome(averagefinalcompensation)forretirementpurposes.SECTIONIII.Ifanysection,subsection,sentence,clause,phraseorworkofthisordinanceshouldbeheldtobeinvalidorunconstitutionalbyacourtorcompetentjurisdiction,suchinvalidityorunconstitutionalitythereofshallnotaffecttheconstitutionalityofanyothersection,subsection,sentence,clause,phraseorwordofthisordinance.SECTIONIV.Thisordinanceshallbeinfullforceandeffectfive(5)daysafterpublicationofasummaryofthisordinanceintheCity’sofficialnewspaper.Thesummaryshallconsistofthisordinance’stitle.4 ORDINANCENO.5970PASSEDBYTHECITYCOUNCILthis1stdayof2020.APPROVEDBYTHEMAYORthis1stdayofjD.,2020.Approvedastoform:ShaneMoloney,CityAttrneyDateofPublication:6/5/2020(summary)ORD:210$:5/28/2020JasonA.Seth,C‘/ClerkneAayor5