Title
a. Support amending the Fiscal Year 2019-20 Auditor-Controller budget (1110-AUD001) in reallocating one (1) vacant Payroll Technician-Confidential (80J96) from Unit 8372 to one (1) ERP Business Analyst (14P32) Unit 8373; and
b. Support authorizing the Auditor-Controller and County Administrative Office to incorporate the approved changes in the Fiscal Year 2019-20 Adopted Budget.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Budget Committee:
a. Support amending the Fiscal Year 2019-20 Auditor-Controller budget (1110-AUD001) in reallocating one (1) vacant Payroll Technician-Confidential (80J96) from Unit 8372 to one (1) ERP Business Analyst (14P32) Unit 8373; and
b. Support authorizing the Auditor-Controller and County Administrative Office to incorporate the approved changes in the Fiscal Year 2019-20 Adopted Budget.
SUMMARY:
To administer appropriate succession planning in the Systems Management unit of the Office of the Auditor Controller (ACO) and in order to meet regulatory requirements and to provide better customer service, an additional ERP Business Analyst (BA) position is requested by the ACO. Due to the complexity of the County Financial (FIN) and Payroll/Human Resources/Benefits (HR) modules, the large number of bargaining units, and the large number of financial transactions processed, it has been difficult for current staff to meet the needs of County departments. The ACO has undergone a detailed analysis of the Systems Management unit and identified possible risk to County operations. The ACO succession plan proposed will help mitigate said risk.
DISCUSSION:
The ACO has undergone a detailed analysis of the Systems Management unit currently consisting of four (4) BAs. Based on findings, several concerns have been identified. A succession plan must be implemented as soon as possible to avoid risk to the County in the form of: delayed Performance Budgeting (PB) for Fiscal Year 2020-21, delayed fiscal year end ‘hard close’, errors conducted in the system due to high workload creating short turnaround deadlines, lack of sufficient time to document processes.
At this time three (3) BAs are dedicated to the HR module and among other duties: assist HR/Benefits and Payroll in administering security, HR/Benefits and Payroll business functions, W-2 issuance, annual configurations such as open enrollment, configurations relating to MOU changes or new regulations. All three BAs are performing at a high level of urgency to complete new complex reporting and compliance issues due to legislative actions such as the ACA, and Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts requirements.
The remaining BA is responsible for the Finance (FIN) and PB Modules creating the foremost risk identified. Due to the necessity of prioritizing departmental task requests on a level of urgency or on number of departments affected, many important department operational requests are downgraded to - ‘as time permits.’ A need for succession planning and severe lack of BA availability for cross training has resulted to date in the County experiencing delays in year-end close and delayed PB module availability to departments for data entry and budget development. Any serious illness or attrition to this position would result in severe system delays as remaining BAs would be unable to undertake FIN tasks in a relatively smooth transitional manner.
The recent vacancy of a Payroll Technician-Confidential combined with the reallocation of an Auditor-Controller Analyst I in the same unit, accompanied by workload restructuring have created an opportunity to support this BA reallocation request. The ACO has been working diligently to ensure organizational structure integrity in each of its functions and wishes to create a succession plan in its System’s Unit. Alleviating the great risk to County operations identified in the ACO Systems Management unit analysis, the additional BA would address the risk of single critical point of failure in FIN and PB as well as provide the opportunity for cross-training between HR and FIN/PB modules.
FINANCING:
The reallocation of a Payroll Tech position will provide for a substantial portion of the funding needed for this request. The anticipated difference of $23,000 for the remainder of FY 2019-20 will be absorbed by the ACO’s base-line budget due to salary savings. An annualized funding gap of approximately $72,000 in FY 2020-21 is anticipated to be absorbed by the ACO’s baseline budget resulting from several vacancies filled at a lower step in the salary range.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The CAO-Budget has reviewed this request. The Human Resources Department has reviewed and approved the Request to Classify form for the BA position.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This proposed action will allow the Auditor-Controller’s Office to promote an organization that practices efficient and effective resource management, and create an opportunity to attract, recruit, or retain a diverse, talented workforce that supports the mission of the County of Monterey.
Check the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives
__Economic Development
X Administration
-__Health & Human Services
__Infrastructure
__Public Safety
Prepared by: Maria Papurello, Administrative Services Assistant, 755-5084
Approved by: Rupa Shah, Auditor-Controller, 755-5099
Attachments:
Board Report
Exhibit A - ERP Business Analyst Resource Capacity Calculation
Approved Auditor-Controller Request to Classify