San Joaquin County has lost a years-long court battle over contract language with law enforcement officials, so the local government will have to dish out $1.1 million to cover about eight years of back pay to current and former employees. In fact, the county is expecting it will have to pay more than $1.1 million due to higher pensions and future wages. The pay issue ended up in court because there was disagreement over determining salaries after a promotion. But the judge in the case deemed contract language on the matter very clear, so raises received since 2003 will have to be readjusted for many employees and the county reports that other workers will receive higher salaries more quickly because of the ruling. The Record reports:
“In recent years, the county had twice rejected the claims for back pay, arguing that the Law Enforcement Management Association and the Sheriff Deputy Sergeant Association hadn't objected to how pay was calculated for the 16 years before the two groups filed a complaint in 2008. The employee groups argued that the contract language determined what salaries after promotions should be, past practices notwithstanding.”
The board of supervisors passed a resolution to comply with the order and Board Chairman Larry Ruhstaller indicated that “The judge said to do it; we will do it; that's about the long and the short of it.”
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