The City has implemented an electronic timekeeping system, Novatime, for the employees covered under the SPPA bargaining unit. Novatime collects the data necessary to pay employees by using a cloud-based system rather than requiring employees to manually handwrite on a paper timecard.

City employees covered by Resolutions and Operating Engineers’ employees have already been successfully transitioned to the new system. During implementation, the City became aware of outdated language in the Sparks Police Protective Association – Sergeant contract.  Therefore, the City approached SPPA-Sergeants to discuss the language and the parties have come to an agreement to change the contract.

The Sparks Police Protective Association Sergeant Collective Bargaining Agreement was approved by council on September 25, 2017.  In the current Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 4: Leave Benefits, Article J: Compensatory Time, Subsection 1, the longstanding language states that Sergeants will receive 4.1 hours of compensatory time to compensate for time spent preparing for briefings.  Compensatory time is one leave type designated under federal law.  Under the updated language, the Sergeant will record the time spent preparing for briefings on their timecard by punching in and out of the timekeeping system.  They may designate the pay as they choose, either as compensatory time or as overtime.  The language paying exactly 4.1 hours of compensatory time is therefore removed in the MOU.

1. The Council may choose to approve the proposed memorandum of understanding.
2. The Council may choose not to approve the proposed memorandum of understanding.
3. The Council may choose not to approve the proposed memorandum of understanding and direct the City Manager toward another alternative.

I move to approve the Memorandum of Understanding (AC-5561) between the City of Sparks and the City of Sparks Police Protective Association - Sergeants.