Public employment: salary classification: state scientist.

Existing law requires the Department of Human Resources to establish and adjust salary ranges for each class of position in the state civil service. Existing law requires the department, with respect to the collective bargaining process for specified bargaining units, to submit to the parties meeting and conferring and to the Legislature a report containing the department's findings relating to the salaries of employees in comparable occupations in private industry and other governmental agencies, in accordance with certain timeframes. Existing law requires the state, in order to recruit and retain the highest qualified employees in specified classifications, to consider the estimated average total compensation paid to employees in comparable occupations. This bill would require the University of California, Berkeley, Labor Center (Center) , in recognition of the need to retain skilled state scientists, to undertake a study of existing salary structure and issues currently impacting horizontal and vertical salary relationships as compared to historical relationships, and to provide recommendations, if applicable, for alternative salary models for State Bargaining Unit 10 (Professional Scientific) rank-and-file employees. The bill would require the Center to consult with the Department of Human Resources and the scientists' exclusive bargaining representative to identify the study's parameters and objectives. The bill would require, by April 30, 2024, the Center to report to the Director of Finance, the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, and the chairpersons of relevant legislative policy and budget committees the study's findings, as specified. The bill would require the Center's report to include information regarding advantages of any alternative salary model included in the recommendations, the transition costs and ongoing costs associated with any recommended alternative salary model, and ways that alternative models address issues of horizontal and vertical salary relationships as compared to historical relationships. The bill would specify that preparation of the report required under the bill shall not delay or prejudice the collective bargaining process required under existing law. The bill would require any increase in salary resulting from the study to be implemented through the negotiation of a memorandum of understanding as required by existing law.