Company Profile
Company Overview
THE COMMUNITY
Located 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles on the lower slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains, Claremont is best known for its tree-lined streets, historic buildings, world renowned colleges, and award-winning school system.
Claremont provides the charm of a New England town within comfortable driving distance of major Southern California attractions, sports stadiums, and the Ontario International Airport. Sunset magazine described Claremont in this manner, "College towns like this one may be commonplace on the East Coast, but Claremont, 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, stands out as a singular example in Southern California." Metrolink Rail Authority also named Claremont a Preferred Destination Point.
The City has a population of 36,059 people. Within the 14.1 square miles of the city, Claremont has 23 city-owned parks and sports fields, with 2,071 acres of public park land, of which 1,915 is wilderness. Claremont has over 24,000 City trees and has been a winner of the National Arbor Day Association's TREE CITY USA award for 30 consecutive years. City departments include Administration, Police, Human Services, Community Services, Community Development, and Finance. The City employs 150 full-time employees and 80 part-time employees.
Claremont's success is not accidental, but the result of a long tradition of creating and encouraging community cooperatives and involvement in civic affairs, which has also worked successfully in the areas of business and economic retention and development. The City of Claremont exemplifies the quality of a model city, and is viewed and respected as a leader in local government.
CITY GOVERNMENT
Claremont is a general law city that uses the Council-Manager form of government. A general law city is one that operates under laws and rules established by the State of California.
The Council-Manager form of government combines the political leadership of elected officials (the City Council) with the managerial experience of a City Manager who oversees a team of professional staff members.
The City Manager is hired by and responsible to the City Council. It is the responsibility of the City Manager and City staff to implement Council policies and ensure the smooth day-to-day delivery of municipal services. The City Council also appoints a City Attorney to provide legal counsel to the City organization.
The City Council is comprised of five members elected at large for four years. The terms of offices are staggered, with three members elected at one general municipal election and two at the next. Elections are held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of odd-numbered years.
The Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem are elected directly by the members of the City Council. The Mayor is the presiding officer at Council meetings, with the Mayor Pro Tem filling that role in the Mayor's absence. Both the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem have the same voting power as any other Council member.
The City Council and staff are committed to fulfilling the City's mission to deliver the highest quality service possible to our community in a balanced and equitable manner. The City Council has identified the following Council Priorities for 2017: Economic Development, Financial Stability, Local Water Issues, Public Safety, Quality of Life Issues, Sustainability, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Urban Forest Management.
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE
The City Manager's Office is comprised of the City Manager, Assistant City Manager, Public Information Officer, Senior Management Analyst, Executive Assistant to the City Manager, Administrative Assistant, and Public Information Assistant.
The City Manager's Office is responsible for the day-to-day operations of City government and implements the City Council policy direction. Furthermore, the City Manager's Office is responsible for providing overall project supervision and promotes organizational stability through financial and human resources management. Lastly, the City Manager's Office recommends policies that will promote and maintain community standards and values.
Benefits
BENEFITS
The City of Claremont offers an attractive and competitive package including:
2% at 55 PERS retirement (Classic Members), Employee pays 7% of salary; 2% at 62 PERS retirement (New Member) Employee pays 6.25% of salary
$1,294 a month for medical allowance, with any remaining money deposited into employee's ICMA deferred compensation account or taken as taxable income
Deferred Compensation
City provided vehicle
96 hours - 160 hours vacation based on years of service
80 holiday hours and 24 floating holiday hours
80 hours administrative leave
96 sick hours per year (may bring up to 200 hours of sick leave from current employer)
$75,000 life insurance on employee and $10,000 on dependents
Administrative offices open Monday through Thursday
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
HEALTH, WELFARE AND SAVINGS BENEFIT: You will receive $1,294 per month, which may be used to enroll in any City offered health plans, two dental plans, and a vision plan. Any unused amount may be taken as taxable income or may be used for any City sponsored insurance.
HEALTH INSURANCE: The City offers a number of health plans through Alliant Insurance. Detailed brochures are available in the Personnel office.
DENTAL INSURANCE: The City offers a choice of dental plans. One is an indemnity plan, which allows you to go to the dentist of your choice (no orthodontia coverage). The other is a direct service plan in which you must select and receive care at one of the dental offices or centers provided by the plan (orthodontia coverage). Detailed brochures on these two plans are available in the personnel office.
VISION INSURANCE: The City also offers enrollment in a vision plan, which provides a vision examination each year and lenses and frames or contacts every year.
LIFE INSURANCE: You will receive a life insurance policy of $75,000 on yourself and $10,000 on any dependents you elect to insure. There are also optional insurance programs which can be taken with you if you leave City service.
FLEXIBLE BENEFIT PLAN (SECTION 125): Claremont offers a flexible benefit plan which will allow you to pay for certain expenses (child care, unreimbursed medical expenses, and insurance premiums) with pre-tax dollars. This is a voluntary program. The personnel office has a brochure with all the details. A six-month employment period is required before an employee can become eligible for this benefit.
VACATION: You are entitled to a paid vacation of 96 hours following one year of employment. (You may take your accrued vacation after six months.) From the second year of employment until completion of the ninth year, you are entitled to 120 hours of paid vacation. Beginning with the tenth year, and every year thereafter, you are entitled to 160 hours of vacation. A one time 80-hour longevity leave bonus will be given on your service anniversary date of your 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 30th, 35th, etc. years of service. Employees are encouraged to take longevity leave in conjunction with vacation for a "mini sabbatical" in their anniversary years.
SICK LEAVE: You will accrue eight hours of sick leave per month. As an employee in the management group, you may bring with you up to 200 hours of accrued sick leave from your previous agency, if your previous employer did not otherwise compensate you, and provide documentation to the effect.
ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE: Administrative leave of 80 hours per calendar year is granted in recognition of the frequent requirement to work evenings, weekends and holidays in excess of 40 hours per week. If at least 40 of the 80 hours are taken by the end of December, the other 40 may be sold back in December of each year. Time not taken or not sold back will be lost at the end of each calendar year.
JURY LEAVE: If you are required to serve on a jury, you are entitled to your regular compensation for up to 80 (or 76 hours with the reduced 38 hour work week) hours providing you deposit your fees for service with the finance division.
HOLIDAYS/FLOATING HOLIDAY HOURS: Effective October 5, 2009, to implement a 5% reduction in compensation, employees will work a reduced 38 hour work week. The new four day work week will impact employee observance of City holidays. You will continue to receive 104 holiday/floating holiday hours per year for use in observing the holidays provided below:
New Year's Day (January 1)
Martin Luther King's Birthday (The third Monday in January)
Presidents' Birthday (The third Monday in February)
Memorial Day (The last Monday in May)
Independence Day (July 4th)
Labor Day (The first Monday in September)
Veteran's Day (November 11th)
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day (December 25th)
Holidays which fall on your scheduled days (i.e. Friday, Saturday and Sunday) off shall be observed with the use of floating holiday hour on alternate days. Therefore, the number of floating holiday hours provided for use in observance of holidays, which fall on your scheduled days off may vary upon your work week assignment. Except as noted otherwise in your employee association side letter agreement, floating holiday hours must be used before the end of each calendar year.
RETIREMENT:
Miscellaneous PERS Plan Formula
The City shall continue to provide the 2.5%@55 PERS contract option to current miscellaneous employees hired prior to March 19, 2012. An employee who is hired by the City after March 19, 2012, from another Public Employees' Retirement (PERS) agency or agency with PERS reciprocity, or with a break in service 6 months or less, shall receive the Second Tier PERS benefit formula of 2%@55. A returning Claremont City employee that was enrolled in PERS will receive the PERS benefit formula he/she received while previously employed with the City, irrespective of the break in service. An employee who is a new enrollment in PERS, is not coming from an agency with PERS reciprocity, or has a break in service greater than 6 months shall be enrolled in the Third Tier PERS benefit formula of 2%@62.
Employee PERS Contribution
Miscellaneous employees hired prior to March 19, 2012, shall contribute up to a cap of 8% on a cumulative tax deferred basis toward their own PERS member contributions. An employee receiving the Second Tier PERS Benefit formula 2%@55 shall currently contribute 7% toward PERS member contributions. Employees receiving the Third Tier PERS Benefit formula 2%@62 shall currently contribute 6.25% or 50% of the total normal cost rate, whichever is greater towards PERS member contributions.
PERS Highest Pension Calculation Compensation Period - The City shall continue to provide the Single Highest One Year Final Compensation Pension calculation benefit to current miscellaneous employees hired prior to March 19, 2012. Employees hired after March 19, 2012 shall receive the Three Year Final Compensation calculation benefit.
The City shall provide miscellaneous and safety employees with the following benefits/provisions:
Credit for unused sick leave (Government Code Section 20965).
1959 Survivor Benefit (Third Level benefits)
DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN: As a City of Claremont employee, you have the opportunity to participate in a supplemental retirement savings plan offered through the International City Management Association Retirement Corporation (ICMA-RC).
Participation in this program:
shelters a portion of your salary from income taxes;
invests in high-performing funds yielding tax-deferred earnings;
provides a superior tool for retirement planning and savings.
LONG-TERM DISABILITY: The City also provides a long-term disability plan. This benefit is in case you sustain a non-work-related illness or injury that results in your inability to work for a long period of time. In this event, you will receive 66.66% of your base pay of your salary after 60 days, and continued payment until you are medically able to return to work, or you reach the age of 65, whichever comes first (maximum of $8,000 per month.
CREDIT UNION MEMBERSHIP: You are eligible for membership in the F & A Federal Credit Union. F & A offers a wide variety of services, including checking and savings accounts, all types of loans (automobile, vacation, personal, first and second home mortgages, and more!). Additional information is available in personnel, or by calling the credit union toll free at (800) 232-1226.
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP): The City cares about the emotional and physical well-being of its employees and their families. If you or one of your family members is experiencing emotional difficulties, financial concerns, marital problems or problems with drug abuse, contact Alternative Action EAP's 24-hour help line for confidential assistance at (800) 777-9376.
DIRECT DEPOSIT PAYROLL: You may authorize the automatic deposit of your paycheck into your checking, savings or credit union account.