Drafter
Clerk 11/01/2012
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AN ORDINANCE related to establishing a pilot program for 2012 and 2013 to incent the voluntary separation of retirement-eligible employees as necessary to minimize the number of employees subject to a reduction in force.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. A significant budget shortfall in key areas has been identified for 2013. In order to address the shortfall, program cuts and reductions in force are being implemented in 2012 and are planned for 2013.
2. The county's revenue forecast for 2014 also will call for expenditure reductions.
3. Many employees who are eligible to retire continue to work for various reasons including, but not limited to, the costs associated with obtaining health insurance upon retirement.
4. The county recognizes the benefits to it and its customers of responding to budget shortfalls with the voluntary separation of employees who are retirement eligible rather than subjecting other employees to a reduction in force. These benefits include but are not limited to the following:
a. a voluntary separation to occur on a date certain provides the county the ability to plan for the transition of work, knowledge and service delivery;
b. a voluntary separation to occur on a date certain provides the county time to plan for the realignment of work, resulting in cost savings and efficiencies. It may also minimize the number of future reductions in force;
c. a voluntary separation to occur on a date certain provides the county an opportunity to minimize the disruption that reductions in force cause, often resulting in an employee bumping into another employee's position per collective bargaining agreement provisions;
d. many other public jurisdictions statewide are currently offering or have offered voluntary separation or early retirement programs in the last two budget cycles. King County has reviewed the voluntary separation programs in other jurisdictions, including, but not limited to, those in the...

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