Report in the PDF format
Overview
MOU Survey Requirement
Government Code Section 19827 Survey Requirement
Survey Methodology
2024 Survey Lag Computation
Survey Result
Contacts of Surveyed Organizations
Description of Survey Process
Overview
This compensation survey is prepared by the Department of Human Resources (Department) pursuant to Government Code section 19827 and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the State of California and the California Association of Highway Patrolmen (CAHP).
MOU Survey Requirement
The current MOU between the state and CAHP is in effect from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027. The state is required by Government Code section 19827 and the terms of the MOU to continue providing California Highway Patrol Officers with general salary increases (GSI) based upon the lag in this survey.
Government Code Section 19827 Survey Requirement
Government Code section 19827 requires the Department and CAHP to jointly and annually:
Survey five specific public law enforcement organizations and calculate the estimated average total compensation. The components of total compensation are identified.
Conduct the survey using the methodology described in the “Description of Survey Process Pursuant to Government Code (Gov. Code, §19827.) Regarding the Recruitment and Retention of California Highway Patrol Officers,” dated July 1, 2001.
Project the average total compensation ahead to July 1 of the year in which the survey is conducted.
Survey Methodology
Description of Survey Process Pursuant to Government Code section 19827 displays the survey methodology, including the law enforcement organizations and classifications to be surveyed.
The methodology requires:
The survey to measure and report on salary range maximum, patrol bonuses, seniority pay (also known as longevity or retention pay), physical performance pay, Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and other education incentives, and the employee contributions to retirement [1] and other post-employment benefits (OPEB)[2].
The use of an average entry age of 24 years, when the employee’s retirement contribution rate varies based on age in the surveyed organizations. In addition, a 2013 contract addendum provides that the rate for employee contributions toward retirement for each surveyed organization will be determined using a simple average methodology[3].
The CAHP is to verify the survey compensation and staffing data collected by the Department.
The Department and CAHP will finalize the survey findings by March 31 of each year as data is projected to July 1. The parties may also provide periodic survey updates thereafter and meet to review findings.
The Department is to provide survey information on an Excel spreadsheet.
The survey’s intent is to include the classification that most closely matches the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Officer, Range A. The following organizations and classifications are identified in the methodology to be included in the survey.
The methodology determines the percent by which the CHP Officer weighted compensation leads or lags the combined weighted average compensation of the five surveyed organizations.
2024 Survey Lag Computation
The following survey lag computation sheet determines if the compensation for CHP Officers leads or lags the weighted average for officers in the surveyed organizations. The survey methodology is summarized as follows:
The survey individually weights each organization’s patrol bonus, seniority, physical performance, and POST/education incentive pays by the number of officers receiving those incentives which is then added to the maximum base salary for a subtotal compensation. The employee share of retirement, which is determined by multiplying the average employee contribution rate by the above subtotal compensation, is subtracted from the subtotal compensation for each organization’s total compensation. In addition, the employee’s contribution to pre-fund OPEB is also subtracted from the total compensation.
To find the total compensation for the surveyed organizations, each item listed above (maximum salary and incentive pays) is collectively weighted and summed, and the weighted employee share for retirement and OPEB is subtracted.
The CHP Officer compensation and surveyed organizations’ compensation are compared to determine the percent by which the CHP Officer leads or lags the surveyed organizations’ compensation.
A simple average of the tiered retirements for each jurisdiction will be used for the duration of the contract.
Per the June 4, 2021 Side Letter Agreement, the survey shall reflect an employee contribution to OPEB of 3.4 percent for CHP officers.
Survey Results
The compensation for a CHP Officer is currently 4.0 percent below the weighted average compensation of the surveyed organizations.
Attachment
Description of Survey Process Pursuant to Government Code Section 19827 Regarding the Recruitment and Retention of California Highway Patrol (CHP) Officers
Footnotes:
[1] Government Code section 19827, subdivision (a) (1) requires that total compensation include retirement contributions made by the employer on behalf of the employee. The Description of the Survey Process (Gov. Code, § 19827) does not require that total compensation include retirement contributions made by the employer on behalf of the employee. Per past agreement between CAHP and the Department, the survey follows the Description of the Survey Process requirement. ↩
[2] In the 2013 Addendum, it states that for FY 2013-2014, employee contributions toward OPEB will not be considered in the survey. Effective July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2018, 2% of the uniformed CHP member contribution toward OPEB will be considered in the total compensation for a CHP officer. Effective July 1, 2018, the total employee contributions toward OPEB will be considered in the total compensation for a CHP officer. ↩
[3] The 2013 addendum states that the rate for employee contributions toward retirement, as defined in the Government Code section 19827 salary survey methodology (utilizing an age 24 entry age) for each jurisdiction will be determined using a simple average methodology, meaning each of the rates paid by employees still working as of the date of the survey (based on an entry age of 24) will be considered in the simple average. ↩
Published on September 30, 2024
