Title
Amendments to Chapter 2, Article III in Accordance with Human Resources Committee 612A Recommendations (Ordinance G-6941)
Description
Request to authorize City Manager to amend Chapter 2, Article III to establish the salaries for Judges of the City Court; establish the salary and benefits of the Assistant Presiding Judge; and to modify the benefits for Court Hearing Officers.
Report
Summary
Background
The City of Phoenix Municipal Court supports nearly 40 judges yet has no official structural alignment to provide management and administrative oversight to those judges. There is one position that has a working title of “assistant presiding judge” but this position is classified and compensated the same as all other judges. Because this role provides managerial and supervisory functions, it makes sense to establish a separate organizational level for this role and compensate the position appropriately. A new grade would also be established concurrent with the establishment of the classification.
During the review of the judicial structure, staff also reviewed the salary and compensation packages for other courts in the local labor market. Without exception, all of the neighboring municipalities allow for a salary review process that provides the flexibility to adjust salaries on a periodic basis to remain competitive in the marketplace.
Phoenix, however, has salary rates for judges specified in City Code at the same rate provided to the judges of the Superior Court of Arizona. As a result, Phoenix judges are compensated at the lowest rate in the local market, and there is no opportunity or flexibility provided by the City Code to resolve this situation. A request for comparable salary information from neighboring municipalities in the local labor market was conducted between August through October 2021.
Municipality Base Salary
Scottsdale $202,384
Surprise $186,803
Mesa $173,430
Tempe $173,348
Chandler $176,008
Glendale $169,635
Gilbert $168,637
Maricopa County Superior Court $149,400
A simple average of the neighboring cities (including Maricopa County Superior Court) yields $174,956. Staff recommend adjusting the annual salary up slightly to $175,011. This would move Phoenix to be competitively positioned in the labor market.
Furthermore, recognizing the supervisory responsibilities of the Assistant Chief Presiding Judge, staff are recommending a base salary calculated at 10 percent above that of the judges. This results in a salary of $192,504.
City Code currently provides for the Court Hearing Officers and Presiding Court Hearing Officers to receive the same benefits as provided for in the supervisory and professional pay plan of the City of Phoenix. However, because the roles and responsibilities are closely tied to the judges, and their base salary is calculated as a percentage of the judges, it is recommended the benefit package of the Hearing Officers be revised be to the same as that of the judges, namely the same benefits as provided for in the middle management pay plan of the City of Phoenix.
These amendments are effective on Jan. 24, 2022.
The amendments are reflected in Attachment A.
The specific salary and benefit changes for the Assistant Presiding Judge, Judges of the City Court, and Court Hearing Officers will be made on separate ordinances modifying the City’s compensation plan and classification plan.
Financial Impact
The total estimated cost for the entire proposal is $825,000.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
This action was reviewed and recommended for approval by Human Resources Committee 612A on Dec. 9, 2021.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Karen Peters, Assistant City Manager Lori Bays, and the Human Resources Department.