Number
190099
Version
SUBSTITUTE 1
Reference
Sponsor
THE CHAIR
Title
Substitute resolution relating to a City of Milwaukee Residency Incentive Policy
Analysis
This resolution describes the City of Milwaukee’s policy to provide salary and wage incentives to promote city residency of city employees and to create a task force to study and recommend other incentives that would encourage city employees to obtain and maintain city residency.
Resolution
Body
Whereas, Section 66.0502 (3) Wis. Stats., states “no local governmental unit may require, as a condition of employment, that any employee or prospective employee reside within any jurisdictional limit” excepting a 15 miles limit of jurisdictional boundaries for law enforcement, fire and emergency personnel; and
Whereas, pursuant to Black, et al v. the City of Milwaukee, 2016 WI 47, the City of Milwaukee amended its Charter Ordinance 5-02 to remove residency as a condition of obtaining or continuing employment with the City of Milwaukee, and enacted a requirement for law enforcement, fire and emergency personnel to live within 15 miles of the city’s jurisdictional borders, as permitted in Sec. 66.0502(4)(b), Wis. Stats.; and
Whereas, between July 2013 when the City of Milwaukee suspended enforcement of its residency requirement pending the outcome of Black, et al v. the City of Milwaukee, and March 1, 2019, 1,665 employees have moved outside the city’s jurisdictional borders, or have been hired and not obtained residency inside the city’s jurisdictional borders; and
Whereas, having employees live in the City provides them with better knowledge of the challenges facing the City, increases understanding of neighborhoods and enhances relationships with residents; and
Whereas, residency encourages City employees to provide better results for residents if they are themselves City residents, to feel a personal connection to city neighborhoods and city services; and
Whereas, employees who live within the City’s jurisdictional borders will likely contribute more to the City’s economy in their spending than non-residents, thus helping to maintain a vibrant market for local businesses; and
Whereas, employees who live within the City’s jurisdictional borders are likely to be homeowners and contribute to the tax base and the vibrancy of city neighborhoods; and
Whereas, employees who live within the City make other innumerable contributions to the City’s economy, culture and community-contributions; and
Whereas, in July, 2013, the City began providing general city employees wage or salary incentives to encourage employees to maintain residency within the city’s jurisdictional borders; and
Whereas, over time the amount and administration of the residency wage or salary incentive has resulted in differences among similarly situated employees; and
Whereas, the City desires to encourage all employees to obtain and maintain residency and to adopt a residency incentive policy that will apply equitably to all city employees, to direct the City Labor Negotiator to seek implementation of the policy through collective bargaining with the Milwaukee Police Association (MPA), the Milwaukee Police Supervisors’ Organization (MPSO) and the Milwaukee Professional Fire Fighters Association, Local 215 (Local 215), and to study additional incentives that would encourage city employees to obtain and maintain city residency; now therefore, be it
RESOLVED that the City of Milwaukee will provide wage and salary incentives to employees who are, or who become, residents of the City of Milwaukee and the City of Milwaukee will create a task force to study and recommend other incentives that would encourage city employees to obtain and maintain city residency.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Employee Relations has authority to create and implement pay administration practices consistent with this policy, and that the salary ordinance be amended as needed to carry out those practices; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Labor Negotiator shall bargain in good faith with representatives of the MPA, MPSO and Local 215 to further this policy.
Requestor
City Attorney
Drafter
MRH:
April 18, 2019
1033-2019-77:256580