County of Alameda

DESCRIPTION

Under close supervision, to do heavy physical laboring tasks; and to perform other related work as required.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

Laborer positions are located in the Public Works Agency. Incumbents in this position perform manual labor both indoors and outdoors. Laborers usually work on patch crews, utility crews and construction crews, doing the manual labor in road and flood maintenance and construction work. Some positions in this class involve working on the “traveled portion” of the road, working on road surfaces, shoulders, ditches, culverts and other road appurtenances. Incumbents may also work in and around creeks, channels and culverts, cleaning debris, cutting brush/weeds and maintaining flow ways, fencing and access roads, and may work on tree crews, gardening crews, or traffic painting crews. Laborers will be required to operate some power and automotive equipment such as small rollers, grinders, jackhammers, and chain saws.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

NOTE: The following are the duties performed by employees in this classification. However, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level. Each individual in the classification does not necessarily perform all duties listed.

1. Uses hand tools in grading, subgrade preparation, and in resurfacing sections of roads or in patching roads with asphalt concrete.

2. Does a great variety of recurring maintenance work, such as clearing out heavy debris from creeks, channels, ditches, culverts, and drains; clearing slides from the road surface; graffiti abatement, pothole patching, cutting tree limbs, brush chipping and sweeping intersections.

3. Operates a small roller in performing patching and similar road maintenance work, and drives a 2-axle vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 26,000 lbs. or less or a 3-axle vehicle with a GVW of 6,000 lbs. or less pulling small utility trailers, chippers, compressors, oil pots, crackseal machines, etc.

4. Assists in the corporation yard, refueling trucks and equipment, cleaning the yard, receiving stock, maintaining landscaping, and doing other maintenance work.

5. May build and maintain berms, shoulders and guard rails.

6. May occasionally build forms and mix/ place concrete for installation of culverts, drop-inlets, retaining and wing walls, and other concrete structures; and may lay subdrain pipe.

7. May operate pneumatic tools in breaking pavement and excavating for ditches, drains, and other structures.

8. May work on the paint crew under the supervision of a Traffic Painter and paint traffic lines and other road surface markings, and operate a stencil truck.

9. May act as a hosemen-oiler or raker applying bitumal oil by hand-held spray wand, or as a raker finishing hot asphalt patches.

10. May perform heavy manual tasks in and around County Buildings and on County right-of-ways, such as lifting and moving heavy objects, moving furniture, and assisting in routine maintenance tasks.

11. Set up and maintain traffic control cones, barricades and signs, and provide flagging for the safety of the crew and the public.

12. Assist in the installation of traffic warning and speed control signs.

13. Complete basic written records such as daily logs, timesheets, service requests, work orders, etc.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

Education:

Possession of a high school diploma or GED.

AND
Experience:

The equivalent of two years full-time experience in road or flood control construction or maintenance or a related labor intensive field.

License:

Possess and maintain a valid California Motor Vehicle Class C Driver's License. Candidates must submit evidence from the DMV showing current status of their license at the time of application and must have a clean driving record for the previous three-year period.

Candidate must submit to and pass drug and alcohol screening at time of hiring.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

NOTE: The level and scope of the following knowledge and abilities are related to duties listed under the “Examples of Duties” section of this specification.

Knowledge of:

• Various types of fence and guardrail repair.
• Chainsaw, power hedger, brush chipper, weed whacker, jackhammer, and compressor operations and safety.

Ability to:

• Read and write English to at least 12th grade level.
• Follow written and oral instructions.
• Do heavy physical labor.
• Handle emergency situations while working in the field.
• Safely use a variety of hand and/or power tools.
• Work safely in various traffic conditions.
• Work cooperatively with co-workers and the public.
• Perform all duties following correct safety procedures.
• Safely operate a Class C vehicle and trailer over various paved and unpaved surfaces while driving, backing up and parking.

Working Conditions:

Laborers are subject to 24-hour call out and must actively participate in the program.
Work outdoors in all weather conditions
Subject to intense heat while applying chipseals, asphalt, crackseals, etc.
Work on uneven surfaces.
Subject to loud noises.
Work in confined spaces.
Contact with dust, dirt, poisonous plants, dead and live animals, used syringes and condoms, feces, urine, chemicals, paints, petroleum products, etc.
Work in high traffic areas.
Subject to climbing ladders, working from heights, working in moving water, bending, stooping, lifting heavy objects, crawling through small spaces, working overhead, etc.

CLASS SPEC HISTORY

Retyped: l2/9/74
Retyped: 4/14/77
nw
BL:rr Revised 6/78
Formerly: 0830h
DUA:cla Revised: 8/12/97
Old doc: 9105h.doc
New doc: 9105
ys/2/01
CSC Date: 12/3/97
RC:po Revised 3/30/07
CSC Date: 5/9/07
MH:cs Revised 2/25/15
CSC Date: 5/27/15

BENEFITS

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Well-Being

• Medical – HMO & PPO Plans
• Dental – HMO & PPO Plans
• Vision or Vision Reimbursement
• Share the Savings
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees) 
• County Allowance Credit
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
• Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

• 12 paid holidays
• Floating Holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Catastrophic Sick Leave
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.