HomeMy Public PortalAbout808.28 - Human Resources - Personnel Management - Employee Suggestion ProgramGeneral Administration Department
Human Resources Division Section 808.28
808.28 SUBJECT: EMPLOYEE SUGGESTION PROGRAM
:1 OBJECTIVE:
Encourage City employees to become involved in seeking ways to improve the
efficiency and safety of City operations.
:2 AUTHORITY:
This procedure amended by city Council August 9, 2004, Item A4.
:3 DIRECTION:
Human Resources Division Manager, as an appointed official, serves at the
pleasure of, and receives direction from the Mayor through the General
Administration Department Director.
:4 METHOD OF OPERATION:
The following policy and procedure will apply to the establishment of an
Employee Suggestion Program (ESP) and provide guidelines for recognition of
suggestions submitted by employees.
A. Definitions
The following words or phrases for the purposes of this procedure, shall be defined
as:
Awards - The method by which those making suggestions
are recognized, ranging from participation acknowledgments
to monetary awards.
Recording Secretary - The designated General
Administration Department employee who provides
administrative support to the Employee Suggestion Program
Committee.
Employee Suggestion Program Committee - The
Committee vested with the responsibility of reviewing all
employee suggestions, evaluating them as to their benefit to
the City based upon input from concerned Departments or
operating units, and determining appropriate recognition for
the initiator of the suggestion.
Monetary Award - An award given for a beneficial
suggestion.
Suggestion Boxes - Receptacles located at employee sites in
which suggestions can be deposited.
B. Policy
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The City's ESP encourages employees to submit their ideas for ways
to increase productivity, save time and money, simplify work
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systems, eliminate waste and improve the working environment. It
assures participating employees that their ideas will be evaluated in
an orderly manner and that appropriate recognition will be
forthcoming.
C. Objective
1. To encourage employees to take advantage of the opportunity to suggest
improvements to current City operational procedures.
2. To recognize and reward the efforts of employees who participate in the ESP.
D. Eligibility
The following represent typical suggestions eligible for
consideration by the ESP Committee [this list is NOT inclusive, and
employees are encouraged to utilize common sense when initiating
suggestions]:
1. Improvement in customer service, procedures/system controls, production
quality, safety/health conditions, material handling/storage, tools/fixtures/
equipment.
2. Increase in the productivity and efficiency.
3. Reduction in costs, waste, defects, and idle time.
Suggestions not eligible for consideration include:
1. Matters within the normal scope of responsibility of the suggestor’s position
description.
2. Topics for collective bargaining agreements
3. Criticism of other employees or working conditions without suggested
correction.
4. Routine maintenance or repairs, which do not constitute a change in
procedures or result in cost savings.
Suggestions previously submitted and/or acted upon.
1. Ordinary requests for supplies/services.
5. Suggestions that have been implemented more than two years or to the date of
submission to ESP.
In the case of duplicate suggestions under current consideration, the
recognition/award will go to the first suggestion received.
If several employees submit a suggestion jointly, any award will be
split among them equally or as the degree of contribution warrants.
All suggestions are valid for one (1) year. Should a suggestion
initially not be adopted but subsequently is put into effect within a
period of a year, the suggestor will be credited for the suggestion
and receive an appropriate award.
E. Suggestion Submittal Procedure
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Human Resources Division Section 808.28
1. Suggestion boxes have been strategically placed at facilities throughout the
City. Completed Suggestion Forms may be deposited in these boxes or
forwarded to the Employee Services Office, Human Resources Division, City
Hall. Suggestion boxes will be emptied at least every two weeks. All
suggestions become the property of the City of Orlando which has exclusive
ownership to all copyrights, trademarks, trade names, and patent rights that
may result.
2. Each suggestion received will be logged in and assigned a number by the
Recording Secretary. To more adequately evaluate each suggestion on its
merit, a copy will be forwarded for comments to the office(s) or Division(s)
that would be responsible for its implementation and returned to Employee
Services within ten (10) days of receipt. Comments should address such
factors as:
a) Feasibility of implementation
b) Cost of implementation
c) Cost savings of implementation
d) Results of implementation and any other pertinent information.
3. Copies of suggestions, with comments, shall be provided to ESP Committee
members at least five (5) working days before the scheduled Committee
hearing.
4. The ESP Committee will evaluate each Suggestion based upon the following
Point Value System/Table of Points and Awards. Suggestions will be rated by
the Committee with any awards corresponding to the points given.
a) Significance/Importance or Degree of Change/Improvement.
(1) Minor 05
(2) Some 10 to 15
(3) Appreciable 20 to 30
(4) Considerable 35 to 50 plus
b) Degree of Benefit or Other Potential Value
(1) Minor 05
(2) Some 10 to 15
(3) Appreciable 20 to 30
(4) Considerable 35 to 50
c) Application
(1) Minor 05
(2) Some 10 to 15
(3) Appreciable 20 to 30
(4) Considerable
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d) Table of Points and Awards
(1) Up to 25 points - $25
(2) 26 to 50 points - $50 or equivalent U.S. Savings Bond
(3) 51 to 100 points - $100 or equivalent U.S. Savings Bond
(4) 101 to 150 points - $250 or equivalent U.S. Savings Bond
(5) 150 and over - $500 or equivalent U.S. Savings Bond
F. Awards/Recognition
Based upon the total accumulation of points received by each suggestion and/or cost
savings, the Committee shall make a recommendation to the City Council for
recognition and/or a monetary award of up to $5,000. The City Council may, at its
discretion, grant a higher monetary award based upon the ESP Committee
recommendation and justification when the suggestion provides significant cost-savings
to the City.
G. Implementation
1. When a suggestion has been approved by City Council, an award notification
letter will be sent to the employee by the Recording Secretary, with copies to
the appropriate Department Director, Office Director and Division Manager. If
the award is $1,000 or more, it will be presented by the Mayor at a City
Council meeting. In all other cases, the Department Director, Office Director
or Division Manager will make the presentation.
2. Award ceremonies should include:
a) Expression of appreciation and recognition of the creative contribution by
the recipient.
b) Stimulation of employee interest in the ESP.
3. When an adopted suggestion involves an expenditure of funds, prior to its
implementation, the appropriate Office or Division should assign a priority for
accomplishment and designate the funding source. If funding is not available
for the implementation, a request should be initiated through the established
process for necessary appropriation.
4. The Recording Secretary shall maintain a record of designated awards and the
status of implementation on all adopted suggestions
:5 FORMS:
None
:6 COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP:
The ESP Committee will consist of at least nine (9) members. Permanent members are
the General Administration Department Director, or designee; and a representative of
the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). In addition, a non-management employee
from each of the (9) Departments will be selected by the CAO to serve on a rotating
basis for a maximum of three (3) consecutive years. The Committee will meet at least
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six (6) times a year. The Recording Secretary will prepare minutes of each meeting and
maintain Committee records.
:7 REFERENCE:
City Council actions of April 6, 1960, Item 37; July 13, 1960, Item 54; Procedure
approved by City Council on August 24, 1981, Item 23-H; amended December 12,
1983, Item 32, A-15; June 21, 1993, Item 2-P; August 9, 1993, Item 4-OO; November
15, 1999, Item 3-D; amended June 3, 2002, Item B24, amended September 15, 2003;
amended August 9, 2004, Item A4.
:8 EFFECTIVE DATE:
This procedure effective August 9, 2004
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