Minutes - 20071113 - Laserfiche WebLink

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the policy and changed it into an ordinance. The staff is bringing this to the Board for review because, as the staff began to review sections of the ordinance, certain issues began popping up, and there have been law changes in multiple sections. Also, technology has changed the way business is done. The objectives are as follows: • Update changes in state and federal law -include language in the Ordinance consistent with the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and Americans with Disabilities Act. • Adopt best practices for specified benefits - develop a bank for shared leave where employees could deposit leave into the bank not only for their benefit but also for the benefit of others. This would allow recipients of the shared leave donation to receive the leave that they require while retaining their privacy. • Modernize the terminology -change the name of the Personnel Department to the Human Resource Department and Department Heads to Department Directors. • Remove items that are no longer relevant -take out of the ordinance references to the Employee Interest Card in Article I and Position Interest Cards in Article II. These items are no longer used -the job line and Internet are now used to keep potential applicants aware of vacancies. • Create a Rules and Regulations Manual -provide for a rules and regulations manual developed and maintained by the County Manager that would instruct department heads, supervisors, and employees on "how to" carry out the instructive language in the ordinance. This manual, and any future revisions to the manual would be reviewed with the Board. The manual would also enable the Board to keep the language in the ordinance specific enough to give direction but general enough so that the ordinance would not become outdated with minor changes to state and federal law. In other words, the ordinance would contain language on what the Manager, Department Directors and other were required to do as it relates to personnel and the manual would direct them as to "how" to carry out those requirements. Laura Blackmon made reference to the proposal on page 39 with a timetable to review the different articles of the ordinance through some previously scheduled work sessions. The various sections could be brought back piece meal, and then the entire ordinance could be adopted all at once. It is an aggressive timeline. In answer to a question from Chair Carey, Annette Moore said that the ordinance is "what to do" and the rules and regulations are "how to do it." The rules and regulations can be changed without the process that an ordinance revision requires. Geof Gledhill said that right now the ordinance tries to capture public records requirements and other state and federal law requirements, and the proposal would be not to do that anymore, but to have the ordinance say that the personnel records are public or not as required by state and federal law. The rules and regulations are the things that the employees would use on a daily basis. Chair Carey said that he has concerns about the Manager making changes and Laura Blackmon said that part of the process would include how these changes would be made. Commissioner Foushee made reference to the Manager having the ability to determine the standard operating procedures would be more appropriate than the Board determining the day-to-day operations. These issues should be left to the staff.