Staff Senate members gave their recommendations on a highly disputed topic at Wednesday’s monthly meeting.
Last month, Marian Caillier-Augustine from Human Resources Management met with the Senate to discuss the adoption of Civil Service Rule 12.6, which allows supervisors the opportunity to recommend employees for termination to Human Resources if they feel the employee abused his leave.
Human Resources evaluates each situation on an individual basis. Past performance evaluations and the total employment record also are taken into consideration when deciding whether an employee is excessively late.
The Classified Committee met with Human Resources Nov. 13 and it was able to propose a compromise to the rule.
The committee recommended tardiness not be counted as an unscheduled absence and all absences constituted as “unscheduled” must be submitted in writing to the employee within three days of his return to work.
These suggestions will change the policy if the Senate approves them. Once approved, Human Resources will present the proposed rule to the Civil Service Commission for its approval. The Senate also will receive updated statistics on the number of employees affected by the rule from Human Resources at six month and one year intervals.
Sen. Jana Kloss said if the statistics show a large increase in employees affected, the Senate will have to revisit the policy.
“[Augustine] does not expect an increase,” Kloss said. “This is just a precaution just in case [the rule] is needed.”
In addition to Civil Service Rule 12.6, the Senate discussed the low amount of crisis leave time in the staff pool for employees.
Employees are able to donate leftover time to the pool so other employees needing crisis leave time are able to get the needed time. Currently, the pool is low and employees are dipping into reserves, President Eric Reid said.
Reid requested employees donate at least four hours of time for the benefit of all employees.