14 - Rewarding Ideas Program RevisionProtecting our community's health and the environment by providing solid waste and sewer collection services.
www.cmsdca.gov
Costa Mesa Sanitary District
….an Independent Special District
Memorandum
T o: B oard of Directors
From: Scott Carroll, General Manager
Date: September 26, 2013
Subject: Rewarding Ideas Program Revision
Summary
On August 29, 2013, the Board of Directors directed staff to bring back the District’s
Rewarding Ideas Program to consider revising the policy. The Board suggested
ex cluding management employees from being eligible to participate in this program.
S ta ff Recommendation
That the Board of Directors considers revising the program.
Analysis
Currently, the District has thirteen full time positions, including the General Manager,
and two part-time positions. Of the thirteen full time positions, half are considered
management positions. These positions are described below.
Administrative Services Manager
Finance Manager
District Clerk
Management Analyst
Management Assistant
Maintenance Supervisor
The intention of this progra m is not to exclude half of the District’s entire staff from
being eligible to participate in this program. Therefore, it is recommended that the
Administrative Services Manager and Finance Manager positions be excluded from
participating in this program because these two positions are responsible for
administering the program and making recommendations for approval and
disapprovals. Excluding these two positions, in addition to the general manager, will
maintain the integrity of the program while at the same time encourage employees to
be rewarded for their ideas.
ITEM NO. 14
Board of Directors
September 26 , 2013
Page 2 of 2
Strategic Plan Element & Goal
This item complies wi t h the objective and strategy of Strategic Element 5.0,
Administrative Management , which states the following:
5.0 Administrative Management
Objective: To create, maintain and implement policies and procedures to ensure
sound management of the District.
Strategy: We will conduct periodic reviews, refine and implement policies and
procedures, and assure the General Manager has the direction and tools necessary for
successful District operations.
Legal Review
Not applicable
Financial Review
The re are not financial impacts to the District for revising this policy.
Public Notice Process
Copies of this report are on file and will be included with the entire agenda packet for
the September 26 , 201 3 Board of Directors regular meeting at District Headquarters
and on District’s website.
Alternative Actions
1. Do not approve revising the policy.
2. Direct staff to return with more information.
Attachment s A: Administrative Regulations No. 20.40 – Rewarding Ideas Program
Reviewed by:
Stacey Cuevas
Finance Manager
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Costa Mesa Sanitary District
Administrative Regulations No. 20.4 0
Board Revised Approval Date September 26, 2013
SUBJECT: REWARDING IDEAS PROGRAM
PURPOSE: To encourage employees to generate ideas for organization improvements
A. Purpose
To estab lish District procedures for an employee suggestion program encouraging employees
to generate ideas for organizational improvements and providing a system for answering and
recognizing adopted ideas.
B. Policy
Costa Mesa Sanitary District supports a work environment that encourages participation,
innovation, and organizational improvement. The District encourages the use of the Rewarding
Ideas Program which furnishes a process for submit ting cost saving ideas to District
Management . The program is designe d to encourage employees to take an increased interest
in District operations and to generate cost saving ideas. The Rewarding Ideas Program is
administered by the District’s P ersonnel M anager.
The General Manager will provide recommendations to the Board of Directors for monetary
awards to emp loyees. The General Manager has the exclusive right to establish award policy
and structure of the suggestion system. This includes the right to amend the system at any time
with due notice of change. All suggestions become the exclusive property of the District and
shall not form the basis of a future claim upon the District by the suggester/employee, his/her
heirs, successors or assigns, including suggestions that are subsequently patented.
C. Authority and Respons ibility
Every District employee on acti ve payroll status at the time of submission of a suggestion will be
eligible to receive awards with the exception of the following: Members of the Board of
Directors, the General Manager, Administrative Services Mana ger, Finance Manager contract
staff, temporary employees, and interns.
D. Procedures
1. Suggester
Suggestion forms may be obtained from the District’s personnel manager. The
suggester should read the instructions on the suggestion form, fill the form o ut
completely and carefully, and then return i t to the P ersonnel M anager through interoffice
mail. The suggester should retain a copy for his or her own records.
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2. Personnel Manager
A. The Personnel Manager will date stamp the suggestion form when rec eived. The
Personnel Manager will prepare in advance all information required to expedite
processing of the sugg estion. In addition, the Personnel Manager will assure that each
suggestion is fairly and thoroughly investigated and reported upon. The Personn el
Manager will also request further information and investigation if rejection of a
suggesti on is questioned the General Manager .
B. To be eligible for an award, the suggestion must be adopted and implemented to
accomplish one or a combination of the fol lowing:
Save material, supplies, money, space, time, or labor;
Improve service, safety conditions, or morale;
Improve methods, procedures, or equipment, resulting in increased output and/or
efficiency; or,
Eliminate unnecessary procedures, records and for ms.
Suggestions not eligible for award are:
Propositions which call attention to a problem but do not propose an acceptable
solution.
Those dealing with normal maintenance, unless such suggestions contribute to a
solution of maintenance problems.
Those dealing with salary adjustments, employee benefits and job classification.
Those not original with the suggester, or those submitted for an ineligible suggester.
Those which are duplications of suggestions submitted within the last 24 month
period.
Those s ubmitted over 90 days after implementation of the suggestion.
Those that contain an idea already under ac tive consideration by the District .
Those which are within the job responsibility of the suggester.
Those that deal with hours and other terms and cond itions of employment.
Suggesti ons that do not relate to District nor fall within the authority or responsibility
of the District or would require statutory change in the law.
C. The Personnel Manager will be responsible for internal marketing and
administ ration of the Rewarding Ideas Program. The Personnel Manager brings the
suggestion to the attention of the General Manager for review and provides linkage
between the sugg ester and the evaluation process. In addition, the Personnel Manager
monitors the eva luation process to ensure completion within 45 days of receipt of the
suggestion.
D. The Personnel Manager shall ensure the fair and careful review of suggestions
submitted by employees in a timely manner. T he Personnel Manager shall call upon
additional resources from other d epartments, Finance , as needed. Evaluation of the
suggestion will begin with initial determination that it is legal and safe. The Personnel
Manager will then determine whether the suggestion has the potential to save money,
generate r evenue, reduce or eliminate waste, provide better customer service, save
time, improve morale and/or productivity.
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E. Based u pon this analysis, the Personnel Manager will complete a Suggestion
Evaluation form with a recommendation to accept or decline the suggestion. The form
shall indicate whether or not the suggestion is feasible and cost effective, has been
adopted, any actual or estimated reduction of expenditures made possible by the
suggestion, or reason for its rejection. The Personnel Manager will return the Evaluation
form to the General Manager within 22 days of receiving the suggestion. If the
suggestion is deemed not feasible for implementation, the suggester will receive a copy
of the evaluation.
3. Finance Manager
The Personnel Manager wil l forward the suggestion to the Finance Manager who will
analyze any tangible savings in light of the current budget. The Finance Manager will
attest to the accuracy of amounts saved by signing the Suggest ion Evaluation form. The
Finance Manager will then return the completed form to the Personnel Manager. Note:
All evaluations must have the signature s of the personnel manager and the Finance
manager along with the reward recommendation .
4. General Manager
The General Manager w ill review the Personnel Man ager’s evaluation and determine if
an award should be made. If the suggestion is acceptable and meets the criteria for an
award, the General Manager will recommend to the Board of Directors that the
suggester receive a n award. The Personnel Manager will no tify the suggester that the
suggestion and award has been recommended for approval .
5. Board of Direc t ors
A. Upon receiving a recommend ation from the General Manager, the Board of
Directors shall consider the recommendation and approve it unless, after i nvestigating
the operation of the suggestion, the Board determines the recommendation is not in
accordance with t he provisions of the Program in which event the Board sh all direct the
General Manager to reanalyze the suggestion and make a new recommendatio n. Upon
appr oval by the Board of Directors , the award, if any is recommended, shall be made at
a Formal Board Meeting.
B. Suggestions will be determined “closed” but not “declined” if the Personnel
Manager is unable to determine an approximate implementa tion/adoption date within 12
months of evaluation of the suggestion (i.e., due to budgetary constraints). The
suggester may retain ownership of the suggestion by resubmitting the idea within one
year and thirty days of notification. The suggestion mu st be resubmitted on a new form
referencing the original suggestion control number.
E. Reward Levels
If a suggestion is determined to provide a tangible benefit from either additional revenues or
savings in materials, equipment, overhead or deleted positions, a cash award of 20% of the first
year’s revenues/savings may be awarded to the suggester. In no event will the monetary award
to any one suggestion exceed $1,000 or be less than $25.
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If a suggestion provides intangible benefits to a department, a certifi cate of commendation or a
cash award up to $100 may be awarded to the suggester. These intangible benefits may include
time savings, improved morale, improved customer service, etc. for which monetary values
cannot be determined.
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Employee Suggestion Submission Form
Rewarding Ideas Program
Costa Mesa Sanitary District
The Rewarding Ideas Program is designed to encourage employees to generate ideas for
organizat ional improvements and provide a system for answering and rec ognizing adopted
ideas . The Rewarding Ideas Program does not deal with workforce matters, i.e. performance
evaluation or disciplinary manners, nor is it a vehicle to deal with employee disagreements or
workplace concerns as those items should be submitted through the normal channels in place
to deal with such matters.
Thank you for taking the time to share your ideas!
Please complete all questions below. If you require additional room for any response please use
additional sheet of paper. Please reference the question number for which you are continuing
your response
First Name:
Last Name:
Position :
My suggestion will: Save material, supplies, money, space, time, or labor;
Improve service, safety conditions, or morale;
Im prove methods, procedures, or equipment, resulting in
increased output and/or efficiency; or,
Eliminate unnecessary procedures, records and forms.
Yes No
1. As far as you know, is this suggestion already being considered?
2. Does this suggestion relate to a policy that is not being applied properly?
3. Have you submitted this suggestion before, within the past year?
4. Describe the present situation, condition, method, or procedure to be improved.
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5. What is your suggestion?
6. How will your suggestion improve the present situation or benefit the District?
By submitting this form, I certify that I am e mployed with the Costa Mesa Sanitary District . I
have read the eligibility requirements and rules of the Rewarding Ideas Program and I agree
that the D istrict shall have the right to make full use of my suggestion.
Name Date
Submit this suggestion by sending it to the District’s Personnel Manager
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Personnel Manager Use Only
Suggestion #:
Title:
Date Received:
Date Sent to General Manager :
Date Due (45 days):
Suggestion Evaluation Form
Eligibility of Suggester
To be completed by Personnel Manager
1. Sugg ester is employed by the District :
� Full -time
� Part -time
� No, ineligible
2. Is idea part of suggester’s job assignment and expected as part of his/her job?
� Yes, ineligible
� No
3 . Does suggestion support a District Policy No._____?
� Yes
� No
Comments:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The suggester is eligible to submit this suggestion.
__________________________________ Date __________
Personnel Manager
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Suggestion Evaluation
(Name) ___________________________
Instructions:
1. Please use this form in evaluating the attached suggestion. Type or print in black ink.
2. If the suggestion is not clear, please contact the suggester for clarification.
3 . Sign, date and return within 45 days.
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1. If suggestion concerns any of the following, it is not eligible. Please indicate and explain:
Propositions which call attention to a prob lem but do not propose an acceptable solution
Those dealing with normal maintenance, unless such suggestions contribute to a
solution of maintenance problems
D ealing with personnel matters such as performance evaluation, salary adjustments,
employee be nefits and job classification
N ot original with the suggester
D uplications of suggestions submitted within the last 24 month period.
S ubmitted over 90 days after implementation of the suggestion.
C ontain an idea already under ac tive consideration b y the District .
A re within the job responsibility of the suggester.
D eal with hours and other terms and conditions of employment.
Do not relate to District nor fall within the authority or responsibility of the District or
would require statutory cha nge in the law.
Explanation:
2. Has this suggestion been considered by management in the past year? If yes, what action
was taken? (Support documentation pre -dating suggestion should be available from
management on request)
� Yes, not eligible
� No
3. Does the suggester accurately describe the current situation? If no, what is the actual current
situation?
� Yes
� No
Explanation:
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4. Can the suggestion be implemented? Please explain giving specifics. Attach additional pages
if needed.
� Yes
� No
Explanation:
5. What is the impact of this suggestion?
� District only
� Several agencies
� State -wide
Recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Do you re commend implementation of this suggestion? Please explain your recommendation.
� Yes
� With modifications
� No
Explain:
2. What benefits can be derived from this suggestion?
Save material, supplies, money, space, time, or labor;
Improve service, safety conditions, or morale;
Improve methods, procedures, or equipment, resulting in increased output and/or
efficiency; or,
Eliminate unnecessary procedures, records and forms.
Intangible benefits
None
Explain:
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This evaluation compli es with District Policy No._____:
__________________________________ Date __________
Personnel Manager
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__________________________________ Date __________
Finance Manager