Document Type: Regulation Number: 3.05a
Effective: 05-01-06
Revised: 10-01-06
10-01-07
09-05-08
12-01-09
08-27-10
02-14-11
11-29-12
01-04-13
Legal References: 26 C.F.R. §
31.3401(g)-
1(a)(1))
EXCELLENCE AWARDS
I. INTRODUCTION
The City has instituted citywide excellence recognition programs and encourages each department to establish excellence recognition programs that will be most beneficial to the department. Excellence recognition programs are intended to recognize a wide variety of achievements by individual and/or team efforts. The purpose of this regulation is to ensure that recognition awards are distributed among all levels of employees within the City. This regulation does not apply to bargaining unit employees covered under a collective labor agreement.
II. DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS
A. Department Excellence Recognition Programs
The following shall be applied when awarding department excellence recognition programs:
1. The accomplishment shall reflect productivity, creativity, or customer service.
2. The award shall be timely and/or spontaneous.
3. Good projects shall be considered, whether failures or successes.
4. Cash, products, or services may be used. A well-chosen product or service with the employee’s interests in mind would be the most effective.
5. The maximum dollar limit per excellence award is $500 gross pay. Awards exceeding $500 require Mayor’s office approval.
6. Excellence award requests shall be in gross amounts only. Gross amount refers to the amount awarded to the employee before payroll deductions. Cash awards will be included as a part of the employee’s regular paycheck and payroll deductions do apply. Payroll deductions will also be taken for non-cash awards such as gift cards regardless of the dollar amount.
7. Monetary awards will be included as part of the employee’s regular payroll check.
8. Supervisors may use the template letter in Exhibit 3.05d to notify the employee of the award.
9. More than one excellence award may be given to an employee per fiscal year; however, the combined total value of the excellence awards shall not exceed $500 per fiscal year without Mayor’s office approval.
10. Departments may spend up to the budgeted amount. Excellence award funds may be used to fund goal achievement in accordance with the Performance Management regulation. Excellence award money that funds goal achievement does not count towards the employee’s excellence awards cap. Unexpended excellence award funds will be “turned back” at the end of the fiscal year.
11. Excellence award funds shall not be used for sick leave incentive programs.
12. Unless otherwise allowed in this regulation, special departmental recognition events exceeding $500 are subject to approval by the Mayor’s office.
13. The Department of Finance and Administration will set yearly deadlines for year end award submissions based on business needs.
B. Initiating a Department Excellence Award
The following process outlines how departments initiate employee excellence awards:
1. The supervisor shall initiate all excellence awards by completing an Excellence Award Authorization form (see Exhibit 3.05b).
2. Employees currently on an improvement plan and/or employees who have received a written reprimand or suspension in the six months prior to the proposed giving of the award are not eligible for employee excellence awards.
3. The award shall be authorized by the Department Director or designee in accordance with this regulation.
4. The department shall send a copy of the approved Excellence Award Authorization form to HR Payroll for processing.
5. The department initiating the award shall ensure all levels of employees are receiving awards.
III. CITY-WIDE PROGRAMS
To encourage the citywide recognition of the performance and the years of service of employees, the City has the following programs:
A. Service Awards
The City recognizes employees on an annual basis for their years of service. Specifically, employees are recognized when they achieve 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years of service. Subject to budget limitations, eligible employees receive a certificate and are given the opportunity to select a suitable gift. These individuals are also recognized on the City’s Inside page.
B. Employee of the Year
On an annual basis, the City will recognize an employee of the year in the following classifications:
1. Non-Exempt General Employee
2. Exempt General Employee
3. Senior Manager
4. Command Staff
5. Department Director
6. Firefighter
7. Police Officer
Employees will nominate and select their own department’s non-exempt and exempt general employee of the year.
Any employee may nominate another general employee in his or her department who has successfully completed the probationary period, using the form in Exhibit 3.05c of this regulation. Nominations are due to the department selection committee, the Department Director, or his or her designee by September 10.
For departments without a selection committee or standing process, it is recommended that a team of 5 to 10 employee representatives, from various divisions in the department, read all the nominations and select an employee from each of the two categories by ranking the nominations and/or voting in rounds.
Depending on the size of the department and number of nominations received, the team may choose to rank all nominations and vote for the top 3 to 5 employees. Employees on the team may wish to discuss the nominations and vote again until a selection is made in each category.
Upon receiving approval from the Department Director, each department will then submit the department non-exempt and exempt employee of the year to the Wages and Benefits Team representative by October 1. The Wages and Benefits Team will use the same ranking and voting process to determine the City of Boise Non-exempt and Exempt Employee of the Year awards.
The Wages and Benefits Team will forward the names of all departments’ Employee of the Year nominees and the individuals selected in each category to the Office of the Mayor by November 1 so that awards can be prepared and presented at a recognition event.
In conjunction with the applicable departments, the Mayor’s office will select the Senior Manager, and Department Director of the year. The Fire and Police Departments will determine their own processes to select a member of Command Staff and a Firefighter and Police Officer of the year.
The above individuals are eligible for an Excellence Award in accordance with this regulation and budget limitations.
C. Retirement Award
To recognize the years of service of an employee retiring from the City, departments shall use a portion of their allotted Excellence Award funds to purchase a gift, hold a celebration, and/or provide a cash award, at the retiring employee’s discretion.
A “retiring employee” is an employee who meets the following requirements:
1. Has tendered a retirement letter to Human Resources;
2. Is eligible for a PERSI retirement and has worked for the City for at least ten cumulative years; and
3. Is not currently on a formal improvement plan.
The amount of the retirement award is $250.00, plus an additional $10.00 per each complete year of the employee’s service in the City. The Mayor’s office will determine amounts for Department Director retirements.