The
Human Resources Division provides staff support to the City
Manager and department directors on a wide variety of personnel
related issues. Some of the programs administered by the Human Resources
Division include:
Recruitment, Testing and Hiring. The division seeks to create
a system for attracting the interest of persons who have quality credentials
for each position in City government as it needs to be filled. The
division ensures that markets are accessed which will attract a balance
of qualified applicants, including minorities and females as well
as qualified males. Unbiased testing and selection processes are included
which can be used to determine the best-qualified applicants. The
hiring process is structured in a way that avoids any indication of
discriminatory practices in hiring.
Benefit Programs. Wages and salaries must be competitive if
the City is to attract high-quality applicants. Equally important,
however, is a well-balanced employee benefit program which provides
for health coverage, and includes a range of benefits that are often
as important to prospective employees as their basic earnings. Programs
the City has in place include health coverage for employees, dental
insurance, term-life insurance, long-term disability protection, medical
leave, vacation, paid holidays, employee assistance program and a
defined-benefit pension benefit. Employees may also cover their family/dependents
on the group health, dental and life plan. Employees who choose dependent
coverage will be responsible for the entire cost of the dependent/family
premium. All of these programs are structured and administered in
a way that they comply with federal, state and local laws and policies.
For additional information about the City's benefit programs CLICK HERE, you
may contact our Benefits Manager by phone or e-mail.
Special Reviews and Studies. Much of the division's efforts
are focused on studying changing laws, researching and providing advise
on questions about existing laws, conducting investigations when claims
of discrimination are filed, and responding to inquiries from individual
employees as well as senior staff concerning one or more of the programs
or employment laws which exist.
Training. The division's Training Coordinator is responsible
for developing and administering a comprehensive training
program which ensures that new employees are provided the required
training and that current employees are able to receive training that
enables them to maintain their skills or learn new skills as they
are needed. This training involves opportunities ranging from in-house
training sessions, to highly skilled consultants who present training
on specialized subjects. For more information about the City's training
program, you may contact the Training Coordinator
by phone or e-mail.
Insurance and Safety. The division administers all liability
and workers' compensation insurance programs for the City. The program
involves a mix of self-insured and fully-insured components. On select
lines of coverage, the City applies various deductible amounts as
a measure to help limit insurance premium costs. The City is self-insured
for workers' compensation (with limits to protect against catastrophic
losses). A third-party administrator is retained to administer and
process claims and to make necessary payments. The mix of components
require direct daily involvement in all aspects of insurance, ranging
from knowledge of the insurance market, to interacting with providers,
individuals, adjusters, case managers and others who have a need for
assistance or for information. This division is responsible for overseeing
loss control and safety programs which are designed to reduce the
number of and severity of claims and injuries to employees. For more
information about insurance and safety, you may phone or e-mail
the Risk Management Coordinator.
The division has a staff of five, including the Director,
who each have primary responsibility for components of the division's
programs. Each member of the staff has developed expert knowledge
that can also be applied toward completion of special projects and
studies as required.
2006 Human Resources Annual Report