The Human Resources Department 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 department 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 department 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. EOE

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 Human Resources Manager by phone @ 816-271-4670 or e-mail.

Special Reviews and Studies. Much of the department's efforts are focused on studying changing laws, researching and providing advice on questions about existing laws, conducting investigations if 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 department'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 e-mail or by phone @ 816-271-4739.

Insurance and Safety. The department 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 @ 816-271-4671 or e-mail the Risk Management Coordinator. For liability claims, please phone 816-236-1478 or email the Claims Technician.

The department has a staff of six, including the Director, who each have primary responsibility for components of the department'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.

2007 Human Resources Annual Report