Are extra help employees represented by the unions?
AFSCME and SEIU represent extra help employees in classifications that are represented by their unions. All other extra help employees are not represented by theRead More →
Can evaluations be used as part of the disciplinary process or are they separate?
Performance evaluations, as well as other documentation such as supervisory notes or copies of products, can be used by either side in personnel actions. ForRead More →
Can my Department Head reject my VTO application?
Yes. Your Department Head has the discretion to approve or reject your VTO application.Read More →
Can supervisors access the RSI Report to assist in gaging and monitoring staff activities?
The goal of the Repetetive Stress Injury Prevention Program (RSIGuard) is to help prevent or manage computer related injuries. The County is offering RSIGuard toRead More →
Can the person count travel time to first home visit from their home, which could include traffic?
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) commute to/from work is not considered work time. The work day begins when an employee arrives and isRead More →
For those working in the field can the staff person do work on a laptop in a coffee shop?
The Telework Program allows approved employees to work at a location other than a County office. Although this is usually from home, employees can workRead More →
How do I address an employee who is being too social in the workplace?
Discuss your concerns and observations. When possible, give an example of a recent situation you have witnessed, and explain the perception or impact (such asRead More →
How do I practice having a difficult conversation with an employee when the situation needs to be kept confidential?
You can practice with your peers without disclosing names or details. Another option is to set up a time to talk to your ER Analyst,Read More →
How does one discipline an employee who does not repeat the same behavior but commits acts of misconduct?
Discipline can be for repeated acts of separate types of misconduct and can increase progressively even if not for the exact same thing. Conduct casesRead More →
How long can someone keep their position open if they are on leave?
This depends on the type of leave. Please consult with Risk Management to discuss your specific situation.Read More →
How long does it take to open a requisition i.e. when you know someone is going on Med leave?
Whether and what type of replacement you can bring on when someone goes on leave is complicated. Please consult with your manager and contact PersonnelRead More →
How many attendance grace periods is a staff member allowed?
There is no such thing as a grace period. Employees are expected to maintain regular and predictable attendance. If you have an employee with attendanceRead More →
How to respond if comments/suggestions/compliments brought by staff involves a “peer” and not a direct report?
Generally, we recommend that you coach the employee to approach the peer to give the feedback (so long as it is not a complaint ofRead More →
I’m confused. When is an employee allowed to have a union representative at a meeting?
If you are simply giving an employee feedback, the employee is not entitled to a union representative. If the employee believes that a meeting willRead More →
If a person has several weeks/hours of vacation can they apply for VTO to avoid using their accrued vacation?
An employee can apply for VTO for any reason. Deciding whether to grant VTO is discretionary, but you should have a good business reason whenRead More →
If an employee asks for more pay what is the process?
Generally, pay is negotiated by the labor unions and in the MOUs. You should recommend that they speak with their union representative about negotiating aRead More →
If an employee has a body odor problem, is it the supervisor’s responsibility to address this issue?
Yes. It should be dealt with in private and straightforwardly. Call Employee Relations if you need help preparing for such a conversation.Read More →
If one employee had previously approved VTO, are you required to honor VTO on subsequent years?
No. But to develop a good relationship with the employee, you should give advance notice of the change and explain why the change is necessaryRead More →
If the employee says that there’s not a policy on what you’re addressing (such as dress code), what do I say?
Be specific on what exactly the problem is, what your explicit expectations are, and the impact this problematic behavior might be having on the workRead More →
If there is a concern brought to my attention, and I don’t directly supervise them, what should I do?
It depends on the urgency. If it has an impact on client/patient care, address it in the moment, then follow up with their supervisor. IfRead More →
If you are a seasoned County employee and decide to take a new position and that position gets cut, do you have bumping rights to your prior position?
Bumping rules are covered by each specific MOU, so you should check the relevant MOU. But generally when a filled position is eliminated, the personRead More →
If you do not take the County Health insurance except for dental, can you still participate and do the Wellness Program?
The Wellness Program is available to all County employees, regardless of whether the employee receives health insurance through the County. However, Wellness Rewards are onlyRead More →
If you wish to meet with an employee who makes-up stories or lies a lot and wish to have someone else to witness the conversation with your employee – whom should you ask?
This is a complicated situation that is very dependent on the facts; you should get advice from Employee Relations on how to best handle suchRead More →
Is HR planning to have an online automated on/off boarding guide?
A New Employee Onboarding website was created as a source for Managers/Supervisors and new hires as a single source for storing all of the onboardingRead More →
What are the steps to successful team building?
We recommend training on team building. LMS (www.smcgov.org/LMS) has the following courses for supervisors: Team Building for Supervisors Generating Creative and Innovative Ideas: Maximizing Team CreativityRead More →
What do you say when the employee thinks they’re perfect?
Give staff specific examples on the behavior that needs to be corrected. It is helpful to give context to explain the impact to the workforce,Read More →
What is the best way to create a thriving environment when your manager continues to shoot down your ideas?
Every circumstance is different. First, it always behooves us to look at our own behavior to see what might be provoking such behavior by ourRead More →
What is the best way to monitor and back track issues of absenteeism?
This is the area in which a supervisor has the most day-to-day involvement.The key to avoiding problems is to set clear expectations and to addressRead More →
What is the responsibility of the supervisor and employee to prioritize duties and responsibilities? In taking on side projects that impacts an employee’s ability to keep up with workload?
It is unclear from the question whether the employee wants to take on new projects or the supervisor wants an employee to take on newRead More →
What should you do if you smell alcohol on an employee’s person and you do not supervise them and it is towards the end of the day?
First, review the Dealing with the Impaired Employee: Employee Relations Bulletin 5, located under Procedures. If you suspect that an employee is under the influence ofRead More →
When a supervisor has exhausted all avenues to get an employee back to work, how do you proceed to have them release their position?
This is a complicated question that is very fact specific. Please consult with Employee Relations.Read More →
When creating a new position within the department for internal transfer, does seniority play a role, if so how?
Generally, seniority does not play a role in determining who is transferred to a different position that is the same classification, however there are instancesRead More →
When does a disciplinary issue get to a Skelly hearing versus outside arbitration?
In dealing with performance and conduct issues you will encounter corrective action and disciplinary action. Corrective action is a lower level of action and canRead More →
When the job is physically demanding and the employee has restrictions that may or may not be work related, is there something we/risk management should do proactively to address this problem?
Good for you for recognizing the risk to the employee and to be proactive about it. As each situation is unique, please contact Risk ManagementRead More →
Work schedules seem to vary in departments. Are there set work hours?
The County supports alternative or non-traditional work schedules that provide flexibility to the employees, as long as such schedules do not negatively impact service deliveryRead More →