Chapter 2.103
EMPLOYEE SUGGESTION AWARD SYSTEM
Sections:
2.103.010 Establishment and purpose.
2.103.050 Budgeting of awards.
2.103.060 Ownership of suggestions.
2.103.070 Reconsideration and appeal.
2.103.010 Establishment and purpose.
The city establishes an employee suggestion award system (suggestion system). The purpose of the suggestion system is to encourage employees’ suggestions for improvement in city functions, operations and safety. Those suggestions properly submitted are to be carefully evaluated to determine their potential utilization by and value to the city. When an employee’s suggestion is deemed to be sufficiently meritorious and of benefit to the city and the city puts the suggestion into active use, the employee will be eligible for compensation in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 1001-84 § 1, 1984)
2.103.020 Organization.
The mayor is authorized to appoint with the approval of council five individuals to serve on the suggestion award board, which board shall be advisory to the mayor. The duties and responsibilities of the suggestion award board are:
A. To determine eligibility of employees and suggestions;
B. To review evaluations of suggestions;
C. To recommend acceptance or nonacceptance of suggestions;
D. To recommend awards for accepted suggestions;
E. To recommend proposals to improve the suggestion system;
F. To promulgate rules and regulations to be adopted by the mayor for the administration and operation of the suggestion system; and
G. To do all things necessary to aid and assist the suggestion system. The suggestion award board members shall serve terms in accordance with the charter provisions. The suggestion award board shall select a chairman and vice-chairman annually. Three members of the suggestion award board shall constitute a quorum for conducting the board’s business. (Ord. 1001-84 § 1, 1984)
2.103.030 Eligibility.
A. Eligibility of Employees. Only city employees are eligible to submit suggestions for purposes of the suggestion system. “Employees” are those individuals currently employed by the city on a full-time, part-time, or temporary basis. It does not include persons engaged or retained by the city under contract. Any employee may submit suggestions to the suggestion system. However, employees will not be given awards for suggestions which are within the employee’s line of duty, reasonable job expectancy or job responsibilities. “Line of duty” refers to those duties or responsibilities which are within the limits of an employee’s work assignment or job description, or are within the general field of technical education or know-how that qualify the employee to do the work for which they are assigned. Suggestion award board members and other employees directly connected with the suggestion system are not eligible.
B. Eligibility of Suggestions. All suggestions submitted must both identify a problem or condition and propose a solution. The suggestion may be new and original, or it may be a new application of an old idea. No suggestion shall be eligible for consideration unless it is submitted on the approved suggestion form and signed by the suggester. Employees are not limited to the number of suggestions they may submit. However, each suggestion form should relate to only one subject. Suggestions which are positive, constructive, timely, original, voluntary and beneficial are encouraged. Although the suggestion system is set up to consider all suggestions submitted by eligible employees, there are certain types of suggestions which relate to matters “beyond the scope of the suggestion system” and such suggestions are ineligible for consideration.
The suggestion award board will adopt a list of examples for the purpose of serving as a guide in determining appropriate, as well as inappropriate, ideas for suggestions. (Ord. 1001-84 § 3, 1984)
2.103.040 Awards.
A. The mayor is authorized to pay awards upon recommendation of the suggestion award board; provided that the mayor’s decision to award and the amounts of award shall be final, subject to Sections 2.103.050 and 2.103.070. The suggestion award board and mayor may use as a guide to determine the amount of award the estimated first year savings anticipated after adoption of the suggestion with a minimum award of $25:
1. Estimated first-year net savings up to $1,000. $25 for the first $250 in benefits plus $5 for each additional $50 of benefits or fraction thereof (10% of cost savings);
2. $1,001—$10,000. $100 for the first $1,000 benefits plus $5 for each additional $100 or fraction thereof (10%—5.5% of savings);
3. $10,001—$20,000. $550 for the first $10,000 in benefits plus $5 for each additional $200 or fraction thereof (5.5%—4% of savings);
4. $20,001—$100,000. $800 for the first $20,000 in benefits plus $5 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof (4%—1.2% of savings);
5. $100,001 or More. $1,200 for the first $100,000 in benefits or more plus $5 for each additional $5,000 or fraction thereof (1.2%—.1% of savings).
Monetary awards for suggestions will be based on their relative worth. In addition to or in lieu of a monetary award, the employee submitting an accepted suggestion may receive a certificate of merit. Suggestions may be awarded a certificate of merit and/or monetary award if the suggestion prompts any action by management, even if the proposed solution is not totally implemented.
B. Supplemental Awards. City council may authorize supplemental awards if the savings realized through implementation are greater than originally estimated.
C. Income. Suggestion awards are classified as income under Internal Revenue Service and state of Washington rulings, and as such are subject to withholding tax, social security and pension deductions. Separate award checks will be issued to award winners for the gross amounts. The award amounts will then be entered into the pay cycle as a pay adjustment with appropriate deductions reflected in the employee’s subsequent earning records. (Ord. 1001-84 § 4, 1984).
2.103.050 Budgeting of awards.
No award shall be final and enforceable in any manner until payment has been budgeted by action of the city council and only such amounts included in the budgetary process shall be authorized for payment; provided that in the event the mayor finds in his discretion (not subject to reconsideration or appeal under Section 2.103.070 hereof) that a suggestion has reduced costs in an existing budget category, the mayor may (1) authorize suggestion award payment(s) from the budget category in which cost savings will be experienced, or (2) request the city council to amend the budget to provide for the award. (Ord. 1001-84 § 5, 1984)
2.103.060 Ownership of suggestions.
Participation by employees in the suggestion award program of the city is on a voluntary basis. All suggestions and all ideas embodied in them shall become the exclusive property of the city upon submission of the suggestion, as a condition of consideration of an employee’s suggestion. (Ord. 1001-84 § 6, 1984)
2.103.070 Reconsideration and appeal.
A. Decisions of the city with respect to eligibility, originality, priority or allocation of awards when two or more employees submit substantially the same suggestion, and acceptance of suggestions and recommendations of awards shall be final and binding and not subject to judicial appeal or review except as is set forth in subsections B and C of this section.
B. An employee may ask for reconsideration of the final disposition of his/her suggestion provided new information is presented which was not available at the time of submission of the suggestion or if there appears that there may have been a misunderstanding regarding the suggestion. A written request for reconsideration must be made within fifteen days following the notification of the decision concerning the disposition of the suggestion. The request must set forth the basis for the reconsideration, giving reasons supporting the reconsideration.
C. Following a decision on the reconsideration of an employee’s suggestion, the employee may appeal the final disposition of the suggestion to the city council. A written appeal setting forth in detail the basis for the appeal must be filed with the city clerk within fifteen days following the notification of the decision on the reconsideration. In order to appeal, an employee must first exhaust his/her request for reconsideration. (Ord. 1001-84 § 7, 1984)