Policy 6001
From Human Resources
|
PERSONNEL POLICY MANUAL |
|
MoDOT Personnel Policy Title: Employee Recognition Policy Number: 6001 Chapter Title: Department Awards Effective Date: July 1, 2010 Supersedes Policy Number: 6001 Dated: February 1, 2010
|
|
Approved By: Micki Knudsen, Human Resources Director (Signature on file) |
Contents |
POLICY STATEMENT
The department is committed to supporting and developing employees to allow them to become as successful as possible in their jobs. The department may create incentive programs when approved by the Director (or designee) designed to award individual employees or employee teams for achieving standards that are unique for each incentive program. In addition, district engineers and division leaders/state engineers are authorized to provide High Achiever and Note Worthy recognition to employees as described in this policy.
DEFINITIONS
Gift: (For purposes of this policy only) includes, but is not limited to, work related items such as clothing (shirts, hats, etc.), lapel pins, ink pen sets, and coffee mugs.
Recognition: A positive reinforcement to acknowledge employees’ achievements that support the department’s Values and Tangible Results.
PROVISIONS / REQUIREMENTS
- 1. Districts/divisions/offices are expected to support employee recognition procedures to acknowledge achievements of employees. Supervisors and managers are expected to use various methods of recognition to encourage employees to perform their work safer, improve quality, and increase productivity to help the department achieve its Tangible Results. Any performance that compromises safety, quality, or productivity is not eligible for recognition. Each district/division/office is to develop a quality assurance review program to monitor employee recognition within their areas to ensure consistency in awards issued.
- 2. All employees of the department are eligible for a recognition award, with the exception of those listed below. Although these employees are not eligible to receive an award, supervisors should recognize them for their achievements.
- A. The Director, Missouri Department of Transportation.
- B. Employees who have received a disciplinary action above a written warning within the preceding 12 months.
- C. Other employees identified as being ineligible in the criteria stated for each award program.
- 3. Recognitions authorized under this policy are intended to show appreciation for contributions employees make to the department. Not all recognitions will include awards. MoDOT provides three programs for achievement recognition:
- A. Incentive Programs
- B. High Achiever
- C. Note Worthy
- 4. Recognition awards can include cash, paid time off, tangible gifts, or non-monetary recognition, depending on available funding and the award options defined by the recognition program being used.
- A. Cash, cash-like gifts (such as gift cards or gift certificates), and paid time off awards are taxable. These awards will be reported as part of an employee’s income and will be processed with the employee’s paycheck.
- B. Tangible gifts should include the MoDOT logo and must not exceed the value limits of the award program. Gifts valued at $100 or more may be included in taxable income. Contact the Controller’s Division – Policy Development Section to determine taxability.
- C. Non-monetary recognition may be given through any of the following options:
- 1) Verbal statements of appreciation.
- 2) Written statements of appreciation (hand-written “thank you” notes, pre-printed “thank you” cards with handwritten notes, etc.).
- 3) Certificates of appreciation.
- 5. Award limits, per calendar year, per employee, are $2,000 (excluding overtime) for the combined total of cash, cash-like, and taxable gift awards and 24 hours for paid leave awards. Additional limitations are:
- A. When permanent part-time employees are eligible under an award program, they will be eligible to receive a pro-rated amount of the award, at either 50 percent or 75 percent, based on their normal part-time work schedules (see Personnel Policy 0515, “Permanent Part-Time and Job Share Employment”).
- B. No recognition awards will be issued to employees after they have separated (retired, quit, etc.) from the department. Employees in a leave-without-pay status will not receive an award while on leave but will be given their award when/if they return to work.
- C. Paid leave awarded to employees must be used before annual leave or compensatory time. Award leave balances will not be paid out when employees separate from the department.
- 6. Each recognition program will state the limitations on the number of times an employee can receive an award during a particular timeframe (quarter, year, etc.), or a limit on the cash, gift, or paid-time-off an employee can receive for each award. Employees receiving an award for a specific achievement may receive only one award for the achievement from MoDOT funds. Employees may receive additional awards from non-MoDOT sources.
- 7. Existing district/division/office budgets are to be used to fund most awards for employees within the district/division/office. Department management may define specific funding sources for incentive programs, such as the savings generated through a Performance Plus program.
- 8. Grievances related to awards provided under this policy will be considered within a district/division/office only. These grievances will not be allowed to continue above the level of the district engineer or division leader/state engineer.
- 9. When purchasing taxable gifts (including cash-like gifts), districts/divisions/offices are not to purchase more than the quantity of gifts to be immediately awarded. Employee Recognition Procedures are to be followed regarding collecting signatures of employees who are receiving taxable gifts and notifying the Controller’s Division or District Business and Benefits Services.
Recognition Programs
- 10. Incentive Programs
- A. Incentive programs have specific standards to be met before individual employees or employee teams are eligible for awards. The incentive program sponsor (district engineer or division leader/state engineer) will propose the standards to qualify for an award, the value of the award, the group of employees who will be eligible for the incentive program, and a funding mechanism (savings generated, etc.) for the incentive program.
- B. The Director (or designee) will approve appropriate incentive programs prior to implementation. The program sponsor will communicate information about incentive program awards when they are established or revised. Examples of incentive programs are: Performance Plus and Solutions At Work.
- 11. High Achiever
- A. District engineers or division leaders/state engineers (or designees) may provide High Achiever awards to eligible full-time or permanent part-time employees whose measurable performance is above and beyond what might be expected of an average employee in a position. Achievements should support the department’s Values and Tangible Results to receive this award. Examples of achievements that could be recognized are:
- 1) Completing projects or assigned tasks significantly ahead of schedule.
- 2) Demonstrating performance on a project/task that results in a significant one-time achievement (cost saving, higher quality, etc.).
- 3) Exceeding expected production levels for at least three months.
- 4) Showing highly improved working relationships with partners/customers.
- B. High Achiever awards will be either two hours paid leave or $40 (in paycheck or cash-like gifts such as gift cards or gift certificates). These awards are reported as part of an employee’s income with applicable taxes withheld. Employees are limited to receiving no more than two High Achiever awards per calendar year.
- C. Supervisors will submit the names of nominated employees and their achievements for a High Achiever award to the district engineer or division leader/state engineer (or designee) soon after noticing a particular achievement they believe should be recognized. After supervisors’ recommendations are reviewed, the district engineer or division leader/state engineer (or designee) will determine which employees will be chosen to receive a High Achiever award. To ensure these awards are provided soon after an accomplishment, these decisions will be made as each recommendation is submitted rather than waiting until the end of the quarter to make the award decisions. This award is intended for individual employees rather than for employee teams. The maximum number of employees that should be nominated for a High Achiever award by each supervisor is:
- 1) Supervisors with 21 or more employees; up to 3 awards every quarter.
- 2) Supervisors with 11 to 20 employees; up to 2 awards every quarter.
- 3) Supervisors with 5 to 10 employees; up to 1 award every quarter.
- 4) Supervisors with 1 to 4 employees; up to 1 award every two quarters.
- 12. Note Worthy
- A. District engineers and division leaders/state engineers (or designees) are authorized to purchase “Thank You” notes, Certificates of Appreciation, and work-related gifts valued at less than $40 for an employee’s occasional Note Worthy achievement that does not qualify for an incentive program or a High Achiever recognition. If they propose to provide a gift worth $40 or more at the department’s expense, they must receive prior approval from the Director (or designee). The total value of gifts awarded to an employee through this program is not to exceed $100 each calendar year. This recognition can be for individual employees or employee teams. Meals and cash-like gifts (such as gift cards or gift certificates) cannot be issued for Note Worthy achievements.
- B. District engineers and division leaders/state engineers (or designees) will develop guidelines within their areas for consistent implementation of gifts provided in this program.
CROSS REFERENCE
Personnel Policy 0515, “Permanent Part-Time and Job Share Employment”
