Chapter 2.88
PROGRAM OF SUGGESTION AWARDS FOR CITY EMPLOYEES

Sections:

2.88.010    Established – Participation.

2.88.020    Administration.

2.88.030    Suggestion procedure.

2.88.040    Encouragement by departmental head.

2.88.010 Established – Participation.

The City establishes a program of awards to stimulate and reward suggestions of City employees which are of benefit to the City. Participation therein shall be limited to employees who submit such suggestions in accordance with the following regulations:

A. To be eligible for a money award, a suggestion must make possible an extension of public service commensurate with the expense involved or an elimination or reduction of City expenditures without substantially impairing such service, or provide a desirable safety factor.

B. Employees shall not be eligible for an award for suggestions pertaining to subjects assigned for research or development or to problems assigned for solution or which such employee would normally be expected to offer in line of duty.

C. The suggestion must propose a change which was not under active consideration by the City department affected at the time the suggestion was made.

D. If duplicate suggestions are submitted, only the first received shall be eligible for an award.

E. A suggestion which has been put into effect by the City department concerned must be submitted for award consideration within 60 days of its adoption; provided that this requirement may be waived by the City Council upon recommendation of the Council Employee Relations Committee.

F. Each employee submitting a suggestion shall execute the following agreement:

In consideration of my participation in the Suggestion Award Program I hereby agree that the use by the City of Issaquah of my suggestion concerning ________ shall not be the basis of a claim of any nature against the City of Issaquah by me, my heirs, executors or assigns.

G. The total amount of a money award shall be a $100.00 savings bond. If, in the judgment of the Council Employee Relations Committee, the foregoing award does not suitably measure the merits of a suggestion, the Committee shall determine the amount it deems equitable and recommend same to the City Council. The Committee shall also recommend to the City Council the best suggestion of the year for a special award not to exceed $500.00 in value.

H. Appropriate commendation of an employee whose adopted suggestion does not merit a money award may be recommended by the committee. (Ord. 1451 § 1, 1980).

2.88.020 Administration.

The administration of the Suggestion Award Program is vested in the members of the Council Employee Relations Committee. (Ord. 1451 § 2, 1980).

2.88.030 Suggestion procedure.

The following procedure for making and considering suggestions is established:

A. Suggestions must be submitted on prescribed forms to the Committee.

B. Suggestions must be signed but names will remain undisclosed until consideration of the suggestion has been completed.

C. The Committee shall receive, record and acknowledge receipt of suggestions, shall advise the submitting employee of any undue delay in the consideration thereof and shall notify the submitting employee of action taken as soon as final consideration has been made.

D. Suggestions shall be referred to the affected City department for consideration. Within 30 days thereafter, the department shall report its findings and recommendations to the Committee. The departmental report shall indicate whether or not a suggestion has been adopted and the actual or estimated reduction of expenditures or the value thereof to the City.

E. The Committee shall evaluate each suggestion, taking into consideration department action and the objective of the Suggestion Award Program; and it shall formulate and transmit to the City Council an official recommendation covering the merits of the suggestion, whether the same justifies an award and the type and amount thereof.

F. The City Council, upon approval of a recommendation of the Committee, may authorize a money award or an appropriate commendation.

G. An employee may file a written request for reconsideration by the Committee of a suggestion which has been previously rejected but subsequently adopted by a City department. (Ord. 1451 § 3, 1980).

2.88.040 Encouragement by departmental head.

The head of each City department shall encourage employees to submit suggestions to the Committee. (Ord. 1451 § 4, 1980).