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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5.E.3. Amendment to Personnal Handbook-Res. No. 7201 5, P. 3, City of Shakopee Memorandum CON SENT TO: Mayor and City Council Mark McNeill, City Administrator FROM: Kris Wilson, Assistant City Administrator 1 4P SUBJECT: Amendments to the Personnel Handbook DATE: June 1, 2012 Introduction The Council is asked to adopt Resolution No. 7201, which makes two changes to the City's Personnel Handbook. The first change would add an additional pre - employment screening for prospective police officers and the second would amend the listing of paid holidays for non- union employees to make it equal to those provided to union employees. Background Pre - Employment Screenings The City currently performs a background check on all prospective employees and a pre- employment physical / drug -test on all candidates for full -time employment. Additionally, prospective employees in the Police and Fire Departments and for Department Head positions are required to complete pre - employment psychological evaluations. At this time the Council is asked to consider adding what is known as a "functional capacity exam" to the pre - employment screenings for prospective police officers. Once we gather experience with this testing for police candidates, we may wish to consider expanding it to other physically demanding positions such as those in the Fire and Public Works Departments. A functional capacity exam or evaluation, which can also be known as fitness or agility testing, requires a candidate to physically demonstrate that they are able to perform the essential functions of the position they are being considered for. For example, if the job description states that they must be able to lift 50 lbs., they would be required to actually lift a 501b. object during the functional capacity exam. On the recommendation of several other metro -area cities, staff has met with NovaCare Workstrategies to develop the attached functional capacity evaluation specifically for Shakopee police officers. As you will see, each component of the evaluation starts with a specific physical component of the job, then lists how this task will be simulated in the testing environment and what criteria will be used to determine a passing score. These functional capacity exams would be carried out at Nova Care's office / clinic in West St. Paul and the cost to the City would be $100 per candidate. Candidates would be required to complete the evaluation only after passing the background check and being given a conditional offer of employment by the City Council. Chief Tate and I believe the addition of functional capacity exams to our pre - employment screening process is important and valuable for a number of reasons. These exams will help ensure we are hiring the best possible candidates for our police officer positions, that candidates can safely perform the full range of duties expected of a police officer and that candidates understand the physical expectations of police work from the start. Having these evaluations done by physical therapy and rehabilitation professionals ensures their validity and impartiality. Lastly, staff is working on developing a return to duty policy that would require employees who have been on a medical leave or working light duty for a certain period of time to successfully complete this same functional capacity evaluation prior to being put back on patrol duty. Requiring candidates to successfully complete such exams at the time of hire adds consistency and validity to our use of the exams in a return to duty setting. Two current officers, one male and one female, went through the evaluation outlined on the attached document earlier this spring as a test case. Both reported that the components of the evaluation were undoubtedly job related and that the evaluation was challenging (leading them to break a sweat and have an elevated heart rate) but not overly strenuous. Paid Holidays Earlier this year the City entered into labor contracts with each of our three union groups. The negotiated agreement with each union included increasing what was previously a half -day paid holiday on Christmas Eve to a full -day paid holiday, bringing the total number of paid holidays for all three unions to 12 per calendar year. The City has always tried to provide equal benefits to both union and non -union employees. Therefore it is recommended that the Personnel Handbook be amended to provide a full -day holiday on Christmas Eve to non -union employees as well, effective December 24, 2012. Relationship to Vision: These items relate to Goal E: Deliver effective and efficient public services by a staff of well- trained, caring and professional employees. Requested Action: If the Council concurs, it should offer Resolution 7201, a Resolution Amending the Personnel Handbook for Employees of the City of Shakopee, and move its adoption.