Prairie

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Prairie
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  • You have some great points - thanks! I plan to address this at our next Department Head meeting!
  • That's easier said than done. She may or may not have indicated that it was an FMLA day, but our departments tend to function as independent entities until they feel they need my help. No one tells me anything, despite my pleas. At this point, I wou…
  • Thanks so much for your response! Since we have many employees who are under intermittant FMLA, we have told her that if she does not designate on her timesheet (which is already after the fact), she cannot go back and change it. It was felt that al…
  • I agree...just wanted to get other views. Thanks!
  • Comfy chair, umbrella, on the beach, trashy novel, six-pack. Ok, we're dreamin' here, right?
    in IF Comment by Prairie June 2004
  • Thanks for your input - sometimes you just have to hear it from someone else to prove your point.
  • Thanks for all of your input - I sometimes feel I'm spinning my wheels and off-base...it's good to know others have similar situations. Have a good weekend!
  • We do participate in Medicare - both the township and the employees. Participation in Medicare is a requirement. A number of years ago, the employees had the option of participating in Medicare or not - it was a one-time choice. There were 3 who opt…
  • Townships cover a 32 sq. mile area and provide social (people) services – Senior Services, Disability Services, Transportation for Seniors and Disabled, General Assistance (for those who do not qualify for Public Aid), Food Pantry, Youth Services, A…
  • Great idea...thanks!
  • We’re in a suburb of Chicago and one of the largest townships in the Chicago area with a pop. of 130,000+, and an e.a.v. of $4 million. The issue is and always has been that we are the orphans of government – our only revenue is from real estate tax…
  • Thanks, we're open to all suggestions...including doing it ourselves, but that would mean ME. All job descriptions are reviewed annually by the Dept. head and the employee - the employee signs the job description attesting to its correctness. With o…
  • We HAVE to bid out any project that is over $10,000. Not ever having been involved in a formal salary survey, I'm not sure what to expect cost-wise. I will try the website you suggested....thanks!
  • We do have to bid out the project, but are just doing the research at this point to see if this is viable given our limited resources. I have already contacted local municipalities to get their input - however, townships have much different position…
  • Thanks, we have a Hay Group office in Chicago. I have already received a return call from them.
  • Thank you all for your helpful responses!
  • Thanks to everyone for the great ideas! We are a local government and our "powers-that-be" happen to be an elected board. They don't work here. Each has his/her own ideas about policies which is why it is sometimes difficult to get things done that …
  • Thanks for your input. I agree that we need an attendance policy, and have said so many times, but have been ignored. It's frustrating, and maybe it will take a screaming employee to change the powers-that-be minds.
  • We don't have an attendance policy (no one else thinks we need one). But, we do have the Doctor's Cert. It states she has anxiety with panic attacks and is unable to leave her home. It lasted for one week, but the cert. said she may have exacerbatio…
  • I believe they may be brought on by changes in hormone levels, but I'm not the Doctor. There are times when she can't leave her house to come to work.
  • Thanks for all of your input. We have decided to wait for the 30 day recert. before going ahead (or not) with a 2nd opinion. I talked to her supervisor - he's convinced she's using this to use up her benefit hours and have time to find another job. …
  • Thanks for your input. 30 days sounds like a good plan!
  • The Department Head decided that she may not be totally honest about her back pain. She will be out for 6-8 weeks. The Doctor said she cannot sit for more than 10 minutes, therefore she cannot do her job.
  • Thanks so much for your input! Having only one location, we are not able to move employees around too much. All of the employees from the lower level have already been disbursed around the building in sometimes not too comfortable "digs", so we are …
  • Thanks to all of you for your input. We also have a law in Illinois that prohibits smoking inside public buildings and within 15 ft. of the entrance, open windows, etc. The employees who are abusing their smoking privileges are 15 ft. from the door,…
  • Very interesting about the PTO. Our top elected official has wanted that for a long time. This issue is that if we go to PTO, it would all have to be paid at termination. We have employees who have accumulated 90 sick days - that could be very expen…
  • Thanks so much - these were all really helpful ideas - have a great week!
  • There is no problem with current employees that we know of. We have background checks on all employees who have been hired in the past 4 years. Our policy manual says that criminal background checks are performed at least once during every three yea…
  • Our Worker's Comp. provider tells me to have them count paperclips if necessary - keeping the employee off the WC paid time off will help keep your premium from going up. We give the employee assignments - no matter how menial.
  • We have an annual "Employee of the Year" award. It used to be given by the Supervisor and Board of Trustees (we are a local government entity), and ended up being given to political allies of the Board - they don't work here, and don't know most of …