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Home My WebLink About751037.tiff O Dear County Employee: Your name has been picked at random from a list furnished by the personnel office so that we might ask you to review and complete the enclosed questionnaire. Answers to the questions asked are needed for the Charter Commission study of employment practices in Weld County Government. Please answer all questions and any comments will be greatly appreciated. Your answers will be treated confidentially. You do not have to sign the questionnaire, but you may do so if you wish. Please return your completed questionnaire by January 6, 1975, in the enclosed return envelope. Your help will be most appreciated. Sincerely, f i ' re Chairman, County Personnel Commission 96----/0a7 O 1. You are employed in which department 2. How long have you been employed 3. Are you satisfied with the amount of work load that you are asked to do Comment: • 4. Do you feel your salary is comparable to a similar job in private employment in Weld County Comment: 5. Do you feel you have adequate opportunities for promotion in your job Comment: ti. Are you satisfied with the present insurance program retirement program Comment: 7. Are vacation and sick leave time satisfactory Comment: 8. Are department heads and supervisors readily available for job help and to hear complaints . Do you have suggestions for improvement. Comment: 9. Would you prefer a different employment system such as civil service, collective bargaining, merit plan or other Comment: lo.Do you like your present job and feel it is worthwhile Comment: 11. Why did you choose public employment over a job in private industry: Comment: 12. Do you have any general comments or suggestions you would like considered by the study committee of the Charter Commission. 13. Would you like to discuss your views in person with the committee. If so, please submit you name to the committee with this questionnaire. Illirr PERSONNEL COMMITTEE Questionnaires mailed 64 Questionnaires undelivered , 3 Questionnaires returned 43 Names were selected at random from the payroll with the basic effort to cover 10% of the employees who had worked a various number of years and also to contact employees from most of the Departments. Those employees who were contacted through this questionnaire were promised that their answers would be treated confidentially. Therefore, this report shall omit answers to questions number 1, 2, and 13; and any other comments that might reveal someones identity. QUESTIONS r- 3. Are you satisfied with the amount of work load that you are asked to do Comment: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Comments: Not enough work. yes 36 no 4 Too much work. blank 1 conditional 1 Not enough work. Most of the time satisfied. 4. Do you feel your salary is comparable to a similar job in private employment in Weld County Comment: yes . . . . 15 blank . _. . . . 1 no . . . . 21 conditional . . 6 Comments: * May be low but thankful for job. * Doesn' t keep up with cost of living. * Below similar positions in County. * State pays better * Below other construction workers. * Less hours make up for less pay. * Cannot compare or don' t know the salaries of those in private employment. 73 /03 7 . • • 2- * Better than some - worse than others. 5. Do you feel you have adequate opportunities for promotion in your job . Comment: yes 22 blank 2 no 17 conditional 2 Comments: * Seems good but blocked by department heads. * Nothing to be promoted to. * New employees advance more than the old. * Too many relatives and church friends * New openings often go to new employees. * Promotions should be on bid basis to qualified. 6. Are you satisfied with the present insurance program . Are you satisfied with the present retirement program e- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6. yes 36 blank 2 no 5 conditional 0 6. A. yes 33 blank 3 no 5 conditional 2 Comments: * Should get dental and chiropractic insurance and glasses. * Should have more interest on retirement funds. * Spouse should get more benefits in case of death. * Would like more retirement pay. . * County has one of the best insurance programs. 7. Are vacation and sick leave time satisfactory . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - yes 35 blank 0 no 7 conditional 1 Comments: * Very Good. * More accumulated sick leave - up to 120 days. * Like more choice in taking vacation time. * Vacation should increase with longtivity. * Should have more vacation. • •. 8. Are department heads and supervisors readily available for job help and to hear complaints Do you have suggestions for improvement, Comment : yes 36 blank 0 no 7 conditional 1 Comments: * Some are, some aren' t, some can' t. * Our department only. * Don' t get extra help when needed. * Get rid of them. * Suggestions are ignored. * Need more group meetings * Afraid to go to boss. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9. Would you prefer a different employment system such as civil service, collective bargaining, merit plan or other Comment: yes 18 blank 2 no 19 conditional 4 Comments: * Don' t know how other systems work. * Salary would be up if better system. * Need bargaining power or association. * Not relevant to this work. * Need something different such as Civil Service. * Civil Service or Merit Plan. * Present system adequate * Definitely no! * Want better job security. * Collective bargaining * Should study all plans and consult employees. * Merit system would be unable to do better. • • 4_ • 10. Do you like your present job and feel it is worthwhile Comment: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - yes 41 conditional 2 Comments: * Enjoy the work but not the conditions. * Except for heavy work. * I like my job very much. * Very worthwhile. * Serving the public and contributing to humanity. * Interesting and challenging. * I like it but it is a dead end. * We do good work to provide good roads. * Feel like a buffer between public and office. * I was laid off. 11. Why did you choose public employment over a job in private industry: Comment: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Comments : * More secure and lasting employment. * Like working with public. * They made me feel needed. * Public employment you have a chance to express. * County was progressive in employment practices; now they are behind. * Enjoy this type of work. * Needed a job - Steady work - Health condition. * So I could be at home at night. * Like working conditions. * Too old to change - to gain experience. * Security - benefits - always chance, to learn and advance. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 12. Do you have any general comments or suggestions you would like considered by the study committee of the Charter Commission? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - • • . Comments and suggestions : * Not always in favor of the changes. * Why put out cleaning of buildings for bid when the building department can do the job. * I Believe county services are well run. * Does a college degree merit a pay raise? * Employees should be paid for the job rather than the time. * Would like salarys studied as it doesn' t seem like those who deserve the raise always get it. * Accumulate overtime. * Bridge crew is often months behind. Do we need another bridge crew? * Vacation and pay raises, retirement should receive your attention. * All man hours lost should be made public. * Hiring of relatives and special friends. * Level out work peaks - we would be more efficient. * Better salary incentives. * Professionalize the Sheriff' s Department. e- * Review political system to assure good representation. * Senority - equalize pay for same job. * Each district should elect own Commissioner. * Public relations - better communication with employees. * Like to give them in person. a MEMO TO: BOB WHITE • rROM: WILLIAM L. WEST S[T.nJECT : A; Sot Forth INTRODUCTION The c*•..notionc submitted are quite broad and of necessity the answers are likewise Lroad. OPINION 1 n,;PSTICTT : fin Colorado State Statutes give constitutional or other elected county department heads thn right to hire , fire , set salaries , etc. of employees in their respective departments? At the present time the answer to this question is YES . C. R. S. 1973 30-2-104 gives specified county officers the power to appoint such deputies , assistants , and employees as the official deems necessary and at such compensation as the officer shall fix , with the approval of the Board of County Commissioners Pith the exception of employees in the social services department, the Count: Commissioners are empowered to adopt a uniform classification and compensation plan for all county employees . However , at the present time, such a uniform plan is not binding until its acceptance by the elected official. • Under. County Pone Pui , it is m_ opinion , he rights of the elected department brads, to hire , fire and set salaries of employees could ba removed and assigned to some other department . This could be the Hoard of County Commissioners , or to a personnel department appointed by the County Commissioners, or to a new eloctive personnel officer. There is a remote possibility that if the County were to adopt a uniform classification and compensation plan for all county employees, (this plan would also have to contain job security provisions) and this plan were to be approved by the State Personnel Director, that this plan could also include employees cf the social services department . Sepcific research relating to this has not been done , and most certainly such a suggestion would stir up the natives from the local tribes to the state tribal councils. - r Conclusions At present the elected officials have the right to hire, fire and set salaries of the employees of their respective r • deperemente . This could be chhnged by County Home Rule by providing that those duties are to be performed by some other department. II QIESTION : Do the County Commissioners have the legal right or rc:;ponsibiljty under the Federal Wage Hour Legislation (1974 Tmcndnentn) to place all county employees under a uniform salary . schedule and to administer the same? I could find no provision in this act which would recuire the appropriate county authority to establish and administer a uniform : salary schedule . The key to this question is in the underlying . question of "How large is the employing unit"? " -- That is, is the employing unit "all .county employees" or is it rather "all employees of the treasurer, assessor, etc . " . If the emplcying t.nit is considered to be the former , then persons doing jobs of a similar nature and requiring similar scales should be paid at a uniform salary to avoid the presumption of discrimina- tion based on other factors - age, sex, race, etc. That is, there is no rational basis not to pay a uniform salary, if the employing unit is considered "the County" rather than "the department°.`�' ' Therefore , the question becomes whether the appropriate county authority, under County Home Rule could override the past practice of department heads srtt.ing their own salary scales . The above legislation does not really address the problem, tut it would seem to contain no provision which would prohibit such action by a County. In this regard see the answer to question No . 1. Of course , a new uniform salary schedule cannot be used as a mere excuse to rewrite job titles and requirements so as to fall under one of the er.e:npt categories in the legislation . It seems safe to say, however, that the whole process of the County Hone Rule would give such a uniform system sufficient weight so an to raise a presumption that the scale was not established merely or solely to bo exempt from this legislation . There in also the added argument that such a uniform scale could only help to promote the policies established by the Act (29 USC 202) . Additionally, the fact that the Act would allow setting such uniform scales does not mean that the scale itself does not have to meet the minimum wage and maximum hour provisions of the Act -- It certainly would under the 1974 amendments to Section 3 of the Act (29 G. S .C. 203d) . Conclusion: Under County Home Rule the County Commissioners may be given the legal right to place all county employees under -2- • 0 a • a uniform salary schedule and to administer the name . See the answer to Question 1 above . The federal wage and hour legislation does not seem to place that responsibility upon the County Commissioners. IIT QUESTION: What about other acts , such as Civil Rights Act of 1954 and Public Law 90-202 in regard to persons over 40? Who in the County in now responsible for these things , according to state: and federal laws? A. Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 USC 2000e5) Subsections (c) and (d) allow for abatement of enforcement actions by the U. S . Civil Rights Commission (the au.thority otherwise vested with power to enforce the act) when the alleged discrimination occurred in a state , or political subdivision of a state , which has a state or local law prohibiting such discrimination and which has established a state or local authority to enforce the law. Colorado' s equivalent of the Civil Rights Act is found in C.R.S . 1973 , as amended, 24-34-306 . ' Enforcement is vested in the Colorador Civil Rights Commission (24-34-305) . Members are appointed by the Governor, with geographical area representation a prime considera- tion (24-34-304) . Political subdivisions of the State of Colorado are expressly - named both as entities which nay not discriminate (24-34-302 (6) ) and which may not be discriminated against (24-34-302 (11) ) . Conclusion : At the present time no specific responsibility is delegated to anyone in the County relating to enforcement of the Civil Rights Act . Enforcement is handled by the Colorado • Civil Rights Commission . County Nome Rule would not appear to effect this area. B. Public Law 90-202 States are given no authority to administer the age discrimination employment act of 1967 . Individuals may bring suit for violation of the act, and their suits may be superseded by one by the Secretary of Labor for the United States. States can pass and enforce similar, consiste,it, legislation , except that a Pedoral action based upon the sane violation will supersede . "State" as defined in the law does: not include local government subdivisions . -38 o O C. R. S. 1973, as amended 8-2-116 prohibits discharging an employee solely on the basis of age if the person is otherwise qualified and dons satisfactorily perform the tasks assigned to him, "or , for which he applies" . f Drrplte the quoted language above , since the statute speaks of "discharge" it is doubtful that the statute prohibits discrimination in hir?.ns because of tge . Cnlr "person; , firms , associations; , or corporations" are prohibited from such discrimination under this statute . Enforcement of the above statute is made a civil offense under 0-2-117 and thus subject to the prosecution authorities -- i.e . attorney general or district attorney. _ Conch::ion : No one in the County is responsibilr for enforcement or PL 00-202 . The district attorney would prosecute violations of tha state counterncrt of 90-202 . County tome Rule would seem to have no effect in this area. Respectifully submitted, Wo^. Wcti1 6.'n. L. West WLW: llb • I Hello