bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Productivity Initiatives at USDA
Authors: Franke John J. , Halstead Robert G. , Hess Susan B.
Published: July 2015

The most important element in the productivity equation is the people resource. To address employees' current workplace concerns and barriers affecting morale and productivity and outfit the workforce to meet future needs, public sector organizations need to undertake long-term, comprehensive, multi-front campaigns to help people work more productively. Getting employees to participate in the design of changes helps get commitment and results.
An Overview of Productivity Improvement Efforts in State Governments
Authors: Jarrett James E.
Published: July 2015

State governments have been pioneers in the area of productivity improvement and are even more interested in such efforts given current budgetary and resource constraints. An overview of programs initiated by state governments shows considerable diversity in approach and methodology. Five major areas of activity include: training, quality circles, health cost containment, incentive systems, and employee appreciation activities. Problems reviewed in this article include limitations in program scope, degrees of support for programs, and lack of effective planning.
Productivity Improvement through Team Building and Organizational Redevelopment: Evaluating the Experiences of a Human Services Agency at the County Level
Authors: Hall Jim
Published: July 2015

Productivity improvement and quality of worklife changes in a community mental health center are explored via three years of survey research, team building, and organizational redevelopment efforts. The foundation for change included process consultation, climate surveys, team-building, and socio-taskwork redesign. Team-building efforts are evaluated and a perspective on impacts and predicted changes for the organization's future are included.
Public Pension Plans and Social Investing
Authors: Cayer N. Joseph , Martin Linda J. , Ifflander A. James
Published: July 2015

Controversies over investing public pension fund money are examined. The concept of social investing is explained and compared to traditional investment strategies. The authors evaluate the policy and decision making consequences of social investing for government pension funds.
Establishing Assessment Center Validity: An Examination of Methodological and Theoretical Issues
Authors: Olshfski Dorothy F. , Cunningham Robert B.
Published: July 2015

Methodological and theoretical questions of validity for assessment centers revolve around three related issues: the concept of manager competence, the assessment exercises, and the role of assessors. The authors contend that attempts to establish validity for assessment centers using quantitative methods may be premature. Quantification prior to resolution of theoretical and conceptual problems can lead to rejection of an important management evaluation tool. Conceptual clarification, the present major need, is more likely achieved by an open design.
Humanistic Management and Organizational Success: The Effect of Job and Work Environment Characteristics on Organizational Effectiveness, Public Responsiveness, and Job Satisfaction
Authors: Daley Dennis M.
Published: July 2015

This paper is based on a 1983 attitudinal survey of Iowa public employees examining the effect of job (job challenge, role clarity, and performance appraisal fairness) and work environment (personal significance, supervisory relationship, and employee freedom), characteristics — used here as indicators of humanistic management — on organizational success (perceptions of organizational effectiveness, public responsiveness, and job satisfaction). The results document three findings: (1) organizations are perceived as being successful, (2) job and work environment characteristics are viewed as favorable, and (3) an across-the-board, albeit moderate, relationship between organizational success and humanistic management practices is perceived to exist.
Agency Shop in Public Employment
Authors: Collins R. Douglas
Published: July 2015

The controversial requirement that the employees of a public agency financially support a union as a condition of keeping their jobs is examined, looking at its historic and legal roots, and at its practical consequences for public management. The author draws from the California experience, where agency shop legislation has been in effect for several years, and examines relevant decisions of various courts and boards. The relationship between agency shop and a union's legal obligation to represent both union members and non-members is explored as the legal and ethical basis for agency shop legislation. General exceptions to the payment of agency shop fees, including the often misunderstood religious exemption, are reviewed, as are the uses to which a union may put any such money which it collects.
Legal and Economic Aspects of Comparable Worth
Authors: Booker Sharon , Nuckolls L. Camille
Published: July 2015

This paper takes a comprehensive look at the controversial issue of “comparable worth.” The effects of congressional legislation, the courts' interpretation of that legislation, job evaluation techniques, and marketplace value of jobs are discussed and evaluated.
The Bargaining Battleground Called Comparable Worth
Authors: Mulcahy Robert W. , Anderson Jon E.
Published: July 2015

This article begins with legal and political updates of major developments in the area of comparable worth. The authors contend that while advocates of this recent compensation trend have tried to advance their cause through the courts and state legislatures, a third forum must also be considered by public employers—the bargaining table. Noting that the collective bargaining process is the traditional forum for these types of labor-management concerns, the authors undertake an examination of why and how to bargain over comparable worth, including a detailed explanation of how job evaluation studies should be used in bargaining.
An Assessment of Merit Pay Administration under New York City's Managerial Performance Evaluation System: Three Years of Experience
Authors: Allan Peter , Rosenberg Stephen
Published: July 2015

In 1979, New York City government adopted a results-based performance evaluation system for its more than 2,000 managers. This study describes the City's experience in administering a merit pay program under the new evaluation system. Ratings and merit pay increases are analyzed over a three-year period. Weaknesses and problems are identified. The authors draw conclusions and offer guidelines which may be instructive for other public and private sector employees.
Information Retrieval: Finding That Lost Article
Authors: Suessmuth Patrick
Published: July 2015

Keeping current with professional literature is an arduous task. To cope with the profusion of articles, surveys, studies, brochures, etc., many of us employ the “file and forget” method of reviewing documents. Unfortunately, this method doesn't help us when we need specific information on a particular topic, and we have a faint recollection that we've “read something on this very subject…what was it?…where is it?” This article describes an easy-to-use tracking system where you can continue to “file and forget” (at least for the moment) and then find that special article—and many others on the topic—much later by simply glancing at an index card.
The Current Status of HRD
Authors: Broomfield Terry K.
Published: July 2015

The author describes the current status of human resource development and why there has been increased attention given to its functions. She also lists the demands being placed on people in the HRD field, what resources are providing the training within corporations and how trainers have benefited both financially and in their corporate status because of these changes.
Comparable Worth: The Problematic Politicization of a Public Personnel Issue
Authors: Steel Brent S. , Lovrich Nicholas P.
Published: July 2015

The issue of comparable worth arose as a result of the discovery of serious gender inequities in the operation of the compensation system of Washington State government. Subsequent developments elsewhere have further added to the salience of the pay equity issue. In the context of this highly charged political context, what attitudes toward pay and compensation do women in the public service tend to hold? On the basis of employee surveys conducted in both the State of Washington and among the U.S. federal workforce, findings are reported that suggest that women are less likely to be dissatisfied with their pay than men. The implications of these findings are discussed, both with respect to the future politicization of the comparable worth issue and the proper assumptions to be made in conceptualizing the motivational basis of public employee behavior.
Organization Development in the Utah Department of Public Safety
Authors: Burrington Debra D.
Published: July 2015

In November 1981, the Utah Division of Personnel Management began an intervention into the Utah Department of Public Safety which continued for a year. This article discusses the data obtained from a 1984 evaluation of this intervention, which was designed to assess long-term outcomes. The findings provide encouragement for continuing organization development efforts and point to ways in which greater successes can be gained in future interventions.
A Practical Rationale for Using Multi-Method Job Analyses
Authors: Veres John G. , Lahey Mary Anne , Buckly Ricki
Published: July 2015

Public sector personnelists are often asked to select or recommend a job analysis system. Selecting the approach which is most likely to meet their agency's needs is a complex task, demanding attention to factors such as staff requirements, type of information obtained, and legal ramifications. The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures, and judicial interpretation of legal requirements are of paramount importance in choosing a particular system. This paper examines three significant issues related to selecting a job analysis system, and recommends a multi-method approach as the best way to obtain useful information while complying with regulatory guidance and case law.
AIDS in the Workplace: Public Personnel Management and the Law
Authors: Elliott Robert H. , Wilson Thomas M.
Published: July 2015

As the number of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) cases increases, AIDS-related personnel questions will arise more frequently in the public and private sector workforce. This article looks at the medical facts and the legal aspects of the AIDS controversy for employers, AIDS victims, and co-workers of AIDS sufferers. Several personnel management concerns are covered such as making pre-employment inquiries, testing applicants for the AIDS virus, terminating those afflicted with AIDS, dealing with co-worker concerns, and the impact of AIDS on employee medical benefits.
Public Personnel Selection: Issues and Choice Points
Authors: McKinney William R.
Published: July 2015

This study was undertaken to explore the role of a written selection examination in defining the composition of the workforce while complying with the legislative mandates for validity in the selection decision. Results of the investigation suggest that, in the public domain, two general choices exist with regard to personnel selection: an organization may select job applicants on the basis of raw test scores from the top down; or, it may group the applicants based on race, and then standardize the scores before selection from the top down. Each agency should consider the legal and social implications of the two approaches. The decision taken will reflect each agency's desire for technical expertise, social representation, or both, within its workforce, and for compliance with the law.
Alcohol Problems in the Workplace
Authors: Brock C. Peter
Published: July 2015

The history of the employee assistance movement has its roots in the worker's health movement of the early 1900s and the employee alcohol assistance programs of the 1940s. The author discusses the important role alcohol assistance programs played in the evolution of current employee assistance programs and makes a very important distinction between programs that deal with alcohol-related problems and those that are currently being used for drug-related problems. The issue is raised of the fine line between using urinalyses as a method of rehabilitation and using it as a form of policing.
Information Management and Employee Assistance Program Imperatives
Authors: Bickerton Richard
Published: July 2015

We live in an age when information and technology are of primary importance to our lives. Those who control information, and its timely and credible dissemination, wield great power. This is also true in the EAP field. The ALMACA Clearinghouse for Employee Assistance Program Information collects and disseminates EAP-specific technical assistance data with the goal of providing Clearinghouse subscribers information that maintains their own competence and improves upon others' understanding and utilization of EAP practices and procedures.
Roleplay Simulations for Employee Selection: Design and Implementation
Authors: Kaman Vicki S. , Bentson Cynthia
Published: July 2015

This article describes how to design and implement job-relevant roleplay simulation exercises for employee selection and promotion. Exercises designed for the positions of police sergeant and personnel director in a city government organization are used to illustrate the development of practical content-valid procedures. Suggestions on developing relevant ideas, working with roleplayers, facilitating raters, and minimizing candidate anxiety are included.
Recruiting for Women and Minorities in the Fire Service: Solutions for Today's Challenges
Authors: Booth Walter S. , Rohe Charles A.
Published: July 2015

This article presents solutions to recruitment problems centering on women and minorities for jobs which have traditionally been dominated by white males. Through the use of a questionnaire sent to over 100 large municipalities across the United States, we were able to discover which recruitment techniques worked, and which ones failed. In addition to making recommendations regarding recruitment strategies, ideas are offered which should aid in eliminating some of the artificial barriers which have traditionally hampered affirmative action progress in the fire service.
Public Sector Strikes, Labor-Management Relations, and the Common Law
Authors: Hogler Raymond
Published: July 2015

This article analyzes the decision of the California Supreme Court holding that strikes by public employees are protected at common law. It is argued that the judiciary has intruded itself into a subject which should be regulated by the legislature. By creating a rule lacking in administrative safeguards, the decision may lead to labor conflict and disruption. In any event, public negotiations vitally affect the interest of the citizen, and citizens should have a voice in designing public sector collective bargaining systems.
Police Officers and Administrators
Authors: Steinman Michael
Published: July 2015

This study examines rank and file police officer evaluations of administrators and the consequences of those evaluations. Data were obtained from a survey of officers in two urban departments.
Job Evaluation and Pay Equity
Authors: Madigan Robert M. , Hills Frederick S.
Published: July 2015

Analysis of job evaluation data collected for a study of a state government classification system indicates that different job evaluation methods are likely to produce significantly different versions of an equitable pay structure. The cost of implementing “pay equity” for positions held predominantly by women is likely to vary significantly with the evaluation method employed.
Can Pay for Performance Succeed in Government?
Authors: Perry James L. , Petrakis Beth Ann
Published: July 2015

Pay-for-performance programs have become increasingly popular in recent years. The federal government introduced a merit pay system for managers under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. The failure of the system led to its reform in 1984. The current program, the Performance Management and Recognition System (PMRS), is described and assessed. The paper offers a prognosis for PMRS's future. Other public sector experience is reviewed to identify the probable success of managerial merit pay.
Some Ideas, Issues and Predictions about Performance Management
Authors: Brumback Gary B.
Published: July 2015

This article begins with the author's ideas about the meanings of human performance, success and failure. The process of managing performance is then sketched. Fourteen significant issues associated with the different phases of the process are next discussed. The article concludes with some predictions and prescriptions for performance management in the future.
Performance Linked Training
Authors: Nanry Charles
Published: July 2015

Linking training to employee performance and development is an important consideration in justifying particular programs for particular employees. The new Performance Assessment Review (PAR) system attempts to do just that for New Jersey state employees. PAR forces supervisors and managers “to go on record” in the recommendation of specified training to remedy the needs of individual employees. Through the aggregation of PAR generated data the new system also provides a powerful tool for the assessment of broad training needs across agencies and job classes.
Public-Private Pay Comparability: The Korean Experience
Authors: Legge Jerome S. , Ha Meesung
Published: July 2015

Although many governments subscribe to the principle of public-private pay comparability in law and policy pronouncements, few adhere to the concept in actual practice. This article examines the policy of pay comparability in the Republic of Korea. Ecological variables to include unionization, economic conditions and policy, labor force supply and job opportunity, and social perceptions of public employment are explored to explain the weak implementation of public-private pay comparability on the part of the Korean government.
Assessing the Validity of Job Evaluation
Authors: Lewis Chad T.
Published: July 2015

While past research concerning the “tools and techniques” of job evaluation has had merit, there has been too little focus upon the purpose of pay as an outcome and job evaluation as a measure related to that outcome. The comparable worth debate has further “muddied the water” with regard to first determining, and then operationalizing, a basis for conducting valid job evaluation. This article asserts that job evaluation is valid to the extent it results in adequate and equitable pay in organizations. This assertion is based upon the premise that pay adequacy and pay equity facilitate employee productivity—a primary purpose for compensating people in the first place.
Computer-Assisted Staffing Systems: The Use of Computers in Implementing Meta-Analysis and Utility Research in Personnel Selection
Authors: McDaniel Michael A. , Schmidt Frank L.
Published: July 2015

Recent advances in methods of cumulating research results across studies (i.e., meta-analysis) and related advances in utility research have rapidly increased our knowledge about the usefulness of personnel selection procedures in identifying capable job applicants. This paper describes two computer-based systems, one designed to disseminate the existing knowledge base on personnel selection, and the second to expand this knowledge base. The dissemination system, called the Staffing Decision Support System (SDSS), is a computer-based information system designed to assist staffing decision makers in answering two questions: 1) What is the best personnel selection procedure for identifying capable applicants for a job 2) What is the economic value of a personnel selection procedure? This paper will summarize the research which forms the basis of the SDSS, and explain the capabilities of the system. This paper will conclude with a description of the research support system designed to update and expand the SDSS system.
Personnel Research on Testing, Selection, and Performance Appraisal
Authors: Giffin Margaret E.
Published: July 2015

This review of twenty-five years of selection research relevant to the public sector begins with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the research into whether tests which were developed for a predominantly white male workforce could be used for women and minorities. Research on the linear nature of relationships between tests and criteria, the generalizability of validity, and the utility of selection testing is discussed. Research advances (or failure to advance) in the areas of performance appraisal, the employment interview, training and experience evaluations, assessment centers, and the format of tests are discussed.
Personnel Research Perspectives on Human Resource Management and Development
Authors: Roback Thomas H.
Published: July 2015

This article addresses the state of research contributions over the past several decades in human resource management and development. Specific research agendas in learning, HRD planning, career development, training, discipline, and evaluation and transfer of training were also investigated. Particular research patterns focusing on public personnel perspectives were emphasized and analyzed. Recommendations for establishing a research agenda for the future were recommended.
Compensation, Benefits and Work Schedules
Authors: Siegel Gilbert B.
Published: July 2015

The empirical research literature of the past 25 years which is thought to be intellectually useful for public managers is summarized for these three titled areas. The article concludes with a discussion of topics from theory and practice which seem propitious for further research.
Is the Senior Executive Service Viable?
Authors: Ferris Frank D.
Published: July 2015

This article traces the political history of the federal sector Senior Executive Service, evaluates the current SES structure, and offers some observations as to whether it is viable given the political forces with which it must deal. Predictions are made then made as to how the SES will change in the future.
Major Unions and Collectively Bargained Fringe Benefits
Authors: Kemp Donna R.
Published: July 2015

Fringe benefits are a growing part of the compensation package. Unions and employee associations have played a significant role in the development of fringe benefits. A survey of major unions and employee associations indicates of the new fringe benefits dental coverage, vision coverage, employee assistance programs, maternity leave, and alternative work schedules are the most prevalent in current contracts. Sabbatical leaves are most prevalent as a new benefit in current negotiations, and child care, eldercare, and legal coverage are the most likely new fringes to be negotiated in the future. The standard benefit areas of health and pensions are presently the fringe benefit issues most involved in retrieval bargaining. They are also perceived as both currently and over the next ten years as the most important fringe benefit issues in collective bargaining.
Designing a Comparable Worth Based Job Evaluation System: Failure of an a Priori Approach
Authors: Tompkins Jonathan , Brown Joyce , McEwen John H.
Published: July 2015

The State of Montana recently embarked on a project to develop a new job evaluation system explicitly embracing recommendations emerging from the comparable worth literature. The State's experience shows that while establishing a single, point-factor job evaluation system using an a priori approach may make sense from a pay equity perspective, such a system will not necessarily serve an organization's political and administrative objectives. A policy-capturing approach corrected to remove gender bias may prove a better means of pursuing the goal of pay equity.
Whither Municipal Personnel Innovation? Academic Agendas vs. Practitioner Priorities
Authors: Daniel Christopher P.
Published: July 2015

Texas municipal officials responded to a survey by prioritizing improvements in EEO/Affirmative Action below other changes, while indicating openness to both systematic and scientific approaches to personnel innovation. The officials place a low priority on increasing EEO activities, a preference divergent from the emphasis given EEO in recent years by some scholars. When innovating, Texas municipalities have placed more emphasis on screening out problem applicants, than on seeking ideal hires.
Proactive Intervention: A New Approach to Police EAP Programs
Authors: Moriarty Anthony , Field Mark W.
Published: July 2015

Because law enforcement is an inherently stressful profession, police officers are often vulnerable to the myriad of problems associated with alcohol abuse. Since these difficulties usually do not manifest themselves until the police officer has several years of experience, a recommendation is made to utilize mandated employee assistance programs to intervene proactively, before serious personal and job related problems appear. This proposal suggests that police officers' styles of coping with stress are formulated much earlier in one's career than what is commonly assumed. Proactive assistance may also provide feedback regarding the effectiveness of the operations of a department since a new officer is in an ideal position to observe organizational stressors. As a result, mandated proactive intervention may benefit the rookie police officer and also be an opportunity to review departmental practices.
Reform in the Chinese Public Personnel System
Authors: Li Weiqiang
Published: July 2015

The Chinese public personnel system, established since the early 1950s, is facing greater and greater challenge. The reform movement, launched in the early 1980s tends to open up the closed personnel system, decentralize personnel power, eliminate equalitarianism in remuneration, and rationalize personnel management. This paper will first analyze the previous Chinese personnel system, while outlining the main trends of the reform in the Chinese personnel system, and then will recommend ways to improve the current situation.
An Analysis of Job Evaluation Committee and Job Holder Gender Effects on Job Evaluation
Authors: Lewis Chad T. , Stevens Cynthia Kay
Published: July 2015

In a study designed to examine the impact of knowledge of a job holder's gender and the dominant gender of a job evaluation committee on job evaluation ratings, knowledge of job holder gender was found to significantly bias committee ratings. The same position was rated more highly when it was held by a male than when it was held by a female, regardless of whether the job evaluation committee was dominated by males or females. This evidence of gender-based discrimination underscores the importance of maintaining anonymity of job holders when conducting job evaluation. Unavoidable bias, which may occur in smaller organizations where the identities of job holders are known, suggests that mandating job evaluation as a means of implementing of comparable worth may be only a partial solution at best.
Succession Systems in the Public Sector: Lessons from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections
Authors: Friedman Stewart D.
Published: July 2015

The task of preparing and selecting the next generation of leadership is one all organizations face. This article describes the innovative and progressive practices that constitute the succession system of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. A great deal of this organization's resources are devoted to the two central challenges in managing succession systems: capitalizing on the opportunities for learning inherent in succession events and promoting systematic executive development. The aims of this article are to stimulate discussion and debate about the Oklahoma model, suggest extensions to it, and challenge public sector executives in their thinking about how to develop and select their successors.
Policy Analysis—DeKalb County's Sick Leave Incentive Program
Authors: Conley Richard E. , Baggett McMillan C.
Published: July 2015

In November 1982, DeKalb County, Georgia adopted a Sick Leave Incentive Program. The DeKalb County Merit System and Personnel Administration Director recommended the program to the Chairman and Board of Commissioners to reduce absenteeism among county employees and to address concerns that the sick leave program in use at that time was being abused by county employees. The Chairman and Board of Commissioners of DeKalb County unanimously approved the new program which has been operating for six years without modification. This paper evaluates that program from a variety of perspectives with an emphasis on the policy aspect, effectiveness or track record, and implementation strategies.
Confrontational Media Training for Administrators: Performance and Practice
Authors: Walker Kim B.
Published: July 2015

Television's confrontational reporting practices have made media training necessary for administrators and public officials. With practice, participants can learn to control unnecessary anxiety and appear more credible in media interview situations. Personnel and public relations coordinators can develop in-house media experiences, or choose among external vendors of media training.
Trust in Employee/Employer Relationships: A Survey of West Michigan Managers
Authors: Mishra Jitendra , Morrissey Molly A.
Published: July 2015

Trust is at the core of all relationships. We spend a lifetime building a trust relationship with our friends and families, but we spend thirty minutes in an orientation session with our new employees and expect to have a successful and productive employee. “For employees to trust the management, they must know that the management shares the basic goals in the long run…and each will behave in ways that are not harmful to the other.” (Ouchi — 1982). It has been reported that more than 78% of American workers are suspicious of management and develop an “as-against-them” syndrome that interferes with their performance. (Wall Street, February 1987).
Promotability Ratings: An Underused Promotion Method for Public Safety Organizations
Authors: Cederblom Douglas
Published: July 2015

Relative to other promotion methods, promotability ratings are seldom used in public safety organizations, despite their potential validity and low cost. To provide information for promotion decisions to fill higher positions in a state patrol agency, peer and higher-officer ratings and nominations were obtained for 60 lieutenants through majors. Results indicated this evaluation process was reliable and valid, providing sufficient variance for administrative decisions. Most participants were accepting of the process and results. Subsequent promotions have generally reflected the results. Sources of resistance to promotability ratings are discussed and suggestions made for dealing with this resistance.
Immigrants — Can They Provide the Future Labor Force?
Authors: Dicken Brenda , Blomberg Robert
Published: July 2015

Many public and private sector labor economists are forecasting labor shortages for business and industry which stretch through the year 2000. This article briefly examines the demographics which underlie these “shortage” predictions, and suggests that proactive business leaders might wisely focus planning efforts on legislative reform in areas of immigrant labor. Conclusions drawn suggest that the high quality human capital which immigrants can provide supplies one leverageable human resource pool during times of labor shortage. However, current immigration policies and practices can prove an impediment to the attraction and retention of high quality immigrant labor.
Negligent Hiring: Are Hospitals Vulnerable?
Authors: Kinard Jerry , Renas Stanley
Published: July 2015

Historically, an employer has been held liable for the criminal acts of his employee if one could show that the employee was acting within the scope of his/her employment. Today, an employer can be held liable for crimes committed by an employee even if those actions are not job-related. Injured persons are mow claiming that employers are guilty of “negligent hiring.” They contend that employers are liable for damages caused by their employees if they fail to conduct a thorough pre-employment background investigation of employees who later commit crimes. Health care facilities and other organizations that invite the public onto their premises have a heightened responsibility to protect their patients and guests from the criminal acts of their employees. Yet one study shows that only one in five hospitals checks the criminal records of job applicants. In many instances, employers who attempt to investigate the backgrounds of job applicants are thwarted in their efforts by previous employers who refuse to divulge vital information. More and more, employers who provide “damaging” information on job applicants find themselves being sued for invasion of privacy.
Success, Executives, Three C's
Authors: Sorrell Frank
Published: July 2015

Efforts to discover why some executives succeed and others fail have cast an intriguing voyage that has lasted for thirty plus years. At the outset, which was either blessed or cursed with innocence, it seemed that the top people had uncovered the secret to the Sword of Excalibur, had become deified, and had gone about employing their fraternal secret. For aspirants it was only a matter of also coming upon that revelation.
State of Illinois Sick Leave Incentive Policy: University Employees' Dysfunctional Behavior
Authors: Peek Lucia E. , Smith Nancy E. , Gilbert Charles C.
Published: July 2015

Employees' fringe benefits packages have significantly increased as a percentage of total payroll costs. Business and governmental entities have developed benefit plans to provide their employees with compensated absences due to short-term illnesses. The instigation of an employee benefit plan also introduces the possibility of employee abuse. In response to this abuse, the State of Illinois developed a sick leave incentive plan which involves paying terminated employees cash for their accumulated unused sick days only for legitimate reasons. This paper discusses the State of Illinois' sick leave incentive plan as applied at a single state university. The discussion centers on the implementation of the incentive system, the development of three measures to evaluate the effectiveness of the system, the financial disclosure and lack of disclosure that presently occurs in the financial statements and budgets, and the long-term implications of the policy in terms of an unfunded liability.
Physical Unfitness: Using Medical Expertise in Personnel Adjudication
Authors: Finkle Arthur L.
Published: July 2015

New Jersey's Merit System Board has jurisdiction to reject candidates for physical inability to perform the job. It also has jurisdiction to adjudicate cases involving employees who seek leave with pay caused by on-the-job injuries. Some of these Board decisions are extremely complex for lawyers to decide because of the technical medical issues and theories. To assure the maximum feasible expertise in deciding these cases, the Board established a Medical Examiners Panel. This article describes the Panel's function, composition and procedures. The article then describes some of the interesting cases which the Panel has considered in the medical fields of audiology, cardiology, orthopedics, hematology and ophthalmology.
Creating New Approaches to Recognize and Deter Sabotage
Authors: DiBattista Ron A.
Published: July 2015

This paper examined a list of sabotage forms found in the workplace today, developed reasons for sabotage events. Data were gathered from 44 human resources managers and 164 supervisors from 10 companies. Findings revealed that various forms of sabotage have subtly blended into the work routine—deliberate absenteeism, slowing down production, working without enthusiasm, and consistent turnover. The findings direct human resources managers to observe worker conflict, and help reduce tension-causing situations between managers and employees. Strategies focus on implementing interpersonal approaches and organizational structure approaches to reduce the risk of sabotage.
Federal Pay Reform: A Response to an Emerging Crisis
Authors: Risher Howard , Fay Charles
Published: July 2015

At the time this article was written, Howard Risher was a Principal with the Wyatt Company in Philadelphia. He is currently President of Human Resource Quality in Villanova, PA. He has over 20 years of compensation consulting experience in both the public and private sector. He served as the project manager for the pay reform study commissioned by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. He is currently a member of the National Academy of Public Administration panel that is studying alternatives for reforming the federal calssification system. He has a B.A. in Psychology from Pennsylvania State University and an MBA and a Ph.D. from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Alternatives to Time-Based Pay
Authors: Greene Robert J. , Scott Ann D.
Published: July 2015

Public sector and not-for profit organizations often use time-based pay because of uncertainties about the appropriateness of merit pay, skill-based pay or incentives. This article proposes several pay determination methods as alternatives to time-based pay and examines how an organization can decide what method best fits its culture and environment.
Comparison of State and Local Employee Benefits and Private Employee Benefits
Authors: Moore Perry
Published: July 2015

This paper compares the level of benefits offered to state and local employees in the United States with those provided to private employees of medium and large firms. The public employees enjoy more paid leaves, less expensive health benefits and better pensions. The conclusion points to the additional public personnel costs created by these advantages and addresses the role of benefits in the total compensation package. It also urges that total compensation comparability (pay and benefits) be more widely practiced by public jurisdictions.
Comparative Study of Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory of Job Satisfaction among Public and Private Sectors
Authors: Maidani Ebrahim A.
Published: July 2015

The purpose of this study was to identify through hypothesis testing how Herzberg's theory of job satisfaction applied to two different working populations using a questionnaire based on Herzberg's classification scheme. The study was conducted using private and public sector employees for comparison analysis. The t-test technique was applied and the t-value was computed to test the four formulated hypotheses in order to determine whether any significant differences were revealed between the two employee groups. The result of this analysis showed that employees' motives for work in both sectors tended to emphasize intrinsic or motivator factors of employment, while those who worked in the public sector tended to value the extrinsic or hygiene factors significantly higher than those in the private sector. Also, the satisfaction of employees in both sectors was not attributable to hygiene factors.
Situational Interviews and Job Performance: The Results in One Public Agency
Authors: Gabris Gerald T. , Rock Steven M.
Published: July 2015

This article describes a recent effort by the Mississippi Department of Corrections to choose higher quality employees through a situational interview format. A comparison of correctional officers chosen through the situational interview to those chosen through traditional selection procedures reveals little difference between the two groups. The situational interview is not associated with systematic improvements in job performance scores, absenteeism rates, or attitudes toward management as might be expected. Hence the value of this technique in terms of its predictive validity is brought into question.
Personnel Trends as Seen through an Analysis of the 1992 Public Personnel Inventory
Authors: Sanders Ann L.
Published: July 2015

The Public Personnel Inventory (PPI) is a survey developed by IPMA to determine personnel trends among IPMA Agency members. The survey, updated and conducted every two years, contains over 300 questions regarding personnel functions, policies and procedures. The PPI serves a two-fold purpose as a research tool: (1) it provides current statistical evidence pertaining to specific personnel-related areas in the public sector; the results are broken down to reflect the response rate of the different levels of government: federal, state, county, and municipal; (2) the PPI also offers a listing of all the survey respondents who answered each question, providing name, agency, address, and phone number. Each of the 300-plus survey questions has its own contact list.
Correlates of Pay and Benefit Satisfaction: The Unique Case of Public University Faculty
Authors: Hemmasi Masoud , Graf Lee A. , Lust John A.
Published: July 2015

The pay and benefit satisfaction of public university faculty is examined in two phases. In the first phase, a model containing only demographic correlates is used to predict satisfaction. In the second phase, the demographic variables are coupled with a series of attitudinal variables. For compensation satisfaction, pay level was the primary predictive variable. In addition, dummy variables for several academic disciplines, as well as a number of the attitudinal variables, were also significant. For satisfaction with indirect benefits, perceptual variables were the primary predictors. Implications for the management of public sector university faculty and methodological issues are discussed.
The Effects of Hardiness, Police Stress, and Life Stress on Police Officers' Illness and Absenteeism
Authors: Tang Thomas Li-Ping , Hammontree Monty L.
Published: July 2015

A total of 60 police officers from seven suburban police departments were given a questionnaire twice over a six-month period. The results of four time-lagged hierarchical regression analyses showed that high levels of police stress and life stress (measured at Time 1) were significantly related to illness (measured at Time 2). Police stress (Time 1) was significantly associated with absenteeism (Time 2). Further, hardy police officers with a high level of police stress tended to have a high level of absenteeism than hardy officers with a low level of police stress, whereas nonhardy officers experienced a high level of absenteeism regardless of their level of police stress. Implications concerning the results of this study are discussed.
Due Process Liability in Personnel Records Management: Preserving Employee Liberty Interests
Authors: Shearer Robert A.
Published: July 2015

As public employers well know, the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution guarantee due process to protect property interests associated with workers' legitimate expectations of continued employment. Equally well-established, although probably less often the subject of litigation, are the due process rights of public employees whose liberty interests, i.e., their right to be free of unwarranted professional stigma, are jeopardized by employer conduct. This paper analyzes several recent cases in which public employees charged liberty interest violations as a result of their employers' placing adverse information in their personnel files. Public sector employers should evaluate their exposure to liability for such claims and develop strategies to alleviate their risk as well as to carry out their responsibility to preserve the due process rights of employees.
Management Training and Development in a Nonprofit Organization
Authors: Cosier Richard A. , Dalton Dan R.
Published: July 2015

Management training and development (MTD) is frequently discussed in the context of private sector organizations. However, recent examples of excellent management in nonprofits attest to MTD programs in the nonprofit sector. The MTD program conducted by the National Academy for Voluntarism (NAV), the training arm of United Way of America, is discussed in this paper. The components and philosophy of the NAV program may serve as a model for other nonprofit MTD programs. Two surveys suggest the NAV program is well received by the participants and their sponsors.
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: A Review of the Legal Rights and Responsibilities of All Parties
Authors: Robinson Robert K. , Allen Billie M. , Franklin Geralyn McClure , Duhon David L.
Published: July 2015

In recent years, no area of employment law has generated as much concern and controversy as sexual harassment. Employers have gained a keen, and often painful, awareness of the consequences of sexual harassment in the workplace. This article addresses the issue of sexual harassment from the perspective of the rights and responsibilities of all parties involved, including the employer, employee, coworker, nonemployee, charging party (alleged harassee), and accused (alleged harasser).
Formal Disciplinary Procedures and Conflict Resolution Remedies: Availability and the Effects of Size and City Manager among North Carolina Municipalities
Authors: Daley Dennis M.
Published: July 2015

This study surveys grievance and discipline practices, focusing upon North Carolina municipal governments. Formal discipline procedures (including aspects of performance appraisal systems) and conflict resolution remedies (designed to prevent disciplinary problems) are examined. In addition, the effect of city and organizational size and that of governmental structure on these personnel practices are studied. In general, grievance and discipline practices are found in under two-thirds of the communities. However, usage does appear to increase both with municipal population and with the number of public employees. Similarly, they are more likely to be present in towns with professional managers. Conflict resolution efforts (suggestion systems, whistleblower protection, counseling, and drug and alcohol assistance) receive relatively little attention among North Carolina communities. Outside of the larger cities use is marginal at best. While manager led towns are likely to engage in such practices, this still represents but a small proportion of even those communities.
Providing a Base for Executive Development at the State Level
Authors: Van Wart Montgomery
Published: July 2015

Executive development can only be properly conceptualized as a part of the state's overall human resource development (HRD) system. As a part of that system, the special needs and constraints of executive development can be addressed. Some of the best human resource development systems build level by level, with executive development as the logical and integrated conclusion, even though the programs may be housed in a variety of settings. As background, this article discusses the differences in the four levels of HRD, the three major skill areas that are identified with each of these levels, and the four features that characterize good human resource systems. It concentrates on the features that characterize good executive development systems and also includes a number of examples of good executive development systems in the federal and state government sectors.
The City of Kansas City's Firefighters' Pension Bonus Plan
Authors: Tvedten John
Published: July 2015

This article is an analysis of the cost/benefit features of the Pension Benefit Plan of the City of Kansas City, Missouri, as it effects city payroll and fire department operations.