bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Benefit Cost Comparisons between State and Local Governments and Private Sector Employers
Authors: McDonnell Kenneth J. , Salisbury Dallas
Published: July 2015

In June of 2005, overall total compensation costs were 46 percent higher among state and local government employers ($35.46 per hour worked) than among private-sector employers ($24.24 per hour worked) (calculated from Figure 1). Total compensation costs consist of two major categories: wages and salaries and employee benefits. For both of these categories, state and local government employers' costs were higher than those of private-sector employers: 40 percent higher for wages and salaries and 61 percent higher for employee benefits (calculated from Figure 3).

This article examines some of the causes of the differences in total compensation costs between state and local government employers and private-sector employers. The datasets used are as follows: For compensation costs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Employer Costs for Employee Compensation: June 2005; for private-sector benefit participation, the BLS's National Compensation Survey, Employee Benefits in Private Industry in the United States, March 2005; and for state and local government employers, BLS' Employee Benefits in State and Local Governments, 1998. Employment by industry group data come from BLS' Employment and Earnings, August 2005, and employment by occupation data are from EBRI tabulations of the Current Population Survey, March 2005 Supplement by the U.S. Census Bureau.
How Accurate Are Your Performance Appraisals?
Authors: Miller Corey E. , Thornton Carl L.
Published: July 2015

Accuracy of performance appraisals is very important in public personnel management. We provide “benchmark” data from the research literature. We also provide a method for correcting for error in the data so practitioners' data may be more accurately evaluated. We also demonstrate the degree to which multiple raters will improve the accuracy of appraisals. Finally, we make suggestions as to how the PPM professional may improve the accuracy of performance ratings based on the research concerning rating versus ranking performance, the supervisors' knowledge of the employee and the number of dimensions being appraised.
Unlocking the Human Potential for Public Sector Performance
Authors: Bertucci Guido
Published: July 2015

The field of HRM has evolved significantly in the past decades as external and internal pressures have forced governments to redefine the role of the state and recalibrate public administration capacities. A number of innovative policies and practices, many of them borrowed from the private sector, are being introduced in public sector personnel management with—the intent being to deal with escalating costs and to better manage performance and increase efficiency. Recent research however has revealed very strong correlations between the quality of human resources in the public sector and government performance and national development. In fact, it is people coordinated by institutions who deliver public services. How effectively government institutions align the behavior of staff with the public interest is determined primarily by the capacity, motivation and integrity of human resources and the quality of leadership. In other words, people are the lifeblood of the public service.
The Enemy is Not Us: Unexpected Workplace Violence Trends
Authors: Hoobler Jenny M. , Swanberg Jennifer
Published: July 2015

According to the Department of Justice, an average of 20 workers are murdered and 18,000 assaulted in U.S. workplaces each week. Government employees fell victim to 37 percent of workplace violence incidents despite the fact that they made up only 16 percent of the U.S. workforce between 1992 and 1996. Using insights gained from a survey of 868 full-time employees of a Midwestern municipal government, we explore the intersection of a multitude of violent behaviors including verbal threats, yelling, physical intimidation, hitting/pushing/shoving, and sexual harassment and assault. Our analysis illuminates two important trends: (1) larger organizational norms may play a critical role in the acceptance of workplace aggression and violence, and (2) customers are more likely to be perpetrators of violence and aggressive acts than are co-workers and supervisors.
The New Crisis of Public Service Employment
Authors: McEntee Gerald W.
Published: July 2015

These are unprecedented times for public service workers and the unions that represent their interests. The largest of these unions is the 1.4 million-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO. In recent years, AFSCME has been thrust into the role of defending sweeping attacks on public employees and public budgets at every level of government.

Throughout its 70-year history, AFSCME has waged effective battles that have enabled public employees to join the ranks of the middle class—winning collective bargaining rights, facilitating the adoption of merit-based job performance systems, growing public employee pension plans, securing wage increases, and helping create a vibrant public sector that provides effective services to citizens and helps local economies realize their potential.

Today, much of the historic progress achieved by public workers is at risk. Ultimately, how successfully AFSCME and its fellow public unions meet five core challenges in the areas of privatization—fiscal limits, civil service reform and pension reform—will determine the future of America's public sector.
Legal Issues for HR Professionals: Reference Checking/Background Investigations
Authors: Woska William J.
Published: July 2015

Employers have a legal duty to protect their employees, customers, clients and visitors from injury caused by employees that the employer knows or should have known poses a risk to others. When an employer breaches this duty, they may be liable for damages under the tort of negligent hiring. Reference checking performed by employers is essential in satisfying their legal obligations. However, human resources specialists often find themselves in a quandary when reference checking becomes an issue. Confusion often results from legal advice to attempt to obtain as much information as possible on a potential hire while providing as little information as possible on a current employee because of the possibility of lawsuits. This article addresses issues the employer must consider when conducting reference checks and background investigations.
The Validity of the Reid Report for Selection of Corrections Staff
Authors: Van Hein Judith L. , Kramer Jim J. , Hein Michael
Published: July 2015

This study analyzed the validity and utility of using the Reid Report—an overt integrity test—for the selection of corrections staff. Data was gathered on 299 corrections officers who were selected for security positions with a sheriff's department. Validity of the selection tool was assessed by correlating test scores with performance appraisal scores, use of sick leave and disciplinary action taken. The integrity test was not valid for any of the measures of job performance. Without a significant validity, the utility, or cost effectiveness of the test, was negative. The use of the Reid Report for selection of corrections staff, therefore, is not recommended.
Navigating Pennsylvania's Dynamic Workforce: Succession Planning in a Complex Environment
Authors: Helton Kimberly A. , Jackson Robert D.
Published: July 2015

Through its workforce and succession planning efforts, Pennsylvania is committed to proactively identifying, preparing for and maintaining pools of well-trained and motivated state government employees to assume critical positions of leadership. But the concept of leadership extends beyond senior-level positions within agencies. The goal in Pennsylvania is to improve leadership capabilities in every work unit and to encourage all employees to use their skills to build stronger teams. Leadership at all levels means equipping employees with the tools, skills and expectations to communicate effectively and foster leadership at every organizational level. Leadership at all levels ensures that no lack of business continuity results from staff departures such as retirements, resignations, promotions or reassignments or other situations in which an individual is unable to or unwilling to continue his or her role within an organization.

As a follow-up to the case study “Pennsylvania's Changing Workforce: Planning Today With Tomorrow's Vision” ( Public Personnel Management, Vol. 33, No. 4, Winter 2004), this article advances workforce planning and details the manner in which the commonwealth actualizes sound succession planning principles and practices.
Succession Planning and Generational Stereotypes: Should HR Consider Age-Based Values and Attitudes a Relevant Factor or a Passing Fad?
Authors: Crumpacker Martha , Crumpacker Jill M.
Published: July 2015

Today's workforce includes at least four generations that span more than 60 years. HR's ability to work with management to cultivate a preferred organizational culture through succession planning initiatives, including recruitment, training and development, and retention programs is increasingly important to organizational success. This article explores issues relating to a generational perspective of age-based values, attitudes and norms within a multigenerational workforce and potential implications for HR in shaping organizational culture through the succession planning process.
On Workforce Architecture, Employment Relationships and Lifecycles: Expanding the Purview of Workforce Planning & Management
Authors: Lavelle John
Published: July 2015

Workforce planning remains an underutilized and appreciated process in the HR armamentarium, and yet the need for strategic workforce planning and execution of workforce plans has never been greater as organizations, be they public or private, operate in more turbulent environments and confront the twin challenges of competing for key skills and talents and of containing payroll costs. Here, the causes of workforce planning inertia are examined, as are examples of promising, if not yet widely adopted, best practices. Finally, the author introduces an integrated model he has been developing that forges stronger links between workforce planning and management of the employment framework itself. The model, which is still a work in progress, is applied to the particular challenge of managing the aging workforce.
Boomer Generativity: An Organizational Resource
Authors: Calo Thomas J.
Published: July 2015

That the world's population is aging rapidly is indisputable. There is considerable debate, however, on the impact that this shift will have on individuals, on organizations and on societies, both locally and globally. There is even greater debate over what the most appropriate response should be when confronting this growing challenge. Given the many potential risk factors for organizations as a result of this aging population and workforce, organizations must be proactive and creative in adopting organizational responses to effectively manage, utilize and inspire a growing older workforce.
Tomorrow's Workforce: The Needs for Immigrant Workers and Strategies to Retain Them
Authors: Nguyen Bao Q.
Published: July 2015

U.S. corporations are facing dual crises with an aging workforce and a shrinking pool of younger talent. The current workforce consists primarily of baby boomers who are beginning to reach retirement age, and prospects for replacing the exiting workers do not look promising. Some corporations are turning to immigrants to alleviate these problems. While there are benefits of having immigrants in the workforce, issues related cultural and value differences also exist. Therefore, corporations must develop strategies to effectively utilize and retain immigrants in order to remain competitive.
A Systematic Approach for Assessing the Currency (“Up-to-Dateness”) of Job-Analytic Information
Authors: Bobko Philip , Roth Philip L. , Buster Maury A.
Published: July 2015

Job analytic information is central to a variety of human resource activities (e.g., selection system development, compensation system development, organizational design). It is also well understood that many jobs are changing due to forces such as technological advances, a desire for teamwork, and various organizational interventions. In addressing such changes when using job analytic information, human resource practitioners might be faced with questions about the currency, or “up-to-dateness,” of their existing job analysis. Unfortunately, there is almost no guidance for researchers or professionals regarding what methods might be used to check job analyses for currency (i.e., if there are any changes to the job that might influence the job analysis, how does one systematically assess such changes). We review the scant literature in this area and offer a protocol that we developed and implemented within a litigious environment. The protocol is systematic and focused on job change. In order to be as efficient as possible (and sensitive to organizational resource expenditures), the protocol builds on prior job analytic information. Two examples of the protocol's implementation are provided. We also present a variety of lessons learned during the development and implementation of this relatively unique currency protocol, as well as a discussion of some possible variants of the method.
Developing Effective Internships within Public Sector Organizations
Authors: Cupps Stephen , Olmosk Kurt E.
Published: July 2015

In this era of organizational downsizing, budget shortfalls, and personnel reshuffling, the timely addition of a capable and enthusiastic intern can be invaluable for a public agency. This article focuses on one set of critical concerns for an organization seeking to benefit from an effective intern relationship: What are the agency's responsibilities if interns are going to be productive contributors to the work of the organization? What specific things should an agency do—and what potential pitfalls and snares should it vigorously avoid blundering into—to maximize the impact of an intern's services to the organization? The authors' observations on how best to answer these questions are offered here as lessons learned from nearly two decades of experience with some successful and some not-so-successful agency-intern collaborations.
The Blended Workforce: Alternative Federal Models
Authors: Thompson James R. , Mastracci Sharon H.
Published: July 2015

The term blended workforce describes a group of employees within the same organization who are in a variety of work arrangements—part-time, temporary, seasonal, and contract, as well as full-time, full-year, and permanent. The use of such arrangements has been expanding in some sectors as a result of managers' interests in improving cost-effectiveness and in accommodating employees' demands. In this article, the operational advantages of having employees with mix of work arrangements are identified and alternative models of how blended workforces are being created in U.S. federal government agencies is examined.
The U.S. Federal Senior Executive Service (SES) and Gender Diversity: Would Proposed Legislation Enhancing the Representational Diversity of Selection Panels Necessarily Increase the Number of Female Appointments to the SES?
Authors: Crumpacker Martha , Crumpacker Jill M.
Published: July 2015

The number of women in senior government positions has steadily increased over the past 30 years, but the percentage of women in the Senior Executive Service (SES) of the federal government continues to lag behind the percentages of women in both the civilian labor force and the federal government workforce. During 2007–2008, congressional leaders introduced the SES Diversity Assurance Act to increase the number of women and minorities in the SES. This Article discusses whether the provisions of the proposed legislation that address initial selection into the SES, as presented, would achieve the intended result of increasing gender diversity in the SES.
Assessing Electronic Recruitment Implementation in State Governments: Issues and Challenges
Authors: Kim Soonhee , O'Connor Jennifer G.
Published: July 2015

In this study, we assessed the status of electronic recruitment for U.S. state government employees and analyzed the issues and challenges state governments faced while they implemented e-recruitment systems. All of the 23 state personnel agencies that responded to a phone survey either offered downloadable application forms or allowed candidates to submit applications online. Ten states had adopted options for assessing applicants and selecting job candidates online, but only three states reported that they had adopted online testing. The number of applications received online increased from 2002 to 2003, and the most common implementation challenges that states faced when introducing e-recruitment were budget constraints, technical difficulties, and HR staff adapting to using a new system. While 15 states reported that they evaluated their electronic recruitment system, only three said they measured the cost per hire. Based on the survey responses, we conclude this article by presenting lessons and implications for effectively implementing e-recruitment for state government employees.
Rational Techniques as Myth-Based Rituals: The Role of Reflective Practitioners in Remunerative Justice
Authors: Herzog Richard J. , Abel Charles Frederick
Published: July 2015

Remunerative justice in public organizations remains elusive, largely because public administrators employ rational techniques in human resource management. Rational techniques include job evaluations, salary surveys, position classifications, and merit pay determinations. When they are employed to address wicked salary-assignment problems, such rational techniques are elevated to the status of myth-based rituals. Reflective practitioners can become aware of alternatives to myths by understanding the context of rational techniques, the advantages to invoking myth when making salary assignments, and the problems with using rational techniques. A thorough reevaluation of rational techniques allows reflective practitioners to apply holistic approaches, critical theory knowledge, and qualitative methods to overcoming remuneration challenges and, in so doing, promote fair salary assignments. Public administrators have a responsibility to understand myth-based rituals as they seek remunerative justice.
Correctional Officer Turnover: Of Maslow's Needs Hierarchy and Herzberg's Motivation Theory
Authors: Udechukwu Ikwukananne I.
Published: July 2015

This article discusses correctional officer turnover in terms of traditional theories of motivation. It does so by calling on the content theories of Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory. These theories are applied to the work situation of correctional officers in one southern U.S. state's correctional agency.
Why Do Public Employees Desire Intrinsic Nonmonetary Opportunities?
Authors: Bright Leonard
Published: July 2015

Public administration research has consistently demonstrated that public employees possess a higher desire for intrinsic nonmonetary opportunities than their private sector counterparts. Yet it is not entirely clear why. Researchers have largely assumed that public service motivation is the reason for these findings. However, no empirical research to date has directly tested this assumption while also taking into account alternate explanations. This study aims to fill that gap in the literature by empirically investigating the relationship that public service motivation has to the intrinsic nonmonetary preferences of public employees while controlling for several confounding explanations. This article closes with some summary findings, a discussion of contributions to the current literature on public service motivation, and the identification of a few issues that deserve further investigation.
A Comparison of Gender and Gender-Related Issues in the Business Disciplines
Authors: Lanier Patricia A. , Tanner John R. , Guidry Brandi N.
Published: July 2015

The study described the situation of female professors within the business disciplines of accounting, economics, management, and marketing in order to collect information concerning gender-specific employment experiences. Results indicate that gender inequity within academia still exists. For example, the percentage of female faculty has increased to only 24.3% of the total. Furthermore, those surveyed were asked to respond to questions concerning their discriminatory experiences with regards to gender. The majority of women had encountered gender-related discrimination. However, the percentage of respondents (N = 707) in the senior ranks (50%) was much greater than the AACSB national averages, which show females making up only 36.5% of senior business faculty. Implications of these findings are discussed at the end of this article.
Personnel Implications of Public Sector Virtual Organizations
Authors: Green Daryl D. , Roberts Gary E.
Published: July 2015

This investigation explores the operational nature of virtual teams in the federal sector. As more federal agencies allow employees to work from home, there is an increasing problem with office staffing and organizational effectiveness. Utilizing the Department of Energy (DOE) employees as virtual participants, the investigation uses the triangulation method approach for data collection. The primary goal is to explore human resource issues as they relate to virtual organizations. The significant findings include the following: (a) organizational selection practices should incorporate methods to identify the behavioral attributes and (b) characteristics associated with effective virtual team performance should be identified, and (c) organizations should celebrate accomplishments to help promote group cohesiveness. The paper concludes with a discussion, highlighting strategic implications for researchers and practitioners. This effort contributes to further exploration into the application of virtual teams in the government sector.
Utility of Assessment Center for Promotion of Police Sergeants
Authors: Thornton George C. , Potemra Michael J.
Published: July 2015

Is the cost of an assessment center worth it? This study demonstrates the economic utility of an assessment center as a part of a promotional examination to police sergeant. The total cost of the program to assess 208 candidates was $158,970, or $764 per candidate. Based on initial promotions of 22 sergeants, total utility was estimated to be at least $414,943, utility per candidate was estimated to be at least $1995, and utility per selectee was estimated to be at least $18,861. Substantially higher estimates of utility were shown when alternative values of costs, validities of the assessment center, number of sergeants promoted over the life of the promotional list, and the benefits of selecting effective sergeants.
Balancing Work and Family in South Korea's Public Organizations: Focusing on Family-Friendly Policies in Elementary School Organizations
Authors: Moon Sin-Yong , Roh Jongho
Published: July 2015

Family-friendly policies have emerged as a new issue in human resource management. Previous studies mainly focused on the effect of family-friendly policies on organizational productivity or job satisfaction at the organizational level. Little attention has been paid to examining the effect of family-friendly policies at the individual level. Our research fills this gap by examining the effect of family-friendly policies at the individual level with a sample of 127 teachers in four elementary schools in South Korea. We empirically examine the influence of family-friendly policies on job motivation, work performance, and employee morale using a survey method. As a result, we find that a balance between work and family is the strongest predictor influencing job motivation, work performance, and employee morale. Unlike our expectation, however, knowledge and use of family-friendly policies do not have an impact on these three dependent variables. Considering that such a balance between work and family has a positive influence on the three dependent variables, public organizations need to consider the implementation of available family-friendly policy programs to help balance work and family.
Influence of Internet Use at Work on Organizational Commitment
Authors: Ting Yuan , Grant Ron
Published: July 2015

This research reports findings on the relationship between Internet use in the public workplace and organizational commitment. Perceived organizational involvement and participation are treated as possible mediating variables. Several hypotheses are tested using data from a survey of local public administrators and managers in southern California. Our findings do not lend support to any hypothesis linking workplace Internet use to organizational commitment, either directly or indirectly. A surprising finding is a strong negative relationship between perceived organizational participation and organizational commitment. Another unexpected finding is a significant positive relationship between an administrator's level of position and organizational commitment. We conclude that more context-sensitive and multi-dimension measurements as well as more dynamic models are needed to study the effect of Internet use in the public workplace on organizational commitment.
Competition as a Pressure in Quasi-Markets - Internal Inefficiency of an Organization
Authors: Kähkönen Liisa
Published: July 2015

When public production of a service is thrown open to competition, the process has broader effects than changed production costs. Empirical research indicates that even technical efficiency may fall when all the costs of the competitive bidding process are taken into account. Some of the costs can be measured, while some of them—such as work motivation—can only be classified. The focus of this article is to discuss the effects on employees of introducing marketization in the tax-financed services (quasi-markets) as a factor of inefficiency. In the labor-intensive service sector, where the contribution of employees is essential, these effects are fundamental. The article concludes that the significance of employees to internal efficiency (x-efficiency) of the competing organization should not be disregarded in accessing the efficiency of quasi-markets.
New Developments in the Workers' Compensation System in California: The Workers' Compensation System in California in Constant Evolution
Authors: Meza Alma , Kleiner Brian
Published: July 2015

The workers' compensation system in California has had a long history of polemic and change. California businesses, lawmakers and political organizations have been intent on creating a system that provides the injured workers of California with comfort and support in the event of an injury and control costs for employers. However, all the reforms and efforts resulted in the creation of a complex, expensive and inefficient system. In the last couple of years, the workers' compensation system in California has become the most expensive system in the nation. Reforming the system has become the most important issue in lawmakers' agendas. On April 19, 2004, a new reform was introduced. SB 899 has brought about changes to all the benefits offered under the system. This reform (SB 899) is a strong effort to bring down the skyrocketing costs of the system and revitalize the business environment in California.
Should Employers Rely on Local Validation Studies or Validity Generalization (VG) to Support the Use of Employment Tests in Title VII Situations?
Authors: Biddle Daniel A.
Published: July 2015

Since the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Griggs v. Duke Power (1971), employers have been subject to challenge by plaintiffs or government enforcement agencies when they use employment tests that have adverse impact. In such situations the 1991 Civil Rights Act requires employers to demonstrate that the test is “…job related for the position in question and consistent with business necessity.” Employers typically rally such a defense by addressing the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures—the federal treatise framed in 1978 for the express purpose of Title VII enforcement—along with relevant professional standards (Joint Standards, 1999; SIOP Principles, 2003). To address such requirements, employers are faced with several viable validation alternatives, ranging from conducting a local criterion-related validation study to relying on validity evidence from other studies for similar positions, employers, and tests (i.e., Validity Generalization). The strengths and limitations of both of these strategies in a Title VII context are reviewed, and employers are ultimately encouraged to select the local validation strategy whenever technically feasible for a variety of reasons discussed.
Preparing for Tomorrow: A Case Study of Workforce Planning in North Carolina Municipal Governments
Authors: Jacobson Willow S.
Published: July 2015

Local governments are poised for a workforce crisis. Many will be faced with the impact of a mass exodus of baby boomers from their ranks at the same time the skills and knowledge required to continue to provide quality services increases. Governments will compete with private and non-profit organizations, as well as with each other, for talented workers. However, this crisis is likely to be felt by governments first because of their older employee base and high demand for knowledge workers. Individuals with needed skills and knowledge will become harder to recruit and retain, especially if governments are not clear about the skills they seek. Workforce planning can help governments act and perform strategically in the face of increasingly complex governmental demands made even more challenging by this impending human capital crisis. The 2002 International Personnel Management Association report, Workforce Planning Resource Guide for Public Sector Human Resource Professionals, found that “Workforce planning is the most critical human resource management challenge in the public sector today.” This paper examines the state of workforce planning in North Carolina municipalities. Survey data from medium and large size municipalities in North Carolina with populations over 15,000 is analyzed to determine the current state of their workforce planning efforts. An overview of current practices, identified needs, pressing concerns, and primary barriers to implementation and success are presented.
Diversity and Representation in the U.S. Federal Government: Analysis of the Trends of Federal Employment
Authors: Choi Sungjoo
Published: July 2015

This article aims to describe the trends in the current federal employment with regard to diversity and representation. To do so, it examines the diversity and representation of federal employee populations by agency and by pay or grade level. While the federal government has been successful in diversifying its employee populations by employing women and minorities, their employment still appears to be concentrated on the lower- and middle-level positions, resulting in large underrepresentation at the higher managerial and executive levels. This study, by analyzing the 2004 demographic data of federal employees by agency and by grade level, evaluates the horizontal and vertical integration of women and minorities in the federal government. The findings show that while race or gender groups in the federal government are equally represented across federal agencies, women and minorities are still underrepresented at the higher echelons. This article provides insight into improving the representation of women and minorities in the federal government.
Offering Same-Sex Domestic Partner Benefits to Government Employees: Reasons, Examples, and Methods
Authors: Astray-Caneda Evelio E.
Published: July 2015

Offering benefits, such as family leave and insurance, to gay and lesbian employees and their spouses/partners expands a government's hiring pool, improves workplace satisfaction, and fosters a diverse workforce. Offering same-sex domestic partner benefits has public support and costs .5–1% more than offering benefits to heterosexual employees alone. Drawing on literature in public administration, human resources, and psychology, as well as policy examples from domestic and foreign governments, three critical aspects of this issue are discussed. First, reasons to provide same-sex domestic partner benefits are examined. Second, this paper looks at policy examples from governments and private employers, and the costs of providing the benefits. Third, this paper provides recommendations and suggested language for policies to provide benefits to same-sex domestic partners.
The Public Sector as a Career Choice: Antecedents of an Expressed Interest in Working for the Federal Government
Authors: Doverspike Dennis , Qin Lei , Magee Marc Porter , Snell Andrea F. , Vaiana L. Pamela
Published: July 2015

Data from a nationwide survey of recent college graduates were used to investigate the question of what factors, or antecedents, might exist that would lead to an interest in working for the public sector. As antecedents, three general classes of variables were identified including: demographics, religion and volunteer experiences, and recent critical historical events (i.e., reactions to 9/11 and the Iraq war). The dependent variable was an expressed interest in working for the federal government. Secondary data analysis was carried out on survey responses from 621 graduating seniors. The results indicated that minority group status, viewing government as a form of public service, and trust in the government were all significant predictors of interest in working for the federal government.
Using the Fluctuating Workweek Compensation Method to Reduce Overtime Expenses in Public Organizations
Authors: Von Bergen C.W.
Published: July 2015

Modifications to the Fair Labor Standards Act promulgated by the Department of Labor as the FairPay Overtime Initiative in 2004 have produced an increasing number of workers subject to overtime payments and a concomitant increase in labor costs for public sector organizations. To adapt to this changing environment and to control employee overtime expenditures organizations may wish to examine the applicability of a relatively obscure provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act labelled the fluctuating workweek scheme. This approach becomes increasingly attractive to employers as worker overtime increases because a feature of this method is that the overtime rate due employees under this plan decreases as the number of overtime hours worked increases.
Ledbetter v. Goodyear: Circumscribing Title VII's Discrimination Protections
Authors: Bradbury Mark D.
Published: July 2015

In Ledbetter v. Goodyear (2007) the U.S. Supreme Court was asked to clarify Title VII's rules related to the timeliness of pay discrimination claims. The Court's decision formalized the legal difference between discrete instances of discrimination and the lingering effects of discrimination as they relate to how much time an employee has to file a discrimination claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. A key distinction was drawn between a discriminatory organizational pay structure and the actions of individual supervisors. Ultimately the Court equated decisions related to pay with other personnel actions and requires employees to promptly file an alleged discriminatory action with the EEOC. When considered in the context of the limitations of the Equal Pay Act, the Ledbetter decision further tips the weighing of interests toward the employer.
Human Resources Issues in Local Government: Yesterday's Headlines Remain Today's “Hot Topics”
Authors: McDowell Amy M. , Leavitt William M.
Published: July 2015

The authors of this article suggest that one of the most informative methods to identify the human resources issues that occupy an organization's time and efforts is to ask the experts directly. In many local governments, there are at least three groups or organizational units that share responsibility for human resources functions and that must work together as a team to successfully resolve human resources issues: managers and supervisors, human resources professionals, and attorneys. This article specifically addresses some of the legal concerns and issues, i.e., the “hot topics,” that constitute the primary workload of attorneys practicing local government employment law, explores these issues, and identifies strategies used to address these ongoing concerns.
Diversity Management in the Public Sector: Moving from Hobbyism toward Integration An Exploratory Case Study in The Netherlands
Authors: Heijes Coen
Published: July 2015

In research on diversity management we find a great deal of attention to be directed on tools and personnel issues. What we rarely come across are historical analyses of diversity management within organizations. In this paper we fill this gap and discuss the various stages an organization goes through in developing and implementing diversity policy. We do so by way of an in-depth, narrative case-study of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in The Netherlands. We show how ethnic diversity management has evolved within this organization over the past two decades and what pitfalls were encountered, while at the same time discussing the dilemmas which underlie successful implementation of diversity within organizations.
Factors Leading to Corrections Officers' Job Satisfaction
Authors: Yang Seung-Bum , Brown Gregory C. , Moon Byongook
Published: July 2015

This study explores the determinants of job satisfaction of corrections officers. Using a survey data collected from 400 South Korean corrections officers, we tested the effect of five factors on job satisfaction. The five factors were identified from the Job Descriptive Index (JDI). We used a single item approach and employed ordered logit regression analysis to ensure advance and sophisticated statistical analysis of survey research. The empirical analysis confirmed that pay, promotion, job itself, supervisor, and coworkers were all significant factors that lead to job satisfaction. The findings in this research are consistent with the extant research on job satisfaction. The results of this research can improve public managers' understanding of employee job satisfaction.
Employee Drug Abuse in Municipal Government
Authors: Malinowski Frank A.
Published: July 2015

“Drug taking on the job has become a problem of major, national importance in industry. This study did a research survey to determine whether drug abuse was regarded as an employment problem at the municipal level.”
Attitudes of Government Executives toward Management Training
Authors: Gannon Martin J.
Published: July 2015

“In general, the managers seemed to view training in terms of a long-term rational cost-benefit ratio, that is, they desired training that would maximize their potential for promotion and responsibility in the future rather than in their current jobs.”
Personnel Management Information Systems for State and Local Governments
Authors: Lee Robert D. , Lucianovic William M.
Published: July 2015

“One probable reason for the slow progress being made in the personnel field is the tendency for personnel experts to overlook the total personnel management system and to concentrate upon subactivities.”
Weighted Ratings: Performance Criteria for Concurrent Valdations of a Police Selection Test
Authors: Feldhaus John
Published: July 2015

Where time constraints and other practical problems make empirical validation studies impossible, concurrent validation-using weighted ratings as performance criteria-is an alternative with a number of advantages.
Technological Trends in Productivity Measurement
Authors: Balk Walter L.
Published: July 2015

“We are at a productivity measurement impasse for much of the work we do in government. This paper gets to the fundamentals of defining productivity, relating measurement modes to type of work and discusses some “new measurement” will require different management styles than those we are now familiar with. This has profound implications for those in personnel management.”
Systems for Linking Job Tasks to Personnel Requirements
Authors: Fleishman Edwin A.
Published: July 2015

This paper describes issues in developing a scientifically based system for relating the abilities of people required to perform jobs to the nature of the task characteristics of these jobs. Conceptual and methodological issues in classifying tasks are discussed as are the objectives of task taxonomies and criteria for their evaluation. Alternative taxonomic approaches are described. A particular approach to classifying tasks in terms of ability requirements is described in more detail and evaluated according to a number of criteria and applications. These latter include encouraging utility in job analysis, test development, setting performance standards, and classifying jobs into families.
Employment Testing for Handicapped Persons
Authors: Nester Mary Anne
Published: July 2015

In the competitive employment situation, in which some kind of standardized assessment instrument is used to compare applicants and select the most qualified, persons with certain physical handicaps are at a disadvantage because their handicap impedes measurement of the intended knowledges, skills, or abilities through the standardized instrument. This paper describes the problems that arise in standardized employment testing, especially for visually impaired and hearing impaired persons. Solutions are proposed for these problems wherever possible. For visually impaired persons, the majority of the problems arise from the need to present test questions in an appropriate medium (e.g., braille) and to adjust time limits accordingly. Among hearing impaired persons, those who are profoundly, prelingually deaf tend to perform poorly on verbal tests. This true deficit in the English language raises fundamental questions for personnel selection specialists about the nature of verbal job requirements.
Assessment Centers in the Public Sector: A Practical Approach
Authors: Joiner Dennis A.
Published: July 2015

This article provides an overview of assessment centers as they are commonly used in local government settings for employee selection and promotion decisions. The reader is first provided with an historical perspective followed by a detailed example of a practical model for developing and administering legally defensible assessment center examinations. Throughout the article, references are cited for more in-depth coverage of the ideas and concepts presented.
Computer Applications to Personnel (Releasing the Genie — Harnessing the Dragon)
Authors: Darany Theodore S.
Published: July 2015

Computers can be a boon or a bane to the existence of a personnel administrator.

By focusing on areas of proven savings and with the help of careful planning and impartial advice, the personnel administrator has a considerably better chance for success.

This article delineates five major areas of such savings and provides recommendations aimed at achieving those savings. It closes with a glimpse at some possible future capabilities and an annotated list of relevant resources.
Graphie Assessing: A Structural Approach to Improving the Management Training Process
Authors: Henderson Dee W.
Published: July 2015

During the last several years the use of management skill assessment programs has become increasingly popular. Extensive research has been devoted to the development of assessment methodologies, and many attempts have been made to apply such systems to the often frustrating task of grooming management trainees. A number of serious reactions seem to occur, however, whenever assessment programs and training programs are poured into the same bottle. The reactions range from simple stagnation to uncomfortable eruptions. This paper sets forth a new model which seems to be a favorable catalyst in the assessment/training experiment. This model, called the Hive, is more graphic and more immediately comprehensible than any previous one. It is perhaps the first assessment model that places more emphasis on positive training results than on predicting performance.
Putting “Human” into Human Resource Management
Authors: Lindley Clyde J.
Published: July 2015

This article stresses the importance of studying how the employee functions in the organizational setting in which he/she works. The relationship of organizational climate to performance is described by reviewing some of the research in this area. Human resource management means providing an organizational climate that will motivate the employee to reach his/her highest potential of effectiveness. It is treating employees as human beings, as persons with feelings, aspirations and pride. A philosophy of human resource management is presented based on the counseling philosophy of Carl Rogers, that each person has inner resources to grow and become a fully functioning person. Suggestions are made about the leadership style necessary to produce an organizational climate that will unleash the tremendous potential within employees. Participative management and other means of involving employees are encouraged as human resource management endeavors. Assessment specialists and other personnelists are challenged to assist managers and personnel directors in developing a truly people oriented, participatory, human organizational climate. “Human” human resource management means greater productivity.
Implementing Productivity Programs in the Field: The NASA Experience at the Johnson Space Center
Authors: Sullivan Leslie J. , Young R. Wayne
Published: July 2015

To be effective, a productivity management program must be specifically tailored to match the cultural climate, goals and missions of the organization to which its efforts are directed. JSC is a high technology organization, composed primarily of professionals engaged in long term space programs. Because of JSC's extensive interfaces with contractor organizations in accomplishing its programs, JSC's productivity program is vitally concerned not only with the efforts and motivation of its own personnel, but also with the productivity of contractor organizations. The ultimate objective of the program is develop win/win situations for both the individuals and the organizations comprising the space team.
Productivity Improvement and Information: Private Sector Applications — Public Sector Implications
Authors: Long Charles V.
Published: July 2015

Both public sector and private sector organizations are devoting increasing attention to their “productivity environments” as they deal with declining resource availability, increasing technological and work complexity, and organizational imperatives to increase “overall productive capacity.” Two major objectives are involved in developing successful integrated approaches to productivity improvement: generating productivity measurement/management information through organizational surveys and work reporting systems; and enhancing employee involvement and commitment through training and development, communications, and new forms of participative management efforts. The private sector case described here was based on identifying productivity problems and linking information/measurement systems with participative management efforts and could be adapted and applied to public sector organizations.
Office Automation: Making People More Productive
Authors: Rhea Joseph C.
Published: July 2015

Productivity improvement is not assured when office automation is undertaken. Key issues relating to power relationships, user needs, and hardware and software selections and commitments can raise significant barriers to achieving improved productivity. These can be addressed by applying principles which develop user oriented philosophy, objectives, criteria, needs, work and social benefits, modular/prototype designs, automated basic work functions, functional strategies, priorities, training, and growth applications.