Human Resources Workgroup
Executive Committee
Recommendations
September 16, 2010
Human Resources Workgroup Committee

Tom Helfrich (Co-Chair)
Chief Human Resources Officer
KeyCorp

Debbie Southerington (Co-Chair)
Human Resources Director
Board of County Commissioners (BOCC)

Marc Bloch
Attorney
Walter & Haverfield

Sue Cook
Vice President, Facilities Planning (and former Chief HR Officer)
Eaton Corporation

Barbara Danforth
President and CEO
YWCA of Cleveland

Rose Fini
Director of Legal Affairs
ADAMHS Board

Harold Harrison
Chief Human Resources Officer
Summit County Board of Developmental Disabilities

Ann Killian
Vice President - Human Resources
Ferro Corporation

Richard Prasse (Counsel)
Attorney
Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP
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"Old" Cuyahoga County (by Employee Count - 7972 Total)
Clerk of Courts Recorder
254
75
County
Commissioners
3162
Sheriff
942
Treasurer
Coroner
72
95
Courts, Prosecutor &
Other Boards &
Commissions
2764
Engineer Auditor Data Center Board of Revision
267
9
231
101
"New" Cuyahoga County (by Employee Count - 7972 Total)
County Executive
Jurisdiction
5208
Courts, Prosecutor
& Other Boards &
Com m issions (Not
Covered by
Charter)
2764
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3 Types of Employee Classifications
“At Will” or
“Just Cause”
Employment
Right to
Appeal
Adverse
Employment
Actions
Layoff
Protections
Hired Based
on
Competitive
Examination
Paid
According to
Class/Comp
Schedule
Bargaining
Classified
(e.g., Social
Workers, Custodial
Staff, Sheriff
Deputies)
Just Cause
Yes –
Grievance
Procedures and
Binding
Arbitration as
per CBA
Yes – CBA
Provisions
Yes
No – Job
Descriptions
and
compensation
determined by
CBA’s
Non-Bargaining
Classified
(e.g., Social Worker
Supervisors, HR
staff, IT staff)
Just Cause
Yes – State
Personnel
Board of
Review (HRC in
future)
Yes – Ohio
Revised Code
Yes
Yes
At Will
No
No
No
No
Non-Bargaining
Unclassified
(e.g., Department
Directors, County
Administrator)
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County Executive
Employees – 5208 Total
Non-Bargaining
Classified
2187
42%
Non-Bargaining
Unclassified
("at will")
75
1%
Bargaining
Classified
2946
57%
5
Human Resources Workgroup – Guiding Principles
The Human Resources Workgroup’s recommendations have been developed to instill the following
principles in the new Human Resources Department:
Transparency and Accountability
–
–
Use of metrics to track status of goals and drive accountability
Elimination of perception of impropriety in hiring/promotional processes
Development of a highly ethical culture
–
Consistent focusing of employees on ethical behavior
Efficiency and consistency in operations
–
–
–
Performance-driven environment
Elimination of redundancy
Consistent application of policies and procedures
Value Diversity
–
Workforce reflective of our community
Employment of best-qualified candidates based on merit and fitness
–
–
–
–
Attract and retain top talent
Strategic recruitment
Hiring processes designed to identify best candidates
Retention and career path strategies
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Recommendations – 3 Major Themes
Build Organizational Alignment
–
–
–
Consolidate HR Functions into single Human Resources Organization
Functions and Roles of Human Resources Department (HRD) and Human Resources Commission
(HRC)
Organization and Staffing of Human Resources Commission
Ensure Fairness and Equity
–
–
–
County Employee Classification and Compensation Plans
Human Resources Policies and Procedures
Performance Management
Drive Efficiency and Productivity
–
–
–
Employee Benefits Strategy
Labor Relations Strategy
Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS and Payroll)
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Build Organizational Alignment
Human Resources Functions
Centralize all human resource functions of all
charter-impacted agencies (including labor relations)
into a single HR Department (HRD)

Ensure the HRD Director reports directly to the
County Executive

Eliminate duplication of effort and unnecessary
expense

Ensure the HR Department is staffed to adequately
carry out their Charter responsibilities

8
Build Organizational Alignment
Functions and Roles of the Human Resources Department
and the Human Resources Commission




The HRD has responsibility for human resources operations, policy
and strategy
The Human Resources Commission (HRC) has responsibility for
ethics enforcement, employee appeals, and oversight of human
resources performance metrics
HRC will absorb the duties of hearing employee appeals from the
State Personnel Board of Review (SPBR) (e.g. reduction in pay, layoff, suspension, removal etc.)
Ensure that the HRD and HRC work together as partners, not
adversaries, in performing their duties
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Build Organizational Alignment
Organization and Staffing of the Human
Resources Commission.




Develop strategy to recruit high-quality Commissioners with
significant HR and management experience
Commissioner compensation schedule designed to attract highquality candidates while avoiding the creation of a political windfall
position (i.e. no health care or public pension benefits)
Staffing and facilities-related decisions should be made with cost
savings in mind
Use of SPBR rules and procedures as bridge until HRC is fully
operational
10
Ensure Fairness and Equity
County Employee Classification and
Compensation Plans




Ensure the County’s classification and compensation plan is
fair, equitable and administered efficiently and consistently
Continue integrating Charter-affected employees into the
Board of County Commissioners’ (BOCC) current nonbargaining classification and compensation plan
Address inequities in compensation as soon as practicable
Seek cost saving opportunities by analyzing the duties and
compensation of all unclassified employees and address overpaid situations
11
Ensure Fairness and Equity
Human Resource Polices and Procedures


Initially, adopt BOCC personnel policies and procedures
related to essential personnel functions (e.g., hiring,
promotions, discipline, etc.)
Continue to migrate Charter-affected agencies under one
uniform set of policies and procedures (e.g., hours of work,
leave schedules, etc.)

Possible cost savings from standardizing polices such as leave
entitlements

Ensure current policies and procedures meet Charter
requirements and are reflective of HRD principles
12
Ensure Fairness and Equity
Performance Management


Develop and execute a performance management system to help
create a more performance driven environment
Compensation system must be linked to the performance
management system

Market-based pay increases must be budgeted yearly

Reward high achieving employees

Hold low performing employees accountable
13
Drive Efficiency and Productivity
Employee Benefits Strategy





Develop comprehensive benefits strategy to standardize benefits and
reduce costs
Reduce costs through administrative efficiency, benefit redesign and
alignment of employee premiums
Expand comprehensive wellness programs including the addition of
on-site wellness clinics
Certain health care benefits are subject to collective bargaining
Possible cost reductions and cost avoidance could reach $20 million
annually
14
Drive Efficiency and Productivity
Labor Relations Strategy




Thirty-one bargaining units represent approximately 57% of the
County’s workforce
Develop and implement a comprehensive labor strategy to include
standardization of benefits and a negotiations strategy
Economic parameters for upcoming negotiations must be established
immediately; the County’s largest bargaining unit contract with
AFSCME 1746, will expire on June 30, 2011.
Explore opportunities to consolidate bargaining units represented by
the same union
15
Drive Efficiency and Productivity
Human Resources Information System (HRIS)
and Payroll



Adopt the BOCC’s current HRIS (SAP) as the HR management system
for all charter impacted agencies
Use SAP to run County payroll
Ensure HR needs are addressed when the County adopts an ERP
system
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Conclusion
GET THE HR COMMISSION RIGHT!
FIX EQUITY ISSUES IMMEDIATELY!
DAY 1 – ONE HR UMBRELLA –
HIRING, PROMOTIONS, PAY,
DISCIPLINE!
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