Title 5 — PERSONNEL›Chapter 5.60 — SUGGESTION AWARDS
Los Angeles County Municipal Code Part 1 Employee Suggestion Awards Program
Los Angeles County Municipal Code · 2026-09 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Los Angeles County
Cite as: Los Angeles County Municipal Code Part 1 · Text as of 2026-10-04
5.60.010 - Title of provisions.¶
This part of Chapter 5.60 shall be known as Part 1, the "Employee Suggestion Awards Program of the County of Los Angeles."
(Ord. 94-0085 § 2 (part), 1994.)
5.60.020 - Policy statement.¶
The board of supervisors of the county of Los Angeles declares that the purpose of the employee suggestion awards program of the county of Los Angeles is to promote efficiency, quality, effectiveness, and economy in county government by recognizing and providing honorary, cash, United States Savings Bonds, or merchandise awards to individual county employees for suggestions which make possible the reduction, elimination, or avoidance of expenditures of public money; result in increased revenues; or, result in measurably improved efficiency in the operation of the functions of the county.
(Ord. 94-0085 § 2 (part), 1994.)
5.60.030 - Organization and administration.¶
A.
Board of Supervisors.
The board of supervisors may approve new or amended regulations recommended by the chief administrative officer for the employee suggestion awards program of the county of Los Angeles. New or amended regulations must be approved by the board of supervisors before they are effective.
Single awards exceeding $7,500.00 in value must be approved by the board of supervisors.
B.
Chief Administrative Officer. The chief administrative officer:
Shall exercise responsibility for the basic administrative framework necessary to provide continuity and consistency among the departments for requests for change and the general direction of the employee suggestion awards program of the county of Los Angeles;
May establish policies and guidelines for the employee suggestion awards program of the county of Los Angeles not inconsistent with this part and regulations approved by the board of supervisors;
After meeting with interested employee representatives, may recommend new or amended regulations to the board of supervisors governing the administration of the employee suggestion awards program of the county of Los Angeles;
Actual administration of the program is the responsibility of individual departments.
C.
Department Head Responsibility. Department heads within their respective departments:
Shall exercise general supervision and control over the administration of the employee suggestion awards program of the county of Los Angeles and the enforcement of the guidelines, policies and regulations of the program; and,
May authorize one or more categories of awards consisting of cash, United States Savings Bonds, merchandise or certificates of commendation.
May approve single awards up to and including a total value of $7,500.00.
(Ord. 94-0085 § 2 (part), 1994.)
5.60.040 - Employee eligibility.¶
All employees of the county of Los Angeles in active service, as defined in regulations approved by the board of supervisors of the county of Los Angeles, may be eligible for awards.
(Ord. 94-0085 § 2 (part), 1994.)
5.60.050 - Suggestion eligibility.¶
All suggestions which meet suggestion eligibility standards cited in the regulations approved by the board of supervisors of the county of Los Angeles, may be eligible for awards.
(Ord. 94-0085 § 2 (part), 1994.)
5.60.060 - Awards—Categories.¶
If authorized by an employee's department head, awards may consist of a combination of the following:
A.
Cash Awards. Payment shall be made by warrant.
B.
United States Savings Bonds Awards. An employee may, at his or her option, designate all or any portion of a cash award for the purchase of U.S. Savings Bonds.
C.
Merchandise Awards. An employee may, at his or her option, designate all or any portion of a cash award for the purchase of merchandise.
D.
Certificates of Commendation.
(Ord. 94-0085 § 2 (part), 1994.)
5.60.070 - Awards—Amount.¶
A.
Maximum Amount.
A single special recognition award by a department head shall not exceed $500.00.
An award for a single suggestion shall not exceed $35,000.00. Department heads may approve a single award in an amount up to and including $7,500.00 in value.
Awards between $7,500.00 and $35,000.00 require approval by the board of supervisors of the county of Los Angeles and are based upon a recommendation by the department head whose department realizes the net financial benefits from the suggestion implemented.
B.
Calculation of Amount.
An award for a single suggestion, including supplements, shall be based upon the calculated 12-month net financial benefit using the following table:
| 12-Month Net Financial Benefit | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Over | Up to and Including | Amount of Award | |
| $ 0.00 | $ 50,000.00 | 15% not to exceed | $ 7,500.00 |
| 50,000.00 | 75,000.00 | $ 7,500.00 + 12% over | 50,000.00 |
| 75,000.00 | 100,000.00 | 10,500.00 + 10% over | 75,000.00 |
| 100,000.00 | 150,000.00 | 13,000.00 + 8% over | 100,000.00 |
| 150,000.00 | 200,000.00 | 17,000.00 + 6% over | 150,000.00 |
| 200,000.00 | 300,000.00 | 20,000.00 + 4% over | 200,000.00 |
| 300,000.00 | 850,000.00 | 24,000.00 + 2% over | 300,000.00 |
| 850,000.00 | 35,000.00 |
The 12-month net financial benefit shall be defined in the implementing regulations for the employee suggestion awards program approved by the board of supervisors.
Exception. A department head may make a special recognition award for a single suggestion which, in the department head's discretion, is a benefit to the county of Los Angeles, but which provides indeterminate or no 12-month net financial benefit.
C.
Supplemental Awards. After an award has been made for a suggestion, the board of supervisors may approve supplemental awards if the suggestion is implemented in other departments or units.
12-month net financial benefit shall be determined from the date of implementation in other units or departments.
D.
Group Awards. Where a suggestion is submitted by more than one individual, awards, if any, shall be apportioned equally among them unless the group notifies the department in writing with the group's submission of the suggestion of a different apportionment.
E.
Where a suggestion is not the sole cause of a 12-month net financial benefit, the person or body with authority to make an award may apportion an award, or supplemental award, in proportion to the suggestion's contribution to such benefit.
(Ord. 94-0085 § 2 (part), 1994.)
5.60.080 - Program funding.¶
The funding for the payment of awards is to be made by the county department who realizes the savings or value achieved from the implementation of suggestions.
The funds actually saved or revenues realized by implementation of suggestions by individual departments will accrue to the budget of that individual county department for its separate use with no offset from its current budget.
(Ord. 94-0085 § 2 (part), 1994.)
5.60.090 - Award payment schedule.¶
Suggestion awards are made in accordance with the regulations governing the administration of the employee suggestion awards program of the county of Los Angeles approved by the board of supervisors of the county of Los Angeles.
(Ord. 94-0085 § 2 (part), 1994.)
5.60.100 - Ownership of suggestion.¶
A.
All suggestions which are adopted shall become the property of the county of Los Angeles.
B.
The county is not liable to any suggestor for any award other than that which the board of supervisors of the county of Los Angeles or the department head shall in their or his or her sole discretion approve.
C.
Upon submission of a suggestion, the suggestor shall waive any claim for compensation for such suggestion other than as provided for in Part 1 of this chapter, and each suggestion form submitted by a suggestor shall contain such a waiver.
(Ord. 94-0085 § 2 (part), 1994.)
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