Los Angeles Municipal Code Art. 4 Suggestion Award Program

Section 4.294 Purposes. 4.295 Approved Suggestion Plans. 4.296 Duties of the General Manager, Personnel. 4.297 Suggestion Defined. 4.298 Eligible Employees. 4.299 Certificate of Commendation. 4.300 Monetary Awards.

There is hereby established a city-wide Suggestion Award Program to encourage employees to submit suggestions for the improvement of city services, or for the reduction of the cost thereof, and to provide for suitable awards for such suggestions. The Suggestion Award Program shall be comprised of the approved suggestion plans of the eligible participating departments. These plans shall be coordinated by the various departments with advice and assistance from the General Manager of the Personnel Department.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 126,506. Amended by: Ord. No. 167,906, Eff. 6-13-92

Before the employees of a department may participate in the Suggestion Award Program, the department must adopt a suggestion plan and obtain approval for such plan from the General Manager of the Personnel Department. All suggestion plans shall provide for the establishment of a board, or, where appropriate, the designation of an individual to receive, process and evaluate suggestions made by employees of the department. If a suggestion involves more than one department, the board or individual shall forward the suggestion to the other appropriate department(s) for evaluation. Suggestions which are not eligible for a cash award but which are deemed worthy of recognition may be recognized by a certificate of commendation issued by the department..

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 126,506. Amended by: Ord. No. 167,906, Eff. 6-13-92

The General Manager of the Personnel Department shall develop standards and rules to administer the Suggestion Award Program and shall assist the departments in establishing and conducting their individual suggestion plans.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 126,506. Amended by: Ord. No. 167,906, Eff. 6-13-92

(a) A suggestion is a constructive proposal which makes possible the reduction, elimination or avoidance of the expenditure of public funds, or which results in improvement in the operation of a City department.

(b) All suggestions which accomplish or tend to accomplish any of the following objectives shall be considered suggestions within the meaning of this article.

1. The saving of time, labor, space, material or supplies;

2. The improvement of service to the public;

3. The improvement of methods and procedures resulting in increased output or efficiency, or both;

4. The improvement of safety conditions;

5. The improvement of tools and equipment;

6. The elimination of unnecessary procedures, records and forms.

(c) The following suggestions are not eligible for awards under the Suggestion Award Program:

1. Suggestions which call attention to a problem but do not suggest a solution;

2. Suggestions dealing with terms and conditions of employment;

3. Suggestions which are within the scope of the normal job responsibilities of the suggester;

4. Suggestions which are not original with the suggester, or which are submitted for another employee who would be ineligible

because the suggestions would be within the scope of the employee’s normal responsibilities;

5. Suggestions which are essentially duplicative of suggestions submitted within the preceding 24 month period;

6. Suggestions which were not submitted to the department’s suggestion programs on the required form within two years of the date of implementation of the suggestion.

   SECTION HISTORY

   Based on Ord. No. 126,506. Amended by: Para. 6., not eligible for Awards added, Ord. No. 164,893, Eff. 7-2-89; Ord. No. 167,906, Eff. 6-13-92.

All employees of any department, which has adopted a suggestion plan under the provisions of this article, shall be eligible for awards, except:

1. Department, Bureau and Division Managers;

2. Employees of the Director of the Office of Administrative and Research Services;

3. Employees of the Chief Legislative Analyst;

4. Employees whose principal duties and responsibilities consist of research or development, or the analysis of methods and

procedures of a department for the purpose of determining what improvements can be made therein;

5. Employees administering the Suggestion Award Program or departmental suggestion plans.

   SECTION HISTORY

   Based on Ord. No. 126,506. Amended by: Ord. No. 173,308, Eff. 6-30-00, Oper. 7-1-00.

Each suggestion which is adopted by a department but which is not eligible for a monetary award may carry with it an award of Certificate of Commendation as provided under Section 4.295 of this article.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 126,506.

(a) A monetary award of 25% of the estimated first year net savings, up to a maximum of $50,000.00, shall be given for any suggestion with an estimated net savings of $100.00 or more in the first year. There shall be no monetary award for suggestions with an estimated net savings of less than $100.00 in the first year.

(b) A “$100.00 monetary award” may be granted if the departmental suggestion committee and the department head find that

implementation of a suggestion would result in a significant, although monetarily immeasurable, improvement in methods, services, safety or employee morale. The “$100.00 monetary award” shall be a sum of money which, after deducting applicable taxes, leaves a net cash remainder of $100.00 to be paid to the suggester.

(c) For purposes of this article, estimated net savings in the first year is defined as the savings directly attributable to the suggestion during the first year that the suggestion is in effect, less the estimated first year costs, amortized, if appropriate, of placing the suggestion into effect.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 126,506. Amended by: Ord. No. 140,460, Eff. 7-12-70; Ord. No. 141,459, Eff. 2-22-71; Ord. No 154,690, Eff. 1-9-81; In Entirety, Ord No. 164,893, Eff. 7-2-89; Ord. No. 167,906, Eff. 6-13-92.