Savings Incentive Partnership Program

Model Bill Info
Bill Title	Savings Incentive Partnership Program
Date Introduced	November 29, 2023
Type	Model Ordinance
Status	Draft
Task Forces	American City County Exchange; Tax and Fiscal Policy
Keywords	Local Issues

Savings Incentive Partnership Program

APPROVAL/LOCAL LAW TO AMEND THE CODE OF [COUNTY] BY ADDING A NEW CHAPTER ENTITLED “SAVINGS INCENTIVE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM”

Be it enacted by the Legislature of [COUNTY] as follows:

Purpose.

The purpose of the [COUNTY] Savings Incentive Partnership Program (the “Program”) is to maximize the conservation of County resources for the benefit of the County and its taxpayers. The Program recognizes that the employees of the County represent a valuable source of ideas for innovative ways to better serve the public. Every employee has the ability to contribute to the management of the County by identifying creative ways to conserve County resources. The Program seeks to recognize these contributions by offering monetary and honorary awards.

Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES

All non-management County employees, whether full-time or part-time, covered by any collective bargaining agreement with the County, are eligible to submit proposals. Former employees may also be eligible if the proposals were formally submitted prior to separation of service with the County, such separation was voluntary, and the proposal is implemented within one year of submission.

INELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES

Supervisors, management-level employees, and elected officials are ineligible for this Program.

SAVINGS INCENTIVE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM COMMITTEE

(A) There shall be a Savings Incentive Partnership Program Committee (the “Committee”) made up of the following: the County Executive; the chairperson of the [COUNTY] Legislature; the Personnel Officer; the Commissioner of Finance; and the Director of Purchasing. A staff member shall also be available to maintain records and/or decisions. Should any of the above members be unavailable, they may select a designee within their Department to act in their place.

(B) The Committee shall receive all proposals, as defined below. The Committee shall have the power and duty to make rules and regulations pertaining to the receipt of proposals by employees, the review of such proposals by the Committee, and payment of employee awards. All decisions of the Committee regarding the worthiness of a proposal for an award and the amount of such award (if applicable), shall be final and binding, and shall not be subject to review, except as provided for in the rules and regulations promulgated in accordance with this chapter. Adoption of a proposal requires unanimous approval of the Committee, and any individual committee member may veto a proposal.

(C) Members of the Committee shall not receive additional salary or compensation for service as members of such Committee.

PROPOSALS

To qualify for consideration under this Program, a proposal must be a definite, constructive, original idea, or a new application of a previous idea submitted in writing by one or more eligible County employees which is intended to do the following: increase productivity; conserve County resources; and/or reduce County costs.

Proposals must not be the kind which employees are reasonably expected to develop in the course of their regular duties. Time spent creating a proposal is to be done outside of work hours.

The Committee retains complete authority in defining acceptable proposals and in accepting or rejecting such proposals.

Procedures; rules and regulations.

(A) The Committee shall review all proposals submitted by eligible County employees at a meeting held at least two (2) times per year. The meeting must include a quorum of eligible voting members of the Committee. A quorum here is defined as three (3) members of the Committee. The Committee must decide whether to approve and implement any of the proposals by unanimous vote of the members present at the meeting. If a member of the Committee must recuse themselves due to a conflict of interest as prohibited by [COUNTY]’s Code, that person will not count as a member of the quorum.

(B) All proposals become the property of [COUNTY] upon their receipt, and all decisions of the Committee shall be final, binding, and nonreviewable, except as provided for in the rules and regulations promulgated in accordance with this chapter.

(C) Proposals suggesting actions or plans that are already underway or currently in motion within the County are ineligible.

(D) Duplicate proposals cannot be given consideration for cash awards. If duplicate suggestions are received on the same day, the first received in the County Personnel Department shall govern the original and shall be the only one eligible for award.

(E) Payment of a cash award may occur only as a one-time payout based on the savings realized one (1) year after implementation of the proposal.

(F) In order to be eligible for a cash award, a proposal must realize a direct, measurable net savings of at least [AMOUNT] during the first year after implementation.

(G) The amount of the cash award made for an adopted proposal shall be established by the Committee. The minimum monetary award for a proposal will be [AMOUNT] and remains [PERCENT] of the first year’s net savings, capped at[AMOUNT].

(H) Payment will be made to the employee upon verification of annual savings by the Commissioner of Finance.

(I) If adoption of a proposal results in savings to one unit but a loss to another unit, a monetary award may only be given if there is a net savings of at least [AMOUNT].

(J) Eligible County employees may submit joint proposals with other eligible County employees. However, any cash award will be divided equally among the employees submitting the proposal.

(K) All employees who have a proposal adopted, either individually or in collaboration with others, will receive a Savings Incentive Program Award Certificate and a letter of commendation, both of which will become a permanent part of their personnel file.

(L) Monetary awards shall be paid out from a budgetary line under the Department of Finance that will be newly created for the purpose of this Chapter. Savings may only be paid out one (1) year after implementation and only if the appropriate savings are realized.

(M) The Committee shall establish rules and regulations that will govern the character and quality of proposals; the method of their submission and the procedures for their review; the kind, character, and value of awards; the issuance and payment of such awards; and any other policies and procedures, that are consistent with, and as may be deemed necessary or appropriate for the proper administration of this chapter.

(N) No proposal shall be considered for an award by the Committee unless the proposal has been submitted to the Committee in the manner provided by this Local Law, or the rules and regulations promulgated by the Committee.

No proposal may infringe on any existing collective bargaining agreement, or applicable Federal, State, County, or local law.

Funding and expenditure of moneys.

The [COUNTY] Legislature is hereby empowered to fund and expend moneys for the purpose of this chapter. The Commissioner of Finance is hereby empowered to disburse moneys for the purpose of this Chapter.

Severability.

Effective date.

This local law shall take effect immediately upon its filing with the [STATE] Secretary of State.