King County Employees' Service Awards Program

1.0 SUBJECT TITLE: King County Employees' Service Awards Program

2.0 PURPOSE:

2.1 To establish a program which provides for a systematic and meaningful manner in which to recognize employees who have rendered long and valuable service to the County.

3.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:

All Executive departments, offices and agencies.

4.0 REFERENCES:

None

5.0 DEFINITIONS:

5.1 "Adjusted service date" means seniority or hire date; the date a person was initially hired by the County, adjusted to reflect leaves of absence without pay of over thirty days and/or other temporary lapses in County service.

5.2 "Anniversary" means the annual recurrence of the date of an employee's adjusted service date.

5.3 "Employing organization" means the agency, department or division in which the employee serves.

6.0 POLICIES:

6.1 Employees will be presented, in an appropriate ceremony, a service award upon or shortly following the fifth anniversary of his/her adjusted service date and upon or shortly following each successive fifth anniversary of their adjusted service date.

6.2 Service Awards will be presented to employees by the highest level of supervision practicable. Awards for 20 years and over shall be made by the County Executive or his designee in coordination with the Council.

6.3 The employing organization may utilize letters of appreciation, certificates of merit and other types of recognition which will add a personalized dimension to the presentation.

6.4 The utilization of press coverage and other appropriate publicity is encouraged.

7.0 PROCEDURES:

Action By: Personnel Division

Action:

7.1 Compiles a list of employees and adjusted service dates for each employing organization and sends same via the respective payroll clerk on or about January I of each year.

Action By: Payroll Clerk/Employing Organization

Action:

7.2 Forwards a list of employees eligible for service awards during the subsequent four month period to the Personnel Division on February 1, June 1 and October 1 of each calendar year. The list shall indicate the name of the eligible employee, the adjusted service date and the preferred momento/jewelry item.

Action By: Personnel Division

Action:

7.3 Orders service award jewelry from a qualified vendor at 4 month intervals. Upon receipt from the vendor, forwards the momento/jewelry item to the payroll clerk of the employing organization.

7.4 Maintains a supply of 5-year service award certificates.

7.5 Arranges for presentation of the award in the case of 20 year awards and above to the eligible employee by the County Executive or his designee in coordination with the County Council, and provides for material for supplementary recognition to include letters, photographs and/or certificates as appropriate.

Action By: Employing Organization

Action:

7.6 Plans and arranges in the case of 5, 10 and 15 year awards for an appropriate presentation ceremony, with presentation made by at a minimum the supervisor of the employee's supervisor.

8.0 RESPONSIBILITIES:

8.1 The Personnel Division is responsible for supplying a list of employees' adjusted service dates to payroll clerks on or about January 1 of each calendar year.

8.2 The Employing Organization is responsible for submitting the necessary information on the service award recipient to the Personnel Division on a timely basis.

8.3 The Personnel Division is responsible for obtaining service award jewelry and maintaining a supply of 5-year certificates.

8.4 The Personnel Division is responsible, in the case of 20 year awards and above, for arranging for the appropriate presentation ceremony, and for providing material for supplementary recognition to include letters, photographs and/or certificates as appropriate.

8.5 The Employing Organization is responsible, in the case of 5, 10 and 15 year awards, for arranging an appropriate presentation ceremony.

9.0 APPENDICES:

None