Title
Body
MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Pamela F. Nichols, Human Resources Director
DATE: January 29, 2019
SUBJECT: Consideration of New Policy entitled Employee Referral Program, as a Pilot for the period 02/01/2019 - 06/30/2020
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Employee referral programs encourage current COUNTY OF LAKE employees to think about the positives of working for the County and then spread the word to their network. Even if the employee doesn’t have a specific person in mind, this $500 incentive might lead to social media posts and other forms of sharing on a large scale.
Chances are that when employees are referring their friends and family, they’re referring people that carry the qualities needed to be successful within the COUNTY OF LAKE. This is due in part to understanding their referral’s strengths and weaknesses, but also because they know the referral’s performance could reflect on them.
Additionally, those who are referred are generally mentored through the hiring process, as our current employee will probably advise the referral on how to put their best foot forward. It may seem like the referral has an unfair advantage, but it’s actually to the benefit of all. For example, the new hire is aware of all the responsibilities and expectations of the county before the county-mandated onboarding.
Employee referral programs help increase attachment to the County and make employees feel as though they have a stake in the future of the County. Employees want to grow, so having a hand in the COUNTY OF LAKE’s forward motion is exactly what they’re seeking. This $500 incentive for a referral can leave an employee feeling appreciated, which in turn helps raise morale, another huge hurdle in engagement.
All permanent and extra help employees with the County of Lake would be eligible to participate. The only exceptions are employees in Management, employees in Sheriff’s Management, employees of the Human Resources Department, and those employees who are involved in making a hiring decision within their department.
All employees outlined in the Eligibility section above would be eligible for a cash award of $500, which is taxable income, not included as compensation for purposes of retirement calculations.
An eligible candidate is one who is actually interviewed and hired, not just presented for consideration. To be considered an eligible referral, Human Resources must not have any prior resume, application, letter from the candidate, or presentation by an outside search firm dated within the past year. The candidate must be a new County employee, and not currently or previously employed with the County of Lake.
Once the candidate is hired as a result of a referral and has completed 90 days of satisfactory, continuous, full-time employment, Human Resources will process a request for payment (including referral form) and submit it to the Payroll Division of the Auditor-Controller’s Office. The referral payment will be made to the referring employee with the next available pay cycle following receipt of request by the Auditor-Controller’s Office. All employee fringe benefit taxability rules at the time of payment shall apply.
I believe The County of Lake’s greatest advocate is its employees. And the more they talk, the better.
FISCAL IMPACT: __ None _x_ Budgeted __Non-Budgeted
Estimated Cost: $5,000
Amount Budgeted: $5,000
Additional Requested: $0
Annual Cost (if planned for future years): $10,000
FISCAL IMPACT (Narrative): This cost to the general fund will allow the County to continue to put its best foot forward in attracting and retaining employees. This cost will be paid out of BU 1341 from object code 28.30.
STAFFING IMPACT (if applicable): None
Recommended Action
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff recommends your Board approve the Employee Referral Program as a pilot for the period 02/01/2019 - 06/30/2020.