1) 9:00 a.m. Public hearing of the appeal of FERNIN EATON vs. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HOSPITALS, (OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND FINANCE) AND DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE, Docket No. 13479. The hearing has been limited to the issues raised in the Department of Civil Services’s motion filed on December 8, 1999. Appellant appearing in proper person; the Department of Health and Hospitals waived its appearance; Robert Boland representing the Department of State Civil Service. THE HEARING WAS RESCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15^TH AT 10:30 A.M.

2) 9:00 a.m. Public hearing of the appeal of KENNETH TRENT vs. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONS, (LOUISIANA STATE PENITENTIARY), Docket No. S-13642. Charles Dirks, III, representing the appellant; L. Bruce Dodd representing the appellee. THE HEARING WAS CONTINUED.

3) 9:00 a.m. Public hearing of the appeals of MARGIE GAGNARD, BILLY GASPARD, AND RICHARD ORTEGO vs. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONS, (LOUISIANA STATE PENITENTIARY), Docket Nos. S-13587, S-13593, and S-13601 (consolidated). Mark E. Falcon representing the appellants; L. Bruce Dodd representing the appellee. THE HEARING WAS CONTINUED.

4) Director’s Report – (NO ATTACHMENT.)

5) Employee Opportunity to Address the Commission. (NO ATTACHMENT.) THERE WERE NO EMPLOYEES WHO REQUESTED TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION.

6) Request of the Louisiana School for the Deaf for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 17.20, for an exception to the regular layoff rules requesting that it be allowed, on an ongoing basis, to place employees on a maximum of 20 days per calendar year, rather than 10 days, of enforced annual leave or leave without pay, if annual leave is exhausted, for closures during the holiday periods such as Mardi Gras, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. (Appearance by a Representative of the Louisiana School for the Deaf.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

7) Request of Grambling State University for ongoing authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 4.1(d)2, for one unclassified position of Band Activities Coordinator. (Appearance by a Representative of Grambling State University.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

8) Request of the Department of Labor for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 4.1(d)2, for one unclassified position of Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Workforce Development for a two-year period. (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Labor.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

9) Request of Louisiana State University for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16.1, to establish a policy for a Rewards and Recognition Program to reward those employees in various areas, with an effective date of March 15, 2000. (Appearance by a Representative of Louisiana State University.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

10) Request of Louisiana State University for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16.2, to establish a policy for an Optional Pay Adjustment Program to reward those employees in various areas, with an effective date of March 15, 2000. (Appearance by a Representative of Louisiana State University.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

11) Request of the Port of South Louisiana for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16.2, to establish a policy for an Optional Pay Adjustment Program to reward those employees in various areas, with an effective date of May 1, 2000. (Appearance by a Representative of the Port of South Louisiana.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

12) Request of the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16.2, to establish a policy for an Optional Pay Adjustment Program to reward those employees in various areas, with an effective date of January 1, 2000. (Appearance by a Representative of the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

13) Request of the Department of Public Safety for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16.2, to establish a policy for an Optional Pay Adjustment Program to reward those employees in various areas, with an effective date of March 1, 2000. (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Public Safety.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

14) Consideration of the following requests for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16(a), for one-time payments in premium pay: THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

15) Consideration of the following requests for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.10(d), for exceptions to the mandatory pay cut upon demotion: THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUESTS.

16) Request of the Louisiana Judicial College to nominate Anna Paxton as its representative to the Policy Board with the Comprehensive Public Training Program. (Appearance by a Representative of the Louisiana Judicial College.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

17) Request of the Board of Regents to nominate Dr. James Richardson to serve as its representative to the Policy Board with the Comprehensive Public Training Program. (Appearance by a Representative with the Board of Regents.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

 18) Request of the Division of Administration, (Comprehensive Public Training Program, for authority to nominate the following individuals to serve on the Comprehensive Public Training Policy Board: THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

19) Reconsideration of the request of the Department of Elections for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 12.5, to suspend, Tammy Beaman Milazzo, Ronald W. Parker, Charles Stillman Schatzle and Tony Lesley Trichel, without pay, pending criminal proceedings. (Appearance by a Representative with the Department of Elections.) THE COMMISSION DIRECTED THE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTIONS TO: PLACE RONALD PARKER AND TONY TRICHEL ON ENFORCED ANNUAL LEAVE; PLACE TAMMY MILAZZO IN LESS SENSITIVE POSITION; ALLOW CHARLES SCHATZLE TO REMAIN ON SICK LEAVE UNTIL HE IS ABLE TO RETURN TO WORK AND THEN TO PLACE HIM ON ENFORCED ANNUAL LEAVE.

20) Request of Grambling State University for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 12.5, to suspend Marcus L. Earles, Jr. without pay, pending criminal proceedings. (Appearance by a Representative of Grambling State University.) THE COMMISSION APPROVED THE REQUEST WITH THE CONDITION THAT MR. EARLES WILL FIRST BE ALLOWED TO USE HIS ANNUAL LEAVE.

21) Consideration of a Motion To Dismiss for failure to pay estimated costs, the appeal of Gerald Rasmussen vs. Department of Health and Hospitals, (Pinecrest Developmental Center), Docket No. S-13362. (Appearance by Ms. Laura Holmes.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE MOTION.

22) Consideration of a Motion to Dismiss for failure to pay estimated costs, the appeal of Elvanteikei McDaniel vs. Department of Public Safety and Corrections, (David Wade Correctional Center), Docket No. S-11884. (Appearance by Ms. Laura Holmes.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE MOTION.

23) Consideration of a Motion to Proceed in forma pauperis filed by appellant in James R. Dorcy vs. Department of Public Safety and Corrections, (David Wade Correctional Center), Docket Nos. 11832 and S-11883. (Appearance by Ms. Laura Holmes) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE MOTION.

24) Consideration of requests for Special Entrance Rates. THE COMMISSION APPROVED THE REQUESTS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

25) Consideration of requests for Special Pay Rates. THE COMMISSION APPROVED THE REQUESTS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

26) Consideration of the Minutes of the meeting held on February 1-2, 2000. THE COMMISSION APPROVED THE MINUTES AS WRITTEN.

27) 10:30 a.m. Commission Work Session.

28) 11:00 a.m. Applications For Review.

29) 12:00 noon Consideration of Formal Charges.

1) The appeal of KENNETH TRENT, Docket No. S-13642 has been continued to May 2, 2000.

2) The appeals of MARGIE GAGNARD, BILLY GASPARD AND RICHARD ORTEGO, Docket Nos. S-13587, S-13593, and S-13601 have been continued to May 2, 2000.

3) General Business No. 14 – Addendum to the requests for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16(a), for one-time payments in premium pay: THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

4) General Business No. 15 – Addendum to the requests for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.10(d), for exceptions to the mandatory pay cut upon demotion: THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

5) General Business No. 19 – The requests to suspend James Kirby King and Kernie Wayne King by the Department of Elections are removed from the Commission’s Docket because they are moot.

6) General Business No. 23 – Addendum to the Requests for Special Entrance Rates THE COMMISSION APPROVED THE REQUESTS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

Also, an added request from the Department of Environmental Quality for $4375 for the class of Library Manager 3. THE COMMISSION APPROVED THE REQUEST AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

7) General Business No. 24 – Addendum to the Requests for Special Pay Rates. THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUESTS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

8) Request of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rules 17.10, 17.12 and 17.7(b), for exceptions to the regular layoff rules to allow a reduction in work hours to avoid a layoff. The department has been directed to reduce its budget by $2,000,000 for this fiscal year. To ensure that this reduction is met, it is proposing a department-wide reduction in work hours equivalent to 10% (eight hours per pay period), beginning no earlier than March 20, 2000 and ending no later than June 30, 2000. Under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 17.3(b), it is requesting exception for employees in various programs as outlined in letters dated January 31 and February 17, 2000, and that all employees continue to be granted merit increases. (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

9) Request for Proposal from the Port of Greater Baton Rouge to privatize the Security Guard service at the Port. (Appearance by a Representative of the Port of Greater Baton Rouge.) THE COMMISSION DEFERRED ACTION ON THE CONTRACT PROPOSAL UNTIL ITS APRIL MEETING.

10) Request of the Department of Natural Resources, (Office of Coastal Restoration and Management -- Outer Continental Shelf), for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 4.1(d)2, for one unclassified position of Director of Communications for a two-year period commencing May 1, 2000 and ending on April 30, 2002. (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Natural Resources.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

11) Request of the Department of Education for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16©, for a temporary individual pay adjustment of $290 per month for the period of April 30, 1998 through January 10, 1999 for Yvette Lavergne, Education Program Manager. (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Education.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

12) Request of the Department of Health and Hospitals, (Office for Addictive Disorders), for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16©, for an individual pay rate adjustment of $488 per month for Paula Tregre, Contracts/Grants Reviewer 2 (GS-15), which entails raising her monthly salary from $2470 to $2958, which is the maximum of the pay range. (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Health and Hospitals.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

13) Request of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, (Office of State Museum), for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 8.27©1, to effect the transfer of the Natchitoches Parish Old Courthouse Museum from the Natchitoches Parish Police Jury to the Office of State Museum, effective June 16, 1998, as authorized by Act 147 of the 1998 Extraordinary Session of the Louisiana Legislature. (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

14) Request of the Department of Revenue for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.27(a)1, for an exemption to the regular overtime rules, to pay overtime at the time and one-half rate to employees working in the class titles of Revenue Accounts Auditor 1, 2 and 3 and Revenue Analyst Supervisor 1 and 2, who review personal income tax returns during the period of February 2000 through August 2000. (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Revenue.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

15) Request of the Department of Revenue for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16.2, to establish a policy for an Optional Pay Adjustment Program to reward their employees in various areas, with an effective date of January 1, 2000. (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Revenue.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

16) Request of the Department of Education for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16.2, to establish a policy for an Optional Pay Adjustment Program to reward their employees in various areas, with an effective date of March 1, 2000. (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Education.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

17) PPR Annual Statistics Report – (Appearance by Ms. Vikki Riggle with the Department of State Civil Service.) THE COMMISSION RECEIVED THE REPORT. NO ACTION WAS REQUIRED.

18) 1999 Total Reward Survey Results Client Report. (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of State Civil Service.) THE COMMISSION RECEIVED THE REPORT PRESENTED BY THE HAY GROUP. NO ACTION WAS REQUIRED.

19) Request of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16©, for an individual pay rate adjustment of $178 (8%) per month for Charles Warren, Training and Development Specialist 3 (GS-17), which entails raising his salary from $2220 to $2398 per month. (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

20) Request of the Ponchartrain Levee District for authority, under theprovisions of Civil Service Rule 6.27, to pay overtime at the time and one-half rate to employees at or above GS-13 in various classes who will work in excess of 40 hours per week to attend an Auto and Heavy Equipment Mechanics Class at the Vo-Tech School in Sorrento and to show equipment and vehicles approved for a surplus sale. (Appearance by a Representative of the Ponchartrain Levee District.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

21) Request of the Director for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 7.20(d), to place the job of Radiology Manager 3--MCLNO in the shortage category. (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Civil Service.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

22) 10:30 a.m. The Commission heard the Motion for Summary Disposition filed by the Department of State Civil Service in the appeal of FERNIN EATON vs. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HOSPITALS, (OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND FINANCE) AND DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE, Docket No. 13479, and took the matter under advisement.

1) Request of the Department of Environmental Quality for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16©, for an individual pay adjustment of $27.00 per month for Robert Hannah, Environmental Division Administrator to make this pay retroactive to his promotion to this job, which was April 13, 1999. THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

2) Request of the Department of Health and Hospitals, (Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, Peltier-Lawless Developmental Center) for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 4.1(d)2, for twenty-seven (27) position of Client Support for the direct individual support of six (6) female clients. (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Health and Hospitals.) THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST.

3) Special Entrance/Retention Rate for Medical Laboratory Technologists Supervisor at Department of Corrections, Louisiana State Penitentiary for $3813, effective June 9, 1999. THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT.