AGENDA

STATE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2004

(LOUISIANA PURCHASE ROOM, SUITE 1-100, CLAIBORNE BUILDING, 1201 NORTH THIRD STREET, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA)

THE COMMISSION DID NOT MEET ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2004.

1)         9:00 a.m.        Public investigation of RONDA BOUDREAUX (ALLEN H. REYNOLDS, Complainant) Docket No. I-15236.  The respondent is self-represented; Robert Boland is representing the complainant.  THE PUBLIC INVESTIGATION WAS RESCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2004.

2)        9:00 a.m.          Public hearing of the appeal of JAMES S. LEFTWICH vs. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONS, WASHINGTON CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTE. Docket No. 14970. Mark E. Falcon is representing the employee; Robert Barbor is representing the agency.   THE APPEAL WAS SETTLED.

GENERAL BUSINESS SESSION

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2004

9:00 A.M.

(LOUISIANA PURCHASE ROOM, SUITE 1-100, CLAIBORNE BUILDING, 1201 NORTH THIRD STREET, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA)

3)         Director’s Report   (No Attachment)

4)         Employee Opportunity to Address the Commission.  (No Requests Have Been Received.)

5)        Request of the Department of Economic Development, to renew the unclassified authority under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 4.1(d)2, for nine (9) Cluster Professionals and eight (8) Service Directors effective March 7, 2004 through March 6, 2008.  (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Economic Development.)  THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.

6)       Performance Planning and Review Reports by the following Agencies: THE COMMISSION         RECEIVED REPORTS FROM TERRY HOLDEN, FROM THE PORT OF NEW ORLEANS, AND MAX HEARN AND MARY SCHEIB FROM THE ORLEANS LEVEE DISTRICT.

a.             Port of New Orleans  – Gary P. LaGrange, Executive Director

b.             Orleans Levee Board – Max Hearn, Executive Director

7)        Letter revoking the authority of the Department of Public Safety to utilize Special Entrance Rates without prior approval from the Department of Civil Service.  (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Public Safety.)  NO ACTION WAS TAKEN.

8)       Request of the Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System, for unclassified authority under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 4.1(d)2, for fifteen (15) temporary positions for a critical reengineering project effective February 4, 2004 through February 3, 2007.  The requested positions are as follows:  THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.

(Appearance by a Representative of the Louisiana State Employees’ Retirement System.)

9)        Request of the Housing Authority of New Orleans, for authority under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 4.1(d)2, for three (3) Project Managers for the Hope VI Grant program for a five-year period ending February 28, 2009.  (Appearance by a Representative of the Housing Authority of New Orleans.)  THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.

10)      Request of the Port of New Orleans, for an extension of the authority under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 4.1(d)2,  for fifteen unclassified positions for a period of two (2) years until February 1, 2006.  The requested positions are as follows:  THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PORT WILL SUBMIT UPDATED POSITION DESCRIPTIONS ON EACH OF THE FIFTEEN POSITIONS WITHIN SIX MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF APPROVAL.

            (Appearance by a Representative of the Port of New Orleans.)

11)       Request of the following agencies for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16(a), for one-time payments for the following: THE REQUESTS WERE GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.

(a)       Capital Area Human Services District - $500.00 for Michael Steinkamp for his attainment of the Certificate in Supervisory Techniques (CST).

(b)       Department of Civil Service - $250.00 each for Craig Broussard, Patricia Williams and Rikki David for their attainment of the designation Professional in Human Resources.

 (Appearance by Representatives of the Agencies.)

12)       Request of the Port of South Louisiana, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16.1, to establish a Rewards and Recognition Program policy effective February 16, 2004, to reward those employees in the following areas:  THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.

(Appearance by a Representative of the Port of South Louisiana.)

13)      Consideration of the requests, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 12.6, to establish Unscheduled Absenteeism Policies for the following agencies:  THE REQUESTS WERE GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.

a.           West Jefferson Levee District – effective February 4, 2004.

b.           Louisiana Housing Finance Agency – effective February 4, 2004.

(Appearance by Representatives of the Agencies.)

14)     Consideration of the proposed layoff plan effective September 28, 2003 within the LSU Health Sciences Center, Health Care Services Division, Earl K. Long Medical Center, requesting exceptions to the regular layoff rules, that have been granted interim approval by the Director.  (Appearance by a Representative of the LSU Health Sciences Center, Health Care Services Center.)  THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.

15)      Request of the Director for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 7.20(d), to add the following jobs in the shortage job category: THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.

      (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Civil Service.)

16)     Report on Evaluation Reports Issued (Appearance by Terry Gomez of the Department of Civil Service.) THE REPORTS WERE PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION BY TERRY GOMEZ.

Human Resources Program Evaluation Reports:

                Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners

                Department of Transportation and Development

                Leesville Developmental Center, Dept. of Health & Hospitals    

17)      Consideration of the Minutes of the Commission Meeting held January 6-7, 2004.  THE                 COMMISSION APPROVED THE MINUTES, AS WRITTEN.

18)      Consideration of Requests for Special Pay Rates.  THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE

            REQUESTS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

19)       10:30 a.m.            Commission Work Session.

20)       11:00 a.m.            Applications for Review.

21)       12:00 noon          Consideration of Formal Charges.

SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA

STATE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

GENERAL BUSINESS SESSION

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2004

 (LOUISIANA PURCHASE ROOM, SUITE 1-100, CLAIBORNE BUILDING, 1201 NORTH THIRD STREET, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA)

1)        Consideration of layoff plan effective October 12, 2003 within the LSU Health Sciences Center,        Health  Care Services Division, Bogalusa Medical Center, requesting exceptions to the regular layoff rules, that have been granted interim approval by the Director.  (Appearance by a Representative of the LSU Health Sciences Center, Health Care Services Center.)  THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.

2)        Request of the Office of Mental Health, for authority under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16(c), for an individual pay adjustment in the amount of $ 5.70 per hour, for a bi-weekly salary of $1376.80, for Ms. Tiffanie Cooper, Music Therapist 2,   effective February 4, 2004.  (Appearance by a Representative of the Office of Mental Health.)  THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.

3)        Request of the Louisiana State University, for authority under the provisions of Civil Service Rule     21.13, for an exception to base overtime compensation on an employee’s base pay plus premium pay.  (Appearance by a Representative of the Louisiana State University.)  THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUEST AND GRANTED THE REQUEST TO INCLUDE SHIFT DIFFENTIAL PAY.

4)        Request of the Department of Treasury, for authority under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 21.13, for an exception to Civil Service Rule 21.9, to pay overtime at the time and one-half rate to the Department of Treasury employees who participate in Road Shows promoting the Unclaimed Property Program effective February 4, 2004.  THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.

The requested positions are as follows:

                (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Treasury.)

5)        Request of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, for authority under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 4.1(d)2, to establish one (1) Executive Counsel position and one (1) Press Secretary position effective January 12, 2004 through January 14, 2008.  (Appearance by a Representative of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.)  THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.

6)        Consideration of the following requests for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16.1, to establish or amend the Rewards and Recognition Policies as follows:  THE REQUESTS WERE GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.

a.        Southeastern Louisiana University - to revise its policy effective February 4, 2004, to add rewards for employees who attain CCNA (Cisco Certification Network Associate) certification. 

b.         Department of Revenue - to revise its policy effective December 30, 2003 as follows:

·    Removal of the Gainsharing concept from what was previously termed                         “Innovation/Gainsharing” and the reduction of the Innovation award amount from 20% to 9% accordingly.

·   Addition of several Education and Training Credentials, all of which comply with the guidelines set forth in General Circular 1462 regarding award amounts and criteria.

(Appearance by Representatives of the Agencies.)

7)        Consideration of the following requests for authority, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16.2, to establish or amend the Optional Pay Adjustment policies as follows:   THE REQUESTS WERE GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.

a)        Office of Financial Institutions – to establish a policy effective February 4, 2004.  The has chosen to reward those employees in the following areas:

1.         To provide for the retention of employees deemed essential to the Agency.  Employees judged by the Commissioner to be essential to the department may receive a base pay increase of up to 10% of their annual salary in order to match a written or verified salary offer.  The offer must be from a private employer or public employer other than the State of Louisiana, or for a state position in the unclassified service.  Employees who are at range maximum may receive a one-time lump sum payment of up to 10%.

2.        To adjust pay differentials between comparable employees.  The Commissioner may grant a base pay increase of up to 10% to adjust pay differentials between comparable employees in the same job series.  Employees at range maximum will not be eligible for an increase.

b)        Department of Transportation & Development - to revise its policy effective February 4, 2004.  The changes focus on the proper sequencing of the Optional Pay attachments and include the addition of one new attachment.

(Appearance by Representatives of the Agencies.)

8)        General Business No. 18 - Addendum to Consideration of Requests for Special Pay Rates.  THE COMMISSION GRANTED THE REQUESTS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

9)        Public investigation of RONDA BOUDREAUX (ALLEN H. REYNOLDS, Complainant) Docket No. I-15236.  The respondent is self-represented; Robert Boland is representing the complainant.  This item was rescheduled from the February 3, 2004 meeting.  (See Item 1 on the regular agenda for the attachments.)  THE INVESTIGATION WAS HEARD AND TAKEN UNDER ADVISEMENT.

ITEMS ADDED TO THE FLOOR:

1.        Request of the Department of Transportation and Development, to convert $2.00/hour premium pay into base pay for Ms. Malka Feast effective September 9, 2003, and to remove Ms. Haley M. Forsyth from the list of employees approved at the January 7, 2004 meeting.  THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.

2.         Request of the Department of Transportation and Development, under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 6.16(c), for individual pay adjustments in the amount of $ 160.00 bi-weekly for Ms. Patsy A. Chaney, Heather M. Robeau and Haley M. Forsyth effective February 4, 2004. THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.

3.         Request of the Department of Transportation and Development, for an extension of premium pay for Ms. Patsy A. Chaney, Heather M. Robeau and Haley M. Forsyth who otherwise would be negatively impacted by a retroactive  conversion to base pay.  THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 9, 2003 THROUGH FEBRUARY 3, 2004.

4.        Request of the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy, to establish under the provisions of Civil Service Rule 11.34, a Crisis Leave Pool Policy effective February 4, 2004.  THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED BY THE COMMISSION.