CE Managers Meeting 12-18-15

Hello,

Here are the notes from the December Managers Meeting.  I forgot to send them with the holidays.  You can find some of the handouts on the Intranet.  https://hplnet.houstonlibrary.org/depts-neighborhood.html

CE Managers Meeting

12-18-15

Compiled by Yolanda Anguiano

In attendance: Janna Hoglund, Tula Gorden, Jennifer Myers, Richard Hurst, Leonore Hu, Tony Goodwyn, Melissa Ryans, Alexandra Drake, Maggie Sepulveda, Melinda Campbell, Tega Zoma, Kelly Patton, Shirley Singletary, Monica Siboldi, Tim Siegel, Dena Melvin, Kathrine Myers, Drew Alvey, Nathan Stokes, Craig Bertuglia, Patrick Atkins, Jenny Phengdara, Hellena Stokes, LeRoy Robinson, Iona Joseph, Karen Luik, Dominick Spinelli, Mercedes Mayne, Tara Hornbeak, Laney McAdow, Derrick Spearman, Maria Powers, Patricia Ogea, Sue Kaufman, Alma Avina, Jennifer Sessa, Melissa Hayes, Paty Bustamante, Michelle King, Melissa Gwinn, Virginia Williams, Erika Cardoso, Lauren Wilcox, Vanessa Gempis, Cylenthia Hoyrd, Edgar Fuentes, Beck Gorman, Felicia Brisco, John Merullo, Fred Schumacher, Gary Lackey, Jose Santoyo, Diane Doyen, Sylvia Espinosa, Jayla Parks, Kallie Benes; Guest: Annetta Vaughn, Naomi Crawford; CE Admin: Michele Gorman, Elizabeth Sargent, Laurie Covington, Mary Wagoner, Patrick Atkins, Pedro Fonseca, Celeste Diaz, & Yolanda Anguiano

CE Update: (Michele Gorman)  Michele announced the new Customer Service Supervisor/Assistant Manager for Collier Melinda Campbell, who comes from Australia, and their new Administrative Supervisor Julia Bradley, who wasn’t present.  Julia has lived in Cairo and has a passion for adult education.  On Monday, Alief will have a new Administrative Supervisor: Marcia Cameron-Denton.  Her background is in the non-profit sector and she comes from the Bronx.

Due to all HPL locations being closed Thursday, December 24, 2015 through Sunday, December 27, 2015, Michele will send a follow-up email regarding how payroll should be handled.

It was shared that all of Customer Experience, except for 1 member, successfully completed the Lean Six Sigma training by the required deadline.

Due to TLA being held in Houston next year, we are able to send 48 staff members to the conference.  We will be sending 7 to PLA, too.

According to the new HOPE Meet and Confer Agreement, all City of Houston part-time and full-time employees will be getting a raise of up to $.50 an hour.  The raise will show up starting on your 1/22/16 check.  The amount depends on your current base salary (pre-tax) and your paygrade.  Please see the handout with the Article 10 description (Meet and Confer Agreement:  http://cohemployeenews.com/images/files/hr-drupal/2015-2018%20HOPE%20Meet%20and%20Confer%20Agreement.pdf) and two tables with the projected raises in FY16, FY17 and FY18.  Please remember that you have to divide the number on the chart by 26 pay periods to get your salary increase.  CE Administration will email a link to an additional chart where you can see the salary ranges for each position paygrade.  Using that chart (http://houstontx.gov/hr/compensation/pay_structure.html), you can calculate where your pay falls in the salary range for your paygrade.  Using that information, see the charts on the Article 10 handout to see how much your raise will be. Those staffers that earn the minimum to the midpoint salary range for their paygrade should use the top chart, and the bottom chart should be used by those that earn a salary above the midpoint to the salary cap. 

The City of Houston signed a new contract with another security company named Norred Associates.  They will begin on 12/20/15.  Many of our current security guards were absorbed by Norred, so you will be seeing familiar faces.  Their uniform will be black pants, white shirts but wear different badges.  Any issues regarding security should be vetted through John Middleton’s office in SPACES, not GSD Security’s Zach McMahon.  Please ignore any previous calls made to your library with information about new guards.  The current security guard assignments will remain the same.

We have a new Mayor beginning in January: Sylvester Turner.  We also have a new controller, council members, and other elected officials.  We distributed a list of the new elected officials for your information.  Please familiarize yourself with the changes, especially those pertaining to your community. 

In January, we will have two hours of introductory training in outcomes.  You are required to take 4 hours, so this will complete half of your requirement.

We provided managers with a copy of the revised policy regarding firearms legislation that was discussed in our last CE Managers meeting.  Please share this with your staff and keep it accessible.  Ophelia Cespedes in Organizational Development is still working on providing training on de-escalation in response to this new challenge.

A schedule of Michele’s “Lunch and Conversation” in 2016 was given to all attendees.  Please make note of them, especially if you are hosting one at your location.

Announcements: (Liz Sargent and Laurie Covington)

There is another quick turnaround in payroll approval this weekend.  All Kronos approvals are due at 8AM this Saturday, 12/19/15.  Please delegate your Kronos duties to someone else if you will be unable to meet the deadline.

The process for mileage reimbursements has changed.  Beginning in 2016, if your reimbursement amount is less than $100, you will need to complete a petty cash form.  Mileage reimbursement forms are due to Celeste Diaz by the 5^th of each month.  You will be able to pick up that petty cash at Central or you can send an email to Financial Services giving permission for another staff member, preferably a manager to pick it up.  We are waiting for final instructions from Financial Services.  Once received, we will communicate it.

You need to submit your “3 commitments to a solution” sheet and your staff meeting schedules to Liz today.  We expect you to start implementing your solutions at your location now.  We will be asking for updates throughout 2016. 

Now, scoring is available for HEAR in the Talent Management System.  More HEAR trainings are coming.  We encourage you to use the Job Aid that was included in a previous email regarding HEAR assessments for guidance.

The chip card isn’t working yet on the new credit card machines.  The software will not be upgraded to the chip technology until all credit card machines have been installed.  In the meantime, you will have to manually enter the card numbers for those with the chip.

Mask Decorating Contest Winners: (Naomi Crawford & Celeste Diaz) Naomi and Celeste announced that SWX/WAL won first place in the mask decorating contest.  Second place went to LMS and KAS/LAK won third.  Photos of the Holiday Party will be posted to the intranet soon.

EAP: (Annetta Vaughn)  Annetta is a Senior EAP Counselor assigned to the Library.  If you need EAP assistance, you can call their main number Monday through Friday 7AM-5PM at 713-964-9906 and ask for Annetta, or you can call the outside EAP service at GuidanceResources.  They are available 24 hours, 7 days a week at 855-378-7485.  EAP collateral was distributed, including a guide for supervisors.  Annetta advises managers to respond to situations instead of reacting.  You can provide an informal referral for an employee to go to EAP, but you can’t make them go.  Try and be more supportive and not word your recommendation harshly.  You can word counseling as “coaching” instead. 

Annetta is available to come to your location and conduct group or one-on-one coaching sessions in response to a traumatic event at your location.  If a staff member self discloses a mental issue, such as suicidal intent, you need to be supportive, recommend EAP, and then document your concern/response.  You can’t force the staff member to go, but you can notify EAP and provide a supervisor referral, so they can address this with them. 

You can use a formal referral for those staffers that disclose addiction to alcohol or drugs.  With the EO 1-12 Controlled Substance & Alcohol Abuse policy, staffers are able to be given a second chance to keep their jobs while seeking treatment for their problem.  For most issues, once the employee seeks treatment, EAP counselors can’t disclose to the supervisor what happens in their sessions.  Counselors can provide staff with a letter confirming that they attended an appointment and if follow up is needed. 

The first 6 EAP sessions are free for each complaint.  The first visit is on city-time.  The external EAP service GuidanceResources uses informal and formal referrals.  Annetta stated that even though the state of Texas doesn’t require counselors to warn other staff about possible threats from staffers under their care, she does.  She added that managers/supervisors should be careful with bullying and keep respectful boundaries with employees.  If your staff feels traumatized, overwhelmed or concerned, you should call EAP for coaching.  If you have doubts of the need, you can discuss it with your Senior Manager.

                                                                                                                             

Next CE Managers Meeting is on January 22 at 8:30AM in Central’s Program Place.