Human Resources

Human Resources

The Human Resources business area provides support to human services departments and to approximately 6,000 employees.  Each department is served by professional and support staff who assist their agencies in the following ways:

Work Force Planning:  Working with the Department of Management and Budget and the Department of Human Resources, HR staff and agency senior managers utilize personnel actions to align human resources with departmental business needs as part of the Countywide strategic planning process.

Policy Development and Interpretation:  Staff develop and interpret policies to ensure compliance with federal and state laws, as well as County policies and procedures.

Payroll: Employee time sheets are processed, reviewed, and reconciled to ensure that County staff are paid in an accurate and timely manner and employee questions regarding pay are researched and answered.  

Pay for Performance:  The County's pay for performance program is administered with timely notifications to managers regarding all formal reviews and the processing of merit pay increases.  

Employee Benefits:  Employees' questions concerning benefits are answered and assistance is offered regarding online enrollment in various plans.

Staffing:  HR personnel help managers recruit, advertise, and select staff for vacant positions.  

Employee Relations:  Staff provide guidance to managers and employees on employee relations issues, the alternative dispute resolution program, appeals of performance evaluations, and the grievance process.  

Diversity Plans:  Annual diversity plans are prepared and special activities occur throughout the year to ensure that departmental goals are met.  

Program Coordination:  Special programs are coordinated, such as the annual Combined Charitable Campaign and awards program.

PRISM:  The mainframe system containing human resources data is kept current and utilized to answer employees questions regarding employment status, leave balances, pay, benefits, etc., as well as to provide routine and special reports to managers.

Staff Development:  Courses are offered to enhance staff development and facilitators/instructors respond to special requests from departments.  In addition, the HR business area sponsors the Human Services Training Team, which leverages resources to benefit all human services staff.