MINUTES

SRVICE COMMITTEE OF THE IOWA LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

June 20, 1996 - Third Meeting of 1995-1996

MEMBERS PRESENT

• Senator Mike Gronstal, Chairperson
• Senator Wally Horn
• Senator Jack Rife
• Representative John Connors

MEETING IN BRIEF

Minutes prepared by Ed Cook, Legal Counsel
Organizational staffing by Diane Bolender, Director

1. Procedural Business.
2. Procedural Business.
3. Personnel Guidelines Revisions.
4. Personnel Reports.
5. Other Committee Business.
6. Written Materials Filed With the Legislative Service Bureau.

COMMITTEE BUSINESS

1. Procedural Business.

The Service Committee of the Legislative Council was called to order by Chairperson Senator Gronstal at 11:35 a.m., Thursday, June 20, 1996, in Room 22, State Capitol, Des Moines, Iowa.
The Service Committee adjourned at 12:17 p.m.

2. Personnel Guidelines - Legislative Staff.

a. Presentation - Attorney General's Office. Mr. Grant Dugdale, Assistant Attorney General, addressed the Committee concerning the current personnel guidelines for legislative staff. Mr. Dugdale believes that personnel guidelines need to be carefully drafted, given the trend toward a significant increase in public employee lawsuits regarding employment issues.

b. Concerns With Current Guidelines. Mr. Dugdale identified several areas as possible concerns and problems with the current personnel guidelines and indicated that he would be willing to assist the legislature in revising the guidelines.

• (1) Employment At Will Status. The guidelines need to be drafted to clearly maintain the employment at will status of employees if the legislature so intends.
• (2) Leave Policy. Leave policy for employees shall be drafted to ensure compliance with the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) and with Iowa Civil Rights Commission Rules concerning persons with disabilities.
• (3) Grievance Procedures. The grievance process may need revision. In addition, the legislature needs to decide whether a progressive discipline policy should be adopted as part of the grievance process.
• (4) Employer's Right to Regulate Computer and Technology Based Information. For example, the guidelines need to address sexual harassment through the use of e-mail, voice mail, and internet access.
• (5) Substance Abuse Policy. The current policy appears somewhat limiting on the rights of employers.
• (6) Other Issues.
  • Job Descriptions. Job descriptions should be drafted with sufficient particularity regarding essential job functions in order to avoid ADA compliance concerns.
  • Workplace Violence. Workplace violence issues need to be addressed in the personnel guidelines.

c. Personnel Guidelines Subcommittee. The Service Committee approved a motion to establish a subcommittee, consisting of four legislative members, one from each caucus, to consider possible changes to the personnel guidelines for all legislative employees. The subcommittee's proposal will be brought to the Service Committee for consideration.

3. Personnel Reports.

a. Legislative Fiscal Bureau. The Service Committee received and filed the annual personnel report from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau and recommended, upon motion and unanimous vote, that the following employees be promoted:

• Mr. Larry Sigel, from Legislative Analyst II, grade 32, step 4, to Legislative Analyst III, grade 35, step 2, effective September 1996.
• Mr. Doug Wulf, from Division Administrator I, grade 38, step 6, to Division Administrator II, grade 41, step 5, effective June 1996.

b. Legislative Service Bureau. The Service Committee received and filed the annual personnel report from the Legislative Service Bureau and recommended, upon motion and unanimous vote, the following:

• (1) That the following employees be promoted:
  • Mr. John Pollak, from Committee Services Administrator I, grade 38, step 4, to Committee Services Administrator II, grade 41, step 2, effective June 1996.
  • Ms. Patty Funaro, from Legal Counsel 2, grade 35, step 6, to Senior Legal Counsel, grade 38, step 4, effective June 1996.
  • Ms. Susan Crowley, from Legal Counsel 1, grade 32, step 5, to Legal Counsel 2, grade 35, step 3, effective June 1996.
  • Mr. Michael Kuehn, from Legal Counsel 1, grade 32, step 5, to Legal Counsel 2, grade 35, step 3, effective June 1996.
  • Ms. Kathy Hanlon, from Research Analyst 1, grade 29, step 5, to Research Analyst 2, grade 32, step 3, effective June 1996.
• (2) That a legislative document specialist job series be established in the Legislative Service Bureau.

c. Legislative Computer Support Bureau. The Service Committee received and filed the annual personnel report from the Legislative Computer Support Bureau.

d. Office of Citizens' Aide/Ombudsman. The Service Committee received and filed the annual personnel report from the Office of Citizens' Aide/Ombudsman and recommended, upon motion and unanimous vote, that the following employee be promoted:

• Mr. Steven Exley, from Assistant I, grade 29, step 5, to Assistant II, grade 32, step 4, effective June 1996.

4. Other Committee Business.

a. Office of Citizens' Aide/Ombudsman Quarterly Reports. The Service Committee received and filed quarterly reports from the Office of Citizens' Aide/Ombudsman concerning the Environmental Ombudsman, a position established through a contract with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The Service Committee was also informed that the Iowa Department of Natural Resources had notified the Office of Citizens' Aide/Ombudsman that the Iowa Department of Natural Resources would not renew the contract effective June 30, 1996. The Service Committee recommended, upon motion and unanimous vote, that a letter be sent to the Department expressing concerns about the Department's action in not renewing the contract and recommended that the employee fulfilling the environmental ombudsman position be retained by the Office of Citizens' Aide/Ombudsman for such time as moneys are available.

b. Vacation Buy-Out Program. The Service Committee was notified that legislative employees were given the opportunity to participate in the vacation buy-out program of the state.

c. Computer User Policy Direction Committee. The Committee received and filed reports from the Computer User Policy Direction Committee.

5. Written Reports Filed With the Legislative Service Bureau.

a. Annual personnel report from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau

b. Annual personnel report from the Legislative Service Bureau

c. Annual personnel report from the Legislative Computer Support Bureau

d. Annual personnel report from the Office of Citizens' Aide/Ombudsman

e. Quarterly report from the Office of Citizens' Aide/Ombudsman concerning the Environmental Ombudsman

f. Reports from the Computer User Policy Direction Committee

OTHER INFORMATION FOR THIS COMMITTEE:

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