POLICY UPDATE

State Policy Committee Activities

The State Policy Committee met for the first time in late January.  Short and long-term goals for the committee were established, and members identified common issues and priorities to consider when revising state human resource policies.

The Committee, which is comprised of nearly fifty representatives from thirty agencies, colleges, and universities, offers members opportunities to join either policy development or testing and publication teams.  This partnership approach to policy development is intended to improve policy administration by involving agencies up front.  It will also allow DHRM to pursue multiple policy projects simultaneously.  Five projects currently are underway:

1. The Public Health Emergency Leave Policy was reviewed by the full Committee and has been submitted to the OAG for review and approval.
2. The Standards of Conduct development team has drafted a revised “Standards of Workplace Conduct” policy, which will be submitted to the Committee’s publication team in May.
3. The VSDP development team has drafted a VSDP User’s Guide.  Its purpose is to provide a quick reference source for answers to the most frequently asked questions and guidance for resolving benefits issues.  Publication is expected in May.
4. Several Committee members are assisting DHRM with the policy revisions necessitated by Veterans Preference requirements, and with the implementation approach.
5. The policy web site is being converted from PDF to HTML format for faster and easier navigation.

Agencies may recall that Policies 4.05, Civil and Administrative Leave, 4.25, Holidays, 2.20, Types of Employment, and 3.15, Overtime Leave, all were revised by DHRM in July 2006.  These drafts were recently approved by the OAG and are being prepared for final approval by the Secretary of Administration.

Please direct any questions, comments, or suggestions related to state policy activities to Rue White at rue.white@dhrm.virginia.gov.

School Assistance & Volunteer Services Leave
Volunteering at Events Celebrating America’s 400th Anniversary

Festivities surrounding the 400th anniversary commemoration of the founding of Jamestown are coming up, and employees may wish to take part in volunteer service opportunities at these events.  Agencies may apply DHRM Policy 4.40, School Assistance and Volunteer Services Leave, to employees who volunteer their service during their normal work hours.  Volunteer service at commemoration events does not constitute work time.  As always, employees must receive supervisory approval before using volunteer leave, and agencies should consider any impact on agency operations when approving volunteer leave. 

For information about this and other volunteer opportunities, please visit http://www.virginiacorps.org/Links/index.htm or http://historictriangle.net/.

Executive Order 44

Executive Order 44 (2007) obligates state government to stand at the forefront of a response to any disaster or emergency by taking appropriate steps to protect the lives of the Commonwealth’s citizens and to provide for their well being.   It further affirms each agency’s responsibility to actively plan, train, and act in the interest of the protection of the citizens of the Commonwealth and its infrastructure.  Accordingly, the Governor has identified a number of new requirements for agencies, including some that impact human resources.

The Executive Order requires that:

• all state employees complete the prescribed Terrorism and Security Awareness Orientation course currently available in DHRM’s Learning Management System (LMS);
• all executive branch agencies ensure that this and other individual training required under other authorities, such as appropriate National Incident Management System (NIMS) training, be accomplished; and
• that each agency maintain a continuing program to encourage individual preparedness and promote a culture of preparedness for its employees.

The LMS programs are easy to access and require very little time to complete. This is a good time for human resource staff to identify strategies and timelines for communicating any new training requirements to employees, revising employee development plans, and strengthening preparedness awareness or training programs already in place.

DHRM is committed to supporting the state’s emergency management initiatives by advancing workforce planning and training strategies that promote a culture of preparedness within state agencies.  Please contact your assigned AHRS consultant if you have any questions or would like guidance regarding the implementation of these requirements.

Return of State Property/Overpayments

DHRM has received inquiries regarding procedures agencies may lawfully use to recover overpayments or state property that is in the possession of employees who have separated from state service.  The Office of the Attorney General advises that two references in the Code of Virginia provide guidance on these matters.

• Section 2.2-804 deals specifically with claims against state employees, requiring that they agree to pay and acknowledge liability for overpayments - if not, the OAG must sue for the agency
• Section 58.1-535 provides an administrative due process for an agency to pursue civil claims against a debtor.

Agencies that need to pursue this course of action should first consult with their assigned Assistant Attorney General for guidance and assistance.