ADOPTED - SEPTEMBER 28, 2004

Agenda Item No. 35

 

Introduced by the Finance Committee of the:

 

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

 

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A TWO MONTH HIRING DELAY POLICY FOR THE 2005 BUDGET YEAR

 

RESOLUTION #04-278

 

WHEREAS, in order to balance the 2005 Ingham County Budget, the Controller Recommended Budget identified $2.1 million in expenditure reductions and revenue increases; and

 

WHEREAS, $631,000 of this amount is based on the implementation of a two month hiring delay; and

 

WHEREAS, this strategy will allow the 2005 budget to be balanced without making any permanent position reductions.

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that for budget year 2005, a two month hiring delay will be implemented as detailed in the attached policy.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that budget year 2005 is the same as the 2005 calendar year, except for Fund 221 (Health Fund) and Fund 292 (Family Division Child Care Fund), for which the 2005 budget year is October 1, 2004 to September 30, 2005.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the hiring delay will be effective for all departments, with the only exceptions being for positions that are funded 100% from non-General Fund sources.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that departments will only be able to fill vacant positions with temporary employees when funds for temporary salaries are already available with their department budget.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that in cases where a department deems it necessary to fill a position before two months have passed, if alternative budget savings can be identified by the department outside of permanent wages and fringes, the Controller may approve a budget transfer in the amount necessary to offset savings that would have been derived by the two month hiring delay.

 

FINANCE:  Yeas:  Lynch, Grebner, De Leon

                       Nays:  None             Absent:  Dedden, Thomas, Minter          Approved 9/22/04                  


2005 HIRING DELAY POLICY

 

In order to balance the 2005 budget without making any permanent position reductions, Ingham County will impose a two month hiring delay for the 2005 budget year.  (The 2005 budget year is the same as the 2005 calendar year, except for Fund 221 (Health Fund) and Fund 292 (Family Division Child Care Fund), for which the 2005 budget year is October 1, 2004 to September 30, 2005.)

 

1)   The hiring delay will be effective for all departments.  The only exceptions will be for positions that are funded 100% from non-General Fund sources.

 

2)   The length of the hiring delay will be from the date of termination to the hire date.  Departments will be allowed to post positions, interview candidates and make offers of employment in the interim, but the hire date cannot be until two months after the termination date.  Months will be measured by calendar dates.  For example, if the termination date is February 25, the hire date must be on or after April 26.

 

3)  Departments will only be able to fill vacant positions with temporary employees when funds for temporary salaries are already available within the department budget.  The provision of Resolution 91-267, which allows departments to hire temporary employees to fill fully vacant authorized positions for the most critical functions of the vacant positions, and for the Controller to transfer funds from permanent salaries to temporary salaries as necessary, is rescinded for 2005.

 

            4)  In a case where a department deems it necessary to fill a position before two months have passed, if alternative budget savings can be identified by the department outside of permanent wages and fringes, the Controller may approve a budget transfer in the amount necessary to offset savings that would have been derived by the two month hiring delay.