Riverside County Human Resources Department Temporary Assignment Program/ Medical Assignment Program (tap/map)

Sworn testimony from multiple witnesses, coupled with an unscheduled visit to the TAP/MAP site, confirmed that no written recruitment policies and procedures or formal job training is provided to TAP/MAP recruiters. These recruiters seek out and place temporary employees for the County. The lack of these written procedures was originally identified in the Riverside County Internal Audit Report 2004-22 of January 29, 2005. The former HR director, in his written response, assured the Riverside County Board of Supervisors (Board) that written procedures would be developed and used. Seven years later the written procedures are yet to be published. Current management responded, under oath, that “written policies and procedures are not a high priority.” Currently, procedures are given verbally and change frequently without notice. Verbal procedures are not applied equally to all TAP/MAP recruiters. Claims were made that management overlooks mistakes made by favored employees, but not for others. In sworn testimony TAP/MAP recruiters testified that they are unsure of their duties and fearful they will be reprimanded or terminated for doing the wrong thing. Bullying

The Grand Jury initiated an investigation into the alleged existence of bullying within the TAP/MAP unit. After an extensive examination, it is the considered judgment of the Grand Jury that workplace bullying by supervisors and managers has become pervasive in the TAP/MAP section of HR. Bullying by leads (a supervisor without administrative duties) and supervisors in TAP/MAP is causing fear and intimidation among employees, as reported in seven complaints. The County has no written policy or employee training specifically directed against 2 bullying in the workplace. A group of TAP/MAP recruiters are frequently and routinely referred to as “the wild, wild, West” in a negative manner by management assigned to TAP/MAP in 2010-2011. Under oath before the Grand Jury, one HR manager admitted to coining the phrase “wild, wild, West.” These targeted employees view this reference as verbal abuse and feel it isolates them from other employees. Former TAP/MAP recruiters testified they have escaped supervisor bullying by leaving their positions, while others testified they feel trapped in their positions and fear termination. Others testified they have asked for transfer or demotion; their requests have been ignored or denied. Sworn testimony revealed that during the period 2007 through 2011, senior TAP/MAP recruiters’ performance was judged by their supervisors and managers overseeing the unit as “out of control,” “doing their own thing,” abusing time and attendance regulations, taking long breaks, and making errors. Customer surveys taken during the same time period contradict the supervisory judgment. These surveys show that various departments using the services of TAP/MAP recruiters were provided a high quality of service. It is these same senior recruiters who were targeted and labeled “the wild, wild West.” Data received from HR by the Grand Jury showed the results of the annual HR Customer Satisfaction Survey clearly demonstrate that on a scale of one to five, with five being the highest score and one the lowest, the TAP/MAP unit scored very high over the five calendar years surveyed. HR Customer Satisfaction Survey TAP/MAP Quality of Service Calendar Survey Percent Percent Approval Year Responses Approval of 4 or 5 2007 27 89 67 2008 24 92 54 2009 41 94 63 2010 41 93 66 2011 25 100 76 Workplace Admonitions

Documentation provided by HR management for calendar year 2011 indicated seven out of thirteen TAP/MAP recruiters have been placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) and/or a Medical/Certification (MED/CERT) requirement. These employees were in the targeted group labeled “the wild, wild West.” After reviewing documents the Grand Jury found that the language contained in them 3 showed disrespect to employees beyond what would be considered reasonable, (e.g., in order to meet the MED/CERT requirement, an employee must leave his/her sick bed and report to a doctor’s office, thus exposing others to the illness. On some occasions, a doctor may ask that a child not be brought into the doctor’s office for the child’s well-being, as well as the well-being of others.) PIPs and MED/CERTS are being used as punitive rather than corrective measures. Disciplinary letters are written by TAP/MAP management and are placed in employee’s official personnel files; however, letters of appreciation, commendation, and thank you, are not. This indicates disregard and lack of recognition for quality work performed by these employees. Documentation provided by complainants, and verified by documentation obtained from HR management, confirmed that formal and informal disciplinary letters and memorandums written by TAP/MAP management were written in an unduly negative, condescending, and accusatory manner. A similar issue was addressed in Grand Jury Report 2004-2005, “Riverside County Regional Medical Center Human Resources and Employee Relations,” in which the respondent admitted to this practice. Employees interviewed testified that when employees freely admit to their supervisors about making inadvertent errors, they are later reprimanded and accused of making the mistakes intentionally. The Grand Jury reviewed extensive documentation, which showed that employees are reprimanded for minor infractions, e.g., not responding in a timely manner to an email from a department. Witnesses stated that recruitment packages submitted for review to a lead or supervisor before a new hire’s documentation is finalized, have later been found to contain errors; however, blame is assigned to the recruiter, not to the reviewing supervisor. Investigations are initiated for serious infractions without telling employees why they are being investigated and without evidence that they were involved. It was confirmed by testimony from numerous witnesses that HR management, at all levels, was aware of the bullying behavior; however, no corrective action was taken. It was also discovered and documented by an email, that a supervisor had violated California Labor Code §230.8 by denying a recruiter a short period of time off at the end of the workday to attend her daughter’s honor roll award at school. It had been requested four weeks in advance of the event and denied two weeks later by the supervisor. Two recruiters testified that they were stressed enough to take extended stress leave due to the hostile work environment. Evaluations

Grand Jury Reports 1991-1992, 2001-2002, 2003-2004 and a study by an outside consultant reported a failure to conduct timely, annual, written performance evaluations. Despite acknowledgment by HR of this failure and despite the mandate contained in County Policy C-21, performance evaluations are frequently not being conducted by managers and supervisors. In some cases, years have elapsed since the last written evaluation. TAP/MAP recruiters have assumed they were performing at least satisfactorily until, without warning and after years of not receiving a performance rating, they are given an unsatisfactory performance evaluation followed by a PIP. It is the considered judgment of the Grand Jury, from review of the records, that it is when a disciplinary action is anticipated, that TAP/MAP supervisors conduct a performance evaluation. County Policy C-21 states that it is of the utmost importance that the employee receives a performance evaluation annually. Management Training

Sworn testimony by HR management revealed that supervisors and managers are not required to complete a comprehensive supervisorial or managerial training course, which is offered by the County. Further testimony noted that without sound and comprehensive supervisorial and managerial training, a supervisor or manager can put the County at risk by making an error in administering a law or policy. The HR Center for Government Excellence provides two academies covering comprehensive supervisorial and managerial training that are not being used to their greatest potential. This training is provided to departments at minimal cost.