Riverside County Grand Jury
• 2004-2005
OUR Mission Facilities Management provides a safe, physical working environment for the
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 7 findings
F1
Since 1994, the Facilities Management Division has charged a monthly four percent (4%) property management fee to all departments occupying leased facilities throughout the County of Riverside. Lease agreements on all privately owned property/buildings, which include a maintenance package, are also charged a 4% property management fee. The lease agreement does not stipulate that a 4% property fee is included, however, the 4% fee is itemized on the monthly invoice. Upon review of documentation and testimony from the Auditor-Controller, it was discovered that the Auditor-Controller was not informed of the 4% property management fee nor reviewed it. Board of Supervisors Policy B-4 (Attachment A) requires the Auditor-Controller to review all new and charged fees for recommendation to the Board of Supervisors for Board adoption. 1
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
Facilities Management Division strictly adhere to Board of Supervisors Policy B-4 requiring review by the Auditor-Controller of all new and charged fees.
F2
Documented correspondence shows that the Director and the Assistant Director of Facilities Management Division have knowledge that employees are engaging in 50/50 fundraisers during working hours on a regular basis. This practice is not in compliance with Riverside County Human Resources Department New Employee Handbook, Employment Policies, Personal Profit and Conflicts of Interest that states, “Employees must devote their time to county business and may not engage in private activities for profit during working hours…”
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
Facilities Management Division review County policy regarding fundraisers to comply with the Riverside County Human Resources Department New Employee Handbook, Personal Profit and Conflicts of Interest.
F3
After review of employee timesheets and written documentation, some employees who were observed and documented by staff over a period of several months arriving late and/or leaving early from work, consistently registered a nine-hour workday on their timesheets.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
Facilities Management Division install an electronic or mechanical time clock to curb the abuse of inaccurate recording of hours worked.
F4
Several coworkers testified an employee stated to them that a member of upper management had secured said employee a promotional position prior to the Human Resources Department open recruitment process.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
Facilities Management Division comply with Riverside County Human Resources Department established recruitment process to ensure a fair and equitable method of advancement.
F5
Employees with previous overall satisfactory performance evaluations within the Facilities Management Division, subsequently received unsatisfactory evaluations as a result of: a. Filing written complaints to the Human Resources Department and/or grievances with Service Employees International Union, Department of Fair Employment and Housing, and the Grand Jury. b. Testifying in Human Resources Employee Relations Division investigations of upper management. The Riverside County Human Resources Department New Employee Handbook and Memorandum of Understanding, maintain that employees shall be free from reprisal following a good faith filing of grievances and/or complaints.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
The Facilities Management Division and the Human Resources Department enforce strict compliance to Riverside County Board of Supervisors Policy C-25 Harassment Policy and Complaint Procedure and Riverside County Human Resources Department New Employee Handbook, Personnel Policies and Practices Grievances, as referenced in Findings 5, 6 and 7. Report Delivered: 06/29/05 Report Public: 07/01/05 Report Response Due: 09/27/05 3 Subject: Policy Number Page RATES CHARGED FOR CURRENT SERVICES B-4 1 of 1 Policy:
F6
Employees who officially came in contact with this Grand Jury after documents were requested testified that they received various forms of harassment from upper management such as: a. Corrective Memorandums b. Relieved of their positions and transferred to other departments within the Facilities Management Division without their request c. Isolation from staff d. Removal of supervisory duties e. Received intimidating remarks and facial expressions from upper management 2
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
Charges should recover actual costs of providing the services unless the Board of Supervisors sets the charge at a lesser amount. Reference: Policy Manual approval 1-28-75 Minute Order 3.24 dated 3-3-87 ATTACHMENT A 4 Subject: Policy Number Page HARRASSMENT POLICY AND COMPLAINT PROCEDURE C-25 1 of 3 PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to establish a strong commitment to prohibit and to prevent unlawful harassment in employment, and to set forth a procedure for investigating and resolving internal complaints of unlawful harassment. POLICY: Harassment of an applicant or an employee by a supervisor, management employee, County Officer, or co-worker on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, martial status, pregnancy, or sexual orientation will not be tolerated. This policy applies to all workplace behaviors and forms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, disciplinary action, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. It applies to a County employee action on behalf of the County on or off the job sit. Disciplinary action up to and including termination will be instituted for behaviors described in the definition of harassment referred to below. Any retaliation against a person for filing a harassment charge or making a harassment complaint is prohibited. Employees found to be retaliating against another shall be subject to disciplinary action, which may include termination. DEFINITION: Harassment includes, but is not limited to: Speech, such as lewd propositioning, epithets, stereotypical or derogatory comments or slurs on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, martial status, pregnancy, or sexual orientation. This might include inappropriate sex-oriented comments or appearance, including dress or physical features, or race/ethnicity-oriented stories or jokes. Physical acts such as assault, impeding or blocking movement, or offensive touching, or an physical interference with normal work or movement when directed at an individual on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, martial status, pregnancy, or sexual orientation. This includes pinching, grabbing, patting, propositioning, leering or making explicit or implied job threats or promises in return for submission to physical acts. Visual insults, such as derogatory posters, cartoons, or drawings related to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, martial status, pregnancy, or sexual orientation. ATTACHMENT B 5 Subject: Policy Number Page HARRASSMENT POLICY AND COMPLAINT PROCEDURE C-25 2 of 3 Unwanted sexual advances, request or sexual favors and other acts of a sexual nature, where submission is made a term or condition of employment, where submission or rejection of the conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions, or where the conduct is intended to or actually does unnecessarily interfere with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. COMPLAINT PROCEDURE: An employee or job applicant who believes he or she has been harassed has a responsibility to immediately make a complaint either orally or in writing with any of the following: - Immediate Supervisor; - Any supervisor or management employee/officer within the department, including the department head. - The Human Resources Director for the County of Riverside. The employee or job applicant also has the right to file a complaint with the State Department of Fair Employment and Housing or the federal equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Any supervisor or management employee, or County Officer who receives a harassment complaint shall immediately notify the County’s Human Resources Director. COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION: Upon receiving notification of a harassment complaint the Department Head or the Human Resources Director shall:
F7
Employees who verbally reported harassment complaints to the Human Resources Department and to an Assistant County Executive Officer in the Riverside County Executive Office were not contacted by an Employee Relations Division Investigator for follow-up investigation as required by Board Policy C-25 (Attachment B), Harassment Policy and Complaint Procedures and Riverside County Human Resources Department New Employee Handbook, Complaint Procedure. Subsequently, these employees strongly expressed concern to the Grand Jury that their employment may be in jeopardy due to the lack of remedial action from the Human Resources Department to protect them from possible reprisal. Board Policy C-25 specifically states, “Any retaliation against a person for filing a harassment charge or making a harassment complaint is prohibited...”
No recommendations for this finding