City of Lima
Company Summer:
The Department of Human Resources at the City of Lima consists of two staff members, Vince Ozier (Director of HR) and Jacalyn Vorhees (Secretary II). The City has approximately 400 full-time employees, plus well over 100 seasonal and temporary employees through the year. The department has ultimate responsibility for all human resources and personnel related issues, such as: fringe benefits, workers compensation, employment law issues, labor relations, employee personnel files, and a variety of other employee based concerns.
Listed below are some of the highlights of activity in the Human Resources Department:
Labor Relations
The City of Lima currently has five (5) collective bargaining units (Unions) representing the employees working in the various Departments. This includes three separate FOP units, one IAFF unit and one AFSCME unit.
Ohio State Law does not allow police (FOP) and fire (IAFF) units to strike. As such, both the City of Lima, and units representing police and fire are subject to a state mandated arbitration process in the event that contract negotiations reach impasse.
Wellness Team
The City of Lima, with employee participation, has implemented a Wellness Program in an attempt to improve the quality of life of it’s employees and their family members, as well as slow the rate of healthcare cost growth . The Wellness Program concluded it’s first year in May 2007. During the program year, employees participating in the program lost over 290 pounds collectively and improved other key health measures such as cholesterol, resting heart rate, blood pressure and blood glucose.
Using grant funds, the Wellness Team sponsored a luncheon to celebrate the accomplishments of participants after one year of the program. Over 50 participants attended the July luncheon event. Those participants that began and completed the first year of the program each received a Wellness Team shirt paid for with funds received from the grant.
The Wellness program provides employees with economic incentive to take what action they can to improve their overall health.
City of Lima Wellness Program participants at the July 2007 Wellness picnic in Faurot Park.
Drug-Free Workplace
The City of Lima is a Drug-Free Workplace and has qualified as such, as defined by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, since May 2003. The Ohio BWC Drug-Free Workplace Program provides employers with an opportunity to reduce their annual workers’ compensation premium for a period of up to 5 years. The City is in it’s fifth and final year of eligibility for the program and has achieved the maximum allowed premium reduction of 20% in each of the last two years. Through the end of 2006, the Drug-Free Workplace Program has directly saved the City of Lima over $240,000 in worker’s compensation premium and is expected to exceed $300,000 in savings by the end of the 5-year eligibility period.
Employee Service Recognition Luncheon
Each year, with the support of City Council, the City honors employees that have achieved career milestones of service to the citizens of Lima. Employees that achieved defined service levels receive a gift from the City for their years of service and are acknowledged during a luncheon. For employees achieving service award recognition in 2006, the luncheon will be held at The Old Barn Outback and is scheduled for September 2007.
Becoming an Employee of the City of Lima
There are three ways to become an employee of the City of Lima. One way is to win an election for those positions that are filled through the democratic process. Another way, is to receive a direct appointment from an elected official. Generally, City Charter and Council, by way of the budget process, limit the number of direct appointments that can be made by any elected official. The third way to gain employment with the City of Lima is through the Civil Service Process. Most of the over 400 positions at the City of Lima are filled via the Civil Service Process. In most cases, gaining entry-level employment with the City of Lima through the Civil Service Process means that your name must appear on an eligibility list. To get on that list, an applicant must take, and pass, a Civil Service Exam administered by the Civil Service Board. Andy King is the Secretary for the Civil Service Board.
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