TITLE
Recommendation to direct City Auditor to partner with City Manager to conduct a review on the following areas relating to hiring, training and onboarding of new employees:
1. Request City Auditor to conduct an audit of the on-boarding
process and policies for all new employees, including appointed
and elected. This includes, but not limited to, the orientation
process, the medical evaluation process, and the City's evaluation
of an individual's physical and behavioral health and/or prior
medical conditions;
2. Request City Auditor to conduct an audit of the process for
employees, interns, volunteers, commissioners, and elected
officials to be informed of their rights and responsibilities related
to discrimination, harassment and/or retaliation;
3. Request City Manager to report on the City's efforts to review
and improve the turnaround time for hiring new employees;
4. Request City Manager to work with the Department of Human
Resources and the Department of Health and Human Services
to report on current practices and trainings of trauma-informed
methods as it relates to employees and recommendations for
enhanced use of trauma-informed best practices for working
with employees who have experienced trauma either in their
personal or professional lives.
DISCUSSION
The City of Long Beach's workforce is as diverse as our city. Over the last several years, our city has taken many steps towards being more equitable, one that ensures all residents and employees have a safe and violent free community and workplace. We have also taken steps to become a "trauma informed" city, leading efforts outside of city hall to provide trainings and bring resources for communities and individuals to heal from trauma.
Long Beach has as many as 5,461 full time equivalent employees. It is critically important for a, large city employer such as Long Beach to equip its Human Resource Department with best practices that will create safe and comfortable work environments.
We request the City Auditor to complete an audit of Human Resource Department in compliance with audit standards and the City Manager to work with the Department of Health and Human Services to identify best practices for implementing equity and trauma informed methods to the Human Resources standards.
In addition to the values our city espouses to local, state, and federal laws and the changes made in the last decade, it is critical to ensure that best practices in Human Resource management are being used. This audit should evaluate internal controls, determine if established standards have been met, and identify impediments that prevent the organization from fulfilling its mission. The HR Audit should be comprehensive and have an in-depth analysis of strengths and opportunities. The audit should also have access to the State of the Service survey results that are being conducted with city staff who volunteer to participate.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact anticipated upon this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
JEANNINE PEARCE
COUNCILMEMBER, SECOND DISTRICT
SUZIE PRICE
COUNCILWOMAN, THIRD DISTRICT
AL AUSTIN
COUNCILMAN, EIGHTH DISTRICT