18 Miss. Code. R. § 6-1-A-I-XV - HUMAN RESOURCES

The SPB governs the Human Resource management of the MDHS, as it does for all state agencies. All personnel processes and procedures shall be made in accordance with the Mississippi State Employee Handbook. This publication can be found on the SPB website: www.SPB.ms.gov.

This employee handbook shall be distributed to all new employees of DFCS as a part of the "New Hire Packet", along with other essential employment information and paperwork. When revisions are made to the Employee Handbook, all DFCS employees will receive a copy through

an email link to access the handbook online for review and printing. Each employee is responsible for being aware of and adhering to the personnel policies and procedures. Directors/Supervisors shall be responsible for knowing and following the rules outlined in the SPB Policy and Procedures Manual. In addition to the Mississippi State Employees Handbook, MDHS has outlined some of the SPB policies within the MDHS Administrative Policies.

DFCS has a personnel office within the division which is responsible for ensuring all personnel action requests are accurate prior to forwarding to MDHS Office of Human Resources for processing. All Personnel Action requests should be routed to this unit. The employees in this branch office are under the supervision of the Director of the Office of Human Resources for human resource matters, and work cooperatively with the Office Directors in DFCS in a support capacity for other matters, (i.e. MACWIS Payroll Input and e-Leave coordination).

A. Work Environment

Policies related to the work environment of DFCS are found in the Mississippi State Employee Handbook at www.SPB.ms.gov . These policies include:

* prohibition of any unlawful discrimination against any person or category of persons;

* prohibition of any personnel from engaging in any form of harassment, as defined by federal and state law; and

* prohibition of preferential treatment and nepotism with regard to hiring, supervision, and promotion.

Please refer to the Handbook for a detailed discussion of these policies. Training on these polices is provided through the Division of Human Resources and is offered at several different locations throughout the year as scheduled on the HR training calendar. This training calendar is distributed to all employees via email quarterly. Employees wishing to attend one of the training sessions must register as instructed in the quarterly email.

B. Human Resources Planning

As a part of the annual strategic planning process, the program areas, field staff and the Workload Management System, in collaboration with DFCS Financial Services, are responsible for planning human resource needs. With this information, recommendations are made to the MDHS administration about DFCS human resource budgetary needs.

C. Recruitment and Selection

Job descriptions for all State positions are listed on the SPB website, and the selection criteria are outlined in the SPB Policies and Procedures Manual. Employees are notified of vacant positions within MDHS through In-House Promotional Opportunities memoranda which are e-mailed to all employees. At the request of the hiring supervisor, the available positions are posted on the State Personnel Board website as well as the MDHS website.

Much of the recruitment efforts outside the DFCS are aimed at the university schools of social work in the state. By working collaboratively with the schools, students are encouraged to consider field placements in DFCS county offices. Often these students in field placement choose to make application for employment. Other recruitment efforts include, but are not limited to, ads in local newspapers in critical needs areas, job fairs and presentations to college classes.

In order to fill a vacant position at the county level, the hiring manager must follow the procedures outlined in the Human Resource section on the DFCS Connection website: http://dfcsmacweb/DFCSWEB/policy.htm.

1. Additional Information Required As A Condition of Employment

a) Background checks: All DFCS employees must be free from criminal or abuse history that could pose a safety risk to children. Applicants recommended for new hire, promotion or transfer to a DFCS position which involves contact with children will complete and sign a Permission For Background Check Form, which gives permission for a criminal background check as well as a Child Abuse Central Registry check and validation of driving records.

Also employees who may transport clients will be required to complete and sign a Permission For Background Check Form.

DFCS Personnel Unit will coordinate with the Division of Program Integrity for a national criminal background check and DFCS Child Abuse Central Registry for a registry check. See MDHS AP-46, for more specific information on performing criminal background checks and the collection of fingerprint images.

b) Driver's License, Automobile Liability Insurance License Plate/Tag and Driving Records Validation:

As a condition of employment, applicants are required to review and sign the Transportation Statement. (See Appendix B) Perspective and current direct service workers and supervisors who transport clients must have and maintain reliable transportation, as well as the following:

1. A current driver's license

2. Current Auto License Plate and Tag

3. Current automobile liability insurance

4. Car Seat Safety Training

5. Current driving record validation

The aforementioned items will be checked and validated annually during the employee's performance appraisal review. Failure to maintain either of these requirements will be cause for personnel action, including termination.

Upon receipt of the driving records, MDHS State Office staff will review them to ensure the applicant and/or the employee is not a high risk driver. If an applicant is determined to be a high risk driver, employment may not be offered. If employment is not offered as a result of driving records validation, the applicant will be notified pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

If a current employee is determined to be a high risk driver, there will be cause for personnel action/recommendations.

DFCS defines a high risk driver as a person who has any of the following convictions, whether contested or not, within a 12 month period:

1. Three or more moving violations

2. Operating a vehicle while intoxicated

3. Hit and Run driving

4. Vehicular negligent injury

5. Reckless operation of a vehicle

c) References

All applicants are required to furnish 3 employment references which will be verified and their comments documented by the interviewer. These references, with comments will be submitted with the new hire paperwork and should be filed in the official personnel file with copies in the applicant's personnel file in the county.

D. Satisfaction and Retention

1. Communication: Meetings, Information Sharing and Policy Development and Review

2. Monthly Meetings: Directors/Supervisors at all levels shall ensure staff meetings are scheduled and held as often as necessary, but at least monthly, with applicable employees and entities to revisit DFCS's vision, mission, values and goals, explore challenges and to facilitate communication, information sharing and team building.

3. Schedule and Agenda: A schedule for monthly meetings shall be established so that employees are aware when meetings will be held and they can arrange their schedules and appointments. A written notice and agenda shall be sent to participants prior to a scheduled meeting. Employees desiring specific topics to be discussed should submit suggestions prior to the meeting for planning the agenda.

4. Attendance:

a) Directors/Supervisors must ensure and encourage employee attendance and participation in the decision-making process through input at meetings as frequently as required for effective performance of their respective job duties.

b) Adequate time must be allowed for discussion of agenda items. A free exchange of ideas and opinions must be encouraged. Management must share departmental information at meetings to keep employees informed and aware of DFCS vision, mission, values and goals. After the meeting, attendees should be able to verify what decisions were made and what actions were taken.

c) The person taking minutes at the meeting will ensure that an attendees list is prepared and signed by all attendees or participants names recorded if attendance is by conference call. The attendees list will be filed along with the meeting minutes.

5. Distribution of Meeting Minutes:

a) All meeting minutes must be kept up-to-date and distributed in a timely manner as applicable and maintained on file. For purposes of cross-functionality and CQI, a request to review meeting minutes will be granted to employees and others that request to review. Meeting minutes will be filed and maintained on file for review for three (3) years.

b) Regional meeting minutes must be forwarded to the Director of Field Operations in the State Office. RDs may include county office meeting minutes with regional meeting minutes.

c) The Director of Field Operations/designee will be responsible for distributing regional/county meeting minutes to designated Office Directors/ Bureau Directors, Division Directors, and Deputy Director at regularly scheduled meetings to facilitate communication, and to enhance policy development, policy review and technical assistance.

6. Monthly Newsletter

DFCS Professional Development Unit (PDU) publishes a monthly newsletter which is posted on the DFCS Connection Website with information about training opportunities, new policies, special projects, new staff and spotlights staff in the field and their work with families and children.

7. Staff Suggestions

DFCS employees are encouraged to make suggestions and recommendations for changes or improvements in all areas of the DFCS, and can do this via email: suggestions@mdhs.ms.gov. The suggestions submitted are presented and discussed at the state office senior management meetings monthly. The identities of the individuals making the suggestions are not revealed at the meetings to preserve their anonymity. Following the discussion, a response is emailed to the employee making the suggestions.

E. Employee Grievances

The State Personnel Board Employee Handbook as well as MDHS AP-11, outlines the procedure for the employee grievance process.

F. Compensation and Benefits

Compensation is tied to the SPB classifications of staff positions and is listed on the SPB website. Benefits available to state employees are negotiated by the State Personnel Board and the Department of Finance and Administration. Information about open enrollment periods for insurance products is communicated to employees by the Division of Human Resources.

G. Performance Appraisals

Every DFCS employee who is employed for twelve (12) continuous months must have a performance appraisal review (PAR) annually. New employees must have a PAR at six months and at the end of the first year. In addition, when supervisors leave or employees are promoted, reclassified, reallocated or transferred to another supervisor they must have a Close-Out PAR.

The current supervisor will complete the Close-Out PAR within ten (10) days of notification of the proposed personnel action and route it directly to the new supervisor. The new supervisor shall complete MDHS-DHR-219 "Request for Transfer" and route it along with the Close-Out PAR to the DFCS Personnel Unit. Detailed instructions for these procedures are outlined in MDHS AP-12.

H. Personnel Records

DFCS employees' official personnel files are maintained in the MDHS Division of Human Resources. The supervisor of each employee also maintains a Supplemental Employee Performance Folder (SEPF). When an employee moves from one supervisor to another, the current supervisor will close out the employee's SEPF and the new supervisor will set up a new supplemental file. The employee may view his/her official personnel file at any time by contacting the Division of Human Resources to request an appointment.

Notes

18 Miss. Code. R. § 6-1-A-I-XV

Amended 5/7/2015 Amended 5/29/2015 Amended 8/29/2015 Amended 11/28/2015 Amended 6/23/2016 Amended 7/31/2016