Neb. Admin. Code tit. 276 — Employee Suggestion System

Chapter 1 Employee Suggestion System

Neb. Admin. Code tit. 276, ch. 1 Employee Suggestion System {#sec-276-nac-1 omnilex-key=us-ne-regs-official--title-276--276 NAC 1}

001. DEFINITIONS .

001.01 ADOPT. To accept a suggestion for implementation, as determined by the agency head or their designee.

001.02 AGENCY HEAD. The administrative head of an agency, such as Director, Executive Director, Commissioner, etc. who reports directly to the appointing authority.

001.03 BOARD. The Suggestion Award Board.

001.04 PERSONNEL DIRECTOR. The Director of the Personnel Division of the Department of Administrative Services.

001.05 SUGGESTION. A specific, constructive idea to directly improve the operations of Nebraska that has tangible financial savings if implemented.

002. PURPOSE . The Employee Suggestion System is established to recognize, through cash awards, state employees who make suggestions that improve the efficiency and economy of Nebraska state government.

003. BOARD COMPOSITION . The Board consists of six members, as described in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-1348. Four members constitutes a quorum.

004. ELIGIBILITY .

004.01 All State employees, except those noted in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-1346, are eligible to receive awards.

004.02 Employees may submit suggestion(s) as a group.

004.03 Suggestions described in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-1354 are not eligible for a monetary award.

005. PROCEDURE .

005.01 All suggestions must be submitted in writing to the Personnel Director in the manner and form the Director prescribes.

005.02 After receiving a suggestion, the Personnel Director will forward the suggestion to the suggesting employee’s agency, keeping the employee’s name confidential.

005.03 The Agency Head or their designee will review the suggestions in accordance with the evaluation materials provided by the Personnel Director. The Agency Head or their designee will determine if the employee is eligible and will make the decision as to whether the suggestion will be adopted by the agency.

005.03(A) The agency may decide to adopt the suggestion in a modified form.

005.04 The Agency Head or their designee will report to the Personnel Director their determination and other information, as the Personnel Director requests. The Personnel Director will forward the determination to the Board for award determination.

005.05 An agency must contribute the amount determined by the Board to be awarded within sixty calendar days from the date of the Board’s decision.

005.05(A) All awards will be made in accordance with Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-1353.

005.05(B) Cash awards will be issued as a supplemental payment through the payroll process, with the agency using object code #511900.

006. APPEALS .

006.01 An employee who has been declared as ineligible or whose suggestion is not adopted by the agency or rejected may appeal to the Board.

006.02 Appeals must clearly state the basis for any further consideration and must be submitted in writing to the Personnel Director within thirty calendar days following notification of ineligibility, non-adoption, or rejection.

006.03 The Board will initiate a review at its next scheduled meeting after receipt of the appeal. The employee does not have the right to a hearing before ethe Board.

006.04 All decisions made by the Board are final.

History

Effective 2022-01-10

Chapter 8 Employee Suggestion System Awards

Neb. Admin. Code tit. 276, ch. 8 Employee Suggestion System Awards {#sec-276-nac-8 omnilex-key=us-ne-regs-official--title-276--276 NAC 8}

001. DEFINITIONS .

001.01 BOARD. The Suggestion Award Board.

002. AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD . The Board determines the amount of the award for each adopted suggestion and hears appeals related to the Employee Suggestion System.

003. AMOUNT OF AWARD . The Board will determine awards for suggestions adopted and implemented by the agency and provided to the Director of Personnel of the Department of Administrative Services.

003.01 The award amount will be determined in accordance with Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 81-1350 and 81-1351 and will be determined by the amount of savings of money appropriated in the biennium budget of the year the suggestion was adopted.

003.02 The Board may delay determining the amount of the award in cases where the cost savings from the suggestion are not determined.

003.03 In the case of suggestions submitted by a group of employees, the Board will determine the division of the award among the employees.

004. AWARD . The Board will determine which agencies will receive a benefit from the suggestion and may determine that such agencies will contribute an amount, in the discretion of the Board, to the award.