Employee productivity awards entries due June 30

The NCACC is now accepting applications from all counties and their employees for the 2010 Employee Productivity Awards Program, sponsored by the Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU). The awards program, now celebrating its 19th year, recognizes and rewards county innovation, and for the first time this year, includes a new category that recognizes and encourages county sustainability practices. The deadline for entry is June 30.

The LGFCU Employee Productivity Awards Program provides a total of $10,000 in rewards to innovative county employees who develop successful productivity improvements in county government. To date, more than 1,400 applications have been submitted representing $105 million in savings or cost avoidance to counties.

Ten awards of $1,000 each are given to five line staff (employees not exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act) programs and five managerial staff (employees exempt from FLSA regulations) programs. The 10 winning entries will be recognized and honored at the Association's Annual Conference, which will be held Aug. 26-29 in Pitt County. The 2010 awards recognize county productivity and sustainability enhancements implemented during the 2009 calendar year.

Productivity enhancements are those that improve the efficiency and sustainability of county programs, services and general administration. Productivity reflects a better way of doing business.

A productivity improvement is defined as achieving one of the following objectives: the same level of service delivered at a lower cost; a higher level of service delivered at the same cost; avoidance of future cost increases, and/or use of sustainable products or practices to provide a current, new or expanded service.

Appointed officials are eligible, including county managers and department heads. Since many county agencies have team approaches to management and operations, teams of employees may submit productivity improvements for consideration. Team awards of $1,000 are equally shared based on the number of team members.

There is no limit to the number of entries a county may submit.

For more information about the program, including an application form, visit www.ncacc.org/awards/productivity/about.html.

During its first 17 years, the program was known as the Ralph Ketner Employee Productivity Awards Program. In 2008, Mr. Ketner was awarded the Association's Friend of the Counties Award for his long-time sponsorship of the program.