Rotation #1: Human Resources

            Since most employment periods begin with an orientation and form-filling session with human resources, it seemed appropriate for my first rotation day to be with that department. Suzanne Machain is the Human Resources Director, and has been with the Town of Marana for two years. She is very enthusiastic and well-experienced in the field of human resources, and was very kind to give me a glimpse at a busy day in her life. I sat in on a meeting with the Chief of Police Terry Rozema regarding promotional testing products for police officers, as well as with Gilbert Davidson and Del Post on a meeting regarding vacancies in the IT department. A majority of today’s experience involved discussing the roles and functions of the human resources department.

            Trying to organize a day’s worth of information into a single blog entry is a tough feat, so I will try to divide my experience into key events and significant points that I think community members might find interesting.

First of all, what makes public sector human resources different than the private sector?

            Management of human resources in the public sector is unique to the private sector because transparency of government must be considered, as well as the fact that every decision goes into public record. Suzanne must take into consideration the rules, policies, and practices maintained by the town, as well as remember that public sector decisions entail elected official that are dealing with taxpayer dollars. Obviously, there is more scrutiny when working under the public eye.

            Secondly, any employee that has undergone discipline exceeding 40+ hours of suspension without pay are eligible to appeal to the Personnel Action Review Board. The board is comprised of community volunteers who hear the appeal and can pass recommendations to Gilbert Davidson, the town manager, who was final say. Key official positions, such as department heads, are exempt from this ability to appeal any disciplinary action.

Where does the department of Human Resources fall under the Mayor and Council?

            The Mayor and Council put together the town code of ordinances, which is the broadest policy beneath state law. Human resources are involved specifically with Title 3 and Title 4 of this code of ordinances, which outlines the policies and procedures of administration and police. Under Title 3, the personnel, policies, and procedures govern administrative employment policy and practice. This includes employment process, compensation and benefits, development, safety, health, and termination. It is human resources’ role to interpret these policies and procedures without becoming too stringent with their regulations.

What are the major functions of the Human Resources department?

            The human resources department is responsible for recruitment, class and compensation, benefits, and employee relations. They have a bird’s eye view of all departments. Areas that human resources plan to further address are leadership development, supervisory training, and implementing a core program that assists prospective employees in finding resources that will help them meet the minimum qualifications for a position. 

What I can take away from this rotation experience

            Before a department can choose to add a position or restructure the employment hierarchy, human resources plays a large part in keeping the department consistent with the policies and procedures established in ordinance with the town’s strategic plan. When dealing with issues, human resources must always consider what is in the best interest of the town.