Evaluation of Employees
1002.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The Department's employee performance evaluation system is designed to record work performance for both the Department and the employee, providing recognition for good work and developing a guide for improvement.
1002.2 POLICY
The University of California Santa Cruz Police Department utilizes a performance evaluation report to measure performance and to use as a factor in making personnel decisions that relate to merit increases, promotion, reassignment, discipline, demotion and termination. The evaluation report is intended to serve as a guide for work planning and review by the supervisor and employee. It gives supervisors a way to create an objective history of work performance based on job standards.
The Department evaluates employees in a non-discriminatory manner based upon job-related factors specific to the employee's position, without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability or other protected classes.
1002.3 FULL TIME PROBATIONARY PERSONNEL
Non-sworn personnel are on probation for six months but are eligible for certification as permanent employees after three months. An evaluation is completed monthly for all full-time non-sworn personnel during the probationary period.
Sworn personnel are on probation for 12 months before being eligible for certification as permanent employees. Probationary officers are evaluated daily, weekly and monthly during the probationary period.
1002.4 FULL-TIME PERMANENT STATUS PERSONNEL
Permanent employees are subject to three types of performance evaluations:
Regular - An Employee Performance Evaluation shall be completed once each year by the employee's immediate supervisor on the anniversary of the employee's date of hire except for employees who have been promoted in which case an Employee Performance Evaluation shall be completed on the anniversary of the employee's date of last promotion.
Transfer - If an employee is transferred from one assignment to another in the middle of an evaluation period and less than six months have transpired since the transfer, then an evaluation shall be completed by the current supervisor with input from the previous supervisor.
Special - A special evaluation may be completed any time the rater and the rater's supervisor feel one is necessary due to employee performance that is deemed less than standard. Generally, the special evaluation will be the tool used to demonstrate those areas of performance deemed less than standard when follow-up action is planned (action plan, remedial training, retraining, etc.). The evaluation form and the attached documentation shall be submitted as one package.
1002.4.1 RATINGS
When completing the Employee Performance Evaluation, the rater will place a check mark in the column that best describes the employee's performance. The definition of each rating category is as follows:
Outstanding - Is actual performance well beyond that required for the position. It is exceptional performance, definitely superior or extraordinary.
Exceeds Standards - Represents performance that is better than expected of a fully competent employee. It is superior to what is expected, but is not of such rare nature to warrant outstanding.
Meets Standards - Is the performance of a fully competent employee. It means satisfactory performance that meets the standards required of the position.
Needs Improvement - Is a level of performance less than that expected of a fully competent employee and less than standards required of the position. A needs improvement rating must be thoroughly discussed with the employee.
Unsatisfactory - Performance is inferior to the standards required of the position. It is very inadequate or undesirable performance that cannot be tolerated.
Space for written comments is provided at the end of the evaluation in the rater comments section. This section allows the rater to document the employee's strengths, weaknesses, and suggestions for improvement. Any rating under any job dimension marked unsatisfactory or outstanding shall be substantiated in the rater comments section.
1002.5 EVALUATION INTERVIEW
When the supervisor has completed the preliminary evaluation, arrangements shall be made for a private discussion of the evaluation with the employee. The supervisor should discuss the results of the just completed rating period and clarify any questions the employee may have. If the employee has valid and reasonable protests of any of the ratings, the supervisor may make appropriate changes to the evaluation. Areas needing improvement and goals for reaching the expected level of performance should be identified and discussed. The supervisor should also provide relevant counseling regarding advancement, specialty positions and training opportunities. The supervisor and employee will sign and date the evaluation. Permanent employees may also write comments in the Employee Comments section of the performance evaluation report.
1002.5.1 DISCRIMINATORY HARASSMENT FORM
At the time of each employee's annual evaluation, the reviewing supervisor shall require the employee to read the University of California and Department harassment and discrimination policies. Following such policy review, the supervisor shall provide the employee a form to be completed and returned by the employee certifying the following:
(a) That the employee understands the harassment and discrimination policies.
(b) Whether any questions the employee has have been sufficiently addressed.
(c) That the employee knows how and where to report harassment policy violations.
(d) Whether the employee has been the subject of, or witness to, any conduct that violates the discrimination or harassment policy which has not been previously reported.
The completed form should be returned to the supervisor (or other authorized individual if the employee is uncomfortable returning the form to the presenting supervisor) within one week.
The employee's completed answers shall be attached to the evaluation. If the employee has expressed any questions or concerns, the receiving supervisor or other authorized individual shall insure that appropriate follow up action is taken.
1002.6 EVALUATION REVIEW
After the supervisor finishes the discussion with the employee, the signed performance evaluation is forwarded to the rater's supervisor (Operations Captain). The Operations Captain shall review the evaluation for fairness, impartiality, uniformity, and consistency. The Operations Captain shall evaluate the supervisor on the quality of ratings given.
1002.7 EVALUATION DISTRIBUTION
The original performance evaluation shall be maintained in the employee's personnel file in the office of the Chief of Police for the tenure of the employee's employment. A copy will be given to the employee and a copy will be forwarded to the University Staff Human Resources Department and the Service Center.
