Human Services Bureau
Lisa Thornton, Administrator
 

Human Services Bureau (HSB)

The Human Services Bureau Administrator is responsible for ensuring that the Department’s Human Resources practices are handled in accordance with Federal law, State statutes and rules, and Department Policy. In addition, the administrator oversees a number of programs and services designated by the Director. Areas of responsibility include: recruitment, employee relations, equal employment opportunity, position classification, employee compensation, employee records, processing of personnel-related actions, employee benefits, CORP retirement, events, employee assistance program, employee grievances, data collection/reporting and occupational health. In addition the administrator serves as the agency ADA Coordinator for employee and employment issues.

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Human Resources

The Human Resources Administrator is an employee of the Department of Administration and provides oversight of Department employment practices, ensuring they are in accordance with appropriate Federal laws, State statutes, and Department of Administration Personnel Rules, and for all aspects of administering human resource support to employees (i.e., benefits and salary administration, employee records, etc.). This position serves as the liaison between the Department and ADOA on Human Resources issues.

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Operations Unit

The HR Operations Unit is responsible for areas outlined below and has overall responsibility for administration of these programs both at Central Office, COTA, and HR offices at the institutions as well as oversight authority over the Division Personnel Liaisons for matters related to HR services.

Operations: New hire sign up sessions; salary processing and administration; and input and maintenance of organizational/position information into the Human Resource Information Solution System as well as coordination with Payroll on salary and related pay actions.

Employee Benefits: Administration of the employee benefits programs for Health, Dental, Long and Short-Term Disability, Vision, Life Insurance, and Flexible Spending Accounts; Benefits Open Enrollment, COBRA, donated annual leave, retiree accumulated sick leave payments; employee personal payments for benefits during periods of leave without pay and coordination with the Department of Administration on benefits issues.

Audit/Training: Audit of a variety of HR benefit actions and services, and training of all HR staff to include related actions performed at the Institution and COTA Personnel Offices.

Employee Records: Maintenance of the official employee personnel records; employment verifications; subpoenas and records retention in accordance with federal and state law.

Other Programs: Unemployment Insurance, the performance appraisal system (PACE), and ID and Badge control.
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Employment, Classification & Compensation
The Employment Unit provides oversight concerning recruitment, selection, and hiring practices and ensures non-correctional job vacancies are advertised and filled, including clerical, administrative, trade, technical, professional, medical and mental health, and management positions, in accordance with Department Policy and State Personnel Rules.  This unit is responsible for announcing job vacancies, evaluating applicants, processing pre-employment assessments and post-job offer testing requirements on a state-wide basis; administers the Drug-Free Workplace Program for the Department; and evaluates special salary requests.

The Classification and Compensation section assists in the establishment of positions, changes in position requirements, and in abolishing positions. It also advises on agency reorganizations and compensation issues, and coordinates with the Department of Administration on classification and compensation issues.

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Recruitment Unit for Selection and Hiring (RUSH), Central Promotional Register (CPR), and Selection & Testing
The RUSH Unit is responsible for recruitment of entry-level Correctional Officer positions, to include reinstatements and rehires. The hiring process includes recruitment, medical/physical testing and psychological testing, and facilitation of community recruitment centers completed in accordance with Department  Policy and State Personnel Rules.  The RUSH Unit validates prior Correctional experience and education.

The CPR and Selection & Testing Unit is responsible for preparing tests and related materials for promotional processes for security-series job classifications via the Central Promotional Register (CPR) process. It develops the promotional registers to fill state-wide vacancies for positions in the correctional series.  CPR provides procedural guidance for Oral Board panel proceedings and provides assistance to Hiring Authorities in developing interview questions that are in compliance with Federal, State and local laws, rules, regulations and Department Policy.

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ADC Employment Opportunities

The Employee Assistance Office is comprised of the Employee Relations Unit, the Employee Grievance Unit, and the Occupational Health Unit.

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The Employee Relations Unit

 The Employee Relations Unit advises management and employees on laws, rules and policies and procedures relative to staff conduct, discipline and leave administration.  The ER Unit also advises on application of Federal laws governing military leave, the Family and Medical Leave Act, assists in the coordination and finalization of requests for reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act and assists in resolving employee complaints. The Employee Relations Unit also coordinates the optional Mediation Program as an alternative method of addressing employee disputes.  An important element of these services is oversight to the self-referral psychological services program.

Employee Grievance Coordinator.  As part of the Employee Relations Unit, the Employee Grievance Coordinator provides guidance to Department staff and management on the process which involves addressing and resolving employee issues. The guidance offered includes what issue(s) can and cannot be grieved, response and submission time frames and extensions, the documentation required to submit a formal grievance, allowed work time to prepare a formal grievance, and eligible individuals who may act as an authorized grievant representative. The goal of the Employee Grievance Process is to provide eligible employees a fair and objective process to appeal administrative action.

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The Equal Opportunity Unit

Equal Opportunity Unit (EOU) is responsible for administration of all equal employment opportunity actions and diversity issues. The unit is fully committed to providing equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all employees and applicant’s based on merit, without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability.

The EOU provides leadership, direction, and guidance in carrying out the Department’s EEO goals.  EOU provides policy and technical assistance to all ADC staff in carrying out their responsibilities related to complying with Federal and State EEO laws and regulations.   Click here to review Policy Statement.

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The Occupational Health Unit (OHU)

The OHU delivers comprehensive occupational health care to Department employees. This is accomplished in 10 prison complexes, the Correctional Officer Training Academy and various administrative buildings throughout the State. The services include, but are not limited to medical surveillance, communicable disease management, case management of industrial injuries, early return to work program, and medical certification for the Family and Medical Leave Act applicants. The OHU provides specialty training to include health education, safety and medical instructions.

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Human Resource Management Systems

Human Resource Management Systems is responsible for reporting employee data from HRIS for Human Services staff as well as other departments. The reports range from regularly scheduled and published reports to ad hoc reporting on a needs basis. Management Systems is also responsible for the Humans Services budgeting requirements which include monthly monitoring and reporting of Human Services expenditure, submission of Human Services decision packages to PBR and inventory control for the bureau.

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Correctional Officer Retirement Program

The Correctional Officer Retirement Program (CORP) section is the point of contact for employees and management who need technical advice on retirement issues, CORP Law, and policy interpretation. This section also performs retirement estimates and benefit calculations, pre-retirement seminars, new hire physicals, and local board meetings. The two Pension Benefit specialists are the liaison to the CORP Board, the Department and the CORP Fund Managers Office.