Incentive Program Continues New Growth
The Loss Control Incentive Program was launched in October 2005 with the goal of helping our members reduce both the frequency and severity of claims. The program requires an annual resolution, which demonstrates the governing body’s support of the safety program, and a variety of activities such as monthly safety meetings, semiannual facilities inspections, and timely claims reporting. The “incentive” in the Loss Control Incentive Program is the opportunity for participating members to earn a discount of up to five percent of their annual deposit contribution; the discount is applied to the next fiscal year.
In its first year, the program awarded discounts totaling $66,741 to twenty-three participants. In FY2007, the second year of the program, twenty-six members earned a total of $143,171 in rebates applied to their FY2008 deposit contribution. Although the number of participants did not change significantly, the higher rebates earned demonstrates a higher level of participation (i.e., more activities completed) among those members.
Two of our members, the City of Nome and Craig City School District, achieved the distinction of earning the full five-percent discount through their full participation in the Loss Control Incentive Program. We asked these members if they could share some of their strategies that have helped them achieve this success.
Both Nome and Craig School District have given one person responsibility for making sure all paperwork is submitted to the AMLJIA in a timely manner. This can help eliminate confusion and ensures that the tracking log, provided by the AMLJIA, is followed consistently. When a single person takes charge of tracking and follow-up, our experience shows that fewer items are undocumented or skipped. This is especially true with our larger members who have multiple departments and often multiple sites to track, but the strategy works equally well for our smaller members.
Additionally, Nome copied a Loss Control Incentive Program binder for each department head to keep at their location. As new employees are hired throughout the year, the managers have easy access to the safety topics and training components. The department heads are responsible for keeping their binders up to date by inserting new materials following each monthly safety meeting. They also added tabbed sections in their binders to keep the minutes of each safety meeting and the completed Facility Self-Inspection checklists.
Nome was able to ensure equal participation and shared departmental responsibility in the program by incorporating monthly safety training into their monthly department head meetings. Each month, a different department head presented one of the safety topics provided in the Loss Control Incentive Program materials. If the assigned presenter did not have enough expertise in the subject, they were paired with another department head with complimentary skills or training. Following their training at the department head meeting, each department head was responsible for conducting training on the same topic to all employees within their departments. In this manner, all departments share ownership of the program.
Similarly, Craig School District has monthly safety training at each school site, most often after school when it is possible to catch both daytime staff and later custodial staff. Giving each school site autonomy over their training schedule allows them to fit the needs of each school. Maintaining a central contact person to follow up with all documentation ensures that all activity is recorded by the AMLJIA for credit in the program.
Fall and Spring Facility Self-Inspections are another component of the Loss Control Incentive Program. Nome’s Building Inspector conducted all facility inspections but also gave copies of completed inspection checklists to the department heads so that each would be informed about the condition of their facilities. Your AMLJIA Risk Managers are also available to conduct facility inspections if you have particular concerns or would like to learn how to conduct an inspection. Call toll free, 800-337-3682, to arrange for a site visit.
If you would like assistance with any of the training required in the Loss Control Incentive Program, contact us. We have a huge selection of safety videos, on-line training courses, and on-site training programs that will target your individual needs. If you haven’t taken advantage of the opportunity to participate in the Loss Control Incentive Program, you can still get credit for the remainder of FY2008. Review the program components on our website at www.amljia.org/page/reference.html . Pass your annual resolution as soon as possible—it’s a key component in program participation!
“At first glance, it looked like a lot of hoops to jump through,” says Karen Head, Business Manager for Craig School District, “but when we looked at each piece individually, we were able to find ways to make each piece ‘workable’ for our organization. And that rebate on our insurance made it all worthwhile!”
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Director Celebrates 15th Anniversary with AMLJIA
At their quarterly meeting on July 30, 2007, the AMLJIA Board of Trustees adopted a resolution recognizing Kevin Smith for his longevity and dedication to the AMLJIA and its members. “Through Kevin Smith’s significant contributions to the viability and strength of the program, the AMLJIA has grown beyond all expectations,” states the resolution. In fact, membership in the pool has more than doubled during Mr. Smith’s tenure and now includes 156 cities, boroughs and school districts.
The Board of Trustees recognizes that “the members of the Association are best served by employees who have experience and understand the complexities of pooling and the members’ issues.” Kevin Smith has played a variety of roles in the AMLJIA which have helped him gain the experience and insight that is necessary in his current role as Executive Director. Kevin began his tenure with the AMLJIA in 1992 as a Risk Manager before stepping into the role of Member Services Director and later, Southeast Branch Manager.
In March 2002, Kevin was promoted to Executive Director of the AMLJIA. His familiarity with Alaska communities and schools is an asset to the pool, and he strives to maintain open lines of communication with our membership. Since assuming the directorship, Kevin divides his time between AMLJIA’s Juneau and Anchorage offices. In addition to overseeing the day-to-day operations, he ensures that the membership has a voice in the legislature when bills that may affect pool operations and bottom line come into play.
The AMLJIA is your pool. Our goal is to provide “stable, cost-effective risk financing and quality loss control services designed to meet the needs of local governments and school districts,” as quoted in our mission statement. If you have suggestions for how we can better meet this goal, you are welcome to contact Kevin Smith at 800-337-3682 or e-mail kevins@amljia.org. And be sure to congratulate Kevin for his fifteen years with AMLJIA!
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Honorable Mention
David Soulak, Administrator for the City of Unalakleet, recently had this to say of the AMLJIA:
“As a strong supporter of the AMLJIA since inception, my most recent contact with the AMLJIA has shown to me just how far the AMLJIA has progressed in providing the professional services when an insured is in need of professional assistance.
The expeditious handling of my particular problem by [the AMLJIA staff] made my decisions easier for the particular people involved. [They] handled my acute problem so that it was not one of those that are so often ‘swept under the rug’ in small communities. It made the citizens of Unalakleet as well as the City Council members realize that we do have professional resources available through our being a member of the AMLJIA.
We are proud to be a long-standing member of the AMLJIA.”
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New Claims Manager oversees Liability, Workers' Comp.
The AMLJIA recently underwent an organizational change with the retirement of Mike Bice, Casualty Claims Manager, and the departure of Tommie Sue Savina, Workers’ Compensation Claims Manager. We are pleased to introduce Johanna Grasso, our new Claims Manager who will oversee both departments, and we send our best wishes with Mike and Tommie Sue as they pursue new goals.
Johanna (pronounced Yohanna) brings almost 20 years experience in the insurance industry to the AMLJIA. Her background includes work with both insurance companies and self-insured entities. Most recently, Johanna worked as a senior adjuster administering workers’ compensation, property, and liability claims for a self-insured entity.
Johanna has hit the ground running, visiting Kodiak and meeting the Board of Trustees at their quarterly meeting in July and preparing for a workers’ compensation audit in August. We are pleased that Johanna has brought her expertise to the AMLJIA. Johanna Grasso can be reached in our Anchorage office at 800-337-3682 or by e-mail at johannag@amljia.org.
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Celebrate with Special Events Coverage 
Public entities frequently get requests from groups requesting use of public facilities
for special events. These events may range from use of a park for a kids’ field day
to a weekend celebration including a parade and 5K run on city streets, a music
festival and concessions in the community hall, and a fireworks display. Whatever
the event, your entity should take a proactive approach to minimizing and/or trans-
ferring the associated risks. The goal is to protect your entity from liability while still
providing the opportunity for outside use.
If your entity does not have a formal “special events” policy or facility use policy, your governing board should take this important first step in managing the risks associated with special events. Consider how much access to your facilities and grounds is appropriate for outside groups. Will there be a financial impact on your entity for allowing outside activities and will a use fee be charged? What types of groups will be allowed to use the facilities and grounds (i.e., not for profit, for profit, community groups, etc.)? What level of risk is your entity willing to tolerate?
When an organization, group or individual requests use of public facilities or grounds, proof of insurance should be provided before use is granted. The Certificate of Insurance should indicate that your entity has been named as an Additional Insured. Depending on the scope of the event, the Certificate of Insurance may include Commercial General Liability, Workers’ Compensation, and possibly Automobile Liability. For a nominal fee you can easily request Special Events Coverage through the AMLJIA, either for your entity-sponsored event or for an outside group, by contacting Paul Bryner, Underwriter, at 800-337-3682 and filling out a simple request form.
If your entity grants use of facilities to outside groups, the user should enter into a formal Facilities Use Agreement which incorporates a Hold Harmless Agreement. You can obtain a sample agreement from your risk manager by calling 800-337-3682, or e-mail Grady Fisher at gradyf@amlija.org .
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Plan B
The new fiscal year is underway, and you’ve reviewed your insurance coverage provided through the AMLJIA. Your Workers’ Compensation coverage is in place, as is your General Liability coverage. The property schedule reassures you that your buildings are covered in the event of fire, flood, or any other myriad events that could befall your city, borough or school district. Your public officials are bonded and your police have Police Professional Liability coverage. You’ve covered all your bases. Or have you?
What if a catastrophe were to take place? Could you still provide the services your community or students expect? If business as usual is Plan A, what’s your Plan B? If you have a written contingency plan already in place, have you practiced it to make sure that it will work?
Creating a contingency plan first requires assessing the risks. For each risk, ask two questions: 1) How likely is it to happen? and 2) What effect will it have on our operations? Keep in mind that different risks can have the same outcomes. For example, both fire and flood can destroy a property, so a contingency plan in both cases may require business to be conducted at an alternate site. In any event, ask what a worst-case scenario would look like. We can’t necessarily plan for every possible event, but examining a worst-case scenario(for example, a complete shutdown of city or school services) can help you to ask the right questions when making a plan.
Some questions you should ask include:
What if we lost power for a day? for a week?
What if we lost telephone service?
What if our key documents and/or computer system were destroyed?
What if we lost the city hall or the entire school?
What if we were not able to receive supplies?
What if we had casualties?
Next, define who needs to do what, when and where immediately following a catastrophe. What departments or services require immediate attention? What can wait for an hour, a day, or longer? Realize that while everyone’s job is essential to the overall operation, some functions must be restored more quickly than others. For example, providing a place for teachers and students to hold class would take priority over restoring hot lunch service.
Put your plan in writing. Avoid using technical terms, and when possible use easy-to-follow checklists. Make sure to define staff roles by job title, not by name, so that the plan doesn’t rely on Johnny B. Goode to execute the plan when he retired last month. Provide a clear set of instructions that must be carried out in the crucial first hour following an incident, as well as a list of things that can be ignored for that first hour. Set a regular interval to go back and check your plan to make sure it reflects any changes in operations or organization that you may have had.
Finally, plan a rehearsal. Often, a plan that looks good on paper doesn’t turn out so good in practice. Practicing for a worst-case scenario helps you discover any weaknesses in your plan and allows you to make adjustments to overcome them. You can gather your entire staff and do a “tabletop exercise,” going over a scenario on paper and applying the contingency plan. You can plan a full rehearsal by setting up a mock exercise (see “Preparing for the Unthinkable,” The Bridge, Summer 2007). This may not be a practical way to routinely test your plan, but it is a useful tool for fine-tuning a contingency plan.
In a perfect world, we would never have to resort to Plan B. Unfortunately, the world is less than perfect. You may never see your worst-case scenario unfold, but you will probably experience a smaller scale incident that will require putting your contingency plan in place. Make sure Plan B is ready.
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Off-Duty Police Misconduct: Define & Conquer
Disciplinary issues associated with off-duty police misconduct can cost a great deal both in monetary costs and the cost of the department’s reputation. No department wants to undertake the litigation involved in off-duty misconduct accusations if it can be avoided. The best means of instilling a culture of integrity in a department is to reach for the highest level of professionalism and department-wide accountability through a comprehensive written plan which incorporates clearly written rules and regulations and provides uniform sanctions for any violations.
Misconduct can be defined as an employee’s noncompliance with the rules and regulations of the police agency. While all off-duty illegal behavior committed by sworn personnel is unethical, not all off-duty unethical behavior is illegal. There is a very fine line between an organization’s fight not to employ an unethical officer and the officer’s right to off-duty privacy. However, a police agency that writes a clear policy of accountability and sticks to it demonstrates to its employees, the citizens they serve, and the courts that it is committed to providing professional police services by maintaining a level of integrity both professionally and personally.
Without clear definitions of the agency’s expectations, employees may not associate their own improper off-duty behavior as noncompliant with their agency’s expectations. When an officer’s perceived improper behavior does not fit perfectly into the agency’s rules and regulations, the charge often levied is conduct unbecoming an officer. This is a catch-all charges and difficult to define. Yet in one of the early Supreme Court cases deliberating this issue, Parker, Warden, et al. v. Levy, the court decided that the military is a “specialized society separate from civilian society” with its own rules and a need for a higher standard of accountability. Their ruling furthermore suggested that military personnel may have to sacrifice certain individual rights in order to accomplish the organization’s mission. Police officers, much like soldiers, should know right from wrong and must live their professional and personal lives in accordance with the higher standards and expectations of their agency. Attached to the honor of serving as a police officer are certain unwritten expectations and a sacrifice of individual rights.
Whether the officer or the agency prevails in litigations over charges of off-duty misconduct, the result can cost taxpayers thousands of dollars, results in a loss of manpower hours, and leaves the agency with a tarnished reputation. Before any charges are brought forward, an agency should be certain that it can prove a correlation exists between legal off-duty misconduct and the officer’s job performance and/or how it might affect the public’s trust in the agency itself. A clear written policy of accountability, uniformly implemented, will aid prosecution by showing jurors that the agency is committed to organizational accountability.
The courts will continue to debate the balance between an agency’s objectives and an officer’s individual right to privacy while off duty. As long as police have a valid objective to foster a professional force through accountability and maintenance of public image, reasonable disciplinary measures can be used to seed officer compliance in off-duty privacy situations. The International Association of Chiefs of Police has model policies regarding employee misconduct that you can use to draft your own accountability template, and AMLJIA member agencies have access to the police professional consulting services of Greg Russell at no added cost. Drafting clear policies that define off-duty misconduct and address an agency’s expectations of off-duty behavior is the first step in the accountability template and will reduce litigation costs by minimizing both employee and citizen lawsuits.
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Is Your Cold an Accident Waiting to Happen?
We all know that illegal drugs are hazardous to use and that alcohol is prohibited at work because it impairs our ability to perform work functions. But how many of us are aware of the effect that many legal, over-the-counter (OTC) medications have on our ability to perform in the workplace or in our day-to-day routines? As we move out of summer and into the cold and flu season, it’s easy to take these OTC drugs for granted. How often have you awakened with a scratchy throat or runny nose and taken a dose of OTC cold medicine before heading to work?
An individual can be dangerously impaired without being drunk or having hallucinations. The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that 16,000 auto accidents are attributed to impairment from prescription and OTC drugs each year, and USA Today reported that antihistamines contribute to approximately 600 auto fatalities yearly. Based on these statistics, it is reasonable to assume that people are also having many accidents at work while under the influence of these medications.
Possible side effects of both prescription and non-prescription drugs include drowsiness, dizziness, altered reaction times, altered depth perception and inability to concentrate. Some of the most common and serious problems are caused by OTC—not prescription—medications. This could be due to several reasons:
- They are more commonly used than prescription medications.
- Warnings are usually more carefully noted on prescription medications.
- People assume that something available without prescription is completely safe and without side effects.
While OTC drug packaging does contain warnings of possible side effects, the warnings are often hidden in small print among hundreds of other words. The National Transportation Safety Board reports that the warnings on many OTC medications are no larger that 1/16 of an inch in height. Furthermore, prescription medications are usually supplemented by verbal warnings from both the prescribing physicians and pharmacists.
Some research conducted with driving simulators showed that impairment caused by some OTC drugs was worse than that caused by alcohol consumption. A study conducted in Europe revealed that a single dose of Benadryl, a popular OTC antihistamine, is equivalent to a blood-alcohol content of .09, higher that the .08 threshold considered legally drunk in most states.
Does this mean you should only take cold medicine and other OTC medications only at bedtime, or not at all? Of course not. But you should be aware of the effect these drugs can have, especially if your body is already impaired by illness. If you are concerned that antihistamines leave you feeling drowsy, discuss non-drowsy alternatives with your physician. If you must take any prescription or OTC medication that may affect your abilities, be sure to let your supervisor know. Avoid operating any type of vehicle or machinery, including power tools, if you are taking antihistamines, pain relievers, cough or cold medicine, or the like. Better still, call in sick, stay in bed, and get plenty of fluids and rest. Mom always did know best.
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Managing Stress
No one can avoid stress, but we all need to learn to keep stress at a manageable level. Stress can be described like a Clint Eastwood movie: there’s The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Good stress provides stimulation and a competitive edge in your work and personal life. Bad stress can make you feel off balance and decreases productivity. It gets really ugly when constant high levels of stress from work or personal pressures lead to the physical, emotional and mental response of burnout.
Burnout can happen to anyone in any profession. The parent who volunteers at school a few hours each week can experience burnout as easily as the nine-to-five employee or the manager who works a 70-hour week. Unmanaged stress and burnout results in low morale, increased absenteeism, lost productivity, increased mistakes and increased workplace accidents.
The first step to preventing burnout is learning how to relax and let go of the stress in your life. Picking up a can of soda to take a drink is hardly stressful, but imagine holding that can of soda in your outstretched arm day after day without resting. That that small can of soda has become a huge burden and illustrates why you need to learn to take stress breaks. Stretch at your desk, take a walk around the building, or simply get a drink of water. Vacation breaks are important, too. You should plan to take short vacations at least twice a year. If you supervise employees, make sure they schedule their vacation time, and don’t call them when they are on a scheduled vacation.
Humor is a good stress reducer. Look for humor in your workplace and your personal life, and help those around you to find reasons to smile. Learn to pace your workload and keep your schedule realistic. Help your employees to do the same. Don’t underestimate the power of positive thinking. Always do your best, even if you think no one notices. Be sure to express appreciation for your coworkers as well.
Engage in regular physical activity to help release pent up emotions. Staying active will also help you to sleep better at night and feel more refreshed the next day. Stress can also rob your body of essential vitamins and minerals and increase susceptibility to illness, so maintain a balanced diet and limit your consumption of caffeine, sugar and nicotine. Learn to share your burden. Discuss stressful events with a trusted family member, friend or counselor. Often, they can see a lighter side or offer a fresh approach to a problem.
One of the leading causes of stress in our work lives and personal lives is time. How often have you caught yourself thinking, “If only I could manage my time more effectively, I could complete all the items on my ‘To Do’ list and still have time to read the last ‘Harry Potter’ book/volunteer in the community/go fishing/spend time with my family.” This may come as a shock to you, but time will always be out of your control. Your day will have twenty-four hours, no more and no less, no matter what you do. As the saying goes, time waits for no one. You may get that extra hour when Daylight Savings Time ends in November, but you’re going to lose it again in the spring. Time is a constant.
If you can’t manage time, how will you manage at all? You can learn to manage events in time. That “To Do” list can be helpful, but only when you learn to prioritize the list. Many training programs teach prioritizing using the ABC method. Items designated by an A are those that must get done, B designates items you would like to do, and C is used for items to get done if time permits.
Most people mistakenly believe that A priorities are those things that are both urgent and important. If all of your A priorities are urgent, you are doing crisis management, not event management. The secret to good event management is to select A priorities that are important but not urgent. Your A priorities should include things such as time for family, time for personal enrichment, time for friends, etc. This is not to say that an important work deadline does not belong on your A priority list. However, your list should balance work with health and well-being. Unbalanced priorities can quickly lead to burnout, but a balanced priority list can increase job satisfaction and personal fulfillment.
Learn to distinguish between the good stress that helps you stay focused and productive and the bad stress that leaves you frazzled, irritable, prone to mistakes and accidents, and spiraling toward burnout. By learning to recognize the symptoms of stress, you will be better equipped to control it instead of allowing it to control you.
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Six Myths About Stress
Special Events coverage is available from the AMLJIA for your entity-sponsored event, or for an outside group utilizing your entity's facilities, by contacting Paul Bryner, Underwriter, at 800-337-3682.
Six myths surround stress. Dispelling them enables us to understand our problems and then take action against them. Let’s look at these myths.
Myth 1: Stress is the same for everybody.
Completely wrong. Stress is different for each of us. What is stressful for one person may or may not be stressful for another; each of us responds to stress in an entirely different way.
Myth 2: Stress is always bad for you.
According to this view, zero stress makes us happy and healthy. Wrong. Stress is to the human condition what tension is to the violin string: too little and the music is dull and raspy; too much and the music is shrill or the string snaps. Stress can be the kiss of death or the spice of life. The issue, really, is how to manage it. Managed stress makes us productive and happy; mismanaged stress hurts and even kills us.
Myth 3: Stress is everywhere, so you can’t do anything about it.
Not so. You can plan your life so that stress does not overwhelm you. Effective planning involves setting priorities and working on simple problems first, solving them, and then going on to more complex difficulties. When stress is mismanaged, it’s difficult to prioritize. All your problems seem to be equal and stress seems to be everywhere.
Myth 4: The most popular techniques for reducing stress are the best ones.
Again, not so. No universally effective stress reduction techniques exist. We are all different, our lives are different, our situations are different, and our reactions are different. Only a comprehensive program tailored to the individual works.
Myth 5: No symptoms, no stress.
Absence of symptoms does not mean the absence of stress. In fact, camouflaging symptoms with medication may deprive you of the signals you need for reducing the strain on your physiological and psychological systems.
Myth 6: Only major symptoms of stress require attention.
This myth assumes that the “minor” symptoms, such as headaches or stomach acid, may be safely ignored. Minor symptoms of stress are the early warnings that your life is getting out of hand and that you need to do a better job of managing stress.
From the American Psychological Association
Those "training wheels" are actually computer-controlled outriggers with hydraulic lifts that take weight off the car's wheels, causing loss of traction.
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It's About the Grip, Not the Slip!
Following Kodiak’s recent record rainfall, residents there were probably more than a little surprised when Greg Russell, AMLJIA’s Police Professional Consultant, showed up with a car designed to skid just like a vehicle traveling on wet or icy pavement. While weather can create conditions leading to dangerous loss of traction of a vehicle, the SkidCar which arrived in Kodiak at the end of July creates similar loss of traction but in safe, controlled conditions.
The SkidCar made an appearance in Kodiak to provide training both for local personnel and for the AMLJIA Board of Trustees. Since the AMLJIA has made this training available to our members wherever possible, it was important that the board members understand what the training actually entailed and the benefits of it. In just five days, a total of fourteen 4-hour training sessions were completed. Besides the AMLJIA board and guests, trainees included the Kodiak Police Department, Kodiak Fire Department, USCG Military Police, Kodiak Harbormaster’s Office, and a handful of civilians including a reporter from the Kodiak Daily Mirror.
The SkidCar looks more than a little odd and travelers coming in to the airport in Kodiak, where training was held, seemed quite curious about why the trainees needed a car with training wheels. Following an article in the Kodiak Daily Mirror by reporter Scott Christiansen describing his SkidCar experience (“On the Skids,” August 2, 2007), trainer Russell reported curious passersby parked alongside the highway to watch the SkidCar go through its paces. Those training wheels are actually four small aircraft-type wheels attached by swivel casters to computer controlled outriggers with hydraulic lifts. This assembly allows the trainer to take weight off the car’s wheels, causing a loss of traction.
Telling a driver what to do when a loss of traction occurs is easy. Anyone who’s had a basic driver education course has been given the instructions to “turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid and let off the gas.” But what would you do if it actually happened? The SkidCar provides a controlled environment in which a driver can practice his or her response to a loss of traction, with immediate coaching assistance from a certified trainer sitting in the front passenger seat. The training is especially valuable to emergency responders who must not only cope with driving in icy conditions but must do so knowing that response time is of the essence. Training in controlled conditions helps to reprogram typical human responses to these stressful situations with deliberate, thoughtful responses.
The AMLJIA thanks the Alaska Air National Guard personnel for their continued logistical support in transporting the SkidCar to training locations throughout Alaska.
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Watch Your Back
Did you know that roughly one out of every four vehicle accidents involves backing? The average driver will operate a vehicle in reverse less than a mile every year, compared with an average of 12,000 miles driven annually, the statistics are alarming. Obviously, as drivers we are much more prone to make errors when backing.
Backing accidents usually involve the following key failures:
Failure to look before backing.
Failure to check blind spots.
Failure to conduct a walk-around.
Backing at an unsafe speed.
Failure to check mirrors often for potential hazards.
Follow these tips to avoid collisions while backing:
-Continuously check all mirrors while backing.
-Always back slowly while continuously looking and listening for signs of trouble.
-Avoid backing whenever possible. Plan ahead to reduce backing operations in the first place.
-Try to position the vehicle to avoid backing.
-If backing cannot be avoided, it is better to back in upon arrival than to back out later when departing.
-Conduct a visual walk-around of the vehicle to check for maneuvering room or pedestrians.
-Whenever available, use a passenger to guide you during backing operations.
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Let's Talk Training
At some point in our work, we all become trainers. Whether it is your job to provide training to all new employees, or whether you are simply showing a visitor where they can find the assistance of service they are seeking, you must communicate effectively to achieve your purpose. Poor communication results in confusion and can lead to accidents and injuries. In order to be an effective communicator, you must consider the reasons your message may not reach your target:
- Make Certain They Hear You. Speak slowly, loudly and clearly. Are you dealing with an employee who suffers hearing loss? Are you in a setting with lots of background noises? Be sure your trainee actually hears what you are saying.
- Use Plain Language. Define unfamiliar terms. Never assume a trainee has background knowledge. Even a familiar subject can benefit from reinforcement.
- Explain The Reason Behind The Message. This is especially true if you are getting trainees to adopt a new policy or procedure. Explain the purpose behind the change.
- Put A Price On It. If the trainee knows the stakes involved in a safety procedure, it will make more sense to comply. Would you remove a machine guard and risk removing your hand?
- Don’t Humor Them Too Much. While humor can be a training tool, too much joking around can water down the message.
- Be A Listener. Give trainees plenty of opportunity to ask questions. If there are no questions, don’t assume that they understood everything. Perhaps they didn’t ask questions because they didn’t understand the message.
- Understand Your Audience. Be sensitive to different literacy levels and cultural backgrounds that may affect how your message is received, and look for ways to bridge those differences.
- Test Their Comprehension. Ask questions that require trainees to reiterate or rephrase what you have said. Their responses will verify whether they understood.
- Accommodate Different Learning Styles. Some people learn best just by listening to you. Others need hands-on demonstrations, written instructions, or a combination of teaching methods. Don’t rely only on your spoken words.
- Anticipate Obstacles. Look at things through the trainee’s eyes and try to anticipate any obstacles. Does the trainee have the tools, equipment and procedures in place to follow through on what you said?
Whether you are reviewing safety procedures for working with a piece of heavy machinery or housekeeping procedures to prevent accidents in an office, effective communication is the key to effective training.
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The Law at Work
Q. An employee in our city’s front office has admitted to me that she stole money – it looks like it was about $500 – from our BINGO funds. I also heard, too late, that she took money from her last employer. I’m the city administrator. What do you recommend that I do about this employee?
A. I recommend that you consider firing the employee, and definitely turn her over to the police, whether that’s the Troopers or a VPO or your own police department. If the employee is not at-will, you will need to schedule a pretermination hearing before deciding for sure whether to fire her. This is the law, so you need to do it even if your personnel policies don’t require a hearing. You’ll give her a memo that notifies her (1) that you are considering terminating her employment because of the admitted theft, (2) the time and place of the hearing, and (3) her right, and the City’s right, to present witnesses and other evidence at the hearing. Your personnel policies might give you guidelines for setting the hearing; if they don’t, you should set it approximately three working days after the notice. The employee might or might not show up for the hearing, but it’s important that you present the opportunity and pay the employee through the hearing. The personnel officer – whether that’s the mayor or you – will preside at the hearing. (In this case, if you are the City’s primary witness to her admission, someone else should run the hearing.) After the hearing, the presiding officer decides whether to fire the employee and notifies the employee in writing of that decision, including the reasons for it.
I also advise you strongly to contact law enforcement and cooperate in any investigation and prosecution. This step helps obtain repayment for the City and stops the employee from embezzling from another employer.
Q. One of the new employees in our finance department got carried away at the department’s summer picnic. She drank too much beer and pulled the teenaged son of a colleague onto her lap, and started screaming at her former boyfriend, who was also at the picnic. Can we discipline her for this behavior? The picnic was in a public camp ground, and the rest of us are embarrassed.
A. If your employees are not at-will, your personnel policies may well list “job abandonment” as grounds for termination. Even if you don’t see anything applicable in the personnel policies, you can treat the employee as having, basically, quit without notice. Follow the policies or, if they are silent on this topic, send a letter to the employee notifying him that he has abandoned the job by not coming to work or seeking an excuse. You need not mention your understanding that he is in jail – it doesn’t really matter, in this instance, why he has not been to work, just that he has not.
The Employment Law Hotline can help you avoid legal nightmares by answering your employment law questions BEFORE you act. AMLJIA members are entitled to a free 30-minute consultation with the Longenbaugh Law Firm, LLC. Call 1-877-426-5542 or send an e-mail to hotline@amljia.org.
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Mark Your Calendar
February 2008 is shaping up to be a big month on the AMLJIA event calendar. For the first time, the Public Entity Risk Management Seminar, the Law Enforcement Management Institute, and an OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Training will be held concurrently. Our new conference venue, the Anchorage Marriott Downtown, is equipped with comfortable, spacious meeting facilities. We are planning some combined activities which will bring our city, borough and school personnel together with our law enforcement officers to enhance the learning opportunities for all. Mark February 4-8, 2008, on your calendar and plan to join us for an outstanding training event. Detailed information will be available this winter.
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School Calendar Contest Returns
The AMLJIA announces the return of the Safety Calendar Contest. The contest is open to students in all AMLJIA member schools in kindergarten through sixth grade. Students are asked to create safety awareness posters on themes such as playground safety, bicycle safety, fire safety, etc. Twelve student artists will be featured in our 2008 Safety Calendar. Information has been sent to all member schools and is also available on our website, www.amljia.org, or you may contact Sharon Tunnell at 800-337-3682.
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Calendar
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AMLJIA's quarterly newsletter has a new look and name. "The Bridge" offers a range of timely, informative articles geared toward addressing the needs of members, as well as highlighting important news about AMLJIA's programs and events. If you're not on the mailing list and wish to receive a copy, please contact Loss Control Assistant Sharon Tunnell at 
