2003 annual report

2003 Annual Report
The Georgia Merit System of Personnel Administration
We can. We care. We customize.

The Georgia Merit System
Commissioner's Message
To our employees, agency customers, state government leaders, and the people of Georgia:
It is my pleasure to present this fiscal year 2003 Annual Report. On February 4, 2003, the Georgia Merit System of Personnel Administration celebrated its 60th Anniversary. During this milestone year the agency was given the opportunity not only to reflect on our past, but to also look toward our future.
Since its inception, the Georgia Merit System has provided the State of Georgia with a human resource operation that is recognized nationally as a leader among states with centralized personnel systems. As the Merit System celebrates 60 years of service, we are extremely proud of this document. We believe it accurately reflects programs and services provided that are consistent with the Merit System's mission to provide leadership in recruitment, development, and retention of a diverse and competent workforce.
Like all state agencies, the Merit System has faced the challenges of fiscal belt tightening. Budgetary constraints of providing more with less involved redefining our vision and mission, re-aligning programs with the core vision and mission of the agency, prioritizing our goals, and attaching resources to those programs and services that are absolutely essential to the current and future success of the agency.
With input from our internal and external customers, we linked our vision, mission and guiding principles to our highest priorities. They are Workforce Development and Alignment, Total Compensation and Rewards, and Recruitment and Staffing Services. This document will give you a glimpse of the agency's many accomplishments in partnering with state agencies and providing leadership in the areas of workforce planning, succession planning, diversity management, leadership development and training, flexible and worklife benefits, compensation and salary planning, and applicant assessments, to name a few.
As the agency moves into its sixth decade of existence, we continue with a renewed commitment to champion workforce excellence in delivery of services to our customers and the people of Georgia. We are confident that our leadership in providing quality human resource management, products and services will assist the State of Georgia in achieving its goal of having the most skilled and competent workforce needed in the best managed state in the nation.
Sincerely,
Marjorie H. Young, Commissioner

The Georgia Merit System
Table of Contents
Historical Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Vision, Mission, Service Strategy, Guiding Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 State Personnel Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Employee Benefit Plan Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Employee Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Workforce Development & Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Workforce Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Succession Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Employee Management Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
HR Policies, Rules Development & Interpretation . . . .10 Alternative Dispute Resolution Services . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Diversity Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Statewide Human Resource Audit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Leadership Development & Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Knowledge Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Organizational Assessment & Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Performance Management System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Performance Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Performance Management Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Employee Development & Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Employee Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Total Compensation & Rewards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Classification and Salary Planning Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 State Workforce Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15-31 Flexible Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Peach State Reserves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Worklife Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34-35 Employee Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Wellness Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Employee Recognition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 State Charitable Contributions Program . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Faithful Service Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Teleworking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Employee Suggestion Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Recruitment and Staffing Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Medical and Physical Exam Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Substance Abuse Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 The Jobsite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Applicant Assessment Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Publications, Presentations and Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 GMS Executive Staff Organization Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

The Georgia Merit System
Historical Overview
The Georgia Merit System of Personnel Administration (GMS) was established in February 1943 (SB 17) as the central personnel agency of the state of Georgia, providing human resource (HR) and benefit programs, products and services to all state entities and employees. The core responsibility of the GMS is to establish "a system of personnel administration that will attract, select and retain the best employees based on merit with incentives in the form of equal opportunities for all." Source: OCGA 45-20-1 (a). It is also the state's central recordkeeping agency for state employee data and the central means of monitoring state personnel practices. Although the role and structure of the Merit System have changed since Merit System Reform in 1996 (SB 635), its leadership and responsibility to provide services that enable a productive state workforce have not. Reform changed the role of the Merit System from that of being regulation driven to that of being customer driven, serving more as an expert human resource consultant and a facilitator of workforce planning and policies that cross agency lines. This new role has created a new balance between the human resource function of the Merit System and the operating agencies. The Merit System works with state agencies to hire, train, develop and retain their workforce, enhance organizational performance, and provide employee benefits and financial security services through the administration of the state's flexible benefits and deferred compensation programs. State agencies work with the Merit System as enthusiastic partners in developing workforce planning model processes that reflect agency and state business objectives; updating the performance management process; developing HR auditing processes; developing total compensation/rewards strategies; instituting diversity management initiatives; and implementing a telework program.
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The Georgia Merit System
Vision
We envision a highly competent and diverse workforce that meets the needs of state government and the expectations of the people of Georgia.
Mission
The Georgia Merit System champions workforce excellence and provides visionary leadership that enables state government to achieve its business objectives by using innovative strategies to recruit, develop, and retain a competent and diverse workforce.
Service Strategy
We can; We care; We customize
Guiding Principles
t Employees are our greatest asset. t Integrity and excellence are at the heart of all our decisions. t We exist for our customers. t Everyone deserves mutual respect and understanding. t We create a work environment that supports and rewards continuous learning,
continuous improvement, creativity, and high performance.
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The Georgia Merit System

M. David Alalof Chair

Geri P Thomas Vice Chair

Claybon J. Edwards Member

Melinda Langston Member

State Personnel Board
The Governor appoints five citizens to the State Personnel Board for five-year terms. The Commissioner of the Georgia Merit System serves on the Board as the Executive Secretary. The functions, duties and authority of the State Personnel Board include:
Improvement of personnel administration in state agencies representing the best interest of citizens of Georgia;
Determining appropriate goals and objectives for the State Merit System and providing policies for their accomplishment;
Adopting and amending policies, rules and regulations; and Reviewing appeals of adverse personnel actions.

Employee Benefit Plan Council
The State Personnel Board members also serve on the Employee Benefit Plan Council. The Benefit Plan Council is a ten-member council appointed by the Governor and consists of:
The five members of the State Personnel Board; Two department heads who have employees eligible to participate in the
employee benefit plans; Two state employees who are eligible to participate in the employee benefit
plans; and One member from a corporation domiciled in the state of Georgia that
insures or administers employee benefit plans .
The chair of the State Personnel Board also serves as the chair of the Council.

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Employee Budget - FY2003

FY 2003

Deferred Compensation Participants Investments

t 457 Plan t 401k Plan

18,056 20,613

$440.4 million $123.5 million

Annual Collections in Flexible Benefits Program t $78.5 million t 151 Positions

Agency Fund Sources Fiscal Year 2003 Budget
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Georgia Merit System

Highlights

Workforce Planning In FY 2003 and FY 2004, the workforce planning unit continued to win national recognition and awards for its trend-setting approach to automated workforce planning as well as its innovative approaches to identifying, hiring, and promoting high performers. As a result of GMS efforts, the following were accomplished:
t 2002, International Personnel Management Association (IPMA) Innovations Award and grant for automating competency assessment and development tools
t 2002, Assessment Council of IPMA award for Innovations in Assessment for work in performance measurement, competency-based HR processes, and ROI analysis
t 2002, National Association of State Personnel Executives (NASPE) Innovations Award Nominee for Georgia's Workforce Planning Program
t 2002, IPMA featured Georgia's competency-based workforce planning model as

an exemplary approach in their Workforce Planning Guide t 2003, IRS benchmarking study, conducted by Caliber Associates, identified Georgia's approach as one of the three top workforce planning programs in the nation.
Georgia Merit System 60th Anniversary In FY 2003, the Georgia Merit System(GMS) celebrated 60 years of service to the people of Georgia. On February 4, 1943, Senate Bill 17 established the Georgia Merit System of Personnel Administration as the central personnel agency of the state of Georgia. In 1996, civil service reform occurred and decentralized the HR functions directly to individual agencies. GMS became a leader and facilitator of HR policies. Reform changed the agency's role from regulator to HR expert and consultant.
t February 4, 2003 proclaimed as Merit System Day at the State Capitol in recognition of GMS's 60th anniversary.

Workforce Development & Alignment
Leadership and Organizational Development is the first sub-program under Workforce Development and Alignment. Its purpose is to enable state agencies to acquire and align staffing resources to meet workforce and business needs in an effective and efficient manner. It helps to ensure the implementation of HR best practices through the development and use of sound, fair, and equitable polices and rules, and customized strategies and interventions. The second sub-program, Employee Development, provides continuous opportunities for state employees to grow and develop professionally resulting in increased productivity for state agencies. This program provides ongoing support and learning opportunities by encouraging employees to participate in work-related training and development.

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Workforce Development & Alignment
Workforce Planning
The Georgia Merit System continues to win national recognition and awards for its trend-setting approach to automated workforce planning as well as its innovative approaches to identifying, hiring, and promoting high performers. Workforce planning was well received by state agencies, enjoying a high level of participation - 97 percent in FY 2002, and 63 percent in FY 2003, a year when participation was not mandated. This fiscal year, GMS:
t Reviewed the plans submitted by agencies, giving custom feedback to each agency to target critical workforce gaps, to identify strategies to hire, develop, and retain productive state employees, and to ensure that agency HR strategies close significant workforce gaps that impede agency objectives.
t Developed action plans, tools, procedures, and other services to help state agencies implement best practices in human resources. Training is now under development.
t Programmed workforce planning expertise into several automated competency assessment and performance improvement tools. These tools, which are now being improved and web-enabled, simplify and automate assessment activities so non-experts can obtain expert results in interviewing job candidates, developing employees, and identifying high potential candidates for management and leadership development.
Succession Planning
The Georgia Merit System examined agency workforce plans to identify staffing, diversity, and competency problems affecting Georgia's managers and leaders. They also developed action plans, tools, procedures, and other services to support state agencies in succession planning. This year, GMS:
t Examined agency workforce plans to identify staffing, diversity, and competency problems affecting Georgia's managers and leaders
t Uncovered the most significant competency gaps affecting managerial jobs. The five most critical competency gaps affecting the Georgia's managers are professional expertise, customer service, teamwork, organizational awareness, and diversity management.
t Identified agencies involved in succession planning. Agency workforce plans also revealed that 41 percent of Georgia's executive agencies report that they have begun succession planning activities, while another 56 percent report intentions to do so.
t Developed a customizable action plan for agencies to implement succession planning. t Began demonstration project to test procedures and tools to identify and develop high
potential candidates for the managerial and leadership jobs. t Developed manager and leader generic competency profiles to be used in selecting and
developing managers and leaders. t Developed tools and procedures to identify high potential candidates for management
and leadership development. t Prepared training and consultative services to assist agencies in succession planning.
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Workforce Development & Alignment
Employee Management Relations
HR Policies, Rules Development & Interpretation In accordance with O.C.G.A. 45-20-1, the Georgia Merit System assists state government in operating within a framework of consistent personnel policies and practices to promote workforce productivity and sound business practices in the public sector. For fiscal year 2003, GMS:
t Provided expert consultant services to 5,812 HR managers and employees in more than 85 state agencies.
t Provided best practice recommendations for sound personnel practices, policy development strategies, and accurate interpretive assistance to more than 2,500 HR managers and staff members.
t Developed a web-based Reduction in Force tool for HR managers. t Assisted 13 agencies in processing Reduction in Force plans. t Responded to 65 constituent inquiries from the people of Georgia.
Alternative Dispute Resolution Services It is the policy of the State Personnel Board and the intent of Georgia Merit System to provide alternative forums for resolving workplace conflicts to enhance employee effectiveness and efficiency, cut down on the number of employment-related EEOC filings, and to improve working conditions between managers and their employees. This fiscal year, GMS:
t Provided prompt, timely responses to 75 grievance issues and complaints concerning matters related to the employment of the employee. Encouraged supervisors and employees to make reasonable efforts to resolve disputes to prevent formal grievances.
t Conducted uniform and orderly grievance hearings. t Facilitated 24 neutral, third party mediation sessions. The mediators see areas of possible
agreement that the parties are unable to see in direct, unmediated, negotiations. t Provided confidential assistance to 70 employees and managers on mediation related
inquiries. t Reviewed over 139 Administrative Hearings. t Responded to 77 adverse action inquires pertaining to the loss of pay, salary reductions,
reprimands, transfers, demotions, suspensions, and dismissals.
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Workforce Development & Alignment

Diversity Management
t Published and distributed the Georgia Strategic Diversity Plan. t Presented two diversity presentations, Diversity Management Initiatives and Workforce
planning by Rosalyn Price of Cox Enterprises, Inc and the County of Los Angeles Model Diversity Plan by Marcus V. Castro at the FY 2003 Workforce Planning and Diversity Conference. t Conducted a needs assessment on the education needs of senior executives regarding diversity. t Began development of a guide that agencies may use to develop and implement a diversity program.

Human Resource Audit
The Statewide Human Resource Audit (HR Audit) was developed as a self-appraisal, webbased instrument, which allows agencies to assess and improve their current human resource practices. There are currently four audit modules covering the following HR topics: Classification Management, Compensation Management, Performance Management and Recruitment and Selection Assessment.
t 37 Georgia State Agencies completed and submitted data from all four of the HR audit modules:
t Summary statistics indicate that human resources activities are generally well managed, with some room for improvement.

Audit Modules Summary Statistics: All Agencies

Module Classification Management Compensation Management Performance Management Recruitment & Selection

Mean 83.8 78.4 88.8 81.9

Median 87 81 91 83

Standard Deviation 13.70 15.49 8.63 8.98

As the Statewide Human Resource Audit enters its second year (FY2004), GMS will again

utilize an assessment tool that supports agencies in assessing and improving their Human

Resources departments. To that end, we anticipate the development of additional audit

modules and questions addressing the following HR topics:

t Deferred Compensation

t Employee Assistance Programs

t Flexible Benefits

t Flexible Work Schedules/Telework

t Incentive Awards

t Reduction-in-Force

t Payroll

In addition, the FY2004 HR Audit Website will have an expanded Best Practices section.

From this section, agencies will have access to targeted human resource strategies and tactics

designed to address the points discussed within the Improvement Recommendations section

of the 2003 HR Audit Report.

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Workforce Development & Alignment
Leadership Development & Training
The Georgia Merit System provides a wide-range of courses and programs to enhance the leadership skills and competencies of leaders, managers, and supervisors in Georgia state government. In Fiscal Year 2003, GMS:
t Trained 4,924 state managers and supervisors (approximately 300 percent increase from FY 2002) during 201 sessions (38 increase from FY2002).
t Completed leadership development curriculum reflecting Governor Sonny Perdue's endorsement of Stephen Covey's Principle-Centered Leadership through the presentation of The 4 Roles of Leadership. The GMS leadership from Commissioner to first-line supervisors completed The 4 Roles of Leadership session.
t In addition to our standard courses and programs, GMS designed curricula to meet the specific leadership development programs for eight organizations to include the Department of Transportation and the Georgia Forestry Commission.
Knowledge Management
GMS began the initial data collection phase of the Knowledge Management Archive project within the Policy, Data and Audit Section. The "pilot" phase is designed to evaluate the quality and usefulness of the information gathered. Collection was focused on existing processes and requests for information within the section.
Organizational Assessment & Services
t Designed, delivered, and conducted team-building sessions for three organizations. t Assisted one agency in measuring its organizational effectiveness; identified improvement
areas through the design, data collection, analysis and report of a customized employee survey. t Developed and implemented a Pre-Training Assessment instrument to help agencies identify competency gaps. Several agencies have successfully implemented this instrument.
Workplace Safety
GMS provides leadership and direction to the Georgia Interagency Safety Advisory Council (GISAC). The council has been instrumental in elevating the safety awareness in state agencies. In fiscal year 2003, the council:
t Conducted 2 Safety Workshops for state safety coordinators. t Provided a "one-stop" safety resource for safety information and timely updates online at
www.ganet.org/safety. t GMS, in conjunction with GISAC, began development of additional tools including Safety
Best Practices and a Safety Module for the Human Resources Audit. t Fostered relationships with nationally recognized safety organizations to support and
promote services and strategies in state government that ensure employee safety and risk reduction. 12

Workforce Development & Alignment

Performance Management System
Performance Management GMS is the proponent of the Georgia Performance Management Process (PMP) that is used by the majority of state agencies. GMS also provided PMP trainer certification for agencies. During FY 2003, GMS:
t Trained 430 state managers and supervisors in various components of the PMP. t Trained 108 leaders through an electronic learning/on-line (e-Learning) option in
addition to traditional classroom instruction.

Performance Management Tools The Georgia Merit System designed the PMTools software to assist managers and supervisors in the Performance Management Process. This software package provides managers and supervisors with a tool to easily create performance plans, complete mid-year and end-of-year performance evaluations, record employee performance on a notes page or "diary", and print associated forms and reports, electronically. This year, GMS staff:
t Provided hands-on, computer laboratory training and responded to 855 requests for technical assistance from the 380 state entities whose supervisors and managers utilize PMTools across the state.

Employee Development & Training
t Provided training in 23 courses including Stephen Covey's The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People for 2,028 state employees.
t Provided extensive training for administrative assistants through the Professional Secretaries Development Program. During FY 2003, 57 administrative professionals participated in this program.
t Hosted the 14th Annual Professional Development Conference for Support Staff t Provided tailored curricula to meet the specific employee development needs for seven
state agencies. t Provided train-the-trainer instruction to support several state agencies. t Trained 981 employees in 126 sessions in the critical skills area of Personal Computer
(PC) training. The sessions focused on the Microsoft Office programs. t Provided teleconferencing and satellite support to three agencies. t Enhanced professional and personal growth, success, and self-efficacy internally, all GMS
employees participated in a four-day educational seminar, Imagine 21-Fast Track to Change. This seminar taught by GMS-trained facilitators received exceptionally positive evaluations from the GMS staff.

Employee Orientation

t GMS streamed "Finding Your Place in Georgia State Government" online at

www.gms.state.ga.us for easy accessibility and convenience to state employees and the

general public. Last year, the Merit System produced and distributed the video and an

orientation checklist to all state agencies. For those agencies that did not have a formal

orientation program in place, the two items served as a start-up plan to inform

employees of all benefits state government has to offer.

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Total Compensation & Rewards

Total Compensation & Rewards

The state of Georgia recognizes that its agencies must become more competitive in recruitment and retention efforts by aggressively marketing the value of meaningful public service and a combined compensation and benefits package for potential and current employees. Georgia's Total Rewards/Compensation is a holistic approach that addresses base pay + incentive pay + benefits valuation + work-life issues as one value.

Goals: t Enhance public's perception of the value of public service and public servants. t Increase the awareness and satisfaction of the Total Compensation/Rewards Program
among state employees and applicants through communication and education initiatives. t Add value to the Total Compensation/Rewards package by identifying additional no
cost/low cost options. t Incorporate additional eligible employees into benefit plan. t Expand the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to provide statewide employee coverage
to enhance the existing statewide consultative services for managers. t Institutionalize the Employee Recognition Program in state government.

Accomplishments:

t Completed evaluation of benefits by partnering with outside consultants --Hewitt and

Associates and Watson Wyatt.

t Raising the awareness of the value of the state's Total Rewards package through employee

newsletters, orientation packages, annual total compensation/rewards statement, and e-

mail to employees and applicants.

t Partnering with the Department of Community Health, the Retirement System, and

Workers' Compensation in developing a Total Compensation/Rewards newsletter for

employees and in other initiatives.

t Incorporating valuation of benefits into Labor Market research reports published annually

by the Merit System for agency heads and personnel offices.

t Continually reviewing benefit mix to provide desired benefits tailored for a diverse work-

force at competitive cost. Reviewing low cost/no cost opportunities.

t Expanding the concept of recruitment to include retirees, job sharing and part-time

employment.

t Recognition of state employees' contributions through the reinstitution of the statewide

employees' recognition program in 2001 and the institution of the employee incentive

program that features both an incentive award and incentive compensation component.

t Expanding employee friendly programs such as Work Away (Georgia's statewide telework

initiative) and flexible, alternative work schedules that have been shown to enhance

employee morale and productivity as well as have a positive impact on air quality and

traffic congestion. This work-life initiative has become an excellent recruitment and

retention strategy.

t Innovative programs such as EAP/Wellness and Safety programs have been established

to assure the employees' ability to remain fully productive, saving the state millions of

dollars in workers' compensation, medical and property claims and absenteeism.

t Expanding on-line Open Enrollment, initiated in 2002, to allow employees the option of

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making benefits selections at work or at home.

Total Compensation & Rewards
Classification & Salary Planning Services
This year, the Georgia Merit System (GMS) began the process of evaluating the job classification system. In phase I, GMS:
t Identified redundant outdated and unused job titles t Partnered with agencies to eliminate 485 outdated and unused jobs from the statewide
system. In the second phase, GMS will partner with agencies to further streamline and modernize the job system by creating competency based career ladders and identifying effective strategies for talent management.
State Workforce Information
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Count of Employees by Agency 1996 to 2003 16

Changes to Count of Employees by Agency 1996 to 2003 17

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Distribution of Employees by Tenure from 1996 to 2003 (Excluding Legislative and Judicial Branch Employees)

Distribution of Employees by Age from 1996 to 2003 (Excluding Legislative and Judicial Branch Employees)
The projected number of unclassified employees at the end of a fiscal year is an exponentially declining function of the years since Merit System reform. The estimating function is e11.01-.12Y where Y is the number of years since M/S reform. Roughly 11% of the remaining employees leave each year.
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20

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Total Compensation & Rewards
Distribution of Employees by Department
22

Total Compensation & Rewards
Distribution of Employees by Region [See Map of Regions Below]
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Total Compensation & Rewards
Distribution of Employees in the Largest State Institutions
Approximately 8,065 state employees work at the Capitol Hill/2 Peachtree complex. 24

Total Compensation & Rewards
Distribution of Employees by Salary Grade
72,617 employees or 88% of the regular workforce are assigned to the Statewide Salary plan. Statewide plan employees are assigned to jobs written in a standard format. The jobs are assigned to pay grades. And the employee's pay range is determined by the grade assignment of the job. The minimum salary of the grade assigned to a job is typically the hiring salary for that job. The Statewide plan covers employees at all occupational levels from service, clerical, and maintenance workers to division directors. Smaller, specialized salary plans cover Physicians, teachers at state institutions, technical school employees, authorities, and the Judicial and Legislative branches.
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Total Compensation & Rewards
Distribution of Employees Within Salary Grade Range
17,013 employees or 23% are at the minimum salary for their pay grades 75% of employees are at salaries below the midpoints of their pay grades State salaries average 10% to 15% behind competitive market rates Distribution of Employees by Occupational Level
We're predominantly low-tech, high-touch. Our largest occupational categories: customer service, patient care, inmate supervision, counseling, vocational guidance, program administration. Our jobs require person-to-person contact with a personal touch, and they are difficult to automate. We're occupationally diverse, with 208 occupational categories covering almost every occupational grouping in standard industrial classification systems. Small groups of employees provide specialized and diverse but essential functions (5% of workforce covers 56% of occupational categories). Our major occupational categories are all on state and US DOL lists of jobs with highest predicted growth over next decade: Health Aides, Clerical Support Staff, Correctional Officers, Nurses, and General Management.
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Total Compensation & Rewards
Estimates of Employees in Managerial or Supervisory Positions
Employees on Senior Executive Plan are agency heads or direct reports of agency heads in policy-making and confidential positions with annual salaries of $50,000 or over. The category Officers and Administrators is based on an Equal Opportunity reporting code. Employees assigned to this code would be managers above Division Director level or managers of major state institutions such as hospitals, prisons, or youth development centers. The category Supervisors and Managers includes all employees on the statewide salary plan with a mandatory supervisory responsibility in their job description. It includes both upper-level managers and line supervisors. Distribution of Employees by Functional Area
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Total Compensation & Rewards
Distribution of Employees In Largest Subfunctional Areas
Distribution of Employees In Jobs with the Largest Number of Incumbents
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Total Compensation & Rewards
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Total Compensation & Rewards
Distribution of Employees by Ethnic Group and Gender

Total Compensation & Rewards
Distribution of Employees by Age and Tenure

Total Compensation & Rewards

Flexible Benefits

Benefit
Employee Life Insurance Life Insurance - 1 Life Insurance - 2 Life Insurance - 3 Life Insurance - 4 Life Insurance - 5
Total
Accidental Death and Dismemberment AD & D - 1 AD & D - 2 AD & D - 3 AD & D - 4 AD & D - 5
Total
Spouse Life Insurance* SL Level 1 SL Level 2 SL Level 3 SL Level 4 SL Level 5

No. Enrolled % Active Emp.

18,723 23,631 18,185 13,545
8,394
82,478
12,708 10,970 15,680
6,229 19,639
65,226
5,577 14,259 17,673
1,537 3,111

17.74 22.40 17.23 12.84
7.95
78.19
12.04 10.39 14.86
5.90 18.61
61.83
5.28 13.51 16.75
1.45 2.94

Child Life Insurance* CL 3X CL 6X CL 10X CL 15X CL 20X
Total

4,943 6,006 8,658 1,702 19,236
40,545

4.68 5.69 8.20 1.61 18.23
38.43

Short-term Disability Insurance* STD + SS 30 STD - SS 30 STD + SS 07 STD - SS 07
Total
Long-term Disability Insurance LTD - Ret + SS LTD + Ret + SS LTD - Ret - SS LTD + Ret - SS
Total

Dental Insurance Dental - Single Dental - Family Dental, PPO - Single Dental, PPO - Family Dental, PRPD - Single Dental, PRPD - Family
Total

Spending Accounts SA - Health SA - Dependent
Total

Legal Insurance* Legal Ins - Single Legal Ins - Family
Total

Long Term Care* LTC - Base LTC - Inflation Prot. LTC - Red. Pd. Up LTC - Infl./Red
Total

Vision Insurance

Vision - Single 23,391

Vision - Family 21,763

Total

45,154

*Does not include pre-tax reductions

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28,888 2,003 5,205 11,229
47,325
27,827 10,738 14,785
840
54,190
25,675 25,698
5,563 5,718 3,774 4,568
70,996
9,212 989
10,201
5,171 5,142
10,313
2,293 198 161 80
2,732
22.17 20.63
42.80

27.38 1.89 4.93
10.64
44.86
26.38 10.17 14.01
0.79
51.37
24.34 24.36
5.27 5.42 3.57 4.33
67.30
8.73 0.93
9.66
4.90 4.87
9.77
2.17 0.18 0.15 0.07
2.58
17,152 15,362
32,514

Fiscal Year 2003 Fiscal Year 2002

No. Enrolled %Active Emp.

16,055 20,394 17,345 10,640
3,275
72,709
12.123 10,957 16,316
6,297 19,869
65,562
6,316 9,755 16,544 1,677 1,677

17.80 22.61 19.23 11.79
9.17
80.62
13.44 12.15 18.09
6.98 22.03
72.70
7.00 10.81 18.34
1.85 1.85

5,634 6,878 3,077 1,475 18,203
35,267

6.24 7.62 3.41 1.63 20.18
39.10

29,474 2,001 4,412 234
36,121
27,144 11,437 1,932
904
41,417
21,751 20,982
4,986 5,235 1,930 2,311
57,195
9,259 994
10,253
5,104 5,097
10,201
2,415 219 167 89
2,890
21.22 18.90
40.12

32.68 2.21 4.89 0.25
40.05
30.10 12.68
2.14 1.00
45.92
24.12 23.26
5.52 5.80 2.14 2.56
63.42
10.26 1.10
11.36
5.65 5.65
11.31
2.67 0.24 0.18 0.09
3.20
16,244 15,148
31,392

Total Compensation & Rewards

Peach State Reserves
(The Georgia Retirement Investment Plan)
The world equity markets have seen a welcome upswing during the second half of this fiscal year. Enrollment in Peach State Reserves over the last fiscal year has increased by 12 percent. This year, the Plan:
t Implemented a Section 403(b) Plan. The State of Georgia Deferred Compensation Program obtained the first Private Letter Ruling of its kind from the IRS allowing for commingling of 403(b) Plan assets in a Group Trust with 457 and 401(k) assets. This allows the state to provide a defined contribution plan to schoolteachers and other educational employees at a significantly reduced cost than could otherwise be obtained from private sector brokers and annuity providers.

Total Plan Assets and Enrollment including Employer Contributions and Rollovers

457 Plan

6/30/2001 6/30/2002 6/30/2003

Enrolled Change

17,967

(632)

18,483

516

18,056

(427)

% Change FY 00 - 03

% Change -3% 3% -2% -1%

Assets 465,108,331 426,264,224 440,397,783

Change (43,421,619) (38,844,107) 14,133,559

% Change -9% -8% 3% -5%

401(k) Plan

6/30/2001 6/30/2002 6/30/2003

Enrolled

Change

16,638

3,255

19,362

2,724

13,383

1,251

% Change FY 00 - 03

% Change Assets

24%

66,915,214

16%

88,704,779

6%

123,461,165

24%

Change 18,202,831 21,789,565 34,756,386

% Change 37% 33% 39% 85%

457 and 401(k) Plans combined

6/30/2001 6/30/2002 6/30/2003

Enrolled Change

34,605

2,623

37,845

3,240

38,669

824

% Change FY 00 - 03

% Change Assets

8%

532,023,545

9%

514,969,003

2%

563,858,948

12%

Change (25,218,788) (17,054,542) 48,889,945

% Change -5% -3% 9% 6%

33

Total Compensation & Rewards
Worklife Benefits
Employee Assistance Program The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) serves as an incentive to all employees and is part of the total rewards and compensation package. The primary goal of the program is to provide early intervention and prevention services. The EAP provides free, confidential preliminary assessments to help identify the nature of an employee's problems and, if needed, make a referral to an outside organization, facility or program that can assist the employee in resolving his or her situation. Employee assistance professionals are available for employees who have a wide range of personal and work related concerns. Participation in the EAP is voluntary and, ultimately, the employee's decision to participate. This year, EAP:
t Assisted 108 employees.
Wellness Program The Georgia Merit System has formed a partnership with the Department of Community Health to promote healthy lifestyles and to encourage a greater understanding of wellness throughout the state. The purpose of the Wellness Program is to promote healthy lifestyles for employees and to improve the physical and mental health of employees through a variety of wellness/fitness activities. The intent is to create a culture of wellness to improve the overall quality of life for employees and their families. At wellness fairs, attendees have access to educational tools and resources that include, but are not limited to; flu shots, blood pressure checks, Body Mass Index (BMI) tests, massages, and bone density tests. Both the EAP and Wellness program have the potential to reduce the costs associated with worker's compensation claims, medical claims and absenteeism. This year, the wellness program:
t Conducted three Wellness Fairs in Macon, and Metro Atlanta t Provided resources and information to 1511 employees
Employee Recognition Program State Employee Recognition is an annual event held in conjunction with National Public Service Recognition Week to celebrate the important contributions of state employees. A formal ceremony and Proclamation signing was held on May 7, 2003 at the James H. Sloppy Floyd Veterans Building.
t Sixty-nine nominations were submitted from state agencies. t Twenty-eight award winners were recognized in the seven award categories of customer
service, community service, heroism, innovations/suggestions, safety, teamwork and leadership. t Two employees were recognized for 40 years of service with the State of Georgia. t The Georgia Technology Authority videotaped the ceremony. t National recognition and publicity received from the National Association of State Personnel Executives (NASPE)
34

Total Compensation & Rewards
Worklife Benefits, continued
State Charitable Contributions Program The State Charitable Contributions Program (SCCP) is a statewide, community-based program that is administered by the Merit System. SCCP provides an opportunity for employees to donate to charities of their choice through payroll deduction.
t During FY 2003, state employees and employees of the Georgia University System contributed $2.8 million to various non-profit organizations throughout the state.
Faithful Service Awards Faithful Service Awards Program recognizes graduated years of employee service with a pin and/or certificate. Retirees with 30 or more years of service receive their choice of a wristwatch or a plaque. Retirees with less than 30 years of service receive a lapel pin. The Merit System:
t Presented 13,801 awards based on graduated years of service. t Presented 794 awards to retirees with 30 or more years of service. t Presented 1,157 awards to retirees with less than 30 years of service.
Teleworking Telework is a management option that allows eligible employees to work at home or other remote locations for a selected time period. Telework options help retain valued employees and recruit quality applicants. In fiscal year 2003,
t GMS conducted a six-month statewide telework pilot with the participation of four state agencies.
t Developed, tested, and verified best practice policies and procedures to support the implementation of a successful statewide teleworking program in Georgia.
t Published pilot results online and established an ongoing website presence for general Telework information
t Collaborated with Georgia Technology Authority to create a "Guide to Telework" in PeopleSoft to accompany a module to capture telework participation of state agencies.
Employee Suggestion Program State employees can make and track their suggestions for cost-saving improvements on-line. This process allows employees to review a historical view of submitted suggestions, search for suggestion key words, show topics for suggestions, and show co-sponsored suggestions. Departmental coordinators can also read and evaluate suggestions on-line.
t Forty suggestions were submitted during FY 2003. t Two state employees' suggestions were adopted and generated over $37,000 tangible and
intangible savings. t One employee received a monetary award totaling $3,798.00 t Two employees received a monetary award totaling $114 for submitting cost-savings
procedures. t The program is accessible at www.gms.state.ga.us/employee/esp.
35

Recruitment and Staffing Services

Recruitment and Staffing Services
The Recruitment and Staffing Services Program includes three sub-programs. The purpose of Testing and Selection is to provide a fair, consistently applied and cost-effective means to test large numbers of job applicants for competencies and specific job skills/knowledge for state agencies. Statewide test centers provide applicants with reasonable access to compete for state jobs. The purpose of the Recruitment sub-program is to attract high caliber applicants to state government. This area provides a web-enabled job posting and applicant tracking system with continuous (i.e. 24/7) access to job opportunities. Specialized recruitment initiatives for hard to fill, high profile and unique jobs, are undertaken to maximize the limited recruitment resources of agencies. This sub-program also evaluates the training and experience of applicants to ensure that they meet the minimum qualifications for the jobs. The third, and final sub-program is Job Information and Marketing. Its purpose is to provide a central point of contact for the general public seeking to learn about job opportunities, career choices and procedures involved in securing state jobs. Program staff provide career guidance, resume building assistance and other job search assistance. Outreach initiatives such as career fairs and on-site presentations to colleges, universities, technical schools and targeted recruitment groups (e.g. minority and professional organizations) are utilized to disseminate information highlighting state government as a career of choice.

Medical and Physical Exam Program

The Georgia General Assembly initiated MAPEP in July 1961 to ensure that prospective

employees are physically capable of carrying out their job duties. The goal of the program is

to protect prospective employees from possible harmful effects associated with employment.

MAPEP also protects the state from potential liability under Workers' Compensation laws for

conditions arising after employment but caused in whole or in part by preexisting conditions.

The Georgia Merit System provides agencies general and specialized medical guidelines for

applicants considering employment. The Merit System also provides forms and a program

manual that includes recommended policies, procedures, and processes for determining and

applying medical and physical standards. The Georgia Merit System coordinates medical and

physical case reviews for agencies and provides human resource consultant services. Refer to

table 1.0 for FY 2003 MAPEP examinations conducted.

MAPEP Table 1.0

Form Review

Physical Review

Cat 1

14

27

(Office Worker, Manager, Administrator)

Cat 2

5

9

(Storekeeper, Laundry Worker, Heavy Equipment Operator, etc.)

Cat 3

2

6

(Kitchen Worker, Butcher, Meat Inspector)

Cat 4

12

20

(Nurses, Physicians, Health Service Technicians, etc.)

Cat 5
(Trooper, Transportation Enforcement Officers, Special Agents, etc.)

155

312

36

Recruitment and Staffing Services

Substance Abuse Testing

The State's Drug and Alcohol Testing program began in July of 1990, with the passage of Act

1445, which required preemployment and random drug screening of certain state employees.

This year: t There were 112 participating entities. t A total of 22,070 drug tests were performed
for 55 agencies/departments and 17 colleges
and universities t Cost for tests totaled $651,065.

Type of Test Pre-employment Random Post Accident Reasonable Suspicion Return to Duty

Tested 10,981 10,404
77 64 14

Follow-up

12

Periodic Medical

12

Other

318

Not indicated

188

The Jobsite

TOTALS

22,070

t Submissions totaling almost 383,000 from applicants for jobs posting during 2003 (an
increase of 35 percent). t A daily average of 306 job postings are displayed, and almost 60,000 new applicants put
their resume information into the applicant database. t Seventy-two different state agencies post jobs as part of their recruitment efforts.

Applicant Assessment Services
t Assisted agencies with the screening of applicants by administering almost 25,000 written tests - an increase of 10 percent over the previous year. Of that total, 83 percent was at a specific agency's request for jobs unique to that agency. Staff made decisions on 71,574 requests for evaluations of minimum job qualifications by applicants.
t Implemented a statewide electronic online application process in January 2003 for five critical jobs in the Division of Family and Children's Services in the Department of Human Resources. Since that time, almost 6,700 requests for evaluation have been processed.
t Provided employment search services to over 100 state employees affected by a reduction-in-force (RIF) program in a number of state agencies. Made changes in the applicant tracking system so that impacted employees can highlight their availability to agency recruiters if they so desire.
t Partnered with the Department of Juvenile Justice in the development of a test administration and scoring process in anticipation of the implementation of a new selection process for Juvenile Correctional Officers in late 2003.
t Entered into an agreement with the Disability Determination Section of the Department of Labor to revise the current test to assess additional competencies in the selection of Associate Disability Adjudicators.
t Provided over 1,000 applicants job information and testing opportunities through college recruitment trips and presentations at career fairs.
37

Georgia Merit System
Publications and Reports
Employee Communication t In a collaborative effort with the Department of Community Health, The "You Decide" Booklet informed state employees about state benefit options for 2003-2004 plan year. The theme for this year's book was "My Perfect Choice." t In FY 2003, the Merit System continued to publish and distribute The Georgia Statement, a newsletter to all state employees, and Executive Vision, a newsletter distributed to the Governor's Office, the General Assembly, commissioners, executive directors and senior management staff.
The State Directory t The 2002-2003 state directory provided a comprehensive list of telephone and fax numbers of key contacts in state government. Information is submitted by government entities for inclusion in the directory.
Presentations, Publications and Reports t Workforce Planning: Phase III Preview. A presentation at the Georgia Workforce Planning & Development Conference. (August, 2002) t Competencies: The Foundation of Workforce Planning. A presentation at the Georgia Workforce Planning & Development Conference. (August, 2002) t Workforce Planning & Development Conference, Atlanta, GA. (August, 2002) t Georgia STAR: Linking Goals, Performance, Competencies, and Workforce Planning. An article for The Assessment Council News of the International Personnel Management Association. (February 2003) t Workforce Planning: Phase II Results and Findings. A presentation to the Workforce Planning Advisory Council. (Feb, 2003) t Georgia's Workforce Planning Guidelines for Fiscal Year 2004. A publication of GMS (February, 2003) t Bundle Competency-Based Strategies to Solve Workforce Problems. A presentation. GMS (May, 2003) t 2003 Job Market Composite Report. Compares state salaries with the overall job market. (August 2002) t 2002 Salary Report Addendum. Provides salary information for common jobs and agency-unique jobs. Effective October 1, 2002 t 2003 County and Municipal Governments Compensation Survey. (May 2003) t 2003 Health Care Compensation Survey. (May 2003) t 2003 Southeastern States Compensation Survey. (May 2003)
38

Leadership Team

Marjorie H. Young Commissioner

Bill Dunn Assistant to the Commissioner

Gail Love Deputy Commissioner

Mustafa Aziz Division Director Customer Services

Kathleen Carey Director Personnel

Dorothy Gordon Telework
Coordinator

Peggy Rosser Assistant Commissioner

Deborah Belcher Division Director Administration and
Systems

Vic Keene Division Director Employee Benefits

Deborah Williams Director
Communications and Marketing

Latoya Gray Director
Legal Services

Ely Elefante Division Director
Training and Organizational Development

Pat Kinard-Boutte Division Director Compensation and
Staffing

39

2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive West Tower, Suite 502 Atlanta, Georgia 30334 Phone: 404-656-2705