Carpentersville, public works employees agree on new evaluation process

Carpentersville is implementing a new evaluation process in the event future layoffs in the public works department are required.

Seniority will no longer be a factor when determining which employees are affected during a layoff, as per an agreement between the village and SEIU Local 73, the union representing the 31 full-timers in public works. After the deal goes into effect in December, layoffs will instead be determined based on an employee's performance, particularly the knowledge, skills and abilities they bring to the job.

During layoffs, employees have always been ranked solely on how long they've worked in the village - the last person hired was the first to go, Public Works Director Bob Cole said. When the department made cuts several years ago, the village lost five talented workers, he said, while retaining some who hadn't taken the time to continue learning and developing their job skills.

"That hurts my department," Cole said. "We lost a lot of guys, and we really need the cream of the crop."

According to the new evaluation forms, employees will now be scored on several criteria, including temperament, communication skills, attendance, work quality and knowledge of basic and specialized equipment. The process applies only to potential layoffs and does not affect how the employees are paid, said Village Manager Mark Rooney.

The union opposed the new evaluation process when management first presented the idea during contract negotiations last year, said Nick Carone, senior union representative. Employees argued for more training opportunities to allow employees to develop their skills, learn how to use equipment and specialize in other areas of the department.

In working with a federal mediator, Cole said, the two parties negotiated an agreement that implemented management's evaluation process and included training opportunities.

"When you want to lay off someone by skills, knowledge and ability, management has to give them the tools to broaden their skills, knowledge and abilities," Carone said. "That wasn't happening before. ... Now that we have a process in place that guarantees employees will better themselves in regards to their job, it makes it more palatable."

Rooney said there are no immediate plans to lay off public works employees, but cuts could take place in the future if the village doesn't find additional revenue sources. In just five years, he added, the number of full-time employees across departments has declined from 205 to 175.

"So this is meaningful," he said. "(Public works employees) are well aware of that."

The change has already lit a fire under some employees who are taking on more tasks, undergoing training and brushing up on their skills, Cole said.

"We hope that guys who have become stagnant within their positions will take the bull by the horns and start to learn more of the necessities or functions to keep their jobs," he said.