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Receive a presentation by the California State Association of Counties - Excess Insurance Authority to present two 2018 Exemplary Achievement to Government Leadership and Enrichment (EAGLE) Awards to the Solano County Human Resources Department, Risk Management Division, to recognize the Innovation and Excellence in Development and Implementation of Loss Prevention Programs - Ergonomic Express and the Innovation in Risk Management Wellness Programs - Financial Wellness
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Published Notice Required? Yes ___ No _X__
Public Hearing Required? Yes ___ No _X__
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Director of Human Resources recommends that the Board of Supervisors receive a presentation by the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) - Excess Insurance Authority (EIA) to present two 2018 Exemplary Achievement to Government Leadership and Enrichment (EAGLE) Awards to Human Resources, Risk Management Division, to recognize the Innovation and Excellence in Development and Implementation of Loss Prevention Programs - Ergonomic Express and the Innovation in Risk Management Wellness Programs - Financial Wellness. The awards will be presented by Rick Brush, Chief Member Services Officer, EIA.
SUMMARY:
The County of Solano is a member of CSAC - EIA, a risk financing pool, for the purpose of securing insurance coverage for various risk exposures that the County faces. The EIA EAGLE Award Program was created to recognize an EIA member or its affiliated agency for the development, management and/or implementation of an innovative idea, approach or program that enhances the goals and purposes of risk management and the public sector. By acknowledging professional contributions and achievements, the EIA promotes an atmosphere to encourage members to strive for excellence and innovation.
EIA member agencies submit an application for recognition and all applications are evaluated by the EAGLE Award Committee. EAGLE Awards are presented to an EIA member agency that has recognized risk within the agency’s operations and has successfully developed and/or implemented a risk management solution. This risk management solution must also have the potential to be adopted by other similar agencies, be cost effective to implement, and addresses a risk within public sector agencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The costs associated with preparing the agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the department’s FY2018/19 Adopted Budget. There is no general fund impact to receive this presentation.
DISCUSSION:
Solano County’s Ergo Express and Financial Wellness programs are being recognized to receive 2018 EAGLE Awards for Innovation and Excellence in Development and Implementation of Loss Prevention Programs and Innovation in Risk Management Wellness Programs.
Ergo Express Program - Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and repetitive motion injuries (RMI) associated with office ergonomics are one of the most common workplace injuries. The County has an active ergonomic program, which includes self-assessment tools, ergonomic evaluations, an ergonomic laboratory for trying different office equipment and chairs, and ongoing training for supervisors and staff. About 70% of all ergonomic evaluations involve simple adjustments of an employee's chair, keyboard tray, monitor height, and/or alignment to place devices in compliance with the guidelines. The standard ergonomic evaluation typically takes about 30 minutes to perform and document the observations, make equipment adjustments and recommendations, plus 10-15 minutes to write the report.
Solano County has approximately 3,000 employees. On average, about 220 ergonomic evaluations are performed each year; however, the County was still seeing a high percentage of MSD and RMI related to workstation issues. Many of these injuries could likely be prevented by making small adjustments to equipment prior to an injury occurring. The challenge for the department was determining how to be proactive rather than reactive with MSD and RMI's. There was a need to develop a program to not only evaluate employee workstations proactively before an injury, but to provide training as well.
In May 2017, the Risk Management Team implemented Ergo Express. A simple check box form was created for a 15-minute visit where the focus is on adjusting existing office equipment while educating staff as to the ergonomic guidelines for best posture to mitigate the effects of a repetitive task. During the evaluation, the Risk Analyst brings along with them samples of the most commonly recommended equipment including, but not limited to, wrist pads, ergonomic keyboards, document holders, and mice. Occasionally, the Risk Analyst will find a chair in need of replacement and recommend the department to follow up with General Services for a chair fitting for the employee from the County approved selection.
Risk Management completed 366 Ergo Express appointments between May 2017 and April 2018. This is in addition to the 181 standard ergonomic evaluations that were completed during that same period. Departments are embracing the concept and employees appreciate the customer service. This proactive approach to ergonomic loss prevention allows Risk Management to adjust workstations before employees experience discomfort, and mitigate or eliminate ergonomic injuries.
A quick comparison from the first quarter of 2017 and 2018 indicates that the ergonomic related workers’ compensation claim numbers are decreasing in severity. During the period January to March 2017, the total cost incurred for ergonomic injuries was $478,380 and paid claims were $205,749. In January to March 2018, the total cost incurred for ergonomic injuries was $67,888 and paid claims were $4,060. Although there is some development expected in the most recent claims, this is a good indication that the County claims experience is being reduced. Also of note, 517 ergonomic and Ergo Express evaluations performed May 2017 to April 2018, the County only had 6 workers' compensation claims from those employees that were evaluated.
Financial Wellness - Financial wellness is a growing workplace training offering in part because financial concerns are shown to be one of the leading causes of stress. Financial experts see the workplace as an excellent place to conduct some of the financial education that is lacking elsewhere and to incorporate the education of available voluntary benefits (e.g. Deferred Compensation Plans) that might be advantageous to employee’s financial security. A financial wellness program can appeal to a wide audience and potentially have a positive impact with the majority of the employee population and their families.
In late of 2017, Risk Management began looking at how the County could increase participation in the wellness program. The program currently offers a web-based platform to conduct in-house wellness challenges and fitness tracking, a Wellness Ambassador program with 46 ambassadors countywide, and a wellness site (My Well Site) on the intranet that provides communications, educational resources and an event calendar.
In January 2018, the Human Resources Department, Risk Management Division, launched a financial wellness campaign component. Knowing Your Numbers includes everything from credit scores, interest rates and retirement formulas to Social Security, Medicare and emergency funding amounts.
The County Financial Wellness Campaign by the numbers:
• 303 attendees at 25 financial wellness education Lunch and Learns
• 123 attendees at 3 Managing Personal Finances -Training Division classes offered by Managed Health Network (MHN)
• 128 participants in the Know Your Numbers financial wellness challenge on My Well Site that included tracking financial wellness behaviors, receiving financial health tip emails and earning opportunities to qualify for raffles
Additionally, the County had a 35% increase in registered users of the My Well Site, with total of 712 participants.
Employee participation in the County's deferred compensation participation increased slightly during the challenge, some of which might be attributable to the financial wellness program.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could choose not to receive the presentation by CSAC-EIA to present two EAGLE Awards to Human Resources, Risk Management Division; however, this is not recommended as the presentation and awards recognize the department for their innovations in loss prevention and wellness programs.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION