POLICY REVIEW AND DISTRIBUTION PROCEDURE

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ESTABLISHING POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES

When establishing a policy, procedure, and directive, the following terms will be utilized:

Terms and Conditions:

The OHR Policy Coordinatoris responsible for ensuring the policy, procedure, or directive is in the proper format and adheres to all rules, regulations, and contracts. The OHR Policy Coordinator will be responsible for delivering the policy to the Director, updating the policy on the OHR webpage, and distributing the policy to the full review list once the policy has been updated.

A Division/Office Policy Coordinator is the representative from each division/office responsible for coordinating draft and/or revision to any policy, procedure or directive that lists that particular division/office as the resource. Additionally, the representative ensures that the policy manual is updated/revised and distributed accordingly. This is typically a division/office HR professional.

A Policy of the Department affects all employees or a group of employees that may be utilized by all divisions/offices.

A Procedure instructs how to implement and/or comply with state directive, executive order, or departmental policy.

A Directive is made by the Appointing Authority to direct or guide segments of the Department toward an action or goal.

A Resource is the Office(s)/Division(s) responsible for the formation, revision, enforcement, and questions applicable to a particular policy, procedure, or directive. It may be a particular position(s) or a particular section(s).

The Full Review List includes DNR Chiefs and Deputy Directors, HR Professionals, Chief Legal Counsel, OCSEA chapter president, OCSEA assembly president, and the FOP representative.

TEMPLATES/FORMATTING

The policy, procedure and directive template can be found at the following website: http://www.ohiodnr.com/hr/policies/default.htm.

The following format should be followed when creating new policies, procedures and/or directives:

• Use Microsoft Word "Arial” font, size 12
• Replace the title on the template with the appropriate title, using the word “policy” or “procedure” at the end of the title
• The tables found below the title contain the effective date, purpose, authority, reference, and resource information
• Begin typing the actual policy where the template denotes “directive text”
• Do not use special formatting, such as tabs, spaces, etc, as this text will be converted to html text; if necessary, use tables

When making changes to an existing policy, procedure or directive, please track those changes in Microsoft Word, before your submission to the Division/Office Policy Coordinator. The “tracking” option in Microsoft Word can be found under the tools menu, in which you would select “highlight changes.” A current copy of the policy template can be found at http://ohiodnr.com/portals/0/hr/policies/policy%20template.doc.

DEPARTMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS

Prior to a department policy being implemented, the following process shall be followed:

1. Upon determination that a policy, procedure, or directive needs established or revised and the division/office is the resource for that policy the Division/Office Policy Coordinator will draft or revise the policy, procedure, or directive and ensure the proper format.
2. The policy, procedure, or directive will be sent through the formal review process. The Division/Office Policy Coordinator will send the policy, procedure, or directive to the Full Review List. Any comments or revisions to the policy, procedure, or directive will be made within 2 weeks of the policy, procedure, or directive being sent to the Full Review List.
3. The Division/Office Policy Coordinator will summarize the comments/revisions and forward to the resource person for review and consideration. The resource person(s) will revise the policy, procedure, or directive and/or respond to the comments, if necessary. If significant changes are made to the policy, procedure, or directive after the Full Review List has viewed the policy, it is recommended that the policy, procedure, or directive be sent to the Full Review List for an additional review (Step 2).
4. The resource person(s) will submit the final draft policy, procedure, or directive to the Division/Office Policy Coordinator.
5. The Division/Office Policy Coordinator will forward the final draft policy, procedure, or directive to the OHR Policy Coordinator.
6. After final review, the OHR Policy Coordinator will forward the policy, procedure, or directive to the Director for final approval. After the Director approves the policy, procedure, or directive, the OHR Policy Coordinator will add the effective date and place the policy, procedure, or directive on the Office of Human Resources website located at http://www.ohiodnr.com/hr/policies/default.htm.
7. Additionally the OHR Policy Coordinator will forward the revised policy, procedure, or directive to the Full Review List and alert the Office of Communications of the policy, procedure, or directive revision in order to place a message on the ODNR intranet page.

DISTRIBUTION PROCESS

It is imperative that all employees and volunteers are aware of all established policies, procedures, and directives. It is each division/office Chief’s responsibility to ensure the division/office policy coordinator adheres to this distribution process. Once newly created or updated policies, procedures, and directives are approved, each division/office policy coordinator will be e-mailed. These documents will also be available on the ODNR Website http://www.ohiodnr.com/hr/policies/default.htm

1. Each Division/Office Policy Coordinator is to ensure that all employees (regardless of appointment type) as well as volunteers are aware of the policy updates/revisions. Policy Coordinators are responsible for:
   1. Ensuring all employees receive notification of new and/or updated policies, procedures and directives. Notification can be either hard copies or instructions on how to access the information on-line.
   2. Ensuring newly hired employees receive a hard copy or are instructed on how to view the policies, procedures and directives on-line within 30 days of their start date. Note: Selected policies require an initial acknowledgement of that particular policy.
   3. Ensuring hard copies are placed in the division/office policy manual.
   4. Ensuring hard copies are distributed to employees without computer access.
2. Starting December 1, 2011 there will be a statement at the bottom of all timesheets or e-TARS reports that reads, I am responsible for review and compliance with ODNR policies and procedures. I can access these policies and procedures on the department’s website at: http://ohiodnr.com/tabid/9947/Default.aspx.

IMPLEMENTATION

The employee’s supervisor shall implement, monitor and ensure adherence to new and/or updated policies, procedures, and directives.

DIVISION/OFFICE SPECIFIC POLICIES

All Division/Office specific policies should be reviewed by the OHR prior to implementation if the division/office policy references contractual language or department policy.

QUESTIONS

Questions or concerns regarding a specific policy, procedure, or directive should be directed to the Resource listed on the policy, procedure, or directive.