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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4G - Employee Assistance Serivces AGENDA #: PREPARED BY: SUBJECT: DATE: BACKGROUND: DISCUSSION: ISSUES: ALTERNATIVES: STAFF AGENDA REPORT /1 II 4G (it\) FRANK BOYLES, CITY l\IlANAGER'\ >/ CONSIDER APPROVAL OF 1997-1998 CONTRACT FOR EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SERVICES TO NES. AUGUST 18, 1997 In 1995 the City Council authorized the initiation of an Employee Assistance Program which provides employees and their families with professional counseling services during periods of personal emergency. This agenda item would extend the agreement for these services through March, 1998 The Employee Assistance Program provides counseling to all employees and their family members for a wide variety of issues including grief, finance, family relationships, drug and alcohol, etc. These services are provided through an annual April to March 31 contract. During the first year of the program, seven of the City's fifty five employees used the program. This is a 13% utilization rate. In 1996 a total of 8 employees used the service for a rate of 12 %. Typically, such programs have a 10% utilization rate each year. The 1997 - 1998 agreement provides identical services to 1995 - 1996 agreement at the same annual cost: $1,200. The Council considered renewal of the contract in June this year. The Council did not question the appropriateness of theses services to employees. There was concern about the indemnification provision of the current contract. The offensive provision and the additional liability it created for the City were removed and the modified contract is before you for approval. The Council has the following alternatives: 1. Approve the agreement through adoption of the Consent Agenda. 16200 E~~.OOteek Ave. S.E.. Prior Lake. Minnesota 55372-1714 / Ph. (612) 447-4230 / Fax (612) 447-4245 AN EQL\L OPPORTL:'-IITY E,,1PLOYER 2. Remove the item from the Consent Agenda for discussion. RECOMMENDATION: Alternative #1. I believe that this program provides essential services to support our employees and superVlsors. ACTION REQUIRED: Motion and second as part of the Consent Agenda to approve the 1997 - 1998 agreement, which is attached and has been executed by the Dakotah Community. 6297.DOC \llg. 12. 1997 ~:55PM Nil, 55 8 D EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AGREEMENT THIS AGREEMENT made and entered into this _ day of , 1997. by and between the SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX (DAKOTA) COMMUNITY, (Sl'vIDC) a federally recognized Indian tribe having its principle office at 2330 Sioux Trail N. W., Prior Lake, Minnesota 55372 (SMDC), and the CITY OF PRIOR LAKE, (CITY) a Statutory City and Municipal Corporation operating under the authority of Minnesota Statutes 412, having its principal office at 16200 Eagle Creek Avenue, Prior Lake, MN 55372; WITNESSETH, THAT; WHEREAS, the CITY recognizes the need for an employee assistance program for all City employees: and WHEREAS, CITY wishes to use an outside firm to provide Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services; and WHEREAS, the SMDC through its social services department, has qualified individuals to develop and administer an employee assistance program to CITY employees; and WHEREAS, CITY wishes to utilize the abilities and interests of SMDC-NES social services department in the capacity as an employee assistance program administrator to provide limited confidential assessments, counseling, referral, and other resource information to CITY employees. NOW, THEREFORE in consideration of the premises and of the mutual covenants contained herein, the parties covenant and agree as follows: The SMDC-NES, through its social services department, agrees to perform the following services in connection with this Agreement in its capacity as Employee Assistance Program (EAP) administrator: A. Sl\iIDC Responsibilities and Services as Program Administrator. SMDC shall provide the following services and assistance through the EAP of its social services department: (1) Provide confidential assessment, short term counseling and/or referral services on a wide variety of issues including mental and emotional health, addictions, financial problems, domestic issues, child care, aging parents, etc. (2) Assist CITY in the preparation of utilization guidelines which provide employees with a statement of commitment to EAP gel1erally by the CITY and which shall also contain information explaining the benefits and services available to all CITY employees and their family members through the EAP. (3) Prepare annual utilization reports to be provided to CITY. Aug. 12. 1997 2:55PM No. 6508 P.], 5 (4) Provide at least one presentation at the CITY employee-chat session per year to familiarize employee with the services and purposes of the Employee Assistance Program. (5) Provide quarterly payroll stuffers and posters to promote awareness of the EAP as a resource to CITY employees and their families. (6) Provide EAP training to CITY Supervisors to assist in all EAP relevant matters. (7) SMDC-NES EAP shall provide to CITY employees and supervisors job re-entry counseling as requested by employees or CITY management. (8) All EAP files shall remain the sole property of SMDC Network Employee Services; SMDC-NES will maintain strict confidentiality of client files. (9) SMDC-NES EAP shall provide to CITY employees as part of its services under this agreement, information upon request as to other existing resources for the employee's use outside ofEAP services. Supplying resource information shall not constitute a recommendation of any agency identified in EAP's resource materials_ Neither shall such action constitute or be interpreted as referrals to such agencies. B. CITY Responsibilities as Employer. CITY shall execute the following duties and provide necessary information as follows: (1) Develop) produce and distrib1.1te guidelines reflecting CITY's commitment and support of SMDC-NES EAP. (2) Appoint a representative from CITY to function as a liaison between SMDC-NES EAP and beneficiaries of the EAP program. At the time of the signing of this Agreemem CITY Personnel Dept will be coordinating contacts for NES. (3) CITY shall provide to SMDC-NES EAP a copy of all health insurance policies currently available to CITY employees and a copy of all other employee benefits. CITY shall also provide to SMDC-NES EAP appropriate CITY personnel policies in effect at any time during the period of this contract. (4) The CITY shall notify the SMDC-NES EAP administrator of any complaints made regarding the services or actions of SMDC-NES EAP and assist in the resolution of such complaints. Acg, [2. [997 2:56?M No, 5502 :J 4 h C. Initiation of Services. The parties agree that SMDC-NES EAP shall be an optional choice of referral for all employees who are referred by CITY or who voluntarily seck assisrance from CITY management for the services agreed to herein_ D. Confidentiality. (1) The parties agree that SMDC is not obligated to provide services to any CITY employee if he or she fails to execute a consent to release information form provided by the EAP Director. EAP staff and personnel shall maintain the confidentiality of all CITY employee case records and other personal information contained in an employee's file, including information relative to an employee's family members. Only SMDC-NES EAP staff shall have access to employee case files. Such case files and other records shall not be included in employee's CITY personnel files. The annual narrative and statistical reports that SMDC agrees to provide to CITY by this Agreement shall not contain employee identifying data. (2) EAP staff and personnel shall not release any information contained in EAP case records or files except upon the explicit VvTitten request of the identified client who has been provided services pursuant to this Agreement. (3) EAP staff and personnel shall provide off premises counseling if requested by our client for privacy reasons. E. Term. (1) The initial tenn of this Agreement shall be one year beginning on the 1 st day of April 1997 and running one year thereafter unless canceled by either party with sixty (60) days written notice prior to the intended termination date. F. Payment for Services_ (1) For the services rendered to CITY employees through this Agreement, CITY shall pay to SMDC $1200 per year. (2) The total COST as enumerated herein shall be paid on a quarterly basis. The billing will be sent out during the 15t week of each quarter following the month EAP Services were provided. All invoices from SMDC shall be payable within twenty days of billing unless other terms have been arranged and agreed to in writing by both parties. .Aug, 12, 1997 2:56PM No, 6508 p, 5/5 G. Sovereign Immunity. Nothing in this agreement shall be or is meant to be a waiver of SMDC' s sovereign immunity . H. Amendments. Any amendments or modifications of this Agreement shall be valid only if set forth in writing and signed by the authorized representative of each party. No oral modifications of any portion of this Agreement shall be valid. SlIAKOPEE MDEW AKANTON DAKOTA COMMUNITY -NETWORK CITY OF PlUOR LAKE Stanley R. Crooks Tribal Chairman Lydia Andren, Mayor City of Prior Lake Frank Boyles, City Manager