The Florida Senate

110.1245  Meritorious service awards program.--

(1)  The Department of Management Services shall set policy, develop procedures, and promote a program of meritorious service awards, incentives, and recognition to employees who:

(a)  Propose procedures or ideas which are adopted and which will result in increasing productivity, in eliminating or reducing state expenditures or improving operations, or in generating additional revenues, provided such proposals are placed in effect and can be implemented under current statutory authority; or

(b)  By their superior accomplishments, make exceptional contributions to the efficiency, economy, or other improvement in the operations of the state government.

Every state agency, unless otherwise provided by law, shall participate in the program. The Chief Justice shall have the authority to establish a meritorious service awards program for employees of the judicial branch within the parameters established in this section. The component of the program specified in paragraph (a) shall apply to all employees within the Career Service System, the Selected Exempt Service System, and comparable employees within the judicial branch. The component of the program specified in paragraph (b) shall apply to all employees of the state. No award granted under the component of the program described in paragraph (a) shall exceed 10 percent of the first year's actual savings or actual revenue increase, up to $25,000, plus applicable taxes, unless a larger award is made by the Legislature, and shall be paid from the appropriation available to the judicial branch or state agency affected by the award or from any specific appropriation therefor. No award granted under the component of the program described in paragraph (b) shall exceed $1,000 plus applicable taxes per individual employee. The judicial branch or an agency may award savings bonds or other items in lieu of cash awards, provided that the cost of such item does not exceed the limits specified in this subsection. In addition, the judicial branch or a state agency may award certificates, pins, plaques, letters of commendation, and other tokens of recognition of meritorious service to an employee eligible for recognition under either component of the program, provided that the award may not cost in excess of $100 each plus applicable taxes.

(2)  The department and the judicial branch shall submit annually to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives information that outlines each agency's level of participation in the meritorious service awards program. The information must include, but is not limited to:

(a)  The number of proposals made.

(b)  The number of awards made to employees for adopted proposals.

(c)  The actual cost savings realized as a result of implementing employee proposals.

(d)  Total expenditures incurred by the agency for providing awards to employees for adopted proposals.

(e)  The number of employees recognized for superior accomplishments.

(f)  The number of employees recognized for satisfactory service to the state.

(3)  Each department head is authorized to incur expenditures to award suitable framed certificates, pins, and other tokens of recognition to retiring state employees whose service with the state has been satisfactory, in appreciation and recognition of such service. Such awards may not cost in excess of $100 each plus applicable taxes.

(4)  Each department head is authorized to incur expenditures to award suitable framed certificates, pins, or other tokens of recognition to state employees who have achieved increments of 5 years of satisfactory service in the agency or to the state, in appreciation and recognition of such service. Such awards may not cost in excess of $50 each plus applicable taxes.

(5)  Each department head is authorized to incur expenditures not to exceed $100 each plus applicable taxes for suitable framed certificates, plaques, or other tokens of recognition to any appointed member of a state board or commission whose service to the state has been satisfactory, in appreciation and recognition of such service upon the expiration of such board or commission member's final term in such position.

History.--s. 3, ch. 83-72; s. 4, ch. 85-68; s. 1, ch. 87-68; s. 1, ch. 88-191; s. 85, ch. 92-142; s. 22, ch. 92-279; s. 55, ch. 92-326; s. 7, ch. 96-399; s. 4, ch. 99-399.