CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to City employment; amending Seattle Municipal Code Section 4.04.075 to reflect the consolidation of the Alternative Dispute Program under the Office of the Employee Ombud.
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WHEREAS, in 2001, City Council passed Ordinance 120278, establishing an Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”) program for City of Seattle employees; and
WHEREAS, since 2001, the ADR program has been under the direction of the City Personnel Director in the Personnel Department, now known as the Seattle Human Resources Director in the Seattle Department of Human Resources (“SDHR”); and
WHEREAS, in 2018, the City Council passed Ordinance 125735, establishing the Office of the Employee Ombud (“OEO”), which offered support services to employees for navigating options and resolving disputes employees encountered in the workplace, including mediation services; and
WHEREAS, the City seeks to consolidate its mediation services for employees under the OEO, and discontinue this function under SDHR; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Seattle Municipal Code Section 4.04.075, last amended by Ordinance 124567, is amended as follows:
4.04.075 Alternative Dispute Resolution Program ((.))
A. It is the policy of the City to use alternative dispute resolution as a tool to prevent or minimize the escalation of disputes in the workplace. The ((Seattle Human Resources Director)) Office of the Employee Ombud shall implement and administer the Alternative Dispute Resolution Program. ((substantially in accord with The City of Seattle Alternative Dispute Resolution Program Management Plan, which is incorporated by this reference.))
B. The Alternative Dispute Resolution Program (hereinafter referred to as the program) will consist of a mediation component to promote the resolution of disputes through mediation, conciliation, and conversation facilitated by a neutral third party; a training component to develop conflict resolution skills in managers and employees; and a group facilitation component to provide problem-solving resources for workgroups in conflict.
C. An employee’s participation in a program-sponsored mediation, facilitated conversation or program-sponsored related activity shall be confidential to the extent permitted under state and federal laws.
D. It is the policy of the City that participation in the program shall be on a voluntary basis. Participation in the program is not intended to deprive employees of their ability to exercise any other contractual or legal rights to seek resolution of their concerns.
E. Regularly appointed full-time and part-time employees, including exempt, probationary, and regular employees, and temporary workers, including seasonal, intermittent, on-call, short-term, and emergency workers, are eligible to participate in the program.
F. Time spent in ((an official mediation or related activity)) a program-sponsored mediation, facilitated conversation, or program-sponsored related activity shall be considered regular pay hours for compensation purposes.
Section 2. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force 30 days after its approval by the Mayor, but if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten days after presentation, it shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Section 1.04.020.
Passed by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2022, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this _____ day of _________________________, 2022.
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President ____________ of the City Council
Approved / returned unsigned / vetoed this _____ day of _______________, 2022.
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Bruce A. Harrell, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2022.
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Elizabeth M. Adkisson, Interim City Clerk
(Seal)