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Led by Assistant Director Viveca Sonberg, employees of the Human Resources Branch administer the processing of personnel actions, benefits activities, employee evaluation program (EPE), workers’ compensation case management, department-wide safety management, employee records management and associated training activities. Additionally, they keep management informed of human resources related issues affecting the employees of the department. 

Human Resources is divided into four sections:
Case Management, Employee Relations, Personnel, Safety, and Support Services.

The Case Management Section coordinates the Workers’ Compensation Program and the City’s Transitional Duty Program. It ensures compliance with the legal requirements for timely report filing and facilitating the return of injured workers to meaningful employment as soon as possible.

• Employee Grievance and Concerns Program.
• Employee Drug and Alcohol Testing Program.
• School to Work Program.
• Superior Performance Program.
• Equal Employment / Outreach Program.
• Employee Suggestion Program.

It is the responsibility of the Personnel Section to recruit, hire, promote and transfer dedicated and capable employees, as well as to facilitate their career growth and ensure their proper and equitable compensation. In accomplishing this, they handled more than 500 job posting requests for the department that resulted in thousands of applications during the previous fiscal year. As part of the largest civilian department in the city, the personnel section is responsible for more personnel activity than the next two largest departments combined.

The section also maintains and monitors the Employee Performance Evaluation (EPE) process to ensure employees understand their job duties and are provided regular feedback on their performance. This section has worked to increase the percentage of current evaluations and seeks to ensure that they are done in a timely manner. This section also provides training and technical advice on how to complete the evaluations and use them in connection with supervisory techniques and other human resources issues.

This section works in conjunction with all employees to ensure that they understand their benefits and serves as a central information and advisory center. This section also coordinates all benefits enrollments and training activities including New Employee Orientation, Family Medical Leave Act, Policies and Procedures and EPE classes.

The Safety Section is responsible for oversight of the department’s activities to provide department employees with a safe environment in which to work. This endeavor includes accident investigations, facility and field audits, safety training classes, report preparation and analysis of incidents to identify areas for preventative activities. This section also coordinates a department-wide Executive Safety and Training Committee to ensure involvement from all units of Public Works and Engineering in safety awareness.

The Support Services Section provides specialized payroll activities for employees on Workers’ Compensation. It also maintains the personnel records for the entire department. It acts as the distribution center for the various forms, newsletters, benefit information and employee communication notices. Approximately 100,000 pieces of information are distributed each month. All Houston Municipal Employees’ Pension System retirement packages are initiated by this section.

FY2003 Highlights

• Worked to decrease Worker’s Compensation costs and increase the efficiency of handling these cases.
• Represented the department and performed an influential role in issues such as health benefits, Workers’ Compensation and Civil Service Code revision.
• Performed a department-wide organizational structure study to gain compliance with city goals for span-of –control issues.
• Maintained one of the highest EPE compliance rates in the City.
• Assisted in the placement of layoff-targeted employees from other departments.
• Participated in studies to revise three major job families vital to the operation of the department.
• Instituted a new Policies and Procedures training program for all employees.