Ending Seasonal Employment
With pumpkin spice and flannel weather right around the corner, it is time to start thinking about steps to take to properly end the employment of high-performing seasonal employees.
It is important to remember that seasonal employees are employees and a good off-boarding process is needed for all employees.
- Have an end date set ahead of time. If this is not possible try to give the seasonal employee at least a two-week notice. This courtesy allows the employee to plan for their needs after their current season ends.
- Consider a performance evaluation. As much as performance evaluations tend to be a dreaded action, completing one for a seasonal employee can be an important tool. Not only does it provide necessary documentation on the employee’s performance, but it also provides the seasonal employee with recognition and praise for their performance. A seasonal evaluation form does not need to be the same as the one used for regular employees, it can be a shorter, more concise form as long as you evaluate all seasonal employees in that department with the same form.
- Hold an exit interview as close to the end date as possible. An exit interview allows the employee to provide open and honest feedback in a safe environment. This setting can also provide a format to find out if the employee has a desire/intention to return the next season or not. This can be the first step in hiring for your next season.
Seasonal employees are entitled to unemployment benefits, if seasonal employees are ending their position to go to another job or school, be sure to note that.
As you finalize the off-boarding process be sure to follow the checklist you use for your regular full-time and part-time employees so as not to miss an important step.
Management Buy-In: Do You Have It?
You have likely heard your Safety and Risk Improvement Adviser mention the idea of an organization-wide safety committee before. During our travels around the state, we attend numerous safety meetings and aim to assist your organization with any obstacles. Upper management participation is often a recommendation we make, as it is a common issue we come across.
Who is considered Upper Management?
Depending on the organization’s structure, there are several possible options. In the case of cities, the team should include an administrator, mayor, or council member. For counties, a member of the board of supervisors should be part of the team. Other organizations should have a member of the appointed board or director present.
Why should Upper Management be Involved?
Safety committee meetings can identify current problems within an organization through incident reviews and near-miss reviews. Such problems need corrective action that should be initiated from the top down. If there isn’t management at the table to discuss and come to an agreement on the corrections to be completed, issues may be postponed indefinitely and forgotten. However, this can lead to recurring problems in the future, which can be costly.
What are the benefits of this structure?
Entities can have varying structures, and often, a recommendation from the safety committee can be easily addressed by a city administrator or a facility director. Therefore, it is crucial to have these individuals present during discussions.
Some organizations require board or council approval before making changes. It’s helpful to have a representative present at the meeting to gather all the necessary information and communicate it to the rest of the group. This ensures that information exchange is accurate and policies and procedures can be implemented effectively.
If you are an upper-level employee and are not participating in your organization’s safety meetings we highly encourage you to start attending regularly. If you are participating, we are extremely appreciative of your dedication to your employee’s safety.
Board Member Highlight
Board Member: Kelly J. Hayworth, Coralville City Administrator since August 1988
Years served on the IMWCA Board: 34 years
Why did you get involved with the IMWCA board of trustees? When I got on the board it was in the earlier years of the IMWCA pool. It was an extremely hard insurance market and cities/counties were having difficulty getting workers compensation insurance. I really believed in the power of working together and the insurance pool concept was a great concept and way of doing business.
What value do you think the pool has for its members? The insurance pool has the ability to design insurance around the specific needs of governmental entities and their staff. The pool has proven to have state-of-the-art safety and claims programs that is because they are designed around the specific type of positions and needs of our governmental members. The pool has also been able to provide consistent rates over the years.
What are your goals for IMWCA in the future? Be the preferred provider of workers’ compensation insurance to Iowa governmental entities. Continue to provide stable rates to our members and continue to offer and improve our great loss safety programs.
