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Electronic – biometric system to replace paper time-keeping system for CFD and CPD
From excerpts sourced at ChicagoSunTimes.com:
Chicago's Police and Fire Departments are set to transition from a traditional paper-based time-tracking system to an advanced electronic system incorporating biometric technology. This move is part of a broader initiative aimed at combating absenteeism, with a total investment of $10 million.
In 2015, the police department incurred an unprecedented $116.1 million in overtime costs, representing a 17.2% increase from the previous year. This financial burden was largely due to a staffing shortage exacerbated by Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration, which saw police retirements far exceed new hires, resulting in a shortfall of 975 officers.
Budget Director Alex Holt recently admitted that both the police and fire departments continue to rely on manual systems for recording work hours. This outdated approach will soon evolve following recommendations from an absenteeism task force associated with the city's 2016 tax-influenced budget. The proposal advocates for integrating these departments into the unified electronic timekeeping platform already utilized by other city entities. By winter 2017, the fire department is expected to complete this shift, while the police department will follow suit a year later.
"We need to centralize our records so we can accurately track when staff arrive and depart," Holt explained. "This system ensures transparency and better workforce management." The new digital system employs biometric time clocks and hand geometry scanners. Workers will use ID badges followed by placing their hands on a scanner that verifies their identity through fingerprint analysis. Without this setup, skeptics question how taxpayers can trust that the reported $116.1 million in overtime expenses were genuinely justified.
The report further suggests adopting a standardized definition of absenteeism across all municipal departments to enhance monitoring, policymaking, and disciplinary actions. An approved absence must comply with specific criteria, including prior notification to supervisors, acceptance of the reason given, and sufficient accumulated paid leave unless exceptions apply, such as jury duty or administrative leave.
Additional proposals include creating a universal swiping policy, simplifying attendance codes, launching a public dashboard to display absenteeism statistics per department, revising progressive discipline protocols, and delivering actionable monthly reports identifying individual absences. Furthermore, the report emphasizes the importance of enhanced training for both workers and managers.
Departments like Streets and Sanitation and Fleet Management have successfully implemented similar strategies to combat chronic absenteeism, now boasting the lowest rates in the city at 4.5% and 3.5%, respectively. Annually, approximately 7% of scheduled work hours are forfeited to absenteeism, with up to 15% attributed to overt absences.
"Overt absenteeism is what we're focusing on," noted Holt. "These are hours not worked and services not rendered, and our goal is to minimize this figure as much as possible." Comparing city absenteeism rates to the private sector proves challenging due to Chicago's generous sick leave policy, granting employees 12-13 paid sick days annually, with the option to rollover unused days.
When asked if the mayor plans to renegotiate sick leave allowances during collective bargaining rounds, Holt replied negatively. The new electronic system is specifically designed to deter buddy punching, ensuring accountability in attendance records.
Thanks, Dan.