CHAPTER IV

CONDITIONS IN THE PROCESSING OF SUGGESTIONS

  Section 1. Duplicate Suggestions. If duplicate or substantially similar suggestions are submitted, the suggestion with the earliest date of receipt by the Board shall be eligible for consideration.

  (a) If duplicate or substantially similar suggestions are received on the same date, these suggestions shall be considered eligible for consideration and any awards shall be shared equally by the eligible Suggestors.

  (b) The Board shall have final authority in determining the duplication or similarity of suggestions.

  Section 2. Modification of Suggestions. If an agency modifies an employee's suggestion and initiates the suggestion in a different form, the employee shall be eligible for an award if the employee's suggestion was directly responsible for the action taken by the agency's management. The reward shall be made on the basis of the suggestion's contribution or impact on the implemented process or procedure.

  Section 3. Active Life of Suggestions. The active life of an eligible suggestion shall be from date of receipt by the Board. A nonadopted suggestion shall remain eligible for award consideration if adopted within one (1) year from the date of final disposition.

  Section 4. Administrative Functions. The Board may authorize the Suggestion Award Coordinator to make the day-to-day decisions involving the administration of the program. This may include, but not be limited to, eligibility of suggestions and Suggestors, referral of suggestions to appropriate agencies, and responding to questions or problems. All final decisions shall be made by the Board and are not subject to appeal through grievance or other employee dispute resolution procedures.

  (i) Funding for the administration of the suggestion awards program shall be through the savings generated. When an award is approved, one percent (1%) to a maximum of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) of the anticipated savings shall be deposited in a program administration account to fund marketing and administration of the program. These funds shall not be used to fund additional positions.