CHAPTER 99-E SUGGESTION AND EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM
Section 99-E:7
99-E:7 Amount of Monetary Awards. –
I. The amount of any monetary award recommended by a committee in regard to any one suggestion or service shall not be greater than $5,000.
II. If an award evaluation committee determines, in its discretion, that an appropriate measure of award would be the amount of any savings or increase in revenue realized by the state as the result of a service performed by an employee, or as the result of a suggestion which has been implemented, the amount of a monetary award recommended by the committee may not exceed 10 percent of the amount of the savings or increase in revenue to the state during the first fiscal year of the implementation of the suggestion, or the fiscal year in which the service was performed, nor may it exceed the amount of $5,000.
III. If a monetary award is issued by the governor and council based upon the amount of savings or increase under paragraph II, an amount equal to the monetary award may, in the discretion of the governor and council, be paid from the budget of the specific department or the departments believed to have received the benefit of the suggestion or service during the first fiscal year of implementation of a suggestion, or during the fiscal year in which the service was performed. Any remaining savings or increases resulting from the suggestion or service shall lapse to the general fund. If the unit from which the award is paid is self-funding, the award shall be paid from the unit's operating budget. The commissioner of a department from which an award is to be paid under this paragraph, shall certify any amounts so appropriated to the director of personnel for transfer and payment to the employee.
IV. If a suggestion which has previously been submitted or nominated for award is again submitted or nominated under RSA 99-E:4, X as the result of larger-scale implementation, the amount of any additional monetary award recommended shall be in such amount as the committee, in its discretion, believes is proper, but shall not, in any event, exceed $5,000.
V. The total amount of monetary awards recommended by the state suggestion and extraordinary service award evaluation committee between October 1 of one year and September 30 of the following year shall not exceed $10,000.
VI. There is hereby established in the office of the governor a special fund in the amount of $10,000, which shall be used for employee suggestion and extraordinary service awards, if any. If the entire appropriation is not used for employee suggestion and extraordinary service awards in any fiscal year, the amount appropriated for the fund in the next fiscal year shall be only such amount as is necessary to bring the total amount of the fund to $10,000.
VII. This chapter shall not be construed to limit the availability of any employee award or recognition not arising pursuant to this chapter
VIII. The governor, with the consent of council, is hereby authorized to draw a warrant for monetary awards under this chapter out of any money contained in the fund established under paragraph VI. The governor and council shall not approve expenditures from the fund in excess of $10,000 in any fiscal year, shall not issue any single award in excess of the amount indicated in paragraph I, or, in case of additional awards under paragraph IV, shall not issue any award in excess of the amount set forth in paragraph IV. In issuing awards or recognition, the governor and council shall not be limited by any recommendation of the state suggestion and extraordinary service award evaluation committee. The decision of whether to issue a monetary award for suggestions and services under this chapter, and the amount thereof, if any, shall, with the foregoing limitations, be solely within the discretion of the governor and council.
IX. Award evaluation committees recommending monetary awards may consider, but shall not be required to make recommendations according to, the following suggested ranges of award for the following types of suggestions or services:
(a) For suggestions to improve government cost savings, $500 to $2,500, or a percentage of the amount of savings as specified under paragraph II.
(b) For suggestions to improve government efficiency, $250 to $1,500, or a percentage of the amount of savings or revenue increase as specified under paragraph II.
(c) For suggestions to increase revenue to the state by a means other than the establishment of a new, or an increase in an existing, tax, $250 to $1,500 or a percentage of the amount of increase as specified under paragraph II.
(d) For services outside of or beyond the scope of an employee's regular job responsibilities or functions involving circumstances where only immediate action by the employee could avoid or avert probable harm to an individual, to property, or to the financial interests of the state, $500 to $2,500, or a percentage of the amount of increase or savings as specified under paragraph II.
(e) For services within the scope of an employee's regular job responsibilities or functions involving the demonstration of abilities or efforts greatly above and beyond any standard of performance expected of the employee, $250 to $1,500 or a percentage of the amount of increase or savings as specified under paragraph II.