By THOMAS GRILLO
REVERE — A new University of Massachusetts study calls on the city to create a Human Resources Department, saying it’s critical to the operation of a large municipality.
In its 17-page report, the Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management recommended Revere adopt a centralized personnel department, with a director, benefits coordinator and a secretary. It does not say how much it will cost.
The report was embraced by Mayor Brian Arrigo, who has argued a personnel department is essential.
“An interim HR consultant is now in place to begin implementing those recommendations, and a permanent HR director will be hired this year,” said Arrigo in a statement.
The Society for Human Resource Management said HR is the formal structure within an organization responsible for all the decisions, strategies, factors, principles, operations practices, functions, activities and methods related to the management of people.
The study also said the recruitment and selection processes should be centralized; a comprehensive pay and classification system including job descriptions should be adopted; policies governing conflict of interest, ethics, criminal offenders records inquiries, Family and Medical Leave Act procedures, absenteeism, discrimination prevention and discipline should be implemented; training should be provided to department heads and supervisors on critical policies.
In what will be one of the more controversial aspects of the survey, researchers said the residency requirement should be scrapped in favor of a preference to employ city residents.
The Collins Center team conducted interviews with City Hall staff including the mayor and department heads.
In addition, ordinances, collective bargaining agreements, budgets and policies were reviewed.
Revere has 425 employees. The School Department employs 1,375. The city has 506 benefited retirees. The city’s operating budget is more than $170 million.
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Thomas Grillo can be reached at [email protected].