Historical Note
The Employee Suggestion Award Program was created in 1951 by Ordinance
79944 to provide a means whereby employees could submit ideas which might
result in more efficient City operation. A seven-member Suggestion Award Board,
comprising members from different city departments and employee organizations,
reviewed suggestions made by City employees. In some cases, employees whose
suggestions were accepted received monetary awards. To be eligible for award, a
suggestion had to extend public service without incurring additional City
expense or to reduce City expenditure without reducing the quality of
service.
The program was discontinued in 1997 and replaced with the Seattle
Works! Excellence Program.
Content Description
Annual Reports for the Suggestion Award Board date from 1952 to 1983,
although reports do not exist for every year. Reports include narrative
describing the year's highlights and Board membership as well as statistics
documenting the year's activities. The 1952 report includes a summary list of
suggestions: the suggestion, suggester, department, and the outcome of the
suggestion are listed. Beginning in 1953, only accepted suggestions are listed;
these lists include the suggester's name, a description of the suggestion and
amount of award, and an estimation of the yearly savings resulting from
implementation. A sample Employee Suggestion Form and other information
publicizing the program are found in many reports.