Ever wondered what personnel assistance is available from the Texas Association of Counties and who provides the information?

First, all member counties are provided with technical assistance on personnel issues; call if you have an inquiry. Counties that participate in the various self-insurance pools administered by TAC are also eligible for additional assistance including on-site training, access to a video lending library, help with major special projects, and review of personnel policy manuals, applications, and other documents.  Technical Assistance as a county official, you can call TAC with specific personnel questions or problems and you will be put in touch with the personnel specialist assigned to your county. Your personnel specialist will research the issue and provide you with information that will help you answer your question or make a decision. In some cases, outside expertise may be needed. When this occurs, your personnel specialist will help you identify and contact those sources.  Training a variety of training topics is offered through the TAC personnel assistance program. Many of these cover subjects that are controlled by federal or state legislation, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, sexual harassment, and civil rights issues in employment. 

Other training topics focus on effective management tools, procedures, and skills such as writing job descriptions, personnel policy development, workplace communication, and management skills for
supervisors. The personnel assistance staff is also available to provide programs at the area meetings of the various county official groups.

Video Library The video lending library is a fairly new service offered through the personnel assistance program. After signing the video loan agreement, videos may be checked out for a period of two weeks. Currently, the video library has over 30 titles covering the major legal issues in personnel, management skills, and personal and professional development. A list of the current videos can be obtained by calling TAC's Personnel Department at (800) 456-5974.

Major Projects
The TAC personnel management specialists are also available to help with major personnel projects, such as a new policy manual or job descriptions. While our staff will not be able to do the actual work on such projects, we will be available to provide detailed information, research specific questions, and attend many of the work sessions for those projects. Document Review The personnel assistance program also includes a review of various documents used in the personnel management program. This may include personnel policy manuals, employee handbooks, application forms, and other related documents. These are reviewed for clarity and compliance with applicable legislation.

The Staff
TAC currently has two personnel management specialists to assist counties. Michelle Arseneau works with the counties in West Texas and the Panhandle while Gene Schaeffer works with the counties in East and South Texas. Prior to joining TAC approximately four years ago, Schaeffer gained extensive experience in personnel management in the private sector. Arseneau, who has been with TAC almost a year, has been a personnel professional in both the private and public sector.
Richard Slagle, Manager of Loss Control Services, can also help counties with personnel issues when Schaeffer and Arseneau are not available.  If you have questions about the TAC personnel program, call Gene Schaeffer, Michelle Arseneau or Richard Slagle at (800) 456-5974.