ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY &PROCEDURE
CATEGORY: Human Resources – Service Awards
SUBJECT: Employee Service/Recognition &
Commissioner Awards Policy
Lomita Administrative Memorandum Page 1 of 5
1.0 PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to recognize and reward City employees for their years of dedicated and exceptional service. Recognition and bonus programs are offered with the goal of achieving and maintaining a high level of employee morale, retention, teamwork, and appreciation while ensuring fairness, transparency, and fiscal responsibility.
2.0 SCOPE
This policy applies to all eligible employees of the City of Lomita, including full-time and part-time employees.
3.0 ELIGIBILITY
Employees are eligible for service awards if they:
1. Are actively employed at the time the service milestone is reached;
2. Have completed the required years of continuous service; and
3. Are not subject to disciplinary action that results in ineligibility under City rules or applicable agreements.
Employees are eligible for recognition awards if they are:
4. Nominated by the city manager or a department head.
Elected officials, contractors, temporary employees, interns, or volunteers are excluded.
A. SERVICE RECOGNITION AWARD
Service recognition awards are awarded to employees for their dedicated years of service to the City upon reaching certain milestones. Service awards may be granted at the following milestones:
Document: Service Awards Revision: June 2, 2026
Subject: Employee Service/Recognition Awards
& Commissioner Award
Effective Date: June 2, 2026
Author: Administrative Services Department Authorized by: City Council
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY &PROCEDURE
CATEGORY: Human Resources – Service Awards
SUBJECT: Employee Service/Recognition &
Commissioner Awards Policy
Lomita Administrative Memorandum Page 2 of 5
• 5 years
• 10 years
• 15 years
• 20 years
• 25 years
• 30 years
• Every 5 years thereafter
Types of Service Awards
Service awards may include one or more of the following, subject to funding availability and legal constraints:
• Certificates or plaques
• Service pins
• In-lieu donation
• Public recognition at City events or meetings
• Modest monetary awards or gift cards*
• Additional leave time (if authorized)
*Monetary awards or gift cards shall comply with tax reporting requirements and applicable compensation laws.
The chart below outlines the city’s service award program:
Years of Service Award
5 Plaque, In-lieu Donation or $50 gift card
10 Pin, In-lieu Donation or $75 gift card
15 Pin, In-lieu Donation or $100 gift card
20 Pin, In-lieu Donation or $125 gift card
25 Pin, In-lieu Donation or $150 gift card
30 Pin, In-lieu Donation or $200 gift card
35 Plaque, In-lieu Donation or $300 gift card
40 Plaque, In-lieu Donation or $400 gift card
Employee service awards are awarded at the annual employee appreciation event in December of each year.
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY &PROCEDURE
CATEGORY: Human Resources – Service Awards
SUBJECT: Employee Service/Recognition &
Commissioner Awards Policy
Lomita Administrative Memorandum Page 3 of 5
B. EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD
The Employee of the Year Award is awarded annually to one (1) full-time employee and one (1) part-time employee who has worked for the city for at least one (1) year and shown exemplary performance in teamwork, commitment, impact, and the City’s core values throughout the year.
All employees (full-time and part-time) are eligible to be nominated. Nominations are submitted during the nomination period by peers, managers, and supervisors. All nominations must be submitted on an Employee of the Year Nomination form. The completed form should be submitted to the Human Resources Department. Once all forms are reviewed, the City Manager will make the final decision.
The selected employees are recognized at the annual employee appreciation event. Winners are awarded a plaque, a day off with pay, and their name engraved on the city’s perpetual city plaque displayed in City Hall.
C. SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE AWARD
The City Manager may provide compensation to an employee for meritorious job performance.
The Superior Performance Award may be granted by the City Manager to an employee who consistently demonstrates performance above and beyond the level required for normal job performance. The award will be given only once to an employee during a twelve-month period.
To be eligible for the award, full-time employees must have at least 12 months of full-time service.
Part-time employees must have at least 12 months of hourly part-time service.
Employees are considered for an award based upon their demonstration of the following criteria:
job enthusiasm, loyalty toward the city and community, commitment to customer service, support for teamwork, overall work ethic, achieving desires outcomes, meeting or making significant progress toward department goals, innovation, and resolving an important issue.
The City Manager, Department Director, Manager, or Supervisor may recommend an employee for an award. Nominations made by a manager or supervisor must be approved by the department director. The employee must not have any disciplinary or attendance issues within the past two years. A recommendation for an award may be submitted at any time. Recommendations should be made on the Superior Performance Award Recommendation form. The completed form should be submitted to the Human Resources Office. The recommendation form must be approved by the Department Director and the City Manager.
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY &PROCEDURE
CATEGORY: Human Resources – Service Awards
SUBJECT: Employee Service/Recognition &
Commissioner Awards Policy
Lomita Administrative Memorandum Page 4 of 5
The City Manager will determine the amount of the award. Awards may be based on the following scale:
• The award for a full-time employee can be up to $1,000. Full-time employees cannot receive the award more than once in a 12-month period.
• The award for a part-time employee is up to $300. Part-time employees cannot receive the award more than once in one 12-month period.
Human resources will notify the Department Director when the awards are ready to be issued.
The City Manager or Department Director or his/her designee will issue the award to the employee.
D. COMMISSIONER’S SERVICE AWARDS
At the first City Council meeting in December, the Mayor and City Council shall recognize and show the city' s appreciation to Commissioners who serve on the Planning, Public Safety and Traffic, and the Parks and Recreation Commissions. The following service years will be recognized.
Years of Service Award
5 Plaque of Appreciation
10 A pin or tie tac. showing the number 10
15 A pin or tie tac showing the number 15
20 A pin or tie tac with a diamond chip showing
the number 20
25 A pin or tie tac with a diamond chip showing
the number 25
30 A pin or tie tac with a diamond chip showing
the number 30
35 A pin or tie tac with a diamond chip showing
the number 25
40 A pin or tie tac with a diamond chip showing
the number 40
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY &PROCEDURE
CATEGORY: Human Resources – Service Awards
SUBJECT: Employee Service/Recognition &
Commissioner Awards Policy
Lomita Administrative Memorandum Page 5 of 5
Approval and Administration
• Human Resources in coordination with the City Clerk’s office is responsible for tracking service time and administering awards.
• Final approval rests with the City Manager.
Funding
Service awards are subject to annual budget appropriations.
Compliance
This policy shall be administered in accordance with:
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws
• Ethics and public funds regulations
• Collective bargaining agreements, where applicable
In the event of a conflict, governing law or negotiated agreements shall prevail.
Policy Review and Amendments
This policy shall be reviewed periodically and may be amended by the City Manager.
Effective Date
This policy is effective June 2, 2026, and supersedes any prior service award resolutions/policies.