COMMISSION 
AGENDA MEMORANDUM                        Item No.          8e 
ACTION ITEM                            Date of Meeting        June 8, 2021 

DATE :     June 2, 2021 
TO:        Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director 
FROM:    Tammy Woodard, HR Director  Total Rewards 
Kim DesMarais, HR Director  Talent Management 
SUBJECT:  Adoption of Resolution No. 3790 Updating the Salary and Benefits Policy Directive 
to Reflect an Administrative Change Modifying Two Definitions Related to
Probationary Employees 
ACTION REQUESTED 
Request Adoption of Resolution No. 3790:  A resolution of the Port of Seattle Commission
amending the policy directive for salaries and benefits for employees not covered by a
collective  bargaining  agreement  established  by  Resolution  No.  3739,  to  reflect  an
administrative change modifying two definitions related to probationary employees,  and
providing an effective date for all amendments of June 8, 2021. 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
This administrative change updating of two definitions related to probationary employees will
permit newly hired employees who have not completed their six-month probation period to
apply for job openings across the Port while ensuring a full six-month probation period applies
to their latest position. 
In January of this year, Human Resources updated the Port's Talent Acquisition Policy (HR-8).
One update to the policy removed the restriction on employees who had not yet completed
their six-month probationary period from applying for other Port employment opportunities. 
Probationary employees are now allowed to apply for other opportunities at the Port. Along
with removing this restriction and allowing probationary employees to apply for other Port
opportunities, the policy now requires a restart to the employee's probation period, which is
described as an extension of the hiring process, if the employee is offered a different position 
while in their probationary period.  The probationary period is designed to provide employees
with six months to demonstrate an acceptable level of performance and behavior. The
probationary period restart gives new employees' managers the same amount of time to
observe performance and behavior and assist the employee in reaching the performance level
required for continued employment. 

Template revised January 10, 2019.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. __8e__                              Page 2 of 2 
Meeting Date: June 8, 2021 
This policy change and the existing definition of Probation Period and Probationary Employee in
the Salary and Benefits Policy Directive are out of alignment. T he requested update to the
Salary and Benefits Policy Directive will bring the HR Policy and the Salary and Benefits Policy
Directive back into alignment. 
JUSTIFICATION 
The updates to the Port's Talent Acquisition Policy permits probationary employees to apply for
new opportunities within the Port leading to higher retention rates and employee engagement.
The probationary period is designed to give employees an opportunity to learn their job as well
as the Port environment where they perform it.  It is also an opportunity for the employee's
manager to observe performance and behavior together with providing feedback and coaching
to help the employee learn their job responsibilities and how to utilize Port systems and
processes. This process is designed to help new Port employees be successful at the Port. 
Since employees may now change jobs, as well as departments or functions during their initial
probationary period, it is reasonable to give the employee the full six months of a probationary
period in their new job to learn their responsibilities and the Port environment where they will
be performing it before determining if they have achieved a successful level of performance to
continue their Port employment. It is also reasonable to give the employee's new manager the
same amount of time to observe the employee's work, assess performance, and provide
training,  feedback,  and  coaching  to  help  employees  achieve  the  acceptable  level  of
performance. To facilitate this  beneficial change, the definitions of Probation Period and
Probationary Employee in the Salary and Benefits Policy Directive need to be updated to
address the potential for employees changing jobs during their first six months of Port
employment. 
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST 
(1)   Resolution No. 3790 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
May 25, 2021  The Commission approval, introduction of Resolution No. 3790. 





Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).