Four employees closely gather around a desk. They are smiling and appear engaged. One is sitting in an office chair adjacent to a computer monitor, one is sitting on the corner of the desk, and the remaining two are standing.

Top 5 November 2024 Completed LocalGovU Courses

Want to know what other North Dakota local governments learned about this past November? Check out the November top 5 most frequently completed LocalGovU courses below:

*Course names and descriptions by LocalGovU (accessed Dec. 5, 2024, from www.LocalGovU.com/NDIRF)

Enhancing Work Relationships

The average person will spend 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime. This means that the relationships we build with our co-workers play a significant role in our lives. In this course, learners will explore a variety of tips and techniques for engendering and enriching relationships at work such as building trust and respect, focusing on listening, assertiveness, and conflict resolution.

Airborne and Bloodborne Pathogens

Humans are walking sources of air and fluid, and the air and fluid of others are potential sources of infections for first responders. This 1-hour course will review the airborne and bloodborne pathogens first responders commonly encounter in serving their communities, as well as the equipment and preventative measures that protect first responders from infectious pathogens.

Anti-Bias Training for Law Enforcement

The face of America continues to evolve, and our nation is more diverse than ever before. People in cities, suburbs, and towns served by law enforcement are a rich tapestry of races, ethnicities, religions, and cultures. This diverse group of individuals deserves to be treated with kindness, compassion, and respect. Unfortunately, tragedies can result when there is an adversarial relationship or misunderstanding between law enforcement and the community. Recognizing the diversity and types of bias when serving the community will reduce misunderstandings, confusion, and stereotypes while promoting knowledge and awareness for the officer. In this one-hour course, we will explore many effective strategies to help you to connect with the community along with recommendations you can use immediately.

Defensive Driving Basics

This course will dive into the basics of defensive driving, including its definition, purpose, and importance, as well as the factors that play an important role from the driver’s perspective. We will also discuss the equipment and judgment necessary for driving safely, as well as review the types of impairment that should be avoided to increase driver safety.

Advanced Defensive Driving Techniques

This course concentrates primarily on advanced defensive driving techniques. You will be given instruction on how to drive defensively in adverse conditions including heavy rain, snow, and ice. We will further discuss how to share the roadways with other motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Register Today!

If your entity is interested in learning how the NDIRF’s LocalGovU online training platform can support employee training initiatives, reach out to our Director of Member Services Corey Olson at Corey.Olson@ndirf.com. LocalGovU is offered free to NDIRF members.

Register today to start your LocalGovU professional development journey at www.NDIRF.com>Member Benefits>Online Training.

 

Gold pipe with water exploding from its curved joint.

Responding to and Documenting Water and/or Sewer Backup Incidents

Provided by NDIRF Director of Member Services Corey Olson, CIC

Water and sewer backup claims can happen anywhere at any time. There are several different reasons on how these can happen, whether it is putting things down the drain that don’t belong, such as F.R.O.G. – Fats, Rags, Oils & Grease, illegal hookups or the malfunction of your entity’s water infrastructure. These situations may get you involved in a claim situation you are not ready for.

The key is to be prepared.

First and foremost, there needs to be policies and procedures in place on how your entity’s water infrastructure operates. Policies and procedures provide step by step instructions describing how operators and staff carry out routine tasks and emergency situations. This will ensure every operator follows consistent and correct procedures. When staff turnover occurs or outside operators assist during an emergency, this will help new operators get up to speed and help ensure nothing important is missed.

A scheduled routine maintenance plan should be in place. The scheduled maintenance should follow industry standards and be documented, time stamped, and filed where it can be easily accessible. Documentation is important to assist the NDIRF in your defense of a water back up incident.

The NDIRF has created a Water/Sewer Backup Incident Report that will serve as a guide to help our members capture important information regarding its response, site condition, and repair/mitigation. This report is available on our website at www.NDIRF.com>Member Benefits>Risk Management Resources. Please complete this report as soon as possible after the sewer/water backup incident is resolved and submit it to your local agent.

When an incident is brought to you by a homeowner or business owner, it is important to act quickly and document the incident by the above referenced report or something that contains the same information. The incident may not be a claim right away but may turn into a claim in the future. With this documentation, the details of the incident are readily available and will help with important details of the situation.

Review the below article from our Spring 2020 Participator if a resident or business owner submits a complaint to you:

How to Respond to Water and/or Sewage Backup Claims

Backups can occur for a variety of reasons, but no matter the cause, property owners are justifiably upset. Generally, their home, business, or personal property has been significantly damaged, and their lives have been temporarily disrupted.

Often, backups are caused by a blockage from solid items or paper products being introduced into water and sewer systems. When property owners report backups, employees from the entity that provides the service respond to the scene and flush the line to remove the blockage.

If your employees interact with property owners who experience a backup, it is important your employees refrain from admitting fault or committing to pay for damages because your entity may not be found liable (i.e. responsible and/or the cause of damage). Your entity may not be found liable if it routinely performs required inspections and maintenance of its water and/or sewer infrastructure and promptly addresses findings that could lead to a backup.

Here are suggested talking points for your entity’s employees who are assisting property owners who have experienced a backup:

  • Take action to prevent further damage.
    Advise property owners to quickly take action to prevent further damage because if your entity is not found liable for the backup, they will be responsible for all repair costs.
  • An incident report will be completed.
    Inform property owners your entity will first submit an incident report and supplemental documentation to the NDIRF. Your entity should keep of a copy of this report and documentation for your reference.
  • A loss notice will be submitted to the NDIRF.
    Let property owners know they’ll receive a call from an NDIRF claims representative shortly after your entity submits a loss notice.
  • A full investigation will be completed.
    Inform property owners your entity will perform a full investigation to review damages caused by the backup as well as its water and/or sewer inspection, maintenance, and repair records. Your entity may not be found liable if it routinely performs required inspections, maintenance, and repairs.
  • Contact property insurance agent immediately.
    Remind property owners to file their water and/or sewer backup claim with their property insurance agent as soon as possible. If your entity is not found liable, property owners may need to recover damage costs through their property insurance policy.

Property owners (homeowners, business owners, etc.) are responsible for maintaining the portion of water and/or sewer line in which backups most frequently occur. The common causes of backups include:

  • Grease
    Cooking oils should never be poured down a drain. Instead, they should be placed in a heat-resistant container and properly disposed. As liquefied grease cools, it solidifies, eventually causing a clog.
  • Paper Products
    Bathroom tissue deteriorates rapidly, but other paper-based products do not. Paper towels, disposable and cloth diapers, and feminine products can quickly clog a sewer line.
  • Tree Roots
    Newer plastic-based (PVC) water and/or sewer lines withstand infiltration of tree roots very well; however, materials used in older lines do not. Given that most homeowners don’t monitor their lines via camera, they don’t catch the problem until it’s too late.
  • Illegal Connections
    Residents and businesses should not make any unauthorized connections to the sanitary sewer system. Illegally connected drains, sump pumps, and roof gutters will eventually clog a line.
  • Backwater Prevention Valve
    Older lines without backwater prevention valves are vulnerable to sewage backflow. Properly functioning backwater valves prevent sewage backflow and are common in newer lines.

If you would like more information about how to help prevent water and/or sewer backups, please contact NDIRF Director of Member Services Corey Olson at (701) 224-1988 or Corey.Olson@ndirf.com.

Did You Know?
From paper towels and rags to diapers and grease buildup, NDIRF members have recovered a variety of everyday household items that have caused backups in water and/or sewer lines.

It’s important property owners understand their role in helping to reduce the chance of backups, so be sure to educate them on safe, responsible use of water and/or sewer lines to help keep these services operating smoothly.

If you need assistance creating an educational flyer regarding safe, responsible water and/or sewer line use, contact NDIRF Director of Member Services Corey Olson at Corey.Olson@ndirf.com.

A woman standing alone wears a white shirt is in the right-hand corner. She is in the foreground. She has bent her elbow to place her fingertips to her temple while her chin is tilting down, emoting signs of stress or worry. In the left-hand corner are three people, two women and one man, who appear to be talking while looking at the woman standing alone. These people are in the background, and they are out of focus.

Top 5 October 2024 Completed LocalGovU Courses

Want to know what other North Dakota local governments learned about this past October? Check out the October top 5 most frequently completed LocalGovU courses below:

*Course names and descriptions by LocalGovU (accessed Nov. 12, 2024, from www.LocalGovU.com/NDIRF)

1. Anti-Bias Training For Law Enforcement (1 hour)

The face of America continues to evolve, and our nation is more diverse than ever before. People in cities, suburbs, and towns served by law enforcement are a rich tapestry of races, ethnicities, religions, and cultures. This diverse group of individuals deserves to be treated with kindness, compassion, and respect. Unfortunately, tragedies can result when there is an adversarial relationship or misunderstanding between law enforcement and the community. Recognizing the diversity and types of bias when serving the community will reduce misunderstandings, confusion, and stereotypes while promoting knowledge and awareness for the officer. In this one-hour course, we will explore many effective strategies to help you to connect with the community along with recommendations you can use immediately.

2. Airborne and Bloodborne Pathogens

Humans are walking sources of air and fluid, and the air and fluid of others are potential sources of infections for first responders. This 1-hour course will review the airborne and bloodborne pathogens first responders commonly encounter in serving their communities, as well as the equipment and preventative measures that protect first responders from infectious pathogens.

3. Time Management Skills

Time can feel like a fleeting object. With only so many minutes in the day to accomplish all of the tasks you set out to do, its important to be able to manage your time wisely and effectively. In this course, learners will explore the ways they can manage their time, defeat procrastination, and accomplish their goals not only in the workplace but also their personal lives.

4. Emotional Intelligence for Leaders (Tied for fourth)

There are many traits and characteristics of a good leader, but recent research has discovered the impact emotional intelligence plays in a leaders success. This course will instruct and provide leaders with techniques to grow and develop in their emotional intelligence and become better leaders.

4. Interviewing Skills for Managers: Conducting an Interview (Tied for fourth)

This course is designed to provide managers with the knowledge and skills to recruit and onboard the right talent. Behavioral interviewing is a proven hiring technique that will allow you to hire candidates who have the necessary skills to perform at the highest level on a job. This technique has a higher percentage than traditional interviewing processes for predicting the future of job candidates.

4. Understanding Behavior, Burnout, and Depression (Tied for fourth)

In our fast-paced world, many people are tired, overworked, and stressed. Between the constant flow of e-mails, being tethered to a smartphone, and other social, family, and work responsibilities, finding your ‘normal’ can be challenging. Not surprisingly, some people seem to have more issues with stress than others. We know that some stress is healthy, but constant levels of stress can become problematic to the point of burnout and depression. To truly understand the human condition, we need to define what is normal vs. abnormal behavior. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of stress, burnout, and depression will help you to pinpoint warning signs in yourself and others.

5. Successful Customer Interactions (Tied for fifth)

There is a strong correlation between customer satisfaction and the success of a business or department. Welcoming customers means working to create satisfied customers from the inside-out. When local government creates satisfied customers, we create empowered and informed citizens. In this course, learners will discover how to interact as co-workers and service providers. We will also cover understanding the customer goal and how to create goals that will lead to successful customer interactions.

5. Workplace Bullying (Tied for fifth)

When we think of bullying, we immediately associate it with the school yard, certainly not something we face as an adult. Unfortunately, bullying in the workplace occurs more often than you think. In fact, there are various forms of bullying, from overt forms to those which are quite passive. Workplace bullying may have significant consequences for those involved, for yourself as an employee as well as your employer. A thorough understanding of workplace bullying will help promote awareness and ultimately prevention.

Register Today!

If your entity is interested in learning how the NDIRF’s LocalGovU online training platform can support employee training initiatives, reach out to our Director of Member Services Corey Olson at Corey.Olson@ndirf.com. LocalGovU is offered free to NDIRF members.

Register today to start your LocalGovU professional development journey at www.NDIRF.com>Member Benefits>Online Training.

Large orange pumpkin on the left with a dark forest scene in the background. The background includes white fog over black, dark blue, and dark purple colors.

LocalGovU’s Spookiest Courses; Take Them, If You Dare

We couldn’t conjure a LocalGovU course about snakes or spiders, but we did find a variety of topics that lean into the spooky season and boiled down the options to the following five in our spooky course list.

*Course names and descriptions by LocalGovU (accessed Oct. 24, 2024, from www.LocalGovU.com/NDIRF)

Cemetery Maintenance
Whether caring for a small family cemetery or a large historical cemetery, maintenance is a highly-regarded service that friends and families of those loved ones buried there value. This course will focus on the safety precautions to take while on the job, as well as different ways to enhance the experiences of cemetery guests.

Chainsaw Safety
Like all power tools, a chainsaw saves both time and labor if used properly. However, chainsaws present serious danger when in the hands of an inexperienced operator. According to insurance companies, medical costs for chainsaw injuries amount to at least $450 million per year. Operators who take precautions when using a chainsaw help create a safe and secure environment for themselves and their co-workers. Taking the precautions this course will cover can prevent the long-term negative effects that can result from accidents.

Confined Spaces 101
Confined spaces can be especially dangerous for workers who routinely work in them. Without careful consideration of the possible hazards in these spaces, workers can be exposed to the potentially deadly workspaces. In this course, employers and employees will review the basic knowledge and skills necessary to operate in and around confined spaces safely, effectively, and efficiently, according to standards from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Confined Spaces 102
Confined spaces pose many potentially dangerous situations for workers and emergency responders. It is incumbent that employers evaluate all spaces in which their employees work to determine if hazards exist or if the work can create hazards. Employers must ensure that their employees and contractors take specific precautions whenever workers enter a dangerous space. This course will educate learners who work in confined spaces on how to develop a safe work environment that complies with the applicable federal regulations.

Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence
From simplifying daily tasks to providing powerful insights into complex data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the way we interact with technology. This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the concepts and capabilities of AI. It also explores the relationship between AI and Cybersecurity, and includes strategies to mitigate risk in our evolving digital landscape.

If your entity is interested in learning how the NDIRF’s LocalGovU online training platform can support employee training initiatives, reach out to our Director of Member Services Corey Olson at Corey.Olson@ndirf.com. LocalGovU is offered free to NDIRF members.

Register today to start your LocalGovU professional development journey at www.NDIRF.com>Member Benefits>Online Training.

Hand holding a phone with an envelope on a hook.

Don’t Get Caught in a Phishing Scam

Phishing emails have recently circulated in which employees appear to request a change to their direct deposit or banking account information. So, how can your entity determine which requests are legitimate and which are not?

Here are some steps your entity’s employees can take to help reduce the chance it gets caught in a phishing scam:

  1. Verify the sender email address, specifically the domain. The NDIRF’s domain is bolded here: First.Last@ndirf.com. If the sender’s domain doesn’t match the domain used in their previous emails, it may be a sign the email is a phishing scam.
  2. Be wary of emails that pressure you to act quickly. Scientific tests have shown that time pressure drastically reduces detection accuracy1, making it important you slow down when engaging with emails.
  3. Review the greeting and tone of the email to determine if it’s consistent with the sender’s previous emails. Scammers “often target a broad set of victims at one time, [so] they often use generic greetings like ‘Dear Customer,’ or they may even skip the greeting altogether2”. Their emails may also contain “unnatural phrasing2” among other errors.
  4. Don’t click on links or download attachments unless you know the email is legitimate. Links and attachments are tools scammers often use to install malware “that will infect your PC3”.

To help your entity’s employees outsmart phishing scams, here are some actions it can include in its email, computer, and/or technology policy:

  1. Report suspicious emails to its IT, security, or other designated department.
  2. Verify an employee’s request or safety of links or attachments by directly calling the employee or talking with them in-person.
  3. Complete the NDIRF’s LocalGovU Computer Security Basics course, available free through your entity’s NDIRF membership.

Contact NDIRF Director of Member Services Corey Olson at (701) 751-9107 or Corey.Olson@ndirf.com if your entity wants further information about LocalGovU, our online training platform offered free to NDIRF members.

1Butavicius, M, Taib, R, & Han, S. December 2022. Why people keep falling for phishing scams: The effects of time pressure and deception cues on the detection of phishing emails. Retrieved 9 September 2024 from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167404822003297.

2Rafter, D., 30 July 2024. 10 real phishing email examples. Retrieved 9 Sept. 2024 from https://us.norton.com/blog/online-scams/phishing-email-examples.

3Moon, B. 14 January 2016. Don’t Click On Strange Links: 6 Tips To Avoid Phishing Attacks. Retrieved 9 September 2024 from https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradmoon/2016/01/14/how-to-avoid-becoming-a-victim-of-phishing/.

Top 5 September 2024 Completed LocalGovU Courses

Want to know what other North Dakota local governments learned about this past September? Check out the September top 5 most frequently completed LocalGovU courses below:

*Course names and descriptions by LocalGovU (accessed Oct. 8, 2024, from www.LocalGovU.com/NDIRF)

1. Advanced Defensive Driving Techniques

This course concentrates primarily on advanced defensive driving techniques. You will be given instruction on how to drive defensively in adverse conditions including heavy rain, snow, and ice. We will further discuss how to share the roadways with other motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

2. Defensive Driving Basics

This course will dive into the basics of defensive driving, including its definition, purpose, and importance, as well as the factors that play an important role from the driver’s perspective. We will also discuss the equipment and judgment necessary for driving safely, as well as review the types of impairment that should be avoided to increase driver safety.

3. Bus Safety: Distracted Driving

Driver inattention is the leading factor in most crashes and near-crashes, according to a landmark research report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI). Nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event. Primary causes of driver inattention are distracting activities, such as cell phone use and drowsiness. Reducing operator distractions and improving safety is a shared responsibility of both the transit agency and the operator. This one-hour course is intended to educate bus transit systems employees on how to reduce or eliminate distractions while driving.

4. Evasive Driving

Dave Smith discusses staying aware and being ready to use evasive driving skills at all times.

5. Anti-Harassment in the Workplace (Tied)

Harassment in the workplace is a serious issue that requires a thorough understanding to promote awareness and ultimately prevention. Improper behavior in the workplace may have significant consequences for those involved, for yourself as an employee, and your employer. Recognizing the various types of harassment will help you to identify potential warning signs and take the necessary steps to report harassment.

5. Autism Recognition and Response (Tied)

After watching this video, the viewer will be familiar with overt signs of Autism and gain tips where to look for a missing Autistic person.

5. Bus Operations: Operator Training (Tied)

This one-hour course is intended to provide an overview of what bus transit systems operators must know prior to operating a vehicle. This course reflects the consensus of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Bus Standards Program members on the items, methods, and procedures that have provided the best performance record based on the experiences of those present and participating in meetings of the Program Task Forces and Working Groups. APTA recognizes that for certain applications, the practices, as implemented by operating agencies, may be either more or less restrictive than those given in this course.

5. Cyber Terms (Tied)

In this video, Jonathan McCombs, PhD offers some common definitions of cyber security.

5. Discipline of Being Positive (Tied)

Dan Marcou talks with Doug Wyllie about the importance of staying positive throughout your career, and tips on how to do it.

5. Driver Assessment Traffic Stop MA (Tied)

After watching this video, the viewer will see the importance of driver assessment.

5. Drug Recognition (Tied)

In this video, Dave Smith talks to drug recognition expert Kyle Clark about modern drug combinations and how to recognize drug impairment.

5. Winter Driving Safety (Tied)

In this video tip, PoliceOne Contributor Dave Smith discusses some of the dangers of winter driving and offers the reminder that as the winter seasons begins its important to refresh your memory and if possible, your physical skills on how vehicles respond on slick road surfaces.

If your entity is interested in learning how the NDIRF’s LocalGovU online training platform can support employee training initiatives, reach out to our Director of Member Services Corey Olson at Corey.Olson@ndirf.com. LocalGovU is offered free to NDIRF members.

Register today to start your LocalGovU professional development journey at www.NDIRF.com>Member Benefits>Online Training.

TOP 5 APRIL 2024 COMPLETED LOCALGOVU COURSES

 

Want to know what other North Dakota local governments learned about this past April? Check out the April top 5 most frequently completed LocalGovU courses below:

*Course names and descriptions by LocalGovU (accessed June 5, 2024, from www.LocalGovU.com/NDIRF)

1. Anti-Harassment in the Workplace

Harassment in the workplace is a serious issue that requires a thorough understanding to promote awareness and ultimately prevention. Improper behavior in the workplace may have significant consequences for those involved, for yourself as an employee, and your employer. Recognizing the various types of harassment will help you to identify potential warning signs and take the necessary steps to report harassment.

2. Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Improper behavior in the workplace may have significant consequences both for yourself and your employer. If you are a victim of sexual harassment, this may create a hostile work environment which takes a toll on your career, your personal life, and your health. Recognizing what sexual harassment is, both the subtle cues as well as the overt advances, will help you to identify potential warning signs and take the necessary steps to report sexual harassment.

3. Defensive Driving Basics

This course will dive into the basics of defensive driving, including its definition, purpose, and importance, as well as the factors that play an important role from the driver’s perspective. We will also discuss the equipment and judgment necessary for driving safely, as well as review the types of impairment that should be avoided to increase driver safety.

4. Successful Customer Interactions

There is a strong correlation between customer satisfaction and the success of a business or department. Welcoming customers means working to create satisfied customers from the inside-out. When local government creates satisfied customers, we create empowered and informed citizens. In this course, learners will discover how to interact as co-workers and service providers. We will also cover understanding the customer goal and how to create goals that will lead to successful customer interactions.

5. Ethical Behavior for Local Government

In this course, we will define ethical behavior, provide examples of work situations where a thorough understanding of workplace ethics may be applied, and ways in which you can determine if your decisions and behavior are meeting the appropriate standards.

5. Developing Effective Communication Skills

Communicating with coworkers, clients, and management is a core activity for most positions. If you communicate effectively, you are more likely to achieve success in your career and personal life. Being a good listener and knowing how to write effective documents will also ensure your success as a communicator. This course will provide you with tools and suggestions on how to accomplish this goal.

If your entity is interested in learning how the NDIRF’s LocalGovU online training platform can support employee training initiatives, reach out to our Director of Member Services Corey Olson at Corey.Olson@ndirf.com. LocalGovU is offered free to NDIRF members.

Register today to start your LocalGovU professional development journey at www.NDIRF.com>Member Benefits>Online Training.

Top 5 February 2024 Completed LocalGovU Courses

Want to know what other North Dakota local governments learned about this past February? Check out the February top 5 most frequently completed LocalGovU courses below:

*Course names and descriptions by LocalGovU (accessed March 7, 2024, from www.LocalGovU.com/NDIRF)

1. Anti-Harassment in the Workplace

Harassment in the workplace is a serious issue that requires a thorough understanding to promote awareness and ultimately prevention. Improper behavior in the workplace may have significant consequences for those involved, for yourself as an employee, and your employer. Recognizing the various types of harassment will help you to identify potential warning signs and take the necessary steps to report harassment.

2. Defensive Driving Basics

This course will dive into the basics of defensive driving, including its definition, purpose, and importance, as well as the factors that play an important role from the driver’s perspective. We will also discuss the equipment and judgment necessary for driving safely, as well as review the types of impairment that should be avoided to increase driver safety.

3. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

In previous eras, people often became caught in an “either/or” situation because employers were not always cooperative when individuals needed time for personal matters. Employees ran the risk of losing their jobs and benefits if they made the choice of putting their family first. Fortunately, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to take the time they need to handle life events. We will go over the FMLA in detail to help you understand the basic provisions and how the FMLA can benefit you.

4. Interviewing Skills for Managers: Conducting an Interview

This course is designed to provide managers with the knowledge and skills to recruit and onboard the right talent. Behavioral interviewing is a proven hiring technique that will allow you to hire candidates who have the necessary skills to perform at the highest level on a job. This technique has a higher percentage than traditional interviewing processes for predicting the future of job candidates.

5. Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Improper behavior in the workplace may have significant consequences both for yourself and your employer. If you are a victim of sexual harassment, this may create a hostile work environment which takes a toll on your career, your personal life, and your health. Recognizing what sexual harassment is, both the subtle cues as well as the overt advances, will help you to identify potential warning signs and take the necessary steps to report sexual harassment.

If your entity is interested in learning how the NDIRF’s LocalGovU online training platform can support employee training initiatives, reach out to our Director of Member Services Corey Olson at Corey.Olson@ndirf.com. LocalGovU is offered free to NDIRF members.

Register today to start your LocalGovU professional development journey at www.NDIRF.com>Member Benefits>Online Training.

Top 5 January 2024 Completed LocalGovU Courses

Want to know what other North Dakota local governments learned about this past January? Check out the January top 5 most frequently completed LocalGovU courses below:

*Course names and descriptions by LocalGovU (accessed Feb. 20, 2024, from www.LocalGovU.com/NDIRF)

1. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

In previous eras, people often became caught in an “either/or” situation because employers were not always cooperative when individuals needed time for personal matters. Employees ran the risk of losing their jobs and benefits if they made the choice of putting their family first. Fortunately, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to take the time they need to handle life events. We will go over the FMLA in detail to help you understand the basic provisions and how the FMLA can benefit you.

2. Successful Customer Interactions

There is a strong correlation between customer satisfaction and the success of a business or department. Welcoming customers means working to create satisfied customers from the inside-out. When local government creates satisfied customers, we create empowered and informed citizens. In this course, learners will discover how to interact as co-workers and service providers. We will also cover understanding the customer goal and how to create goals that will lead to successful customer interactions.

3. Defensive Driving Basics (Tied)

This course will dive into the basics of defensive driving, including its definition, purpose, and importance, as well as the factors that play an important role from the driver’s perspective. We will also discuss the equipment and judgment necessary for driving safely, as well as review the types of impairment that should be avoided to increase driver safety.

3. Advanced Defensive Driving Techniques (Tied)

This course concentrates primarily on advanced defensive driving techniques. You will be given instruction on how to drive defensively in adverse conditions including heavy rain, snow, and ice. We will further discuss how to share the roadways with other motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

4. Anti-Harassment in the Workplace (Tied)

Harassment in the workplace is a serious issue that requires a thorough understanding to promote awareness and ultimately prevention. Improper behavior in the workplace may have significant consequences for those involved, for yourself as an employee, and your employer. Recognizing the various types of harassment will help you to identify potential warning signs and take the necessary steps to report harassment.

4. Ethical Behavior for Local Government (Tied)

In this course, we will define ethical behavior, provide examples of work situations where a thorough understanding of workplace ethics may be applied, and ways in which you can determine if your decisions and behavior are meeting the appropriate standards.

5. Discipline and Termination (Tied)

In every organization, employees are let go for various reasons. The decision to discipline or even terminate an employee is not one that should be taken lightly, and there is a right and wrong way to approach the situation. In this course, learners will explore ways to appropriately address issues before termination is necessary, be able to terminate employees confidently if discipline fails, and for employees to understand the need for a disciplinary process and the rules and expectations that inform them.

5. Interviewing Skills for Managers: Conducting an Interview (Tied)

This course is designed to provide managers with the knowledge and skills to recruit and onboard the right talent. Behavioral interviewing is a proven hiring technique that will allow you to hire candidates who have the necessary skills to perform at the highest level on a job. This technique has a higher percentage than traditional interviewing processes for predicting the future of job candidates.

If your entity is interested in learning how the NDIRF’s LocalGovU online training platform can support employee training initiatives, reach out to our Director of Member Services Corey Olson at Corey.Olson@ndirf.com. LocalGovU is offered free to NDIRF members.

Register today to start your LocalGovU professional development journey at www.NDIRF.com>Member Benefits>Online Training.

Recording, Slides from Feb. 7 The Essential Functions of a Job Description Webinar

Thank you for attending the NDIRF-sponsored webinar The Essential Functions of a Job Description hosted by the North Dakota Association of Counties and presented by Attorney Brian D. Schmidt of Smith Porsborg Schweigert Armstrong Moldenhauer & Smith.

To view this webinar’s recording, go here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/jjca86zb7bvg90ay6t3rk/Identifying_Essential_Functions_Job_2024.mp4?rlkey=3ugsdbu1g3tv9ah8rev8dt91n&dl=0.

To view this webinar’s presentation slides, go here:
https://www.ndirf.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/20240207_PResentation-Slides_The-Essential-Functions-of-a-Job-Description.pdf.

Here is a summary of this webinar:

Accurate and complete documentation of employee performance is vital to support your employment decisions. An updated, accurate, and thorough job description explaining the essential functions of a job is the first step to ensuring your employee documentation will withstand scrutiny. Clearly conveyed expectations will likely lead to a better workplace and can also be an employer’s best defense against a wrongful termination lawsuit. This session will address why clear communication about job expectations and performance will not only save you from headaches in day-to-day operations, but also may be your best friend if your political subdivision is sued.