By Laura Nesbitt
Mountain View Telegraph
According to employees of one state agency, recognition is important.
Just recently, the seven employees of Torrance County Protective Services, a division of the state Children, Youth and Families Department, were given pins denoting their years of service.
The Years of Service pins, given out by CYFD to employees in offices all over the state, have stones signifying years of service, said Laura Nelson, office administrator for four years. They also received a certificate signed by both the service area director and the cabinet secretary, Nelson said.
And employees with five years of service are awarded four hours of administrative leave, and workers with 10 or more years receive eight hours of leave, Nelson said.
As employees reach milestone years of service they either receive the Years of Service pin or a gemstone to insert into the pin, Nelson said. For example, if an employee has worked for CYFD for 20 years, he or she receives a red gemstone.
“It's a really good gesture for the state of New Mexico to do that. It's not like the state can do some huge thing for their workers. It's our tax money, and we understand that. It's not like a private industry that can give you grand bonuses if you do a great job. But this was very nicely done,” said Terry Fisher, in charge of permanency planning for the county agency. Fisher has a total of 18 years of service.
The employees in the county's office have a total of 70 years of experience, and they handle about 30 cases per month, said Valree Lopez county office manager with 17 years' experience.
“When there's an abuse or neglect case reported, we go in and make sure the families are safe,” Nelson said, explaining the services the agency performs.
The agency serves families and children in Torrance County, southern Santa Fe County and part of Bernalillo County.
“Making sure that children and families are safe and that their basic needs are met is a part that I can do. I can't do all of it, but I can put my best effort toward this,” Fisher said, adding that the employees in the Torrance County office work very hard.
Nelson agreed, saying that she is grateful for her administrative position.
“I couldn't ask for a better position in life,” Nelson said.
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