Tulare County is the largest employer in the area with 5000 full-time employees. Area businesses have recognized that a large demand for products and services comes from Tulare County employees and their families and have joined with us in offering low cost/reduced rates or no cost/free offers for products and services. Access to a significant employee population is a valuable marketing tool that is mutually beneficial. We are nurturing and retaining our employee workforce with economic incentives and fostering “economic wellness” in the County community, which includes locally-sited businesses.
Request to Participate in the Employee Discounts Program:
- At any time during the year, businesses can contact the Human Resources & Development Department and request to participate in the Tulare County Employee Discounts Program. Initial contact may be made in writing, by phone, FAX or email. However, businesses must complete (in writing) a “Business Enrollment Form” and may also be asked to provide a logo, brochures or flyers, discount coupons or forms, and/or additional materials.
- Upon receipt of the Enrollment Form and approval by the Human Resources Director, the business and discounts or offers, will be marketed to County employees, as described below.
- An Enrollment Form and discounts or offers will be reviewed annually, and if approved, extended annually to businesses participating in the Program if the business has adhered to the Program Standards and has continued to provide a qualifying discount(s) or services to employees.
Marketing of Discounts, Offers and Opportunities:
- Businesses participating in the Program are listed on the Human Resources and Development’s Internet site. Discounts and offers are also marketed to County employees through the monthly employee newsletter, “Grapevine”. Announcement of current Discounts/Offers are included in orientation packages for new employees. A printed listing of current Discounts/Offers and businesses participating are also available at the Human Resources & Development Department for employees who do not have access to computers or do not utilize the Internet.
Program Details:
Criteria for participating businesses shall include:
- Offering a reduced rate or discount from the businesses’ regular, published retail product prices or fees for services. Businesses desiring to participate in the County program are encouraged to provide discounts above and beyond those offered to the general population. Discounts, offers and opportunities which may be accessed by employees and their families on a local or regional site are desirable.
- Businesses must maintain ongoing communication with the County regarding changes in designated business representatives for the Discount Program, changes in the discount offer, and notice of closure of the business.
- Adherence to the Tulare County Employee Discount Program standards as described below.
Program Standards:
- Any Business interested in participating in the Employee Discounts Program may submit a written Business Enrollment Form to the Human Resources & Development Department.
- Businesses and vendors who currently contract with the County of Tulare (through the Purchasing Division) may offer employee discounts through the same enrollment process. This also includes vendors who may have a State of California contract and offer discounts to local government through the State.
- To maintain integrity of the program, no other discounts or offers shall be accepted by other County departments (other than those terms set forth in their contract(s) for official County business), nor advertised separate from the Employee Discounts Program. Any change to this rule must be approved (in advance of promoting such discount) by the County Administrative Officer.
- Businesses primarily engaged in the selling of tobacco, alcoholic beverages, adult-only oriented products/services, or in gambling will not be considered for inclusion in the Employee Discounts Program.
- Services or language used to victimize any individual group on the basis of age, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation; services or language that prohibits communication such as rudeness, vulgarity, or harassment; services or language used for religious or political discussion or debate will not be considered for inclusion in the Employee Discounts Program.
- There are no restrictions to keep County employees, who own businesses, from participating in the Discounts Program, provided that their business meets all requirements of this Program.
- If employees are obligated to pay a fee to a business to buy access to other discounted industries or services, this will not be considered a legitimate discount offer, and such business may not be included in the Discounts Program.
- Offers of free merchandise, services, seminars, or evaluations will not be considered legitimate discount offers unless the business can establish that there is normally a charge for such free goods or services and that the charge is normally collected. Businesses participating in the Employee Discounts Program will not be considered to have an advantage in contract negotiations for other official County business purposes.
- It is not the function of the staff involved in administering the County Discounts Program to monitor the permitting standards or business practices of any business enrolled in the Program. However, if a participating business fails to provide satisfactory products or services, or fails to meet County permitting standards, the company, business or partners may be excluded from the program, upon the recommendation of the Human Resources Director and approval by the County Administrative Officer.
- The inclusion of a business in the Employee Discounts Program is not to be considered a County endorsement of that business, products, or services. Disclaimer: Tulare County does not endorse or recommend the business, products or services included in the Employee Discounts Program, and does not warrant that the services or products are as represented by the business. You must independently determine if the services or products are suitable for your intended purposes. All purchases of any services or products through these discounts involve a relationship directly between the employee and the company offering the discounts, and the County is not a party to such, and accordingly any agreements made or obligations undertaken are the sole responsibility of the individual employee.
