Townof Southwick Massachusetts

16.

Townof Southwick Massachusetts

Town of Ware

Personnel Handbook

1.Equal Employment Opportunity ...... 2

2.Immigration...... 2

3.Employee Orientation ...... 2

4.Customer Service Greeting ...... 2

5.Personnel Folder ...... 2

6.Confidential Information ...... 3

7.Telephone Mail Use ...... , ...... 3

8.Security Measures ...... 3

9.Solicitations ...... 3

10.Political Activity and Conflicting Employment ...... 3

11.Training Opportunities ...... 4

12.Probation ...... 4

13.Discipline ...... 4

14. Resignation Notice ...... 5

15 . Part-Time Employee ...... , ...... 5

17.Non-Union Personne1...... 5

17. Hours of Work ...... 5

18 . Time and a 1/2 ...... 6

19. Flex Time ...... , ...... 6

20 . Working Out of Classification ...... 7

21.Vacations ...... 7

22.Holidays ...... ; ...... 8

23.Personal Leave ...... 8

24.Jury Duty ...... 8

25.Military Leave ...... ; ...... 8

26.Sick Leave ...... 9

27.Bereavement Leave ...... 9

28. Employee Safety ...... 10

29 . Worker's Compensation ...... 10

30. Worker's Compensation Claim Procedure ...... 10

3 1. Light Duty ...... 12

32.Interruption of Service ...... 12

33.Longevity ...... 12

34.Retirement ...... , ...... 12

35.C.O.B.R.A. (Continuation of Benefits ) ...... 13

36. FMLA ...... '" ...... " ....13

36.Employee Status Benefits During Leave ...... 15

37.Employee Status After Leave ...... 15

38.Intermittent Leave or a Reduced Work Schedule ...... 16

39. Certification of the Serious Health Condition ...... 16

37.Sexual Harassment ...... 16

38.Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Program ...... 19

39.Employee Appeal...... 22

The Town of Southwick is an equal opportunity employer and employees will be selected, retained and promoted without prejudice as to age, sex, sexual preference, race, color, creed, national origin, marital status, handicap, or religion.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Town of Southwick is committed to a policy of AffIrmative Action in providing equal employment opportunities to all town employees and applicants for employment. This policy has been established to ensure the tm,vn's personnel practices against discrimination of all types and to comply with the requirements of Executive Order 11246 as amended and State Executive Order No. 74 as amended and all other federal/state laws governing equal opportunity in employment. In meeting this coinmitment, the Board of Selectmen, on behalf of the Town, will see that all town offices and departments under its direction conform to the following procedures:

1. Recruit, hire, train, and promote for all positions without regard to the legally defmed factors of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or handicap, and base these actions on ability to perfoffil the duties and responsibilities of the position(s); and

2. Administer all other personnel practices such as compensation, benefits, transfers, layoffs, rehiring, and discipline without regard to the legally defmed factors of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or handicap, and see that all promotions are made in agreement with the objective of equal employment.

IMMIGRATION

All employees hired after November 6, 1986, are required to provide, prior to employment, documentation which indicates their United States citizenship, or if not citizens, that they are legally authorized to work in the United States. The Accounting Office has the fOffi1s required for this purpose.

EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION

All new employees will report on their starting date to the department head or supervisor. Each new employee will receive an Employee Handbook from the Selectmen's Office which outlines the rights and responsibilities of employment. The Accounting Department will help the employee make decisions about payroll deductions and the Treasurer's office on health insurance plans. Department heads are responsible for giving each new employee an overview of the structure of Southwick town government. The description will include an explanation of how the employee's job relates to others within an office and in the town as a whole. All appropriate forms (e.g. income tax deductions, life insurance, group health insurance, and retirement forms) should be completed on the first day or prior to the employee's starting date, and returned to the Accounting Office.

CUSTOMER SERVICE GREETING

The Town's reputation rests upon the attitude of its employees. We earnestly want our offices to be a friendly, courteous place and expect that employees will maintain a helpful, pleasant manner with other employees and the public at all times.

PERSONNEL FOLDER

2

All formal action concerning employment with the Town including such actions as changes in duty, pay, name, or matters regarding health or work performance will be kept in the employee's personnel folder. This is a permanent record and serves as a basis for references in case an employee leaves the Town for other employment or wishes re-employment later on.

An employee may review his/her personnel record after scheduling an appointment with the Chief Administrative Officer. All ofthe contents of the folder will be shown.

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

Town employees often learn of personal information about residents of the Town and other confidential information. Confidential information of any sort is not to be discussed with anyone, including coworkers unless necessary in the line of duty. In addition, this type of conversation is not to be discussed in corridors, eating areas or anyplace other than the work site.

TELEPHONE CALLS AND MAIL USE

T own employees are expected to use their home addresses to receive personal maiL Use of town stationary or postage for personal mail is not permitted.

When answering the phone speak in a pleasant tone of voice. Always identify yourself and where you are located. If you must refer your caller to another department explain clearly why you are doing this.

While personal calls are sometimes necessary, employees are asked to limit these to essential situations. Employees are not to make personal long distance calls without the permission of the Department Manager or the Chief Administrative Officer. This keeps the town's cost down and leaves telephones rree for necessary town business and allows you to make the best use of your working time.

SECURITY MEASURES

The Town reserves the right to check packages carried by employees if deemed necessary. Lockers, desks, cabinets, and drawers are subject to check by the Town at any time without prior notice. If an employee observes someone who may not have authorization to be on the premises or who is engaged in an illegal activity, the employee should immediately contact his/her supervisor, the Chief Administrative Officer or the police.

SOLICITA TIONS

Solicitation of employees is prohibited on town property for any purpose. An exception to this rule is the annual town sanctioned campaign for the United Way.

POLITICAL ACTIVITY AND CONFLICTING EMPLOYMENT

No person employed in town service may use his/her official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election or nomination for office or directly or indirectly coerce, attempt to coerce, command, or advise a state or local officer or employee to pay, lend, or contribute anything of value to a party, committee, organization, agency, or person for political purposes.

3

A person employed in town service retains the right to vote as he or she chooses and to express his or her opinions on political subjects and candidates and shall be free to participate actively in political management and campaigns. Such activity may include but shall not be limited to, membership and holding of office in a political party, organization, or club, campaigning for a candidate in a partisan election by making speeches, writing on behalf of the candidate or soliciting votes in support of or in opposition to a candidate and making contributions of time and money to political parties, committees, or other agencies engaged in political action, except that no employee shall engage in such activities while on duty or within any period of time during which such employee is expected to perform services for which he receives compensation from the Town of Southwick, and no such employee shall utilize municipal funds, supplies, vehicles, or facilities to secure support for or oppose any candidate, party, or issue in a political partisan election. Conflicting Employment: No employee in town service may engage in any type of activity or employment which conflicts with the best interests of the town.

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND PROCEDURES

The Town of Southwick endeavors to promote both individual and institutional training programs and opportunities. All employees are encouraged to plan their careers and gain new skills for personal advancement and greater contribution to the Town of Southwick. The training, experience, and perfonnance skills needed for town positions are compiled in the Job Description Book in the Selectmen's Office.

One major factor in job satisfaction, performance, and safety is proper training. Individual department heads should ensure that their employees are provided with information opportunities for training in jobrelated fields.

All written requests for courses or workshops should be made in advance to the department head. The department head is responsible for analyzing the suitabiEty of the request.

Where a full-time employee is required to attend a course or to receive instructions in order to maintain a license or registration which is an integral part of his/her job description and which is required for the continuation of employment in that position, the Tovvn shall fully reimburse the employee for such courses or instructions.

PROBA TION

All employees hired or re-hired will go through a one year probationary period, during which the employee will receive three formal interview/evaluation sessions with the employee's immediate supervisor. These are held at or aboutthe 30th day following the fIrst day of work just prior to the 90th day of employment and at the conclusion of the fIrst year. After the probationary period employees will receive an evaluation on at least an annual basis or more frequently as determined by the employee's imm.ediate supervisor. The contents of the evaluation will be shared and discussed with the employee. After this process the evaluation will be entered into the employee's personnel fIle. The purpose of an evaluation is to review the employee's progress and/or any problems which may have arisen and to ascertain the employee's reaction to the job and to the Town. It is important to understand that employee's may be dismissed at any time during tIllsprobational period, or at any future time, at the will of the Tovm, and the employee is free to resign at any time.

DISCIPLINE

4

Ordinarily, problems in p-erfonnance or attitude are resolved through discussion with the employee's Department Manager or the Chief Administrative Officer. It may be determined, however, that disciplinary action up to, and including, discharge is the most appropriate action to follow.

The following is a list of representative offenses which will result in disciplinary action. It should be stressed that other offenses not listed may also result in discipline up to and including discharge.

1.Sleeping or loafing on the job.

2.Inefficiency or failure to do amount or quality of work expected.

3.Repeated tardiness, absenteeism or leaving work early.

4.Horseplay, practical joking or other discourteous act.

5.Use of profane or foul language.

6.Abuse of coffee or meal breaks.

7.Insubordination, including disobedience in complying with requests of supervisor and refusal of jo b assignments.

8.Use of drugs or liquor on Town premises or being under the influence of a drug and/or alcohol during working hours. (See Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Program)

9.Fighting and/or possession of weapons on Town property.

10.Theft of Town property or the property of another employee or visitor.

11.Unethical behavior including breach of confidentiality or other unprofessional conduct.

12.Willful destruction of Town property.

13.Falsification of Town records, job application, or payroll information including the employee's own payroll information.

14.Unauthorized release of Town information.

15.Solicitation of any type during working hours whether directly or indirectly.

RESIGNATION

The Town requires that all employees present a statement of resignation to their department head or supervisor in writing at least two (2) weeks prior to the date of resignation unless otherwise provided for by contract. Earlier notification is always appreciated.

All employees will participate in an "exit interview" which is designed to elicit information about the reason(s) for tennination of employment. The Chief Administrative Officer will use the information gathered through the interviews to pinpoint potential problem areas within the organization.

PART -TIME EMPLOYEES

Part-time employees who are regularly scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week shall receive a proportion of benefits as their part-time service bears to full-time service. Employees who work less than 20 hours per week are not entitled to benefit entitlements.

NON-UNION PERSONNEL

The following language primarily applies to non-union personnel and those employees subject to a collective bargaining agreement should review their agreement on these issues.

HOURS OF WORK

5

Employees are advised of their regular work schedule at the time of hire. This work schedule may be changed at any time during the course of employment based on operational needs as determined by Department Manager or Chief Administrative Officer.

Employees are entitled to a 15 minute paid break period for each consecutive four (4) hours of scheduled work time. Employees who are scheduled for six (6) or more consecutive hours of work are entitled to a 30 minute unpaid lunch break.

TIME AND ONE-HALF CLAUSE

Employees receive time and one-half for all hours worked over eight (8) per day or forty (40). per week. There is no pyramiding of overtime pay. Vacation, holiday, personal day(s), and paid sick time taken during the week is included in the computation of overtime.

Compensatory time may be earned upon the mutual agreement of the employee and his/her supervisor as a substitute for overtime pay. Compensatory time is earned at the same rate that the original time would have been earned. For example if your extra hours would have been paid at a straight time rate your compensatory time is earned on a straight time rate, if you were in an overtime situation your compensatory time is also earned at an overtime rate.

Compensatory time may be earned up to a maximum of 24 hours. This time must be scheduled to be used within two months of the accrued date with the prior approval of your immediate supervisor.

You will be assigned a regular hour to report to work. This time may be changed at any time during the course of your employment based on the operational needs ofthe Town. If you are late, the time will be deducted from your pay. The same practice applies if you leave before the end of your shift. Repeated tardiness or leaving your work area early will require disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from employment.

If you report to work early through your own choice, you are not paid for this time and you are not permitted to work. Naturally, if the Town, through your Department Manager, requests that you come in early because of a heavy workload or similar reason, you will be paid for this time.

Any employee called back to work on the same day after having completed his/her assigned work and left his/her place of employment and before his/her next regular scheduled starting time, shall be guaranteed a minimum of two (2) hours pay at a straight-time rate unless the employee is eligible for overtime pay as described above.

Employees may be mandated to work overtime or extra hours based upon the operational needs of the employer. Management personnel are exempt from the above overtime and compensatory time provisions.

FLEX

Personnel only with the knowledge and approval of the Board of Selectmen or appropriate appoLflting authority may be able to arrange their usual business schedules to accommodate unusual demand for evening or weekend work. Thus, for example, an employee obliged to attend extra evening meetings may wish to come into work late the next day after such a meeting. This is flex-time. Managerial personnel are expected to keep the normal business hours worked by others in their department, but flexible scheduling for unusual time demand periods is appropriate.

6

There are occasions, not so frequent, when a professional or managerial employee is asked to take on an added responsibility that for some period oftime will clearly and substantially stretch the 40 to 50 hour average. When it is not possible for the individual to delegate other responsibilities or otherwise accommodate these new responsibilities to his/her normal work week, the principle of fairness may allow that the individuals be given time off to compensate for the "beyond-the-line-of-duty" demands within a reasonable period to be determined by the Board of Selectmen.

Employee request for flex time must be made to the Department Head. The Department Head if he/she wishes to pursue the request, will put the request in writing to the Chief Administrative Officer. The Department Head and Chief Administrative Officer will then schedule a meeting with the Board of Selectmen for approval or rejection of the request.

If the request for the time involves a Department Head the same format as provided above will be followed. If the request is ITom the Chief Administrative Officer the request will be made in vvTiting directly to the Board of Selectmen for their approval or rejection of the request.

WORKING OUT OF CLASSIFICATION