Welcome
new employee!
On
behalf of your colleagues, we welcome you to the Town of
We
believe that each employee contributes directly to the Town of
hope you will take pride in being
a member of our team.
This
handbook was developed to describe some of the expectations of our employees
and to outline the
policies, programs, and benefits
available to eligible employees. Employees should familiarize themselves
with the contents of the employee
handbook as soon as possible, for it will answer many questions about
employment with the Town of
We
hope that your experience here will be challenging, enjoyable, and rewarding.
Again, welcome!
Sincerely,
Gary
MacGuire, Town Administrator
INTRODUCTORY
STATEMENT
This
handbook is designed to acquaint you with the Town of
about working conditions, employee
benefits, and some of the policies affecting your employment. You
should read, understand, and comply
with all provisions of the handbook. It describes many of your
responsibilities as an employee
and outlines the programs developed by the Town of
employees. One of our objectives is to
provide a work environment that is conducive to both personal and
professional growth.
No
employee handbook can anticipate every circumstance or question about policy.
As the Town of
supplement, or rescind any
policies or portion of the handbook from time to time as it deems appropriate,
in its sole and absolute discretion.
Employees will, of course, be notified of such changes to the handbook
as they occur.
EMPLOYEE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM
The
employee handbook describes important information about the Town of
that I should consult my
department head, or the Town Administrator regarding any questions not
answered in the handbook.
Since
the information, policies, and benefits described here are necessarily subject
to change, I
acknowledge that revisions
to the handbook may occur. All such changes will be communicated through
official notices, and I understand
that revised information may supersede, modify, or eliminate existing
policies. Only the Board of Selectmen
of the Town of
the policies in this handbook.
Furthermore,
I acknowledge that I have received the handbook, and I understand that it is my
responsibility to read and
comply with the policies contained in this handbook and any revisions made to
it.
EMPLOYEE'S
NAME (printed): _______________________________________________
EMPLOYEE'S
SIGNATURE: _________________________________________________
DATE:
__________________________________
Customer
and Citizen Relations
Customers
are among our organization's most valuable assets. Every employee represents
the
Town of
entire organization. Customers
judge all of us by how they are treated with each employee contact.
Therefore,
one of our first business priorities is to assist any customer or potential
customer. Nothing is
more important than being
courteous, friendly, helpful, and prompt in the attention you give to the
public.
Our
personal contact with the public, our manners on the telephone, and the
communications we send to
customers are a reflection not only of
ourselves, but also of the professionalism of the Town of
Positive
customer relations not only enhance the public's perception or image of the
Town of
but also pay off in greater public cooperation
and understanding of the services we provide.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
101 Nature of Employment
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
This
handbook is intended to provide employees with a general understanding of our
personnel policies.
Employees
are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the contents of this handbook,
for it will answer
many common questions concerning
employment with the Town of
However,
this handbook cannot anticipate every situation or answer every question about
employment. It
is not an employment contract and is not
intended to create contractual obligations of any kind. Neither
the employee nor the Town of
chooses, at its will, to end the
relationship at any time.
In
order to retain necessary flexibility in the administration of policies and
procedures, the Town of
this handbook. A copy of any
revisions or changes will be provided to all employees within 30 days.
102 Employee Relations
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
competitive with those
offered by other municipal employers in this area. If employees have concerns
about work conditions or
compensation, they are strongly encouraged to voice these concerns openly and
directly to their supervisors.
Our
experience has shown that when employees deal openly and directly with
supervisors, the work
environment can be
excellent, communications can be clear, and attitudes can be positive. It is
the
intention of the Town of
effectively to employee
concerns.
103 Equal Employment
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
In
order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all
individuals, employment
decisions at the Town of
religion, sex, national origin, age,
or any other characteristic protected by law.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
This
policy governs all aspects of employment, including selection, job assignment,
compensation,
discipline, termination,
and access to benefits and training.
Any
employees with questions or concerns about any type of discrimination in the
workplace are
encouraged to bring these
issues to the attention of their immediate supervisor or the Town
Administrator.
Employees
can raise concerns and make reports without fear of reprisal. Anyone found to
be engaging in
any type of unlawful discrimination will be
subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination
of employment.
104 Municipal Ethics and Conduct
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
successful operation and reputation of the Town of
dealing and ethical conduct of our
employees. Our reputation for integrity and excellence requires careful
observance of the spirit
and letter of all applicable laws and regulations, as well as a scrupulous
regard for
the highest standards of conduct and personal
integrity.
The
continued success of the Town of
to earning and preserving that trust.
Employees owe a duty to the Town of
taxpayers to act in a way that will
merit the continued trust and confidence of the public.
In
general, the use of good judgment, based on high ethical principles, will guide
you with respect to lines
of acceptable conduct. If a situation arises
where it is difficult to determine the proper course of action,
the matter should be discussed openly with
your immediate supervisor and, if necessary, with the Town
Administrator for advice and consultation.
Compliance
with this policy of business ethics and conduct is the responsibility of every
Town of
could lead to disciplinary action,
up to and including possible termination of employment.
105 Personal Relationships in the Workplace
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
employment of relatives or individuals involved in a dating relationship in the
same area of an
organization may cause
serious conflicts and problems with favoritism and employee morale. In addition
to claims of partiality in treatment at work,
personal conflicts from outside the work environment can be
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
carried over into day-to-day working
relationships.
This
section applies to the following employment classification(s):
*
Regular full-time employees
*
Regular part-time employees
For
purposes of this policy, a relative is any person who is related by blood or
marriage, or whose
relationship with the employee
is similar to that of persons who are related by blood or marriage. The
Town
of
uncles, nieces, nephews and first
cousins. A dating relationship is defined as a relationship that may be
reasonably expected to lead
to the formation of a consensual "romantic" or sexual relationship.
This
policy applies to all employees
without regard to the gender or sexual orientation of the individuals
involved.
Relatives
of current employees may not occupy a position that will be working directly
for or supervising
their relative. Individuals
involved in a dating relationship with a current employee may also not occupy a
position that will be working
directly for or supervising the employee with whom they are involved in a
dating relationship.
If
a relative relationship or dating relationship is established after employment
between employees who
are in a reporting situation described above,
it is the responsibility and obligation of the supervisor
involved in the relationship to
disclose the existence of the relationship to management. The individuals
concerned will be given the
opportunity to decide who is to be transferred to another available position.
If
that decision is not made within
30 calendar days, management will decide who is to be transferred or, if
necessary, terminated from employment.
In
other cases where a conflict or the potential for conflict arises because of
the relationship between
employees, even if there is no line of
authority or reporting involved, the employees may be separated by
reassignment or terminated
from employment. Employees in a close personal relationship should refrain
from public workplace displays of
affection or excessive personal conversation.
106 Employee Medical Examinations & Drug Testing
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
To
help ensure that employees are able to perform their duties safely, a medical
examination, and
pre-employment drug screening
may be required.
After
an offer has been made to an applicant entering a designated job category, a
medical examination
and pre-employment drug screening will be
performed at the Town of
professional of the Town of
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
contingent upon
satisfactory completion of the exam.
Information
on an employee's medical condition or history will be kept separate from other
employee
information and maintained
confidentially.
107 Immigration Law Compliance
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
authorized to work in the
national origin.
In
compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, each new
employee, as a condition
of employment, must complete the Employment
Eligibility Verification Form I-9 and present
documentation establishing identity
and employment eligibility. Former employees who are rehired must
also complete the form if they
have not completed an I-9 with the Town of
years, or if their previous I-9 is
no longer retained or valid.
Employees
with questions or seeking more information on immigration law issues are
encouraged to
contact the Finance Director.
Employees may raise questions or complaints about immigration law
compliance without fear of
reprisal.
108 Conflicts of Interest
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Employees
have an obligation to conduct business within guidelines that prohibit actual
or potential
conflicts of interest. This policy
establishes only the framework within which the Town of
wishes the business to operate. The
purpose of these guidelines is to provide general direction so that
employees can seek further
clarification on issues related to the subject of acceptable standards of
operation. Contact the Town
Administrator for more information or questions about conflicts of interest.
An
actual or potential conflict of interest occurs when an employee is in a
position to influence a decision
that may result in a personal
gain for that employee or for a relative as a result of the Town of
business dealings. For the purposes
of this policy, a relative is any person who is related by blood or
marriage, or whose relationship with
the employee is similar to that of persons who are related by blood
or marriage.
No
"presumption of guilt" is created by the mere existence of a
relationship with outside firms. However,
if employees have any influence on
transactions involving purchases, contracts, or leases, it is imperative
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
that they disclose to their
Department Head or the Town Administrator as soon as possible the existence
of any actual or potential conflict of
interest so that safeguards can be established to protect all parties.
110 Outside Employment
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Employees
may hold outside jobs as long as they meet the performance standards of their
job with the
Town of
the Town of
If
the Town of
ability to meet the requirements of
the Town of
to time, the employee may be asked to terminate
the outside employment if he or she wishes to remain
with the Town of
Outside
employment that constitutes a conflict of interest is prohibited. Employees may
not receive any
income or material gain from
individuals outside the Town of
rendered while performing their jobs.
112 Non-Disclosure
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
protection of confidential information is vital to the interests and the
success of the Town of
Such
confidential information includes, but is not limited to, the following
examples:
*
Computer Programs and Codes
*
Computer Passwords
*
Legal Cases or Actions
*
Labor Relations Strategies
*
Personnel Information
*
Private Citizens' Information
*
All Non-Public Information per N.H. RSA 91
Employees
who improperly use or disclose trade secrets or confidential business
information will be
subject to disciplinary action, up
to and including termination of employment, even if they do not actually
benefit from the disclosed information.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
116 Job Posting
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
advance within the organization
according to their skills and experience. In general, notices of all regular,
full-time job openings are posted,
although the Town of
post a particular opening.
Job
openings will be posted on the employee bulletin board and in the e-mail
system, and normally
remain open for 7 calendar days.
Each job posting notice will include the dates of the posting period, job
title, department, location, grade
level, job summary, essential duties, and qualifications (required skills
and abilities).
To
be eligible to apply for a posted job, employees must have performed
competently for at least 180
calendar days in their current
position. The Town Administrator may grant a waiver of this requirement if
determined to be in the
best interest of the Town.
To
apply for an open position, employees should submit a job posting application
to the Department Head
listing job-related skills and
accomplishments. It should also describe how their current experience with
the Town of
The
Town of
talk with their supervisors about
their career plans. Supervisors are encouraged to support employees'
efforts to gain experience and
advance within the organization.
An
applicant's supervisor may be contacted to verify performance, skills, and
attendance.
Job
posting is a way to inform employees of openings and to identify qualified and interested
applicants
who might not otherwise be known to the hiring
manager. Other recruiting sources may also be used to
fill open positions in the best
interest of the Town.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
201 Employment Categories
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
It
is the intent of the Town of
employees understand their employment
status and benefit eligibility.
Each
employee is designated as either NONEXEMPT or EXEMPT from federal and state
wage and hour
laws. NONEXEMPT employees are
entitled to overtime pay under the specific provisions of federal and
state laws. EXEMPT employees are
excluded from specific provisions of federal and state wage and hour
laws.
In
addition to the above categories, each employee will belong to one other
employment category:
REGULAR
FULL-TIME employees are those who are not in a temporary or introductory status
and who
are regularly scheduled to work the Town of
REGULAR
PART-TIME employees are those who are not assigned to a temporary or
introductory status
and who are regularly scheduled to work 20
hours or more and less than 40 hours per week. Regular
part-time employees are eligible for
some benefits sponsored by the Town of
terms, conditions, and limitations
of each benefit program.
PART-TIME
employees are those who are not assigned to a temporary or introductory status
and who are
regularly scheduled to work less than
20 hours per week. While they do receive all
legally mandated benefits (such as
Social Security and workers' compensation insurance), they are
ineligible for all of the
Town of
CALL-EMPLOYEES
are those employed by the Town on a part-time basis and whose pay and benefits
may not be commensurate with full-time or
regularly scheduled part-time employees. A call employee
may be subject to irregular scheduling or may
be required to work on an "as needed" basis within the sole
discretion of the employer.
Such employees are not guaranteed any minimum number of hours of work
per pay period. Call-employees are required to
meet all qualifications required by their department and
shall be subject to all Town and
department regulations.
PROBATIONARY
employees are those whose performance is being evaluated to determine whether
further employment in a specific
position or with the Town of
satisfactorily complete the
probationary period will be notified of their new employment classification.
TEMPORARY
employees are those who are hired as interim replacements, to temporarily
supplement the
work force, or to assist in the
completion of a specific project. Employment assignments in this category
are of a limited duration. Employment beyond
any initially stated period does not in any way imply a
change in employment status.
Temporary employees retain that status unless and until notified of a
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
change in writing. While temporary
employees receive all legally mandated benefits (such as workers'
compensation insurance and
Social Security), they are ineligible for all of the Town of
benefit programs.
PER
DIEM employees are those who routinely work either a full-time or a part-time
schedule and who
accept additional compensation in
lieu of participation in all but legally mandated benefit programs. The
Town
of
Individuals
participating in this program must sign waivers of their rights to participate
in the benefit
programs applicable to regular
employees. Service in this category cannot be credited in any way toward
any benefit program, even if the employee is
later assigned to a benefit-eligible category. A change to or
from this category can be
accomplished only with the written consent of the Town of
202 Access to Personnel Files
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
In
accordance with N.H. RSA 275:56, employees shall have a reasonable opportunity
to
inspect their personnel files, and
upon request, to obtain a copy of all or part of the file. The Town of
employee's job application,
resume, records of training, documentation of performance appraisals and
salary increases, and other
employment records.
Personnel
files are the property of the Town of
restricted. Generally, only
supervisors and management personnel of the Town of
legitimate reason to review
information in a file are allowed to do so.
Employees
who wish to review their own file should contact their Department Head or the
Town
Administrator. With reasonable
advance notice, employees may review their own personnel files in the
Town
of
maintain the files.
Any
comments or corrections that an employee desires to add to their personnel
record should be
submitted to the Town Administrator
within seven (7) calendar days of the event in question.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
203 Employment Reference Checks
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
writing. Responses to such inquiries
will confirm only dates of employment, and position(s) held. No
employment data will be
released without a written authorization and release signed by the individual
who is the subject of the inquiry.
204 Personnel Data Changes
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
It
is the responsibility of each employee to promptly notify the Town of
personnel data. Personal mailing
addresses, telephone numbers, number and names of dependents,
individuals to be contacted
in the event of an emergency, educational accomplishments, and other such
status reports should be accurate
and current at all times. If any personnel data has changed, notify the
Town
Administrator within 30 days of the change.
205 Probationary Period
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
probationary period is intended to give new employees the opportunity to
demonstrate their ability to
achieve a satisfactory level of
performance and to determine whether the new position meets their
expectations. The Town of
overall performance. Either the
employee or the Town of
at will at any time during or after the
introductory period, with or without cause or advance notice.
All
new and rehired employees work on an probationary basis for the first 180
calendar days after their
date of hire. Employees who are
promoted or transferred within the Town of
secondary probationary period of the
90 calendar days with each reassignment to a new position. Any
significant absence will
automatically extend an probationary period by the length of the absence. If
the
Town
of
thoroughly evaluate the
employee's performance, the probationary period may be extended for a specified
period, and the employee will be
notified of such action in writing.
In
cases of promotions or transfers within the Town of
of management, is not successful in the new
position can be removed from that position at any time
during the secondary probationary
period. If this occurs, the employee may be allowed to return to his or
her former job or to a comparable job for
which the employee is qualified, depending on the availability
of such positions and the Town of
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
Upon
satisfactory completion of the initial probationary period, employees enter the
"regular"
employment classification.
During the probationary period, benefits are similar to the "regular"
employee
classification status.
208 Employment Applications
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
as well as the accuracy of other data
presented throughout the hiring process and employment. Any
misrepresentations, falsifications,
or material omissions in any of this information or data may result in
the exclusion of the individual from further
consideration for employment or, if the person has been hired,
termination of employment.
209 Performance Evaluation
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Supervisors
and employees are strongly encouraged to discuss job performance and goals on
an informal,
day-to-day basis. Formal
performance evaluations are conducted at the end of an employee's initial
period
in any new position. This period, known as
the probationary period, allows the supervisor and the
employee to discuss the job
responsibilities, standards, and performance requirements of the new position.
Additional
formal performance evaluations are conducted to provide both supervisors and
employees the
opportunity to discuss job
tasks, identify and correct weaknesses, encourage and recognize strengths, and
discuss positive, purposeful
approaches for meeting goals.
The
performance of all employees will generally occur on an ongoing 12 month cycle,
at the end of the
fiscal year.
210 Job Descriptions
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
within the organization. Each
description includes a job information section, a job summary section
(giving a general overview of the job's purpose), an
essential duties and responsibilities section, a
supervisory responsibilities
section, a qualifications section (including education and/or experience,
language skills, mathematical skills,
reasoning ability, and any certification required), a physical demands
section, a work environment section,
and a pay scale range.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
The
Town of
identifying the requirements
of each position, establishing hiring criteria, setting standards for employee
performance evaluations, and
establishing a basis for making reasonable accommodations for individuals
with disabilities.
Each
Department Head is responsible for maintaining and updating job descriptions
for approval by the
Town
Administrator and are filed at the Town Hall. Existing job descriptions are
also reviewed and
revised in order to ensure that they
are up to date. Job descriptions may also be rewritten periodically to
reflect any changes in the
position's duties and responsibilities and employees will be given a written
copy of their job description.
All employees will be expected to help ensure that their job descriptions are
accurate and current, reflecting the
work being done.
Employees
should remember that job descriptions do not necessarily cover every task or
duty that might
be assigned, and that additional
responsibilities may be assigned as necessary. Contact your Department
Head
if you have any questions or concerns about your job description.
212 Salary Administration
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
salary administration program at the Town of
practices, comply with federal and
state laws, mirror our commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity,
and offer competitive salaries within our
labor market. Because recruiting and retaining talented
employees is critical to our success,
the Town of
wages that reflect the
requirements and responsibilities of their positions and are comparable to the
pay
received by similarly situated
employees in other municipalities in the area.
Compensation
for every position is determined by several factors, including job analysis and
evaluation,
employee performance, the essential
duties and responsibilities of the job, and salary survey data on pay
practices of other employers. The Town
of
program and restructures it as
necessary.
Employees
should bring their pay-related questions or concerns to the attention of their
immediate
supervisors, who are
responsible for the fair administration of departmental pay practices. The Town
Administrator
is also available to answer specific questions about the salary administration
program.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
301 Employee Benefits
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Eligible
employees at the Town of
programs (such as Social Security,
workers' compensation, state disability, and unemployment insurance)
cover all employees in the manner
prescribed by law.
Benefits
eligibility is dependent upon a variety of factors, including employee
classification. Your
supervisor can identify the
programs for which you are eligible. Details of many of these programs can be
found elsewhere in the employee
handbook.
Note: Employees who are covered by Union contract
have their benefits described in the
Collective Bargaining Agreements which supersede
the policies contained in this
Personnel Manual.
The
following benefit programs are available to eligible employees:
*
Auto Mileage
*
Bereavement Leave
*
Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan)
*
Dental Insurance
*
Educational Financial Assistance
*
Employee Assistance Program
*
Family Leave
*
Health Insurance
*
Holidays
*
Jury Duty Leave
*
Life Insurance
*
Long-Term Disability
*
Meal Allowances
*
Medical Leave
*
Military Leave
*
NH Group II Retirement (For Eligible Employees)
*
Personal Leave
*
Short-Term Disability
*
Sick Leave Benefits
*
Uniform and Uniform Maintenance
*
Vacation Benefits
Some
benefit programs require contributions from employees, but most are fully paid
by the Town of
of
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
303 Vacation Benefits
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Vacation
time off with pay is available to eligible employees to provide opportunities
for rest, relaxation,
and personal pursuits. Employees in the
following employment classification(s) are eligible to earn and
use vacation time as described in this policy:
*
Regular full-time employees
*
Regular part-time employees (pro-rated)
For
Regular part-time employees vacation time will accrue on a pro-rated basis
based on their average
number of regularly scheduled work
hours. The amount of paid vacation time employees receive each
year increases with the length of
their employment as shown in the following schedule:
*
Upon initial eligibility the employee is entitled to 10 vacation days each
year, accrued monthly at the
rate of 0.833 days per month.
*
After 5 years of eligible service the employee is entitled to 15 vacation days
each year, accrued
monthly at the rate of 1.250 days
per month.
*
After 10 years of eligible service the employee is entitled to 20 vacation days
each year, accrued
monthly at the rate of 1.667 days
per month.
*
After 20 years of eligible service the employee is entitled to 25 vacation days
each year, accrued
monthly at the rate of 2.083 days
per month.
The
length of eligible service is calculated on the basis of a "benefit
year." This is the 12-month period
that begins when the employee
starts to earn vacation time. An employee's benefit year may be extended
for any significant leave of absence except
military leave of absence. Military leave has no effect on this
calculation. (See individual
leave of absence policies for more information.)
Employees
can request use of vacation time after it is earned. At the Department Head's
discretion time
may be taken in advance of the accrued time,
but upon termination any negative vacation time balances
will be repaid.
Paid
vacation time can be used in minimum increments of one hour. To take vacation,
employees should
request advance approval from their
supervisors. Requests will be reviewed based on a number of factors,
including business needs and staffing
requirements.
Vacation
time off is paid at the employee's base pay rate at the time of vacation.
As
stated above, employees are encouraged to use available paid vacation time for
rest, relaxation, and
personal pursuits. In the event that
available vacation is not used by the end of the benefit year,
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
employees may carry unused time
forward to the next benefit year. If the total amount of unused vacation
time reaches a "cap"
equal to 240 hours for all employees who earn 20 vacation days or less per year,
further vacation accrual will stop. When the employee uses paid vacation time
and brings the available amount below the cap, vacation accrual will begin
again. Employees who are entitled to 25
vacation days per year shall also have a “cap”, however the “cap’ for those
employees shall be 300 hours.
Upon
termination of employment, employees will be paid for unused vacation time that
has been earned
through the last day of work.
However, if the Town of
employment for cause,
forfeiture of unused vacation time may result.
305 Holidays
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
*
New Year's Day (January 1)
*
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (third Monday in January)
*
Presidents' Day (third Monday in February)
*
Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
*
Independence Day (July 4)
*
Labor Day (first Monday in September)
*
Columbus Day (second Monday in October)
*
Veterans' Day (November 11)
*
Thanksgiving (fourth Thursday in November)
*
Day after Thanksgiving
*
Christmas (December 25)
*
For the Library, Police Department, and Transfer Station, an employee should
see their department head
for the specific holiday schedule.
The
Town of
assignment to an eligible
employment classification.
employee's straight-time
pay rate (as of the date of the holiday) times the number of hours the employee
would otherwise have worked on
that day up to 8 hours.
Eligible employee
classification(s):
*
Regular full-time employees
*
Regular part-time employees (pro-rated)
Regular
part-time employees are eligible to receive holiday pay for the average number
of hours worked
in a work day.
A
recognized holiday that falls on a Saturday will be observed on the preceding
Friday. A recognized
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
holiday that falls on a Sunday will
be observed on the following Monday.
If
a recognized holiday falls during an eligible employee's paid absence (such as
vacation or sick leave),
holiday pay will be provided instead
of the paid time off benefit that would otherwise have applied.
If
eligible nonexempt employees work on a recognized holiday, they will receive
holiday pay plus wages
at one and one-half times their straight-time
rate for the hours worked on the holiday.
Paid
time off for holidays will not be counted as hours worked for the purposes of
determining overtime.
306 Workers' Compensation Insurance
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
employees. This program covers any
injury or illness sustained in the course of employment that requires
medical, surgical, or hospital
treatment. Subject to applicable legal requirements, workers' compensation
insurance provides benefits after a
short waiting period or, if the employee is hospitalized, immediately.
Employees
who sustain work-related injuries or illnesses should inform their supervisor
immediately. No
matter how minor an on-the-job
injury may appear, it is important that it be reported immediately. This
will enable an eligible employee
to qualify for coverage as quickly as possible.
307 Sick Leave & Maximum Accrual Benefits
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
absence due to illnesses or
injuries. Eligible employee classification(s):
*
Regular full-time employees
*
Regular part-time employees (pro-rated)
Eligible
employees will accrue sick leave benefits at the rate of 7 days per year (.58
of a day for every full
month of service). For Regular
part-time employees sick time will accrue on a pro-rated basis based on
their average number of regularly
scheduled work hours. Sick leave benefits are calculated on the basis of a
"benefit year," the 12-month period that begins when the employee
starts to earn sick leave benefits.
Paid
sick leave can be used in minimum increments of one hour. An eligible employee
may use sick leave
benefits for an absence due to his or
her own illness or injury, or that of a child, parent, or spouse of the
employee.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
Employees
who are unable to report to work due to illness or injury should notify their
direct supervisor
before the scheduled start of their
workday if possible. The direct supervisor must also be contacted on
each additional day of absence.
If an employee is absent for three or more consecutive days due to illness
or injury, a physician's statement may be
required to verify the disability and its beginning and expected
ending dates. Such verification may
be requested for other sick leave absences as well and may be
required as a condition to receiving
sick leave benefits. Before returning to work from a sick leave
absence of 3 calendar days or more,
an employee may be required to provide a physician's verification
that he or she may safely return
to work.
Sick
leave benefits will be calculated based on the employee's base pay rate at the
time of absence and
will not include any special
forms of compensation, such as overtime, incentives, commissions, bonuses, or
shift differentials. As an additional condition of eligibility for sick leave benefits,
an employee on an extended absence must apply for any other available
compensation and benefits, such as Short Term Disability. Sick leave benefits
will be used to supplement any payments that an employee is eligible to receive
from state disability insurance, workers' compensation or the Town of Amherst-provided
disability insurance programs. The combination of any such disability payments
and sick leave benefits cannot exceed the employee's normal weekly earnings.
Sick
leave benefits are intended solely to provide income protection in the event of
illness or injury, and
may not be used for any other absence. Unused
sick leave benefits will not be paid to employees while
they are employed or upon
termination of employment.
Sick Leave Incentive: Employees
may, as of their respective anniversary date, receive a fifty
percent (50%) pay back, rounded down
to the nearest day, for unused sick leave until such time as the
maximum accumulation has been
reached, such pay back applies only to the year involved and not to the
total accumulation of unused sick
leave. Time not paid shall go towards the employee's maximum
accumulation. Once an
employee has reached maximum accrual all unused sick leave shall be paid at one
hundred percent (100%). Payment
shall be made in the month following the employee's anniversary date.
Maximum Accrual (Sick Bank): Employees
may accumulate up to 240
hours of sick leave in their sick
bank. The sick bank is intended to assist the employee during long
periods of illness or injury and can
be used to supplement both Short-Term and Long-Term disability.
Maximum
accural is not paid upon termination of employment.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
309 Bereavement Leave
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Employees
who wish to take time off due to the death of an immediate family member should
notify their
supervisor immediately.
Up
to 3 days of paid bereavement leave will be provided to eligible employees in
the following
classification(s):
*
Regular full-time employees
*
Regular part-time employees
For
Regular part-time employees sick time will accrue on a pro-rated basis based on
their average number
of regularly scheduled work hours.
Bereavement pay is calculated based on the base pay rate at the time
of absence and will not include any special
forms of compensation, such as incentives, commissions,
bonuses, overtime, or shift
differentials.
Bereavement
leave will normally be granted unless there are unusual business needs or
staffing
requirements. Employees may,
with their supervisors' approval, use any available paid leave for
additional time off as
necessary.
The
Town of
residing in the employee's home,
sibling; the employee's spouse's parent, child, or sibling; the employee's
child's spouse; grandparents or
grandchildren. Special consideration may also be given to any other
person whose association with the
employee was similar to any of the above relationships.
311 Jury Duty
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
when required. Employees in an
eligible classification may request up to 2 weeks of paid jury duty leave
over any 1 year period.
Additional requests for longer duration trials will be considered on a case by
case
basis by the Board of Selectmen.
Jury
duty pay will be calculated on the employee's base pay rate times the number of
hours the employee
would otherwise have worked on the
day of absence. Employees who serve on a jury will receive the
difference between their
regular pay and the fee they receive from the court for their service. Employee
classifications that qualify for
paid jury duty leave are:
*
Regular full-time employees
*
Regular part-time employees
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
Employees
must show the jury duty summons to their supervisor as soon as possible so that
the
supervisor may make
arrangements to accommodate their absence. Of course, employees are expected to
report for work whenever the court
schedule permits.
Either
the Town of
313 Benefits Continuation (COBRA)
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) gives employees
and their
qualified beneficiaries the
opportunity to continue health insurance coverage under the Town of
common qualifying events are
resignation, termination of employment, retirement, or death of an
employee; a reduction in an
employee's hours or a leave of absence; an employee's divorce or legal
separation; and a dependent
child no longer meeting eligibility requirements.
Under
COBRA, the employee or beneficiary pays the full cost of coverage at the Town
of
group rates plus an administration
fee. The Town of
written notice describing rights
granted under COBRA when the employee becomes eligible for coverage
under the Town of
employee's rights and
obligations.
314 Educational Assistance
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
of the organization. The educational
assistance program encourages personal development through formal
education so that employees can
maintain and improve job-related skills or enhance their ability to
compete for reasonably attainable
jobs within the Town of
The
Town of
180
calendar days of service in an eligible employment classification. To maintain
eligibility employees
must remain on the active payroll
and be performing their job satisfactorily through completion of each
course. Employees in the following
employee classification(s) are eligible for educational assistance:
*
Regular full-time employees
Individual
courses or courses that are part of a degree, licensing, or certification
program must be related
to the employee's current job duties or a
foreseeable-future position in the organization in order to be
eligible for educational assistance.
The Town of
course relates to an employee's
current job duties or a foreseeable-future position. Employees should
contact their Department Head for
more information or questions about educational assistance.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
Criteria for Eligibility for Tuition Reimbursement:
Courses
generally must be scheduled outside an employee's established work hours unless
agreed upon by the employee's
Department Head. All courses must be offered by an accredited
educational institution.
Advanced approval for each class is required and employee's must pay for the
class in advance. The maximum
allowable classes per calendar year is two (2), dependent on prior
approval and the availability of
funds.
In
an effort to encourage academic excellence, the Town of
reimbursement for educational
assistance as follows based on GPA and the availability of funds:
Course
Grade Percent Reimbursement Max Amount (Under Grad/Grad)
A+
- A- (4.0 to 3.7 GPA) 75% $598.50 / $1,095.00
B+
- B- (3.3 to 2.7 GPA) 50% $399.00 / $730.00
C+
- C (2.3 to 2.0 GPA) 25% $199.50 / $365.00
While
educational assistance is expected to enhance employees
performance and professional abilities,
the Town of
automatic advancement, a different job
assignment, or pay increases.
The
Town of
investment be returned
through enhanced job performance. However, if an employee voluntarily separates
from the Town of
amount of the payment will be
considered only a loan. Accordingly, the employee will be required to
repay up to 50 percent of the
original educational assistance payment on a pro-rated basis as listed below.
Time
between separation Percent Repayment Due
1
Month 50 Percent
2-4
Months 40 Percent
4-6
Months 30 Percent
6-8
Months 20 Percent
8-12
Months 10 Percent
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
316 Health Insurance
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
and dental insurance benefits. Employees in
the following employment classifications are eligible to
participate in the health
insurance plan:
*
Regular full-time employees
*
Elected Officials*
*
Regular part-time employees*
*
Part-time employees*
*
Call Employees*
*Note: Elected officials, part-time and call
employees may participate in the health
insurance by contributing 100 percent of the total cost of
the plan.
Eligible
employees may participate in the health insurance plan subject to all terms and
conditions of the agreement
between the Town of
A
change in employment classification that would result in loss of eligibility to
participate in the health
insurance plan may qualify an employee
for benefits continuation under the Consolidated Omnibus
Budget
Reconciliation Act (COBRA). Refer to the Benefits Continuation (COBRA) policy
for more
information.
Details
of the health insurance plan are described in the Summary Plan Description
(SPD). An SPD and
information on cost of
coverage will be provided in advance of enrollment to eligible employees.
Contact
the Town Administrator for more information
about health insurance benefits.
317 Life Insurance
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Life
insurance offers you and your family important financial protection. The Town
of
a basic life insurance plan for eligible
employees equal to one year's base wage up to $50,000.
Employees
in the following employment classifications are eligible to participate in the
life insurance
plan:
Eligible
employees may participate in the life insurance plan subject to all terms and
conditions of the
agreement between the Town of
Details
of the basic life insurance plan including benefit amounts are described in the
Summary Plan
Description
provided to eligible employees. Contact the Town Administrator for more
information about
life insurance benefits.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
318 Short-Term Disability
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
unable to work because of a
qualifying disability due to an injury or illness. Employees in the following
employment classifications
are eligible to participate in the STD plan:
Eligible
employees may participate in the STD plan subject to all terms and conditions
of the agreement
between the Town of
accidents, and after 8 days for
illnesses for a duration of 26 weeks. The maximum duration of STD is 26
weeks, and compensation is based
upon 66.66 of an employees base wage.
Disabilities
arising from pregnancy or pregnancy-related illness are treated the same as any
other illness
that prevents an employee from
working. Disabilities covered by workers' compensation are excluded
from STD coverage.
Details
of the STD benefits plan including benefit amounts, when they are payable, and
limitations,
restrictions, and other
exclusions are described in the Summary Plan Description provided to eligible
employees. Contact the Town
Administrator for more information about STD benefits.
319 Long-Term Disability
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
cope with an illness or injury
that results in a long-term absence from employment. LTD is designed to
ensure a continuing income for
employees who are disabled and unable to work.
Employees
in the following employment classifications are eligible to participate in the
LTD plan:
Eligible
employees may participate in the LTD plan subject to all terms and conditions
of the agreement
between the Town of
Details
of the LTD benefits plan including benefit amounts, and limitations and
restrictions are described
in the Summary Plan Description provided to
eligible employees. Contact the Town Administrator for
more information about LTD
benefits.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
320 Deferred Compensation Plan 457 (b)
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
financial security for retirement.
To
be eligible to join the 457 (b) savings plan, you must be 18 years of age or
older. You may join the
plan at any time. Eligible employees
may participate in the 457 (b) plan subject to all terms and
conditions of the plan.
The
457 (b) savings plan allows you to elect how much salary you want to contribute
and direct the
investment of your plan
account, so you can tailor your own retirement package to meet your individual
needs. The Town of
contribution up to the amount
of 3.5 percent of an employee's base wage.
Because
your contribution to a 457 (b) plan is automatically deducted from your pay
before federal and
state tax withholdings are
calculated, you save tax dollars now by having your current taxable amount
reduced. While the amounts deducted
generally will be taxed when they are finally distributed, favorable
tax rules typically apply to 457 (b)
distributions.
Complete
details of the 457 (b) savings plan are described in the Summary Plan
Description provided to
eligible employees. Contact the Town
Administrator for more information about the 457 (b) plan.
324 Employee Assistance Program
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
variety of personal problems can
disrupt their personal and work lives. While many employees solve their
problems either on their own or with
the help of family and friends, sometimes employees need
professional assistance and
advice.
Through
the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), the Town of
professional counseling
services for help in confronting such personal problems as alcohol and other
substance abuse, marital and family
difficulties, financial or legal troubles, and emotional distress. The
EAP
is available to all employees offering problem assessment, short-term
counseling, and referral to
appropriate community and
private services.
The
EAP is strictly confidential and is designed to safeguard your privacy and
rights. Information given
to the EAP counselor may be released only if
requested by you in writing. All counselors are guided by a
Professional Code of Ethics.
Personal
information concerning employee participation in the EAP is maintained in a
confidential
manner. No information related to
an employee's participation in the program is entered into the personnel file.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
There
is no cost for employees to consult with an EAP counselor. If further
counseling is necessary, the
EAP
counselor will outline community and private services available. The counselor
will also let
employees know whether any costs
associated with private services may be covered by their health
insurance plan. Costs that are not
covered are the responsibility of the employee.
Minor
concerns can become major problems if you ignore them. No issue is too small or
too large, and a
professional counselor is
available to help you when you need it. Call the EAP at (800) 647-9151 to
contact an EAP counselor.
326 Flexible Spending Account
(FSA)
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
have pre-tax dollars deducted
from their salaries to pay for eligible out-of-pocket expenses. The pre-tax
contributions made to the FSA
can be used to pay for predictable non-reimbursed health care expenses
and dependent care expenses during the plan
year. Through the FSA program, you can reduce your
taxable income without reducing your
real income, so that you can keep more of the money you earn.
Employees
in the following employment classifications are eligible to participate in the
Flexible Spending
Account
program:
*
Regular full-time employees
*
Regular part-time employees
*
Part-time employees
Participation
in the Health Care and/or Dependent Care FSA is optional and determined on an
annual
basis for the plan year. You must
enroll for each plan year. You determine how much to contribute to the
account, up to a specified maximum,
based on anticipated expenses during the plan year. Contributions
are directed to the account through salary
reduction on a pre-tax basis. This tax-free money is then
available to you for reimbursement of
out-of-pocket expenses. Since the amounts that remain in the
account at the end of the plan year
are forfeited, you should take care not to over-fund your account.
Details
of the Flexible Spending Account program are described in the Summary Plan
Description (SPD).
Contact
the Finance Director for more information on the Flexible Spending Account
program and to
obtain enrollment and reimbursement
forms and worksheets with examples of reimbursable and
non-reimbursable expenses.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
380 Health Insurance Stipend
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
An
employee eligible for group health insurance who is covered by his/her spouses
group health
insurance through his/her employer
(other than the Town), or has other existing health insurance, may
elect to receive a taxable stipend
equal to fifty percent (50%) of the Town's cost of the lowest eligible
plan offered by the Town of
stipend is based upon the level of
the plan that the employee is eligible, i.e., 1-Person, 2-Person, or
Family. Proof of insurance and a
completed Health Insurance Stipend Agreement is required on an
annual basis.
381 Longevity Pay
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Longevity
pay is available to eligible employees who have continually worked for the Town
for a period
of at least ten (10) years. Employees in the
following employement classification are eligible for
longevity pay:
*
Regular full-time employees
The
amount of longevity pay employees receive increases with the length of
employment as shown in the
following schedule:
*
After completion of ten (10) years continuous service an employee shall receive
$500 per year.
*
After completion of fifteen (15) years continuous service an employee shall
receive $750 per year.
*
After completion of twenty (20) years continuous service an employee shall
receive $1,000 per year.
*
After completion of twenty-five (25) years continuous service an employee shall
receive $1,250 per
year.
Length
of eligible service is calculated on the 12 month period that begins the day
the employee starts
full-time employment. Longevity
payments are generally paid in December, and employees
who are
terminated between July 1
and December 1 of a given year, will be eligible for prorated longevity pay
upon termination.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
382 Auto Mileage Reimbursement
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Employees
required or requested to use their personal vehicles in the course of their
duties for Town
Business
shall be reimbursed at the minimum rate established by the IRS. A detailed
mileage form must
be submitted to the department head for
approval that includes the date, purpose, mileage start, and
mileage end. Completed forms shall
be submitted to the Finance Office for processing.
383 Personal days
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
In
addition to the official holidays recognized with the Town of
will receive two (2) personal
days. Personal days may be taken at any time during the year with
department head approval.
Eligible employee classification:
*
Regular full-time employees
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
401 Timekeeping
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Accurately
recording time worked is the responsibility of every employee. Federal and
state laws require
the Town of
benefits. Time worked is all the time
actually spent on the job performing assigned duties.
Nonexempt
employees should accurately record the time they begin and end their work, as
well as the
beginning and ending time of each meal
period. They should also record the beginning and ending time of
any split shift or departure from work for
personal reasons. Overtime work must always be approved
before it is performed.
Exempt
employees should accurately record the time worked and submit those timecards
to their
department head.
Altering,
falsifying, tampering with time records, or recording time on another
employee's time record
may result in disciplinary action, up to and
including termination of employment.
Nonexempt
employees should report to work no more than 15 minutes prior to their
scheduled starting
time nor stay more than 15
minutes after their scheduled stop time without expressed, prior authorization
from their supervisor.
It
is the employees' responsibility to sign their time records to certify the
accuracy of all time recorded.
The
supervisor will review and then initial the time record before submitting it
for payroll processing. In
addition, if corrections or
modifications are made to the time record, both the employee and the supervisor
must verify the accuracy of the changes by initialing the time record.
403 Paydays
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
All
employees are paid biweekly on every other Thursday. Each paycheck will include
earnings for all
work performed through the end of
the previous payroll period.
In
the event that a regularly scheduled payday falls on a day off such as a
holiday, employees will receive
pay on the last day of work before the
regularly scheduled payday.
If
a regular payday falls during an employee's vacation, the employee may receive
his or her earned
wages before departing for
vacation if a written request is submitted at least two weeks prior to
departing
for vacation.
Employees
may have pay directly deposited into their bank accounts if they provide
advance written
authorization to the Town of
Town
of
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
405 Employment Termination
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Termination
of employment is an inevitable part of personnel activity within any
organization, and many
of the reasons for termination are routine.
Below are examples of some of the most common
circumstances under which
employment is terminated:
*
Resignation - voluntary employment termination initiated by an employee.
*
Discharge - involuntary employment termination initiated by the organization.
*
Layoff - involuntary employment termination initiated by the organization for nondisciplinary
reasons.
*
Retirement - voluntary employment termination initiated by the employee meeting
age, length of
service, and any
other criteria for retirement from the organization.
The
Town of
exit interview will afford an
opportunity to discuss such issues as employee benefits, conversion
privileges, repayment of
outstanding debts to the Town of
Amherst-owned property.
Suggestions, complaints, and questions can also be voiced.
Employee
benefits will be affected by employment termination in the following manner.
All accrued,
vested benefits that are due and
payable at termination will be paid. Some benefits may be continued at
the employee's expense if the employee so
chooses. The employee will be notified in writing of the
benefits that may be continued and of
the terms, conditions, and limitations of such continuance.
407 Severance Pay
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
reasons that are not for cause,
resignations and retirement. Severance pay will be provided to the
following eligible employee classifications:
Terminated
employees will be considered for weeks of severance pay according to the
following
schedule:
Years of Employment Severance Pay (in Weeks)
Employment Status Non-Exempt Exempt
One
to four Years 2 Weeks 4 Weeks
Five
to Fifteen Years 3 Weeks 5 Weeks
Fifteen
plus Years 4 Weeks 6 Weeks
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
Specifically
excluded from benefits under this provision are employees who: were hired as
temporary
employees for a specified period of
time; were offered but refused to accept another suitable position with
the organization; were provided the
opportunity to be retained for any length of time by a successor
employer.
409 Administrative Pay Corrections
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
pay in each paycheck and that employees are
paid promptly on the scheduled payday.
If
there is an error in the amount of pay, the employee should promptly bring the
discrepancy to the
attention of their Department Head so
that corrections can be made as quickly as possible.
410 Pay Deductions
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
law requires that the Town of
compensation. Among these are
applicable federal, state, and local income taxes. The Town of
also must deduct Social Security
taxes on each employee's earnings up to a specified limit that is called
the Social Security "wage base." The
Town of
by each employee.
The
Town of
may voluntarily authorize deductions from
their pay checks to cover the costs of participation in these
programs.
If
you have questions concerning why deductions were made from your pay check or
how they were
calculated, your department
head can assist in having your questions answered.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
501 Joint Loss Management Committee
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
To
assist in providing a safe and healthful work environment for employees,
customers, and visitors, the
Town
of
of
evaluating the safety
program. Its success depends on the alertness and personal commitment of all.
The
Town of
through regular internal
communication channels such as supervisor-employee meetings, bulletin board
postings, memos, or other written
communications. A safety advisory group has been established to assist
in these activities and to facilitate
effective communication between employees and management about
workplace safety and health issues.
Some
of the best safety improvement ideas come from employees. Those with ideas,
concerns, or
suggestions for improved
safety in the workplace are encouraged to raise them with their supervisor, or
with another supervisor or
manager, or bring them to the attention of a member of the safety advisory
group. Reports and concerns about
workplace safety issues may be made without fear of reprisal.
Each
employee is expected to obey safety rules and to exercise caution in all work
activities. Employees
must immediately report any
unsafe condition to the appropriate supervisor. Employees who violate
safety standards, who cause
hazardous or dangerous situations, or who fail to report or, where
appropriate, remedy such
situations, may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including
termination
of employment.
In
the case of accidents that result in injury, regardless of how insignificant
the injury may appear,
employees should immediately notify
the Town Administrator or the appropriate department head. Such
reports are necessary to comply with
laws and initiate insurance and workers' compensation benefits
procedures.
502 Work Schedules
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Work
schedules for employees vary throughout our organization. Department heads will
advise
employees of their individual work
schedules. Staffing needs and operational demands may necessitate
variations in starting and
ending times, as well as variations in the total hours that may be scheduled
each
day and week.
Flexible
scheduling, or flextime, is available in some cases to allow employees to vary
their starting and
ending times each day within established
limits. Flextime may be possible if a mutually workable
schedule can be negotiated with the
supervisor involved. However, such issues as staffing needs, the
employee's performance, and
the nature of the job will be considered before approval of flextime.
Employees
should consult their department head to request participation in the flextime
program.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
504 Use of Phone, Network,
Email and Mail Systems
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Personal
use of the telephone for long-distance and toll calls is not permitted.
Employees should practice
discretion when making
local personal calls and will be required to reimburse the Town of
any charges resulting from their personal use
of the telephone.
The
computer network, email and mail system is reserved for business purposes.
Employees should keep
to a minimum sending or receiving personal
email or mail at the workplace or using the
computer network for personal use
that does not impede an employee's regular work function.
To
ensure effective telephone communications, employees should always speak in a
courteous and
professional manner. Please
confirm information received from the caller, and hang up only after the
caller has done so.
505 Smoking and/or use of
Tobacco Products
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004; Revised 9/1/06
In
keeping with the Town of
The
Town Hall, due to the abundance of publicly accessible areas, will not provide
a designated tobacco use area adjacent to the building. Those wishing to make use of a tobacco
product shall be directed to their private vehicles, or the southern end of the
This
policy applies equally to all employees, customers, and visitors.
506 Rest and Meal Periods
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Each
workday, full-time nonexempt employees are provided with 1 rest period of 15
minutes in length.
To
the extent possible, rest periods will be provided in the middle of work
periods. Since this time is
counted and paid as time worked,
employees must not be absent from their work stations beyond the
allotted rest period time.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
All
full-time non-exempt employees are provided with one meal period of 30 minutes
in length each
workday. Supervisors will schedule
meal periods to accommodate operating requirements. Employees
will be relieved of all active
responsibilities and restrictions during meal periods and will not be
compensated for that time.
507 Overtime & Compensatory Time
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
When
operating requirements or other needs cannot be met during regular working
hours, employees may
be scheduled to work overtime hours. When
possible, advance notification of these mandatory
assignments will be
provided. All overtime work must receive the supervisor's prior authorization.
Overtime
assignments will be distributed as equitably as practical to all employees
qualified to perform
the required work.
Overtime
compensation is paid to all nonexempt employees in accordance with federal and
state wage
and hour restrictions. Overtime is paid to a
nonexempt employee who works beyond the employee's
normally
scheduled workday or works a normally scheduled day off, and is required to work more than
forty (40) hours in a given work week. Part-time
employees who are working less than 40 hours in a week will be eligible for
overtime compensation when their hours in a day exceed the normal hours of the
department’s operation, or the work schedule of a typical full-time employee
for that assignment, whichever is greater. Overtime compensation shall be at the rate of
one and one-half times (1.5) the employee's regular hourly rate.
Overtime
pay is based on hours worked as well as approved leave time. For clarification, time off on sick leave,
vacation leave, or any leave of absence which is approved by the employee’s
supervisor will be considered hours worked for purposes of performing overtime
calculations. An employee who works a
town holiday is considered to have worked eight hours prior to the beginning of
their assignment on that holiday.
Failure
to work scheduled overtime or overtime worked without prior authorization from
the supervisor
may result in disciplinary action, up to and
including possible termination of employment.
Compensatory Time (Comp Time): At
the request of a non-exempt employee, and with
department head approval,
compensatory time may be granted in lieu of overtime. Compensatory (Comp)
time shall be earned at a rate of
1.5 hours for each hour worked. All comp time must be used within 30
days of the time earned and
clearly indicated on the time card and signed by the department head. All
comp time balances must be
clearly marked on each weekly timecard with the date earned and balance to
date.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
508 Use of Equipment and
Vehicles
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Equipment
and vehicles essential in accomplishing job duties are expensive and may be
difficult to
replace. When using property,
employees are expected to exercise care, perform required maintenance,
and follow all operating instructions, safety
standards, and guidelines.
Please
notify the supervisor if any equipment, machines, tools, or vehicles appear to
be damaged,
defective, or in need of repair.
Prompt reporting of damages, defects, and the need for repairs could
prevent deterioration of equipment
and possible injury to employees or others. The supervisor can answer
any questions about an employee's
responsibility for maintenance and care of equipment or vehicles used
on the job.
The
improper, careless, negligent, destructive, or unsafe use or operation of
equipment or vehicles, as
well as excessive or avoidable
traffic and parking violations, can result in disciplinary action, up to and
including termination of employment.
510 Emergency Closings
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
At
times, emergencies such as severe weather, fires, or power failures, can
disrupt Town operations. In
extreme cases, these circumstances
may require the closing of a work facility for non-essential personnel.
Such
closings will be determined by the Town Administator,
or Department Head. In the event that such
an emergency occurs during nonworking hours,
WMUR Channel 9 television station will be asked to
broadcast notification of the closing.
When
operations are officially closed due to emergency conditions, the time off from
scheduled work will
be paid.
In
cases where an emergency closing has not been authorized, employees who fail to
report for work will
not be paid for the time off. Employees may
request available paid leave time such as unused vacation
benefits.
512 Business Travel Expenses
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004; Revised 1/24/07
The
Town of
on assignments away from the normal work
location. All business travel must be approved in advance by
the Department Head and advanced notice shall
be provided to the Town Administrator in writing. This notice should include the reason for the
travel, any literature associated with the travel, and the anticipated expenses
expected to be incurred.
Employees
whose travel plans have been approved are responsible for making their own
travel
arrangements.
When
approved, the actual costs of travel, meals, lodging, and other expenses
directly related to
accomplishing business travel
objectives will be reimbursed by the Town of
expected to limit expenses to
reasonable amounts.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
Expenses
that generally will be reimbursed include the following:
*
Conference and workshop fees.
*
Airfare or train fare for travel in coach or economy class or the lowest
available fare.
*
Car rental fees, only for compact or mid-sized cars (if only one employee, it
must be a compact car).
*
Fares for shuttle or airport bus service, where available; costs of public
transportation for other ground
travel.
*
Taxi fares, only when there is no less expensive alternative.
*
Mileage costs for use of personal cars, only when less expensive transportation
is not available.
*
Cost of standard accommodations in low to mid-priced hotels, motels, or similar
lodgings.
*
Cost of meals not to exceed $7.00 for Breakfast, $10.00 for lunch, and $17.00
for dinner (excludes
any alcohol).
*
Tips not exceeding 15% of the total cost of a meal (excluding alcohol) or 10%
of a taxi fare.
Employees
who are involved in an accident while traveling on business must promptly
report the incident
to their immediate supervisor. Vehicles
owned, leased, or rented by the Town of
used for personal use without the
prior approval of the requesting employee's direct supervisor.
With
prior approval, employees on business travel may be accompanied by a family
member or friend,
when the presence of a companion
will not interfere with successful completion of business objectives.
Generally,
employees are also permitted to combine personal travel with business travel,
as long as time
away from work is approved.
Additional expenses incurred for non-employee travel are the responsibility
of the employee.
When
travel is completed, employees should submit completed travel expense reports
within 14 days.
Reports
should be accompanied by receipts for all individual expenses.
Employees
should contact their supervisor for guidance and assistance on procedures
related to travel
arrangements, expense
reports, reimbursement for specific expenses, or any other business travel
issues.
Abuse
of this business travel expenses policy, including falsifying expense reports
to reflect costs not
incurred by the employee, can be
grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination of
employment.
516 Computer and E-mail Usage
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Computers,
computer files, the e-mail system, and software furnished to employees are the
Town of
retrieve any stored communication
without authorization. To ensure compliance with this policy,
computer and e-mail usage may be
monitored.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
The
Town of
its employees. Therefore, the Town of
ways that are disruptive,
offensive to others, or harmful to morale.
For
example, the display or transmission of sexually explicit images, messages, and
cartoons is not
allowed. Other such misuse includes,
but is not limited to, ethnic slurs, racial comments, or anything that
may be construed as harassment or showing
disrespect for others.
E-mail
may not be used to solicit others for personal commercial ventures, religious
or political causes,
outside organizations, or other
non-business matters.
The
Town of
and does not own the copyright to this
software or its related documentation. Unless authorized by the
software developer, the Town of
more than one computer.
Employees
may only use software on local area networks or on multiple machines according
to the
software license agreement. The Town
of
related documentation.
Employees
should notify their immediate supervisor, the Town Administator
or any member of
management upon learning of
violations of this policy. Employees who violate this policy will be subject
to disciplinary action, up to and including
termination of employment.
517 Internet Usage
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Internet
access to global electronic information resources on the World Wide Web is
provided by the
Town of
guidelines have been
established to help ensure responsible and productive Internet usage. While
Internet
usage is intended for job-related
activities, incidental and occasional brief personal use is permitted within
reasonable limits.
All
Internet data that is composed, transmitted, or received via our computer
communications systems is
considered to be part of
the official records of the Town of
to law enforcement or other third parties.
Consequently, employees should always ensure that the
business information contained in
Internet e-mail messages and other transmissions is accurate,
appropriate, ethical, and
lawful.
The
equipment, services, and technology provided to access the Internet remain at
all times the property
of the Town of
retrieve and read any data composed,
sent, or received through our online connections and stored in our
computer systems.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
Data
that is composed, transmitted, accessed, or received via the Internet must not
contain content that
could be considered
discriminatory, offensive, obscene, threatening, harassing, intimidating, or
disruptive
to any employee or other person. Examples of
unacceptable content may include, but are not limited to,
sexual
comments or images, racial slurs, gender-specific comments, or any other
comments or images that could reasonably offend someone on the basis of race,
age, sex, religious or political beliefs, national
origin, disability, sexual
orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.
The
unauthorized use, installation, copying, or distribution of copyrighted,
trademarked, or patented
material on the Internet is expressly
prohibited. As a general rule, if an employee did not create material,
does not own the rights to it, or
has not gotten authorization for its use, it should not be put on the
Internet. Employees are also
responsible for ensuring that the person sending any material over the
Internet
has the appropriate distribution rights.
To
ensure a virus-free environment, no files may be downloaded from the Internet
without prior
authorization from their
department head or supervisor.
Abuse
of the Internet access provided by the Town of
Employees
may also be held personally liable for any violations of this policy. The
following behaviors
are examples of previously stated or
additional actions and activities that are prohibited and can result in
disciplinary action:
*
Sending or posting discriminatory, harassing, or threatening messages or images
*
Using the organization's time and resources for personal gain
*
Stealing, using, or disclosing someone else's code or password without
authorization
*
Copying, pirating, or downloading software and electronic files without
permission
*
Sending or posting confidential material, trade secrets, or proprietary
information outside of the
organization
*
Violating copyright law
*
Failing to observe licensing agreements
*
Engaging in unauthorized transactions that may incur a cost to the organization
or initiate unwanted
Internet services and transmissions
*
Sending or posting messages or material that could damage the organization's
image or reputation
*
Participating in the viewing or exchange of pornography or obscene materials
*
Sending or posting messages that defame or slander other individuals
*
Attempting to break into the computer system of another organization or person
*
Refusing to cooperate with a security investigation
*
Sending or posting chain letters, solicitations, or advertisements not related
to business purposes or
activities
*
Using the Internet for political causes or activities, religious activities, or
any sort of gambling
*
Jeopardizing the security of the organization's electronic communications
systems
*
Passing off personal views as representing those of the organization
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
*
Sending anonymous e-mail messages
*
Engaging in any other illegal activities
518 Workplace Monitoring
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Workplace
monitoring may be conducted by the Town of
safety, security, and customer
satisfaction.
Computers
furnished to employees are the property of the Town of
and files may be monitored or accessed.
520 Telecommuting
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Telecommuting
is the practice of working at home or at a site near the home instead of
physically
traveling to a central workplace. It
is a work alternative that the Town of
employees when it would benefit both
the organization and the employee.
Employees
who believe telecommuting can enhance their ability to get the job done should
submit a
written request to their managers
proposing how it will benefit the Town of
request should explain how they will
be accountable and responsible, what equipment is necessary, and
how communication barriers will be overcome.
The
decision to approve a telecommuting arrangement will be based on factors such
as position and job
duties, performance history,
related work skills, and the impact on the organization.
The
employee's compensation, benefits, work status, work responsibilities, and the
amount of time the
employee is expected to work per day
or per pay period will not change due to participation in the
telecommuting program (unless
otherwise agreed upon in writing).
The
employee's at-home work hours will conform to a schedule agreed upon by the
employee and his or
her supervisor. If such a schedule has not
been agreed upon, the employee's work hours will be assumed
to be the same as they were before the
employee began telecommuting. Changes to this schedule must be
reviewed and approved in advance by
the employee's supervisor.
Telecommuting
is an alternative method of meeting the needs of the organization and is not a
universal
employee benefit. As such, the Town
of
to an employee and to terminate a
telecommuting arrangement at any time.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
522 Workplace Violence Prevention
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
environment. The Town of
harassment, or other
threats of (or actual) violence that may occur during business hours or on its
premises.
All
employees, including supervisors and temporary employees, should be treated
with courtesy and
respect at all times. Employees are
expected to refrain from fighting, "horseplay," or other conduct that
may be dangerous to others. Firearms, weapons,
and other dangerous or hazardous devices or substances
are prohibited from the premises of the Town
of
Conduct
that threatens, intimidates, or coerces another employee, a customer, or a
member of the public
at any time, including off-duty periods, will
not be tolerated. This prohibition includes all acts of
harassment, including
harassment that is based on an individual's sex, race, age, or any
characteristic
protected by federal, state, or local
law.
All
threats of (or actual) violence, both direct and indirect, should be reported
as soon as possible to your
immediate supervisor or any other
member of management. This includes threats by employees, as well
as threats by customers, vendors, solicitors,
or other members of the public. When reporting a threat of
violence, you should be as specific and
detailed as possible.
All
suspicious individuals or activities should also be reported as soon as
possible to a supervisor. Do not
place yourself in peril. If you
see or hear a commotion or disturbance near your work station, do not try to
intercede or see what is happening.
The
Town of
violence and of suspicious
individuals or activities. The identity of the individual making a report will
be
protected as much as is practical. In
order to maintain workplace safety and the integrity of its
investigation, the Town of
investigation.
Anyone
determined to be responsible for threats of (or actual) violence or other
conduct that is in
violation of these guidelines will be
subject to prompt disciplinary action up to and including termination
of employment.
The
Town of
to the attention of their supervisors or the
Police Department before the situation
escalates into potential violence. the Town of
disputes, and will not discipline
employees for raising such concerns.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
601 Medical Leave
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
temporarily unable to work
due to a serious health condition or disability. For purposes of this policy,
serious health conditions or
disabilities include inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential
medical
care facility; continuing
treatment by a health care provider; and temporary disabilities associated with
pregnancy, childbirth, and related
medical conditions.
Note: Employees who are covered by Union contract
have their benefits described in the
Collective Bargaining Agreements which superceed the policies contained in this
Personnel Manual.
Employees
in the following employment classifications are eligible to request medical
leave as
described in this policy:
*
Regular full-time employees
Eligible
employees should make requests for medical leave to their supervisors at least
30 days in
advance of foreseeable events and as
soon as possible for unforeseeable events.
A
health care provider's statement must be submitted verifying the need for
medical leave and its
beginning and expected ending dates.
Any changes in this information should be promptly reported to the
Town of
verification of their fitness
to return to work.
Eligible
employees are normally granted leave for the period of the disability, up to a
maximum of 12
weeks within any 12 month period.
Any combination of medical leave and family leave may not exceed
this maximum limit. If the
initial period of approved absence proves insufficient, consideration will be
given to a request for an
extension. Employees will be required to first use any accrued paid leave time
before taking unpaid medical leave.
Employees
who sustain work-related injuries are eligible for a medical leave of absence
for the period of
disability in accordance
with all applicable laws covering occupational disabilities.
Subject
to the terms, conditions, and limitations of the applicable plans, health
insurance benefits will be
provided by the Town of
time, employees will become
responsible for the full costs of these benefits if they wish coverage to
continue. When the employee returns
from medical leave, benefits will again be provided by the Town of
Benefit
accruals, such as vacation, sick leave, or holiday benefits, will be suspended
during the leave and
will resume upon return to active
employment.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
So
that an employee's return to work can be properly scheduled, an employee on
medical leave is
requested to provide the Town of
employee intends to return to work.
When a medical leave ends, the employee will be reinstated to the
same position as long as the employee
is still qualified, if it is available, or to an equivalent position for which
the employee is qualified.
If
an employee fails to return to work on the agreed upon return date, the Town of
that the employee has resigned.
602 Family Leave
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
take time off from work duties to
fulfill family obligations relating directly to childbirth, adoption, or
placement of a foster child; or to
care for a child, spouse, or parent with a serious health condition. A
serious health condition means an
illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that
involves inpatient care in a
hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility; or continuing
treatment
by a health care provider.
Note: Employees who are covered by Union contract
have their benefits described in the
Collective Bargaining Agreements which superceed the policies contained in this
Personnel Manual.
Employees
in the following employment classifications are eligible to request family
leave as
described in this policy:
*
Regular full-time employees
Eligible
employees should make requests for family leave to their supervisors at least
30 days in advance
of foreseeable events and as soon as possible
for unforeseeable events.
Employees
requesting family leave related to the serious health condition of a child,
spouse, or parent
may be required to submit a health care
provider's statement verifying the need for a family leave to
provide care, its beginning and
expected ending dates, and the estimated time required.
Eligible
employees may request up to a maximum of 12 weeks of family leave within any 12
month
period. Any combination of family
leave and medical leave may not exceed this maximum limit.
Employees
will be required to first use any accrued paid leave time before taking unpaid
family leave.
Married
employee couples may be restricted to a combined total of 12 weeks leave within
any 12 month
period for childbirth, adoption, or
placement of a foster child; or to care for a parent with a serious health
condition.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
Subject
to the terms, conditions, and limitations of the applicable plans, health insurance
benefits will be
provided by the Town of
At
that time, employees will become responsible for the full costs of these
benefits if they wish coverage
to continue. When the employee returns from
family leave, benefits will again be provided by the Town
of
Benefit
accruals, such as vacation, sick leave, or holiday benefits, will be suspended
during the leave and
will resume upon return to active
employment.
So
that an employee's return to work can be properly scheduled, an employee on
family leave is requested
to provide the Town of
to return to work. When a
family leave ends, the employee will be reinstated to the same position
as long
as the employee is still qualified, if it is
available, or to an equivalent position for which the employee is
qualified.
If
an employee fails to return to work on the agreed upon return date, the Town of
that the employee has resigned.
605 Military Leave
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
A
military leave of absence will be granted to employees who are absent from work
because of service in
the
Rights
Act (USERRA). Advance notice of military service is required, unless military
necessity prevents
such notice or it is otherwise
impossible or unreasonable.
Note: Employees who are covered by Union contract
have their benefits described in the
Collective Bargaining Agreements which supersede
the policies contained in this
Personnel Manual.
Employees
will receive partial pay for two-week training assignments and shorter
absences,
and military call up or activation. Upon
presentation of satisfactory military pay verification data,
employees will be paid the difference
between their normal base compensation and the pay (excluding
expense pay) received while on
military duty.
Continuation
of health insurance benefits is available as required by USERRA based on the
length of the
leave and subject to the terms,
conditions and limitations of the applicable plans for which the employee
is otherwise eligible.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
Vacation,
personal, and sick leave benefits will continue to accrue during a military
leave of absence.
Employees
on military leave are required to return to work for the first regularly
scheduled shift after the
end of service, allowing reasonable travel
time, but may request up to two weeks of vacation prior to
reporting. Employees on military leave
longer than 30 days must apply for reinstatement in accordance
with USERRA and all applicable
state laws.
Employees
returning from military leave will be placed in the position they would have
attained had they
remained continuously employed or a
comparable one depending on the length of military service in
accordance with USERRA.
They will be treated as though they were continuously employed for purposes
of determining benefits based on length of
service.
Contact
the Town Administrator for more information or questions about military leave.
607 Pregnancy-Related Absences
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
medical disabilities associated with
pregnancy. Such leave requests will be evaluated according to the
medical leave policy provisions
outlined in this handbook and all applicable federal and state laws.
Requests
for time off associated with pregnancy and/or childbirth, such as bonding and
child care, not
related to medical disabilities for
those conditions will be considered in the same manner as other requests
for unpaid family or personal leave.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
701 Employee Conduct and Work Rules
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
To
ensure orderly operations and provide the best possible work environment, the
Town of
expects employees to follow rules of
conduct that will protect the interests and safety of all employees
and the organization.
It
is not possible to list all the forms of behavior that are considered
unacceptable in the workplace. The
following are examples of infractions
of rules of conduct that may result in disciplinary action, up to and
including termination of employment:
*
Theft or inappropriate removal or possession of property
*
Falsification of timekeeping records
*
Working under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs
*
Possession, distribution, sale, transfer, or use of alcohol or illegal drugs in
the workplace, while on
duty, or while
operating employer-owned vehicles or equipment
*
Fighting or threatening violence in the workplace
*
Boisterous or disruptive activity in the workplace
*
Negligence or improper conduct leading to damage of employer-owned or
customer-owned property
*
Insubordination or other disrespectful conduct
*
Violation of safety or health rules
*
Smoking in prohibited areas
*
Sexual or other unlawful or unwelcome harassment
*
Possession of dangerous or unauthorized materials, such as explosives or
firearms, in the workplace
*
Excessive absenteeism or any absence without notice
*
Unauthorized absence from work station during the workday
*
Unauthorized use of telephones, mail system, or other employer-owned equipment
*
Unauthorized disclosure of business "secrets" or confidential
information
*
Violation of personnel policies
*
Unsatisfactory performance or conduct
702 Drug and Alcohol Use
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
It
is the Town of
goal, employees are required to
report to work in appropriate mental and physical condition to perform
their jobs in a satisfactory
manner.
While
on the Town of
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
illegal drugs. The legal use of
prescribed drugs is permitted on the job only if it does not impair an
employee's ability to
perform the essential functions of the job effectively and in a safe manner
that does
not endanger other individuals in the
workplace.
Violations
of this policy may lead to disciplinary action, up to and including immediate
termination of
employment, and/or required
participation in a substance abuse rehabilitation or treatment program. Such
violations may also have
legal consequences.
Employees
with questions or concerns about substance dependency or abuse are encouraged
to use the
resources of the Employee Assistance
Program. They may also wish to discuss these matters with their
supervisor or the Town
Administrator to receive assistance or referrals to appropriate resources in
the
community.
Under
the Drug-Free Workplace Act, an employee who performs work
for a government contract or grant
must notify the Town of
workplace. The report must be made
within five days of the conviction.
Employees
with questions on this policy or issues related to drug or alcohol use in the
workplace should
raise their concerns with their
supervisor or the Town Administrator without fear of reprisal.
704 Attendance and Punctuality
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
To
maintain a safe and productive work environment, the Town of
reliable and to be punctual in
reporting for scheduled work. Absenteeism and tardiness place a burden on
other employees and on the Town of
late to work or are unable to
work as scheduled, they should notify their supervisor as soon as possible in
advance of the anticipated tardiness
or absence.
Poor
attendance and excessive tardiness are disruptive. Either may lead to
disciplinary action, up to and
including termination of employment.
705 Personal Appearance
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004, Revised 3/2/06
Dress,
grooming, and personal cleanliness standards contribute to the morale of all
employees and affect
the business image the Town of
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
During
business hours or when representing the Town of
neat, and tasteful appearance.
You should dress and groom yourself according to the requirements of your
position and accepted social
standards. This is particularly true if your job involves dealing with citizens
or visitors in person.
Your
supervisor or department head is responsible for establishing a reasonable
dress code appropriate to
the job you perform. Blue jeans will not be
considered typically acceptable clothing for Town of
If
your supervisor feels your personal appearance is inappropriate, you may be
asked
to leave the workplace until you are properly
dressed or groomed. Under such circumstance, you will not
be compensated for the time away from work.
Consult your supervisor if you have questions as to what
constitutes appropriate
appearance. Where necessary, reasonable accommodation may be made to a
person with a disability.
706 Return of Property
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Employees
are responsible for items issued to them by the Town of
control, such as the following:
*
cell phones
*
credit cards
*
equipment
*
identification badges
*
keys
*
manuals
*
pagers
*
protective equipment
*
tools
*
uniforms
*
vehicles
*
written materials
Employees
must return all the Town of
of employment. Where permitted by applicable
laws, the Town of
employee's check or final
paycheck the cost of any items that are not returned when required. The Town of
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
708 Resignation
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Resignation
is a voluntary act initiated by the employee to terminate employment with the
Town of
notice of resignation from
nonexempt employees and 4 weeks' notice from exempt employees.
Prior
to an employee's departure, an exit interview will be scheduled to discuss the
reasons for resignation
and the effect of the resignation on benefits.
If
an employee does not provide advance notice as requested, the employee may be considered
ineligible
for rehire and severance pay.
710 Security Inspections
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
firearms, explosives, or other
improper materials. To this end, the Town of
possession, transfer, sale,
or use of such materials on its premises. The Town of
cooperation of all employees
in administering this policy.
Desks,
lockers, and other storage devices may be provided for the convenience of
employees but remain
the sole property of the Town of
can be inspected by any agent or
representative of the Town of
without prior notice.
The
Town of
employees, the Town of
Town
of
and/or leaving the premises and any
packages or other belongings. Any employee who wishes to avoid
inspection of any articles
or materials should not bring such items onto the Town of
712 Solicitation
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
In
an effort to ensure a productive and harmonious work environment, persons not
employed by the Town
of
The
Town of
the workplace. However, employees may not
solicit or distribute literature concerning these activities
during working time.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
In
addition, the posting of written solicitations on company bulletin boards is
restricted. These bulletin
boards display important
information, and employees should consult them frequently for:
*
Employee announcements
*
Internal memoranda
*
Job openings
*
Organization announcements
*
Payday notice
*
Workers' compensation insurance information
*
State disability insurance/unemployment insurance information
If
employees have a message of interest (events, items for sale, etc.) to the
workplace, they may submit it
to their department head for approval. All
approved messages will be posted by the department head or
their designee.
714 Drug Testing
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
all employees. Using or being under the
influence of drugs or alcohol on the job may pose serious safety
and health risks. To help ensure a safe and
healthful working environment, job applicants and employees
may be asked to provide body substance samples
(such as urine and/or blood) to determine the illicit or
illegal use of drugs and alcohol.
Refusal to submit to drug testing may result in disciplinary action, up to
and including termination of employment.
The
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides confidential counseling and referral
services to
employees for assistance with such
problems as drug and/or alcohol abuse or addiction. It is the
employee's responsibility
to seek assistance from the EAP prior to reaching a point where his or her
judgment, performance, or behavior
has led to imminent disciplinary action. Participation in the EAP
after the disciplinary process has
begun may not preclude disciplinary action, up to and including
termination of employment.
Questions
concerning this policy or its administration should be directed to their
supervisor or department
head.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
716 Progressive Discipline
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
purpose of this policy is to state the Town of
consistent discipline for
unsatisfactory conduct in the workplace. The best disciplinary measure is the
one
that does not have to be enforced
and comes from good leadership and fair supervision at all employment
levels.
Note: Employees who are covered by Union contract
have their benefits described in the
Collective Bargaining Agreements which superceed the policies contained in this
Personnel Manual.
The
Town of Amherst's own best interest lies in ensuring fair treatment of all
employees and
in making certain that disciplinary actions
are prompt, uniform, and impartial. The major purpose of any
disciplinary action is to
correct the problem, prevent recurrence, and prepare the employee for
satisfactory
service in the future.
Disciplinary
action may call for any of four steps -- verbal warning, written warning,
suspension with or
without pay, or termination of
employment -- depending on the severity of the problem and the number of
occurrences. There may be
circumstances when one or more steps are bypassed. At the department head
discretion, probation is
also a choice of action.
Progressive
discipline means that, with respect to most disciplinary problems, these steps
will normally be followed:
a first
offense may call for a verbal warning; a next offense may be followed by a
written
warning;
another offense may lead to a suspension; and, still another offense may then
lead to termination of employment.
The
Town of
enough to justify either a
suspension, or, in extreme situations, termination of employment, without going
through the usual progressive
discipline steps.
While
it is impossible to list every type of behavior that may be deemed a serious
offense, the Employee
Conduct
and Work Rules policy includes examples of problems that may result in
immediate suspension
or termination of employment. However, the
problems listed are not all necessarily serious offenses, but
may be examples of unsatisfactory conduct that
will trigger progressive discipline.
By
using progressive discipline, we hope that most employee problems can be
corrected at an early stage,
benefiting both the
employee and the Town of
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
Appeals:
Step
1: Employees may appeal disciplinary actions to their Department Head within
ten (10) days of its
receipt. The Department Head will
review the action taken and conduct an investigation if applicable and
render a written decision within
ten (10) days unless stated otherwise.
Step
2: Employees may appeal disciplinary actions to the Town Administrator within
ten (10) days of its
receipt. The Town Administrator will
review the action taken and conduct an investigation if applicable
and render a written decision within ten (10)
days unless stated otherwise.
Step
3: If the Town Administrator sustains the action, the member may submit a
written appeal to the
Board of Selectmen within ten (10) days of the Town
Administrator's decision. The Board of
Selectmen
will review the appeal.
Probationary
members shall be dismissed, or otherwise disciplined in accordance with the
foregoing,
except that probationary members
shall not have the right of appeal
722 Workplace Etiquette
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
Town of
with respect and courtesy.
Sometimes issues arise when employees are unaware that their behavior in the
workplace may be disruptive or
annoying to others. Many of these day-to-day issues can be addressed by
politely talking with a co-worker to
bring the perceived problem to his or her attention. In most cases,
common sense will dictate an
appropriate resolution. The Town of
keep an open mind and graciously
accept constructive feedback or a request to change behavior that may
be affecting another employee's ability to
concentrate and be productive.
The
following workplace etiquette guidelines are not necessarily intended to be
hard and fast work rules
with disciplinary consequences.
They are simply suggestions for appropriate workplace behavior to help
everyone be more conscientious and
considerate of co-workers and the work environment. Please contact
the Town Administrator if you have comments,
concerns, or suggestions regarding these workplace
etiquette guidelines.
*
Replace paper in the copy machine and printer paper trays when they are empty.
*
Retrieve print jobs in a timely manner and be sure to collect all your pages.
*
Keep the area around the copy machine and printers orderly and picked up.
*
Be careful not to take or discard others' print jobs or faxes when collecting
your own.
*
Try to minimize unscheduled interruptions of other employees while they are
working.
*
Keep socializing to a minimum, and try to conduct conversations in areas where
the noise will not be
distracting to
others.
*
Refrain from using inappropriate language (swearing) that others may overhear.
*
Avoid discussions of your personal life/issues in public conversations that can
be easily overheard.
*
Clean up after yourself and do not leave behind waste or discarded papers.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
780 Alcohol & Drug Testing Policy for CDL Drivers
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
The
safety and well being of our drivers, employees and the general public requires
that our drivers
perform their duties free from the
effects of alcohol and / or drugs. A drug free workplace is especially
important to the Town of
Department
of Public Works, the general public, other employees and him / herself and
undermine the
towns ability to operate
effectively and efficiently.
In
order to ensure the safe transportation and provide for an efficient and
drug-free workplace while
complying with the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Regulation, the Town of
policy.
An
employee who is charged or convicted of a drug related offense must notify the
Program
Administrator or his / her designee within five (5) days of such
charge or conviction. Failure to do so may
result in disciplinary action, up
to and including immediate termination.
Program Administrator:
The
Public Works Director has been designated by the Town Administrator, as the
Alcohol /
Drug Testing Program Administrator.
In this function, the Public Works Director will be responsible to
answer any questions from the
drivers, administrators or the public in general.
The
Program Administrator will handle all information on all tests of covered
drivers as confidential. The
Program
Administrator shall provide such information as necessary to the Town
Administrator to enable
him / her to take proper disciplinary action
as warranted within town policy. The Program Administrator
may also release test information to the
employees chosen Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) to use to
evaluate and recommend appropriate
follow-up.
Drivers subject to testing:
All
drivers who must have a Commercial Drivers License to perform their duties,
which are
considered as safety
sensitive, will be subject to the alcohol and / or drug testing as outlined in
this policy
and required by Title 49 Code of Federal
Regulation part 382
Driver compliance with regulation:
All
drivers subject to alcohol and drug testing must be in compliance with the
regulations and
this policy at all times while in
a working status for this municipality. This will include all time spent
driving a commercial vehicle as well
as time spent performing safety sensitive function or just before or
just after performing
safety-sensitive functions.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
Safety-Sensitive
Function means all time, from the time a driver begins to work or is required
to be in
readiness to work until the time he /
she is relieved from work and all responsibility for performing work.
Safety
Sensitive functions shall include:
1.
All time at a town facility or on any public property, waiting to be
dispatched, unless the driver has
been relieved from duty by the
employer.
2.
All time inspection equipment as required by Sect. 329.7 and 329.8 of 49 C.R.F.
otherwise inspecting,
servicing, or conditioning any
commercial motor vehicle at any time.
3.
All time spent at the driving controls of a commercial motor vehicle in
operation.
4.
All time, other than driving time, in or upon any commercial motor vehicle
except time resting.
5.
All time loading or unloading a commercial motor vehicle, supervising or
assisting in the loading or
unloading, attending a commercial
motor vehicle being loaded or unloaded, remaining in readiness to
operate a commercial vehicle, or in
giving or receiving receipts for shipments loaded or unloaded.
6.
All time repairing, obtaining assistance, or remaining in attendance upon a
disabled commercial motor
vehicle.
Substances tested for:
The
following substances will be tested for to determine their presence:
1.
Alcohol
2.
Marijuana
3.
Cocaine
4.
Amphetamines
5.
Phencyclidine (PCP) and
6.
Opiates
Prohibited Conduct:
During the time that drivers are performing
safety-sensitive functions, they shall not;
Report
to and / or remain on duty with an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater,
Possess
any alcohol,
Use
any alcohol,
Use
any alcohol within four hours of going on duty
Use
any alcohol for eight hours after an accident which will require the driver to
be tested for alcohol or
until tested,
Refuse
to submit to a required alcohol and / or controlled substance test,
Report
to or remain on duty when using any controlled substance, except when used under a physicians
orders and the physician has
informed the driver that the use will not effect the safe operation of a
commercial vehicle,
Report
to or remain on duty if he / she has tested positive for controlled substance.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
Tests required:
All
drivers who are required to be tested for alcohol and / or controlled substance
use or
misuse will be tested under the
following circumstances:
1.
Pre-employment or pre-use. All applicants for jobs requiring a commercial
drivers license and / or
current employees transferring to a
job, which requires a commercial drivers license, will be required to
be tested for the use of controlled
substances.
2.
Random. All drivers are subject to, and ten (10) percent (unless the Federal
Highway Administration
announces another testing level) of
all drivers will be selected to submit to unannounced controlled
substances testing. The
municipality has entered into a consortium pool including drivers from other
towns and private companies and
the ten and fifty percent levels will apply to the entire pool of drivers.
3.
Post accident. Drivers will be alcohol and control substance tested in all
accidents involving a fatality.
If
the accident is one where one or more vehicles were towed from the scene of the
accident or involves
someone being injured to the degree
that the injury must be treated immediately away from the scene of
the accident, then the commercial vehicle
driver must also receive a summons for a "moving traffic
violation" as a result of the
accident before a test will be directed.
4.
Reasonable suspicion. All drivers that exhibit signs and / or symptoms of
alcohol and / or controlled
substance use or misuse, which are
observed by a trained company supervisor, while performing safety
sensitive functions or just before or
just after performing safety sensitive functions will be required to
submit to an alcohol and / or controlled
substance test.
5.
Return to work. A driver who previously tested positive for alcohol and / or
controlled substance,
must submit to a return to duty
alcohol and / or controlled substance test, the result must be negative to be
enabled to return to duty.
6.
Follow-up. A driver who previously tested positive and has returned to duty
must submit to at least
six (6) alcohol and / or controlled substance
tests during the first twelve months after retuning to work, if
the Substance Abuse Professional determines
that the driver has an alcohol or substance abuse problem,
follow-up tests will be unannounced
and may continue for up to sixty (60) months after returning to work.
Any
follow-up tests will be at the direction of the Substance Abuse Professional.
Testing Procedures:
The
Town of
Hampshire
to do the alcohol testing and collection of the urine specimen(s) for
controlled substance
testing.
Once
a driver has been directed to submit to an alcohol and / or controlled
substance test, he / she will
proceed immediately to the testing
area. Drivers must comply with the lawful request of the technician
doing the alcohol and / or
controlled substance test.
The
selected driver will be required to provide a urine specimen for controlled
substance testing and / or a
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
breath or saliva sample for
analysis of alcohol concentration.
The
driver will be required to provide photo identification prior to testing.
Privacy will be ensured at the
facility by means of voiding in a
private enclosure. A split sample will be procured and both samples will
be sent to the lab.
Proper
chain of custody procedures will be followed to ensure that the specimen submitted
is indeed the
specimen that belongs to the selected
driver. The specimen will be sealed to prevent tampering during
transport to the laboratory. Federal
certified laboratories will be utilized for testing (drugs) and two
separate methodologies will be
performed to verify all specimens as positive prior to controlled
substances reporting to the
Medical Review Officer (MRO).
The
MRO is a licensed physician that reviews all test results prior to reporting to
the company. Should the
specimen test positive, the MRO will
contact the driver to discuss the test findings and afford the driver
an opportunity to discus his / her test
results and any factors that could have attributed to the positive test.
Should
the driver question the test findings, the driver can request that the split
sample be forwarded to
another certified laboratory for
re-analysis.
All
test results are treated confidentially and no results will be released to
outside parties without the
drivers express consent or when
required by law, rule or regulation or expressly authorized.
All
testing for alcohol use or misuse will be conducted only by devices which have
been approved by the
National
Highway Traffic Administration and conducted by trained Breath Alcohol
Technician (BATs) or
trained Screening Test Technicians.
Requirements that drivers must submit to tests:
All
drivers who are required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and
this policy
are to be subjected to alcohol and / or
controlled substances tests must fulfill that requirement when so
directed to the Alcohol / Drug
Testing Program Administrator or trained supervisor. Failure to comply
with the regulations of this
policy will be grounds for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.
Refusal
to test:
The
following circumstances will be construed as refusing to submit to an alcohol
and / or controlled
substance test:
1.
Fails to give an adequate sample of breath for an alcohol test without a valid
medical evaluation.
2.
Fails to provide adequate urine sample for a controlled substance test without
a genuine inability to
provide a specimen, as determined by
medical evaluation.
3.
Engages in conduct that clearly obstructs the testing procedures.
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
Disciplinary action:
Any
driver who violates either the Federal Motor Safety Regulations or this policy
may be subject to
disciplinary action up to and
including dismissal.
First violation offense:
Two
weeks suspension without pay, administered by the Town Administrator, starting
the
day the Program Administrator is advised of
the positive findings for alcohol and / or substance abuse
findings. Vacation time, personal
days, and sick days may not be used during the time of suspension.
Second violation offense:
Termination
of employment administered by the Town Administrator, as of the day the
Program
Administrator is able to confirm the positive findings for alcohol and / or
substance abuse.
Drivers
who are found to have any alcohol concentration of 0.02 or greater but less
than 0.04 will be
taken out-of-duty for a minimum of
twenty-four (24) hours. It is the Town of
time out-of-duty will be without
pay.
Information:
The
Town of
Regulations a copy of this policy.
In addition, the Town of
describes the effects of alcohol and /
or controlled substances use or abuse on the individuals health, work
and personal life, as well as, information on
the signs and symptoms of an alcohol or controlled
The
Town of
Employee
Policies Handbook
800 Life-Threatening Illnesses in the Workplace
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
Employees
with life-threatening illnesses, such as cancer, heart disease, and AIDS, often
wish to continue
their normal pursuits, including
work, to the extent allowed by their condition. The Town of
supports these endeavors as long as
employees are able to meet acceptable performance standards.
Medical
information on individual employees is treated confidentially. The Town of
reasonable precautions to
protect such information from inappropriate disclosure. Managers and other
employees have a responsibility to
respect and maintain the confidentiality of employee medical
information. Anyone
inappropriately disclosing such information is subject to disciplinary action,
up to
and including termination of employment.
Employees
with questions or concerns about life-threatening illnesses are encouraged to
contact the
Emergency
Medical Services Director or the Town of
information and referral to
appropriate services and resources.
806 Suggestion Program
Effective
Date: 9/27/2004
As
employees of the Town of
growth by submitting suggestions
for practical work-improvement or cost-savings ideas.
All
regular employees are eligible to participate in the suggestion program.
A
suggestion is an idea that will benefit the Town of
improving operations or procedures,
enhancing customer service, eliminating waste or spoilage, or
making the Town of
accompanying solutions, or
recommendations concerning co-workers and management are not
appropriate suggestions.
All
suggestions should contain a description of the problem or condition to be
improved, a detailed
explanation of the solution
or improvement, and the reasons why it should be implemented. If you have
questions or need advice about your
idea, contact your supervisor for help.
Submit
suggestions to the Town Administrator and, after review, they will be forwarded
to the Board of
Selectmen. As soon as
possible, you will be notified of the adoption or rejection of your suggestion.
Special
recognition may be given to employees who submit a suggestion that is
implemented.