0% found this document useful (0 votes)
153 views27 pages

Eagle County Employee Handbook 2012

The document provides information about employment policies and benefits for Eagle County Government employees. It outlines equal employment opportunities and anti-harassment policies, leave policies, pay practices, and standards of conduct. It aims to acquaint employees with the County and summarize guidelines.
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
153 views27 pages

Eagle County Employee Handbook 2012

The document provides information about employment policies and benefits for Eagle County Government employees. It outlines equal employment opportunities and anti-harassment policies, leave policies, pay practices, and standards of conduct. It aims to acquaint employees with the County and summarize guidelines.
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 27

TABLE OF CONTENTS IMPORTANT .....................................................................................................................3 From The County Manager/Mission/Values ......................................................................4 EMPLOYMENT EEO/Harassment Policy.......................................................................................................5 Sexual Harassment ...............................................................................................................

5 ADA/Religious Accommodation .........................................................................................6 Complaint Procedure ...........................................................................................................6 Employee Status...................................................................................................................6 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS Insurance ..............................................................................................................................8 Retirement ............................................................................................................................8 Holidays ...............................................................................................................................8 Paid Medical Leave..............................................................................................................9 Light Duty ............................................................................................................................9 Personal Leave .....................................................................................................................9 LEAVES OF ABSENCE Administrative Leave .........................................................................................................11 Domestic Abuse Leave ......................................................................................................11 Funeral Leave.....................................................................................................................11 Jury Duty............................................................................................................................11 Voting ................................................................................................................................11 Military Leave ....................................................................................................................12 Parental Involvement Leave ..............................................................................................12 Family Medical Leave ......................................................................................................12 PAY Paydays ..............................................................................................................................15 Overtime ............................................................................................................................15 Pay for Exempt Employees ................................................................................................15 Meal Periods ......................................................................................................................15 Time Reporting ..................................................................................................................15 Business Reimbursement16 WORK ENVIRONMENT Alcohol and Drugs .............................................................................................................17 Anti-Violence .....................................................................................................................17 Attendance and Punctuality ...............................................................................................17 Communication Systems ...................................................................................................17 Personal Use of Internet and Social Media Guidelines .....................................................17 Political Activity ................................................................................................................20 Appearance and Courtesy ..................................................................................................20 Standards of Conduct .........................................................................................................20 Other Employment .............................................................................................................23

January 2012

Discipline/Discharge ..........................................................................................................24 Problem Solving.................................................................................................................24 References ..........................................................................................................................24 Safety/Reporting of Injury .................................................................................................25 Smoking .............................................................................................................................26 Separation of Employment ................................................................................................26 ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT ........................................................................27

January 2012

IMPORTANT
THIS HANDBOOK IS DESIGNED TO ACQUAINT EMPLOYEES WITH EAGLE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT WORKING HERE. THE HANDBOOK IS NOT ALL INCLUSIVE, BUT IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEES WITH A SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE COUNTYS GUIDELINES. THIS EDITION REPLACES ALL PREVIOUSLY ISSUED EDITIONS. EMPLOYMENT WITH EAGLE COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS AT-WILL. EMPLOYEES HAVE THE RIGHT TO END THEIR WORK RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY, WITH OR WITHOUT ADVANCE NOTICE FOR ANY REASON. THE COUNTY HAS THE SAME RIGHT. THE LANGUAGE USED IN THIS HANDBOOK AND ANY VERBAL STATEMENTS MADE BY MANAGEMENT SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE A CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, NOR ARE THEY A GUARANTEE OF EMPLOYMENT FOR A SPECIFIC DURATION. NO REPRESENTATIVE OF EAGLE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, OTHER THAN THE COUNTY MANAGER, HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT OF EMPLOYMENT FOR ANY SPECIFIED PERIOD AND SUCH AGREEMENT MUST BE IN WRITING, SIGNED BY THE COUNTY MANAGER AND THE EMPLOYEE. NO EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK CAN ANTICIPATE EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE OR QUESTION. AFTER READING THE HANDBOOK, EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE QUESTIONS SHOULD TALK WITH THEIR IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR OR THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR. IN ADDITION, THE NEED MAY ARISE TO CHANGE THE GUIDELINES DESCRIBED IN THE HANDBOOK. THE COUNTY THEREFORE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO INTERPRET THE GUIDELINES OR TO CHANGE THEM WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE, EXCEPT FOR THE AT-WILL NATURE OF THE EMPLOYMENT.

January 2012

From The County Manager


This handbook was developed to describe some of the guidelines, programs, and benefits for County employees. All employees should familiarize themselves with the contents of the employee handbook as soon as possible, for it may answer many questions about employment with Eagle County Government. We believe that each employee contributes directly to the Countys success, and we hope you will take pride in being a member of our team. We hope that your experience here will be challenging and enjoyable. Keith Montag County Manager Our Purpose To enhance the quality of peoples lives

Our Mission To be the model of excellence for mountain communities

Our Values Passion The commitment to never be satisfied and go beyond the best Respect The willingness to accept diversity and differences Integrity The responsibility to be honest and fair Courage The ability to do whats right, even when unpopular Engagement The value of involving staff and the community

January 2012

EMPLOYMENT Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Harassment The County strives to maintain a work environment free of unlawful harassment. In doing so, the County prohibits unlawful harassment because of age 40 and over, race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information, or any other applicable status protected by state or local law. Harassment includes verbal or physical conduct that has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individuals work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. Actions based on an individuals age 40 and over, race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, genetic information, or any other applicable status protected by state or local law will not be tolerated. Prohibited behavior may include but is not limited to the following: Written form such as cartoons, e-mail, posters, calendars, notes, drawings, letters, or photographs. Verbal conduct such as epithets, derogatory comments, slurs, or jokes. Physical conduct such as assault, or blocking an individuals movements.

This policy applies to all employees including managers, supervisors, co-workers, and nonemployees such as customers, clients, vendors, consultants, etc. Sexual Harassment Because sexual harassment raises issues that are to some extent unique in comparison to other harassment, the County believes it warrants separate emphasis. The County strongly opposes sexual harassment and inappropriate sexual conduct. Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, when: Submission to such conduct is made explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment. Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for decisions affecting an individuals employment. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individuals work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.

All employees are expected to conduct themselves in a professional and businesslike manner at all times. Conduct which may violate this policy includes, but is not limited to, sexually implicit or explicit communications whether in: Written form, such as cartoons, e-mail, posters, calendars, notes, drawings, letters, or photographs. Verbal form, such as comments, jokes, foul or obscene language of a sexual nature, gossiping, or questions about anothers sex life, or repeated unwanted requests for dates.

January 2012

Physical gestures and other nonverbal behavior, such as unwelcome touching, grabbing, fondling, kissing, massaging, and brushing up against anothers body.

ADA and Religious Accommodation The County will make reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with known disabilities and employees whose work requirements interfere with a religious belief unless doing so would result in an undue hardship to the County or a direct threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by reasonable accommodation. Employees needing such accommodation are instructed to contact their supervisor or Human Resources Department immediately to begin an interactive discussion regarding a reasonable accommodation. The County will comply with the Workplace Accommodations for Nursing Mothers Act. Complaint Procedure If you believe there has been a violation of the EEO policy or harassment based on the protected classes outlined above, including sexual harassment, please use the following complaint procedure. The County expects employees to make a complaint as soon as possible, usually within two working days, to enable the County to investigate and correct any behavior that may be in violation of this policy. Report the incident to the Director of Human Resources or the County Manager who will investigate the matter and take corrective action. Your complaint will be kept as confidential as practicable. If you prefer not to go to either of these individuals with your complaint, you should report the incident to the County Attorney. If you need to make a complaint after regular business hours please contact the County Attorney at 328-9010. The County prohibits retaliation against an employee for filing a complaint under this policy or for assisting in a complaint investigation. If you perceive retaliation for making a complaint or your participation in the investigation, please follow the complaint procedure outlined above. The situation will be investigated. If the County determines that an employees behavior is in violation of this policy, disciplinary action will be taken, up to and including termination of employment. Employee Status Full time Employee - an employee normally scheduled to work at least 40 hours per week and/or designated as .75 FTE or above. Full time employees are currently eligible for County benefits. Part time Employee - an employee normally scheduled to work less than a 40 hour workweek and/or designated as a 0.5 - .74 FTE are currently eligible for prorated holiday, medical and personal leave. Part time employees designated as .01-.49 FTE are currently ineligible for county benefits. Temporary Employee - an employee who is hired in a job established for a temporary period or for a specific assignment. Temporary employees are currently ineligible for County benefits. Exempt Employee - an employee who is not eligible for overtime pay.

January 2012

Nonexempt Employee - an employee who is eligible for paid overtime at one and one-half times their regular rate of pay.

January 2012

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance On the first day of the month following thirty (30) days of employment, .75-1.0 FTE employees are currently eligible to participate in group medical/dental, vision and life insurance programs. Detailed descriptions of each plan are available from the Human Resources Department. Many major life events effect eligibility for insurance coverage, these events must be reported to the Human Resources Department within thirty (30) days of the event to ensure continuous coverage. Births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, college graduation, and loss of insurance coverage through a spouse are common examples of events that effect coverage eligibility and that need to be reported to the Human Resources Department. Retirement Eagle County Government is a member of Colorado County Officials and Employee Retirement Association (CCOERA). All regular employees working 30 hours or more per week (.75 -1.0 FTE) are required to participate in the retirement program as a condition of employment beginning with the first pay period. Eagle County Government contributes 6% of an employees compensation excluding overtime and bonus pay. Employees are required to contribute an amount equal to the Countys 6%. Employees may self-direct their contributions into certain investments as allowed by CCOERA. Vesting occurs at 25% per year starting with your first year. Temporary employees are not eligible for this benefit. Details on other County benefits such as health care and dependent flexible spending accounts, short and long term disability, tuition reimbursement, ECO bus passes, the employee assistance program and others are available from the Human Resources Department. Holidays The County currently observes eleven or twelve, eight hour, holidays per year as days off with pay. The list of designated holidays for each year is posted on the Countys website and is also available in the Human Resources Department. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, it is observed on the preceding Friday. When the holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed. Holiday time is not counted as hours worked in the computation of overtime. Full time employees not scheduled to work on the holiday will receive eight hours of holiday pay at their regular rate of pay. Holiday pay for part time employees is prorated based on their regularly scheduled work hours. Full-time, non-exempt employees who are regularly scheduled and required to work on a county designated holiday will receive a straight time match of holiday hours equal to hours actually worked with a minimum of 8 hours. For example, an ECO bus driver working 12 hours on Thanksgiving will be paid 12 hours for hours worked and an additional 12 hours of straight time holiday pay for that day. The 12 hours actually worked will be counted in overtime calculations. The 12 hours of holiday pay will not.

January 2012

Paid Medical Leave Employees working 20 hours or more per week will accrue paid medical leave time. This time may be used when an employee is unable to perform his/her duties for medical reasons, scheduled examinations or to care for an injured or ill member of the immediate family (spouse, domestic partner, minor children, or parents). Medical leave will be prorated according to fulltime equivalency (FTE). Full time employees accrue medical leave at 2.46 hours per pay period, up to a maximum of 320 hours. Unused medical leave is not paid to employees upon separation of employment. In addition, medical leave can only be used during the first 90 days of employment or final two weeks of employment with approval of department director or elected official over the office. When unable to report to work due to illness, employees must give their supervisor as much advanced notice as possible before the start of their shift. If you cannot notify your supervisor before your shift, you must notify him/her within thirty (30) minutes after the start of the shift absent emergency circumstances. Failure to notify your supervisor that you will not be to work due to illness may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination. Department directors or elected officials may vary this requirement to meet the special needs of their departments. These directors and elected officials should inform employees of who to call, and if there is an exception to the above policy. After a 30 day elimination period, employees who have worked for the County at least 90 days may be eligible for the countys Short Term Disability program. The employee will be required to use all medical and then personal time during the 30 day elimination period. Neither medical leave pay nor short term disability may be used for absences covered by workers compensation insurance. Light Duty Light duty assignments may be considered for employees who are unable to perform full and regular duty due to non-work related conditions or injuries for up to a maximum of ninety (90) days upon submission of required medical documentation. Personal Leave Regular full and part time employees working 20 or more hours per week are currently granted paid personal leave. Full-time employees earn personal leave in accordance with the following schedule. Part time employees that are currently eligible for personal leave will earn leave prorated by the number of hours they work. Length of Service 0 through completion of year 2 3 through completion of year 4 5 through completion of year 9 10 + years Days/ hours per pay period 12 days/3.70 hours per pay period 14 days/4.31 hours per pay period 17 days/5.23 hours per pay period 22 days/6.77 hours per pay period

Although employees begin earning personal leave immediately upon hire, accrued leave does not vest and cannot be used until the employee has completed three months of employment. Personal leave accrual is capped at 176 hours. Employees are responsible for monitoring their personal leave balance. Personal time may be taken in increments of one-half hour.

January 2012

Employees are responsible for submitting request for personal leave to their Department Director or Elected Official at least 30 days in advance to the time request off. Department Directors and Elected Officials have the discretion to approve or deny requests for personal leave to ensure the successful operations of the department. Personal leave time will not be counted in the computation of overtime. Upon separation of employment, employees receive pay for earned unused personal leave if they have been employed by the county at least three months.

January 2012

10

LEAVES OF ABSENCE For purposes of calculating overtime payments, only hours actually worked are counted. Hours not worked such as funeral leave, jury duty, voting or military leave are not counted as hours worked when computing overtime and will be paid at the employees regular hourly rate. Administrative Leave There may be situations where an employee is required to work a significant amount of extra time for an extended period of time. Exempt salaried employees are compensated a specified amount each pay period to perform the job regardless of the hours worked, including hours in excess of 40 per week. In recognition of exempt employees who have worked a significant amount of extra time, Department Directors or Elected Officials may grant occasional and judiciously limited Administrative Leave. Domestic Abuse Leave Employees subject to domestic abuse may be eligible for a leave of absence. Please see the Human Resources Department for more information. Funeral Leave Regular full time employees are currently eligible for paid leave of up to forty (40) hours and part time employees up to (20) hours, to attend the funeral of an immediate family member. Immediate family is defined as the employees spouse, domestic partner, parents, legal guardian, children, sisters, brothers, grandparents, grandchildren, and all step and in law versions of the same. Regular employees are also eligible for eight (8) hours of paid leave to attend the funeral of other relatives and close friends. If necessary, and with the approval of the Department Director or Elected Official, employees may use earned personal leave or unpaid leave to extend their absence from work. Jury Duty The county recognizes jury duty as a civic responsibility. When summoned for jury duty, all employees will be granted leave to perform their duty as a juror. If the employee is excused from jury duty during their regular work hours, they are expected to report to work promptly. Employees receive regular pay for the first three eight hour days of jury duty if they were scheduled to work and a juror service certificate is submitted. Beginning with the fourth day and thereafter, employees as jurors are paid $50.00 per day by the State of Colorado for state, district or county court jury duty. For jury duty in excess of three days, employees receive the difference between jury duty pay and their regular pay up to a maximum eight hours a day, forty hours a week and 30 days total (240 hours). Jury duty leave beyond this time is without pay from the county. Voting Voting is an important responsibility we all assume as citizens. We encourage employees to exercise their voting rights in all municipal, state and federal elections. Under most circumstances, it is possible for employees to vote either before or after work. If it is necessary for employees to arrive late or leave work early to vote in any election, employees should arrange with their supervisor/manager no later than the day prior to Election Day.

January 2012

11

Military Leave Employees granted a military leave of absence are reinstated and paid in accordance with the laws governing veterans re-employment rights. Parental Involvement Leave Eligible employees may use accrued paid leave or unpaid leave to attend academic activities for school aged children. To be eligible, an employee must work in a nonexecutive or nonsupervisory capacity and be the parent or legal guardian of a child enrolled in either public or private school grades K-12 or certain non-public home-based educational programs. Employees can take leave for the following academic activities: parent-teacher conferences and meetings about special education services, response to intervention, dropout prevention, attendance, truancy, or disciplinary issues. Please see the Human Resources Department for more information. Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) The county provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible employees for the following reasons: Incapacity due to pregnancy, prenatal medical care or child birth; To care for the employees child after birth, or placement for adoption or foster care; To care for the employees spouse, son or daughter, or parent, who has a serious health condition; Serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the employees job.

FMLA Military Family Leave Entitlements Eligible employees with a spouse, son, daughter, or parent on active duty or called to active duty status in the National Guard or Reserves in support of a contingency operation may use their 12week leave entitlement to address certain qualifying exigencies. Qualifying exigencies may include attending certain military events, arranging for alternative childcare, addressing certain financial and legal arrangements, attending certain counseling sessions, and attending postdeployment reintegration briefings. Eligible employees may also take up to 26 weeks of leave to care for a covered servicemember during a single 12-month period. A covered servicemember is a current member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who has a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty on active duty. The injury or illness must make the servicemember medically unfit to perform his or her duties for which the servicemember is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy; or is in outpatient status; or is on the temporary disability retired list. FMLA Benefits and Protections During FMLA leave, the county maintains the employees health coverage under any group health plan on the same terms as if the employee had continued to work. Employees must continue to pay their portion of any insurance premium while on leave. If the employee is able

January 2012

12

but does not return to work after the expiration of the leave, the employee will be required to reimburse the county for payment of insurance premiums during leave. Upon return from FMLA leave, most employees are restored to their original or equivalent positions with equivalent pay, benefits, and other employment terms. Certain highly compensated employees (key employees) may have limited reinstatement rights. Use of FMLA leave cannot result in the loss of any employment benefit that accrued prior to the start of an employees leave. As with other types of unpaid leaves, paid leave will not accrue during the unpaid leave. Holidays, funeral leave, or employers jury duty pay are not granted on unpaid leave. FMLA Eligibility Requirements Employees are eligible if they have worked for the county for at least 12 months, for 1,250 hours over the previous 12 months, and if they work at a work site with at least 50 employees within 75 miles. Definition of Serious Health Condition A serious health condition is an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves either an overnight stay in a medical care facility, or continuing treatment by a health care provider for a condition that either prevents the employee from performing the functions of the employees job, or prevents a qualified family member from participating in school or other daily activities. Subject to certain conditions, the continuing treatment requirement may be met by a period of incapacity of more than three consecutive full calendar days combined with at least two visits to a health care provider or one visit and a regimen of continuing treatment, or incapacity due to pregnancy, or incapacity due to a chronic condition. Other conditions may meet the definition of continuing treatment. FMLA Leave Use The maximum time allowed for FMLA leave is either 12 weeks in the 12-month period as defined by the county, or 26 weeks as explained above. The county uses the 12-month period measured from the first day of the employees leave. An employee does not need to use this leave entitlement in one block. Leave can be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule when medically necessary. Employees must make reasonable efforts to schedule leave for planned medical treatment so as not to unduly disrupt the Countys operations. Leave due to qualifying exigencies may also be taken on an intermittent basis. Employees taking intermittent or reduced schedule leave based on planned medical treatment and those taking intermittent or reduced schedule family leave with the Countys agreement may be required to temporarily transfer to another job with equivalent pay and benefits that better accommodates that type of leave.

January 2012

13

Substitution of Paid Leave for Unpaid Leave The County requires employees to use accrued paid leave (medical and personal time) while taking FMLA leave. In order to use paid leave for FMLA leave, employees must comply with the Countys normal paid leave policies. If an employee fails to follow the Countys policies, the employee cannot use accrued paid leave, but can take unpaid leave. FMLA leave is without pay when paid leave benefits are exhausted. Employee FMLA Responsibilities Employees must provide 30 days advance notice of the need to take FMLA leave when the need is foreseeable. When 30 days notice is not possible, the employee must provide notice as soon as practicable and generally must comply with the Countys normal call-in procedures. Employees must provide sufficient information for the County to determine if the leave may qualify for FMLA protection and the anticipated timing and duration of the leave. Sufficient information may include that the employee is unable to perform job functions, the family member is unable to perform daily activities, the need for hospitalization or continuing treatment by a health care provider, or circumstances supporting the need for military family leave. Employees also must inform the County if the requested leave is for a reason for which FMLA leave was previously taken or certified. Employees may also be required to provide a certification and periodic recertification supporting the need for leave. The County may require second and third medical opinions at the Countys expense. Documentation confirming family relationship, adoption or foster care may be required. If notification and appropriate certification are not provided in a timely manner, approval for leave may be denied. Continued absence after denial of leave may result in disciplinary action in accordance with the Countys attendance guideline. Employees on leave must contact the Human Resources Manager at least two days before their first day of return. County FMLA Role The County will inform employees requesting leave whether they are eligible under FMLA. If they are, the notice will specify any additional information required as well as the employees rights and responsibilities. If they are not eligible, the County will provide a reason for the ineligibility. The County will inform the employee if leave will be designated as FMLA protected and the amount of leave counted against the employees leave entitlement. If the County determines that the leave is not FMLA protected, the County will notify the employee. The County will not interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of any right provided under FMLA. The County will not discharge or discriminate against any person for opposing any practice made unlawful by FMLA or for involvement in any proceeding under or relating to FMLA. Enforcement An employee may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor or may bring a private lawsuit against the County. FMLA does not affect any federal or state law prohibiting discrimination, or supersede any state or local law or collective bargaining agreement which provides greater family or medical leave rights.

January 2012

14

PAY Paydays Employees are paid every other Thursday. If the regular payday occurs on a holiday, the payday is the last working day prior to the holiday. On each payday, employees receive a statement showing gross pay, deductions and net pay. Automatic deductions such as additional tax withholding, contributions to voluntary benefit plans and individual savings plans may be arranged through the Human Resources Department. For the employees convenience, we offer the option of having their paycheck automatically deposited to their bank account. Overtime Overtime is defined as any hours worked over 40 in one work week. The County work week begins at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday and ends at 12:00 midnight on Saturday. Non-exempt employees are paid at the rate of one and one-half (1 1/2) times their regular hourly rate for hours worked in excess of 40 during the established work week. For purposes of calculating overtime payments, only hours actually worked are counted. Hours not worked such as holidays, personal or medical leave or any other paid leave are not counted as hours worked when computing overtime and will be paid at the employees regular hourly rate. Worked holidays will be paid as straight time and employees will also receive holiday pay. All leave with the exception of holiday will be reduced by the hours over 40 for a week. In other words, no leave hours other than holiday can take an employee over 40 hours in a week. Most exempt employees are not eligible for overtime and they are expected to work the normal 40 hours work week, plus whatever additional time may be required due to the demands of the job. Department Directors or Elected Officials may grant exempt employees administrative leave. Pay for Exempt Employees Exempt employees must be paid on a salary basis. This means exempt employees will regularly receive a predetermined amount of compensation each pay period on a weekly basis. The County is committed to complying with salary basis requirements which allows properly authorized deductions. If you believe an improper deduction has been made to your salary, you should immediately report this information to the Human Resources Department. Reports of improper deductions will be promptly investigated. If it is determined that an improper deduction has occurred, you will promptly be reimbursed. Meal Periods Each County employee is strongly encouraged to take a meal break of at least thirty minutes each work day. The County does not pay employees for this time. Meal periods may not be accumulated or taken at the beginning or end of the day on a regular basis. Nor may an employee regularly not take at least a thirty-minute unpaid break each day. Time Reporting Non-exempt employees must record time worked on a daily basis. Time clock entries are used for calculating employees pay.

January 2012

15

Business Expense Reimbursement In order to be reimbursed for business expenses employees must turn in a detailed receipt (not just the total charge). There is no longer a per diem amount for meals or lodging, rather actual expenses in these areas will be reimbursed up to $20 for each breakfast and lunch and $30 for dinner. A 15% tip is recommended. Total meals, including tips, should not exceed $70 per day. Remember the county will not reimburse for alcoholic beverages. Lodging will be reimbursed for mid-range accommodations in the specific location. Questions on what is acceptable for reimbursement should be discussed with your direct supervisor before the cost is incurred.

January 2012

16

WORK ENVIRONMENT Alcohol and Drugs Alert and rational behavior is required for the safe and adequate performance of job duties. Therefore, working after the apparent use of alcohol, a controlled substance or abuse of any other substance, including marijuana, is prohibited. Furthermore, the possession, purchase, or consumption (use) or sale of a controlled substance or alcohol on County premises or while conducting County business is prohibited. Anti-Violence Employees must not engage in intimidation, threats or hostile behaviors, physical abuse, vandalism, arson, sabotage, use of weapons, carrying weapons on to County property by non-law enforcement employees, or any other act, which, in managements opinion, is inappropriate to the workplace. In addition, employees must refrain from making offensive comments regarding violent events and/or behavior. Employees are expected to report any prohibited conduct to management. Employees should directly contact proper law enforcement authorities if they believe there is a serious threat to the safety and health of themselves or others. Attendance and Punctuality All employees are expected to be on time and punctual for showing up to work. In addition regular attendance is considered an essential function and is necessary for the efficient operation of the business. Employees that are going to be absent or late must contact their supervisor as soon as possible prior to the start of their shift. Leaving messages with other employees or on voice mail is not acceptable. Failure to call in when absent will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Communication Systems The communication systems are property of the County and intended for business use. Therefore, the County maintains the ability to access any computer files, use of software, Internet usage, email and voice mail. Although employees may select individual passwords, employees should not assume that such files are confidential. All information regarding access to the Countys computer resources, such as user identifications, modem phone numbers, access codes, and passwords are County confidential information and may not be disclosed to nonCounty personnel. To ensure that the Countys communication systems are utilized appropriately and widely available, the County periodically audits records regarding internet sites visited by login id and computer name. Employees that visit sites which are subsequently found to be of an offensive nature, may be subject to disciplinary action. Offensive sites include, but are not limited to, sites containing or advocating pornography, violence, bigotry and online gambling. The County reserves the right to block access to Internet sites which are deemed to be in conflict with business purposes. This may include sites of an offensive nature referenced above, known virus distributors, as well as sites which negatively impact overall networking computing performance and bandwidth availability. Users may contact the IT Department concerning opening up access to blocked sites that have legitimate business needs.

January 2012

17

The Countys communication systems, including the Internet, email, voice mail and cell phone systems are provided to employees as tools to conduct County business. Personal Use of the Internet and Social Media Guidelines The limited use of the internet for personal reasons at work must not disrupt the operation of the County network or the networks of other users. It must not interfere with employees productivity. The County has developed these guidelines for the personal use of social media for employees who use social media such as blogs, wikis, and networking sites like Facebook which may contain postings related to the County, employees of the County, and entities that partner with the County to serve the Citizen of Eagle County. Public communications concerning Eagle County Government, employees of Eagle County Government, and any community partners of Eagle County Government must not violate any guidelines set forth in this handbook, especially as it relates to discrimination, unlawful harassment, and illegal activities. Your personal or anyone elses blog, wiki, or social networking site is not the appropriate place to make a complaint regarding alleged discrimination, unlawful harassment, or safety issues. Such complaints shall be made consistent with the complaint procedures set forth in this handbook. Blogs and other forms of social media communications are individual interactions, not County communications. Employees can be held personally liable for their posts. For this reason, employees should exercise caution with regards to exaggeration, obscenity, guesswork, copyrighted materials, legal conclusions, and derogatory remarks or characterizations. If you choose to identify yourself as an Eagle County Government employee, please understand that some readers my view your comments as those of the County. Because of this possibility we ask that you state that your views expressed in your blog or social networking site are your personal opinions and not necessarily those of Eagle County Government. You may not disclose any sensitive, proprietary, or confidential information about Eagle County Government or its employees. While you may disagree with the actions, policies, or management decisions of Eagle County Government, you may not attack personally or post material that is obscene, defamatory, discriminatory, harassing, libelous, or threatening about Eagle County Government or its employees. Please consult with your manager, director, or elected official if you have any questions about the appropriateness of publishing information relating to Eagle County Government or its employees.

January 2012

18

Software and Copyright The County licenses, and does not own most of the software it utilizes. Therefore, use of the software must be in accordance with the applicable Software Agreements or as directed by the Countys IT Department. Employees must not use the Countys technology resources to copy, retrieve, forward or send copyrighted materials unless the employee has the authors permission. Email Because the County provides the email system to employees to help them with the performance of their job, it should be used for official County business. Incidental and occasional personal use of email is permitted. However, employees should be aware that these messages will be treated the same as business messages, and subject to review at any time without notice. Also, employees cannot control where their messages will ultimately end up. For example, a message meant for one person can be mistakenly sent to the wrong individual(s), or the message can be forwarded to unintended recipients. In addition, emails that were deleted are stored elsewhere on the system. Solicitation Email The County email system may not be used to promote private enterprise for a users direct or indirect personal benefit. Public Record County employees need to be aware that the emails they send and receive may be considered public records subject to the Colorado Open Records Act. Employees are discouraged from using County email for private or confidential matters that could become a source of embarrassment to the sender, recipient or County. Employees should use discretion when sending emails. Do not write anything in an email message that is inappropriate to say to others face-to-face. Voice Mail Employees are responsible to make certain their voice mail messages are reviewed in a timely fashion. When employees know that they are going to be out of the office for a day or more, they must leave messages on their voice mail stating when they will be returning messages, and who will be an alternative contact in the meantime. Telephones/Cell Phones In the interest of good business practice, telephone calls, including those made with cell phones, must not interfere with employees performance of their jobs. Personal use of the County telephones for long distance is not permitted. The County provides cell phones to those employees who need them to perform their jobs. Such phones are intended for business use. Therefore, personal calls should be limited and comply with the County cell phone usage policy. Employees must adhere to all federal, state or local rules and regulations regarding the use of cell phones while driving. Accordingly, employees must not use cell phones if such conduct is prohibited by law, regulation or other ordinance.

January 2012

19

Employees should not use handheld cell phones while driving. Should an employee need to make or receive a business call while driving, he or she should locate a lawfully designated area to park and make the call or use a hands-free speaking device such as a speakerphone/earpiece. Political Activity An employee should not be asked about his/her political beliefs or requested to participate or contribute to political parties or groups as a requirement of employment. Employees may not engage in political activities during working hours but may campaign when not working. County property cannot be used while actively campaigning. Political activities shall not interfere with an employees work. Appearance and Courtesy An employee is hired for his/her skills and professionalism. Clothing should be clean and neat. Extremes in style of hair, makeup and dress are discouraged. Conduct and dress should reflect favorably on the county. Dress appropriately for the job. Use good judgment. An employee must dress in uniform if his/her job requires it. When tasks require the use of safety clothing or equipment, employees must use it. All employees are expected to keep their assigned work areas clean and in reasonable order. Courtesy is vital in all relationships, both with the public and other employees. The county encourages all employees to give courteous treatment to members of the public, to fellow employees and others. The aim is to practice courtesy in face-to-face relationships, in telephone conversations and in written correspondence. Standards of Conduct The following is a restatement of the Colorado Revised Statutes which govern the behavior of all Eagle County employees. Where county policies are more restrictive, they supersede these Standards of Conduct. When citizens of Colorado obtain public office, conflicts may arise between the public duty of such a citizen and his or her private interest. The General Assembly has prescribed Standards of Conduct for those citizens involved with government. Some actions are conflicts per se between public duty and private interest while other actions may or may not pose such conflicts depending upon the surrounding circumstances. The holding of public office or employment is a public trust, created by the confidence which the electorate reposes in the integrity of county government officials and employees. A county government official or employee shall carry out his/her duties for the benefit of the people of the State of Colorado. A county government official or employee who breaches his/her fiduciary duty is liable to the people of the State of Colorado as a trustee of property and shall suffer such other liabilities as a private fiduciary would suffer for abuse of his/her trust. The District Attorney may bring judicial

January 2012

20

proceedings seeking criminal penalties and civil remedies. A county government official or an employee or their family member shall not: Disclose or use confidential information acquired in the course of his/her official duties in order to further substantially his/her personal financial interests. Accept a gift whose value exceeds $50 from any person or accepting or receiving any monetary gift or forgiveness of indebtedness, without providing lawful consideration of equal or greater value. Those prohibitions do not apply if the gift or thing of value is: a) a campaign contribution as defined by law; b) an unsolicited item of trivial value less than fifty dollars ($50), such as a pen, calendar, plant, book, note pad, or other similar item; c) an unsolicited token or award of appreciation in the form of a plaque, trophy, desk item, wall memento, or similar item; d) unsolicited informational material, publications or subscriptions related to the recipients performance of official duties; e) admission to, and the cost of food or beverages consumed at, a reception, meal or meeting by an organization before whom the recipient appears to speak or to answer questions as part of a scheduled program; f) reasonable expenses paid by a nonprofit organization or other state or local government for attendance at a convention, fact-finding mission, or trip, or other meeting if the person is scheduled to deliver a speech, make a presentation, participate on a panel, or represent the state or local government, provided that the non-profit organization receives less than five percent (5%) of its funding from for-profit organizations or entities; g) given by an individual who is a relative or personal friend of the recipient on a special occasion; or h) a component of the compensation paid or other incentive given to the recipient in the normal course of employment. County government officials or employees shall not: 1. Engage in a substantial financial transaction for his/her private business purposes with a person whom he/she inspects or supervises in the course of his/her official duties. Perform an official act directly and substantially affecting to its economic benefit a business or other undertaking in which he/she either has a substantial financial interest or is engaged as representative, consultant, counsel, or agent. Be interested in any contract made by them in their official capacity or by any person, agency, or board of which they are members or employees. A former employee should not, within six months following the termination of his/her employment contract or be employed by an employer who contracts with any local government involving matters with which he/she was directly involved during his/her employment. For purposes of this section the term "Be interested in" does not include holding a minority interest in a corporation. "Contract" does not include: (1) contracts awarded to the lowest responsible bidder based on

2.

3.

January 2012

21

competitive bidding procedures, (2) merchandise sold to the highest bidder at public auctions, (3) investments or deposits in financial institutions which are in the business of loaning or receiving moneys, (4) a contract with an interested party if, because of geographic restrictions, a local government could not otherwise reasonably afford itself of the subject of the contract. It shall be presumed that a local government could not otherwise reasonably afford itself of the subject of a contract if the additional cost to the local government is greater than 10% of a contract with an interested party or if the contract is for services that must be performed within a limited time period and no other contractor can provide those services within that time period, (5) a contract with respect to which any county government official or employee has disclosed a personal interest and has not voted thereon or with respect to which any member of the local governments governing body has voted thereon in accordance with section 24-18-109 (3) (b) or 31-4-404 (3), C.R.S, as amended. Any such disclosure shall be made to the Board of County Commissioners. 4. Be purchasers at any sale or vendors at any purchase made by them in their official capacity. 5. All county government officials and their deputies and clerks are prohibited from purchasing or selling or in any manner receiving to their own use or benefit or to the use or benefit of any person or persons whatever any state, county, city and county, city, or town warrants, scrip, orders, demands, claims, or other evidences of indebtedness against the state or any county, city and county, city, or town thereof except evidences of indebtedness issued to or held by them for services rendered as such officer, deputy, or clerk, and evidences of the funded indebtedness of such state, county, city and county, city or town. It shall not be a breach of fiduciary duty and the public trust for a county government official or employee to: 1. Use county government facilities or equipment to communicate or correspond with a member's constituents, family members, or business associates. 2. Accept or receive a benefit as an indirect consequence of transacting county government business. The following three principles are intended as guides to conduct and do not constitute violations as such of the public trust of office or employment in county government: A county government official or employee should not acquire or hold an interest in any business or undertaking which he/she has reason to believe may be directly and substantially affected to its economic benefit by official action to be taken by an agency over which he/she has substantive authority. A county government official or an employee should not, within six months following the termination of his/her office or employment, obtain employment in which he/she will take direct advantage, unavailable to others, of matters with which he/she was directly involved during his/her term of employment. These matters include rules, other than rules of general application, which he/she actively helped to formulate and applications, claims, or contested cases in the consideration of which he/she was an active participant.

January 2012

22

A county government official or an employee should not perform an official act directly and substantially affecting a business or other undertaking to its economic detriment when he/she has a substantial financial interest in a competing firm or undertaking. A county government official or an employee may, prior to acting in a manner which may impinge on his/her fiduciary duty and the public trust, disclose the nature of his/her private interest. Disclosures must be in writing to the Secretary of State, listing the amount of his/her financial interest, if any, the purpose and duration of his/her services rendered, if any, and the compensation received for the services or such other information as is necessary to describe his/her interest. If he/she then performs the official act involved, he/she shall state for the record the fact and summary nature of the interest disclosed at the time of performing the act. Such disclosure shall constitute an affirmative defense to any civil or criminal action or any other sanction. Definitions 1. Business means any corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, trust or foundation, or other individual or organization carrying on a business, whether or not operated for profit. Compensation means any money, thing of value, or economic benefit conferred on or received by any person in return for services rendered or to be rendered by himself/herself or another. Employee means any temporary or regular employee of county government. Financial interest means a substantial interest held by an individual which is: A. An ownership interest in a business; B. creditor interest in an insolvent business; C. An employment or a prospective employment for which negotiations have begun; D. An ownership interest in real or personal property; E. A loan or any other debtor interest; or F. A directorship or officership in a business. 5. 6. County government means the government of any county. County government official means an elected or appointed official of a county government but does not include an employee of a county government. Official act or Official action means any vote, recommendation, decision, approval, disapproval or other action, including inaction, which involves the use of discretionary authority.

2.

3. 4.

7.

Other Employment An employee may have other employment in addition to employment with the County if the other employment does not affect the job performance or attendance of the County employee and the other employment does not create a conflict of interest as described above. Employees

January 2012

23

are expected to inform their direct supervisor of any outside employment so that a determination can be made regarding possible or apparent conflicts of interest. Discipline/Discharge Occasionally performance or other behavior falls short of our standards and/or expectations. When this occurs, management takes action, which, in its opinion, seems appropriate. Disciplinary actions can range from a formal discussion with the employee about the matter to immediate discharge. Action taken by management in an individual case does not establish a precedent in other circumstances. Problem Solving Employees who disagree or are dissatisfied with a County practice, application of discipline, application or interpretation of the policies and procedures of the County or perceived poor working conditions should promptly discuss the matter with their immediate supervisor, where appropriate. Normally, this discussion should be held within three to five days of the incident, or in a timely manner. Discussions held in a timely manner will enhance the countys ability to resolve concerns while it is fresh in everyones mind. The majority of misunderstandings can be resolved at this level. If the solution offered is not satisfactory, or if it is inappropriate to go to the supervisor, then employees are encouraged to take the problem to their Department Director or Elected Official in charge of their office or the Director of Human Resources. If the Department Director or Elected Official has not responded, or if the employee is not satisfied with the response received, the employee should request a meeting with the Department Director or Elected Office and the Director of Human Resources within five working days of the incident. If the problem still cannot be resolved, employees may submit a written complaint to the County Manager for review and final decision within five working days. If the County Manager needs more than five working days to investigate the problem and make a decision, he/she will notify the employee in writing. In those cases where the County Manger is the direct supervisor, the County Manager will upon request appoint an independent hearing officer to review the employee complaint. A terminated employee may also use this procedure; however the employee remains terminated unless a decision is made to rescind the termination. A terminated employee should begin the problem solving process with the Director of Human Resources. Nothing in this section constitutes an agreement of employment for a specific period of time or is intended to affect the at-will employment relationship. References The County does not furnish open letters of recommendation addressed To Whom It May Concern. If employees receive a call inquiring about a former employee, please refer it to the Human Resource Department. Only the Director of Human Resources or his/her designee has the authority to respond to such inquiries.

January 2012

24

Safety/Reporting of Injury The County is committed to a safe work environment for employees. Employees should report any unsafe practices or conditions to their supervisor. If employees are injured on the job, no matter how minor, they must immediately report this fact in writing to their supervisor. If medical treatment for an on-the-job injury is needed, it must be obtained from one of the Countys designated physicians. If not, the employee may be responsible for the cost of medical treatment. If the injury requires immediate emergency treatment, employees and supervisors should utilize the nearest emergency facility or notify 911 for assistance. As soon as possible thereafter, the employee must report the injury to their supervisor. Immediately following every work related injury or vehicle accident involving a County vehicle the employee(s) involved will be required to take a urinalysis or oral fluids drug test at the closest Designated Physicians office. If the employee requires medical attention after the incident the drug test will be completed as soon thereafter as medically safe. The injured employee, or the employee involved in the vehicle accident, will not be allowed to drive themselves to the medical facility for the test. Employees who miss more than three days of work due to workers compensation related injuries or illnesses will be placed on FMLA leave contemporaneously with workers compensation leave.

Designated Medical Service Provider - Eagle Eagle Valley Medical Center 0377 Sylvan Lake Rd, Suite 220 Eagle, CO 81631 (970) 328-6357 or Colorado Mountain Medical, P.C. 0377 Sylvan Lake Rd. Suite 210 Eagle, CO 81631 (970) 328-1650 Designated Medical Service Provider - Edwards Colorado Mountain Medical, P.C. 320 Beard Creek Road Edwards, CO (970) 926-6340 Designated Medical Service Provider - Vail Colorado Mountain Medical, P.C. 181 West Meadow Drive, #200 Vail, CO (970) 476-5695

January 2012

25

Designated Medical Service Provider Basalt/El Jebel Glenwood Medical Associates 1905 Blake Glenwood Springs, CO (970)945-8503

Smoking It is our objective to provide a smoke-free environment within County Facilities. Smoking is prohibited within all areas of the buildings and within 25 feet of the main entrance into County buildings. Employees may not smoke in the front walkway or parking lot of the Eagle County Building where the public is coming and going. Employees may smoke in designated outdoor areas. This restriction applies to all employees and visitors, at all times, including non-business hours. Separation of Employment We request that employees who wish to resign their positions notify the County of their anticipated departure date and go over the check out procedures at separation (conversion of insurance, return of property, delivery of final paycheck, etc.) with the Human Resources Department. Employees may be considered for re-employment provided they qualify for the position of interest and while they were employed with the County maintained satisfactory performance and attendance.

January 2012

26

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT I HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF THE EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK DATED FEBRUARY 2012. I UNDERSTAND THAT I AM TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH ITS CONTENTS. FURTHER, I UNDERSTAND: EMPLOYMENT WITH EAGLE COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS AT-WILL. I HAVE THE RIGHT TO END MY WORK RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTY, WITH OR WITHOUT ADVANCE NOTICE FOR ANY REASON. THE COUNTY HAS THE SAME RIGHT. THE LANGUAGE USED IN THIS HANDBOOK AND ANY VERBAL STATEMENTS OF MANAGEMENT ARE NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE A CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, NOR ARE THEY A GUARANTEE OF EMPLOYMENT FOR A SPECIFIC DURATION. THE HANDBOOK IS NOT ALL INCLUSIVE, BUT IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE ME WITH A SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE COUNTYS GUIDELINES. THIS EDITION REPLACES ALL PREVIOUSLY ISSUED HANDBOOKS. THE NEED MAY ARISE TO CHANGE THE GUIDELINES DESCRIBED IN THE HANDBOOK, EXCEPT FOR THE AT-WILL NATURE OF EMPLOYMENT. THE COUNTY THEREFORE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO INTERPRET THEM OR TO CHANGE THEM WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. NO REPRESENTATIVE OF EAGLE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, OTHER THAN THE COUNTY MANAGER, HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT OF EMPLOYMENT FOR ANY SPECIFIED PERIOD AND SUCH AGREEMENT MUST BE IN WRITING, SIGNED BY THE COUNTY MANAGER AND MYSELF. WE HAVE NOT ENTERED INTO SUCH AN AGREEMENT. I UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AND RECEIVE CLARIFICATION FROM THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT REGARDING THE CONTENT OF THIS EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK.

______________________________ EMPLOYEE NAME

____________ DATE

January 2012

27

You might also like