20211223080951712RESOLUTION NO. 2021-47
COUNCILMEMBER STEWART INTRODUCED THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION:
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council of the City of Blair, Nebraska deem it to be in
the public good to amend the City of Blair Personnel Manual for employees.
BE IT RESOLVED THAT attached hereto, marked "Exhibit A" and incorporated by this
reference herein, are additions, amendments or modifications to the City of Blair Personnel Manual
for employees.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the effective date of such additions, amendments or
modifications to the City of Blair Personnel Manual for employees is from and after January 1,
2022.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Human Resource Manager is hereby authorized to
notify all officials and employees of the City of Blair, Nebraska, of the additions, amendments or
modifications to the City of Blair Personnel Manual and the effective date thereof.
COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART MOVED THAT THE RESOLUTION BE ADOPTED AS
READ, WHICH SAID MOTION WAS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WOLFF. UPON
ROLL CALL, COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTING "AYE" SHEPARD, STEWART, RUMP,
WILLIS, WOLFF, HALL AND JENSEN. COUNCIL MEMBERS _NONE VOTING "NAY",
THE MAYOR DECLARED THE FOREGOING RESOLUTION PASSED AND ADOPTED
THIS 14TH DAY OF DECEMBER 2021.
CITY OF BLAIR, NEBRASKA
BY
RICHARD HANSEN, MAYOR
ATTEST:
BRENDA WHEELER, CITY CLERK
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TV
STATE OF NEBRASKA )
) :ss:
WASHINGTON COUNTY )
BRENDA WHEELER, hereby certifies that she is the duly appointed, qualified and acting City
Clerk of the City of Blair, Nebraska, and that the above and foregoing Resolution was passed and
adopted at a regular meeting of the Mayor and City Council of the City of Blair, Nebraska, held
on the 14th day of December 2021.
12
F
BRENDA WHEELER, CITY CLERK
1
EXHIBIT "A"
AMENDMENTS TO CITY OF BLAIR PERSONNEL MANUAL
SECTION 8.3 "Vacation Leave" is hereby amended in its entirety as follows, to wit:
Regular full-time employees and regular part-time employees normally working
twenty (20) hours or more per week shall be provided with paid vacation leave to
allow them periods of rest, relaxation, and freedom from the rigors of their jobs.
Eligible full-time employees shall accrue vacation leave monthly at the following
rates:
Years of Regular City
Monthly Accrual
Annual Accrual
Service
Yeats one iia two
3
� ^''''haufu
` 0 s
Years twee one, two, three
6.67 hours
80 hours
Year four
7.33 hours
88 hours
Year five
8.00 hours
96 hours
Year six
8.67 hours
104 hours
Year seven
9.33 hours
112 hours
Year eight
10.00 hours
120 hours
Year nine
10.67 hours
128 hours
Year ten
11.33 hours
136 hours
Year eleven
12.00 hours
144 hours
Year twelve
12.67 hours
152 hours
Year thirteen and beyond
13.33 hours
160 hours
2. SECTION 14.3 "Overtime Pay" is hereby amended as follows:
Overtime work shall be discouraged except to safeguard public health, safety, and property. When
overtime work is necessary it shall be authorized in advance by the respective Department Head.
a. Classified Service - Employees in the Classified Service shall be eligible for
compensation for overtime hours worked in excess of 40 hours per work week. Such
an employee shall be reimbursed at one and one half (1 1/2) times their regular rate of
pay during the workweek. Exception: Police Officers shall be reimbursed at the rate
of 1 V2 times regular hourly rate for all hours worked in excess of 80 hours worked in
a two (2) week period.
C
b. Exempt Service - Employees in the Exempt Service shall not be eligible for monetary
compensation for overtime hours worked.
C. Compensatory time may be used in lieu of overtime compensation when in the best
interest of the City and the employee Compensatory time will be awarded at one and
one-half times the actual hours worked as accumulated in accordance with the Federal
Fair Labor Standards Act. Such Compensatory time may be utilized when authorized
by the Department Head based upon consideration of operational requirements and
when beneficial to the employee; provided however, the following restrictions shall
apply to the amount of Compensatory time which may be used in lieu of overtime
compensation, to -wit:
1) No employee shall be allowed to carry over more than six4een 6) twen -
four 24 hours of compensatory time from one pay period to the next; and
2) All compensatory time shall be used prior to vacation leave being utilized.
��ef Oeteb 1997 shall ha-ve ene (,) y , em�ise t o„JL4 ate
Llll Lelll�./V
time in exeess F six4een ( 1 6) h/ provided ;,the that Ul1,g tMs tfan
sifie
Fer4ed,employees a4ery time r ,. to , +ie 1o.,t,o
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d. For pay purposes, the workweek for Uniformed Police Officers shall begin at 5:01
o'clock P.M. on Sunday and end at 5:00 o'clock P.M. the following Sunday.
2. SECTION 14.5 "Employee Benefits” is hereby amended as follows:
The City offers a total compensation plan consisting not only of pay but also of substantial
employee benefits. The following are the principal employee benefits which are offered to all
permanent, full-time employees working 40 hours or more a week after completing the necessary
waiting period:
Medical insurance, vision and dental insurance coverage begin on the first day of
the month following the date on which an employee commences full time work.
The City shall pay 100% of the single health insurance premium and a percentage
of the family health insurance premium as determined annually by the City Council
as of the date of renewal of the City group health insurance policy. The City shall
pay an amount equal to 100% of the single insurance premium and 100% of the
family dental and family vision insurance premium provided under the City group
insurance plan.
In the event an employee elects not to participate in the City group health insurance
coverage plan, and the employee provides evidence acceptable to City that
employee has health insurance coverage available through a spouse's health
insurance plan or some other source of health insurance, then City agrees to pay
employee the sum of $140.00 per month in lieu of the single health insurance
premium. An employee may elect to be covered under th City group dental and
vision plan whether or not they elect to participate in the City group health
insurance plan.
2. Life Insurance (included with medical plan).
3. Disability Insurance.
4. Pension - regular full-time employees shall become eligible for participation in the
City retirement program after six (6) months of employment. When authorized, the City shall deduct
contributions at the rate of (3%) to (6%) of the employee's base pay each pay period. Eligible law
enforcement personnel shall participate in the retirement program for the Police Department upon
date of hire. When authorized, the City shall deduct contributions at the rate of six (6%) of the police
employee's base pay each pay period. The City shall match the employee retirement contribution2
provided however, in the event that state law mandates that the contribution to the pension for
City of Blair police officers be increased to more than the six percent (6%) rate set forth
hereinabove then the pension plan for civilian employees of the City shall be amended to provide
for the same rate of contribution and further more that the City shall equally match the employee
retirement contribution.
3. SECTION 14.6 "Clothing and Uniform Allowance" is hereby amended as follows:
Law Enforcement, Public Works Department and Cemetery/Park Department Employees shall be
eligible for clothing and uniform allowances as follows:
a. Law Enforcement employee clothing and uniform allowance shall be at the sum of
$900.00 $1,000.00 per year per employee. Beginning with the third quarter allowance
(April, 2004), all clothing allowance payments will be paid in arrears on a monthly
basis. Each officer will be paid $66.67 $83.33 per month following the first City
Council meeting of each month. Any officer terminating employment with the City
will receive payment for that month on a pro -rated basis (days worked/days in month).
b. The City of Blair agrees to pay for authorized clothing, up to one (1) year's authorized
clothing expenditure ($800.00) $1,000.00 for a new Law Enforcement employee. The
employee will be required to reimburse the City should his employment terminate for
any reason before the completion of one (1) year. The amount reimbursed will be
prorated, based on the actual number of months employed by the City.
C. Public Works Department, Animal Control and Cemetery/Parks Department
employees will be provided with uniforms furnished by the City through rental service
or actual purchase.
4. SECTION 14.9 "Call Out Reimbursement" is hereby amended as follows:
The Street Department, Utilities Department, Waste Water Plant and Cemetery shall be required
to have an employee on call. The City will pay each on call employee (one employee per
department) $50.00 to be on call from 7:00 a.m. on Monday until 6:59 a.m. on the following
Monday whether or not the employee called out. If an employee is called out while on call, the
employee will be paid for actual time worked, in mer one-half (11Q hour increments. If the
majority of any department elects not to participate in the above policy then that department will
maintain an on-call schedule acceptable to the City Administrator and shall be compensated for
actual time worked.
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CITYcar AIQNEb'RASI(A
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City of Blair Employee Handbook
January 2021
Introduction
Section One: Employment Practices
Employment -At -Will
Equal Employment Opportunity
Affirmative Action
Americans with Disabilities Act and Reasonable Accommodation
Immigration Law Compliance
Nursing Mothers
Section Two: Employment
Employment Status/Classification
Employment and Background Verification
Selection and Appointment
Residency
New Employee Introductory Period
Attendance and Punctuality
Work Schedules
Work Week and Hours of Work
Flex
Job Posting
Job Descriptions
Internal Transfers/Promotions
References
Rehire of Former Employees
Reinstatement after Break in Service
Human Resources Records/Employee Files
Retirement
Reduction in Workforce
Leaving the Organization
Section Three: Conduct
Personal Conduct
Respectful Workplace
Harassment and Complaint Procedure
Grievance Procedure
Progressive Discipline
Problem Resolution/Open Door Policy
Drug Free Workplace and Substance Abuse
Contagious Illness
Driver's License and Driving Record
Driving While on City Business
Employee Travel and Reimbursement
Section Four: Work Rules
Confidentiality
Ethics and Conflict of Interest
City of Blair Employee Handbook 2
January 2021
Confidential and Proprietary Information
Contact with the Media
Employment of Relatives and Close Personal Relationships
Outside Employment/Activities
Political Activity
Personal Appearance
Uniforms
Tobacco Use
Visitors
Section Five: Safety
Personal Safety
Workers' Compensation/Injury Reporting
Identification Badges and Building Access
Workplace Violence Prevention
Weapons in the Workplace
Search
Emergency Plan
Inclement Weather
Section Six: Benefits and Leave
Eligibility for Benefits
Vacation
Sick Time
Maternity/Paternity Leave
Holidays
Bereavement Leave
Family and Medical Leave of Absence (FMLA)
Non-FMLA or Personal Leave of Absence
Military Leave of Absence
Jury Duty and Other Civil Leave
CDL License Reimbursement
Employee Assistance
Tuition Assistance
Section Seven: Compensation
Performance Evaluations/Salary Reviews
Meals and Rest Breaks
Time Records
Overtime
Deductions from Pay
Pay Day/Direct Deposit
Payroll Advances/Loans
Employee Travel and Reimbursement
City of Blair Employee Handbook
January 2021
Section Eight: Technology
Acceptable Use of Technology
Acceptable Use of Computers
Acceptable Use of Software
Acceptable Use of Electronic Messaging
Acceptable Use of Internet
Acceptable Use of Passwords
Acceptable Use of Cell Phones
Acceptable Use of Social Media
Acknowledgement and Agreement
City of Blair Employee Handbook
January 2021
Introduction
Our handbook is simply The City of Blair's (the City's) policies written into a usable
guidebook for all employees of the organization. This handbook is designed to outline the
day-to-day administration of the City's human resources programs. It is the responsibility
of each and every member of management to administer these policies in a consistent and
impartial manner. Its purpose is to:
• Facilitate awareness and understanding of the City's policies
• Assign responsibility for implementation
• Expedite decisions and promote consistency of interpretation and application
across organizational lines and over a period of time
• Eliminate the need for repetitive and time-consuming decision making on matters
of a recurring nature
• Provide a record to guide future policy and serve as a framework for revisions
• Minimize the possibility of unauthorized or illegal actions
Policy Updates and Legal Requirements
New and revised policies will be issued periodically. Employees will be notified of all
updates as they occur via posting on the intranet, e-mail or a written memo. Please study
the revised updates carefully. If you have any questions concerning the intent of these
updates, please contact the Human Resources Manager for clarification. Suggestions for
additions and revisions of policies are welcomed for consideration and should be directed
to the Human Resources Manager.
All of the policies are intended to be read consistent with federal, state and local law. To
the extent any policy varies from a legal requirement, the organization will follow the
requirements of federal, state or local law.
Section One: Employment Practices
Employment -At -Will
Employment at the City is "at -will," which means your employment may be terminated
with or without cause, and with or without notice at any time, by you or by the City.
Nothing in this handbook or in any document or statement is intended to limit the right to
make employment anything but at -will. No supervisor or other City representative other
than the City Administrator, with consent of Mayor and City Council has any authority to
enter into any agreement for employment for any specified period of time or make any
agreement for employment other than employment at -will.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The City provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and
applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual
orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital
status, amnesty or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state
and local laws. The City complies with applicable state and local laws governing
nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the City has facilities. This
policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, placement,
City of Blair Employee Handbook
January 2021
promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and
training.
The City expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race,
color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic
information, disability or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of the City
employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated.
Affirmative Action
Should minorities and/or women be significantly underrepresented in a segment of the
City work force in relation to the available skills in the relevant labor markets, the Equal
Employment Officer, with the objective of causing the imbalance to be rectified, shall
initiate the development of an affirmative action plan incorporating, as appropriate,
specific employment goals and timetables based on turnover and hiring projections.
Department and division heads shall be involved in both the development and the
implementation of the plan. The affirmative action plan shall include outreach
recruitment, employee development, and/or other activities targeted to produce well-
qualified minority and/or women applicants as appropriate.
Americans with Disabilities Act and Reasonable Accommodation
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Americans with Disabilities
Amendments Act, known as the ADAAA, are federal laws that prohibit employers from
discriminating against applicants and individuals with disabilities and that when needed
provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees who are qualified for a
job, with or without reasonable accommodations, so that they may perform the essential
job duties of the position.
It is the policy of the City to comply with all federal and state laws concerning the
employment of persons with disabilities and to act in accordance with regulations and
guidance issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Furthermore, it is our policy not to discriminate against qualified individuals with
disabilities in regard to application procedures, hiring, advancement, discharge,
compensation, training or other terms, conditions and privileges of employment.
The City will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with a disability so that they
can perform the essential functions of a job, unless doing so causes a direct threat to these
individuals or others in the workplace and the threat cannot be eliminated by reasonable
accommodation and/or if the accommodation creates an undue hardship to the City.
Contact your supervisor with any questions or requests for accommodation.
Immigration Law Compliance
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 requires employers to hire and retain
only individuals who are authorized to work in the United States.
To enforce these guidelines, IRCA requires an employer to verify a potential employee's
eligibility by completing the Employment Verification Form (Form I-9). By completing
City of Blair Employee Handbook 6
January 2021
Form I-9, the employer is certifying that it has viewed documents proving that the
potential employee is authorized to live and work in the United States.
All employees are asked to provide original documents verifying their right to work in
the United States and to sign a verification form (Form I-9): If an individual cannot verify
his or her right to work within three days of hire, the City must terminate his or her
employment.
Nursing Mothers
For up to one year after a child's birth, any employee who is breastfeeding her child will
be provided reasonable break times as needed to express breast mills for her baby. The
City will designate a room for this purpose, please coordinate with your supervisor to use
the area; A small refrigerator reserved for the specific storage of,breast milk is available.
Any breast milk stored in the refrigerator must be labeled with the name of the employee
and the date of expressing the breast milk. Any nonconforming products stored in the
refrigerator may be disposed of. Employees storing milk in the refrigerator assume all
responsibility for the safety of the milk and the risk of harm for any reason, including
improper storage or refrigeration and tampering.
Nursing mothers wishing to use this room must request/reserve the room by contacting
their supervisor. Additional rules for use of the room and refrigerator storage are posted
in the room. Employees who work off-site or in other locations will be accommodated
with a private area as necessary.
Breaks of more than 20 minutes in length will be unpaid, and the employee should
indicate this break period on her time record.
Section Two: Conduct
Personal Conduct
Rules and regulations are not meant to restrict the rights of anyone, but rather to protect
the rights and increase the safety of all. The City expects each person to act in a mature
and responsible manner at all times. To help avoid possible confusion, some of the more
obvious unacceptable activities are noted below as an example of the types of
unacceptable behaviors. Your avoidance of these activities will be to your benefit as well
as the benefit of the City and your fellow employees. If you have any questions
concerning any work or safety rule or any of the unacceptable activities listed below,
please see your supervisor for an explanation.
This list is not all inclusive. Notwithstanding this list, all employees remain employed
"at -will," and no other contract of employment is expressed or implied. Compliance with
these rules does not guarantee continued employment for any specified period of time,
nor does it require that an employee be discharged only for "cause."
Examples of Infractions:
® Commission of a felony or any other job-related crime
• Sexual or other unlawful harassment or unlawful discrimination of'airykind
City of Blair Employee Handbook
January 2021
• Distributing, viewing, and/or maintaining pornographic pictures and/or materials
.on City equipment or property.
• Violation of a safety rule or engaging in unsafe behavior
• Theft, including either City property or another person's property
• Possession, distribution, being under the influence of or use of drugs and/or
possession, distribution or being under the influence of alcohol on City property
or while performing work as a City employee
• Falsification of time -keeping records with intent to defraud
• Falsification of personnel or City records or providing false or misleading
(including omitting) information to the City
• Willful damage or destruction of City property
• Fighting, attempting or threatening bodily injury to another person on City
property or while on working time
• Insubordination or willful refusal to follow direction from a supervisor or next
level management
• Loafing, loitering or sleeping during work time
• Failure to report on-the-job injuries during your shift on the day the injury occurs
• Neglect of duty or incompetence
• Habitual or excessive tardiness
• Absenteeism determined to be excessive under the City's attendance guidelines
• Work performance that is below the standards of performance required by the
department
• Violation of the City's Solicitation and Distribution Policy
• Dishonesty
• Disrespectful behavior, belligerence and/or use of excessive profanity
Any other behavior contrary to our values, rules of conduct or the City's best interests.
Respectful Workplace
The City defines bullying as "repeated inappropriate behavior, either direct or indirect,
whether verbal, physical or otherwise, conducted by one or more persons against another
or others, at the place of work and/or in the course of employment." Such behavior
violates the City's Harassment and Complaint Procedure Policy, which clearly states that
all employees will be treated with dignity and respect.
The purpose of this policy is to communicate to all employees that the City will not
tolerate harassment behavior. Employees found in violation of this policy will be
disciplined up to and including termination.
Bullying may be intentional or unintentional. However, it must be noted that where an
allegation of harassment is made, the intention of the alleged bully is irrelevant and will
not be given consideration when determining appropriate disciplinary action. It is the
effect of the behavior upon the individual that is important. The City considers the
following types of behavior examples of harassment:
City of Blair Employee Handbook
January 2021
• Verbal harassment: Slandering, ridiculing or maligning a person or his or her
family; persistent name-calling that is hurtful, insulting or humiliating; using a
person as the butt of jokes; abusive and offensive remarks.
• Physical harassment: Pushing, shoving, kicking, poking, tripping, assault or
threat of physical assault; damage to a person's work area or property.
• Gesture harassment: Nonverbal threatening gestures or glances that convey
threatening messages.
• Exclusion: Socially or physically excluding or disregarding a person in work-
related activities.
Harassment and Complaint Procedure
Sexual and other unlawful harassment is a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of
1964 (Title VII), as amended, as well as many state laws. Harassment based on a
characteristic protected by law, such as race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, sex,
sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, religion, age, disability, veteran status,
or other characteristic protected by state or federal law, is prohibited.
It is the City's policy to provide a work environment free of sexual and other harassment.
To that end, harassment of the City's employees by management, supervisors, coworkers,
or nonemployees who are in the workplace is absolutely prohibited. Further, any retaliation
against an individual who has complained about sexual or other harassment or retaliation
against individuals for cooperating with an investigation of a harassment complaint is
similarly unlawful and will not be tolerated. The City will take all steps necessary to
prevent and eliminate unlawful harassment.
Definition of Unlawful Harassment. "Unlawful harassment" is conduct that has the purpose
or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment; has the
purpose or effect of substantially and unreasonably interfering with an individual's work
performance; or otherwise adversely affects an individual's employment opportunities
because of the individual's membership in a protected class.
Unlawful harassment includes, but is not limited to, epithets; slurs; jokes; pranks;
innuendo; comments; written or graphic material; stereotyping; or other threatening,
hostile, or intimidating acts based on race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, sex,
sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or other
characteristic protected by state or federal law.
Definition of Sexual Harassment. "Sexual harassment" is generally defined under both
state and federal law as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other
verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature where:
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a
term or condition of any individual's employment or as a basis for employment
decisions; or
Such conduct . has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an
individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive
work environment.
City of Blair Employee Handbook 9
January 2021
Other sexually oriented conduct, whether intended or not, that is unwelcome and has the
effect of creating a work environment that is hostile, offensive, intimidating, or humiliating
to workers may also constitute sexual harassment.
While it is not possible to list all those additional circumstances that may constitute sexual
harassment, the following are some examples of conduct that, if unwelcome, may
constitute sexual harassment depending on the totality of the circumstances, including the
severity of the conduct and its pervasiveness:
• Unwanted sexual advances, whether they involve physical touching or not;
• Sexual epithets, jokes, written or oral references to sexual conduct, gossip regarding
one's sex life, comments about an individual's body, comments about an
individual's sexual activity, deficiencies, or prowess;
• Displaying sexually suggestive objects, pictures, or cartoons;
• Unwelcome leering, whistling, brushing up against the body, sexual gestures, or
suggestive or insulting comments;
• Inquiries into one's sexual experiences; and
• Discussion of one's sexual activities.
All employees should take special note that, as stated above, retaliation against an
individual who has complained about sexual harassment and retaliation against individuals
for cooperating with an investigation of sexual harassment complaint is unlawful and will
not be tolerated at the City.
Complaint Procedure. Any employee who believes they have been subject to or witnessed
illegal discrimination, including sexual or other forms of unlawful harassment, is requested
and encouraged to make a complaint. You may, but are not required to, complain first to
the person you feel is discriminating against or harassing you. You may complain directly
to your immediate supervisor, the next level of management, or any other member of
management with whom you feel comfortable bringing such a complaint. Similarly, if you
observe acts of discrimination toward or harassment of another employee, you are
requested and encouraged to report this to one of the individuals listed above.
No reprisal, retaliation, or other adverse action will be taken against an employee for
making a complaint or report of discrimination or harassment or for assisting in the
investigation of any such complaint or report. Any suspected retaliation or intimidation
should be reported immediately to one of the persons identified above.
All complaints will be investigated promptly and, to the extent possible, with regard for
confidentiality. If the investigation confirms conduct contrary to this policy has occurred,
the City will take immediate, appropriate, corrective action; including discipline, up to and
including immediate termination.
City of Blair Employee Handbook 10
January 2021
Grievance Procedure
In keeping with the philosophy that employee dissatisfaction should be resolved at the
lowest possible level with a minimum of paperwork, it shall be City policy to encourage
employees to informally take any job-related complaints to their immediate supervisors.
Supervisors shall listen with care to employees, shall attempt to understand their points of
view, and shall provide clear and timely responses to their complaints. An employee
remaining dissatisfied with a working condition, reprimand, or other aspect of employment
not subject to the appeal procedure may then use the formal grievance procedure.
The aggrieved employee shall first present the grievance to the immediate supervisor who
shall make careful inquiry into the facts and circumstances of the allegations. After
investigation, the supervisor shall advise the employee of the findings of the investigation
and the decision.
If the grievance is not resolved by action of the immediate supervisor, the employee may
submit the grievance in writing to the Human Resource Director and department head. The
department head, with assistance from the Human Resource Director shall make a separate
investigation and inform the employee in writing of the decision and the reason therefore
within seven (7) calendar days after receipt of the employee's grievance.
If the grievance is not resolved by action of the Human Resource Director and department
head, the employee may obtain a review by the City Administrator by submitting a request
for review within seven (7) calendar days following receipt of the decision of the
department head. The City Administrator shall make such investigation and conduct such
hearings as appropriate and shall, within fifteen (15) calendar days after the receipt of the
employee's request for review, inform the employee in writing of the findings and decision.
The decision of the City Administrator shall be final and conclusive.
Within the foregoing procedures, the burden of proof shall be on the appellant.
Progressive Discipline
The purpose of this policy is to state the City's position on administering equitable and
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.
The City's own best interest lies in ensuring fair treatment of all employees and in
making certain the 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.
Although employment with the City is based on mutual consent, both the employee and
the City have the right to terminate employment at will, with or without cause or advance
notice, and the City may use progressive discipline at its discretion. Disciplinary action
may call for any .of four tools — verbal warning, written warning, suspension with or
City of Blair Employee Handbook 11
January 2021
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 of these
methods are bypassed, or other methods/tools are used.
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 City recognizes that there are certain types of employee problems that are serious
enough to justify either a suspension or, in extreme situations, termination of
employment. The City reserves the right to take disciplinary action without going through
the progressive discipline steps (outlined in above paragraph) in these extreme cases.
While it is impossible to list every type of behavior that may be deemed a serious
offense, the Personal Conduct policy and additional work rules outlined in this handbook
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 City.
Problem Resolution/Open Door Policy
To foster an environment where employees and management feel comfortable
communicating with and voicing concerns to one another, the City uses an Open Door
Policy. Basically, this policy means that all of the Supervisors' doors are open to all of
the employees, and employees are flee to talk with management at any time. Please
consider the following in regard to this policy:
You are responsible for addressing concerns with a Supervisor, from complaints to
suggestions and observations. Addressing these concerns allows the City to improve and
explain practices, processes and decisions.
We recommend that you first discuss concerns with your immediate Supervisor, but the
Open Door Policy also provides you the option of discussing them with higher
management. All of these parties will be willing to listen to the issue and assist in a
resolution.
Drug Free Workplace and Substance Abuse
We recognize alcohol and drug abuse to be potential health, safety and security problems. It
is expected that all employees will assist in maintaining a work environment free from the
effects of alcohol, drugs or other intoxicating substances. Compliance with this Drug free
Workplace Policy is a condition of employment.
Employees are prohibited from the following when reporting for work, while on the job, on
City or customer premises or surrounding areas or in. any, vehicle.used for City. business:
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• The unlawful use, possession, transportation, manufacture, sale, dispensation or
other distribution of an illegal or controlled substance or drug paraphernalia
• The unauthorized use, possession, transportation, manufacture, sale, dispensation
or other distribution of alcohol
• Being under the influence of drugs or alcohol or having a detectable amount of an
illegal or controlled substance in the blood or urine
Any employee violating these prohibitions will be subject to disciplinary action up to and
including termination.
Any employee convicted under any criminal drug statute for a violation occurring while on
the job, on City or customer premises or in any vehicle used for City business must notify
the City no later than five days after such a conviction. A conviction includes any finding of
guilt or plea of no contest and/or imposition of a fine, jail sentence or other penalty.
Drug and alcohol testing will be carried out in compliance with any applicable state and
federal laws and regulations.
Disciplinary action will be taken for drug-related crimes, regardless of whether they
happened during working hours or on an employee's own time.
We recognize that employees suffering from alcohol or drug dependence can be treated. We
encourage any employee to seek professional care and counseling prior to any violation of
this policy.
Contagious Illness
The City realizes that employees with contagious temporary illnesses, such as influenza,
colds and other viruses, need to continue with normal life activities, including working.
However, we also seek to maintain a healthy workplace for our employees and
customers.
In deciding whether an employee with an apparently short-term contagious illness may
continue to work, the City considers several factors. The employee must be able to
perform normal job duties and meet regular performance standards. In the judgment of
the City, the employee's continued presence must pose no risk to the health of the
employee, other employees or customers. If an employee disputes the City's
determination that a risk exists, the employee must submit a statement from his or her
attending health care provider that the employee's continued employment poses no risk to
the employee, other employees or customers.
Supervisors are encouraged to remind employees that the City provides paid leave to
cover absences due to contagious temporary illness. If an employee has exhausted all of
his or her paid leave, the employee may be eligible for an unpaid leave. All employees
are urged to contact their Supervisor with questions about the possible contagious nature
of another employee's temporary illness.
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Driver's License and Driving Record
Employees whose work requires operation of a motor vehicle must present and maintain
a valid driver's license and a driving record acceptable to our insurer. Employees will be
asked to submit a copy of their driving record to the City from time to time.
Any changes in the driving record of an employee, whose work requires the operation of
a motor vehicle, must be reported to their Supervisor immediately. Failure to do so may
result in disciplinary action, including dismissal. If an employee (who is required to drive
as a part of their work) becomes uninsurable for any reason, they will be terminated
unless they can be transferred to another available position within the City for which they
are qualified.
Driving While on City Business
Driver inattention is a factor in a majority of motor vehicle accidents. We are not only
concerned about,your welfare as a City Employee, but also the welfare of others who could
be put in harm's way by inattentive driving. As a driver, your first responsibility is to pay
attention to the road. Any time you are driving a city vehicle, driving your own vehicle for
City business or driving a rental vehicle while out of town on business, the provisions of
this policy apply, as well as any Substance Abuse Testing policy.
Obey the Law
The City is not responsible for any moving traffic violations, tickets for parking
violations or violation of any other city ordinances or state or federal laws regarding your
driving habits and operation and care of your personal motor vehicle. Any tickets issued
are the employee's responsibility, even if the ticket is issued while conducting business
for the City.
Cellphone Use
Cellular phone use while driving is a common, often harmful, distraction. We are
concerned about your safety as well as the safety of others. For this reason, the use of cell
phones while driving is strongly discouraged. Do not accept or place calls unless it is an
emergency, meaning the call cannot wait until you safely pull off the road or until you
arrive at your destination.
If you must use your cellphone while driving, please use good judgment: keep the call
short, use a hands-free device, get to know your phone and its features, and suspend
conversations during hazardous driving conditions (rain, snow, ice, fog, glare, heavy
traffic, etc.). Also be aware that in many jurisdictions, using a cellphone while driving is
prohibited or limited to calls facilitated by the use of a hands-free device.
Other Safe Driving Precautions
• Obey all driving regulations.
• Driver and passengers should always wear seat belts.
® Avoid distractions such as phone calls; texting; eating; applying makeup; paying
too much attention to your radio; or other distracting behavior.
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® Do not drive if your ability to drive safely is impaired by the influence of
medications.
® Be aware of weather and road conditions. Limit or avoid driving when rain or snow
threatens your safety
If using a vehicle not your own (rental or otherwise), be sure to properly adjust the
mirrors and familiarize yourself with the vehicle's controls before operating.
Employees who drive for City business must have a current, valid driver's license and
required insurance.
Employee Travel and Reimbursement
The City reimburses employees for reasonable business travel expenses incurred while on
assignments away from the normal work location. All business travel must be approved in
advance by the City Administrator. A business travel expense report form is available from
City office staff.
Employees whose travel plans have been approved are responsible for making their own
travel arrangements, but will be assisted by Supervisor, City Clerk, or Human Resources
Director, if necessary, in making non -vehicular travel and hotel arrangements.
When approved, actual costs for lodging, transportation (other than personal vehicles), and
other expenses (i.e. parking, registration fees, etc.) directly related to the accomplishment
of business travel objectives will be paid for directly by the City whenever possible. If
direct payment by the City is not feasible, the employee will be reimbursed for all allowable
travel related expenditures.
The City will provide a per diem rate for food and it shall be based upon the amount set by
the United States Government General Services Administration (GSA) guide, which is
governed by the Internal Revenue Service for the applicable city/location. The appropriate
costs are monitored on an annual basis by GSA. If lodging is not paid directly by the City,
employees must submit to their Supervisor copies of lodging invoices in order to obtain
reimbursement.
The current GSA guide is assessable via the Internet at www.gsa.gov. Daily meal and
miscellaneous expense allowance breakdowns vary by geographic location and are meal
specific. Meals included as part of the conference or training or those provided at no
additional costs by the lodging entity (i.e. continental breakfast/buffet) are not
reimbursable. Per diem shall not be paid for travel and city business that does not require
an overnight stay. First and last day of business travel is paid at seventy-five percent (75%)
of the per diem amount shown for meal and incidental expense breakdowns on the GSA
website.
When driving is: required by authorized business travel, city -owned vehicles should be
utilized to the maximum extent possible. An employee may utilize their personal vehicle
when approved by their Supervisor. When such use is authorized, the employee may
request mileage. reimbursement. Mileage shall be reimbursed at the current rate established
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by the. State of Nebraska. Any employee involved in an accident while traveling on
business must promptly report the incident to their Supervisor. Vehicles owned, leased, or
rented by the City may not be used for personal
Cash advances to cover reasonable anticipated expenses are authorized. After travel is
approved, employees may submit a written request for advance payment through their
respective Supervisors to the finance department. Requests for travel cash advances must
be made well in advance to allow for approval by the City Administrator.
When travel is completed, employees should submit completed travel expense reports
within seven (7) days. The travel report shall include the calculation of the per diem amount
based upon the number of days or partial days and any adjustment to meals paid directly
by the City with the conference registration fee. Reimbursement shall be made in
accordance with the expense provisions of this policy.
Employees should contact their Supervisor or finance department for guidance and
assistance on procedures related to travel arrangements, cash advances, travel expense
reports, or any other business travel issues.
Abuse of this policy, including falsification of cash advance requests or travel expense
reports, may be grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination of
employment.
Section Three: Employment
Employment Status/Classification
Throughout this handbook, various terns are used relating to employment status. At the
time of hire, an employee will be informed of how the position is classified. They are
defined for purposes of this handbook only, as follows:
Full-time Employees: Those Employees who are in the City Human Resources records as
Full-time and who are regularly assigned to work at least 40 hours each week.
Regular Part -tune Employees: Those Employees who are listed in the City Human
Resources records as Regular Part -Time Employees and who are regularly scheduled to
work less than 30 hours each week and 1500 hours annually.
Part-time Employees: Those Employees who are listed in the City Human Resources
records as Part-time Employees and who do not have a regularly assigned schedule and
work less than 1500 hours annually.
Seasonal Employees: Those Employees whose service with the City is intended to be of
limited duration. A seasonal employee is hired into a job established for a specified
period of time or for the duration of a specific project or group of assignments and listed
in the Human Resources records as a temporary Employee (as opposed to a full-time or
part-time Employee).
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Exempt: Exempt status indicates that the Employee's job duties and position do not
qualify for overtime compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Generally,
exempt Employees are paid on a salary basis.
Non -Exempt: Non-exempt positions are those positions that are not exempt from the
minimum wage and/or overtime compensation requirements in the Fair Labor Standards
Act. Non-exempt positions require the City to pay the Employee overtime (time and a
half) or Compensatory time (time and a half) per this policy for all hours worked in
excess of 40 during a work week. The key phrase here is "hours worked." Sick leave and
Compensatory time_taken off shall not count as time worked for purposes of calculating
overtime. Vacation and Holiday hours shall count as time worked. All Employees -in
positions that are classified as non-exempt will be required to track their hours worked
and will be eligible for overtime pay in accordance with the Wage and Hour laws as
outlined in our Overtime Policy.
Employment and Background Verification
To ensure that individuals who join the City are well qualified and to ensure a safe and
productive work environment, the City may conduct pre-employment background checks
on all applicants who accept an offer of employment. Background checks may include
verification of any information on the applicant's resume or application form.
All background checks are conducted in conformity with the Federal Fair Credit
Reporting Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and state and federal privacy and
antidiscrimination laws. Reports are kept confidential and are only viewed by individuals
involved in the hiring process.
If information obtained in a background check would lead the City to deny employment,
a copy of the report will be provided to the applicant, and the applicant will have the
opportunity to dispute the report's accuracy. Background checks may include a criminal
record check, although a criminal conviction does not automatically bar an applicant
from employment. Additional checks such as a driving record may be made on
applicants for particular job categories if appropriate and job related.
Physical Assessment
The City requires a physical assessment to determine fitness for duty by a licensed
physician. Other City employees may also be required to undergo a physical examination
to determine fitness for duty as part of the hiring process. Such job-related criteria shall
be consistent with business necessity, as determined by the City, and shall not unlawfully
discriminate against candidates for appointment.
Selection and Appointment
In order to be eligible for full time and regular part-time employment with the City, an
individual must be:
An American citizen or otherwise authorized to remain in the country;
No less than eighteen (18) years of age,
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• The age requirement of not less than eighteen (18) years of age, may be waived
for seasonal and part-time employees by the City Administrator.
When a competitive selection process is to be used, the City Administrator, according to
the best interest of the City, may designate the area of consideration of applicants from
the following:
• The selection process may be limited to persons in the City service or a segment
thereof;
• The selection process may be opened to the general public without special
preference or consideration for any City employees who apply; and
• The selection process may include both City employees and members of the general
public, with City employees given preference in application and/or consideration.
Vacancies may be non -competitively filled with qualified persons by the following means:
• Reinstatement of a former City employee, as described elsewhere in these rules
• Demotions for cause, as described elsewhere in these rules
• Voluntary demotion
• Re -promotion of an employee previously demoted in lieu of layoff
• Lateral transfer
• Special employment program
Application Procedure
• The City will make every effort to promote within its organization.
• All applicants for full-time or part-time positions must complete a job application
in order to be considered for employment.
• All applications shall be submitted to Human Resources on or before the closing
date specified in the job announcement. Applications may require any pertinent
information including, but not limited to, training, education, experience,
references, and licenses and/or certifications. Human Resources shall require proof
education, experience, training, licenses and/or certifications, and any other claims
as appropriate.
• Applications for employment with the City shall only be accepted at the time of a
vacancy.
• Any question in any application form shall not be framed so as to elicit information
concerning race, religion, sex, age, physical or mental disability, or political
affiliation.
• Applications shall remain on file with the City for one (1) year and shall not be
returned.
Disqualification of Applicants
The Human' Resources department, City Administrator, Mayor; and City Council may
refuse to consider an applicant, or may refuse to interview or examine an applicant, or after
examination when required, may disqualify such applicant, remove their name from an
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eligibility list, or may remove such person already appointed for reasons including, but not
limited to the following:
® Failed to meet the preliminary requirements and qualifications for employment
® Made a false statement of material fact on the employment application
® Used or attempted to use political pressure or bribery to secure an advantage in the
appointment
® Directly or indirectly obtained unauthorized information about the examination or
administration of it; and/or cheated in any way on the examination
® Failed to submit the application correctly or within the prescribed time limits
• Participated in the compilation, administration or grading of an examination for
which he/she is an applicant
® Previously resigned while charges for dismissal were pending or was previously
dismissed from City services
® The applicant has been convicted of a crime involving conduct which would be
inconsistent with or detrimental to the performance of the job duties of the position
® The applicant has established an unsatisfactory employment or personnel record as
evidenced by reference checks which are of such a nature as to demonstrate
unsuitability for employment
® The applicant has shown other reasons considered by the hiring agent to be
detrimental to the best interest of the City
Residency
Residency in the City of Blair is encouraged for all employees but shall not be required.
However, in the interest of the City, employees shall reside in proximity to the City.
Proximity shall be defined as a maximum distance of 30 miles as measured by a straight
line from City Hall.
For all employees required to report for emergencies, such as streets, utilities, water
plant, wastewater plant, parks, and administrative supervisors, the maximum allowable
response time shall be the time from notification to legally drive to the work site plus 20
minutes.
It shall be the responsibility of each department to maintain the response time of their
employees and to immediately report any violation or discrepancy to the Human
Resources department.
New Employee Introductory Period
All employees are hired into a six (6) month introductory period and are informed of that
policy at the time of the job offer. At the end of the introductory period, their Supervisor
will:
• Advise the employee that the introductory period has been successfully concluded
® Advise the employee that the introductory period is being extended
® Terminate employment
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During this period, the employee's work record and general adaptability to The City's
working conditions will be reviewed by their Supervisor to determine whether
continuation of employment will be mutually satisfactory or not.
New employees with unsatisfactory job performance are generally consulted with and
advised by their Supervisor as to their problems. The Supervisor will generally advise the
employee of what is expected of him or her in order to be considered a regular employee
and may elect to extend the introductory period. Any extension to the introductory period
will be communicated by the Supervisor to the employee. If, after a reasonable amount of
time and training, there is not satisfactory improvement, the employee may be terminated
before the end of the introductory period. The implementation of the six (6) month
introductory period does not change the employee's at -will status.
Attendance and Punctuality
All employees are expected to arrive on time, ready to work, every day they are
scheduled to work. If unable to arrive at work on time, or if an employee will be absent
for an entire day, the employee must contact your Supervisor, Public Works Director, or
HR as soon as possible.
Excessive absenteeism or tardiness will result in discipline up to and including
termination. Failure to show up or call in for a scheduled shift without prior approval may
result in termination. If an employee fails to report to work or call in to inform the
Supervisor of the absence for three consecutive days or more, the employee will be
considered to have voluntarily resigned employment.
Work Schedules
At the time a job offer or promotional opportunity is presented, the work schedule will be
explained as part of the responsibility of the position. Your assigned work schedule is
subject to change with two (2) weeks advanced notice as approved by the City
Administrator to better meet the needs of the department and City.. As needed, you may
be required to work special events outside of your normal schedule. If you are scheduled
to work a special event, your Supervisor will notify you of your assigned duty and report
time at least two weeks in advance of the event.
Work Week and Hours of Work
Standard working hours for City office personnel are from 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday
through Friday. However, flexible scheduling is available to employees, with approval of
their Supervisor and concurrence of City Administrator. Flex time allows an employee to
adjust their start time, their end time and/or reduce their lunch break; Standard working
hours for Streets, Utilities, Waster water Plant, and Parks are form 7:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. However, flexible scheduling is available to
employees, with their Supervisor's approval. Flex time allows an employee to adjust their
start time, their end time and/or reduce their lunch break;
Water Plant will operate 24 hours per day, 7 day days per week, and shifts will be
established by Water plant supervisor, with the approval of the Director of Public
Works. Generally supervisory staff will work 7 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with shifts working 6
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a.m. to 6 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Swing operators shall work schedules as determined
by the Director of Public Works.
Job Posting
The City normally recruits candidates for vacant positions, both internally and externally.
Most job openings are posted at all work, sites, City web site, local newspaper, and
various other publications relative to the position open. to recruit qualified candidates.
Job Descriptions
A job description is a formal document describing the nature, scope, physical requirements,
and responsibilities of a specific job within the organization. Job descriptions are used for
purposes of training and development, annual performance appraisals, promotions,
recruiting, and hiring.
All jobs within the organization must be evaluated and assigned a job classification. All
new positions must be evaluated and approved before the job can be posted. When the
duties of a job change significantly, it may be necessary to reevaluate the job's
classification.
Internal Transfers/Promotions
The City will normally try to fill job openings, above entry-level positions, by promoting
from within or by transferring qualified applicants within the organization. To be eligible
for an open position, an Employee must:
® Meet the specified minimum requirements of the posted position;
® Be in a non -probationary status; and
® Meet a six-month length of service requirement in their existing job, unless the
department Manager authorizes the Employee to post for the job before this
minimum requirement is fulfilled.
An Employee must complete a Job Application form and submit it to the HR department
before the Employee will be considered for the position.
References
Human Resources must handle all employment reference calls. All communication
inquiring about another employee (past or present) should be transferred to the Human
Resources Manager.
Rehire of Former Employees
Employees who leave the City voluntarily and in good standing and who subsequently re-
apply for employment are eligible for rehire. These individuals will be provided equal
consideration with other applicants based on job-related qualifications and their past
work history with the City.
Employees terminated by the City are generally not eligible for rehire unless they receive
approval from the Supervisor and City Administrator, upon recommendation by Human
Resources Manager.
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Reinstatement after Break in Service
Generally, employees who have a break in service of six months or less will be assigned
their last hire date. Employees who have a break in service of six months or longer will
be assigned a new hire date. Reinstatement in benefit and retirement plans will be
governed by the plan documents.
Management retains the right to make exceptions to this policy based on the
circumstances of an employee's separation, reinstatement or prior length of service.
Human Resources Records/Employee Files
Employee files are maintained by an authorized individual and are considered
confidential. Managers may only have access to personnel file information on a need -to -
know basis. Managers considering the hire of a former employee or transfer of a current
employee may be granted access to the file, or limited parts of it, in accordance with
antidiscrimination laws.
Human Resources employee files may be accessed by current employees and former
employees upon request and will generally be permitted within three days of the request,
unless otherwise required under state law. Human Resources files may not be taken
outside the City Office. Representatives of government or law enforcement agencies, in
the course of their duties, may be allowed access to file information with appropriate
documentation.
To assist in keeping these records accurate, the Employee is responsible for notifying the
HR Department of any changes in mailing address, phone number, marital status, number
of dependents, emergency contact, educational accomplishments, citizenship, tax
withholding allowances, emergency contact information, dependent insurance coverage
or other relevant information. Whenever possible, changes should be made electronically.
Retirement
The City of Blair does not dictate a retirement date. Retirement should be the decision of
the employee and whether they can continue to perforin the duties and job functions of
the assigned position/job. Access to retirement funds will be governed by pension
program guidelines and IRS requirements.
Reduction in Workforce
A regular employee may be laid off from work because of lack of work or funds.
Whenever possible, an employee laid off from one department shall be assigned to a
suitable position elsewhere. Whenever possible, at least two weeks' notice or two weeks'
severance pay in lieu of the notice shall be given prior to layoff. In determining the order
of layoff, the following factors shall be taken into consideration:
a) Needs of service;
b) Nature of work to be curtailed;
c) Length of service; performance qualifications;
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d) In addition to the above factors, the advisability of demoting the employees in
higher classes to lower classes for which they are qualified and laying off those in
lower classes may also be considered;
e) No regular, full-time employee shall be laid off from any position while a
temporary employee is still employed in the same department.
Any benefits or insurance coverage provided by the City's insurance plans would be
made available to the employee as appropriate, depending upon individual policies.
Continuation of benefits would be available under the same terms as any other
termination.
Leaving the Organization
Termination of employment is an inevitable part of Human Resources: 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.
® Termination: Involuntary employment termination initiated by the City.
® Layoff: Involuntary employment termination initiated by the City for non -
disciplinary reasons.
If you wish to resign, we ask that you notify your Supervisor of your anticipated departure
date at least two weeks in advance. Of course, as much notice as possible is appreciated by
your co-workers. We prefer this notice to be in the form of a written statement.
Failure to report to work during your notice period without informing management of the
planned absence could result in a voluntary resignation.
Any outstanding financial obligations owed to the City will be deducted from your final
check provided your prior written permission. If your final check does not sufficiently
cover the money owed to the City, you will remain liable for that amount.
If you leave in good standing, you may be considered for re-employment. Except as
required by law or by separate agreement, employee salary and benefits will Health
insurance coverage expires the end of the month. Upon resigning, please continue to
provide us with an accurate address for at least one year for tax purposes.
Section Four: Work Rules
Confidentiality
All City records and information, which are not otherwise deemed to be public records
under Neb. Rev. Stat. 84-712, et seq., relating to the City or its customers are confidential
and employees must, therefore, treat all matters accordingly.
No City or City -related information, including without limitation, documents, files,
records, computer files or similar materials (except in the ordinary course of performing
duties on behalf of the City) may be removed from the City's premises without
permission from the City, or unless allowed under Neb. Rev. Stat. 84-712, et seq.
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Additionally, the contents of the City's records or information (other than public records
under Neb. Rev. Stat. 84-712, et seq.) otherwise obtained in regard to business may not
be disclosed to anyone, except where required for a business purpose.
Employees will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including
dismissal, for revealing information of a confidential nature.
Ethics and Conflict of Interest
The City expects all employees to conduct themselves and the City's business in a manner
that reflects the highest standards of ethical conduct, and in accordance with all federal,
state, and local laws and regulations. This includes avoiding real: and potential conflicts of
interests. Exactly what constitutes a conflict of interest or an unethical business practice is
both a moral and a legal question. The City recognizes and respects the individual
employee's right to engage in activities outside of employment which are private in nature
and do not in any way conflict with or reflect poorly on the City,
It is not possible to define all the circumstances and relationships that might create a
conflict of interest. The list below suggests some of the types of activity that indicate
improper behavior, unacceptable personal integrity, or unacceptable ethics:
® Soliciting or profiting from the City's client or prospect base or other City asset for
personal gain.
® Acting on behalf of the City in servicing or obtaining a client, and limiting the best
solution for the client or prospect for personal financial gain.
® Acting as director, officer, employee or otherwise for any business or institution
with which the City has a competitive or significant business relationship without
the written approval of the City Administrator.
® Engaging in practices or procedures that violate antitrust laws, commercial bribery
laws, copyright laws, discrimination laws, campaign contribution laws, or other
laws regulating the conduct of City business.
® Accepting substantial gifts or excessive entertainment from an outside organization
or the City.
® Using one's position in the City or knowledge of its affairs for personal gains.
If a situation arises where there is a potential conflict of interest, the employee should
discuss this with their Manager for advice and guidance on how to proceed.
Confidential and Proprietary Information
The protection of confidential business information and trade secrets is vital to the
interests and success of the City. Confidential information is all information disclosed to
or known by you because of employment with the organization that is not generally
known to people outside the organization about its business.
An employee who improperly uses or discloses trade secrets or confidential business
information will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination' of
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employment and legal action, even if he or she does not actually benefit from the
disclosed information.
This provision is not intended to, and should not be interpreted to, prohibit employees
from discussing wages and other terms and conditions of employment if they so choose.
Contact with the Media
All requests for interviews or information from the media regarding the City or our
clients are to be directed to City Administrator or his/her designee. City Administrator or
his/.her designee will determine the appropriate response to the request.
Media requests include anything intended to be published or viewable to others in some
form, such as television, radio, newspapers, newsletters and websites.
Employment of Relatives and Close Personal Relationships
The employment of relatives in the same area of an organization has the potential to
cause conflict or the appearance of favoritism. In addition to claims of unfair treatment at
work, personal conflicts from outside the work environment can be carried over into day-
to-day working relationships. 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. A similar relationship would include
significant others, roommates and potentially any close personal [dating] relationship.
Relatives of current employees may not occupy a position that will be working directly
for or supervising their relative. The City also reserve the right to take prompt action if an
actual or potential conflict of interest arises involving relatives or individuals involved in
a dating relationship who occupy positions at any level (higher or lower) in the same line
of authority that may affect the review of employment decisions.
If a close, personal relationship is established after employment between employees who
are in a reporting situation described above, it is the responsibility and obligation of the
Manager involved in the relationship to disclose the existence of the relationship to their
Manager and the HR Department. 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.
Outside Employment/Activities
The City does not encourage employees to have outside employment (including self-
employment) however, it is permissible provided that:
• There is not a conflict of interest with the City
• The employment does not interfere with the satisfactory performance of the
employee's duties or work schedule with the City
• The employment does not involve the use of the City resources, including any
confidential information, such as client, and/or contact and/or census information
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® The employment is of the type that would not bring discredit upon the employee
or the City
Employees who wish to accept outside employment must obtain approval from their
Manager before accepting such outside employment. The employee's Manager will
review all requests with the next level of management. This approval is required for any
outside employment, regardless of the length of the employment.
The final approval and acceptance of outside employment is at the sole discretion of the
City Administrator. All responses, approved or rejected, will be placed in the employee's
file.
The City encourages all employees to be active in their communities. However, as
community activities and, in particular, religious and/or political involvement reflect
personal values which may or may not be shared by. the Mayor and City Council, these
activities should be perfolined independently of the! City. This means the City e-mail,
letterhead, phone lines, etc., shall not be used to promote events and/or causes.
In addition, employees are expected to conduct their personal affairs in a manner that
does not adversely affect the City's or their own integrity, reputation or credibility. Illegal
or immoral off-duty conduct on the part of an employee that adversely affects the City's
legitimate business interests or the employee's ability to perform his or her job will not
be tolerated.
Political Activity
This policy is in accordance with Neb. Rev. Stat. §23-3001 which states that unless
specifically restricted by a federal law or any other state law, no employee of the state or
any political subdivision thereof shall be prohibited from participating in political
activities except during office hours or when otherwise engaged in the performance of his
or her duties.
No employee may engage in any political activity while wearing a uniform required by
the City.
Personal Appearance
Dress, grooming and personal cleanliness standards contribute to the morale of all
employees and affect the business image the City presents to customers and visitors.
When representing the City, employees are expected to present a clean, neat and tasteful
appearance. Employees should dress and groom themselves according to the
requirements of their position and accepted social standards. This is particularly true if
their job involves dealing with customers or visitors in person.
The employee's Supervisor is responsible for establishing a reasonable dress ,code
appropriate to the job they perform. If their Supervisor feels their personal appearance is
inappropriate, they may. be asked to leave the workplace until they are properly dressed
City of Blair Employee Handbook 26
January 2021
or groomed. Under such circumstance, the employee may not be compensated for the
time away from work. An employee should consult their Supervisor if they have
questions as to what constitutes appropriate appearance.
Uniforms
Any payment made to an employee for clothing/uniform allowance shall be paid as
taxable income as per IRS regulations.
City employees shall be eligible for clothing and uniform allowances as follows:
Law Enforcement (Chief and Lieutenant) clothing and uniform allowance shall be the
rate and pay frequency as the officers of the FOP Lodge #83. Any officer terminating
employment with the City will receive payment on a pro -rated basis, calculated to the last
full month of employment.
Public Works Superintendent, Street Supervisor, Equipment Operator II, Asst. Street
Foreman, Cemetery/Park Superintendent, Park & Cemetery Labor Asst., Asst. Park &
Cemetery Supervisor, Utilities Supervisor, Utility Worker II, Utility Worker I, Water
Plant Supervisor, Water Plant Operator, and Wastewater Supervisor, Wastewater Plant
Operator, shall receive the following:
• $200.00 for each employee each year for winter wear to include, but not be
limited to coveralls, coats and boots.
o Payment shall be made as part of the last pay period in November for the
twelve-month period starting December 1.
o New employees will receive a prorated payment in the last pay period of
the month after hire equal to the number of full months remaining until the
next December after such hire.
i. Eight (8) safety compliant t -shirts, to be replaced as needed.
ii. Eleven (11) initial jeans rented, 5 laundered per week.
iii. One safety compliant sweat shirt, then replaced as needed.
b) Animal Control will be provided with eleven (11) uniforms, shirts and pants,
furnished by the City through rental service or actual purchase.
c) Police Secretary I & II will all receive seven (7) city shirts (to be selected by
employees and approved by city administrator) and replaced as needed.
d) Library Director, Adult Librarian, Youth Services Librarian, and Part-time
Library staff will all receive libraiy-themed shirts as programmed by the
Library Director and replaced as needed.
e) City Administrator, Assistant City Administrator, Director of Public Works,
City Treasurer, City Clerk, and Technical Support — Accounting / Utilities
/Clerical will all receive two (2) city shirts (to be selected by employees and
approved by city administrator) and replaced as needed.
f) Failure to report to work with proper attire, which .includes the attire being
clean (with limits) and free of excessive rips and tears, could result in the
.employee being sent home without pay. This will result,in coaching and
counseling. Continued failure could result in disciplinary action if unable to
return to work for more than 24 hours.
City of Blair Employee Handbook 27
January 2021
Tobacco Use
The City strives to provide all employees with a pleasant and healthy work environment.
We are a leading consulting organization, promoting health and wellness. The City feels
strongly about the health hazards of tobacco use on individuals and its impact on
premium rates for group health insurance plans. Tobacco products include: cigarettes,
cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco, electronic cigarettes or chewing tobacco.
Use of tobacco by employees on City premises will be restricted to their personal
automobile and designated smoking areas. The City premises are defined as any building,
parking lot; vehicle or other property owned, leased or in the control of the City. As a
good corporate citizen, this definition is further expanded to include neighboring public
and private property.
Employees may use tobacco products before and/or after their scheduled work hours, or
during their regularly scheduled lunch period. If an employee is required to work
overtime or outside their scheduled work hours, the employee may take a smoke break;
however, non-exempt employees will not be paid for time taken for smoke breaks.
Visitors
In an effort to maintain safety and security we have guidelines in place regarding visitors
in our office. All visitors are to be escorted by a City employee at all times. Please do not
allow visitors to roam the premises unaccompanied. Because the majority of our
employees are on the phone we ask that noise be kept to a minimum.
Section Five: Safety
Personal Safety
The City wants to ensure that our employees remain safe and injury -free at all times. The
City intends to comply with all applicable safety laws. In order to guarantee that
accidents are avoided whenever possible, we expect our employees to refrain from
horseplay, careless behavior and negligent actions. It is the City's policy to maintain a
safe and secure working environment for all employees and clients.
While working, employees must observe safety precautions for their safety and for the
safety of others. All work areas must be kept clean, and free of clutter and debris. Any
hazards or potentially dangerous conditions must be corrected immediately or reported to
a Supervisor.
If you are involved in an accident, you must:
• Report the accident to your Supervisor's or the HR Department immediately
• Obtain any necessary medical treatment
• If you must seek additional medical treatment, obtain your Supervisor's consent
before leaving the premises
Complete an Accident Report, regardless of the severity of the injury
Employees Who fail to comply with this procedure maybe subject to disciplinary'action.
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January 2021
Workers' Compensation/Injury Reporting
The City will provide workers' compensation, a type of accident and injury insurance that
compensates an employee for lost wages, medical expenses and permanent impairment
that results from an injury arising out of or in the course of work.
Employees must report any work-related injury or disease immediately (or as soon as
practicable) to their Supervisor and the HR Department so that the necessary paperwork
can be completed in a timely manner. Please note that under state laws, employees who
fail to report work, -related injuries in a timely manner may see a reduction or denial of
their workers' compensation benefits.
If an employee is able to return to work after an injury or illness for which they were
receiving workers' compensation, the employee must provide documentation from their
medical provider that either outlines any work-related restrictions or verifies that the
employee is able to complete all job-related tasks.
In the event that an employee is able to return to work under restrictions, the City will
make every reasonable effort to accommodate the employee's work, ability and job
responsibilities. If and when the medical provider removes all work restrictions, the
employee is expected to perform their regular duties and will no longer receive workers'
compensation benefits.
All employees of the City are covered by Worker's Compensation Insurance. This
includes regular full-time, regular part-time and temporary employees. Worker's
Compensation coverage may include medical, injury to specific members, and injury
causing death or disability. An employee receiving compensation under Worker's
Compensation Laws shall receive for the duration of such compensation only that portion
of their regular salary as provided by Workers Compensation.
However, the City recognizes that current workers compensation regulations require that
an employee must be off work, for a period of three weeks or more before they are
eligible for reimbursement of the first week's wages and that it can take up to three weeks
to start receiving wage benefits. Therefore, in an effort to minimize any financial
hardship to the employee and upon written request by the employee, the City will allow
the injured employee to use leave time, sick, vacation, or compensatory time to:
I . Receive normal compensation and benefits for the first two weeks recognizing
that the employee may or may not be eligible for wage benefits due to the work-
related injury.
2. Employees that are off work for a period of more than two weeks will then be
able to utilize leave time, sick, annual, and comp, to supplement their Workers
Comp weekly benefit so as to allow the employee to have net take home pay
equivalent to the employee's normal take home pay prior to said injury, pay for
any employee share of health insurance, and to fund any Flex spending account.
Any usage of leave shall be taken in increments of one (1) hour. (For purposes of
this,section.take home pay shall be considered equivalent if the calculated
City of Blau Employee Handbook 29
January 2021
combination of Workers Compensation and leave time usage is not less than 3%
of normal take home pay.).
FMLA leave and workers' compensation leave will be taken concurrently.
Identification Badges and Building Access
Upon starting employment with the City, you will be issued keys/access cards that will
allow access to the entrance to be used by employees and any areas that management
deems necessary for you to complete your job duties.
Generally, the front office door is the only unsecured door during business hours.
However, there are times when other doors to other parts of the building are unlocked for
various reasons. All the City employees have the responsibility to ensure that all areas are
secured before leaving for the day.
Workplace Violence Prevention
The City is committed to providing a safe, violence -free workplace for our employees.
Therefore, the City will not tolerate violence or threats of violence of any form in the
workplace, at work-related functions or outside of work if it affects the workplace. This
policy applies to the City employees, clients, customers, guests, vendors and persons
doing business with the City.
It is a violation of this policy to engage in any conduct, verbal or physical, that
intimidates, endangers or creates the perception of intimidation or intent to harm persons
or property. Examples include but are not limited to the following:
® Physical assaults or threats of physical assault, whether made in person or by
other means (e.g., in writing or by phone, fax or email)
® Verbal conduct that is intimidating and has the purpose or effect of threatening
the health or safety of another individual
® Any other conduct or acts that management believes represent an imminent or
potential danger to safety or security
Anyone with questions or complaints about behaviors that fall under this policy may
discuss them with a Manager or the Human Resources Department. The City will
promptly and thoroughly investigate any reported occurrences or threats of violence.
Violations of this policy will result in disciplinary action, up to and including immediate
termination. When such actions involve non -employees, the City will take action
appropriate for the circumstances. When appropriate, the City will also take any legal
actions available and necessary to stop the conduct and protect the City, our employees
and property.
Weapons in the Workplace
Unless prohibited by state law; the City prohibits the possession of firearms or any other
lethal weapon on City property; in a vehicle being used on City` business, in any the City-
owried or lease& parking facility or at a work-related function. This applies to all
City of Blair Employee Handbook 30
January 2021
employees, visitors and customers on City property, even those who are licensed to cavy
weapons. The only exception to this is an employee who is required to possess weapons
in order to fulfill their duties.
Some examples of prohibited weapons include:
• Firearms (pistols, revolvers, shotguns, rifles and bb guns)
• Knives (switchblades, gravity knives or any knife with a blade longer than three
inches)
• Metal knuckles
• Bows and arrows
• Tasers
We prohibit weapons to ensure the safety and security of all employees and persons
visiting the City. Any employee found in violation of this policy will be subject to
disciplinary action, up to and including immediate termination.
If you have questions or concerns regarding this policy, please contact the HR
Department.
Search
In order to ensure compliance with its policies (including but not limited to policies on
Workplace Violence, Drug Free Workplace and Personal Conduct), investigate possible
workplace misconduct, or for other work-related reasons, and unless otherwise required
by applicable laws, the City reserves the right to search City work areas, City equipment,
and any packages, clothing or other items on City premises, including but not limited to
lockers, desks, employee vehicles, or personal bags.
Emergency Plan
The City recognizes that our people drive our business. As our most critical resource,
employees are safeguarded through training, provision of appropriate work surroundings,
and procedures that foster protection of health and safety. No task, no matter what its
perceived result, is more important than employee health and safety.
General Guidelines in an Emergency
Stay calm and think through your actions. Know important emergency numbers, such as:
• Fire/Police/Ambulance: 911
• Human Resources Department: 402.426.4141
Be aware of your surroundings:
• Know where exits are located.
• In the event of an emergency, use only stairs.
• Do not hesitate to call or alert others if you believe that an emergency is occurring.
Inclement Weather
There aretimes when the weather conditions may dictate changes to normal office
protocol. While these conditions are more likely to occur in the winter (extreme cold;
City of Blair Employee Handbook 31
January 2021
severe storms), .there are other circumstances, such as floods would also be considered as
"inclement" conditions., Tornados generally fall outside of this policy, as the duration is
limited.
The inclement weather policy is designed to address the safety of our Employees, and to
allow common sense to guide decision-making. By tuning into your local news, you will
have access to the same information we use to make our decisions.
We encourage Employees to be proactive and discuss their particular situation (driving
distance; daycare; driving concerns, etc.) with their Supervisor. By doing this, they can
establish personal protocols (coming in late, working from home, etc.) for decision making
on inclement weather days.
Essential personnel shall be employees within the City's Police, Public Works Department,
Parks, and designated Administrative Staff as determined by the City Administrator.
All other City departments shall not be required to report for duty on days when staffing
levels have been declared as "essential personnel" only. If the office is officially closed for
an entire day due to weather, all full-time employees will be paid for a normal workday.
Non-exempt employees will be paid for eight hours of time on their timecards. For
purposes of overtime, paid time for office closures is not considered actual hours worked.
If the office closes early and you leave earlier than the official closing time, you will be
paid only for actual hours worked, or you may take Vacation. Exempt employees will be
paid for a normal full day but are expected to complete their work at another time.
Section Six: Benefits and Leave
Eligibility for Benefits
Employees are eligible to participate in benefits on the first day of the month following
employment, provided they are full-time or regular part-time employees, some of the
benefits under the plan may have a longer waiting period and participants must meet the
plan's eligibility requirements.
The City reserves the right to add, amend, modify, change and terminate the types of
benefits provided and/or premium contributions made by the City at any time, with or
without notice. All benefits provided by the City, including those identified in this
handbook, are subject to the eligibility requirements, rules, conditions and requirements
of each benefit plan or policy. In the event of a conflict with the provisions of this
handbook and the provisions of any plan or policy, the terms of the plan or policy shall
prevail.
Please refer to the most recent Benefit Enrollment Guide for current benefit options. ????
City of Blair Employee Handbook 32
January 2021
Vacation
Regular full-time employees and regular part-time employees normally working twenty
(20) hours or more per week shall be provided with paid vacation leave to allow them
periods of rest, relaxation, and freedom from the rigors of their jobs. Eligible full-time
employees shall accrue vacation leave Bi -Weekly at the following rates:
Years of Regular Ciq Service
Per Pay Period Accrual
Annual Accrual
Years 1 through 5
3.08 hours
80 hours
Years 6 through 9
4.62 hours
120 hours
Years 10 throw h 14
5.54 hours
144 hours
Years 15 through 19
6.15 hours
160 hours
Years 20 and over
6.77 hours
176 hours
Accrual rates for regular part-time positions will be pro -rated based on total regular
schedule hour to be worked.
The following positions will receive 160 hours of vacation per year (6.15 hours per pay
period) for the first 19 years of service and then follow the schedule set forth for all
employees.
1) City Administrator
2) Assistant City Administrator
3) City Clerk
4) City Treasurer
5) Police Chief
6) Director of Public Works
7) Library Director
8) Human Resources Director
Vacation leave shall be administered according to the following rules:
a) No vacation leave shall be granted in advance of accrual.
b) Requests for vacation leave shall be submitted at least 48 hours in advance;
however, the City Administrator can waive the notice requirement if the work
schedule allows it. For police officers, leave is governed by Police Department
procedures. Requests for vacation shall never be considered approved until the
Department Head and Human Resources Director has given final approval.
c) Vacation leave may be taken following the pay period that it is earned.
d) The City Administrator shall approve vacation leave for department heads, which
in turn shall be responsible for scheduling vacation leave for subordinate
employees based on considerations of operational requirements, employee
preferences, and seniority within the regular City Service.
e) The initial minimum period of vacation leave shall be one-half (1/2) hour;
(anything over 1/2 hour may be taken in 15 -minute increments).
f) Holidays occurring during periods of vacation leave shall not be charged against
such leave.
g) No cash payments for unused vacation leave shall be authorized except upon
separation from City service by retirement, dismissal, death or. resignation.
City of Blair Employee Handbook 33
January 2021
h) An employee may accumulate a maximum vacation hours up to the current years
maximum earned plus an additional number of hours. equal to the following:
(i) years one through five 40 hours.
(ii) years six through nine 60 hours.
(iii) years ten through fourteen 80 hours
(iv) years fifteen through nineteen 120 hours
(v) years twenty and over 160 hours
Sick Time
Regular full-time employees and regular part-time employees normally working twenty
(20) hours or more per week shall be provided with paid sick leave for use if
incapacitated by illness or injury, if exposed to contagious disease when presence at work
would jeopardize the health of others, and for medical, dental, optical, or other health
care appointments which cannot reasonably be scheduled for off-duty hours.
Full time eligible employees shall accrue 3.577 hours of sick leave per pay period (Bi -
Weekly), with the accrual for regular part-time employees prorated according to time
worked.
Sick leave may not be accumulated beyond 928 hours for full-time employees working
40 hour weeks and a proportionate lesser amount for eligible part-time employees.
Use of Sicl< Leave
a. If an employee is not reporting for work due to sick leave, they are required to
contact their immediate supervisor within (3 0) minutes of start time.
b. The initial minimum period of sick leave shall be one hour; anything over one
hour may be taken in 15 -minute increments.
c. Sick leave shall not be granted in advance of accrual, but vacation and
compensatory leave and/or leave without pay may be authorized for employees
exhausting their sick leave.
d. The City may request and obtain a physician's statement after (3) consecutive sick
days taken by employees or otherwise verify the circumstances surrounding the
taking of sick leave. The abuse of sick leave shall be grounds for disciplinary
action.
e. Sick leave shall not be transferable between employees.
f. Sick leave may be used during the introductory period; however, cannot be used
until after the pay period that it is earned.
g. An employee may use sick leave to assist in the care, treatment and transportation
of immediate family members for accidents, injuries and illness. (Immediate
family = husband, wife, son, daughter, mother, father, brother, sister, parent -in-
law, in loco parentis , grandchild(ren) or other legal dependents.) The City
reservesthe right to use management discretion in the determination of granting
sick leave to employees in the situation(s) described in this paragraph. Each
situation will be handled on a case-by-case basis with final determination by the
City Administrator.
City of Blair Employee Handbook 34
January 2021
h. Holidays occurring during periods of sick leave shall not be charged against such
leave.
i. Employees are able to substitute accumulated sick leave to cover the gap in
Workers Compensation pay, not to exceed their base pay. Sick leave may be used
in one (1) hour increments or larger.
Payout of Sick Leave
a. Upon death or retirement an employee shall be paid for 55% of the unused
accumulated sick leave not to exceed the allotted accumulation.
b. Upon resignation in good standing and specifically excluding resignations
prompted by any action of the employee which may result in disciplinary action,
an employee who has current continuous employment with the City for not less
than ten (10) years shall be paid a percentage of unused accumulated sick leave
not to exceed 928 hours based on the number of years of service as follows:
10
years
5%
16
years
30%
11
years
5%
17
years
35%
12
years
10%
18
years
40%
13
years
15%
19
years
45%
14
years
20%
20
years
50%
15 years
25%
25 years
55%
c. No payment for unused accumulated sick leave shall be paid to an employee in
the event of termination for cause or resignation prompted by an action of the
employee that could result in disciplinary action.
FMLA use of Sid Leave
a. For purposes of Sick leave — FMLA leave is limited to serious health conditions
regarding the employee, employee's parent, spouse, child, or the birth or
adoption of a child. Routine illnesses and medical procedures that last three (3)
days or less are not covered by FMLA. If a routine illness extends for a longer
period, a. Request for FMLA Leave must be submitted, and shall become
effective back to the start of the illness or injury.
b. An Employee requesting FMLA leave shall substitute accrued sick leave,
accrued vacation leave, and accrued comp leave prior to any unpaid leave
allowed under FMLA.
c. Pregnancy and any subsequent maternity leave shall be treated as any other
illness and/or injury covered by FMLA.
d. 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 City supports these endeavors as long
as employees are able to meet acceptable performance standards. As in the case
of other disabilities, the City will make reasonable accommodations in
City of Blair Employee Handbook 35
January 2021
accordance with all legal requirements, to allow qualified employees with life-
threatening illnesses to perform the essential functions of their jobs
Medical information on individual employees is treated confidentially. The City
will talce 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 Human Resources
Director for information and referral to appropriate services and resources.
Holidays
The following days and any other day(s) that may be designated by the Mayor due to
circumstances shall be official holidays (City Holidays) for the City of Blair. All city
offices and departments will be closed on these days. Essential Police and essential water
treatment plant personnel shall be required to report to duty as scheduled by their
supervisor with the approval of the department head.
Holidays
New Year's Day
Labor Day
President's Day
Columbus day
Memorial Day
Thanksgiving Day
4th of July
Day after Thanksgiving
Christmas Day
Christmas Eve
Day after Christmas if Christmas falls on Thursday.
Three (3), eight (8) hour Floating Holidays per fiscal year, which must be used by
the last day of the last full pay period of the fiscal year.
All City Employees shall observe the City Holidays on the date recognized by the
State of Nebraska and/or Federal Govermnent, with exception of Police
Department and Water Treatment Plant.
Police Department — Chief, Lieutenant, Animal Control and Clerical Staff. same
as all other City Employees. All other police positions shall be subject to the
current FOP Lodge #83 contract.
Water Treatment Plant — Plant Supervisor and two floating operator positions
shall take Holidays off the same as all other City Employees. All other operators shall
be paid eight (8) hours of straight time for regular holidays in addition to any hours
worked
o All Employees working on designated City Holidays, except shift workers,
shall be paid at rate of 1 r/2 times for actual hours worked on a "City Holiday".
Water Plant shift workers — the paid Holiday shall be the actual Holiday.
City of Blair Employee Handbook 36
January 2021
Example: Christmas falls on Saturday, legal city holiday would be Friday.
Those individuals working on Saturday, Christmas Day (December 25th)
would be compensated at 1 1/2 times, not those working on Friday.
New employees shall be eligible for two floating holidays for the balance of
the current fiscal year upon completion of first full pay period worked.
Religious observances are not considered holidays. If you would like to take
time off from work for a religious observance, you must use Vacation hours,
scheduling time in advance with the approval of your Supervisor.
Bereavement Leave
In the event of a death, a regular employee is authorized three (3) eight (8) hour days or a
total of twenty-four (24) hours of paid funeral leave per fiscal year, which shall not be
chargeable to vacation leave.
Employees are required to notify their immediate Supervisor as soon possible in the event
a bereavement request is needed.
Immediate family members are defined as an employee's spouse, parents, stepparents,
siblings, children, stepchildren, grandparent, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-
law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, or grandchild.
All regular, full-time employees may take up to two (2) days off with pay to attend the
funeral of a non -immediate family member.
The initial minimum period of funeral leave shall be two hours; anything over two hours
shall be taken in one-hour increments.
Regular part-time employees pay will be prorated.
Family and Medical Leave of Absence (FMLA)
The federal Family & Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) as amended, requires employers with
50 or more employees to provide eligible employees with unpaid leave. There are two types of
leave available, including the basic 12 -week leave entitlement (Basic FMLA Leave), as well as
the military family leave entitlements (Military Family Leave) described in this policy.
Eligibility for FMLA Leave
Employees are eligible for FMLA leave if they:
® Have worked for The City for at least 12 months;
® Have worked at least 1,250 hours for The City during the 12 calendar months
immediately preceding the request for leave; and
• Are employed at a work site that has 50 or more employees within a 75 -mile
radius.
The 12 months of service need not be consecutive. Employment before a break in service
of 7 years or more will not be counted, unless the break in service was caused by the
City of Blair Employee Handbook 37
January 2021
employee's USERRA-covered service obligation, or there was a written agreement that
the employer intended to rehire the employee after the break in service.
Employees with any questions about their eligibility for FMLA leave should contact the
HR Department for more information.
Basic FMLA Leave
Employees who meet the eligibility requirements described above are eligible to take up
to 12 weeks of unpaid leave during any 12 -month period for one of the following
reasons:
1. To care for the employee's son or daughter during the first 12 months following
birth;
2. To care for a child during the first 12 months following placement with the
employee for adoption or foster care;
3. To care for a spouse, son, daughter, or parent ("covered relation") with a serious
health condition;
4. For incapacity due to the employee's pregnancy, prenatal medical or child birth;
or
5. Because of the employee's own serious health condition that renders the
employee unable to perform an essential function of his or her position.
Married couples. In cases where a married couple is employed by the same Company,
the two spouses together may take a combined total of 12 weeks' leave during any 12 -
month period for reasons 1 and 2, or to care for the same individual pursuant to reason 3.
Military Family Leave
There are two types of Military Family Leave available.
Qualifying exigency leave. Employees meeting the eligibility requirements described
above may be entitled to use up to 12 weeks of their Basic FMLA Leave for a qualifying
exigency while the employee's spouse, son, daughter, or parent (the military member or
member) is on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status (or has been
notified of an impending call or order to covered active duty).
For Regular Armed Forces members, "covered active duty or call to covered
active duty status" means duty during the deployment of the member with the
Armed Forces to a foreign country (outside of the United States, the District of
Columbia, or any territory or possession of the United States, including
international waters).
For a member of the Reserve components of the Armed Forces (members of
the National Guard and Reserves), "covered active duty or call to covered active
duty status" means duty during the deployment of the member with the Armed
Forces to a foreign country under a Federal call or order to active duty in support
of a contingency operation.
• Qualifying exigencies may include:
City of Blair Employee Handbook 38
January 2021
o Short -notice deployment (seven or less calendar days)
o Attending certain military events and related activities
o Childcare or school activities
o Addressing certain financial and legal arrangements
o Periods of rest and recuperation for the military member (up to 15
calendar days of leave, dependent on orders)
o Attending certain counseling sessions
o Attending post -deployment activities (available for up to 90 days after the
termination of the covered military member's covered active duty status,
and to address issues arising from death of military member)
o Attending to parental care needs arising from covered active ;duty or call to
duty (arrange for alternative care for a parent of a military member,
provide urgent or immediate care, admit or transfer to a care facility, or
attend non -routine caregiver meetings with care facility staff)
o Other activities arising out of the military member's covered active duty
or call to active duty and agreed upon by the City and the employee.
Leave to care for a covered service member. There is also a special leave entitlement
that permits employees who meet the eligibility requirements for FMLA leave to take up
to 26 weeks of leave during a single 12 -month period if the employee is the spouse, son,
daughter, parent, or next of kin caring for a covered military service member or veteran
recovering from a serious injury or illness, as defined by FMLA's regulations.
• For a current member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the
National Guard or Reserves, the member must be undergoing medical treatment,
recuperation, or therapy, is otherwise in outpatient status; or is otherwise on the
temporary disability retired list, for a serious injury or illness.
For a covered veteran, he or she must be undergoing medical treatment,
recuperation or therapy for a serious injury or illness. Covered veteran means an
individual who was a member of the Armed Forces (including a member of the
National Guard or Reserves), and was discharged or released under conditions
other than dishonorable at any time during the five-year period prior to the first
date the eligible employee takes FMLA leave to care for the covered veteran.
• An eligible employee must begin leave to care for a covered veteran within five
years of the veteran's active duty service, but the single 12 -month period may
extend beyond the five-year period.
Use of 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 employer's operations. Military Family
Leave due to qualifying exigencies may also be taken on an intermittent basis. Leave may
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not be taken on an intermittent basis when used to care for the employee's own child
during the first year following birth, or to care for a child placed with the employee for
foster care or adoption, unless both the employer and employee agree to such intermittent
leave.
Pay, Benefits, and Protections during FMLA Leave
® Leave is unpaid. Family medical leave is unpaid leave (although employees may
be eligible for use of sick leave, long-term disability payments, and/or workers'
compensation benefits under those plans) if leave is taken because of an
employee's own serious health condition.
® Substitution of paid time off for unpaid FMLA leave. Family medical leave
and leave time will run concurrently. An employee must use any accrued sick,
Vacation, and compensatory time for all or parts of any family and medical leave until
leave time is exhausted.
Vacation will not accrue while an employee is on FMLA leave nor will the
employee be paid holiday pay. The substitution of Vacation for unpaid leave time
does not extend the 12 -week leave period. Furthermore, in no case can the
substitution of Vacation for unpaid leave time result in the receipt of more than
100 percent of an employee's salary.
Medical and other benefits. During an approved family medical leave, the City
will maintain the employee's health benefits as if the employee continued to be
actively employed. If paid leave is substituted during family medical leave, the
City will deduct the employee's portion of the health plan premium as a regular
payroll deduction. If leave is unpaid, the employee must pay their portion of the
premium through personal check.
An employee's healthcare coverage will cease if the employee's premium
payment is more than 30 days late. If the payment is more than 15 days late, the
City will send the employee a letter to this effect. If the City does not receive the
co -payment within 15 days after the date of that letter, the employee's coverage
may cease. If the employee elects not to return to work for at least 30 calendar
days at the end of the leave period, the employee will be required to reimburse the
City for the cost of the premiums paid by the City for maintaining coverage
during the unpaid leave, unless the employee cannot return to work because of a
serious health condition or other circumstances beyond the employee's control.
During FMLA leave, the employer must maintain the employee's health coverage
under any "group health plan" on the same terms as if the employee had
continued to work. Use of FMLA leave will not result in the loss of any
employment benefit that accrued prior to the start of the employee's leave.
Return to job at end.of FMLA leave. Upon return from FMLA leave, eligible
employees must be restored to their original or equivalent positions with equivalent pay,
benefits, and other employment terms.
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Employee Responsibilities When Requesting FMLA Leave
If the need to use FMLA leave is foreseeable, the employee must give the City at
least 30 days' prior notice of the need to take leave. When 30 days' notice is not
possible, the employee must give notice as soon as practicable (within 1 or 2
business days of learning of the need for leave except in extraordinary
circumstances). Failure to provide such notice may be grounds for delaying the
start of the FMLA leave.
Whenever possible, requests for FMLA leave should be submitted to the HR
Department using the Request for Family/Medical Leave form available front the HR
Department.
If the need for leave is not foreseeable, employees are required to provide as
much notice as soon as practicable under the facts of the particular case. An
employee requiring unforeseeable leave must, absent extraordinary
circumstances, call his or her direct supervisor and provide sufficient information
jregarding the employee's need for leave to support a request for FMLA leave. It
generally should be practicable for the employee to provide notice of leave within
one business day.
When submitting a request for leave, the employee must provide sufficient
information for the City to determine if the leave might qualify as FMLA leave,
and also provide information on the anticipated date when the leave would start as
well as the duration of the leave. Calling in "sick" is not sufficient. Sufficient
information may include that the employee is unable to perform job functions;
that a family member is unable to perform daily activities; that the employee or
family member needs hospitalization or continuing treatment by a healthcare
provider; or the circumstances supporting the need for military family leave.
Employees also must inform the City if the requested leave is for a reason for
which FMLA leave was previously taken or certified. Employees also will be
required to provide a certification and periodic recertification supporting the need
for leave.
Employer Responsibilities
When an employee requests leave, the City will inform the employee whether they are
eligible under the FMLA. If the employee is eligible for FMLA leave, the employee will
be provided a written notice that includes details on any additional information they will
be required to provide. If the employee is not eligible under the FMLA, the City will
provide the employee with a written notice indicating the reason for ineligibility.
If leave will be designated as FMLA-protected, the City will inform the employee in
writing and provide information on the amount of leave that will be counted against the
employee's 1'2- or 26 -week entitlement.
Medical Certification
If the employee .is ,requesting leave because of the employee's own or a covered relation's
serious health condition, the employee and the relevant healthcare provider must supply
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appropriate medical certification. Employees may obtain Medical Certification forms
from the HR Department. When the employee requests leave, the City will notify the
employee of the requirement for medical certification and when it is due (no more than
15 days after leave is requested). If the employee provides at least 30 days' notice of
medical leave, they should also provide the medical certification before leave begins.
Failure to provide requested medical certification in a timely manner may result in denial
of leave until it is provided. The City, at its expense, may require an examination by a
second healthcare provider designated by the City, if it reasonably doubts the medical
certification initially provided. If the second healthcare provider's opinion conflicts with
the original medical certification, the City, at its expense, may require a third, mutually ,
agreeable, healthcare provider to conduct an examination and provide a final and binding
opinion.
The City may require subsequent medical recertification. Failure to provide requested
certification within 15 days, except in extraordinary circumstances, may result in the
delay of further leave until it is provided. Employees may also be required to provide a
fitness -for -duty certification upon return to work, or during intermittent leave, as
required.
Reporting While on Leave
If an employee takes leave because of the employee's own serious health condition or to
care for a covered relation, the employee must contact the City Bi -weekly regarding the
status of the condition and his or her intention to return to work. In addition, the
employee must give notice as soon as practicable (within 2 business days, if feasible) if
the dates of the leave change, are extended, or were unknown initially.
Exemption for Highly Compensated Employees
Highly compensated employees may not be returned to their former or equivalent
position following a leave if restoration of employment will cause substantial economic
injury to the City. The City will notify employees if they qualify as "highly
compensated" employees if the City intends to deny reinstatement, and of employees'
rights in such instances.
Intermittent and Reduced -Schedule Leave
Leave because of a serious health condition, or either type of family military leave may
be taken intermittently (in separate blocks of time due to a single health condition) or on
a reduced -schedule leave (reducing the usual number of hours worked per workweek or
workday) if medically necessary. If leave is unpaid, the City will reduce the employee's
salary based on the amount of time actually worked. In addition, while an employee is on
an intermittent or reduced -schedule leave, the City may temporarily transfer the
employee to an available alternative position that better accommodates the recurring
leave and that has equivalent pay and benefits.,
Non-FNILA or Personal Leave of Absence
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Employees may be granted a leave of absence to attend to personal matters in cases
which the City determines that an extended period of time away from the job will be in
the best interests of the Employee and the organization.
If an Employee finds it necessary to request a personal leave without pay, other than for a
medical, parental or family care leave of absence, it must be for justifiable reasons.
Personal leave is granted at the discretion of the City and is based on factors such as the
Employee's performance, length of service, the reason for the leave and the length of the
leave.
To be eligible for a personal leave, the Employee must have been with the City for one
year. Employees must use all Vacation hours during a personal leave.
Once an Employee exhausts their Vacation balance, they will become ineligible for all
benefit plans for which employment is a requirement. Under COBRA, they may be
eligible to extend coverage under certain benefit plans.
A Personal Leave of Absence is not an absence under FMLA and does not apply toward
the 12 weeks of FMLA entitlement. When granted, the leave is for a specified period of
time. Failure to return to work on the specified date will mean automatic voluntary
termination effective the last day worked.
Military Leave of Absence
The City provides military leave to eligible employees in compliance with federal and
state laws, including the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment
Rights Act (USERRA).
Employees should notify their Manager as soon as they become aware of a military
service obligation. Questions regarding the City's military leave policy should be directed
to the HR Department.
Leave for Annual Training
Employees who are members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast
Guard Reserves or the National Guard may be granted leaves of absence for the purpose
of participating in Reserve or National Guard training programs.
Employees will be granted the minimum amount of leave needed to meet the minimum
training requirements of their units. No employee will be required to use vacation time
for military duty, but employees who do elect to schedule their vacations to coincide with
military duty will receive their full regular vacation pay in addition to any pay from the
military.
In recognition of the public service performed by Reservists and members of the National
Guard; employees will receive the difference between their: regular pay and their service
pay, excluding any military subsistence allowance or other expense allowances during the
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training period. If state law requires a different arrangement, the City will comply with
state law.
All employees who enter military service may accumulate a total absence of 5 years and
still retain employment rights.
Jury Duty and Other Civil Leave
The City encourages employees to perform their civic responsibilities when required.
Employees will need to provide their Manager as much notice as possible so that suitable
staffing arrangements can be made. Benefit eligible employees will be paid at their
regular rate of pay if serving on a jury occurs during the employee's normal working
hours. Employees will retain any compensations paid to them as part of their jury service.
When an employee is not required to report for jury duty, the employee is expected to
report to work. After concluding your duty, you must submit a signed statement of
service from the clerk of the court or another document showing actual time of
attendance.
Voting
If you are unable to vote on an officially designated election day because of your work
schedule, you will be allowed reasonable time off to do so. Prior notification and
approval of your Manager is required. However, you will be expected to vote before or
after normal working hours if your schedule permits. The City follows appropriate state
statutes in the application of voting privileges.
Witness Duty
Employees may be excused to testify in a court or other proceeding when required to do
so by a valid subpoena that has been properly served upon them. Employees must notify
their Manager as soon as possible after they have been served with a subpoena. If the
legal proceeding involves the City, the employee and the Manager must contact the
[Leadership] so that appropriate arrangements can be made by the City's legal counsel to
minimize disruption of work, and inconvenience to the employee. Employees will not be
paid for witness duty unless they are representing the City.
CDL License Reimbursement
The City of Blair will reimburse the cost of obtaining or renewing as CDL license for all
employees that are required to hold a CDL license. The City Administrator may approve
the reimbursement cost of obtaining or renewing a CDL license for any employee where
it is determined to be a benefit to the City.
Certification Assistance
The City encourages all Employees to take classes, seminars, and courses that lead to job-
related professional designations and certifications. The City will typically pay
registration fees, test materials, and examination fees for full-time employee's.
.Employees should check with Supervisor for assistance in: scheduling any training.
Tuition Assistance
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Employees are also encouraged to take college courses that will allow them to work
towards obtaining a degree that will assist them in their job related functions and careers.
Eligibility and Use
® All tuition requests must be pre -approved by City Administrator prior to taking
the class.
® Employee must have at least or a minimum of one (1) year of full-time
employment with the City of Blair.
® Enrolled in a College or University located within Nebraska, unless specifically
approved by the City Administrator due to lack of available degree program.
® All college courses must relate to an Employee's specific job and will be,
considered on an individual basis.
® The City shall reimburse eligible employees for actual tuition costs paid by the
employee out of pocket; not to exceed $200 per credit hour for up to six (6) credit
hours per semester. (Tuition only)
Reimbursements
Employee must submit a letter requesting reimbursement along with the appropriate
documentation of the expenses (invoices, verification of C or above, or P for pass,
receipts, etc.) and the prior approval from the City Administrator to the HR Department.
Section Seven: Compensation
Performance Evaluations/Salary Reviews
The City wants to help employees to succeed in their jobs and to grow professionally. In
an effort to support this growth the City has a Performance Evaluation process for
providing formal performance feedback on a regular basis. The City is committed to the
concept of continuous improvement of performance and development of effective job skills
and professional conduct. Through the growth of each individual employee's performance,
the City can more fully meet our overall mission and vision.
The Performance Evaluation process also serves as a basis for determining different work
assignments, new job responsibilities and salary increases. The Performance Evaluation
process provides a structured time and setting for guidance and communication of job
performance and job expectations.
Meals and Rest Breaks
All full time or regular part time employees working more than six hours per shift are
entitled to an unpaid meal break each day as set by department head. Employees will
need to clock out at start of the break and clock back at the end of the break. If a non -
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January 2021
exempt employee is required to work through a meal break, they will be paid for the meal
break. Meal breaks will be scheduled by the department Supervisor. All full time
employees shall be entitled, but not guaranteed, one fifteen minute break in the morning
and afternoon as scheduled by Supervisor. All regular part time employees working less
than six hour shifts shall be entitled, but not guaranteed, to one fifteen minute break per
shift.
Time Records
The city requires that each employee except exempt employees to maintain a time card of
their hours of work utilizing the City's time and attendance -program. This will keep a record
of work attendance. For nonexempt employees, time and attendance program will also be
used to ensure the accuracy of paychecks. All nonexempt employees are required to
accurately record their hours worked each day.
Each employee must only use their own time and attendance log in to accurately record their
time worked. Employees who log on for anyone other than their own will be subject to
disciplinary action.
Employees may not punch in more than seven (7) minutes before the beginning of their
shifts and may not punch out more than seven (7) minutes after their shifts end, unless
overtime hours were previously approved by their managers.
Employees must review the timecards on time and attendance to guarantee accuracy of the
hours recorded prior to the end of the pay period and prior to review and approval by
Supervisor.
Overtime/Compensatory Time Earned
When required due to the needs of the City, you may be asked to work overtime.
Overtime is actual hours worked in excess of 40 in a workweek. Non-exempt employees
will be paid time and one half their regular rate of pay or receive compensatory leave
hours equal to paid time and one half credited to their comp leave account for all hours
actually worked in a workweek. Paid leave, such as sick, bereavement time,
compensatory, jury duty, and military leave does not apply toward work time. All
overtime work must be approved in advance by a supervisor.
Requests for use of compensatory time leave shall be the same as for vacation leave.
Upon separation from employment with the City of Blair, all accumulated comp time
hours shall be paid at the employee's final rate of pay.
All supervisors shall flex employee's regular schedules to reduce or eliminate the need
for overtime, comp, and./or extra hours each pay period unless otherwise directed by City
Administrator.
No employee shall be able to accumulate more 100 hours of comp time leave at any one
time.
Overtime earned for the following events shall not be subject to flexing but shall be
subject to all other overtime rules. Fail/Spring Cleanup, Gateway to the West.
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Deductions from Pay
Federal, state and local laws require that certain deductions be made from all employees'
paychecks. These deductions may include items such as Social Security and tax
withholdings.
Certain benefit programs may require contributions from an employee in order to
participate. Eligible employees must authorize these voluntary deductions by signing the
applicable deduction authorization form. In the case of online enrollment, the online
submission becomes the applicable deduction form.
Questions regarding payroll calculations should be made to an employee's Manager. If an
employee's Manager is unable to provide an answer, they will refer the question.
Pay Day/Direct Deposit
The City requires all employees to be enrolled in direct deposit. Employees may
designate up to three accounts in one bank or at different banks. Paydays are bi-weekly
(26 pay periods per year) usually on Thursday. If the normal payday falls on a City
recognized holiday, paychecks may be delayed one workday.
For pay purposes, the City work week shall begin at 12:01 o'clock A.M. on Sunday and
end at 12:00 o'clock Midnight on Saturday except for the Waste Water Plant which shall
be 12:01 o'clock a.m. on Saturday and end at 12:00 o'clock Midnight on Friday.
Payroll Advances/Loans
The City does not offer salary advances regardless of an employee's emergency need for
financial assistance.
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Section Eight: Technology
Acceptable Use of Technology
This policy addresses the acceptable use of City computer equipment and systems.
The policy applies to all City Employees and contractors, collectively "workers," and
covers all City computer equipment and systems including but not limited to: software
applications, network access and applications, Internet access and applications, e-mail,
voice mail, smartphones and other wireless devices, peripheral equipment and any other
devices accessed on or through City computers or network.
All information traveling over City computer networks that has not been specifically
identified as the ,property of other parties will be treated as though it is ;a City corporate
asset. It is the policy of the City to prohibit unauthorized access, disclosure, duplication,
modification, diversion, destruction, loss, misuse or theft of this information.
In addition, it is the policy of the City to protect information belonging to third parties that
has been entrusted to the City in confidence as well as in accordance with applicable
contracts, industry standards, regulations and legislation.
As a productivity enhancement tool, the City encourages the business use of electronic,
computer-based technology. All data which resides on City systems, including backup
copies are considered to be the property of the City, not the property of the users.
City assets are intended for use in conducting the business of the City. Incidental personal
use is permitted as long as:
• It does not consume more than a trivial amount of a resource.
• It does not interfere with staff productivity.
• It does not preempt any business activity.
• It is not used for or in conjunction with any activities that are, in the sole discretion
of the City, considered to be offensive, immoral or discriminatory.
• It is not used for or in conjunction with any illegal activities.
An Employee should take extreme caution when transferring or downloading files
(including software) from any external source. All files or software should be passed
through virus protection programs prior to use. Failure to detect viruses could result in
corruption or damage to files and/or unauthorized entry into City's network. It is mandatory
that you comply with copyright and trademark laws when transferring files.
If an Employee finds that any damage occurred as a result of downloading software or files,
the incident should be reported immediately to the IT department.
At any time and without prior notice, City's management reserves the right to examine
personal file directories, e-mail, voice mail and other information stored on City smart
devices, computers, network; etc. This examination helps to ensure compliance with
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internal policies and supports the performance of internal investigations, and assists with
the management of City's information systems. Use of City technological resources
constitutes acceptance of such monitoring at the direction of the City Administrator.
This policy should be read and interpreted in conjunction with all other City policies,
including but not limited to policies prohibiting harassment, discrimination, offensive
conduct or inappropriate behavior. Employees are prohibited from using technological
resources for any unethical purpose, including but not limited to pornography, violence,
gambling, racism, harassment or any illegal activity.
Employees are forbidden from using technological resources to store, post or communicate
any untrue or threatening remarks which violate policy about clients, fellow Employees or
others. Employees are also prohibited from using City's technological resources for any
other business or profit-making activities. Disclosure of any confidential information to
any party, not entitled or specifically allowed by law to that information is prohibited.
Violations of these guidelines may result in disciplinary action up to and including
termination.
All files, postings, voice mails, e-mails and attachments can be disclosed to law
enforcement or other third parties without prior consent. If necessary, the City will advise
appropriate legal officials of any illegal violations.
Workers are expected to be knowledgeable of these and all policies of City. Any questions
should be directed to City Administrator. Violations of this or any other policy subjects an
Employee to immediate revocation of system privileges and may result in disciplinary
action, up to and including termination.
All equipment and software is the property of the City, including data created and/or stored
using the equipment and/or software. Use of any technological tool constitutes acceptance
of the monitoring of appropriate use at the direction of City Administrator.
Acceptable Use of Computers
The City invests significant capital in equipment, which is used by their workers in
fulfilling their jobs.
• Workers are expected to take reasonable efforts to keep the equipment they are
entrusted with safe from harm.
• No software can be installed on City equipment without the consent of the IT
Department.
• All computers used to access the City network must have up-to-date antivirus
software installed and actively deployed.
• Workers must take all reasonable measures to ensure that no viruses are introduced
to City resources.
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Workers should be aware of all the security, privacy, media and other policies which may
be incorporated by reference or by practice into this policy. Specifically:
• Know and apply the appropriate City policies and practices that pertain to network
and information security.
• Not permit any unauthorized individual to obtain access to City systems, including
internet connections.
• Not use or permit the use of any unauthorized device in connection with City
personal computers.
• Not use City resources (hardware, software or data) for other than authorized
company purposes.
• Maintain exclusive control over and use his or her password(s) and protect them
from inadvertent disclosure to others.
• Ensure that data under his or her control and/or direction is properly safeguarded
according to its level of sensitivity.
• Report to the IT and City Administrator any incident that appears to compromise
the security of City information resources. For example, missing data, virus
infestations, unexplained transactions, etc.
• Access only the data and automated functions for which he/she is authorized in the
normal course of business activity.
• Obtain authorization from your Supervisor for copying, uploading or downloading
of information to or from City multi-user systems if this activity is outside the scope
of normal business activities.
• Make backups of all sensitive, critical and valuable data files as often as is deemed
reasonable by IT.
Violation of these policies may be subject to disciplinary procedures up to and including
termination.
Acceptable Use of Software
Employees are prohibited from installing software on City systems without prior written
approval of the IT and City Administrator. The installation (including downloading) of
games and other entertainment software is prohibited. The transfer of any executable files
or programs which change the configuration of your system by anyone other than IT
department personnel is prohibited.
The City strongly supports strict adherence to software vendors' license agreements. When
at work, or when City computing or networking resources are employed, copying of
software in a manner that is not consistent with the vendor's license is strictly forbidden.
Violation of these policies may be subject to disciplinary procedures up to and including
termination.
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Acceptable Use of Electronic Messaging
Electronic messaging encompasses all forms of communication in an electronic format,
including but not limited to e-mail, voice mail, texting and blogging. All City workers must
have unique usernames and passwords to access the e-mail and voice mail systems, in order
to provide the ability to separate the activities of different users. Other electronic messaging
systems, such as fax machines, do not support user separation.
Users are accountable for all transmissions under their username.
Recognizing that some information is intended for specific individuals and may not be
appropriate for general distribution, electronic communications users should exercise
caution when forwarding messages. Sensitive City information may not be forwarded to
any party outside of the City without prior approval. Blanket forwarding of messages to
parties inside or outside the City is prohibited.
Messages no longer needed for business purposes must be periodically purged by users
from their personal electronic message storage areas. The messaging system is not intended
as a message and data store. Creation of personal e-mail archives is prohibited. All files
attachments and/or messages should be dealt with on a timely basis, and then filed in
accordance with document management and retention guidelines. Electronic messages are
automatically purged based on standards published by the IT department.
By default, City electronic communications systems are not encrypted, although we do use
certain algorithms to detect and encrypt e-mail communications which include Personal
Information (PI) and/or Personal Health Information (PHI). For all other confidential or
sensitive electronic communications, the user is responsible for using encryption or similar
technologies to protect the data.
The City cannot guarantee that electronic communications will be private. Users should be
aware that electronic communications could, depending on the technology, be forwarded,
intercepted, printed and/or stored by others.
Consistent with generally accepted business practice, the City collects statistical data about
electronic communications. As an example, call -detail -reporting information collected by
telephone switching systems indicate the numbers dialed, the duration of calls, the time of
day when calls are placed, etc. Using such information, IT staff monitors the use of
electronic communications to ensure the ongoing availability and reliability of these
systems.
All electronic communications sent and received using City devices and/or applications are
the property of the City and not the user. While it is the policy of the City not to regularly
monitor the content of electronic communication, we do reserve that right. Users should
structure their electronic communications in recognition of the fact that the City will, from
time to time, examine the content of electronic communications. (IT staff may not review
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the content of an individual employee's communications out of personal curiosity, or at the
behest of individuals who have not gone through approval channels.)
All e-mail messages (sent and received) are automatically copied onto City's e-mail
archiving system, and stored until purged according to the e-mail archive retention policy.
Employees should exercise the same restraint and caution in drafting and transmitting
messages over the electronic and voice mail systems as they would when writing a
memorandum or letter, and should assume that their message will be saved and reviewed
by someone other than the intended recipients.
Violation of these policies may be subject to disciplinary procedures up to and including
termination.
Acceptable Use of Internet
The resources, services and interconnectivity available via the Internet all introduce
opportunities and risks. In response to these risks, the Internet Security policy applies to all
Employees who use the Internet with City computing or network resources, as well as those
who represent themselves as being connected in one way or another with the City.
Wiretapping and message interception is straightforward and frequently encountered on
the Internet. Accordingly, City secrets, proprietary or private information must not be sent
over the Internet unless it has first been encrypted by approved methods.
The City strongly supports strict adherence to software vendors' license agreements. When
at work, or when the City computing or networking resources are employed, copying of
software in a manner that is not consistent with the vendor's license is strictly forbidden.
Participation in social media is subject to the City's Social Media Policy.
All users wishing to establish a connection with City computers via the Internet must
authenticate themselves at a firewall before gaining access to Company's internal network.
Unless the IT Department has all approved the practice in advance, users are prohibited
from using new or existing Internet connections to establish new business channels. These
channels include electronic data interchange (EDI) arrangements, electronic mail with
online shopping, online database series, etc.
Users must know and apply the appropriate City policies and practices pertaining to
Internet security.
If sensitive City information is lost, disclosed to unauthorized parties or suspected of being
lost or disclosed to unauthorized parties, the IT and. City Administrator must be notified
immediately:
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Workers may not install other online services to access the Internet on City -owned
computers, such as America Online, CompuServe, EarthLink, or any other program or
software on your PC. Any questions should be directed to the IT Department.
Violation of these policies may be subject to disciplinary procedures up to and including
termination.
Acceptable Use of Passwords
Passwords are a critical part of information and network security. Passwords serve to
protect user accounts. City Employees and Independent Contractors are required to take
appropriate steps to ensure they are creating strong, secure passwords and to keep them
safeguarded at all times.
Passwords will be governed by systems -controlled policies, which will govern the length,
content and change frequency of the password.
Passwords are considered confidential information. No worker is to give, tell or hint at their
password to another person, including Information Technology (IT) staff, administrators,
superiors, other co-workers, and friends and family members, under any circumstances.
If someone demands your password, refer them to this policy or have them contact the IT
or the City Administrator.
Passwords are not to be transmitted electronically over the unprotected Internet, such as e-
mail; however, passwords may be used to gain remote access to the City's IP -secured
Virtual Private Network or SSL -protected website.
No Employee is to keep an unsecured written record of his or her passwords, either on
paper or in an electronic file. If it proves necessary to keep a record of a password, then it
must be kept in a controlled access safe (if in hard copy), or in an encrypted file (if in
electronic form).
Do not use the "Remember Password" features of applications and/or websites. (It is
acceptable to use the single sign on features of Okta, which enables the saving of user IDs
and passwords for commonly used websites in a secure manner and requires users
authentication to access the stored information.)
Passwords used to gain access to the City systems should not be used as passwords to gain
access to non -company accounts or information.
If possible; don't use the same passwords to access. multiple company systems. If an
Employee either knows or suspects that his or her password has been compromised, it must
be reported -to the IT and the password must be changed immediately.
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Violation of these policies may be subject to disciplinary procedures up to and including
termination.
Acceptable Use of Cell Phones
Cell phones and other wireless communication devices should always be used in a safe,
legal and responsible manner. This policy applies to personal equipment used during
business hours or any time for City business and to City equipment at all times.
The City discourages the use of cell phones or other electronic communication devices
while driving. All laws governing the use of cell phones or other electronic communication
devices while driving must be followed.
Employees who are charged with traffic violations resulting from the use of their wireless
devices while driving will be solely responsible for all liabilities that result from such
actions and may be subject to corrective action up to and including termination of
employment.
Violation of these policies is subject to corrective action up to and including termination.
Acceptable Use of Social Media
Social media is a common and expanding form of communication for businesses and
individuals. The following are guidelines for City employees who participate in social
media. Social media includes personal blogs and other websites, such as Facebook,
LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, YouTube and more. Because new online tools and
technology seemingly develop daily, this list is not exhaustive; therefore, this policy is
intended to be applicable to a broad range of Internet activity.
The City may use social media as a tool to share information, increase brand awareness,
promote the organization and its products, and interact with consumers and community
members.
Social Media Policy Guidelines
This policy will assist employees in understanding how the City policies apply to Internet
and social media technologies and their responsibilities when communicating via these
methods. The policy will also define requirements for participation in these media,
including those hosted by the City, clarifying what is appropriate for employees to say,
print or portray on social media sites relating to their workplace, co-workers, clients or
work practices.
Be professional, use good judgment and be accurate and honest in your communications.
You: should refraiw from posting items which' may be policy violations, including
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January 2021
comments or posts about drug and/or alcohol use, profanity, off-color or sexual humor, and
other inappropriate conduct.
• Don't use ethnic slurs, personal insults, obscenity, or engage in any conduct that
would not otherwise be acceptable in the workplace. Ensure that your social media
conduct is consistent with all policies contained in the City Employee Handbook.
• Show proper respect for people's privacy and for topics which may result in
violation of policies, like politics and religion.
• Comply with the law, including those governing defamation, discrimination,
harassment, copyright, fair use and financial disclosure.
• Do not publish, post or release information that is proprietary or confidential,
including non-public financial or operational information, legal information,
strategic or marketing information, employee information, or personal or business
information about the City's customers.
• Consider everything that you post to the Internet to be public information. Because
privacy settings on social media sites frequently change, many eyes may fall upon
your posts, including those of co-workers, your supervisor, customers, community
members, the press and competitors. You should assume that anything you post
could be available to anyone for an indefinite period of time. Even posts that are
deleted can remain online in various formats.
• You are responsible for what others post on your individual social media accounts.
Do not allow any information to reside on your social media accounts that fails to
comply with this policy.
• City logos or trademarks should not be used on personal social media accounts.
• Ensure that your social media activity does not interfere with your job performance
and work commitments.
• Upon termination of employment with the City, be sure to update your social media
to properly reflect your relationship.
Where no policy or guideline exists, employees should consult with City Administrator
before proceeding further.
Nothing in this policy, whether by language or application, is intended to infringe upon
any individual's right to engage in protected, concerted activity as defined by the National
Labor Relations Act or any other employee legal rights.
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January 2021
Acknowledtement and Agreement
I have either received a copy or have electronical accessed the City.of Blair Handbook
dated December 2021. I represent that I have either read the Handbook and/or had the
opportunity to read it and ask questions about its content. I understand that I am obligated
to comply with all of its rules, policies, terms and conditions, realizing that failure to do
so may result in disciplinary action and/or termination. I also understand that this
handbook supersedes all previous written and unwritten policies, including any previous
handbooks.
I understand and agree that my employment is "at will' so that both City of Blair
and I remain free to choose to terminate our work relationship for any reason or for
no reason at any time
I understand nothing in this handbook in any way creates an expressed or implied
contract of employment between the City of Blair and me, but rather is intended to foster
a better working atmosphere while the Employee and Employer relationship exists.
Employee's Signature
Employee's Name (Printed)
Date
Date
City of Blair (Representative's Signature) Date
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January 2021
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