Effective January 1, 1986, the following policy will go into effect concerning all employees who operate municipally owned vehicles and equipment:
A. No employee is to consume or use alcoholic beverages, drugs or chemicals during working hours.
B. If an employee has been drinking after working hours and is called in to work overtime (this includes instances where drivers are called in to clear roads during storms), the employee must notify the supervisor at the time the employee is called. An employee will be deemed unable to work in such circumstances and will forfeit any and all overtime pay/benefits for that pay period.
C. Any Town highway employee, Town employee or person who acts on a volunteer basis, who operates a municipally owned motor vehicle or equipment, who has been convicted of an alcohol- or drug-related driving offense, i.e., driving while ability impaired (DWAI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI), during working hours may be suspended without pay for the amount of time during which his or her license or driving privilege in New York State is suspended or revoked or for a longer period of time. In any event, the employee will not be allowed to operate the municipally owned vehicles at any time during the period.
D. Any employee who reports for work who has been drinking or who is intoxicated may be sent home without pay and/or discharged from employment.
E. Any employee whose job involves operating municipally owned vehicles and/or equipment, who has had his or her driving privilege and/or license revoked for a DWI or DWAI conviction may be suspended from Town employment for the time of the revocation/suspension or may be permanently terminated from employment.
F. All employees will be notified of any future changes enacted by the New York State Legislature which affects them concerning operation of municipal motor vehicles and equipment.