Chapter 105 Personnel

Generally, allowed reimbursable expenses are those that employees must incur as a result of completing their normally assigned duties and responsibilities for the City, including conferences, meetings and seminars, and shall be conducted in the most reasonable, cost-efficient manner possible.

Such expenses may include postage, copying, auto mileage, conference registration fees, airplane tickets, parking charges, tolls, taxi charges, rental cars, licenses, and other similar expenses authorized by department heads.

Union and employee contracts must be reviewed to ensure the language of those agreements is being followed. These contracts may establish the types or limits of employee reimbursements.

Reimbursements should be made only for charges reasonably needed for the conduct of City business and not for the purpose of personal convenience.

Employee reimbursements should only be utilized as a last resort for purchases, not to circumvent the purchase order and warrant processes.

(6)

Reimbursement vouchers must be submitted no later than 45 days after purchases or completion of event/course.

(7)

Nothing within this section shall contradict or limit the authority of the City Auditor pursuant to the provisions of MGL c. 41, § 52.

Procedures to request reimbursement.

An original itemized receipt, invoice, or bill is required.

Reason for purchase must accompany the receipt, invoice, or bill.

The invoice or receipt must state a minimum of the following:

The provider of the service or goods.

Dates of service and/or invoice date.

Itemized list of what was purchased.

Itemized amount of what is owed.

(e)

Type of payment used.

If there is a lost or missing invoice/receipt/bill, the individual requesting the reimbursement should provide a dated letter or memo (signed under the pains and penalties of perjury) explaining the situation and providing the requested reimbursement amount. (This document would be what we use as the "invoice" for processing purposes.)

Reimbursements without a valid receipt or invoice will be paid only if deemed reasonable by the City Auditor, as per MGL c. 41, § 52.

All reimbursement requests, as with all City vouchers for payments, must be accompanied by an approved purchase order.

(6)

When a cash, check or credit/debit card payment is being reimbursed, the following must occur:

Completion and submission of the employee reimbursement form.

Must be signed by the individual under the pains and penalties of perjury.

All efforts should be made to obtain a receipt of said payment.

(7)

Reimbursement requests shall be presented with employee reimbursement forms.

(8)

Notwithstanding the above, the Auditor, within its discretion, may require an employee to produce additional documentation when processing an employee reimbursement.

Travel reimbursements.

All reimbursements sought for travel expenses will need to be accompanied with the following documentation:

Reason for travel.

Proof of registration/email confirmation/agenda.

Detailed invoice or receipt.

Proof of payment (as denoted in Subsection D).

(e)

Employee reimbursement form (if reimbursement is being sought).

For local travel of less than 30 miles, City fleet vehicles shall be used if available in an effort to reduce travel expenses. Employees shall contact Human Resources to check availability of fleet vehicles and range of vehicles when planning local travel.

The following are travel reimbursement elements that will require additional support information:

Mileage reimbursement for use of private vehicles will be made at the current IRS rate. In-town mileage shall be calculated from the employee's office location to the destination points. Out-of-town mileage will be calculated from the actual point of departure to the actual point of arrival. A completed City reimbursement form (in-town or out-of-town) shall be submitted as supporting documentation for the miles being reimbursed for. A printout of the route taken (i.e., Google Maps) shall accompany the reimbursement form for out-of-town mileage or when out-of-town reimbursement is being sought on a monthly in-town reimbursement form. Fleet vehicles shall be used when available.

Food reimbursements shall follow the policies established pursuant to the City of Taunton Ordinances where applicable. For trips of more than 24 hours, detailed receipts are required when an individual seeks reimbursement above the established meal rates, per Subsection D(4). Reimbursements with detailed receipts will not exceed the following maximums: breakfast - $10, lunch - $15, and dinner - $25. Tips related to these meals shall be reimbursed, but reimbursement will not exceed 20% of the total bill. Reimbursements will be allowable for lunches purchased during an all-day event or trip. An all-day event or trip is defined as starting no later than 10:00 a.m. and ending no earlier than 2:00 p.m. No reimbursements will be made for breakfast or dinner for these single-day events. Alcohol is not an allowable expense MGL c. 44, § 58.

Lodging expenses should be made at the lowest possible cost. Reimbursements for lodging will be limited to only those charges and fees necessary to make and fulfill the reservation. Lodging will only be approved in the event that the travel location is greater than 60 miles from City Hall or otherwise approved by the Mayor or her designee. All overnight stays must receive prior written approval by the respective department manager. In the event a department manager seeks lodging, the Mayor must provide prior written approval.

Airline and train ticket expenses should be made at the lowest possible cost, per Subsection D(4). Travel insurance will be considered a reimbursable expense. Any other nonessential charges, such as upgrades or priority boarding, will not be reimbursed.

Education reimbursements.

The following are items required to be included in the reimbursement voucher, in addition to the normal documentation:

Proof of registration.

Proof of payment.

Detailed invoice.

Course description.

Final grades or proof of completion.

§ 105-8 Exempt and executive staff compensation.

Union contracts may have specific language in regards to education reimbursements. In those cases, the language in those contracts will supersede the language in Subsection F(1).

§ 105-5 Vacation time.

[Amended 5-23-2000]

With the exception of part-time and seasonal employees and members of boards or commissions, employee vacation time, where applicable, shall be accrued, utilized and reimbursed in the manner stipulated in the most recently agreed upon and applicable union or association contract with the City which covers said employee. Employees not covered by a collective bargaining agreement shall accrue, utilize and be reimbursed for vacation time in accordance with the personnel policy for the City of Taunton.

§ 105-6 Sick leave.

[Amended 8-15-1972; 3-22-1977; 5-23-2000]

Generally. With the exception of part-time and seasonal employees and members of boards or commissions, employee sick time, where applicable, shall be accrued, utilized and reimbursed in the manner stipulated in the most recently agreed upon and applicable union or association contract with the City which covers said employee. Employees not covered by a collective bargaining agreement shall accrue, utilize and be reimbursed for sick time in accordance with the personnel policy for the City of Taunton.

[Amended 7-11-2000]

Records. Whenever any employee is absent because of personal illness, the number of days of absence with pay shall be charged against his or her sick leave credits on records kept in each department for all employees under the supervision and direction of said department.

Members of armed forces not to lose accumulated sick leave during service. An employee in the categories listed in Subsection A who is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States shall be entitled to all sick leave benefits after having resumed his/her duties as an employee of the City, and no sick leave which the employee may have accumulated shall be lost or lapsed because of military leave.

§ 105-7 Personnel policy.

[Amended 5-23-2000]

There shall be a personnel policy established by the Mayor and approved by the Municipal Council. This policy shall contain all required notifications, statements and policies required for conformance with state and federal labor laws as well as any City requirements, procedures, and notifications. In the event of a conflict between a contract duly approved by the City and any item contained in the personnel policy, the provisions of the contract shall prevail. In addition, the personnel policy shall specify all benefits for employees and officials not covered under a contract with the City.

[Added 5-15-2001]

Policy statement.

The City of Taunton's compensation program is designed to achieve the following goals:

Ensuring fair and consistent pay practices;

Complying with applicable federal and state laws and regulations;

Operating within the constraints of the City of Taunton's budgetary process and financial resource limitations;

Ensuring administrative efficiency; and

(e)

Allowing the City of Taunton to offer competitive salaries relative to the labor markets in which the City of Taunton recruits.

The City of Taunton generally recruits in the local and regional labor markets to fill exempt positions and in the regional and national labor market to fill executive positions. While pay practices reflect local living costs, they are competitive with pay practices in the relevant labor markets.

Exempt staff.

Exempt staff shall consist of all employees of the City of Taunton, whether part time or full time, who are not covered by the terms of a collective bargaining agreement and who are not seasonal and/or special employees of the City of Taunton. This definition excludes the chief executive officer and the legislative officers and the Police and Fire Chiefs whose remuneration is defined by statute and any employee whose terms and conditions of employment are set by an individual employment contract.

Exempt staff compensation shall be made by appropriation made by the Mayor and approved by the Municipal Council in accordance with normal appropriation procedures and shall be adjusted annually, July 1, by the CPI-U, the consumer price index urban, as published annually by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the immediately preceding calendar year.

Educational incentive compensation formula.

Exempt staff salary shall include the following incremental adjustments for the following degrees:

Associate's degree: 2.5%.

Bachelor's degree: 5.0%.

Master's degree: 7.5%.

Doctorate degree: 10.0%.

§ 105-11 Causing position to be placed in classified civil service.

Educational incentives shall not be applicable to employees whose education degree level is a required perquisite for licensing and/or certification in the profession for which they are employed by the City of Taunton.

§ 105-9 Salary of Mayor.

[Added 10-28-2014; amended 11-29-2016; 9-11-2018]

The base salary for the Mayor of the City of Taunton shall be $125,500 per year.

§ 105-10 Temporary personnel.

[Amended 2-13-1968]

No person shall be offered or shall accept temporary employment with any department, agency, board, commission or other instrumentality of the City without the prior approval of the Mayor and Municipal Council.

[Amended 11-22-1966]

No officer or employee of the City shall do any act which has the purpose or effect of causing any office or position of the City to be placed within the classified civil service provided for by MGL c. 31, and the rules made thereunder, without the prior authorizing vote of the Municipal Council.[1]

[1]

Editor's Note: Original § 2-183, Residency requirement, amended 8-30-1977, and § 2-184, Restricted duty capacity for employees partially disabled in course of employment, added 4-27-1971, which immediately followed this section, were repealed 3-23-1999 and 2-20-2001, respectively.

§ 105-12 Longevity pay.

[Amended 8-11-1970; 11-17-1970; 5-11-1971; 6-22-1971; 7-23-1974; 8-20-1974; 5-23-2000]

All eligible employees shall be granted longevity pay as stipulated in their most recently agreed upon and applicable union or association contract with the City. Employees not covered by a collective bargaining agreement shall be granted longevity pay in accordance with the personnel policy for the City of Taunton.

§ 105-13 Safety rules and policies.

[Amended 11-14-1978]

Violation rate schedule. The following violations shall be subject to disciplinary action based on the rate of seriousness indicated:

Rate	Violation
A 1	Drinking or use of drugs leading or contributing toward an accident
A 1, 2 or 3	Incompetence leading or contributing toward an accident
A 1 or 2	Insubordination contributing toward an accident
A 1 or 2	Misconduct contributing toward an accident
A 1 or 2	Abuse of property, materials and/or equipment contributing toward an accident
A 1, 2 or 3	Failure to comply with health and safety regulations or policies
A 1, 2 or 3	Failure to obey rules concerning proper care and use of tools and materials, etc., which contributes toward an accident

Explanation of rate system. Safety violations will result in disciplinary action as indicated below based on the rate of seriousness of the violation:

A 1 violations: three-day suspension, first violation; dismissal, second violation.

A 2 violations: written warning, first violation; three-day suspension, second violation; dismissal, third violation.

A 3 violations: verbal warning, first violation; three-day suspension, second violation; dismissal, third violation.

Any verbal or written warning or suspension for a violation will be taken into consideration if there is another violation of that rule or any other policy.

Violations listed with more than one rate will be considered by the degree of seriousness of that particular violation as to what disciplinary step will be taken for first violation.

Records of disciplinary action will be entered into the involved employee's personal file.

Warnings will be removed from an employee's personal file after a reasonable length of time. This procedure is initiated by the employee and is subject to approval of the department safety officer, employee's direct supervisor and Chairperson, City Safety Council. The length of time prior to the initiation of this procedure is in accordance with the seriousness of the violation. The following schedule or waiting period shall commence with the date of violation. Immediate dismissal is to remain a permanent part of the employee's personal file.

Three-day suspension: one year.

Written warning: nine months.

Verbal warning: six months.

(6)

At no time will safety be disregarded to accelerate the completion of a job regardless of the situation.

Safety notices.

Compressed air used for cleaning must not exceed 30 psi per federal statute, and any department that uses air compression that exceeds 100 psi will ensure that it will not be used for cleaning. To accomplish this, department superintendents will provide specially designed nozzles. These nozzles must be used and used as designed without modification. Due to the potential hazards involved, violations of this safety notice will be treated as follows:

First offense: written warning.

Second offense: three-day suspension.

Third offense: dismissal.

In order to provide personal protection and in order to comply with federal mandate, all City employees and all visitors to City facilities must wear protective equipment when they are in hazardous areas. Hazardous areas will be defined within each department by the department safety officer and department superintendents. Employees will not be allowed to work in these areas without suitable protection. Violations of this safety notice will be dealt with as follows:

First violation: written warning.

Second violation: three-day suspension.

Third violation: dismissal.

Due to the flammable and toxic nature of many of the materials used by various departments within the City, "no smoking" regulations will be rigorously enforced. Smoking will be permitted in specifically designated areas as posted. Department heads along with their safety officer will designate and post no-smoking areas within their departments. In areas where smoking is permitted, only approved receptacles such as ash trays or sand buckets will be used to dispose of matches and cigarettes. Matches or cigarettes are not to be thrown into trash receptacles. All employees are cautioned to never empty ash trays before leaving from work. Smoking in prohibited areas and the unsafe disposal of cigarettes or matches and the unsafe emptying of ash trays are violations of this safety notice and will be treated as follows:

First offense: written warning.

Second offense: three-day suspension.

Third offense: dismissal.

The City's garage and parking lot speed limits are to be strictly enforced. This speed limit applies to all employees whether driving personal or City vehicles. Violations of this safety notice will be treated as follows:

First violation: written warning.

Second violation: three-day suspension.

Third violation: dismissal.

Fire extinguishers. Fire extinguishers are to be used as follows:

Employees are to know where fire extinguishers are located, what types of fire they are suitable for, and how to operate them.

Employees are to use correct type of extinguisher on fires as listed on extinguishers.

Whenever an extinguisher is used, and even if only partly discharged, the employee using the same is to return the extinguisher to the department safety officer.

Extinguishers are to be used only for firefighting. Other uses will result in a safety violation citation as follows:

First offense: three-day suspension.

Second offense: dismissal.

Clothing safety. For reasons of personal hygiene and safety, the following dress regulations are required of City employees:

Employees are not permitted to wear shorts or bermudas.

Employees will wear proper footwear in manufacturing areas, road work, sewer/water main work, tree work, operating lawn mowers and other hazard jobs or areas; employees are not permitted to wear sandals, tennis or any open type shoe.

Employees doing special jobs (cleaning City pools/fountains, etc.) may wear tennis shoes or waders.

It is required that all employees regardless of working indoors or outdoors wear shirts or other suitable clothing above the waist at all times.

It is required that all nonoffice employees wear trousers or jeans. Violations of this safety notice will be treated as follows:

First offense: verbal warning.

Second offense: written warning.

Third offense: three-day suspension.

Hard hats. Employees will wear hard hats when working on:

Construction jobs and around moving or stationary heavy equipment.

Tree work.

Installing/repairing water/sewer mains/lines.

Operating brush chipper, stumper and chain saw.

Upon recommendation of department safety officer on any occasion not covered by any of the above. The department safety officer will be the determining authority in fringe areas of this safety notice. Violations of this safety notice will be treated as follows:

First offense: written warning.

Second offense: three-day suspension.

Third offense: dismissal.

Operation of special equipment. No employees will operate any special equipment (brush chipper, stumper, chain saws, jack hammers, welding equipment and heavy equipment, etc.) unless they have been specifically hired to perform this task or they have had adequate training on said equipment to enable them to be proficient enough to ensure that no accidents are likely to result when operating special equipment. Violations of this safety notice will be treated as follows:

First offense: written warning.

Second offense: three-day suspension.

Third offense: dismissal.

Sewer/water mains installation or repairs. Whenever any repairs are done on existing sewer/water mains or installation of new sewer/water mains, proper shoring will be used at all times as required by state law. Violations of this safety notice will be treated as follows:

First offense: three-day suspension.

Second offense: dismissal.

Safety signs and reflector vests/straps. Whenever any work being done by any City department blocks, obstructs or hinders the passage of vehicles on a City thoroughfare, proper signs and horses or barriers will be placed in accordance with existing state regulations. Personnel working on these jobs will wear approved reflector vests at all times. Violations of this safety notice will be treated as follows:

First offense: written warning.

Second offense: three-day suspension.

Third offense: dismissal.

Sound protectors. Any employee working with equipment that produces high noise, e.g. jack hammers, chain saws, brush chippers, etc., will, at all times, wear sound protectors while working with or around said equipment. Violations of this safety notice will be treated as follows:

First offense: verbal warning.

Second offense: written warning.