Borough of Glassboro, NJ Workplace Policies

The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for ethical standards of conduct which shall govern Borough employees in the performance of Borough business and the duties of their respective jobs. This policy is intended to provide positive direction to Borough employees in order to prevent potential conflicts of interest.

This policy is not all-encompassing in its definition of "conflict of interest." Action deemed inappropriate by a reasonable person, whether specifically cited in this policy or not, will be subject to inquiry.

Statements of policy.

Employees, including Borough of Glassboro officials, must conduct business according to the highest ethical standards of public service. Employees are expected to devote their best efforts to the interests of the Borough of Glassboro. Violations of this policy will result in appropriate discipline, including termination.

The Borough of Glassboro recognizes the right of employees to engage in outside activities that are private in nature and unrelated to Borough of Glassboro business. However, business dealings that appear to create a conflict between the employee and the Borough of Glassboro's interests are unlawful under the New Jersey Local Government Ethics Act.[1] Under the Act, certain employees and officials are required to annually file with the Borough of Glassboro Clerk a state-mandated disclosure form. The Borough Clerk will notify employees and Borough of Glassboro officials subject to the filing requirements of the Act.

Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.1 et seq.

A potential or actual conflict of interest occurs whenever an employee, including a Borough of Glassboro official, is in a position to influence a Borough of Glassboro decision that may result in a personal gain for the employee or an immediate relative, including a spouse or significant other, child, parent, stepchild, sibling, grandparents, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, grandchildren, niece, nephew, uncle, aunt, or any person related by blood or marriage residing in an employee's household. Employees are required to disclose possible conflicts so that the Borough of Glassboro may assess and prevent potential conflicts. If there are any questions whether an action or proposed course of conduct would create a conflict of interest, immediately contact the Borough Clerk or the Borough Administrator to obtain clarification.

Employees are allowed to hold outside employment as long as it does not interfere with their Borough of Glassboro responsibilities. Employees are prohibited from engaging in outside employment activities while on the job or using Borough of Glassboro time, supplies or equipment in the outside employment activities. The Borough Administrator may request employees to restrict outside employment if the quality of Borough of Glassboro work diminishes. Any employee who holds an interest in, or is employed by, any business doing business with the Borough of Glassboro must submit a written notice of these outside interests to the Borough Administrator.

Employees may not accept donations, gratuities, contributions or gifts that could be interpreted to affect their Borough of Glassboro duties, and under no circumstances may employees accept donations, gratuities, contributions or gifts from a vendor doing business with or seeking to do business with the Borough of Glassboro or any person or firm seeking to influence Borough of Glassboro decisions. Meals and other entertainment valued in excess of $200 are also prohibited. Employees are required to report to the Borough Administrator any offer of a donation, gratuity, contribution or gift, including meals and entertainment, that is in violation of this policy.

Use of public property.

No employee of the Borough shall request, use, or permit the use of Borough-owned vehicles, clothing, equipment, materials or other property for unauthorized personal convenience, for profit, for private use, or as part of secondary employment. Use of such Borough property is to be restricted to such services as are available to the Borough generally and for the conduct of official Borough business.

Authorized personal uses include taking an assigned Borough vehicle to lunch on workdays as needed, use of a Borough copy machine at cost, stopping to run personal errands when the destination point is in conjunction with official or authorized business, and other nominal personal uses as permitted by the department head or supervisor on a case-by-case basis.

No Borough employee may use Borough time or property in any manner to promote any political issue or candidate, or to solicit funds for any political purpose or to influence the outcome of any election.

[a]

With the approval of the Borough Council, an exception shall be allowed when the subject of an election has received the endorsement and support of the Borough Council (e.g., cap referendum).

No Borough employee shall be eligible for appointment or election to any public office when the holding of such office would be incompatible or would substantially interfere with the discharge of official duties.

Contributions and honorariums.

Speeches and presentations which are related to Borough services delivered by Borough employees to community and professional organizations are made without charge. If an organization wishes to give an honorarium or contribution for such a presentation, the remuneration must be made to the Borough, not to the individual employee.

An honorarium or contribution for a speech or other presentation made by a Borough employee to a group outside the Borough, either during working time or for which the Borough provided travel expenses, will also be made to the Borough.

Such contributions and honorariums shall be turned over to the Borough's Chief Financial Officer for disposition.

Discipline. Any employee who is found to be in violation of this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination from employment. Depending upon the seriousness of the action, other appropriate civil or criminal sanctions may also be pursued.

§ 97-87 Contagious or life-threatening illnesses.

The Borough has an obligation to provide a safe and healthy work environment for all employees. In an effort to balance the needs of the Borough, the public and the employees, the Borough hereby establishes the following policy regarding contagious or life threatening illnesses.

Borough employees who have been diagnosed with any illness which may pose a health hazard to other employees or to the public at large must disclose this information to the Borough Administrator at the earliest possible time. Any employee who fails to make the required disclosure to the Borough Administrator may be subject to disciplinary action, including termination of employment.

The Borough encourages employees with contagious diseases or life-threatening illnesses to continue their normal pursuits, including work, to the extent allowed by their condition. If warranted by the circumstances, the Borough will engage in an interactive process with the employee to determine whether the employee can continue his or her essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodations. Any accommodations under consideration will be evaluated to determine if such accommodations impose an unreasonable hardship on the Borough.

The Borough will take reasonable precautions to protect employee health information from inappropriate disclosure, including the following:

Medical information may be disclosed with the prior written informed consent of the person who is the subject of the information.

Information may be disclosed without the prior written consent to qualified individuals for the purpose of conducting management audits, financial audits, and program evaluations, but these individuals shall not identify, either directly or indirectly, the person who is the subject of the record in a report or evaluation, or otherwise disclose the person's identity in any manner. Information shall not be released to these individuals unless it is vital to the audit or evaluation.

Information may be disclosed to the Department of Health as required by state or federal law.

Department heads, supervisors and other employees have a responsibility to maintain the confidentially of employee medical information. Anyone inappropriately disclosing such information shall be subject to disciplinary action.

§ 97-88 Continuing education.

The Borough will, at the Council's discretion, provide reasonable reimbursement for classes taken by a Borough employee who successfully completes a course of study leading to improvement of his or her knowledge and skills on the job or which is required for the position. The employee must have at least one year of service to be eligible for reimbursement. Requests for educational assistance must be submitted for approval to the Borough Administrator prior to enrollment. If the course of study is required by the Borough, employees may, at the Borough's discretion, be reimbursed for mileage and/or receive compensatory time off, if applicable.

§ 97-89 Dating policy.

The Borough strongly believes that an environment where employees maintain clear boundaries between employee personal and business interactions is most effective for conducting business. Although this policy does not prevent the development of friendships or romantic relationships between coworkers, it does establish very clear boundaries as to how relationships will progress during working hours and within the working environment. Individuals in supervisory relationships or other influential roles are subject to more-stringent requirements under this policy due to their status as role models, their access to sensitive information and their ability to influence others.

Procedures.

During working time and in working areas, employees are expected to keep personal exchanges limited so that others are not distracted or offended by such exchanges and so that productivity is maintained.

During nonworking time, such as lunches, breaks and before and after work periods, employees are not precluded from having appropriate personal conversations in nonwork areas as long as their conversations and behaviors could in no way be perceived as offensive or uncomfortable to a reasonable person.

Employees are strictly prohibited from engaging in physical contact that would in any way be deemed inappropriate by a reasonable person while anywhere on Borough premises, whether during working hours or not.

Employees who allow personal relationships with coworkers to affect the working environment will be subject to the appropriate provisions of the Borough disciplinary policy, which may include counseling for minor problems. Failure to change behavior and maintain expected work responsibilities is viewed as a serious disciplinary matter.

Employee off-duty conduct is generally regarded as private, as long as such conduct does not create problems within the workplace. An exception to this principle, however, is romantic or sexual relationships between supervisors and subordinates.

Supervisors, managers, executives or anyone else in sensitive or influential positions must disclose the existence of any relationship with another coworker that has progressed beyond a platonic friendship. Disclosure may be made to the Human Resources Coordinator or the Administrator. If the relationship involves the Administrator, disclosure may be made to the Human Resources Coordinator. This disclosure will enable the Borough to determine whether any conflict of interest exists because of the relative positions of the individuals involved.

Where problems or potential risks are identified, the Borough will work with the parties involved to consider options for resolving the problem. The initial solution may be to make sure that the parties involved no longer work together on matters where one is able to influence the other or take action for the other. Matters such as hiring, firing, promotions, performance management, compensation decisions, financial transactions, etc., are examples of situations that may require reallocation of duties to avoid any actual or perceived reward or disadvantage.

In some cases, other measures may be necessary, such as transfer to other positions or departments.

Refusal of reasonable alternative positions, if available, will be deemed a voluntary resignation.

(10)

Continued failure to work with the Borough to resolve such a situation in a mutually agreeable fashion may ultimately be deemed insubordination and therefore serve as cause for immediate termination. The organization's disciplinary policy will be consulted to ensure consistency, however, before any such extreme measures are undertaken.

(11)

The provisions of this policy apply regardless of the sexual orientation of the parties involved.

(12)

Where doubts exist as to the specific meaning of the terms used above, employees should make judgments on the basis of the overall spirit and intent of this policy.

(13)

Any employee who feels they have been disadvantaged as a result of this policy, or who believes this policy is not being adhered to, should make their feelings known to the Human Resources Coordinator or the Administrator.

§ 97-90 Emergency conditions.

Purpose. The purpose of this section is to establish a policy for reporting to work in the event of emergency conditions.

Statement of policy.

Borough offices and activities shall remain open and in operation during established working hours. All employees should make every attempt to report for work on a timely basis. If employees are unable to report to work, the following criteria shall apply:

The employee is responsible for contacting his/her supervisor or department head by telephone to indicate anticipated absence from work or late arrival to work and the reason. In the event that an employee is unable to reach his/her supervisor or department head, he/she shall contact the Borough Clerk.

If an employee is unable to report to work, the absence may be charged as vacation or personal leave, or the employee may elect to take this time off without pay. Such leave cannot be used to offset absence from work for pay purposes for other than sickness.

The Mayor shall be authorized to close Borough offices to protect the safety and welfare of Borough employees. In this event, employees will receive full pay, and no vacation or personal leave allowances shall be affected.

If a state of emergency covering Glassboro is declared by the Governor of New Jersey, due to inclement weather or other emergency which is expected to cause imminently hazardous travel conditions, employees shall be excused from work without loss of pay. In all other cases of adverse weather or other emergency, the Borough may, at its discretion, excuse the employees from work without loss of pay. Employees who are required to work in the above cases while the rest of the work force is excused shall receive compensatory time off on an hour-for-hour basis.

§ 97-91 Employment verification and references.

Inquiries and written requests for references or employment verification regarding a current or former employee must be referred to the Assistant Borough Administrator. No employee may issue a reference letter without the permission of the Assistant Borough Administrator. Under no circumstances should any information be released over the phone.

In response to a request for information, the Assistant Borough Administrator will only verify an employee's name, dates of employment, job title, department and final salary. No other data or information will be furnished unless:

The Borough of Glassboro is required to release the information by law; or

The employee or former employee authorizes the Borough of Glassboro, in writing, to furnish this information and releases the Borough of Glassboro from liability.

§ 97-92 No-smoking policy.

The New Jersey Legislature has declared that in all governmental buildings the rights of nonsmokers to breathe clean air supersedes the rights of smokers. In accordance with state law, the Borough has adopted a smoke-free policy for all buildings. Borough facilities shall be smoke-free, and no employee or visitor will be permitted to smoke anywhere in Borough buildings. Employees are permitted to smoke only outside Borough buildings and in such locations as not to allow the reentry of smoke into building entrances. Smoking inside vehicles owned by the Borough and near equipment that may be sensitive to smoke is also prohibited. This policy shall be strictly enforced, and any employee found in violation will be subject to disciplinary action.

§ 97-93 Personal appearance.

Purpose. The purpose of this section is to establish general guidelines related to the personal appearance of Borough employees.

Statement of policy.

It shall be the responsibility of all employees to represent the Borough to the public in a manner which shall be courteous, efficient and helpful.

Borough employees should always be well-groomed and dressed in a manner suitable for the public service environment and to reflect favorably the Borough's image.

The employee's supervisor will discuss the subject of personal appearance with the employee if it is felt it does not positively reflect the image of the Borough.

§ 97-94 Protection and safe treatment of minors.

All employees are mandated to comply with the Borough's separately issued Manual on the Protection and Safe Treatment of Minors, as amended and supplemented. The Manual is incorporated herein by reference and attached. A copy is also available in the Administrator's office.

§ 97-95 Political activities.

Purpose:

To foster governmental efficiency and to ensure that employees can perform their jobs without being pressured to support specific committees or other political candidates or to interpret regulations favorably for support of such candidates.

To allow employee performance and advancement to be judged without regard to prior political activity.

To promote public confidence in the integrity of Borough government to the end that Council members will not be perceived as making decisions on the basis of political loyalties.

Statement of policy.

Prohibited activities during working hours. An employee shall be subject to discipline, up to and including immediate dismissal, for violation of these provisions:

No officer or employee shall, while on duty during an assigned work shift as an employee of the Borough:

Request or solicit contributions or anything of value for any political candidate or cause.

Participate in any political campaign by:

[a]

Speaking in favor of any candidate or cause.

[b]

Distributing literature.

[c]

Picketing or demonstrating on behalf of or in opposition to any political candidate or cause.

[d]

Organizing, planning or in any other way participating in the administration of any political campaign.

No officer, employee or volunteer shall, while on duty and/or in the uniform of the Borough, or while in or operating any Borough vehicle, display any badge, button, sign or sticker promoting or opposing any political cause or candidate.

No officer or employee of the Borough shall use public funds, property, or any other instrumentality or thing of value belonging to the Borough to promote or oppose any political cause or candidate.

Nothing in this policy shall be interpreted to prohibit an employee:

From stating any opinion regarding any political issue in ordinary conversation during working hours, provided that such a conversation does not interfere with the employee's assigned job duties.

Who does not have direct citizen contact from wearing a pin or button prompting or opposing any cause or candidate.

Coercion; intimidation of public employees. No officer or employee of the Borough shall use his/her public office or employment for the purpose or with the effect of:

Coercing or intimidating any Borough employee or employees with respect to contributing to, opposing or promoting, or refraining from contributing to, opposing or promoting any political cause or candidate.

Obtaining a benefit as a result of any political activity by:

Intentionally committing an unauthorized act under color of law.

Intentionally refraining from performing a duty imposed upon him by law.

Illegal political activities. No officer or employee of the Borough shall engage in any political activity which is prohibited under state or federal law. Any person engaging in such an activity shall be subject to disciplinary action, including immediate dismissal. The following list of activities is included for illustrative purposes. Any illegal activity which is prohibited by state law but which fails to appear on this list is hereby incorporated by reference. No officer or employee shall:

Obstruct or prevent access to a polling place.

Remove a ballot from a polling place or solicit a voter to show his or her ballot.

Attempt to intimidate, influence or bribe a voter by menace, force, threat or corrupt means.

Directly or indirectly offer a bribe or reward to induce a voter to vote for or against a person or proposition.

(e)

Attempt to influence a voter to vote or not to vote, directly or indirectly, by menace or corrupt means.

(f)

Hinder, disturb, persuade, threaten or intimidate any person from giving his/her vote.

(g)

Knowingly and willfully make a false assertion or propagate a false report concerning a candidate which has a tendency to prevent his/her election.

(h)

Give a bribe or thing of value to secure a vote or solicit or bribe, or offer any preference or other valuable consideration to give or refuse a vote.

§ 97-96 Retirement procedure.

An employee must notify the department head and the Administrator at least 90 days prior to the intended retirement date.

After giving notice of retirement, employees are expected to assist their supervisor and co-employees by providing information concerning their current projects and help in the training of a replacement.

The Administrator and/or designee may conduct a confidential exit interview to discuss any remaining matters involving the employee.

On or before the last day of work, and prior to receiving the final paycheck, the employee must return all Borough-issued property, including, but not limited to, IDs, keys and equipment.

Any questions relating to pension benefits should be directed to the New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits. Employees seeking to retire are strongly encouraged to research any applicable requirements of the Division of Pensions and Benefits well in advance of the anticipated retirement date, as certain notification deadlines of the Division of Pension and Benefits may apply.

§ 97-97 Resignation procedure.

An employee who intends to resign must notify the department head and the Administrator i writing at least two weeks in advance. If an employee resigns without giving the required notice, he/she will be considered to have resigned not in good standing.

After giving notice of resignation, employees are expected to assist their supervisor and co-employees by providing information concerning their current projects and help in the training of a replacement.

The Administrator and/or designee may conduct a confidential exit interview to discuss any remaining matters involving the employee.

On or before the last day of work, and prior to receiving the final paycheck, the employee must return all Borough-issued property, including, but not limited to, IDs, keys and equipment.

§ 97-98 Safety policy.

The Borough of Glassboro will provide a safe and healthy work environment and shall comply with the Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health Act (PEOSHA). The Borough of Glassboro is equally concerned about the safety of the public. Consistent with this policy, employees will receive periodic safety training and will be provided with appropriate safety equipment. Employees are responsible for observing safety rules and using available safety devices, including personal protective equipment. Failure to do so constitutes grounds for disciplinary action. Any occupational or public unsafe condition, practice, procedure or act must be immediately reported to the supervisor or department head. Any on-the-job accident or accident involving Borough of Glassboro facilities, equipment or motor vehicles must also be immediately reported.

The Borough of Glassboro has appointed a Safety Committee that meets on a regular basis to discuss and recommend solutions to safety problems. Employees are encouraged to discuss safety concerns with their Safety Committee representative.

§ 97-99 Solicitations.

Purpose. The purpose of this section is to establish a uniform policy for solicitations by sales representatives or agents in order to alleviate disruption of Borough employees during normal working hours.

Statement of policy.

With the exception of United Way and other Borough-approved activities, peddling or soliciting for sale or donation of any kind on Borough premises during normal working hours is not allowed.

Working hours include the working time of both the employee doing the soliciting or distributing and the employee to whom such activity is directed.

Employees are free to discuss these matters before or after normal working hours, and during lunch or breaks in nonwork areas.

§ 97-100 Time donation.

Comp time donation.

A catastrophic illness or injury shall be understood as a condition based on a medical prognosis which requires a period of treatment or recuperation, as a result of which the employee is unable to work, or is expected to be out of work, for at least two months of consecutive work time or on an intermittent basis equivalent to two months' work time.

An employee will be eligible to receive up to 200 hours of donated comp time, provided he or she has exhausted all accrued sick, vacation, comp and disability leave.

Sick time donation. Any employee who has suffered from a catastrophic illness or injury may receive sick leave voluntarily donated by fellow employees, subject to the following conditions:

An employee may receive donated sick leave for personal illness or injury or care of a seriously ill member of an employee's immediate family. For the purposes of this policy, "immediate family" shall include any relations as are deemed within the definition of family members under the NJFLA and the federal FMLA.[1] (Please refer to HR 6.11, Exhibit R, of the Gloucester County Human Resources Manual, titled "NJFLA and FMLA General Information.") In general, "immediate family" is defined as a parent, child or spouse or civil union partner.

Editor's Note: See, respectively, the New Jersey Family Leave Act, N.J.S.A. 34:11B-1 et seq., and the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act, 29 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq.

An employee will be eligible to receive up to 720 hours of donated sick leave, provided he or she has exhausted all accrued sick, vacation, comp and disability leave.

An employee may donate up to 40 hours to another employee, provided he or she retains a balance of at least 320 sick hours. An employee may donate up to 80 sick hours, provided he or she retains a balance of 640 sick hours, or up to 120 sick hours with a balance of 960 sick hours.

Any donated sick time that remains unused by the recipient upon his or her return to work will be restored to donor employee(s) on a prorated basis.

No employee shall be subject to coercion of any kind in connection with the donation of sick time. Donations will be strictly confidential.

§ 97-101 Travel policy.

Purpose. This policy provides guidelines and establishes procedures to fund authorized travel at Borough expense when such travel is necessary to conduct Borough business. This travel policy applies to all employees when expenses are paid from public funds.

Statement of policy.

Authorization.[1] The employee's supervisor or department head (in case of a department head, the travel request should be submitted to the Borough Administrator) must review all travel requests and approve in advance only after reasonably determining that:

The travel is primarily for the benefit of the Borough and is related to the effective conduct of Borough business;

The cost to the municipality of the travel and absence from work will be offset by benefits accruing to the Borough, including professional development of the employee;

The travel relates to activities which do not have as their purpose the advancement of a political party, a political candidate or a religious denomination.

Editor's Note: The travel authorization request form is included as an attachment to this chapter.

Lodging.

Any overnight lodging must be approved by the Borough Administrator prior to making any reservations.

If overnight travel is authorized, employees should attempt to secure the lowest government rate available at a reasonably priced facility. Employees will not be reimbursed for staying at the private residence of a relative or friend. Employees must submit receipts with expense reports for reimbursement.

The location of the lodging facility should be as convenient as possible to the place where the business is being transacted. If, however, the nearest lodging facility is a luxury or premium lodging facility, consideration must be given to using alternate facilities.

Employees will only be reimbursed for the standard room rate for lodging.

Personal vehicle usage. Employees who use their personally owned vehicle (POV) will be reimbursed at the IRS allowance rate. It is the responsibility of the owner of the POV being used for business purposes to carry vehicle insurance coverage for their protection and the protection of any passengers. Employees will not be reimbursed for any repairs or insurance expenses to their POV even if the costs result from business travel.

Meals.

Employees will be reimbursed for the actual cost of a meal up to the maximum established by the following scale. Actual cost of a meal includes tax and a gratuity of 15% and does not include alcoholic beverages.

	Meal	Maximum Allowable Reimbursement
	Breakfast	$10
	Lunch	$15
	Dinner	$25

Breakfast. An employee may not claim reimbursement for breakfast unless he/she was required to depart their home for travel business before 6:00 a.m. or to be away from home overnight.

Lunch. An employee may not claim reimbursement for lunch unless authorized Borough travel business extended through the noon meal period.

[3]

Dinner. An employee may not claim reimbursement for dinner unless the municipal business caused him/her to return home from travel status after 7:00 p.m. or to be away overnight.

Sometimes the cost of conferences, registration fees, etc., includes a meal or meals. When paid by the Borough, the employee is not eligible for additional reimbursement for that meal period.

Nonreimbursable expenses. The following are examples of miscellaneous expenses that employees will not be reimbursed for:

Alcoholic beverages.

Annual fees or interest on credit cards.

Late payment fees.

Expenses of traveling companions or family.

(e)

Expenses related to vacation or personal days while on a trip.

(f)

Loss or theft of personal property.

(g)

Entertainment or amusement costs.

(h)

Parking or traffic tickets.

(i)

Damage to POV or other personal property.

(j)

Commuting mileage or costs to and from the workplace.

Other modes of transportation. The Borough Administrator will determine when and if alternate modes of transportation (air, bus, rail) are necessary to meet the employee's time requirements.

Trip report. For any Borough-paid travel that is longer than one day, a trip report shall be provided to the Borough Administrator. The format for the trip report is attached.[2] Special emphasis should be placed on Item 5, Recommendations. The Borough encourages the use of new and innovative concepts being implemented in the workplace. Professional training and attending seminars and conferences only benefits the Borough if some of the ideas are incorporated into the workplace.

Editor's Note: The trip report form is included as an attachment to this chapter.

§ 97-102 Use of Borough vehicles (non-law enforcement).

The Borough owns and maintains a fleet of vehicles ("Borough vehicles") that are used in furtherance of the business of the Borough. The following policy governs the use of all Borough vehicles (with the exception of vehicles utilized for law enforcement purposes) and supersedes all other vehicle policies previously in effect. Any employee violating the provisions contained herein will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Violations of this policy may also result in the denial of indemnification and/or defense by the Borough to the employee in any civil or criminal matter brought in any court arising from improper use of a Borough vehicle. The Borough also expressly reserves its right to seek indemnification and/or contribution from employees (including their personal automobile insurance policies) found to have acted in violation of this policy to the maximum extent permitted by law.

Driving privileges and licensure.

The use of a Borough vehicle by an employee is subject to the approval and discretion of the Administrator. Any employee operating a Borough vehicle must have, in his or her possession, a valid driver's license issued by a state regulatory body within the United States. Licenses issued by any territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any international agency (including any province of the Dominion of Canada) must be expressly approved by the Borough's insurance carrier before an employee will be permitted to operate a Borough vehicle.

Employees are required to file a copy of a valid driver's license with the Borough prior to the use of a Borough vehicle.

All new employees who will be assigned work entailing the operating of a Borough vehicle will be required to submit to a Department of Motor Vehicles driving records check as a condition of employment. A report indicating a suspended or revoked license status may be cause to deny or terminate employment.

Upon request, an employee must provide a copy of their driver's license or other required documents within 24 hours of said request.

Employees shall inform the Borough within 24 hours of any changes in the status of their driving privileges.

Failure to comply with the requirements of this section will result in an immediate suspension of an employee's privilege to operate a Borough vehicle and may also result in the denial of indemnification and/or defense by the Borough to the employee in any civil or criminal matter brought in any court arising from the use of a Borough vehicle while said employee's driving privileges were suspended or revoked.

The Borough reserves the right to obtain a driving abstract record from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Service Commission or other regulatory and law enforcement agencies.

The Borough reserves the right to suspend an employee's Borough driving privileges if the Borough deems necessary based on the employee's driving record.

The Borough shall utilize information obtained pursuant to this section only for the purposes of furthering the objectives of this policy and for no other reason and will not reveal personal or other information contained in an employee's driving abstract record to any party except where required by applicable law.

The Borough may, if necessary, require the completion of safe driving courses and reserves the right to compel employee attendance at such courses.

If requested by the Administrator or designee, the employee must agree to consent to a simulated road test to determine his/her fitness to safely operate a vehicle.

In the event that the employee is under the influence of any medication (prescribed or over-the-counter) that might impair his/her ability to safely operate a vehicle, he/she must refrain from driving until he/she notifies the Borough and await clearance to resume driving.

Official use only.

The use of Borough vehicles is restricted to official Borough business only. Employees shall not be permitted to use Borough vehicles for travel or activity unrelated to Borough business. Likewise, no supervisor may authorize such use or any use of a Borough vehicle for other than Borough business or use which is otherwise inconsistent with this policy.

Borough vehicles assigned to employees under this policy are to be operated only by the employee while acting within the scope of their employment. No employee shall authorize or permit any other non-Borough employee, including, but not limited to, family members of the employee, to operate or ride as a passenger in an assigned Borough vehicle, unless said passengers are assisting in the official business of the Borough.

Location of vehicles.

Employees who are assigned the regular use of a Borough vehicle for official business may, only with the express written permission of the Administrator, take the Borough vehicle home at night and keep said vehicle at home while off duty.

If the employee will be absent from duty for more than two working days, or more than five consecutive days, including weekends and holidays, he/she must surrender the Borough vehicle to his/her direct supervisor unless directed otherwise. An employee storing the vehicle at his/her residence must provide safe parking for the vehicle at all times.

Commuting.

The use of a Borough vehicle for driving to and from work is voluntary and does not entitle the employee to compensation or pay while engaged in that activity.

Accidents and incidents.

Prior to operation of any Borough vehicle, employees must consult their department head as to the appropriate steps to take if they become involved in an accident (filling out accident reports, obtaining witness names, etc.).

In the event of an incident or accident involving the use of a Borough vehicle, employees must immediately contact their supervisor and/or department head. All required reports and documentation must be submitted to the Administrator within two business days of receipt.

An employee may be required to submit to an alcohol or drug screening test following an accident or incident if there is a reasonable suspicion to believe that the employee's use of drugs or alcohol may have contributed to the cause of the accident or as otherwise required by law or other policy of the Borough.

Citations and violations.

Operators of Borough vehicles are expected to follow all laws, regulations and rules proscribed by the Motor Vehicle Commission. Drivers are responsible for paying any moving violation tickets and MUST notify the Borough of said violations within 48 hours of receipt of said ticket (regardless of the employee's decision to contest such ticket in municipal court). Drivers are responsible for paying all parking tickets incurred.

The Borough should be notified of the receipt of a parking ticket within 48 hours of receipt of said ticket.

Drivers are responsible for all "notice of delinquent toll payment violations" (including, but not limited to, E-ZPass®). Upon having been notified of said violation, either by direct mail or notice from the Borough, an employee shall, within 10 business days of such notice, provide acceptable proof to the Borough that the outstanding toll and any related fees have been paid.

General policies and procedures.

Employees authorized to use a Borough vehicle for official business must adhere to the policies and procedures set forth in this policy. Failure to comply with the provisions herein will result in a loss of privileges.

Drivers must ensure that all required documents (driver's license, ID badge/card, registration, insurance card) are in their possession while operating the vehicle. Vehicle registration and insurance cards should be kept in a locked compartment of the vehicle when not in use.

Employees assigned exclusive use of a Borough vehicle are responsible for scheduling all repairs and manufacturer-recommended maintenance with the Borough, in order to maintain all manufacturers' warranties (including routine oil changes).

Vehicles are to be kept clean at all times and should be washed and vacuumed regularly (unless prohibited by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection or other similar regulatory body).

No smoking is allowed in Borough vehicles at any time.

In accordance with N.J.S.A. 39:4-97.3 and any other applicable statutes and regulations, the use of hand-held phones or electronic devices (BlackBerry®, navigation systems, etc.) while driving Borough vehicles is prohibited. This prohibition includes the sending or reading of emails, text messages and other similar communications.

All occupants must wear seat belts at all times when the vehicle is in use and observe all road safe rules and regulations, such as "wipers on, lights on."

Employees are expected to operate vehicles in a safe and courteous manner at all times and are expressly reminded to avoid tailgating or other unsafe practices.

Employees are reminded of the risks inherent from driving while drowsy. In the event that a driver becomes tired while operating a vehicle, they should pull off the road and seek appropriate assistance.

Violation of any of the above provisions, or any other aspect of this policy, may result in disciplinary action up to and including the suspension of the employee's privilege to operate a Borough vehicle and/or termination.

§ 97-103 Use of computers, electronic mail, and Internet.

The Borough's email, voice mail, computer systems and Internet service are for official Borough business, and use for all other nonbusiness purposes during working time is prohibited. "Working time" shall be defined as any time in which the employee is engaged in or required to be performing work tasks for the Borough. Working time excludes times when employees are properly not engaged in performing work tasks, including break periods and meal times. This includes, but is in no way limited to, the use of computers or Borough-issued mobile devices, use of social networking, gaming or TV/video.

All email, voice mail, text, and Internet messages relating to or created during Borough business are official documents subject to the provisions of the Open Public Records Act ("OPRA"), N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.

The Borough operates in an environment where the use of computers, email and the Internet are essential tools for certain employees. Those employees are encouraged to use computers, email and the Internet; however, it is the responsibility of the employee to guarantee that these systems are solely used for business-related purposes during working time (as defined above) and are used in a proper and lawful manner at all times.

Employees are advised that all computers owned by the Borough are to be used for business purposes only during working time (as defined above) and that they have no expectation that any information stored on a Borough computer is private. Because email messages are considered as business documents, the Borough expects employees to compose emails with the same care as a business letter or internal memo.

Downloading or misusing software available through the Internet could violate copyright laws or licensing requirements.

Personal use of any computer during working time (as defined above) is prohibited, unless expressly authorized by the employee's supervisor.

The Borough reserves the right to block or cancel an employee's access to Internet sites or the Internet as a whole while using business computers or on the Borough's time.

The email, telephone, and Internet systems, as well as the messages thereon, are the property of the Borough.

The Borough reserves its right to monitor its computer systems, including, but not limited to, email messages, computer files and Internet usage, with or without notice, at any time, at the Borough's discretion. The Borough also reserves the right to access and disclose such communications and recordings to third parties in certain circumstances. Therefore, employees shall have no expectation of privacy in any transmissions made or received using Borough computers or email accounts.

Employees must be aware that the mere deletion of a file or message may not fully eliminate that file or message from the system.

The existence of personal access codes, passwords and/or "message delete functions," whether provided by the Borough or generated by the employee, do not restrict or eliminate the Borough's access to any of its electronic systems as the employees shall be on notice that they should not have any expectation of privacy when using these systems.

Employees shall not share personal access codes or passwords, provide access to an unauthorized user, or access another's email or Internet account without authorization.

The Borough's network, including its connection to the Internet, is to be solely used for business-related purposes during working time (as defined above). If permission is granted, an employee's personal use of the Borough's computer, email and connection to the Internet shall not interfere with the employee's duties and shall comply with the Borough's policies and all applicable laws.

Any messages or transmissions sent outside of the organization via email or the Internet will pass through a number of different computer systems, all with different levels of security. Accordingly, employees must not send privileged and/or confidential communications (i.e., Social Security numbers, medical and/or HIPAA protected information, dependent information or other information protected from unlawful disclosure) via email or the Internet unless the message is properly encrypted and should consider a more-secure method of communication for such data.

Because postings placed on the Internet may display the Borough's address or other Borough-related information, and thus reflect on the Borough, make certain before posting such information that it exhibits the high standards and policies of the Borough. Under no circumstances shall data of a confidential nature (i.e., Social Security numbers, medical and/or HIPAA protected information, dependent information or other information protected from unlawful disclosure) be posted on the Internet.

If you identify yourself as an employee in any manner on any Internet posting or blog, comment on any aspect of the Borough's business or post a link to the Borough, you must include the following disclaimer in an openly visible location: "The views expressed on this post are mine and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Borough of Glassboro or anyone associated/affiliated with the Borough of Glassboro."

Subscriptions to news groups or mailing lists are permitted only when the subscription is for a work-related purpose and authorized by Borough. Any other subscriptions are prohibited.

All files downloaded from the Internet, email attachments or the like should be checked for possible viruses. If uncertain whether your virus-checking software is current, you must check with the Borough's Network Administrator before downloading.

Any "unauthorized use" of email or the Internet is strictly prohibited while at work or while using a Borough computer. "Unauthorized use" includes, but is not limited to: connecting, posting, or downloading obscene, pornographic, violent, sexually suggestive, or discrimination-based material; attempting to disable or compromise the security of information contained on the Borough's computer systems; or sending or receiving obscene, violent, harassing, sexual or discrimination-based messages. If an employee receives a message that is representative of an "unauthorized use" of the Borough's electronic media from someone outside of the Borough, it is the employee's duty to immediately inform the sender of such materials that he or she must refrain from sending such materials.

Your Internet postings SHOULD NOT VIOLATE ANY OTHER APPLICABLE EMPLOYER POLICY, including, but not limited to, the Borough's anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies.

Borough business which is conducted by an employee on his or her personal computer or device is subject to this policy and may be subject to the provisions of OPRA.

Any employee who violates this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. This policy shall not be construed to restrict employees' rights to share information about their employment terms and conditions, communicate with each other, or engage in other concerted activities for their mutual aid and protection.

Social network postings.

For purposes of this policy, a "social network" is defined as a site that uses Internet services to allow individuals to construct a profile within that system, define a list of others users with whom they share some connection, and view and access their list of connections and those made by others within that system. The type of network and its design vary from site to site. Examples of the types of Internet-based social networking activities include: blogging, networking, photo sharing, video sharing, microblogging, podcasting, as well as posting comments on the sites. The absence of, or lack of explicit reference to, a specific site or activity does not limit the extent of the application of this provision.

The use of the Internet and social networking sites, including, but not limited to, Snapchat®, Facebook®, and Twitter®, is a popular activity; however, employees must be mindful of the negative impact of inappropriate or unauthorized postings upon the Borough and its relationship with the community. This provision identifies prohibited activities by employees on the Internet where posted information is accessible to members of the general public, including, but not limited to, public postings on social networking sites.

Specifically, the Borough reserves the right to investigate postings, private or public, that violate workplace rules, such as the prohibition of sexual harassment and other discriminatory conduct, where such postings lawfully are made available to the Borough by other employees or third parties. Employees should use common sense in all communications, particularly on a website or social networking site accessible to anyone. If you would not be comfortable with your supervisor, coworkers, or the management team reading your words, you should not write them.

Be advised that employees can be disciplined for commentary, content, or images that are defamatory, pornographic, proprietary, harassing, libelous, or that can create a hostile work environment. You can also be sued by agency employees or any individual who views your commentary, content, or images as defamatory, pornographic, proprietary, harassing, libelous or creating a hostile work environment. What you say or post on your site or what is said or posted on your site by others could potentially be grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination. However, nothing in this social networking policy is designed to interfere with, restrain, or prevent social media communications during nonworking hours by employees engaging in protected concerted activities regarding wages, hours, or other terms and conditions of employment pursuant to the New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act or to prevent communications which are protected by the First Amendment freedom of speech clause, unless such communications are made as part of the employees' official job duties.

Mandatory security awareness training.

All users of the municipal computer network, regardless of their physical working location or the level of access to which they have been assigned, are required to complete in-person and/or online security awareness training courses at least once per annum.

At least one training course per annum shall be accompanied by a proficiency exam, upon which the participant must achieve a passing score. The passing score for each exam shall be determined by the course maintainer at the time of its creation.

Each course shall be scheduled with an official start and end date during which it will be accessible. The end date shall occur not less than 90 days and not more than 180 days from the start date. Both dates must fall within the same calendar year.

New hires who will be granted access to the municipal computer network are required to complete, during the employee onboarding process, the most-recent security awareness training courses that were previously distributed to existing users.

Notification of and instructions for accessing/attending each course shall be distributed by the Human Resources Department and/or the Information Technology Department.

Security awareness training software, course content, and examination material shall be selected and administered by the Information Technology Department.

Course content must incorporate, at a minimum, best practices for safe and secure operation of computer systems and mobile electronics, as well as instruction on how to identify and mitigate security risks; it must be relevant to the Borough's technology landscape and designed for entry-level technology users.

If a participant fails to complete a course with a passing exam score on the first attempt, he or she shall be entitled to retake the same course a second time. If unable to complete the course a second time with a passing score, the participant shall be required to attend remedial training developed and administered by the Information Technology Department. Remedial training shall be scheduled to occur not more than 60 days following the individual's most-recent exam failure. It shall be the responsibility of the exam participant, as well as his or her direct supervisor, to ensure that remedial training is promptly scheduled and attended.

The Information Technology Department shall provide a record of individuals' course completion status and exam results to the Human Resources Department as this information becomes available. Such records shall be considered confidential in nature and must only be shared with those with a need or right to know, particularly those responsible for maintaining personnel files or securing the computer network, and supervisors of any individual employee to whom a particular record is applicable.

(10)

Not more than 30 days following the end date of each course, the Information Technology Department shall notify the Borough Administrator and Assistant Administrator of any security deficiencies which exist due to noncompletion by specific individuals or insufficient examination scores. The Borough Administrator and/or Assistant Administrator shall direct, enforce, and/or execute the appropriate action to correct any reported deficiencies, based upon suggestions and guidance from the Information Technology Manager.

§ 97-104 Use of telephones and personal communications.

Land-line telephones.

Borough telephones are for official business use only during working time. Charges for all other usage, including personal calls and unauthorized use of such devices, must be reimbursed to the Borough. "Working time" shall be defined as any time in which the employee is engaged in or required to be performing work tasks for the Borough, and excludes times when employees are properly not engaged in performing work tasks, including break periods and meal times.

Borough-issued mobile phones/devices.

Borough-issued mobile devices may be issued to certain employees in the course of their employment with the Borough. Such Borough-issued devices are the sole and exclusive property of the Borough and are only to be utilized by employees in the course and scope of their employment during working time (any time in which the employee is engaged in or required to be performing work tasks for the Borough, not to include times when employees are properly not engaged in performing work tasks, including break periods and meal times.) Employees will be charged for costs incurred due to their personal use of such devices. Accordingly, the Borough reserves the right to monitor the use of Borough-issued cell phones without notice, at any time, and any such data collected from the mobile device equipment is the sole and exclusive property of the Borough to be used for any purpose.

Similarly, the Borough reserves the right to review the manner and use of these mobile devices and physically inspect the equipment at any time with or without notice. Accordingly, the employee shall have no reasonable expectation of privacy in any transmissions made or received using a Borough-issued mobile device.

Employees are expected, at all times, to respect the integrity of the Borough-issued mobile devices and to maintain the equipment in proper working condition. If an employee discovers or recognizes that the mobile device is not in proper working condition, it is the employee's responsibility to bring this fact to the attention of his or her supervisor immediately.

Upon termination of employment or in the instance of an upgrade to the employee's phone or service, the employee must return the Borough-issued device to the Borough.

Prohibited use of personal communication devices.

To alleviate distraction and disruption of regular work routines, personal communication devices are strictly prohibited from use during working time (any time in which the employee is engaged in or required to be performing work tasks for the Borough, not to include times when employees are properly not engaged in performing work tasks, including break periods and meal times) while in work areas, except where the Borough has provided such device(s) to employees for business use, or in case of an emergency (such as illness, accident, and calls of a similar emergent nature).

Employees are prohibited from using their personal communication device to copy and/or upload any confidential information (i.e., Social Security numbers, medical and/or HIPAA protected information, dependent information or other information protected from unlawful disclosure).

Employees must make reasonable efforts to obtain supervisor approval prior to making emergency calls during working time.

"Personal communication devices" are defined as, but not limited to, cellular or two-way phones, text-messaging devices, iPhones®, Android®-enabled devices, BlackBerrys® and pagers.

Other personal electronic devices.

Employees are not permitted to utilize electronic devices such as personal laptops, game systems, MP3 players, portable DVD players or any other type of personal entertainment systems while at work.

Violation of this policy may subject an employee to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

§ 97-105 Video surveillance.

The Borough may install video surveillance camera systems within public buildings and throughout public areas within the Borough, primarily as visual deterrents of criminal behavior and for the protection of employees and municipal assets. In implementing these video camera systems, the Borough will ensure compliance with federal, state and local laws governing such usage.

The Borough's video surveillance camera systems are a significant tool to which the employees of the Borough will avail themselves in order to complete the goals and objectives of the Borough. Employees are only permitted to use the video surveillance camera systems for a legitimate purpose and with proper authorization. The Borough's designee will be responsible for authorization of users. The improper use of these systems can result in discipline up to and including termination.

No employee is permitted to view, continually watch, search, copy or otherwise use one of the Borough's video surveillance camera systems or tamper with, access, archive, alter, add to, or make copies of any data that has been recorded and stored within any of these systems without:

A specific legitimate purpose; and

Permission from the designee of the Borough.

The Borough shall designate a person to be responsible for the maintenance and administration of the video surveillance camera system. Such designee will be responsible for maintaining a user access log detailing the date and name of individuals who view/access a stored recording.

Any employee who becomes aware of any unauthorized disclosure of a video record in contravention of this policy and/or a potential privacy breach has the responsibility to ensure that the Borough Administrator is immediately informed of such breach.

§ 97-106 Workforce reduction policy.

The Borough may institute layoff actions for economy, efficiency or other related reasons but will first consider voluntary alternatives. Seniority, lateral or other reemployment rights for employees will be determined subject to the discretion of management and applicable law, as well as subject to any applicable collective bargaining agreements.

§ 97-107 Workplace violence policy.

The Borough of Glassboro will not tolerate workplace violence. Violent acts or threats made by an employee against another person or property are cause for immediate dismissal and will be fully prosecuted. This includes any violence or threats made on Borough property, at Borough events or under other circumstances that may negatively affect the Borough's ability to conduct business.

Prohibited conduct includes:

Causing physical injury to another person;

Making threatening remarks;

Aggressive, hostile, or bullying behavior that creates a reasonable fear of injury to another person or subjects another individual to emotional distress;

Intentionally damaging employer property or property of another employee;

Possession of a weapon while on Borough property or while on Borough business except with the authority of the Police Chief; and

Committing acts motivated by, or related to, sexual harassment or domestic violence.

The following are examples of warning signs, symptoms, and risk factors which may indicate an employee's potential for workplace violence:

Dropping hints about a knowledge of firearms;

Making intimidating statements like: "You know what happened at the Post Office," "I'll get even," or "You haven't heard the last from me";

Possessing reading material with themes of violence, revenge and harassment;

Physical signs of hard breathing, reddening of complexion, menacing stare, loudness, or fast profane speech;

Acting out either verbally or physically;

Disgruntled employee or ex-employee who is excessively bitter;

Being a loner;

Having a romantic obsession with a coworker who does not share that interest;