The Town Manager and each department head are
responsible for ensuring adherence to these rules and applicable work
rules established for the Town or each department and for ensuring
that reasonable standards of work quality and personal conduct are
met. To ensure that these ends are met, the Town Manager and each
department head are authorized to take disciplinary measures and to
delegate that authority to supervisory personnel. However, the Town
Manager and each department head shall not delegate their authority
to suspend, and only the Town Manager shall have the authority to
dismiss from service.
[Added 6-7-2005; amended 1-9-2006]
A. The employees of the Town shall not solicit or accept
gratuities, favors, entertainment, or gifts from anyone with a business
association with the Town. This includes contractors, suppliers of
equipment and services and individuals or groups with pending applications
before any Town authority. In addition to any penalties which may
be provided by law, any employee violating this policy will be subject
to appropriate disciplinary action.
B. Acceptance of nominal gifts, such as food and refreshments,
pens, note pads, calendars, or other items of nominal intrinsic value
accepted in the ordinary course of business meetings, or in keeping
with special occasions, such as marriage, retirement and holidays,
is permitted.
The following measures are the type of disciplinary
action available. Discipline is intended to be progressive; however,
these actions need not be applied in sequence depending on the infraction
and the employee's personnel record.
A. Verbal reprimand: usually utilized for minor infractions
to correct a situation before it becomes more serious.
B. Written reprimand: usually utilized for infractions
more serious than a verbal reprimand or for continuation of behavior
previously disciplined by the verbal reprimand or for behavior which,
in combination with the employee's personnel record, warrants discipline
beyond the level of verbal reprimand.
C. Suspension: usually utilized for infractions more
serious than a written reprimand or for continuation of a behavior
which, in combination with the employee's personnel record, warrants
discipline beyond the level of written reprimand.
D. Dismissal: usually utilized for infractions more serious
than a suspension or for continuation of behavior previously disciplined
by a suspension or for behavior which, in combination with the employee's
personnel record, warrants discipline beyond the level of a suspension.
(1) With the exception of the Town Manager and Town Attorney,
no employee shall be dismissed from service without first being given
a hearing by the Town Manager. The employee shall be notified of the
hearing at least 10 calendar days in advance of the hearing and be
furnished with copies of all evidence that pertains to his/her dismissal.
Pending the hearing, the Town reserves the right to suspend an employee
either with or without pay.
(2) The Town Manager and Town Attorney shall be removed
only in accordance with the Town Charter and state statutes governing
the same.
Disciplinary action shall require that a written
record be established and placed in the employee's file. A copy shall
be provided to the employee. The content of the record shall contain
the following minimum information:
A. The name of the employee.
B. The name of the official taking the action.
C. The date the action is taken.
D. The nature of the infraction and when and where it
occurred, plus any other pertinent information.
E. If it is a repeated action, indicate if there is a
second still on file.
F. Set forth the behavior change expected and time frame
if the employee is not being dismissed from service.
G. Identify the type of disciplinary action being taken
and why it is being taken.
H. If review of employee's progress is called for, set
forth a date and time for such a review.
I. The signature of the person taking the action.
J. Notification to the employee of his/her right to appeal the disciplinary action under the grievance procedure, Article
XVII of this chapter.
K. The signature of the employee acknowledging that he
has received a copy of the disciplinary action.
An employee who feels that he has been disciplined unfairly shall have the right to appeal the disciplinary action under the grievance procedures of Article
XVII.