Employee Relations Department

1. Employee Relations Department • Training Module

2. Employee Relations Specialist Welcome to J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center. My name is Nina Harding, and I am the Employee Relations Specialist. My role is to serve as liaison between Management and Employees, ensuring everyone’s rights are followed. My Office is located in the Administration Building.Please feel free to contact me anytime you have questions and/or concerns regarding policies and procedures relating to Employee Relations issues. The following slides will give you basic information regarding the Alcohol and Drug-Free Workplace Policy, Disciplinary Action Procedures and Grievance Procedures. Again, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions. Office Phone: 433-2828 Beeper: 438-3078

3. Alcohol and Drug Free Workplace PolicyZero-Tolerance for Alcohol/Drugs or Any Drug Paraphernalia on the Campus • Maintenance of an alcohol and drug free workplace • An Employee under the influence of drugs or alcohol will not be able to efficiently attend to their duties.

4. Alcohol and Drug Free Workplace • An employee convicted of violating any criminal drug or alcohol statute must notify their supervisor no later than five (5) calendar days after such conviction. This includes DWI convictions. Failure to provide notification will result in automatic dismissal.

5. Alcohol and Drug-Free Workplace • Reasonable cause drug testing is testing on the belief that an employee is using or has used alcohol or drugs while attempting to perform their duties. • A conviction of a criminal drug or alcohol statute violation within the past year (includes DWI) establishes reasonable cause for a drug test.

6. Disciplinary Action Guidelines The State’s Disciplinary Policy is a crucial element in the communication process

7. Bases for Discipline • Discipline or dismissal imposed on the basis of unsatisfactory job performance, including grossly inefficient job performance; • Discipline or dismissal imposed on the basis of unacceptable personal conduct.

8. Examples of Unsatisfactory Job Performance • Inability to complete work in a timely manner. • Poor safety practices • Poor work quality • Poor judgement

9. Examples of Unacceptable Personal Conduct • The willful violation of known or written work rules • Abuse of residents • Insubordination • Violation of a criminal statute • Misuse of state property • Violation of DHHS Directive #47 (Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace) • Fighting or instigating a fight in the workplace or other intimidating behavior • Sexual Harassment • Smoking in a non-smoking area • Sleeping on the job • Failing to obtain approval before engaging in secondary employment

10. Internal Investigations • An employee’s refusal to cooperate in a reasonable, administrative investigation will be considered a personal conduct issue and may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

11. Written Warnings • Should include: • Specific issues that are the basis for the warning • Specific improvements or corrections • Timeframe for making required improvements • Consequences for failing to make required improvements • Employee’s appeal rights

12. Written Warning Will Remain Active Until: • The employee’s supervisor notes in the employee’s personnel file that the reason for the action has been resolved or corrected; • The purpose of the performance based action has been achieved as evidenced in the employee’s latest overall performance summary following the action by a summary performance rating of “Good” or better and a rating of “Good” or better in the area of performance cited in the action; • 18 months have passed since the action, the employee does not have another active warning or other disciplinary action which occurred during the 18 months and the employee’s supervisor or manager has not issued to the employee notice of extension of the action prior to the expiration of the 18 months.

13. Removal of Warnings • Is Agency Option • J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center’s Director does not allow written warnings to be removed from personnel files; • they are marked inactive whenever timeframes have occurred or management has made a note in the file that the intent of the warning(s) has been met.

14. Resignation in Lieu of Dismissal • You may resign at any time. • Resignation will change, to some degree, what is released to prospective employers. • Supervisors should never suggest resignation in lieu of dismissal; that is viewed as if it were a dismissal I QUIT !

15. Future Work References/Resignation vs. Dismissal • Resignation changes what is released. • Unless you give us written permission, we can only release public information to anyone outside the DHHS “umbrella”.

16. What is Public Information? • Name • Age • Entry on Duty • Current Position &Title • Current salary and date of most recent change in salary • Date of most recent promotion, transfer, reallocation, disciplinary suspension, demotion or separation, other changes in position classification • Where assigned

17. Health Care Registry • All allegations of resident abuse must be reported to the Health Care Registry. • Health Care Registry will conduct its own investigation • Substantiations will be placed on the registry and health care agencies must not hire these people (nursing homes, institutions like JIRDC, day cares, etc.)

18. Employee Grievance Policy, DHHS Directive III-8 • If you are an employee with a permanent appointment, you may use the grievance policy. • Employees with probationary appointments have limited grievance rights.

19. Grievable Issues • Disciplinary Actions • Written Warnings go to Step #2 • Demotion, Suspension and Dismissal will go to Court of Law if you are a career employee.

20. Grievable Issues, Cont. • Denial of promotion • If you believe you were denied promotion due to management’s failure to post notice of the promotional opportunity or failure to give you priority consideration as required by State law, you may use the grievance procedure.

21. Grievable Issues, Cont. • Allegations of unlawful discrimination • Involuntary separations due to unavailability after leave has been exhausted • Reduction-in-Force separation

22. Issues That Are Not Grievable • Supervisory conferences and counseling sessions • Job and shift assignments within your current classification • Requirements to work overtime • Disapprovals of vacation leave requests

23. Attorney Representation • While you may secure legal assistance at any time, neither the employee or the agency may be represented by counsel until the matter reaches a court of law.

24. Employee Relations Training Module Post-Test Mark Answers in the column to the left of question numbers. • True or False • 1. An employee has five (5) calendar days to report they have a conviction of a criminal drug or alcohol statute violation. • 2. A state employee can only receive disciplinary action if there is just cause. • 3. An employee doesn’t have to cooperate with investigative procedures if they don’t want to “squeal” on their co-workers. • 4. J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center can release information about me to any other employer with or without my permission. • 5. An employee can file a grievance if they are required to work overtime. • 6. Neither the employee nor the agency may be represented by legal counsel until a grievance reaches a court of law.

25. Policy References for J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center Training Module Alcohol and Drug Free Workplace Policy can be found online: Go to JIRDC Webpage; Click on “Support Services”; Click on “Human Resources"; Click on “HR Division”; Click on “Policies”; Click on “HR Policy Manual”; Click on “Alcohol and Drug Free Workplace Policy”. Disciplinary Action Guidelines can be found online: Go to JIRDC Webpage; Click on “Documents and Forms”; Click on “Forms”; Click on “Human Resources”; Click on “Disciplinary Guidelines”. Employee Grievance Policy (DHHS Directive III-8): Follow the procedure outlined above until the last step; Click on “Employee Grievance Policy”. PMS Grievance Policy (DHHS Directive III-9): Follow the procedure outlined above until the last step; Click on “PMS Grievance Policy”. You may print this page for your future reference. You may also contact Nina Harding at 433-2828 for further information and assistance.

26. Certification of Completion of Employee Relations Training ModuleMust be completed no later than the 15th day of the month of Employee’s General Orientation This is to certify that I have completed the Employee Relations Training Module on ___________________________(date). ________________________ Employee’s Signature Employee’s Work Unit: _____________________ Shift: _______ (Return completed packet to your Staff Development Specialist)