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Section V, Page 1 of 26 SECTION V – WORKPLACE POLICIES AUTOMOBILE USAGE POLICY: To establish requirements for employees who drive a personal vehicle or county- owned vehicle during the course of their employment. Procedure Employees who are required to operate an automobile in the course of their employment must possess a valid driver license at all times. A. Personal Vehicle Usage Any employee who uses their personal vehicle is required to have on file with the Finance Department proof of liability insurance coverage of at least $100,000 for bodily injury to each person; $300,000 for all bodily injury; and $50,000 for property damage (100/300/50). Supervisors shall determine which employees meet this requirement and inform the Finance Department of any change in employee status as it relates to this policy. B. County Vehicle Usage Douglas County provides the use of county-owned vehicles to certain employees to conduct county business or report directly to their work from home. Use of county-owned vehicles for personal reasons is prohibited. C. Employee Responsibility Employees are not permitted, under any circumstances, to operate a vehicle for county business, when any physical or mental impairment causes the employee to be unable to drive safely. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, circumstances in which the employee is temporarily unable to operate a vehicle safely or legally because of illness, medication or intoxication. Employees who are unable to operate their vehicle for health reasons must notify their supervisor as soon as possible. It is the expectation that employees who drive a vehicle on county business will exercise due diligence to drive safely and to maintain the security of the vehicle and its contents. Employees are responsible for any driving infractions or fines incurred as a result of their driving. ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 2 of 26 D. County Vehicle Identification All vehicles owned by Douglas County must be identified as a county vehicle by decal with the exception of investigative vehicles. E. Accident Reporting 1. A police report must be completed whenever a vehicle collision occurs. 2. If damage occurs to a county-owned vehicle, a Notice of Occurrence/Claim must be filed with the County Clerk’s Office. 3. If bodily injury occurs, regardless of whether employee seeks medical care, an injury report must be completed by the employee and department manager and filed with the Human Resources Department. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 3 of 26 BULLETIN BOARDS POLICY: To designate a bulletin board allowed for use by employees for posting of communications. Procedure Employees are allowed to post communications on designated employee bulletin boards located in the Courthouse, Government Center and Forestry Department and Highway Department facilities. Postings should be dated and will be removed after four weeks. Douglas County retains ownership of the bulletin board and its contents, and no notices shall be posted which contain material which is libelous, offensive, profane or in any way detrimental to Douglas County. Douglas County may remove any material at any time. All other bulletin boards located in county buildings are for official business only. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 4 of 26 CODE OF ETHICS POLICY: To establish guidelines for ethical standards of conduct for all county employees in accordance with law. Procedure Ordinance #1.25, Douglas County Ethics Ordinance, was enacted on September 18, 2003, under the authority of Section 19.59 of the Wisconsin Statutes, and is incorporated herein by reference to apply to all employees. This ordinance establishes a code of ethics for all county officials, setting out acts or actions which are incompatible with the best interests of the county and requiring certain disclosure of personal and financial interests, in matters affecting the county. Employees may not use their county position to realize private gain, in any form, for the employee, the employee’s immediate family, or an outside organization. Employees may not participate in decisions about hiring, retaining, or promoting, individuals if they have a personal relationship with the applicant/employee that may present a conflict of interest, or be perceived as presenting a conflict of interest. Employees are required to disclose any conflicts of interest/potential conflicts of interest with their supervisor or the Human Resources Department. The county retains the rights to determine whether or not an employee’s actions are in conflict with county interests and Douglas County Ethics Ordinance. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 5 of 26 CREDIT CARD POLICY POLICY: To establish guidelines for issuance of credit cards in the name of Douglas County. Procedure The use of credit cards in the name of Douglas County will be minimized to the extent possible; with credit cards only obtained upon the justification of need. It is not intended that every employee will have a credit card, or that credit cards be used on a widespread basis. A. Authorization Credit cards will be issued to individuals, in the individual’s name, (no departmental credit cards are allowed). Credit cards are to be obtained with no annual fee. Individuals must obtain approval from department head or County Administrator if the employee is a department head. B. Limits Limits on a department manager’s credit card shall be determined based on need, but not to exceed $5,000. Sheriff’s deputies will have a limit of $500, with the exception of the Recreational Officer, who will follow the department manager’s guidelines. C. Purchases Credit cards may only be used for legitimate County business purposes. Care must be taken to ensure that all purchases are made within Wisconsin State Statutes and other applicable County policies. Credit cards may not be used to purchase items that are available through Douglas County’s office supply contract. Personal use of credit cards is prohibited. D. Documentation All credit card bills are to be paid in full to avoid late fees/finance charges. Receipts are required for all purchases. A credit card statement is NOT considered proper documentation. Supporting receipts must be turned into the department as soon as possible after charges have occurred. If late fees/finance charges are incurred because of failure to turn in receipts in a timely manner, the credit card holder shall be held personally responsible for the payment of those fees/finance charges. Credit card holders shall also be held personally responsible for failure to turn in a receipt for a purchase. The County reserves the right to deduct the amount of fees/finance charges or purchase(s) from the employee’s paycheck. ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 6 of 26 E. Responsibilities of Card Holders Credit cards are the responsibility of the holder. All lost or stolen cards must be immediately reported to the department manager and corresponding bank. Upon termination of employment with Douglas County, credit cards must be turned into the department manager. In the case of a department manager terminating employment the credit card shall be turned into the Administrator. F. Responsibilities of Department Policies and procedures must be reviewed with employees obtaining credit cards and a signature and statement obtained from the employee stating that the policies and procedures have been reviewed and understood. Departments are to keep an up-to-date list of current credit card holders. Any credit cards that are turned into the department due to termination or misuse must be immediately destroyed. G. Misuse Failure to follow the established policies and procedures for credit card use may result in card revocation and/or other disciplinary action in accordance with Douglas County’s policies. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 7 of 26 DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROHIBITIONS POLICY: No employee shall report to work or be under the influence of alcohol or drugs during working hours. This policy includes any paid or unpaid lunch periods, as well as training sessions and working hours of conferences. The illegal sale, possession, transfer or purchase of drugs while in the course and scope of employment is also prohibited. Procedure Reference is made to Douglas County’s separate Substance Abuse Policy which is incorporated herein by reference. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 8 of 26 EDUCATIONAL TUITION REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM POLICY: To reimburse tuition costs of employees who attend approved educational classes at a technical or university facility. A. Procedure Employees who attend courses, or enroll in degree or certification programs that directly affect the employee’s knowledge, skills and abilities needed to keep pace with the performance and requirements of the employee’s current position, or a position employee aspires to within the county, may be eligible for tuition reimbursement. B. Participation Requirements Tuition reimbursement is subject to the following: 1. Departmental budget must have sufficient funding. 2. Employee participation is voluntary. 3. Approval of department manager is required prior to attendance and submission of course schedule is required. Classes must be attended on employee’s own time, with the exception of classes only offered during employee’s work schedule. If necessary a flex work schedule may be approved. C. Course Criteria 1. Approved classes or courses of study are limited to those providing knowledge and skills that cannot be acquired through available in-service training and should be pursued locally when possible. 2. Courses must be taken for college credit or meet other criteria approved by the department manager. D. Reimbursement Upon approved enrollment in the program, proof of payment of tuition, and approval of the County Administrator, employees may be reimbursed a percentage of tuition paid for completed courses, as follows: 1. 75% if the course content has a direct affect and will enhance employee’s effectiveness in his/her current position, as well as benefit the department in which the employee is assigned; or ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 9 of 26 2. 66% if the course content would enable the employee to acquire the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties required of a position employee aspires to within the county. 3. Books and other expenses are not reimbursable. 4. Reimbursement is capped at 50% of the prevailing IRS cap in any calendar year, per employee. 5. Reimbursements will only be paid following evidence of attaining a grade of or higher, status as a student in good standing with the respective institution. 6. Employees requesting reimbursement will be required to sign a promissory note authorizing the county to deduct reimbursements received from their final paycheck if they voluntarily separate from service (for non-medical reasons) within three years following receipt of reimbursement. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 10 of 26 ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION POLICY: To establish guidelines for use of electronic communication systems and/or equipment (including, but not limited to telephones/voicemail, fax machines, computer applications, e-mail, electronic calendars, internal network, Internet, social media, or any other device used to access or monitor any of these services). A. General Guidelines All communication created, sent, received, or stored in Douglas County systems and/or equipment are the property of Douglas County and are subject to Wisconsin Open Records Law and open to disclosure under the provisions of that law. Douglas County reserves the right to monitor systems and/or equipment with or without notice and will have the right to access all information to which an employee has gained access. All communication via the network and Internet should be consistent with the public service mission or image of Douglas County. Each user is responsible for the appropriateness and content of material he/she transmits or publishes on the network or Internet. Any personal use of county communication systems and/or equipment should be limited, should never interrupt county business, and should occur during non-work time, unless extenuating circumstances arise. Use of county communication systems and/or equipment for union business is prohibited, with the exception of transmitting union meeting notices. County communication systems and/or equipment should not be used by employees to engage in any illegal activities or any other inappropriate use, or for any use which is in violation of any federal, state, or local laws, or other county policies. County communication systems/equipment may not be used to create any offensive or disruptive messages or documents. All employees have a duty to report any discovered or suspected unauthorized or improper use of county communication systems/equipment. B. Security/Data Storage Employee user accounts and passwords will be required for employees to access certain communication systems. Employees are responsible for protecting their user accounts from unauthorized use and passwords are to be kept private, except when requested by a department manager. Computer and telephone systems are administered through Information Services and assistance with security issues should be directed to that department. Information Services is responsible for disaster recovery and back-up of all primary county systems. Individual departments are responsible for protection of all data and information maintained at individual workstations or local servers. Periodic back-ups are strongly encouraged. Employees may not modify, delete or destroy any county document unless specifically authorized to do so. ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 11 of 26 C. Specific Guidelines 1. Cell Phones Employees are assigned county-owned cell phones and accessories at the discretion of the department manager. Incidental personal use is allowed, subject to reimbursement to the county for any personal charges incurred. County-owned cell phones and accessories must be returned to the Finance Department upon an employee’s separation from employment. All cell phone purchases and plans must be coordinated with the Information Systems and Finance Departments, in order to achieve optimum discounts from providers. Use of cell phones when driving is strongly discouraged and may be subject to stricter department policy. Texting while driving is prohibited. Use of personal cell phones during county-paid time should be limited. Departments may restrict the carrying or use of personal cell phones by staff as deemed appropriate for the department working conditions in the judgment of the department manager. 2. Social Media Social media platforms shall be limited to business use during working hours. Employees who utilize social media as part of their job should abide by departmental policies regarding such use. Employees who have personal social media sites should ensure these sites are personal in nature and used to share personal opinions or non-work related information, and do no harm to Douglas County. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 12 of 26 EMPLOYEE IDENTIFICATION CARDS POLICY: To issue identification cards to Douglas County employees and establish procedure for obtaining, wearing and replacing identification cards. Procedure Identification cards will be issued to all regular county employees. Employees are expected to wear the card appropriately, in a visible location, at all times while working. Identification cards are specifically used to identify employees, with some cards also utilized for building access. Issuance of new or replacement cards should be coordinated through the Human Resources Department. Cards will be replaced at no cost to the employee after usual wear and tear, or if there is a change of information on the card (name or department). A fee of $25.00 will be charged to the employee for lost or damaged cards that need to be replaced. Lost or stolen identification cards should be reported immediately to the Human Resources Department. Identification cards must be turned in to the department manager upon an employee’s separation from employment. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 13 of 26 EMERGENCY CONDITIONS POLICY: To notify employees of emergency conditions that may require the closing of a work site, reassignment of staff to alternative work sites or other emergency measures. A. INCLEMENT WEATHER Weather conditions affecting the ability to commute will generally not be considered a reason for closing a county facility. Employees who do not report to work, or decide to leave work before the end of their work day due to weather, shall be given the choice to use unpaid leave or accrued paid leave time, with the exception of sick leave, to cover the absence. B. OTHER EMERGENCY CONDITIONS In consultation with local emergency management, health and/or public safety authorities, the County Administrator may decide to close a county facility or work site, or take other measures in order to safeguard the health and welfare of employees and the public and/or because a situation exists affecting the ability of employees to perform their job. Examples of emergency conditions might include a power outage, a natural disaster, or a quarantine imposed by health officials. C. EMERGENCY CONDITIONS DECLARED If an emergency condition exists which requires the closing of a county facility or work site, or impacts county infrastructure, and/or has a broader impact to the public, the County Administrator or his/her designee, shall attempt to notify employees and the public as soon as possible thereafter via local media, the Douglas County website, and dedicated employee information phone line ([PHONE REDACTED]). D. DUTIES OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES DURING EMERGENCY CONDITION During an emergency condition, all Douglas County employees are expected to report to their normal work site. When an emergency condition requires the closing of a work site, employees will be notified of the location of an alternative work site to which they must report. Douglas County employees may be required to assist in emergency operations. Employees may be assigned non-traditional duties within their skill level. The county may have to provide emergency transportation to and from a work site. Failure to comply without good cause may result in disciplinary action. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 14 of 26 OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT POLICY: To allow employees to hold secondary jobs, subject to certain restrictions as outlined below. A. CONFLICT OF INTEREST Employee activities away from the job must not compromise Douglas County’s interests or adversely affect an employee’s job performance and/or ability to fulfill all responsibilities to Douglas County. Employees are prohibited from engaging in any activity that competes with Douglas County or compromises its interests. This prohibition includes performing any services for customers on nonworking time that are normally performed by county personnel, the unauthorized use of any county tools or equipment, and the unauthorized use or application of any confidential trade information or techniques. In addition, employees are not to conduct any outside business during paid working time. B. JOB PERFORMANCE Employees are cautioned to consider carefully the demands that additional work activity will create before seeking or accepting outside employment. Outside employment will not be considered an excuse for poor job performance, absenteeism, tardiness, leaving early, refusal to travel, or refusal to work overtime or different hours. If outside work activity does cause or contribute to job related problems, normal disciplinary procedures will be followed to deal with the specific problems. C. BENEFITS Employees who have accepted outside employment are not eligible for paid sick leave or allowed to request unpaid personal time off when the absence is used to work on the outside job. Employees will not be paid sick leave if the result of an injury or illness is sustained on the second job. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 15 of 26 PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS POLICY: To provide for periodic review of work performance. Procedure Review of employee work performance is normally conducted on an annual and as-needed basis. If an employee believes that a performance review is desired and/or past due, the employee should discuss the matter with his/her immediate supervisor or the Human Resources Department. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 16 of 26 PERSONNEL FILES POLICY: To allow reasonable access to personnel records, as authorized by law and regulations, with strict adherence to confidentiality requirements. Procedure Personnel files are maintained under a secure system, with limited access to authorized employees. Employees, and other authorized viewers of records, shall have the authority to review and copy, but not remove or alter, personnel records. If an employee disagrees with any information in his/her personnel file, the employee may submit a written statement explaining his/her position which shall be included in the file. A. File Information The following files are established for each employee: 1. Official Employee Personnel File is maintained in the Human Resources Department. This file can be accessed by employee and appropriate county staff. 2. Employee Medical/Occupational Health File is maintained in the Human Resources Department. This file is not a public record for release under Wisconsin law and is protected under the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Access to these files is restricted to Administration/Human Resources Department staff. 3. Employee Payroll/Benefit File is maintained in the Finance Department. This file can be accessed by employee and appropriate county staff. The Human Resources Department may allow other individuals/agencies to review or request copies of an employee’s personnel records upon receipt of a signed authorization from the employee. B. Review of Personnel Files Upon request, Douglas County shall allow an employee to review his/her personnel records, in the presence of a Human Resources Department representative, no more than two times in a calendar year. Reasonable notice must be given by employee and a photo copy fee may be assessed if employee requests copies of records. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 17 of 26 POLITICAL ACTIVITIES POLICY: To ensure that employees only engage in political activities outside of work hours and do not use county resources for these activities, pursuant to state law. Procedure Employees may not participate in political activities in any government building during work hours, or use county resources for political activities. Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to, soliciting of volunteers, signatures for nomination papers, and campaign contributions. County resources include, but are not limited to, offices, telephones or e-mails, facsimile and photocopying machines, bulletin boards and other public spaces. Employees should notify the County Administrator of any violation of this policy. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 18 of 26 PRIVACY IN LOCKER ROOMS POLICY: To protect the privacy interests of all employees and visitors utilizing any Douglas County locker room, with employee responsibility for ensuring that visitors are aware of this policy. General Rules: 1. No person may use any recording device in a county locker room. “Recording device” means a camera, video recorder, or any other devices that may be used to record or transfer images. 2. No person may use a cell phone or other recording device to capture, record, or transfer a representation of a nude or partially nude person in a locker room. 3. Failure to comply with this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 19 of 26 REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES POLICY: To establish guidelines for employees to receive payment for work-related expenses they have incurred. Procedure Douglas County will reimburse employees for expenses incurred while traveling on county business, or for work-related expenses incurred during their course of employment. Employees are to use discretion in incurring expenses and are to utilize the county’s tax-exempt status when incurring expenses in the State of Wisconsin. Tax-exempt cards can be obtained at the County Clerk’s Office. Detailed receipts must be submitted for any expense over $5.00. A credit card statement or blanket charges from a hotel statement are not considered proper documentation. Failure to submit detailed receipts or provide proper documentation may result in a delay of reimbursement to the employee. Any expenses deemed unreasonable relative to the circumstances will not be paid or reimbursed and are the responsibility of the employee. A. Travel All work-related travel must have prior approval by the department manager and, if the travel is outside the States of Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Illinois, by the County Administrator. 1. Mileage a. Employees shall receive mileage reimbursement at the rate set by the Internal Revenue Service. In addition, employees may claim reimbursement for parking fees and tolls incurred. b. Employees are encouraged to car pool or use rental vehicles whenever possible. c. Commuting expenses between an employee’s home and normal place of employment are not reimbursable. ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 20 of 26 2. Lodging Actual expenses for lodging will be reimbursed provided the charge is reasonable. 3. Meals a. Maximum reimbursable rate for meals is: Breakfast $7.00 Lunch 9.00 Dinner 18.00 Allowable expenses for meals includes gratuity. Alcoholic beverages are not reimbursable. b. If overnight stay is required and employee has expenses for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the employee may exceed the maximum set for any one meal; however, the total reimbursement rate shall not exceed $34.00. c. Per IRS Code 62 reimbursement for meals not in conjunction with an overnight stay is fully taxable to the employee; meals included in registration fees are exempt. d. No meal reimbursement can be made through a petty cash account. 4. Reimbursement To receive reimbursement, employees must complete appropriate reimbursement form provided by the Finance Department, attaching required supporting documentation. B. Other Other work-related expenses incurred by employees may be submitted for reimbursement upon submission of proper documentation. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 21 of 26 SMOKE-FREE WORKPLACE POLICY: To establish a smoke-free working environment for the health and safety of county employees. Procedure Reference is made to Douglas County Ordinance #1.16, Smoking Policy, which is incorporated herein by reference. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 22 of 26 TRAINING, CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS POLICY: To encourage employees to seek educational opportunities to improve and enhance their current skills and abilities that apply directly to their area of work in order to better perform their job duties and prepare the individual employee for job promotions within the County structure. Procedure Employees must receive approval from their immediate supervisor or department manager, in order to attend any training, conference or seminar. Any training, conference or seminar requiring travel beyond Wisconsin, Minnesota or Illinois also requires approval by the County Administrator. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 23 of 26 WEAPON POLICY POLICY: To prohibit employees from carrying or possessing a concealed weapon (or a weapon that is not concealed) in the course (or during any part) of their employment. Procedure Reference is made to Ordinance #4.14, Prohibition of Weapons in County Buildings, which is incorporated herein by reference. Employees are prohibited from carrying or possessing a weapon while operating or being a passenger in any county-owned or leased motor vehicle. An employee, who is licensed to carry a concealed weapon, is not prohibited from properly storing a weapon or ammunition in a secure area of his or her vehicle, during hours of employment. This policy does not apply to law enforcement officers and others acting in their official capacity and with lawful authority, as identified in Ordinance #4.14. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 24 of 26 WORKPLACE SAFETY/ON-THE-JOB INJURY POLICY: To establish process for reporting of safety issues and injuries, and process for employees receiving worker’s compensation benefits. A. Safety Issues Employee must report all safety incidents or issues to his/her immediate supervisor, including events that are witnessed. See Section VI, Grievance Procedure. B. Injuries Employee must immediately report all injuries, including witnessed injuries, and illnesses due to work-related exposure, to his/her supervisor or department manager. Employee should seek medical attention if necessary. Regardless of whether employee requires medical treatment or suffers lost time away from work, the appropriate forms need to be completed by employee and immediate supervisor or department manager and submitted to the Human Resources Department. Non-submission, or delays in submitting the forms, could jeopardize compensation benefits, if applicable. C. Worker’s Compensation Employees are covered by worker’s compensation insurance in accordance with state law. Worker’s compensation provides payment to employees injured at work to replace lost income. It also provides payment of medical bills and related expenses. Douglas County’s Worker’s Compensation Third-Party Administrator determines worker’s compensation eligibility. Calculation of wages is determined by state guidelines. If the employee is eligible for wage continuation they may supplement their worker’s compensation benefit check to equal to 100% of their regular gross salary. This supplemental payment shall be charged against the employee’s accumulated sick leave and shall be paid only to the extent of eligible sick leave. It is the responsibility of the employee to notify the Worker’s Compensation Administrator (Human Resources Department) if the employee elects this supplement. The Worker’s Compensation Administrator will contact the Third-Party Administrator to coordinate the actual payment amounts to the injured employee for each payroll. Time cards need to be submitted to the Finance Department during the period an employee is receiving worker’s compensation benefits. ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 25 of 26 D. Continuation of Benefits/Insurance Benefits continue to accrue while an employee is away from work receiving worker’s compensation benefits. Worker’s compensation payments are reported as wages for purposes of retirement. Employee is responsible for: a. Payment of his/her contribution to health/dental insurance premiums. b. Payment of his/her portion of Wisconsin Retirement. E. Early Return to Work Program Douglas County supports an Early Return to Work Program (ERTW). This program allows employees to return to work with temporary restrictions during the healing process for work- related injuries or illnesses. The Human Resources Department and Risk Manager will administer the program. Employees may be assigned light or modified duties within the employee’s normal job, or duties within another department that are within a physician’s recommended restrictions. Departments should identify duties or assignments that would qualify for employees participating in this program. Employee’s regular wages during participation in this program are paid by the department at injury. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012 ---PAGE BREAK--- Section V, Page 26 of 26 WORKPLACE VIOLENCE POLICY: To provide a work environment that is free from violence. Any acts or threatened acts of violence will not be tolerated. A. Definition Workplace violence is any act or threat (either verbal or implied) of physical violence which involves or affects Douglas County employees or which occurs on Douglas County property. B. Reporting An employee who believes that he/she has been the subject, or has been a witness of workplace violence, should immediately report the matter to his/her immediate supervisor or to the Human Resources Department. Nothing in this policy alters any other reporting obligation established by Douglas County policies, or in federal, state, or applicable law. C. Investigation All reports of workplace violence will be investigated and employees are expected to cooperate with any investigation. The identity of the individual making a report will be protected as much as is practical. To maintain workplace safety, Douglas County may suspend employees pending the investigation. Employees who fail to cooperate with an investigation or who give false information will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Passed by County Board, Resolution#4-12; January 19, 2012