Employee Relations

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Employee Relations

APPEALS

Permanent employees have the right to appeal to the Civil Service Board/General Personnel Board for any disciplinary action taken against them that results in dismissal, layoff, suspension or demotion.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

The City respects the right of each employee to choose or reject membership in or to be represented by an organization of collective bargaining.

DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS

Since each violation of a department work rule or City directive may differ somewhat from similar situations, each offense/occurrence will be evaluated upon its individual merit.

This rule as outlined herein, is not to be construed as a limitation upon the disciplinary action of the City, but is to be used solely as a guide for disciplinary administrative action.

Consideration will be given to the severity of the violation/offense, the cost involved, the time interval between violations, the service record and the attitude of the employee towards management. Management reserves the right to terminate an employee on the first offense where circumstances warrant it .

The offenses are listed under Group 1, 2 and 3 with Group 3 being the most serious. These listings are not all inclusive of the offenses listed in the City Rules and Regulations.

	Group 1
First Offense	Instruction and Cautioning
Second Offense	Written Reprimand
Third Offense	Written Reprimand
Fourth Offense	Suspension
Fifth Offense	Demotion
Sixth Offense	Dismissal

a.	Absence from duty, without prior permission, except in case of sickness or other cause beyond the control of the employee which prevents obtaining prior approval.
b.	Leaving the working area at any time without permission from the supervisor.
c.	Neglect/carelessness in observance of official safety or departmental rules or disregard of common safety practices.
d.	Malicious mischief, horseplay, wrestling or other undesirable conduct.
e.	Disregarding job duties by neglect of work or reading for pleasure during working hours.
f.	Tardiness.
g.	Failure to begin work at the start of the duty period or leaving work prior to the end of the duty period.
h.	Creating/contributing to unsanitary/unsafe conditions or poor housekeeping.
i.	Use or possession of another employee's working equipment without the employee's consent.
j.	Willful failure to punch in/out if required, to make required time reports, neglect or carelessness in punching in or out.
k.	Stopping work or preparing to leave work without specific prior authorization before the lunch period, break in work or before the specified quitting time.
l.	Distracting attention of others or causing confusion by unnecessary shouting/catcalls/demonstration on the job.
m.	Where the operations are continuous, an employee may not leave his post at the end of his/her scheduled shift until he/she is relieved by his/her supervisor or his/her relieving employee on the incoming shift.

	Group 2
First Offense	Instruction/Written Reprimand
Second Offense	Suspension
Third Offense	Demotion
Fourth Offense	Dismissal

a.	Leaving the job during regular working hours without permission from supervisor.
b.	Sleeping during working hours.
c.	Reporting for work or working while unfit for duty.
d.	Possession of/drinking alcoholic beverages on the job.
e.	The use of abusive or threatening language toward other City employees or the public.
f.	Solicitation within the City employment without permission during working hours.
g.	Failure to report an accident in which the employee was involved.
h.	Unauthorized use of City property for private work or performing private work on City time.
i.	Conduct violating morality or common decency.
j.	Distributing or posting written or printed matter of any description in work areas unless allowed or previously approved for distribution.
k.	Threatening, intimidating, coercing or interfering with other City employees at any time.
l.	The making/publishing of false or malicious statements concerning any employee, the City or its operation.
m.	Failure to report for overtime work without reason.

	Group 3
First Offense	Suspension or Demotion
Second Offense	Dismissal

a.	Wanton or willful neglect in the performance of assigned duties or in the care, use or custody of any City property.
b.	Punching another employee's time card, altering another employee's time card or unauthorized altering of one's own time card.
c.	Falsify testimony when accidents are being investigated or falsifying/assisting in falsifying personnel or records.
d.	Making false claims/misrepresentations in an attempt to obtain benefits or compensation.
e.	Sale of tickets for pools, bookmaking or gambling of a similar serious nature.
f.	To steal or similar conduct, including destroy, damage or conceal City property or an employee's property.
g.	The use of narcotics or the sale of narcotics.
h.	Fighting or attempting injury to another employee.
i.	Carrying/possession of firearms, explosives/weapons on City property, except those authorized by the City.
j.	Knowingly harboring a communicable disease, such as TB, which may endanger other employees.
k.	Conviction of a felony reasonably related to job duties.
l.	Misuse or removal of information without prior written authority from the City.
m.	Instigating, leading, participating in or overtly preparing in any manner of participation in a "strike."
n.	Permitting another to use City identification or using another person's or altering a City identification card.
o.	Commission of an act of dishonesty or dishonest action.
p.	Engaging in unlawful or improper conduct off the City premises or during nonworking hours.
q.	Insubordination.

GRIEVANCES

An employee should first discuss any problem with his or her immediate supervisor. If the problem is not resolved with the supervisor, the employee should discuss the problem with his or her Department Head. Further appeal may be made to the City administration. If the problem is not resolved by the supervisor or the Department Head, the employee may file a grievance through the Employee Grievance Procedure.

Where applicable, a grievance may also be filed under the provisions of collective bargaining agreements. However, the definition and procedure for filing such a grievance may differ considerably from the General employee grievance procedure. If you are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, you should review that agreement if considering a grievance under it.

For more information regarding the City's grievance procedures, contact your immediate supervisor or the Employee Services Manager.

STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

Reasonable standards of conduct applicable to all City employees:

1.	Reporting fraudulent activity is required by Florida law and the City's policy. As an employee of the City, failure to report any fraudulent activity committed by fellow employees or applicants to your immediate supervisor is a violation of these standards.
2.	Reporting for work while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or bringing or consuming alcoholic beverages or drugs on any property of the City is prohibited.
3.	The attempted or actual theft of City or co-worker's property is prohibited.
4.	Gambling of any kind by an employee is forbidden on City premises or any job-related work site during working hours.
5.	Repeated absence/tardiness may result in disciplinary action.
6.	The City does not permit handling of personal business or pursuits while on duty.
7.	The City does not permit habitual carelessness with materials or defective quality of work.
8.	Employees are prohibited from fighting, attempting or threatening bodily injury and/or horseplay.
9.	Employees are expected to follow directions given by supervisors, etc.
10.	A clean, safe environment is the responsibility of each of us. Therefore each employee is expected to comply with health and safety rules.
11.	The City expects every employee to strictly adhere to the City's policy on sexual harassment.
12.	Failure to notify immediate supervisor of absence. If an employee fails to notify his or her supervisor for three (3) consecutive days, he or she will be terminated for job abandonment.
13.	Employees are prohibited from revealing confidential information in department records to unauthorized persons.
14.	Employees are prohibited by Chapter 112, Part III, Florida Statutes, from soliciting or accepting anything of value that would cause them to be influenced in the discharge of their responsibilities.
15.	City office telephones are required for official City business. You are asked to refrain from use of such telephones for personal matters or other unofficial business. In most areas, public coin telephones are available for your use during break, lunch periods or other off-duty times.
16.	Personal mail should not be directed to or in care of the City of Sarasota. Use your home address for such mail so that you may give maximum attention to the services for the City.
An employee who violates these standards, in addition to those listed under the previous section of this booklet, will be subject to disciplinary action. Top of Page

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