300 Policies

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to create and maintain a safe, drug-free work environment for Dodge County employees, safeguard the County’s and employee property, and ensure County operations are conducted safely and efficiently.

II. POLICY

Employees are forbidden to use or possess alcohol or illegal drugs at any time during the work day or anywhere on Dodge County property. Employees are forbidden to engage in any sale or transaction involving illegal drugs on County property. Employees violating this policy will be subject to immediate discipline.

Any sale of illegal drugs during the workday or on County property will result in immediate discharge. Employees under the influence of alcohol or drugs on the job will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Employees who must use a prescription drug that causes adverse side effects which effects their ability to perform assigned work should inform their supervisor that they are taking such medication, what the side effects are and if requested produce a copy of the original prescription.

If the side effect of the prescription drug interferes with the employee's ability to perform assigned work, the employee may be required to use available paid time off.

III. STANDARDS

A. PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTING

All candidates who have received a written offer of employment are required to pass a Pre-employment Drug Test. Candidates must advise the testing lab of all prescription drugs taken in the past month before the test and be prepared to show proof of such prescriptions to testing lab personnel. All testing will be conducted by a licensed independent medical laboratory, which will follow testing standards in accordance with state law.

Testing will be conducted on a urine sample provided by the candidate to the testing laboratory under procedures established by the laboratory to ensure privacy of the employee, while protecting against tampering/alteration of the test results. All records concerning test results will be kept in medical files that are maintained separately from Dodge County personnel files.

Candidates who refuse to submit to a drug test or who fail to show up for a drug test within 24 hours of a conditional offer of employment will no longer be considered for employment, and any offer of employment will be rescinded.

B. REASONABLE SUSPICION

Employees who appear to be in an impaired condition on the job may be asked by their supervisor to submit to a test to determine whether they are under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs. Any refusal to submit to a test will be treated as insubordination and will be subject to discipline.

C. OTHER

Based on an assessment by the department head or designee, a drug test may be required in the including but not limited to the following situations: moving violations resulting in citation, incident causing significant property damage, and incident involving a fatality. Employees of the Highway Department are subject to drug testing in accordance to Department of Transportation (DOT) guidelines. The Sheriff’s Office is subject to drug and alcohol testing according to Dodge County Sheriff’s Office Policy #1005 – Drug-and Alcohol-Free Workplace.

IV. PROCEDURE

A. PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTING

Upon receipt of a conditional offer of employment, candidates must complete required drug testing by reporting to Human Resources within 24 hours and then to the testing site within two (2) hours.

B. REASONABLE SUSPICION

Employees are subject to testing based on, but not limited to, observations of apparent workplace use, possession or impairment by at least two (2) members of management before sending an employee for testing. Two (2) observers must independently use the reasonable suspicion observation checklist to document specific observations and behaviors that create a reasonable suspicion that an employee is under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol. Under no circumstances will the employee be allowed to drive himself or herself to the testing facility. Refusal by an employee will be treated as a positive drug test result and will result in immediate termination of employment.

V. GUIDELINES

Left blank for future document(s)

The County requires all employees to present a professional image to the public and clients. Accordingly, each employee is required to maintain appropriate standards of dress, grooming and hygiene while on duty or conducting County business. Employees will also display a positive customer service attitude and maintain a pleasant disposition.

Clothing is to be neat, clean, in good repair and appropriate to the nature of their position.

Examples of appropriate clothing may include:

• Dress pants, capri pants, dresses and skirts
• Colored denim and corduroy pants and skirts, blue jean skirts and jumpers
• Blouses, long and short sleeve dress shirts, ties, knit tops, knit shirts, polo/collared shirts
• Sweaters, vests, jackets or blazers, suits
• Dress shoes/boots, dress sandals, athletic shoes

Examples of clothing not appropriate include, but are not limited to:

• Soiled, torn or ripped clothing
• Blue jeans (except for those in maintenance or doing outside work), culottes, shorts, skorts, sweatpants or workout attire
• T-shirts, halter, crop, or tank tops, thin strapped tops and other backless and/or low-cut apparel (unless a sweater or short sleeve shirt is worn over at all times)
• Sweatshirts (except in positions where appropriate), sports jerseys
• Dresses or skirts more than three (3) inches above the knee
• Sheer clothing or clothing that is otherwise revealing, distracting, or provocative
• Pants or skirts worn below the waistline
• Clothing, t-shirts, or pins with language or pictures that are considered offensive or inappropriate (i.e. sexually suggestive, advertising alcohol or tobacco products, promoting advertising firms and/or contractors that do business with the County)
• Beach type sandals/shoes (flip flops, plastic/foam/mesh shoes)

While the County observes a business casual dress environment, there may be situations requiring more formal attire. If you are conducting or attending meetings, seminars, etc. where you come in contact with other business professionals, you are expected to represent the County in a professional manner and dress appropriately for conducting such business.

Because of the varying work situations in County employment, some departments may, out of necessity, provide dress/grooming rules that are different or more stringent than those listed in this policy.

It is the responsibility of each employee to assure that s/he abides by not only the rules listed herein, but also is in compliance with any departmental rules.

The Sheriff’s Department, Highway Department and Clearview Long-term Care and Rehabilitation have separate and distinct personal appearance policies which must be followed by certain employees of those departments.

All employees who may be required to appear in court, regardless of whether the appearance was scheduled in advance, must comply with the dress code established by the court.

Employees who are issued uniforms (i.e., maintenance employees) must wear the assigned uniform and must return all uniform items when they leave Dodge County employment.

Employees who perform field inspection work may be allowed to wear shirts and/or jeans that would otherwise not be approved when they are performing such work. These employees must have field clothing available at work at all times in the event it is necessary to perform field work on a day that no such work was anticipated.

Hair, beards, and mustaches are to be clean, trimmed, and well-groomed.

Colognes, after-shave lotions, perfumes, accessories and cosmetics should be worn with consideration for a professional image and the comfort of co-workers. Strong scents should be avoided because coworkers or individual citizens might be offended or allergic to these scents. Visible body jewelry, such as used for nose, lip, eyebrow, cheek and tongue piercings, is allowed if it is no greater than 1/16” in diameter. Body jewelry larger than 1/16” in diameter must be covered if worn while working or whenever representing Dodge County.

Earrings must be conservative in nature and not pose a safety risk.

All body tattoos must be covered to the extent possible, however small tattoos (i.e., ankle tattoos) that are not likely to be considered offensive may be allowed at the Department Head’s discretion.

Employees who appear for work inappropriately dressed will be sent home and directed to return to work in proper attire. Under such circumstances, employees will not be compensated for the time away from work.

The same will apply to employees exhibiting unacceptable oral or physical hygiene. Employees who violate dress code standards may also be subject to disciplinary action.

Casual Dress Days

Casual dress days may be authorized by the County Administrator and may have certain requirements. Department Heads will determine whether employees of a particular department will be allowed to participate in casual dress days. If a department is participating in a casual dress day, the department will display a sign indicating an employee casual day is being observed, so that the public will be aware of the reason for the casual attire worn by employees that day.

The following will apply on casual dress days:

• Blue jeans that are not torn, frayed, worn, faded, or patched may be allowed on casual dress days.
• Sweatshirts and sports jerseys may be allowed on casual days
• All other items deemed inappropriate above are also inappropriate for casual days
• Employees who are required to wear uniforms or employees required to appear in court may not be able to dress in casual attire

Department heads and supervisors are responsible for communicating and enforcing this policy within their department.

All employees, except those holding the position of Highway Commissioner, Assistant Highway Commissioner, Office Manager and Account Clerk II, are required to have in their possession a valid Wisconsin Commercial Drivers License, Class A. Employees who held a Class B license at the time of the ratification of the 2005-2007 labor agreement are grandfathered from the requirement of having a Class A license.

Employees who hold an “N’ endorsement for tank vehicle operation must maintain that endorsement, All newly hired employees are required to obtain an “N” endorsement prior to hire.

Disqualification from holding a CDL

The provisions of this section apply to employees who are disqualified from holding a CDL under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation regulations.

This section does not apply to employees who are disqualified from holding a CDL for a work-related CDL disqualification, a positive alcohol and/or drug test result under the Federal Drug & Alcohol Testing Regulations or any illegal acts referenced in the CDL major offense regulations, including but not limited to, the use of illegal controlled substances. Permanent disqualification from holding a CDL will result in termination of employment.

a. If an employee is in one of the following classifications at the time he/she loses his/her CDL, that employee’s employment will continue for up to fifteen (15) months without the CDL, provided the employee continues to meet the minimal qualifications for the position and reobtains his/her CDL as soon as possible:

• Foreman
• Engineering Technician I, II, III, IV, V and VI
• Mechanic
• Welder
• Excavator Operator
• Equipment Operator
• Roller Operator
• Inventory Clerk Stock Clerk

b. No more than two (2) employees may qualify for the accommodation provided in paragraph (a) above at any one time, however this number may be waived by the Highway Commissioner. If more than two (2) employees need an accommodation at any one time, the Highway Commissioner has the sole discretion to decide whether to provide an accommodation or terminate the employment of the most recently effected employee.

c. If an employee is in a classification that is not listed in (a) above at the time he/she loses his/her CDL, that employee will be reclassified as a Utility II operator for a period of up to fifteen (15) months, and will receive Utility II pay. The provision in Policy #127 – Wages regarding out-of-classification pay will not apply for that employee while holding the Utility II classification. The County will assign work to the employee which does not require a CDL. The determination of work availability for an employee who has lost his/her CDL and the specific work to be assigned is a matter within the exclusive authority of the superintendent. If it is not possible to assign non-CDL work to the employee, the employee will be placed on an unpaid leave of absence until work becomes available or the expiration of the fifteen (15) month period, whichever occurs first.

d. The position formerly held by the employee described in (c) above may be permanently filled at the discretion of management.

e. No more than two (2) employees are eligible for the accommodation described in paragraph (c) at one time, however this number may be waived by the Highway Commissioner. If more than two (2) employees need an accommodation at any one time, the Highway Commissioner has the sole discretion to decide whether to provide an accommodation or terminate the employment of the most recently effected employee.

f. All employees who are required to have a valid CDL have an affirmative duty to report any offenses, tickets, or violations they receive to the Highway Commissioner, or the Commissioner’s designated representative, as soon as possible if it could result in disqualification of the employee’s CDL. Failure to report violations on a timely basis will make the employee ineligible for the provisions of this policy, and may result in discipline up to and including discharge.

g. Employees who are placed on a leave of absence under the provisions of this policy understand that the loss of their CDL may result in their being ineligible for unemployment during the period of unpaid leave of absence.

I. PURPOSE

This policy governs the use of Dodge County's computers and information systems (hereinafter referred to as "computer network") by its employees. Dodge County encourages staff to use information technology to its fullest potential in order to provide services of the highest quality to Dodge County residents or customers, enhance services, and to promote staff development.

The guidelines and prohibitions established in this policy are meant to protect Dodge County's computer equipment, software and data from damage caused by the unauthorized use of the Dodge County computer network by Dodge County employees or unauthorized access by third parties to the network. This policy is also intended to protect Dodge County employees from harm that may result from the improper use of Dodge County's computer network by other Dodge County employees or unauthorized third parties.

Nothing in this policy shall be construed or interpreted as restricting protected speech. Employees are encouraged to contact the County Administrator or Human Resources Department with questions concerning prohibited speech under this policy.

II. POLICY

A. In accordance with this policy, the Information Technology (IT) Department will be responsible for:

1. Administering and maintaining the various servers and workstations that connect to the Dodge County network
2. Establishing disaster back-up procedures for storing Dodge County data from the Dodge County network and servers;
3. Installing and maintaining anti-virus/malware software, encryption on servers and workstations, including a "firewall" between County servers and Internet connections;
4. Providing each authorized user on the Dodge County network authentication with a user identification (User ID) and unique password providing access for each user to resources available on the network;
5. Procuring new hardware and software to meet Dodge County's current and future network needs; and
6. Monitoring and maintaining a record of all communications, software applications on the Dodge County computer network and Internet use in order to assess the productivity and to identify and report any abuses to the appropriate authority.

B. Software

The Dodge County Information Technology Department has the exclusive right to install all software used on Dodge County's computer network and workstations. The installation of any software on Dodge County's computer network and workstations during work time or personal time without the express approval of the employee's Department Head and the IT department is prohibited, and may subject the employee to discipline. Dodge County will remove all unauthorized software from its servers or workstations. Dodge County will monitor software use by Dodge County employees for licensing purposes and to protect against viruses, and other unauthorized use of Dodge County's servers or workstations by third parties.

C. Data

1. All data, whether on a server a workstation, USB device or other media source is the sole property of Dodge County. It is against Dodge County policy for a Dodge County employee to purposely delete or modify the work product of another Dodge County employee without the consent of the employee that created the work product, or that employee's supervisor. For the purposes of this policy, work product means any compilation of data, analyses, reports or correspondence selected, coordinated, or arranged by an employee.
2. Transferring Dodge County data to a non-Dodge County device is prohibited. Employees will not transfer Dodge County data for use on their home computers or personal cell phones.
3. All data on Dodge County's computer network is confidential. The release of such Dodge County data to third parties will be governed by applicable laws and regulations, and policies adopted by Dodge County concerning the release of County data.

D. Security

1. The IT department will provide each employee with unique user identification (User ID) and associated password to gain access to the Dodge County computer network. Authorized users of the Dodge County network will also be required to enter a password to gain access to their individual and shared areas on the network servers and other information resources located on the network.
2. Dodge County employees will be responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their user ID's and passwords. Dodge County employees are required to change their passwords every 90 days. Dodge County employees will immediately notify the IT Department if they believe that unauthorized users have gained access to or obtained their User ID or password information to gain access to their user area or Dodge County's network.
3. If the IT Department believes that the security system of the Dodge County computer network has been compromised by an unauthorized user, IT will take appropriate action to disable the User ID and passwords of users, workstations or other access points to the system that may be involved. The IT Department will revoke an employee's User ID access to the Dodge County computer network upon termination of employment at Dodge County or at any time based on information indicating the employee has engaged in conduct that could disrupt, interfere or expose the network to damage or to unauthorized use. It is the responsibility of the supervisor of a terminated employee to notify IT to revoke the terminated employee's password.

E. Prevention of Computer Viruses

1. Computer viruses, malware and other debilitating programs present a major threat to the integrity of Dodge County's information systems. Viruses/malware are programs that infiltrate a computing environment and disrupt or damage computers, networks, program applications and data. To prevent such problems from occurring on Dodge County's computer network, the Information Technology Department will install antivirus/malware software on servers and workstations. IT shall scan servers and workstations on a regular basis to detect, counteract and remove computer viruses/malware.
2. All media sources will be presumed to have viruses. Therefore, whenever possible, the virus software will automatically scan every file accessed by a user.

F. Monitoring Communications and Software Use

All communications and data on the Dodge County computer network may be public records subject to disclosure under the state Open Records Law, with certain exceptions. All communications on and uses of Dodge County's network or applications of any software program installed in a workstation or server during work or personal time may be monitored from time to time by the IT department. Dodge County employees should be aware that any such communications and other uses of the network are not private and that Dodge County reserves the right and may exercise the right to review, audit, intercept and disclose all messages on the Dodge County network at any time with or without prior notice to the employee.

G. Data Storage

1. IT will be responsible for maintaining all data on the Dodge County computer network in a manner that will allow users to readily access files and other information on the network. IT will further establish procedures or protocols governing the deletion and retention of all data on the network.
2. The IT Department will be responsible for disaster recovery and back up of all data on the Dodge County network. Users who save data locally are doing so at their own risk. All data should be saved to network drives. H. E-mail 1. With the passing of the Telecommunications Act, February 1996, it is unlawful to use a telecommunications device (e-mail) without disclosing one's identity. It is also unlawful to use e-mail to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person. This law also addresses the unauthorized use of office communications and provides protection to the employer. 2. The content and maintenance of Dodge County's e-mail/voicemail and shared file storage areas are the user’s responsibility. Employees are expected to communicate in a professional manner that will reflect positively on them and Dodge County.
3. Like all other communications on the Dodge County computer network, Dodge County employees should be aware that e-mail/voicemail messages sent within the Dodge County network or on the Internet using Dodge County's computer equipment are not private communications and that all e-mail/voicemail messages are the property of Dodge County. Dodge County reserves the right to access, review and disclose all e-mail/voicemail messages. Dodge County staff should regard all email/voicemail messages as non-private communications that may be viewed by others.
4. Employees are expected to communicate in a professional manner that will reflect positively on themselves and Dodge County. Employees should be aware that their communications may be perceived by recipients as expression of official County policy and should conduct themselves accordingly.
5. The Information Technology department archives all email/voicemail messages.
6. Employees using e-mail/voicemail should delete unwanted messages or files immediately in order to preserve disk storage space.

I. Personal Use of Network and Computer

1. Personal use of Internet access, when provided, is permitted upon prior authorization from the user’s Department Head/Supervisor. Personal use will be permitted during personal time provided that the accessed sites are at no cost to Dodge County and with the understanding that any activity may be subject to review by Dodge County.
2. The use of Dodge County computer resources constitutes a waiver of any right to privacy concerning such use, including any personal communications using the Dodge County resources.

J. Mass Communications

1. A mass communication is defined as a message that is sent to a large number of recipients simultaneously with the primary goal to reach a broad audience with a single communication (ie: email, text, chat.) using Dodge County’s information technology systems.
2. Employees may send mass communications on behalf of Dodge County using the County’s information technology systems, subject to the following requirements:

i. Must be trained on this policy as well as email best practices including but not limited to: professionalism, compliance with laws and respect for recipients’ preferences.

ii. Authorized users must not engage in unacceptable use of electronic resources including widespread dissemination of unauthorized communications (e.g., mass mailings, spam, email chain letters, inaccurate or misleading information, harassing or discriminatory information)

iii. Mass communications, intended for a large segment of Dodge County, must be sent to the County Administrator and Human Resources Director first, to determine whether the communication is appropriate for mass distribution.

III. GUIDELINES

A. Any use of Dodge County's computer network and information systems and devices by an employee constitutes a waiver of any right to privacy concerning such use, including any personal communications using Dodge County resources. Dodge County reserves the right and may exercise the right to review, audit, intercept and disclose all communications on the Dodge County network at any time without prior notice to employees.

B. Prohibited Activities

1. Dodge County employees are responsible for preserving the integrity of Dodge County's computer network and computer systems and agree not to interfere with or disrupt Dodge County's computer network, other network users, services, programs, software, or equipment.
2. Interference or disruption with the Dodge County network, other network users, services software or equipment may include, but are not limited to the following:

i. the use of the Dodge County system and/or networks to gain unauthorized access to remote systems;

ii. use of the Dodge County system to copy unauthorized system files or copyrighted material, such as third-party software;

iii. intentional attempts to "crash" the Dodge County network systems or program, attempting to secure unauthorized higher level privileges on the networked systems; iv. the willful or negligent introduction of computer viruses/malware or destructive programs that could adversely affect the Dodge County network v. sharing or displaying User ID's and password information;

vi. deleting, examining, modifying, moving files or work product belonging to other users without their prior consent; vii. using the network or any of its authorized software for personal gain or solicitation, to harass or threaten others; to send junk mail, solicitations for the sale or purchase of items (i.e. non-County supported fundraisers) or "for-profit" messages.

3. It is also against Dodge County policy for an employee to engage in the following conduct on the Dodge County network:

i. to use the network for unlawful activities,

ii. to use abusive or obscene language in any messages transmitted on the network, including any internal or external E-mail messages and Internet communications,

iii. to use computer resources with the intention of accessing, viewing, storing, or distributing obscene or pornographic material except when authorized in performance of official law enforcement investigation of a formal complaint,

iv. to use computer resources to visit any site or to transmit or store any document which is contrary to the County’s interests, policies or work rules (e.g. sites that deal with gambling, sites which promote racism and racial hatred, sites which promote discrimination in any form, documents containing sexually explicit messages or cartoons, documents containing ethnic or racial slurs, etc.),

v. to use computer resources to harass or threaten any person, or to invade the privacy of any person in any way,

vi. to use computer resources for political or commercial purposes, advancement of individual views or needs, or for personal gain,

vii. to use computer resources in support of any organization or group without authorization from the Department Head/Supervisor, viii. to subscribe to mailing lists, bulletin boards, chat groups, commercial on-line services or other information related services without authorization from the Department Head/Supervisor for a work related purpose,

ix. to engage in behavior on the network that is prohibited under the Dodge County Personnel Policies, including but not limited to harassment, or

x. to engage in any other conduct that could cause congestion and disruption of Dodge County’s networks and systems.

C. An employee’s failure to follow provisions of this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

D. Compliance with Laws

Dodge County employees will be responsible for respecting and adhering to local, state and federal laws in conducting their work on Dodge County's computer networks. Any attempt or actual violation of those laws through the use of the network may result in prosecution of or litigation against the offender by the proper authorities. If such an event should occur, Dodge County Administration will fully cooperate with the appropriate authorities to provide any information necessary to assist the relevant law enforcement authorities during the investigation process.

IV. PROCEDURE

Intentionally left blank

Dodge County is dedicated to conducting business honestly and ethically. Dodge County will continually improve the quality of its services, products, and operations and will maintain a reputation for honesty, fairness, respect, responsibility, integrity, trust, and sound business judgment. Dodge County will not compromise its principles for short-term gain.

A. All employees are expected to adhere to high standards of personal integrity. No illegal or unethical conduct on the part of officers, managers, or employees is in Dodge County’s best interest.

B. Employees may not allow their personal interests to conflict or appear to conflict with the interests of Dodge County. No County employee shall use his/her office or position for personal financial gain or financial gain of his/her family. Employees must be particularly careful to avoid representing Dodge County in any transaction with others with whom there is any outside business affiliation or relationship. Dodge County contacts shall not be utilized to advance a private business or personal interest at the expense of Dodge County. No employee shall engage in his/her own business activity, accept private employment, or render services for private interests when such employment, business activity or service is incompatible with the proper discharge of his/her official duties or would impair his/her independence of judgment or action in the performance of his/her official duties. Employees should not seek employment or be employed with another entity if that position compromises their position with Dodge County.

C. Bribes, kickbacks, or other similar remuneration or consideration shall not be given to or accepted by any person or organization in order to attract or influence business activity. No County employee shall solicit or accept for himself/herself or another person any gift, campaign contribution, gratuity, favor, services, promise of future employment, entertainment, loan or any other thing of monetary value from a person who has or is seeking contractual or other business activities from or regulated by the County. This does not include acceptance of loans from banks or other financial institutions on customary terms of finance for personal use, such as home mortgage loans.

D. Employees are allowed to accept unsolicited gifts of a nominal value such as advertising or promotional material (i.e. pens, calendars, etc.) and awards for meritorious public or personal contributions or achievements. Employees attending conferences are allowed to participate in conference activities, (i.e. meals, banquets, entertainment, door prizes, etc.) if it is available to all attendees.

E. Appropriate steps must be taken to ensure the confidentiality of information that may be obtained including but not limited to strategic business plans, operating results, customer lists, personnel records, resident information, costs, processes, and methods.

F. No employee shall use or disclose "privileged information" gained in the course of or by reason of his/her official position or activities.

G. Employees must report all information accurately and honestly, and as otherwise required by applicable reporting standards.

H. All forms of money compensation, except expense reimbursements, for outside services performed during the hours when the employee is actually providing services to the county, shall be turned over to employee’s Department Head or the County Administrator for deposit with the County Treasurer.

I. Under the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, 2 CFR 200.113, any violations of law, fraud, or bribery in any federally funded grant program must be reported to the federal grantor agency or pass through entity. Any employee who becomes aware of any such violations of law, fraud or bribery must report the matter to his/her supervisor who in turn will report it to the County Administrator. The County Administrator will notify the federal grantor agency or pass through entity.

J. Employees are prohibited from gathering competitor intelligence by improper means and refrain from acting on knowledge that that has been gathered in such a manner. Employees will seek to avoid exaggerating or disparaging comparisons of the services and competence of competitors.

K. Employees must comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws and act with respect and responsibility towards others in all of their interactions. Employees must promptly disclose any unethical, dishonest, fraudulent or illegal behavior, or any violation of Dodge County policies and procedures to their supervisor.

L. Political Activity. No employee is precluded from engaging in political activity provided that such activity does not interfere with normal work performance, is not conducted during normal working hours and does not involve the use of County equipment or property. All employees and elected officials shall have the right to freely express their views as a citizen and cast their vote, subject to the following:

1. No employee or elected official shall directly or indirectly use or seek to use his or her authority or the influence of his or her position to control or modify the political action of another person.
2. No employee or elected official during his or her hours of duty shall, except as provided by law, engage in political activities including, but not limited to, the following:

a. Campaign for any candidate or political party;

b. Make campaign speeches or engage in other activity to elect a candidate;

c. Collect contributions or sell tickets to political fund-raising functions;

d. Distribute campaign material in any election;

e. Organize or manage political meetings;

f. Circulate nominating petitions;

g. Display political badges, buttons or stickers in any county building or wear such items during working hours.

3. No employee or elected official shall at any time use any county-owned or leased equipment for any personal political activity.

4. No employee shall be removed, discharged, reduced in pay or position, or otherwise discriminated against because of the employee's political opinions or affiliations except as provided for in this section.

5. Employees whose principal employment is in a federally grant-aided program are subject to prohibitions in the Federal Hatch Political Activities Act as amended, 5 U.S.C. §§ 1501-1508.

Policy Enforcement

Department heads and supervisors will be responsible for enforcing this policy, and for reporting any serious violations of the policy to the Human Resources Department. Employees found to be in willful violation of the policy may be disciplined up to and including discharge.

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to reimburse employees for necessary work-related expenses incurred.

II. POLICY

Determines employee eligibility for reimbursement for necessary work-related expenses incurred relating to car travel, meals, lodging, and conferences.

III. GUIDELINES

A. Car Travel

1. Dodge County will reimburse the IRS Business Rate per mile by the most direct route. Travel between County buildings /facilities and travel to conduct County business within the City of Juneau will be exempt from reimbursement. The rate of reimbursement will be adjusted administratively without necessity of County Board action to coincide with the standard business rate as established by the IRS.
2. Parking charges, tolls or other payments related to car travel will be reimbursed when accompanied by a receipt.
3. Mileage reimbursement shall be limited to the distance between the employee’s office (place of work) and conference/meeting location or the distance between the employee’s home and conference/meeting location, whichever is less. This paragraph #3 applies when leaving from home to attend a conference/meeting.

B. Meals

1. Reasonable expense will be allowed for meals outside Dodge County. Meals will be reimbursed according to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) rates for the State of Wisconsin for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner not to exceed the daily GSA rate.
2. Employees are required to provide documentation of date, time spent out of the County and number of meals to be reimbursed by submitting a Monthly Statement of Expense Form with receipts per Article IV below. The documentation must be turned over to the Finance Department for audit purposes.
3. The amount will be paid on the next regular paycheck and will be subject to income taxes (Federal, State & FICA). Dodge County does not reimburse for tips or alcoholic beverages.
4. Purchase cards cannot be used to purchase meals.

C. Lodging

1. Actual and reasonable expenses will be allowed for lodging for County Board members, County officers, elected officials, department heads, employees and members of County commissions and committees, not to exceed the established State of Wisconsin Rate, except in the event that County personnel are lodging at the convention site, in which case the full cost of lodging will be paid by Dodge County on the basis of a purchase order obtained in advance.
2. Purchase orders are not required if the employee uses a County purchase card.

D. Conference Registration

1. Conference registration and banquet expenses will be allowed.
2. Use of a County purchase card is recommended for conference registrations.

E. Other

1. A purchase order must be obtained for items of $50.00 or more. Dodge County does not reimburse Wisconsin sales tax. Wisconsin sales and use tax exemption certificate must be presented at time of purchase.
2. Approval of the Executive Committee of the County Board is required before any employee may attend a meeting or function outside of Wisconsin for which expenses will be claimed.
3. No County employee or officer, other than County Board members, will be reimbursed for travel or other expenses for attending meetings of a Committee of the Dodge County Board, unless their attendance at such Committee meeting or session of the County Board is requested by the Chairman of the Committee, such request being supported by the minutes in the Committee proceedings, unless the Chairman of the Dodge County Board of Supervisors has requested attendance at such Committee meetings or sessions of the Board of the Supervisors. This rule will not apply to persons required by Wisconsin Statutes to attend Committee or Board meetings.
4. Commercial Transportation. Use of commercial transportation including but not limited to bus, train, plane, taxi or rental car shall be used on a limited basis and only when absolutely necessary. Reimbursement of actual and reasonable expenses for commercial travel will be provided upon the submission of a Statement of Monthly Expenses with receipts per Article IV below.

IV. PROCEDURE

A. Monthly Statement Expense Form

1. Dodge County Department Heads, Employees, and Elected Officials, are required to complete a Monthly Statement of Expense Form which must be submitted to the Supervisor by the 15th of month for all expenses incurred the month prior. Proper documentation must be submitted with the statement of expense form. Monthly 3 Statement of Expense Forms must be approved and signed by the Department Head/Supervisor and sent to the Finance Department. The Finance Department will review the forms for proper documentation and correct mileage, rates and calculations before submitting it to the Audit Committee.
2. Failure to follow this policy will result in denial of reimbursement of expenses

It is the policy of Dodge County to keep all services, offices and departments open and available to the public to the fullest extent possible.

Applicability

County employees who perform non-essential or non-emergency-type services during periods of severe weather or emergency situations are covered by this policy. All pay procedures set forth in this policy apply to non-exempt employees. Department Heads who are responsible for essential services will designate essential operations and positions. Essential operations will include, but will not be limited to, patient care, protection of the public, or services required to improve driving conditions (Health Facilities, Sheriffs Department and Highway Department). In unique emergency situations other positions may also be considered essential. Employees holding positions so designated will be expected, as a condition of their employment, to report to work. 70 08/05/14

Maintenance of Operations

All County buildings will be open at normal operating times as to allow employees to reach their work site. All County employees should report to work as usual, unless notified otherwise. In cases of inclement weather, County employees should make a good faith determination about their safety when attempting to travel to work. The County Administrator will make a determination regarding the severity of the weather conditions and whether special consideration may be given to excuse employees who, for good reason, arrive late for work or who do not report for work. Employees who do not report for work will have the lost time deducted from their pay. In lieu of lost time, the employee may elect to use vacation time, a banked or floating holiday or compensatory time (if already earned). Department Heads may, at their discretion, allow employees to flex their hours during the current work week in order to avoid loss of hours, provided that the hours worked do not result in overtime compensation or accumulation of compensatory time. Department heads may allow employees to leave work early for inclement weather subject to the pay procedure above. County departments will notify the County Clerk's office any time there is no one present to cover office phones.

Closure of Non-emergency Services Due to Emergency Situation

In the event that an emergency situation should occur requiring closure of buildings or curtailment of non-emergency services, the County Administrator and County Board Chair will make such determination known to Department Heads. If such decision is made prior to the commencement of the work day, local radio stations will be asked to broadcast an announcement. Other methods of communicating with employees may be used if available and if it is practical to do so. When notification has been provided prior to the commencement of a work day, employees may use vacation or compensatory time in lieu of time not worked.

Department Heads may, at their discretion, allow employees to flex their hours during the current work week in order to avoid the loss of some or all of the hours not worked, provided that the hours worked do not result in overtime compensation or accumulation of compensatory time. When offices are closed early, employees will be paid for time worked, and may use vacation or compensatory time in lieu of time not worked. Department Heads may, at their discretion, allow employees to flex their hours during the current work week in order to avoid the loss of some or all of the hours not worked, provided that the hours worked do not result in overtime compensation or accumulation of compensatory time.

Any decision regarding the curtailment of non-emergency services or closure of offices which operate under the direction of an elected official or State employee will be made by that respective department head. County employees of these offices may be allowed to not report to work, arrive late or leave early based on such decision, and pay for time not worked will be as described in this policy. County employees of these offices who wish to report to work or remain working (when their office is closed but all other County offices are still open) will report to the Human Resources Department for re-assignment at their regular rate of pay. (Example: The Chief Judge decides to close court operations for the remainder of the day. Two county employees who work directly for the Circuit Court judges choose to go home, while two others wish to remain working. The two employees who want to continue to work are re-assigned to work in the Clerk of Courts Office.) 

When employees are allowed to use vacation, compensatory time, work a flexible schedule (with department head approval) or take the time unpaid as described in this policy, they will advise their supervisor as soon as possible as to which option they are choosing. If notification to the supervisor is not made in a timely fashion, the time not worked will be considered unpaid time. When offices/departments are closed, employees will not be allowed to continue to work beyond the designated closing time, and will not be allowed to remain in the building after the office has been closed without department head approval.

If offices/departments are closed on an employee’s last scheduled work day prior to a holiday or first scheduled work day after a holiday, the closing will not affect the employee’s eligibility for holiday pay. Employees who are on a scheduled absence from work due to vacation, illness or injury, or leave of absence will not be affected by the provisions of this policy, or to any exception made to this policy as a result of an emergency situation.

It is a primary goal of Dodge County to maintain a safe, comfortable work environment for its employees. For that reason it is important to stress the need to evaluate the purpose of personal appliances within each department.

Personal appliances that are considered necessary items are generally not of concern; however personal appliances that are a luxury and not a necessity must be approved by the Department Head and/or Director of Building Maintenance.

For example, a necessity might be the use of one or two coffee makers based on staffing levels, but a luxury would be the use of numerous coffee makers for brewing flavors of the day.

Other examples:

• Open element appliances used for cooking or heating food would be allowed in the break rooms but only if items that are being reheated or cooked are attended at all times.
• Items such as two-slice toasters are preferred over a combination broiler/toaster.
• Pizza ovens will be permitted for use in areas where employees can’t leave their work locations based on responsibilities.
• Refrigerators on the Dodge County Fixed Asset Inventory are acceptable; other refrigerators will be reviewed on an individual basis taking into consideration the size, location and available electrical capacity.
• Personal space heaters will be reviewed on an individual basis taking into consideration the work space environment.

Please note: all personal appliances are subject to available electrical capacity. The addition of electrical circuits to enable the use of personal appliances will be discouraged. Policy Enforcement Department heads and supervisors will be responsible for enforcing this policy, and for reporting any serious violations of the policy to the Human Resources Department. Employees found to be in willful violation of the policy may be disciplined.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure the appropriate use of both Dodge County social media sites and employees personal social media/social networking sites as relates to Dodge County business. Social media/social networking includes various forms of information sharing, and uses technology to create web content communication and conversations. Examples include, but are not limited to, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. Employees must be attentive to the fact that inappropriate and/or unauthorized postings to official Dodge County social media sites or employee personal social media/social networking sites may have a negative impact on Dodge County’s relationship with the general public. An employee’s failure to follow provisions of this policy may result in disciplinary action.

DODGE COUNTY SOCIAL MEDIA SITES

Only authorized employees can prepare and modify content for official Dodge County social media sites. Persons authorized to do so will be responsible for compliance with Dodge County’s social media standards contained in the Social Media – Administrative Policy.

EMPLOYEE PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA/SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES

Employees who have personal social media/social networking sites should ensure these sites are personal in nature and be used to share personal opinions or non-work related information. The employee must maintain a distinction between sharing personal and official government views. In addition, employees should never use their Dodge County e-mail password or e-mail account in conjunction with personal social media/social networking sites unless authorized to do so by the Department Head for official Dodge County business. When employees operate personal social media/social networking sites, they should use a disclaimer to ensure that their stated views and opinions are understood to be their own and not those of Dodge County.

A disclaimer is required when they:

a. Refer to work done by the County,

b. Comment on any County related business or issues, or

c. Provide a link to a County website.

Bloggers, posters and tweeters must also disclose any material connection or relationship they have to what is being described in a blog, post or tweet. Employees are prohibited from uploading, posting or sharing information in any format (text, images, video, audio, etc.) of County personnel, clients, or Clearview residents, gained in the course of employment. This includes images, video, and audio taken at any County sponsored event, inside any County facilities or involving County equipment, or any other work-related documents or e-mail exchanges on a County site or their personal site.

Employees may request prior approval from their Department Head to post any of the information described above. Employees must not post or release anything related to Dodge County that is proprietary, confidential, sensitive, Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or other County intellectual property on their personal social media/social networking site. Unless otherwise authorized by management, Sheriff’s Department, Humans Services and Health Department and Clearview employees must not create an association with a resident or client on a social media site.

Employees of all other departments must give careful consideration to whether the employee and resident/client relationship is compromised if the employee creates an association with the resident or client on a social media site. Employees must comply with the confidentiality and privacy requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and other legal requirements of privacy and confidentiality, including information concerning minors, Clearview residents, public assistance recipients and County employees. I

t is the responsibility of the employee to not post any HIPAA related information, or any other information that is private, confidential, proprietary, or inappropriate to his/her social media/social networking site.

Employees may comment on issues of general or public concern (as opposed to personal grievances) so long as the comments do not disrupt the workplace, interfere with important working relationships or efficient workflow or undermine public confidence in the employee. Instances must be judged on a case by case basis.

• Matters of public concern are those matters of interest to the community as a whole, whether for social, political or other reasons.
• Examples of state or national issues of general or public concern include election campaigns, elected officials, legislation, national security, budgets, foreign policy or any topic of broad public interest or debate.
• Examples of personal grievances include disciplinary action, work schedule, morale or complaints about supervisors or co-workers that do not involve actual wrong-doing, illegal discrimination, corruption or waste.

These types of comments may subject an employee to disciplinary action. Negative comments on internal operations of Dodge County or specific conduct of supervisors or peers that impacts the public perception of Dodge County operations is not protected First Amendment speech, in accordance with established case law.

Posted content has the potential to be shared broadly, including with individuals you did not intend to communicate. Therefore an employee is responsible for ensuring that any content related to a coworker is consistent with County policy regarding how to treat co-workers. For example, do not post content that would violate the County’s policy regarding discrimination and harassment. Employee bloggers are personally responsible for their commentary on blogs and social media/social networking sites and can be held personally liable for commentary that is considered defamatory, obscene, proprietary or libelous by any offended party, not just the County.

The County is not responsible for protecting employees from the consequences of any information posted even if the employee has received prior authorization to participate in social media/social networking. If any employee is at any time uncertain as to how to apply the directives found in this policy, the employee should seek guidance from his/her Department Head prior to engaging in electronic communication activities.

PURPOSE

This policy governs the use of Dodge County's telephones, mobile (cellular) telephones, Blackberry/smartphone transmissions, pagers and two-way radios along with any other electronic communication equipment other than computers and fax machines.

The guidelines, prohibitions and information established in this policy are meant to provide departments and employees with specific information regarding the intended use of telephone and other communication equipment, as well as procedures related to their procurement and use. The policy also defines guidelines intended to protect Dodge County's telephone equipment, software and data from damage.

An employee’s failure to follow the provisions of this policy, or any subordinate departmental policy, may result in disciplinary action up to and including discharge. An employee’s failure to follow provisions of this policy may result in disciplinary action.

POLICY

Telephone Courtesy/Voice

Mail When using telephones and other communication equipment, you represent the County to anyone who receives or monitors the communication. It is important to be courteous and professional. Confirm information received from the other party, and end the communication only when the other party has finished his or her message or inquiry. Voice mail, like other components of our communication systems, is intended for business use only. Employees should review their voice mail messages regularly, respond promptly, and delete old messages. (See Computer Use Policy under Email for parameters) Departmental Needs Assessment The respective Department Heads are responsible for identifying the needs of their departments, requesting needed equipment and services, and authorizing their use by designated employees. The Information Technology (IT) Department is assigned the responsibility to manage and administer the County’s telephone systems which include cellular equipment and all telephone contracts. The IT Department will place all orders for equipment, services, accessories and telephone contracts with vendors. The IT Department is responsible for vouchering all telephone invoices.

Assignment of Equipment

Eligibility and approval for assignment of telephone equipment and services may be provided to certain county employees that conduct work activities relating to their employment. All requests for telephone usage and equipment must be approved by the employees Department Head. The IT Department will research and identify the type of equipment.

Monitoring Usage

Periodically, Department Heads or their designee will be asked to review telephone billing records for their department in order to validate compliance with the County’s Policy on Use of Telephones. Cellular billing will be reviewed monthly.

Reimbursement for Use of Home Telephone

Dodge County business related calls should be made from County telephones whenever possible. Requests for reimbursements for calls made from home or by credit card must be accompanied by receipts and an explanation of the purpose of the call. No reimbursement will be made for calls from personal cellular phones, whether business related or not. The only authorized business use of cellular phone is by employees using County-owned cellular devices. 

Personal Use of Telephones

Dodge County provides telephones to employees for the purpose of conducting County business. The use of telephones to place or receive personal calls is discouraged. Personal telephone calls include interoffice calls with co-workers as well as calls involving non-employees. Each outbound call is an expense to the County and the taxpayers of Dodge County. It is recognized however, that it may be necessary in certain situations to use county owned telephones for personal reasons.

Examples of such situations include:

1. Life/death emergency, contacting family.

2. Sudden on-set of illness, contacting family or physician.

3. Unexpected late departure from work or schedule change which affects family.

The employee will notify the Department Head or designee as soon as reasonably possible when these situations occur. It will be the responsibility of each department head and each person in a supervisory capacity to monitor compliance with the rules regarding personal calls, and to determine when exceptions will be permitted. If a department head authorizes an employee to use Dodge County equipment for a personal call, such calls should be limited to two minutes or less, and should be made during the employees meal or break periods whenever possible.

Prohibited Activities

It is against Dodge County policy for an employee to engage in the following conduct, or any other conduct determined to be of a serious and detrimental nature:

1. Making personal long distance calls except in emergency situations, and only if made collect or charged to a personal credit card, a personal phone card, or a non-County phone number.
2. Using a Dodge County or personal cellular telephone or mobile device at any time while operating a Dodge County vehicle, or while operating a personally owned vehicle on County paid time, unless responding to a life-threatening emergency situation or unless required to do so as part of the employee’s job responsibilities.
3. Willful or negligent use of equipment that is destructive.
4. Sharing user access password with another person.
5. Using Dodge County equipment for personal gain or solicitation, including a personal private business or enterprise.
6. Using equipment to harass or threaten others.
7. Use of a County-provided cellular phone when a less costly Dodge County alternative is readily available.
8. Use of picture/video phone technology or any other camera or device technology that may capture visual images without the prior permission of the department head or supervisor.

Departmental Policies

The functions and roles of County Departments are diverse and the telephone and other communication requirements may differ. Department Heads may develop written procedures subordinate to this policy that are in the best interest of their respective department in the use of communication equipment. Such procedures are subject to the approval of the Human Resources and Labor Negotiations Committee. These departmental procedures will not circumvent the intent of the County’s general policy on Use of Telephones and Other Communication Equipment.

Compliance with Laws

Dodge County employees will be responsible for respecting and adhering to local, state and federal laws in conducting their work using Dodge County's telephone equipment. Any attempt to break those laws through the use of equipment or service may result in litigation against the offender by the proper authorities. If such an event should occur, Dodge County will fully cooperate with the appropriate law enforcement authorities to provide any information necessary during the investigation process. It should be understood that telephone records and information regarding the use of Dodge County’s telephone system is subject to Open Records Law, including records, logs and other information related to personal use. Although employees need a password to access the voice mail system, they should not expect that voice mail messages are private. All messages are also public records.

Policy Enforcement

Department heads and supervisors will be responsible for enforcing this policy, and for reporting any serious violations of the policy to the Human Resources Department. The IT Department will also inform the department head and the Human Resources Department of any known serious violations of the policy. Employees found to be in willful violation of the policy may be disciplined, and/or may be restricted in their use of Dodge County communications systems. Very serious or repeated willful violations of this policy may result in suspension or discharge.

Definitions

1. “Employee” means, for the specific purpose of this policy, all regular, limited term, or temporary employees, volunteers, and elected or appointed officials of Dodge County.

2. “Licensee” means a person who has a current concealed carry weapons license issued by the State of Wisconsin or who is an “out-of-state licensee” as defined by Wis. Stat. §175.60(1)(g).

3. “Weapon” means a weapon as defined by Wis. Stat. §175.60(1)(j).

4. All references to the Wisconsin Statutes within this policy are intended to refer to the Wisconsin Statutes in effect at the time of adoption of this policy and include any future revisions, amendments, modifications, or renumbering of such statutory provisions.

Policy

I. Concealed Carry. An employee who is a licensee may carry a concealed weapon while in the course of employment, subject to the following additional conditions:

A. The employee must first notify his or her supervisor in writing that the employee is a licensee and intends to carry the weapon in the course of employment. An employee whose license is suspended, or who is otherwise prohibited by a court from carrying a weapon, must immediately provide written notice of that fact to his or her supervisor.

B. The employee’s weapon must, at all time, be concealed, on his or her person, unless the employee is lawfully using the weapon.

C. The employee is solely responsible for maintaining control of his or her weapon at all times.

D. The employee may not carry a concealed weapon in any of the places listed in Wis. Stat. §175.60(16)(a), except as permitted by Wis. Stat. §175.60(16)(b).

E. The employee may not carry a concealed weapon in any area, building, or vehicle, whether public or private, where doing so is posted as prohibited or over the objection of the owner.

F. If the employee stores a weapon in a county vehicle, the employee must secure the weapon with a suitable trigger lock, barrel lock or by enclosure in a locked case, and place the encased or secured weapon out of plain view and lock the vehicle.

G. If the employee stores a weapon in his or her own vehicle in a parking lot owned or controlled by the county, the employee must place the weapon out of plain view and the vehicle must be locked.

H. If the employee stores a weapon in his or her own vehicle and the employee uses the vehicle in the course of employment, the employee must place the weapon out of plain view and the vehicle must be locked whenever the employee parks the vehicle.

1. Any employee who, in the course of employment, transports a non-employee in the employee’s own vehicle in which the employee is storing a weapon, must secure the weapon with a suitable trigger lock, barrel lock, or by enclosure in a locked case, and store the secured weapon out of plain view.

Nothing in this policy may be construed to support or permit intimidating, threatening, or violent behavior related to the possession of a concealed weapon. Intimidating and threatening behavior includes, but is not limited to, intentionally displaying a concealed weapon, referring to a concealed weapon, or referring to a weapon not on the employee’s person with the intent to implicitly or explicitly intimidate or threaten another person. However, the mere carrying of a concealed weapon by an employee who is a licensee does not constitute an intimidating, threatening, or violent act.

II. Open Carry

An employee, other than a law enforcement officer, may not openly carry a weapon in the course of his or her employment.

To protect and enhance our indoor air quality and to contribute to the health and well-being of all employees, Dodge County shall be entirely smoke free.

The use of all tobacco and smoking products, including but not limited to, chewing tobacco, electronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes), is prohibited in all County buildings, and outside all County buildings except in specifically designated areas.

Such designated areas will be marked with "Smoking Permitted" signs. Violators of the smoking restrictions will be subject to progressive discipline and may be subject to any financial penalties as prescribed by state statute.

Overtime/compensatory time must have department head/supervisor approval before working. Compensatory time is for time already worked. No one may take compensatory time off and then work the overtime.

Time sheets will be filled out by all full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal employees. All time sheets will be filled out completely and signed by the employee.

All time sheets will be countersigned by the department head. All completed time sheets will be forwarded to the Finance Department. Any falsification on a time sheet is cause for disciplinary action. Employees will be at work at their scheduled time and are expected to stay on the job until their scheduled time is up.

All money received by any County employee in the course of their duties and from whatever source is to be turned over to the Dodge County Treasurer immediately. Employees who do not fill out a time sheet on a regular basis will not be entitled to payout of accumulated benefits when terminating from County employment. Work rules specific to c

Dodge County recognizes that the employment of close relatives and those in a close personal relationship can have the potential to cause serious concerns involving favoritism and employee morale and can also create the appearance of impropriety. In these circumstances, all parties involved, including supervisors and managers, are open to charges of inequitable consideration in decisions concerning work assignments, transfer opportunities, performance evaluations, promotions, demotions, disciplinary actions, pay increments, sexual harassment and terminations. In addition to claims of partiality, personal relationship conflicts from outside the work environment can be carried into the workplace, which has the potential to negatively impact day to day operations and negatively affect other employees in the workplace. For these reasons, Dodge County disfavors a supervisor or manager supervising an employee with whom the supervisor or manager has a close personal relationship.

A close personal relationship involves situations such as the following:

• The employee is a close relative of the supervisor or manager, such as a spouse, sibling, child, grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, cousin, or an in-law of the same.
• The employee is in a romantic relationship with the supervisor or manager such that it is or is perceived by one or both parties as more than a general friendship.
• The employee is involved in an outside business relationship with the supervisor or manager as a partner, owner, shareholder, employee, vendor, or contractor.

A supervisor or manager involved in a close personal relationship shall inform the Department Head, County Administrator or Human Resources Director immediately. Efforts will be made to ensure fair treatment in the workplace for the individuals involved. If the Department Head identifies that a close personal relationship exists, then the Department Head shall promptly notify the Human Resources Director.

The County may consider the following measures to avoid workplace conflicts if practical and in the interests of the County:

1. Inform the supervisor or manager and the subordinate involved in the close personal relationship of the County’s expectations of professional behavior applicable both on and off duty and compliance with County policies including the County’s policy commitment against sexual harassment.
2. Remove responsibility for various important supervisory or managerial decisions involving that subordinate from the supervisor or manager involved in a close relationship with the subordinate. 
3. Assign responsibility for supervision of the subordinate to another manager within the department.
4. Assign responsibility for performance evaluations, investigations, complaint management, and any compensation or merit-based pay decisions relating to the subordinate to another manager within the department.
5. Afford protections for the assigned manager by having the manager’s responsibilities with regard to the subordinate reviewed by the Human Resources Director.
6. Inform the subordinate of the new chain of command, reporting, and supervision structure.
7. If a vacant position is available and the employee meets the minimum qualifications of the vacant position, the Department Head of each Department and the County Administrator reserves the right to transfer the employee into the vacant position.
8. Inform co-workers that gossiping and rumor-mongering are inappropriate and that employees are required to use the appropriate channels to report concerns and observations.
9. Inform the supervisor or manager and the subordinate involved in the close personal relationship and their coworkers of the County’s Ethical Advocate hotline and the applicable personnel policies and procedures.
10. Separation from employment for the supervisor or manager or the subordinate involved in the close personal relationship.

The measures listed above shall not be considered an all-inclusive list, may not be applicable or necessary in every case and should be implemented with the assistance of the Human Resources Director. The Department Head shall consult with the Human Resources Director prior to implementing any of the measures herein. In the case of a Department Head being involved in a close relationship with a subordinate, the County Administrator, in consultation with the Human Resources Director, shall consider the measures described herein.

The supervisor or manager is responsible for maintaining a positive and productive work environment conducive to professional growth, development and opportunities for all employees. Dodge County maintains a strong commitment and policy against unlawful harassment in the workplace (Unlawful Harassment Policy) and a Grievance Procedure.

Employees are encouraged to refer to these policies to address issues, if any, that may arise. This policy is not intended to be a barrier to hiring qualified employees nor shall it be interpreted as excluding family members of County employees from applying for Dodge County employment.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to establish guidance on Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), Instant Messaging, SnapChat and other chat applications by members of the County workforce, and addresses security risks and procedural issues presented by text messaging.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL TYPES OF TEXT MESSAGES:

Consult and inform your direct supervisor prior to using texting for County purposes. Texting for County purposes is a relatively new form of communication. Management along with Information Technology will provide assistance and messaging guidance and support.

Administrative Safeguards:

• Do not text clients or the public without their consent except for law enforcement purposes.
• Texting for County purposes is only allowed when authorized by the Department Head or supervisor of the employee.
• Personal use of texting on a County-provided phone is strictly prohibited.
• Employee communications by text message shall be done in a professional manner.
• No messages that are harassing, intimidating, offensive, obscene, or discriminatory toward anyone may be sent.
• All text messages sent and received in the conduct of County business may be subject to open records laws.
• The County reserves the right to read or disclose, for any reason, texts sent and received on County-provided cell phones when not prohibited by federal or state law.
• When an employee uses a County-provided cell phone for Internet and/or email, this use must comply with the County's Computer Use Policy.
• The County does not store any texts. The custody of the text remains solely with the cell carrier.

Safety Safeguards:

Absolutely no texting is allowed while operating a motor vehicle, unless exempted as an operator of an emergency response vehicle as per WI State Statutes, 346.89(3).

Introduction

Dodge County committed to protecting its information including Federal Tax Information (FTI). IRS Publication 1075 requires that the Agency establish a written policy that ensures compliance with IRS standards for persons having access to FTI.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to define and establish procedural guidelines, background check requirements, timeframes and suitability standards for individuals within the Dodge County Child Support Agency in identified positions with access to FTI. The Agency will make this policy, procedure and sample of completed background investigations available for inspection during an on-site safeguard review.

Applicability

This policy applies to all current employees, applicants for employment, vendors, volunteers, work-study students, contractors and sub-contractors (“individuals”) who are or may be authorized by the Agency to access FTI as part of their job duties. Appendix A attached hereto identifies the Job Titles for those Agency employees to which this Policy applies.

Definitions

Background Check means all necessary checks required in order to have access to FTI. IRS Pub 1075 requires that checks must include, at a minimum, fingerprint checks (as permitted by the FBI), local law enforcement checks, and citizenship verification. Background Check Coordinator means the Dodge County Human Resources Department. Citizenship Requirement Check means to validate an individual’s eligibility to legally work in the United States. Utilizes Form I-9. (e.g., a United States citizen or foreign citizen with the necessary authorization).

Child Support Agency (CSA) means the Dodge County Child Support Agency.

Federal Tax Information (FTI) consists of tax returns or tax return information, or both tax returns and tax return information. FTI is any return or return information received from the IRS or an IRS secondary source, such as the Social Security Administration, Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement, Bureau of Fiscal Services, or the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services. FTI is also shared under agreements allowed by statute or regulations.

FieldPrint means the Federal Bureau of Investigations and Wisconsin Department of Justice authorized vendor for fingerprinting.

FBI Fingerprinting (FD-258) means review of FBI fingerprint results conducted to identify possible suitability issues. A check of federal and state criminal records conducted by the FBI through an agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, when authorized by federal and state law. Identified Position are all positions that have or may have access to FTI. A list of all “FTI covered positions” within the Agency is provided in Appendix A to this Policy.

IRS Publication 1075 is a publication issued by the Internal Revenue Service that gives detail requirements for governmental agencies and their employees that have access to FTI. This publication provides guidance to ensure the policies, practices, controls, and safeguards employed by recipient agencies, agents, or contractors (including subcontractors) adequately protect the confidentiality of FTI.

Local Law Enforcement Check means a check of local law enforcement agencies where the subject has lived, worked, and/or attended school within the last 5 years, and if applicable, of the appropriate Agency for any identified arrests. This will assist agencies in identifying trends of misbehavior that may not rise to the criteria for reporting to the FBI database but is a good source of information regarding an applicant.

Suitability Standards means the criteria for determining an individual’s suitability to have access to FTI.

General Provisions

Background check requirements are conducted in conjunction with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, applicable law enforcement agencies and Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (CCAP). The Dodge County Child Support Agency and the Dodge County Human Resources Department shall work collaboratively to ensure that all requirements of this Policy have been completed before an individual is allowed access to FTI. This requirement must be noted in the employee’s Position Description Form and applicable recruitment announcements (see the Recruitment Section). The individual will not be allowed access to FTI until the individual passes all required background checks with a favorable rating under the Agency’s Suitability Standards below. All background checks must include 1) Federal Bureau of Investigation Fingerprinting (FieldPrint); 2) Citizenship Requirement Check; and 3) Local Law Enforcement Check.

A. Implementation Timeline

1. Currently Employed Individuals. Background Check Coordinator shall conduct background checks on current Agency employees whose job title is listed on Appendix A on or before September 30, 2019.
2. Candidates for Employment. This policy applies to all candidates for Agency employment at the time of a conditional offer.
3. Other Individuals. This policy applies to other individuals prior to allowing access to FTI.

B. Suitability Standards

1. Suitability Standards are set forth below and include a background check by obtaining information from the FBI and local law enforcement agencies, confirmation of citizenship, review of CCAP and any other criteria the Agency determines is applicable, as stated in this policy.

2. A criminal record will not automatically disqualify an individual from employment consideration or from access to FTI. The Agency will consider various factors in evaluating whether a conviction disclosed by an applicant warrants revoking a conditional offer of employment.

C. Reinvestigation Check Requirements IRS Pub 1075 requires that a reinvestigation of employees must be conducted within five (5) years from the date of the previous background investigation for each individual having access to FTI. Re-investigations shall encompass the full five (5) year period.

D. Recruitment When the Agency announces openings for any covered position that requires a criminal background check by operation of state or federal law, the announcement shall state the following: Prior to hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the position.

E. Retention of Background Check Results The Agency will retain and store background check authorization forms, result notifications and information according to the Dodge County Record Retention/Destruction Schedule set forth in Chapter 1 of the Dodge County Code of Ordinances or for ten (10) years, whichever period is greater.

F. Confidentiality of Records Except as otherwise required or expressly permitted by state or federal law, information gathered pursuant to this policy including criminal history obtained by the Agency shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed unless required by federal or state law or court order. Any unauthorized disclosure (intentional or unintentional) shall be reported to the Dodge County Human Resources Department immediately. Persons who release or use this information without proper authorization may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Disclosures that violate criminal laws may also be referred to prosecuting authorities. The Human Resources Department shall be the repository for all information gathered pursuant to this policy and shall maintain such documentation in a separate, confidential file in a secured, locked file cabinet, not the individual’s personnel file.

G. Providing Background Check Results to Subject Individual

1. The Background Check Coordinator, if requested, may provide all information required by law about the results of the individual’s background check. In accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, an employer shall provide an individual against whom the employer intends to take adverse action with a copy of the report.
2. The Background Check Coordinator shall provide an individual for whom a background check has been conducted with timely information about the avenues for challenging or appealing the background check results that may preclude that individual from accessing FTI.

Procedure A. Obtain Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) background check information by submitting individual’s fingerprints to DOJ and FBI via FieldPrint and conduct Suitability Determination. Conduct a determination based on the Suitability Standards defined herein. Consideration should be given to the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act (Wisconsin §111.31) which does not allow discrimination based on arrests, convictions, or pending charges unless a substantial relationship exists between a conviction, pending charge, and the duties of the job. As outlined below, CSAs should consider a multitude of factors when assessing returned results. A subject shall be determined suitable to have FTI access if all of the following inquiries are favorably adjudicated by the Background Check Coordinator:

1. A subject’s FBI criminal background check will be favorably adjudicated if the subject has no criminal history substantially related to the position for which they are being considered, as determined pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 111.335.
2. A subject may not be discriminated against on the basis of a pending charge and/or conviction record unless there is a substantial relationship between the circumstances of the pending charge and/or conviction and the duties and responsibilities that the position requires. If the background check reveals a pending charge and/or conviction, conduct the substantial relationship test to assess whether the subject’s tendencies and inclinations to behave in a certain way within a particular context are likely to reappear later in a related context, based on the traits revealed in the test.

Consider the following factors:

a. The Position:

1. The nature and scope of public or client contact required by the position. The nature and scope of the position’s discretionary authority and degree of independence in judgment relating to decisions or actions that affect the public or clients.
2. The extent to which acceptable job performance requires public or client trust or confidence.
3. The amount and type of supervision received in the position.
4. The amount and type of supervision provided by the position to subordinate staff, if any.
5. The sensitive nature of the data or records maintained.
6. Whether the position includes fiduciary responsibilities.
7. Whether the position is one that the Legislature has determined that certain offense(s) bar the subject from employment.
8. The nature and scope of the position, including key access to facilities, access to cash, or access to vulnerable populations.

b. The Offense:

1. Whether intent is an element of the offense.
2. Whether the elements of the offense are substantially related to the job duties.
3. Whether the circumstances of the pending charge or conviction arose out of an employment situation.
4. Whether the offense is one that under Federal or State law is a bar to employment for the specific job.
5. The elements of the offense.

c. The Person:

1. Consider the recency of the offense.
2. Whether there are patterns or reoccurrences of offense(s).
3. Whether the person completed a rehabilitation program.
4. The seriousness and nature of the violation in relation to the duties and responsibilities of the position.

B. Check with local law enforcement agencies for any identified arrests or convictions.

1. For subjects who have lived, worked, or attended school only in Wisconsin for the past five years, information obtained through the WIDOJ criminal background check will be considered, along with information obtained from the FBI background check and any supplemental information obtained by the Background Check Coordinator and/or Human Resource representative in determining whether there is a substantial relationship between the circumstances of a pending charge and/or conviction and the duties and responsibilities of the position.

2. For subjects who have lived, worked or attended school in states other than Wisconsin during the past five years, the Background Check Coordinator and/or Human Resource representative must check with local law enforcement agencies that are the equivalent of DOJ, in each state where the candidate has lived, worked or attended school or obtain that information from a third party vendor. Information obtained about arrests with pending charges or convictions in other states will be considered along with information obtained from the FBI background check and any supplemental information obtained by the Background Check Coordinator and/or Human Resource Personnel in determining whether there is a substantial relationship between the circumstances of a pending charge and/or conviction and the duties and responsibilities of the position.

3. Only information about arrests related to currently pending charges and/or convictions may be considered.

4. See Suitability Determination and Substantial Relationship Test above. Utilize criteria above if arrests or convictions are revealed.

C. Determine eligibility to work in the United States. a. For new hires only, validate the individual’s eligibility to legally work in the United States by: i. Completion of USCIS Form I-9 ii. Within three (3) days of completion of Form I-9, process the individual through E-Verify.

b. For new contractors, subcontractors, vendors, the contracting Agency shall provide documentation validating its employees’ eligibility to legally work in the United States.

Authority and References

• 26 U.S. Code §6103
• 2017 Wisconsin Act 154
• DCL-15-10 Dear Colleague Letter dated July 9, 2015 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/css/resource/irs-background-investigation-requirements
• Executive Order 16-05, Building safe and strong communities through successful reentry. http://www.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/exe_order/eo_16-05.pdf
• IRS Publication 1075, September 2016 Revision. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1075.pdf
• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/background_checks_employers.cfm

Appendix A: Covered Positions for FTI Account Clerk I, II, III 0 (updated 7/1/2021) Financial Specialist 1 (updated 7/1/2021) Child Support Director 1 Child Support Attorney 2 (updated 7/1/2021) Child Support Assistant Attorney 0 (updated 7/1/2021) Child Support Lead Worker 0 (updated 7/1/2021) Child Support Specialist – Lead 1 (updated 7/1/2021) Child Support Specialist Initiation I and II 0 (updated 7/1/2021) Child Support Specialist – Paternity/Establishment 1 (updated 7/1/2021) Child Support Specialist Enforcement I and II 0 (updated 7/1/2021) Child Support Specialist - Enforcement 4 (updated 7/1/2021) Child Support Services Aide 0 (updated 7/1/2021) Child Support Assistant 1 (updated 7/1/2021) Document Scan Clerk 1 (updated 6/1/2021)

I. Purpose:  

This policy provides guidelines for telecommuting employees and outlines the expectations, responsibilities, and safety requirements for remote work. The goal of this policy is to provide telecommuting employees with the resources and support they need to work safely and effectively, while also ensuring the security and confidentiality of company information and assets.

II. Policy:

Telecommuting allows employees to work at home, on the road or in a satellite location for all or part of their workweek. Dodge County considers telecommuting to be a viable, flexible work option when both the employee and the job are suited to such an arrangement. Telecommuting may be appropriate for some employees and jobs but not for others. Telecommuting is a privilege, not an employee right, and it in no way changes conditions of employment with Dodge County.

Telecommuting can be informal, such as working from home for a short-term project or on the road during business travel, or a formal, set schedule of working away from the office as described below. Either an employee or a supervisor can suggest telecommuting as a possible work arrangement. Department Heads may, subject to this policy, develop and implement a telecommuting work schedule provided that the Department is open to the public under the established office hours of Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  

A. Eligibility/Criteria Individuals requesting telecommuting arrangements must have completed the required Orientation Period and must have a satisfactory performance record.  Before entering into any telecommuting arrangement, the employee and manager, with the assistance of the Human Resources Department, will evaluate the suitability of such an arrangement, reviewing the following areas:

1. Employee suitability. The employee and manager will assess the needs and work habits of the employee, as appropriate for successful telecommuters.
2. Job responsibilities. The employee and manager will discuss the job responsibilities and determine if the job is appropriate for a telecommuting arrangement.
3. Equipment needs, workspace design considerations and scheduling issues. The employee and manager will review the physical workspace needs and the appropriate location for the telework.  
4. Employees are reminded during working hours they must comply with all existing policies as defined in the Dodge County Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual including, but not limited to: Computer Use, Electronic Communications, Use of Telephones and Other Communication Equipment, hours of work, meal/break periods, and confidentiality laws and regulations.
5. Tax and other legal implications. The employee must determine any tax or legal implications under IRS, state and local government laws, and/or restrictions of working out of a home-based office. Responsibility for fulfilling all obligations in this area rests solely with the employee.
6. Any telecommuting arrangement may be discontinued at will and at any time at the request of either the telecommuter or the Department Head. Every effort will be made to provide 30 days’ notice of such change to accommodate commuting, child care and other issues that may arise from the termination of a telecommuting arrangement. There may be instances, however, when no notice is possible. The telecommuter may, at the discretion of their immediate supervisor, be called to work at their centrally located worksite at the County on any telecommuting day during their regular work hours to meet workload requirements.

III. Standards:

A. Equipment   On a case-by-case basis, Dodge County will determine, with information supplied by the employee and the supervisor, the appropriate equipment needs (including hardware, software, modems, phone and data lines and other office equipment) for each telecommuting arrangement. The Human Resources and Information Technology Departments will serve as resources in this matter. Equipment supplied by the County will be maintained by the County. Equipment supplied by the employee, if deemed appropriate by the County, will be maintained by the employee. County laptop with working speakers, web camera and earphone jack; County cellular phone, wireless mouse, mobile monitor; and earphones are approved for telecommuting.  County desktop monitors and computers, printers, scanners, headsets, VOIP desk phones, and County office peripherals are not approved for telecommuting and must stay within a County building.  Personal devices including: printers, scanners, internet, monitors, wireless are approved to be used with a County laptop, however, County IT support staff cannot support or troubleshoot personal devices. 

Home office setup requires the following:

• Dedicated workspace meeting requirements of the Dodge County Telecommute Safety Checklist including: General Safety, Fire Safety, Ergonomics, and Security
• Reliable High Speed Internet with 25mbps download or higher
• Wired internet access or secured wireless with encryption password (Cellular hotspots are not allowed with the exception of a county-issued hotspot)  

The County accepts no responsibility for damage or repairs to employee-owned equipment. The County reserves the right to make determinations as to appropriate equipment, subject to change at any time. Equipment supplied by the County is to be used for County business purposes only. The telecommuter must sign an inventory of all County property received and agree to take appropriate action to protect the items from damage or theft. Upon termination of employment or arrangement, all County property will be returned to the Department within seven (7) days, unless other arrangements have been made. When using County equipment or software, the telecommuter must follow all softwarelicensing provisions agreed to by the County. Dodge County will supply the employee with appropriate office supplies (pens, paper, etc.) as deemed necessary. The County will also reimburse the employee for business-related expenses, such as phone calls and shipping costs that are reasonably incurred in carrying out the employee’s job responsibilities with prior approval for the expenses from the Supervisor and/or Department Head. The County reserves the right to pursue recovery from the employee for any County property deliberately or negligently damaged or destroyed while in employee’s care, custody, and control.

B. Work Environment Telecommuting employees are responsible for setting up a safe and ergonomic work environment in their home workspace. This includes following ergonomic best practices, such as using an ergonomic chair and keyboard, and maintaining proper posture and lighting.  The County will not be responsible for costs associated with the setup of the employee’s home office, such as remodeling, furniture or lighting, nor for repairs or modifications to the home office space.  Employees are required to review and follow the Policies; including but limited to:   HR Policy 304 – Computer Use HR Policy 305 -  Ethics HR Policy 309 – Social Media  HR Policy 310 – Use of Telephones and Other Communication Equipment  HR Policy 314 – Texting Policy  

C. Security Consistent with the County’s expectations of information security for employees working at the office, telecommuting employees will be expected to ensure the protection of confidential County and client/customer information accessible from their home office at all times and follow all security compliances. Steps include: taking only minimally necessary confidential information out of the office, use of locked file cabinets and desks, performing regular password maintenance, using the County VPN at all times, using multi-factor-authentication (MFA) to access County systems remotely, logging off and shutting down a County laptop when not in use, preventing inadvertent disclosure, and any other measures appropriate for the job and the environment.  

D. Safety Employees are responsible for maintaining their home workspace in a safe manner, free from safety hazards, similar to what is provided in the County’s physical work environment.  Injuries sustained by the employee in a home office location and in conjunction with his or her regular work duties may be covered by the County’s workers’ compensation policy. The County reserves the right to perform safety audits to assess the home work environment to identify and mitigate any potential safety risks or in the event of a work-related injury in the home environment. Telecommuting employees are responsible for notifying the employer of such injuries as soon as practicable. The employee is liable for any injuries sustained by visitors to his or her home worksite.

E. Childcare Telecommuting is not a replacement for appropriate childcare and alternative childcare must be arranged. Although an individual employee’s schedule may be modified to accommodate child care needs, the focus of the arrangement must remain on job performance and meeting County demands. Prospective telecommuters are encouraged to discuss expectations of telecommuting with family members prior to beginning telecommuting.

F. Time Worked Telecommuting employees who are not exempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act will be required to accurately record all hours worked using the Kronos time-keeping system. Hours worked in excess of those scheduled per day and per workweek require the advance approval of the telecommuter’s supervisor. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the immediate termination of the telecommuting arrangement.

G. Ad Hoc Arrangements Temporary telecommuting arrangements may be approved for circumstances such as inclement weather, special projects or business travel. These arrangements are approved on an as-needed basis only, with no expectation of ongoing continuance.  Consideration will be given for other informal, short-term arrangements requested by the employee for extenuating circumstances this may include family or medical leave with consent of the employee’s health care provider and approval by the Department Head and Human Resources Department.  All ad hoc telecommuting arrangements are made on a case-by-case basis, focusing first on the business needs of the County.  Employees who are sick or have restrictions are not eligible to telecommute. In these circumstances, employees are expected to stay at home and take the necessary time off to recover.

Telecommuting may be a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Requests for telecommuting as an accommodation are on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the essential functions of the employee's job and the impact of telecommuting on the business operations.  An employee seeking a reasonable accommodation under the ADA must make a request to their supervisor to begin the interactive process.

IV. Procedure

A. A Telecommuting Request Form and signed Dodge County Telecommute Safety Checklist must be completed by the employee and submitted to the Department Head/County Administrator for approval prior to beginning telecommuting. The telecommuting schedule consists of preset days of the week and hours as defined and approved in the Telecommuting Request Form. Any changes to the schedule requires submission of a new Telecommuting Request.

B. Approval or denials by the Department Head (or County Administrator) of such requests must be in writing and provided to the employee.

C. All completed and approved requests and denials must be sent to the Human Resources Department to be placed in the employee’s personnel file.  

D. Any request for telecommuting outside the parameters defined in this policy must be reviewed and approved by the County Administrator and Human Resources Department Director.

V. Guidelines

Dodge County Telecommute Safety Checklist 

Dodge County recognizes the importance of its employees having a proper work-life balance. It is understood that allowing employees to have a degree of control over their work schedules may make it easier for them to manage non-job-related responsibilities and to be more efficient and productive at work.

As a result, the County supports alternative work schedules for employees … provided that such schedules are mutually beneficial to County and employee, and continue to satisfy the needs and objectives of the County.

Department Heads may, subject to this policy, develop and implement an alternative work schedule provided that the Department is open to the public under the established office hours of Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Alternative Work Schedule Options

NOTE: A “week” is defined as a pay week of Thursday through Wednesday

4/9 and 1/4 Schedule

Employee works four (4) nine (9) hour days and one four (4) hour day, Thursday through Wednesday between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., however, must cover the established office hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Start and end times must be on the hour or half-hour and in thirty-minute increments (e.g., start-time of 7:00 a.m.; end-time of 5:30 p.m.)

The work schedule will be consistent with established starting and ending times that remain the same week after week.

The employee will be eligible for break and lunch periods as per Policy #111-Hours of Work.

Holidays: The Employee and the Supervisor will work out the work schedule for the week in which a holiday falls (i.e. the employee works 4 – eight hour days). Employees under the Alternative Work Schedule are only eligible for eight (8) hours of holiday time; they are not eligible for holiday hours as defined under Policy #207 – “Holidays will be based upon regularly schedule hours, exclusive of shift premium, if any”.

Vacation: Vacation time earned as defined in Policy #218-Vacation. Vacation taken in day increments will be charged at nine (9) hours per day. Note: A week of vacation will equal forty (40) hours.

Sick Leave: It is understood that sick leave will be earned at the rate of eight (8) hours per month. Sick leave taken will be charged at nine (9) hours per day.

4/10 Schedule

• Forty-hour (40) weeks in four (4) days. 
• Employees on 4/10 schedules work four (4) ten hour days Thursday through Wednesday between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., however, must cover the established office hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• No more than forty-hours can be worked in any one week.
• Exempt employees are normally expected to work beyond the standard eighty (80) hour biweekly pay period or forty (40) hours per week.
• Non-Exempt employees must have pre-approval for any hours worked over forty (40) in the work week.
• The work schedule will be consistent with established starting and ending times that remain the same week after week.
• The employee will be eligible for break and lunch periods as per Policy #111-Hours of Work.

Holidays: The Employee and the Supervisor will work out the work schedule for the week in which a holiday falls (i.e. the employee works 4 – eight hour days). Employees under the Alternative Work Schedule are only eligible for eight (8) hours of holiday time; they are not eligible for holiday hours as defined under Policy #207 – “Holidays will be based upon regularly schedule hours, exclusive of shift premium, if any”. Vacation: Vacation time earned as defined in Policy #218-Vacation. Vacation taken in day increments will be charged at ten (10) hours per day. Note: A week of vacation will equal forty (40) hours. Sick Leave: It is understood that sick leave will be earned at the rate of eight (8) hours per month. Sick leave taken will be charged at ten (10) hours per day. Any or all of the foregoing alternative schedule options may be utilized.

Eligibility/Criteria

• Working an alternative work schedule is a privilege, not an employee right and it in no way changes the terms and conditions of employment with Dodge County.
• Employees must maintain an acceptable time and attendance record and maintain a satisfactory work performance.
• Alternative work schedules are not appropriate for all positions, all Departments, or all situations.
• Alternative work schedules, to the extent such are appropriate, should be uniformly available to all positions in a Department. Employees can each have a different schedule as long as the normal business hours are covered.
• The Department Head is responsible for ensuring the fair and equitable administration of this policy to employees.
• Alternative work schedules will not result in a change in the County’s or a Department’s regular hours of operation.
• Each Department Head is responsible for ensuring that all services of the Department are available to internal and external clients during regular business hours and that the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department’s operations will not be interrupted or negatively impacted.
• The alternate work schedule will not cause overtime. All overtime must have Supervisor approval prior to incurring the overtime.
• Any alternative work schedule may be discontinued at will and at any time at the request of either the employee or the Department Head with approval from the County Administrator. Every effort will be made to provide 30 days’ notice of such change to accommodate commuting, child care and other issues that may arise from the termination of the alternative work schedule. There may be instances, however, when no notice is possible.

Process

• All requests for an alternative work schedule must be in writing, completed by the employee, and submitted to the Department Head for approval. Requests by Department Heads are to be submitted to the County Administrator. Please use the Alternative Work Schedule Request Form.
• Approval or denials by the Department Head (or County Administrator) of such requests must be in writing and provided to the employee.
• Once an alternative work schedule is approved, it cannot change without the prior written permission of the Department Head (or County Administrator).
• All completed and approved requests, and denials, must be sent to the Human Resources Department to be placed in the employee’s personnel file.
• Any request for an alternative work schedule option outside the parameters defined in this policy must be reviewed and approved by the County Administrator and Human Resources Department.

The objective of this County Vehicle Policy is to establish administrative regulations which standardize the procedures utilized by employees in the use of County-owned vehicles or privately owned vehicles in the conduct of official County business. The basic guideline of this policy shall be that the use of a county vehicle by an employee will be only for official county business.

1. Authority: The Dodge County Board of Supervisors.
2. Application: The regulations and procedures outlined in this policy statement are to apply to all County-owned vehicles assigned to individual departments (except for the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office)
3. Assignment of County-Owned Vehicles: The Department Supervisor or Department Head shall assign County-owned vehicles, which have been assigned to its department, to its employees, volunteers or agents according to its own policy, procedures and departmental operational requirements.
4. Employees who operate a County-owned vehicle shall comply with the Dodge County Driver Qualification Policy.
5. The following rules and regulations are established as a supplement to all rules and regulations contained in this and other administrative and personnel policies. The rules and regulations contained herein apply to all County employees who are authorized to use a County-owned vehicle or who are compensated for the use of their privately-owned vehicle in the conduct of County business. Any employee in violation of these rules may be disallowed from using any County owned vehicle or privately owned vehicle on County business and shall be disciplined appropriately, up to and including discharge.

Expense Reimbursement: Employees requesting reimbursement for use of their personal vehicle for conducting county business shall comply with the Dodge County Expense Reimbursement Policy #306. The policy requires monthly submittal of reimbursement requests. Employee reimbursements shall be reviewed by the Dodge County Audit Committee.

Personal Use of County Vehicles: County employees shall refrain from making any personal use of county issued vehicles, except as permitted by Dodge County Ordinance Number 570.

6. Identification of County Owned Vehicles: County owned vehicles except certain law enforcement vehicles are to display marking(s) clearly identifying the vehicle is Operated by Dodge County. The minimum criteria includes a State of Wisconsin Municipal License Plate and the standard Dodge County logo. The Dodge County logo shall be prominently displayed on each side of county vehicles. The County Administrator has the authority to approve individual written requests for exclusion from the identifying criteria. Exclusion requests shall be kept on file with the Dodge County Clerk’s office.

Non-Employees Operating a County Vehicle

Employees are prohibited from allowing individuals who are not employees, volunteers or agents of Dodge County from operating any county-owned vehicle.

Purpose

To provide guidelines and assign responsibility for the safe operation and use of all vehicles operated during the course of County business. It is the intent of this policy to ensure that all operators of vehicles while on County business adhere to all local, state and federal laws. Travel by motorcycle or moped is not allowed during the course of conducting County business. This provision doesn't apply to the Sheriff's Office in exigent circumstances or for a motorcycle patrol.

Policy

Minimum standards require to operate any vehicle during the course of conducting County business:

1. 1. Shall have a valid operator’s license. This includes a valid regular license or an occupational license (see below for requirements of an occupational license**).
2. 2. Shall have a minimum of two (2) years of licensed driving experience.
3. 3. Shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age.

_{** Occupational License Requirements: Restrictions on the hours an employee can operate a vehicle must allow for the employee to complete all the duties of his/her position. The employee must provide a copy of the restrictions to his/her Supervisor and Human Resources.}

Drivers and passengers must comply with all local, state and federal laws, including the Wisconsin seat belt, cell phone and texting laws. Using a mobile device at any time while operating a vehicle while on County business is prohibited unless responding to a life-threatening emergency situation, or is required to do so as part of the employee’s job responsibilities, or they are an operator of an authorized emergency vehicle as per WI State Statute, 346.89(3).

Employees should not allow anyone to ride in a seat that does not have a working seat belt. Properly installed car seats or booster seats must be used for all children under 8 years old who are less than 80 lbs. and less than 57 inches in height or as otherwise determined by law. Drivers are personally responsible for the cost of all traffic citations, parking tickets, and locksmith calls for retrieving keys, unless the driver is carrying out his or her duties as an officer or employee and is acting within the scope of his or her employment. Drivers are responsible for immediately reporting to their Supervisor and Human Resources all accidents or any damage to the vehicle operated in the course of County business.

1. A police report must be completed when an accident occurs as required by law.
2. When bodily injury occurs to an employee an Incident Report of Injury must be completed and filed with the Department Head and Human Resources regardless of whether or not the employee seeks medical care.
3. When bodily injury occurs to a passenger, a Non-Employee Incident Report of Injury must be completed and filed with the Department Head and County Administrator.
4. If damage occurs to the vehicle, notification to the Department Head and County Administrator must be made as soon as possible.

No vehicle shall be operated if the driver has consumed or is under the influence of alcohol, prescription, or non-prescription drugs which may affect control, operation and safety of the driver/passengers of the vehicle. Vehicle insurance must be carried by the employee on their own vehicle as required by WI Stats. Chapter 344, Vehicles-Financial Responsibility. Failure to comply with, or abuse of, this policy may result in the suspension of the ability to drive on County business and possible other disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.