City Council Meeting Date: September 6, 2016
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Michelle Mahowald, Communications & Human Resources Manager
Title
Consider approval of updated policies for the Employee Handbook.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves the attached policies for the Employee Handbook.
Summary Report:
The proposed policies attached to the agenda background item have been reviewed by the Leadership Team and Brandon Fitzsimmons, Labor Relations Attorney.
Revised policies have been updated to more accurately reflect desired proper administration of policy and procedure under current law.
Changes made to the policies have been tracked for you to see the actual changes made throughout each document.
4.30 Keys, Security, and Monitoring of City Facilities
In early August, video cameras were installed in employee and public areas of Finance, Motor Vehicle, and a conference room at City Hall. Small signs notifying staff and public about the use of video monitoring equipment have been added at both City Hall entrances and in the department of Finance and office of Motor Vehicle. Video surveillance equipment is used for security purposes and will continue to be expanded over time as technology improves and costs of technology decrease.
This policy, previously named Keys and Security, has not been updated for 9 years, since 2007.
Policy language has not evolved with this technology, updated Minnesota Government Data Practices law, and our data and human resources handbook policies. This updated language has been provided by our labor attorney to address current these more complex issues.
Language has been inserted to set expectations and guide process. It authorizes the City to search what it needs, if necessary, to enforce when it is believed a policy has been violated. The City must carefully follow the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act and the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution.
Employees may ask situational questions such as the following:
• “Can my lunch box, that I bring to the lunch room every day, be inspected if a concern is raised to the City Administrator?”
• “Could the trunk of my car be inspected if I open it up and find that my husband left his shot gun exposed after a hunting trip?”
o Page 2 of 3, third paragraph “Employees who bring personal property into or onto the facilities or vehicles of the City should understand that such personal property may also become the subject of a workplace inspection.”
o Page 2 of 3, second to last paragraph “In addition to the City premises, the City may search employees, their work areas, lockers, personal vehicles if driven or parked on City property, and other personal items such as bags, purses, briefcases, backpacks, lunch boxes, and other containers.”
5.01 Conferences, Workshops and Seminars
This policy has not been updated for nine years, since 2007. Small language changes made on the second page tie to the Travel and Training Expense policy changes approved by the City Council on July 19, 2016.
9.01 Employee Identification Card
This policy has not been updated for nine years, since 2007. The Communications & Human Resources office has taken over the Identification Card machine from the Police department. Changes made reflect current administrative policy, card requirements, and violation expectations.
It is important for City employees administering Council approved policies and procedures, all covered employees, and the Northfield community we serve to have a clear understanding and expectation for proper conduct and operation when working with all City departments.
Timelines:
Upon City Council approval, this policy with tracked changes will be distributed to all employees by email. Following standard procedure, employees will sign and return an acknowledgment to the Communications & Human Resources Office.