Loading...
Exh 8JAgenda Item: r~.~ Date: ~2 -/~/~ 99' CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH CITY COMMISSIONER MEETING STAFF REPORT AGENDA ITEM: Public Works Union Contract (Agenda amended to include) SUBMITTED BY: George Foster, Human Resource Manager ACTION REQUESTED: Approval of Public Works Union Contract retroactive to October 1, 1999. BACKGROUND: The City and Public Works Union Negotiation Team have agreed to the provisions of a new contract. The key features of the proposed contract are: 1. One year contract from October 1, 1999 through September 30, 2000. 2. Pay increase of four percent (4%) effective October 1, 1999. Art 26. 3. Reduced Personal Leave submission time from 14 to 5 calender days and reduced minimum amount charged from 1 hour to 15 minutes. Supervisor still has authority to approve or disapprove all requests. Art 13. 4. Changed approval authority for most Bereavement Leave requests from City Manager to Department Head. Art 16. 5. Added a Union Time Pool provision. Art 30. 6. Increased starting pay by 2% and established a Water/Wastewater I, II, III, and IV job series to replace current job series of Water/Wastewater Operator I, II, III, IV; Lead Utilities Plant Operator; and Dual Certified Operator. Exh A. BUDGET: Funds for these actions are currently within the budget. RECOMMENDATION: That the City Commission approve the Public Works union contract for the period October 1, 1999 through September 30, 2000. REVIEWED BY CITY MANAGER: AGREEMENT between _~ NORTHEAST FLORIDA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' LOCAL 630 LIUNA, AFL-CIO ~~-~ERNq T~0^^~ ~GNGq "V ~ ~ G O ~ a 2 Q ' I 0 Z \~~rYh Ar'~`e~ AND CITY OF CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA October 1, 1999, through September 30, 2000 Table of Contents Article No. Title TO BE PROVIDED Page No. -i- AGREEMENT THIS AGREEMENT is entered into this 1st day of October, ~-Q9-S 1999, between the City of Atlantic Beach, hereinafter referred to as the Employer,. or City, and the Northeast Florida Public Employees', Local 630, LIUNA, AFL-CIO, hereinafter referred to as Local 630, Uriion, or Employee Organization. It is the intent and purpose of this Agreement _~o assure sound and mutually beneficial working relationships between the parties hereto, to provide an orderly and peaceful means of resolving misunderstandings or differences which may arise and to set forth basic and full agreement between the parties concerning wages, hours and other conditions of employment enumerated herein. There are and shall be no individual arrangements or agreements covering any part or all of this Agreement contrary to the terms provided herein. It is mutually understood and declared to be the public policy of the Employer and the Union to promote harmonious and cooperative relationships between the Employer and the Union and to protect the public by assuring, at all times, the orderly and uninterrupted operations and functions of government. Whenever a male pronoun is used in this Agreement it shall be construed to include reference to both sexes. -1- ARTICLE 1 RECOGNITION 1.1 Pursuant to and in accordance with all applicable provisions of Part. II of Chapter 447, Florida Statutes, the Employer recognizes the~Union as the exclusive collective bargaining representative for those full-time employees in the unit as ` provided in the attached Exhibit "A", for the purpose of bargaining collectively in the determination of the wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment of those public employees within the bargaining unit. The Employer agrees to promptly notify the Union in writing of its intention to create any job classification not specifically listed in Exhibit "A", which classification might reasonably be expected to be appropriate for inclusion within the bargaining unit. The parties agree to meet and discuss reopening this section to add such classifications to the description above at the request of either party. 1.2 It is further understood and agreed that the Business Manager or his designee will be the official spokesman for the Union in any matter between the Union and the Employer, only however on the matters which the Union has authority regarding its membership. The Business Manager shall designate in writing the name of his designee. -2- ARTICLE 2 PAYROLL DEDUCTION AND DUES 2.1 Upon receipt of a written authorization from the employee covered by this Agreement, the Employer will deduct from the employee' s pay the amount owed to the Union by such employee __ for dues. It is understood that this provision will provide for deductions equal to the number of pay periods per year. The Employer will submit to the Union the deducted sums within fifteen (15) calendar days. Changes in the Union membership dues and rates will be certified to the Employer in writing over the signature of the Business Manager of the Union and shall be done at least thirty (30) calendar days in advance of the effective date of such change. The union will make a reasonable efort to notify employees of any increase in dues in advance of such increase being deducted by the Employer. The Employer's remittance will be deemed correct if the Union does not give written notice to the Employer within seven (7) calendar days after remittance is received of its belief and reasons stated therefore that the remittance is incorrect. 2.2 The Union will indemnify, defend and hold the Employer harmless against any claim made, and against any suit instituted, against the Employer as the result of any check- off of union dues. 2.3 An employee may revoke his authorization for deduction of dues provided the employee gives thirty (30) calendar days written notice to the Employer and the Union. Upon receipt of such notification, the Employer shall terminate dues on the pay date immediately following the expiration of the thirty (30) calendar day notice period. 2.4 No deduction shall be made from the pay of an employee for any payroll period in which the employee's net earnings for that payroll period are less than the amount of dues to be checked off. Net earnings shall mean net after required deductions. 2.5 If there is an amount deducted in excess of what is authorized by this Agreement, the employee affected shall seek recourse within the Union and not the City, provided that the excess amount deducted was in fact remitted to the Union in the form of union dues. 2.6 The City agrees to furnish the Union upon request with an annual computer print-out of all the employees within the -3- defined bargaining unit. The print-out will contain the employees' name, address, classification, current rate of pay, date of hire and telephone number. The City will not be responsible for the accuracy of the information provided, however,-the City agrees that the information provided will be as accurate and up to date as reasonably possible. -4- ARTICLE 3 NO STRIKE PROVISION 3.1 The Union and bargaining unit members shall have no right to instigate, promote, sponsor, engage in, or condone any work stoppage, boycott, slow-down, strike, intentional disruption of City operations, or to withhold services for any reason. 3.2 Local 630, its officers, agents, stewards, and other representatives agree that it is their continuing obligation and responsibility to maintain compliance with this Article and the law, including their responsibility to abide by the provisions of this Article and the law by remaining at work during any interruption which may be initiated by others; and including their responsibility, in the event of breach of this Article or the law by other employees, and upon the request of the City, to encourage and direct employees violating this Article or the law to return to work, and to disavow the strike. 3.3 In addition to the penalties set forth in Section 447.507, Florida Statutes, any and all employees who violate any provision of the law prohibiting strikes or this Article may be disciplined, up to and including discharge, by the City. The only question that may be raised in any proceeding (grievance, judicial or otherwise)- contesting such action is whether the provision prohibiting work stoppages, boycotts, slow-downs, strikes, intentional disruption of City operations, or the withholding of services was violated by the employee to be discharged or otherwise disciplined. 3.4 The circuit courts of this State shall have jurisdiction to enforce the provisions of this Section by ex parte injunction and contempt proceedings, if necessary. -5- ARTICLE 4 MANAGEMENT SECURITY 4.1 (a) The Union, its representatives, members or any. persons. acting on their behalf agree that the following "unlawful acts" as defined in Chapter 447, Florida Statutes are prohibited; 1} Solicitation of public '' employees during working hours or 2) Distributing literature during working hours in areas where the work of the public employees is performed. (b) The circuit courts of the state shall have jurisdiction to enforce the provisions of this section by injunction and contempt proceedings if necessary. A public employee who is convicted of a violation of any provision of this section may be discharged or otherwise disciplined by the Employer notwithstanding further provisions of this or any other agreement. (c} No employee organization shall directly or indirectly pay any fines or penalties assessed against individuals pursuant to the provisions of this article. 4.2 The Employer and Union agree that the basic intent of this Agreement is to provide a fair day's work in return for a fair day's pay and to provide conditions of employment suitable to maintain a competent work force. The Employer and Union affirm the joint opposition to any discriminatory practices in connection with employment, promotion, training or assignment remembering that the public interest requires full utilization of employees' skills .and ability without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, handicap or sex. 4.3 In accordance with Chapter 447, Florida Statutes, employees shall have the right to form, join and participate in or refrain from forming, joining or participating in an employee organization of their own choosing. They shall have the right to be represented by an employee organization of their choosing to negotiate collectively through a certified bargaining agent with the City in the determination of the terms and conditions of their employment. -6- ARTICLE 5 MANAGEMENT RIGHTS 5.1 Except as expressly provided for in this Agreement, the. Employer retains the sole and exclusive right to manage its operations and direct the work of the bargaining unit employees, including the rights to decide the number and -- location of work stations, the operation of motorized equipment, the scope of service to be performed, the methods of service, the schedule of work time; to contract and subcontract existing and future work (should the Employer exercise its management right and decide to contract out existing and future bargaining unit work, the Employer agrees to notify the Union of its intent to subcontract no less than thirty (30) calender days prior to implementation. The Employer agrees to meet with the Union upon request of the Union; however, such obligation to meet with the Union shall not affect the Employer's right to implement said decision free from any bargaining obligation); to determine whether and to what 'extent the work required in its operations shall be performed by employees covered by this Agreement; to maintain order and efficiency in its work stations and locations; to curtail or discontinue temporarily or permanently, in whole or in part, operations whenever in the opinion of the Employer good business judgment makes such curtailment or discontinuance advisable; to hire, lay-off, assign, transfer, promote, demote and determine the qualifications of employees; to create new job classifications and to create and amend job descriptions; to determine the starting and quitting time and the number of hours to be worked; to require an employee to take a physical or mental examination, given by a health service, or a physician or psychiatrist selected by the Employer; to assign overtime work; to discipline, suspend, and/or discharge employees for just cause; and to have complete authority to exercise those rights and powers incidental thereto, including the right to make unilateral changes, subject only to such regulations governing the exercise of these rights as are expressly and specifically provided in this Agreement. 5.2 The above rights of the Employer are not all inclusive but indicate the type of matters or rights which belong to and are inherent to the Employer in its capacity as manager of the Public Services Department of the City. Any of the rights, powers, and authority the Employer had prior to entering into this collective bargaining agreement are retained by the Employer, except as expressly and -7- specifically abridged, delegated, granted or modified by this Agreement. The management rights, functions privileges and prerogatives referred to in this Article which the Employer has not expressly modified or restricted by a specific provision of this Agreement are not in any way, directly or indirectly, subject to .the grievance or arbitration procedures, and the Employer has no obligation to bargain over the decision to exercise such rights, ~= functions, prerogatives and privileges, or the effect of such decisions. 5.3 Any and all aspects of wages, hours, and working conditions, which are not specifically covered by this Agreement, may be initiated, instituted, continued or discontinued without notification of or consultation with the Union. The Employer is not required to continue those voluntary aspects of wages, hours, and working conditions not included in this Agreement, but which were in effect prior to entering into this Agreement or instituted thereafter, nor shall the employees have any binding right to such matters. 5.4 It is agreed that every incidental duty connected with operations enumerated in job descriptions is not always comprehensive and employees at the discretion of the City may be required to perform duties not within their specific job descriptions as long as they are related to Department operations and have the approval of the appropriate Department Head. 5.5 Whenever it is determined that civil emergency conditions exist, including riots, civil disorders, hurricane conditions, or similar catastrophes, the provisions of the Agreement may be suspended by the Mayor or the City Manager during the time of the declared emergency only, provided that wage rates and monetary fringe benefits shall not be suspended. 5.6 The Employer's failure to exercise any function or right hereby reserved to it, or its exercising any function or right in a particular way, shall not be deemed a waiver of this right to exercise such function or right, nor preclude the Employer from exercising the same in some other way not in conflict with the express provisions of this Agreement. 5.7 The exercise of the above-referenced management prerogatives shall not be subject to the grievance or arbitration procedures of this Agreement; provided however, that the exercise of such rights shall not preclude employees or their representatives from raising grievances, should -8- decisions on the above matters have the practical consequence of violating the terms and conditions of this Agreement. -9- .ARTICLE 6 UNION STEWARDS AND UNION REPRESENTATION 6.1 Employees. covered by this Agreement will be represented by stewards designated by the Union in the following locations. of the Department of Public Works and the Department of Parks and Recreation. Location Number of Stewards Public Works/Water Distribution Parks and Recreation 1 Atlantic Beach Water/Wastewater Treatment Plant 1 Buccaneer Water/Wastewater Treatment Plants 1 The Union may appoint one of the above stewards as a Roving Steward. When additional permanent work locations are created, the Employer. and the Union will meet at the request of either party for the purpose of mutually determining the stewardship needs of the Union. 6.2 A written list of union stewards shall be furnished to the Director of appropriate Department Head prior to the effective date of their assuming duties of office. Union stewards will not perform any grievance work until such notification is received by the Employer. 6.3 The Business Manager or the President of the Union, may, with prior authorization by the City Manager or appropriate Department Head, be admitted to the property of the Employer. Union officials, as designated above, shall be able to talk with employees before or after regular working hours or during the lunch period of said employees on Employer property in areas mutually agreed upon by the Union and the Employer to discuss union business, including but not limited to, grievances. 6.4 The following sections outline the duties and responsibilities of stewards recognized union representatives. In those cases which cannot be resolved otherwise, designated union stewards shall be granted reasonable time off, without loss of pay, to settle grievances. Work loss must be minimized. The steward must advise his supervisor of the requirement of such time and -10- secure permission. Such permission will not be unreasonably withheld. Union stewards shall normally settle grievances on the job site which is within their designated jurisdiction. Pursuant to Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, all files of the employee .shall be open. for investigation by the steward when settling grievances. Union stewards -shall not conduct any grievance work on premium time (overtime} except in emergency situations occurring during such premium hours that involve suspension or discharge. Supervisor permission shall be given orally to the union steward provided that said oral authorization insures adequate controls of the steward`s time; otherwise written permission shall be required. If it becomes necessary for a union steward to receive written permission, the department will provide a form which will be used for this purpose. Upon returning to his work assignment, the steward shall report to his immediate supervisor, unless prior consent not to do so has been secured. 6.5 Union stewards shall be employees as designated by the Union, and shall be members of the bargaining unit. 6.6 Union representatives, while on public property and functioning as stewards, are subject to the same rules of the Employer as all other public employees, except as specifically provided in this Agreement. 6.7 No employee shall function as a union steward while on leave of absence, without mutual consent of the Union and the Employer. 6.8 When it becomes necessary for a union steward to enter a division or area other than his own for the purpose of conducting union business authorized by this Agreement, he will secure permission for his presence from the supervisor of that area or division or activity and notify the supervisor of the general nature of his business. Such permission shall not be unreasonably withheld. 6.9 Nothing is this Agreement shall be construed to prevent any employee from presenting, at any time, his own grievances to the Employer, in person or by legal counsel, and having such grievances adjusted without the intervention of the bargaining agent if the adjustment is not inconsistent with the terms of the Agreement when in effect, and if the bargaining agent or his designee has been given reasonable opportunity to be present at any meeting called for the resolution of such grievance. -11- 6.10 Employees of the designated bargaining unit shall have the right to join the Union, to engage in lawful concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid and protection, and to express or communicate any view,. grievance, complaint or opinion,.. within the bounds of good .taste related to the conditions or compensation of public employment or it betterment, all free from any _ restraint, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal. There ~~ shall be no restraint, discrimination, intimidation, or reprisal against any employee because of that employee's membership or lack of membership in the Union or by virtue of his holding office or not holding office in the Union. This provision shall be applied to all employees by the Employer and the Union. 6.11 All stewards have productive work to perform as assigned by the Employer. .The parties agree that each will cooperate with the other in reducing to a minimum the actual time spent by union representatives in investigating, presenting, and adjusting grievances or disputes. -12- ARTICLE 7 PROBATIONARY EMPLOYEES 7.1 All employees shall be classified as probationary employees for the first six..{6) months of continuous uninterrupted employment. The probationary period shall apply for all employees in a new job classification (new employee or an employee who has been transferred, promoted or demoted). The City Manager has the discretion to extend the probationary period an additional six (6) months. Except in the case of a transfer or promotion to a new position which is set forth below, at any time during the probationary period the Employer may decide to terminate a probationary employee with or without cause. Such decision to terminate shall not be subject to the grievance or arbitration procedures of this collective bargaining Agreement. Provisions as to seniority shall not apply to probationary employees, rather seniority shall date back to the time of hire after an employee has successfully completed his' probationary period. If more than one (1) employee is hired on the same day, seniority shall be determined by the day (1 -31) of birth, with the employee with the lowest numeric day of birth having the most seniority. 7.2 Employees who are subject to a probationary period because of a transfer or promotion to a new position shall be returned to the position they held prior to the transfer or promotion at the employee's former pay should management determine that the employee is not successfully completing the probationary period. However, nothing shall prevent the Employer from discharging, suspending or otherwise disciplining, the transferred or promoted employee during the probationary period for just cause. Further, should the transferred or promoted employee be returned to his former position for failing to satisfactorily complete the probationary period, the Employer shall have the right to terminate the individual who filled the transferred or promoted employee's former position. Such termination shall not be subject to the grievance or arbitration provisions of this Agreement. -13- ARTICLE 8 RULES AND REGULATIONS 8.1 The City shall have the right to establish, maintain and enforce, or rescind, amend or change, reasonable rules-and regulations and standard operational procedures. The City Y will provide the Union with copies of any work rules and/or -- policies which the City has created, amended,. or deleted, which pertain to members of the bargaining unit within a reasonable time after creation, amendment, or deletion. 8.2 Any employee violating a rule or regulation or standard operational procedure may be subject to disciplinary action, including dismissal. 8.3 All bargaining unit employees, regardless of union affiliation, are subject to all City rules and regulations pertaining to the conduct of City employees unless specifically exempted by provisions of the Agreement. -14- ARTICLE 9 DISCHARGE AND DISCIPLINE 9.1 The Employer shall not discharge, suspend or otherwise discipline employees except for just.-cause ,and in no event until the employee has been furnished with a written statement of the charges and the reason or reasons for such -~ action. Any dispute over suspension, discharge, or other disciplinary action may be submitted to the grievance procedure as set forth in Article 10. The Employer shall consider, among other things, the seriousness and frequency of offenses when determining the appropriate discipline, which may include a warning, suspension or immediate discharge. Employees are not entitled to a particular number of warnings prior to the imposition of discipline, including discharge. 9.2 The following acts shall be grounds for discipline, up to and including discharge: (a) Falsifying statements or records; (b) Stealing; (c) Drinking or possessing alcoholic beverages while on duty; (d) Possessing, using or selling a controlled substance, including but not limited to, narcotics, marijuana, or barbiturates, other than that prescribed by a physician for the employee; (e) Being under the influence of a controlled substance other than that prescribed by a physician for the employee, or being under the influence of an alcoholic beverage; (f) Recklessness or negligence while on duty; (g) Violation of the no strike provisions of this Agreement; (h) Violation of a work rule or regulation; (i) Failure to immediately report vehicle accidents involving damage to any City property; (j) Conduct that could bring discredit to the Employer; -15- (k) Having committed and/or convicted for a felony, driving while under the influence of alcohol, or narcotic substances, crime involving moral turpitude, or a misdemeanor involving perjury or a false statement, or a misdemeanor evidencing bad moral character; (1) Leaving the working area during working hours without authorization; (m) Sleeping during working time; (n) Fighting, wrestling, horseplay, or any other act which might interfere with. the safe or efficient operation of the Employer; (o) Unauthorized absence; (p) Unauthorized tardiness; (q) Repeated failure to achieve a satisfactory evaluation of work performance; (r) Refusal to cooperate during an investigation; (s) Insubordination; or (t) Conduct unbecoming a city employee. The foregoing enumeration of grounds for discipline, up to and including discharge, is by way of illustration and shall not be deemed to exclude management's right to discharge or otherwise discipline employees for any other just cause. 9.3 Disciplinary Actions (a). All disciplinary actions shall normally be progressive. Written warning notices shall normally be provided to employees prior to the issuance of discipline. The following are intended as examples of disciplinary actions: 1. Reprimand given in writing. 2. Suspension without pay. 3. Dismissal. 9.4 Notwithstanding the provisions of 9.1, the Employer may suspend or discharge an employee immediately for being -16- under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs pursuant to Article 28 of this Agreement; disorderly, andfor disruptive conduct, without the necessity of a letter of reprimand prior to suspension or discharge, provided however that a written statement of the charges and the reason or reasons .for such action .shall be delivered to the employee- within five (5) days of the actual suspension or discharge. 9.5 Employees shall have the right to review their official personnel file upon reasonable request to the Employer. 9.6 A copy of the written reprimand shall be furnished to the employee at the time the reprimand is presented to the employee. 9.7 The employee shall have the opportunity to submit a written statement responding to any reprimand issued. The statement shall be limited to the facts and issues regarding the specific reprimand at issue. The employee's responding statement will be entered in the personnel file, attached to the reprimand. 9.8 When an employee is questioned by the Employer, the Employer shall advise the employee if the questioning may lead to disciplinary action against him. The employee then has the right to request that a union representative be present at the meeting. When an employee requests union representation pursuant to this section, and a union representative is not immediately available; the Employer shall postpone the meeting for a reasonable time in order for the employee to obtain union representation. 9.9 (a) No written warning in an employee's personnel file shall be used as a basis for disciplinary action if; 1. More than one (1} year has past since the written warning was issued; and 2. the employee has not received any other disciplinary action against him for similar or like matters within that one (1) year from the date of the written warning. (b) No written reprimand in an employee's personnel file shall be used as a basis for further disciplinary -17- action if; 1. More than two (2) years has past since the written reprimand was issued; and - 2. the employee has not received any other disciplinary action against him -for similar or like matters within that two (2) year from the '` date of the written reprimand. 9.10 Employees subject to dismissal or suspension shall have the right to a pre-disciplinary hearing. The hearing shall be conducted by the appropriate Department Head. The pre-disciplinary hearing shall be conducted prior to discharge or suspension. The employee may request that the appropriate union steward be present at the hearing along with the supervisor who has made the charge. This section shall not apply to circumstances covered under Section 9.4. The union steward and the employee shall receive written notice of the charges against the employee twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the hearing. A waiver of hearing shall be attached to the notice and the employee may waive his right to such hearing.. 9.11 Derogatory information, including disciplinary or detrimental documents, will not be entered into an employee's official personnel records unless the following has been accomplished: 21. The employee is notified: (a) that the information is to be filed within their official personnel records, and (b) Of their right to submit a grievance if they disagree with the action, and 22. The employee is given a copy of the information, and 23. The employee is given an opportunity to submit information in rebuttal to derogatory information, and 24. The employee .has been asked to acknowledge that such a document is being placed into their official personnel file. -18- ARTICLE 10 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE 10.1 In a mutual effort to provide harmonious working relations between the parties to this Agreement, it is agreed to and understood by both parties that there shall be a procedure _ for the resolution of grievances between the parties arising '~ from an alleged violation of specific terms of the Agreement as provided in this Article. 10.2_ For the purpose of this Agreement, a grievance is defined as a claim or complaint that an employee or group of employees may have that the Employer has violated a specific provision of this Agreement, provided such specific provision is subject to the grievance and arbitration procedures of this Agreement. 10.3 Grievances may be taken up during the working time of the grievant upon mutual agreement between the Employer and the Union. 10.4 All grievances proceeding to Step II must be reduced to writing and must contain the following information:. (a) The specific Article and Section of the Agreement alleged to have been violated by the Employer; (b) A full statement of the grievance, giving a complete description of the facts and dates and times of the events involved. in the alleged violation, and the specific remedy desired by the grievant; (c) Signature of grievant and date signed; and, (d) Designation of the union steward or business agent if the grievant requests union representation. 10.5 All grievances shall be processed in accordance with the following procedure: Step 1 - The grievant shall orally present his grievance to his immediate supervisor within five (5) working days of the occurrence of the action giving rise to the grievance, provided that should the action giving rise to the grievance occur while the employee is on authorized paid leave of absence or is on his scheduled day off the grievant shall have five (5) working days within return to his job to orally present his grievance. Discussions will be informal -19- for the purpose of settling differences in the simplest and most effective manner. The immediate supervisor will discuss and make an effort to resolve all legitimate grievances with fairness and justice for both the grievant and the Employer. The immediate supervisor shall orally communicate a decision. to the grievant within five (5) working days from the date the grievance was presented to him. Step 2 - If the grievance is not settled at the first step, the grievant within five (5) working days of the immediate supervisor's Step I response, shall present the grievance in written -form (in compliance with Section 10.4) to the appropriate Department Head with a copy to the City Manager. The appropriate Department Head or his designee, shall investigate the alleged grievance and shall within ten (10) working days of receipt of the written grievance conduct a meeting with the grievant and the union steward and/or Business Agent if the grievant requests union representation. The appropriate Department Head or his designee shall notify the grievant of his decision no later than ten (10) working days following the meeting date. Step 3 - If the grievance is not settled at the second step, the grievant within five (5) working days from the date of the Department Head's decision shall present the written grievance to the City Manager or his designee. The City Manager or his designee shall investigate the alleged grievance and may within five (5) working days of receipt of the written grievance conduct a meeting with Employer representatives, the grievant and the union steward and/or Business Manager if the grievant requests union representation. The City Manager or his designee shall notify the grievant in writing of his decision not later than ten (10) working days subsequent to the date the grievance was received by the City Manager, or subsequent to the meeting with the representatives and grievant. Step 4 - If a grievance, as defined in this Article, has not been satisfactorily resolved within the grievance procedure, the Union may request arbitration in writing to the Office bf the City Manager no later than ten (10) working days after the response is received in Step 3 of the grievance procedure. 10.6 It is the mutual desire of the Employer and the Union that grievances shall be adjusted as quickly as possible and to that end the time limits set forth in this Article are to be strictly enforced. The time limits may only be extended by -20- mutual written agreement. The term "work days" as used in this Article includes Monday through Friday of each work week regardless of the grievant's work schedule. Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays as set forth in this Agreement shall not be considered "work days" even if work is assigned on these days. For-the purpose of calculating time limits, the day on which a grievance, or a reply by management to a _ grievance, is received, shall not be counted. Failure of _` management to observe the time limits for any step in the grievance procedure without a mutually agreed written extension of time shall entitle the grievant (or the Union in the case of Step 4) to advance the grievance to the next step. Failure of the grievant (or the Union in the case of Step 4) to observe the time limits for any steps in this Article without a mutually agreed written extension of time shall terminate the grievance. -21- ARTICLE 11 ARBITRATION PROCEDURE 11.1 Whenever the Union requests arbitration in accordance with the provisions of the Grievance Article, the parties shall within five (5) working days following appeal to arbitration __ jointly request the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to submit a panel of seven (7) arbitrators, each of whom shall be a member of the National Academy of Arbitrators. Arbitrators shall be selected from such panel by alternately striking names from this list (the Union shall make the first strike) until the last name on the list is reached. 11.2 The limitations on the powers of the Arbitrator are as follows: (a) The Arbitrator shall not have the power to add to, subtract from, or alter the terms of this Agreement; (b) The Arbitrator shall have no power to establish wage scales, rates for new jobs, or to change any wage; (c) The Arbitrator shall have only the power to rule or_ matters arising under this Agreement and is confined exclusively to the question(s) which is presented to him which question(s) must be actual and existing; (d) The Arbitrator shall have no power to arbitrate any matter after this Agreement has expired, unless the event giving rise to the grievance occurred prior to the termination of this Agreement and a written grievance was submitted within fifteen (15) working days after the expiration of this Agreement and has been timely processed. (e) If the subject of the grievance submitted to arbitration concerns disciplinary measures (including discharge) taken against one or more employees, the Arbitrator is only empowered to pass upon whether the employee or employees concerned actually committed, participated in, or were responsible for the act of misconduct. The Arbitrator has no authority to pass upon the nature, extent or severity of the disciplinary measure(s) taken, such determination being solely a managerial prerogative. If the Arbitrator finds that the employee has not committed, participated in, or was not responsible for, the act of misconduct for which he -22- has been disciplined, the Arbitrator has the-power to make the employee or employees whole, including ordering back-pay (less compensation received from any other sources) for time lost, and reinstatement when applicable. 11.3 There shall be no appeal from the Arbitrator's decision; it shall be final and binding on the Union and on all ~` bargaining unit employees and on the Employer, provided the Arbitrator's decision is not outside or beyond the scope of the Arbitrator's jurisdiction, or is not in violation of public policy. The authority and responsibility of the Employer, as provided by Florida law, shall not be usurped in any matter. 11.4 The cost of the Arbitrator's services shall be divided equally between the Employer and the Union. Each side will pay its own representative and witnesses. The cost of a court reporter and the transcription fee shall be paid by the party requesting the court reporter and/or a transcription of the proceedings. 11.5 The commencing of legal proceedings against the City or any managerial employee of the City in a court of law or equity or before the Public Employees Relations Commission, the City's grievance procedure, or any other administrative agency by an employee, or group of employees, for alleged violations of the express terms of the Agreement shall be deemed a waiver to resort to the grievance or arbitration procedures contained herein for resolution of the alleged violation of the terms of this Agreement. Additionally, the commencing of legal proceedings against the Union in a court of law or equity or before the Public Employees Relations Commission, or any other administrative agency, by the City or any of its managerial employees for alleged violations of the expressed terms of this Agreement shall be deemed a waiver by such employee or the City of the ability to resort to the grievance or arbitration procedures contained herein for resolution of the alleged violation of the terms of this Agreement. Likewise, the utilization of the Grievance or Arbitration procedures in this Agreement for the resolution of alleged violations of this Agreement shall constitute a waiver of any rights the party who initiated the grievance may have to review by the Public Employees Relations Commission, the City's grievance procedure, or any other . administrative agency. 11.6 Prior to initiating judicial review by any court for any alleged violation of this Agreement, the grievance procedure -23- of this Agreement must be completely exhausted. -24- ARTICLE 12 HOLIDAYS 12.1 The following are recognized as holidays under the terms of this Agreement. New Year's Day January lst Martin Luther King's Birthday 3rd Monday in January President's Day 3rd Monday in February Memorial Day Last Monday in May Independence Day July 4th Labor Day 1st Monday in September Thanksgiving Day 4th Thursday in November Friday after Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day December 25th Employee's Birthday Any day that the City Commission may designate Whenever a holiday falls on Saturday, it shall be observed on the preceding Friday. When a holiday falls on Sunday, the following Monday will be observed as the holiday. 12.2 Whenever an observed holiday occurs on an employee's scheduled day off, the Employer shall schedule the employee to take a day off at another day mutually agreed to, or compensate him at straight time rate in order to equalize the observed legal holidays in Section 12.1. 12.3 Employees who work on the observed holiday shall receive, in addition to their regular straight time hourly rate of pay, at the Employer's discretion, either one and one-half (l~) of the employee's regular hourly rate of pay, or one and one-half (1'~) hours of compensatory time hour-for-hour for each hour worked during the declared holiday. 12.4 In order to be eligible for holiday pay or compensatory time the employee must have worked the last scheduled working day immediately prior to the observed holiday and the first regularly scheduled- working day immediately after the observed holiday unless the employee is on paid vacation, military leave, sick leave substantiated by a doctor's certificate, or other absences excused by the appropriate Department Head. 12.5 Employees who have been assigned holiday work and fail to report for and perform such work without reasonable cause shall not receive pay for the holiday or compensatory time. -25- 12.6 Employees who are on leave of absence or layoff on the day on which such holiday is observed shall not receive pay for the holiday or compensatory time. 12.7 For purposes of this Article, all holidays shall commence at 12:01 a.m. on the date the holiday is observed (as set forth. in Section 12.1) and continue for twenty-four (24) uninterrupted hours. 12.8 The accrual and pay-out of compensatory time under this Section shall be governed by the provisions of Article 17. 12.9 Those employees who work any schedule other than the normal eight (8) hour day shall have a holiday that conforms to their work schedule. If payment for such time or any portion thereof is mutually agreed to in lieu of time off, then the employee shall be paid at time and one-half (1-1/2) for those hours, but in no event shall the employee receive, in either pay or time off, an amount in excess of double time and one-half (2-1/2) for holiday hours. 12.10 Temporary employees shall not normally be utilized to perform work on one of the holidays listed in Section 12.1. The Employer may utilize temporary employees to work the above holidays only after employees performing similar work within the designated bargaining unit have first been given. the opportunity to work, and have declined said assignment. -26- ARTICLE 13 PERSONAL LEAVE HOURS 13.1 {a) The "Personal Leave Hours" concept is an advancement from the traditional vacation. and sick leave system. Personalleave hours 'are not to be considered compensation for services rendered. All bargaining unit employees may be absent from work and still '~ receive regular wages provided the employee izas rr~rp-p~r~-o~d a-rrd follows the procedures set forth in this Article and receives prior approval from the employee's supervisor, or the appropriate Department Head or his designee. (b} When a Personal Leave Hour is used for illness or other emergencies, employees are required to notify their supervisor, or if he is unavailable the appropriate Department Head of the nature of the illness or emergency as early as reasonably possible and no later than one (1) hour after starting time each day the employee intends to be absent, that the employee is unable to report to work because of illness or other emergency; however, employees on shift work must notify the supervisor or if he is unavailable the appropriate Department Head no later than one (1) hour before shift starting time. Except as stated above when an employee is planning to use seventeen (17) hours or more of Personal Leave Hours he must submit his request to take leave in writing to the appropriate Department Head or his designee at least five (5) calendar days prior to the first day of the intended absence. When an employee is planning to use less than 17 hours of Personal Leave Hours he must submit such request at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the first day of the intended absence. The appropriate Department Head or his designee shall respond to the request as soon as possible after receipt of the request. Personal Leave must- may be taken in increments of fifteen (15) minutes or more. i~v~ Approval of leave may be suspended if in the discretion of the appropriate Department Head such leave would pose a manpower shortage which would have an adverse effect on the operation of the Department, or if the notification requirements set forth in this Article are not -27- followed. (c) Employees may accumulate Personal Leave Hours up to a maximum of nine-hundred sixty (960) hours. Thereafter, employees must utilize their Personal Leave Hours or .forfeit the ability to accumulate any additional hours. (d) For Personal Leave used for illness, the Employer ~- always retains the right to require medical documentation of the illness. (e) For hours permissibly accumulated under this Article, the employee may elect to be paid in cash (upon completion of one year of continuous, uninterrupted employment) or choose to continue to accrue the days up to the maximum accrual level set forth in this Article. For the purpose of cashing in accrued leave time, the Employer will permit the employee to make a request for payment two times during the year as follows: on the first payday in June, and on the first payday in December. Cash withdrawals are restricted to the excess over one-hundred twenty (120) hours in the Personal Leave account as of the second preceding pay period that precedes the designated withdrawal date. Request forms are available in City Hall. Requests must be submitted at least two (2) weeks preceding each of the above dates. (f) No Personal Leave Hours may accumulate to an employee on leave without pay, or one .who has been suspended for disciplinary purposes, or one has accumulated the maximum under 13.1 (c}. (g) Subject to the restrictions contained in this Agreement Personal Leave Hours shall accumulate during each pay period and shall be credited to the employee at the end of the pay period. (h) An eligible employee who resigns with at least two (2) weeks notice, is laid off, or whose employment has not been involuntarily terminated shall be paid for any unused accruals. However, in no event shall the employee be paid for any unused accruals exceeding nine-hundred sixty(960) hours. (i) The accrual rate of Personal Leave Hours shall be determined as follows: -28- Tenure Maximum No. of Hours Accumulated each Bi-Weekly Pay - Period (provided maxi- rnum cap has not been reached) Beg. ~ 1st through 3rd yr. 4.93 B~g. 4th through 7th yr. 6.47 Beg. 8th through 11th yr. 8.0 Beg. 12th through 15th yr. 9.54 Beg. of 16th year and over 10.16 -29- ARTICLE 14 LEAVES OF ABSENCE WITHOUT PAY 14.1 Leaves of absence without pay may in the-sole discretion of -the- City Manager be granted when annual leave has-been exhausted. I~.2 All leaves, with or without pay, should be requested by the employee in writing and should be approved in writing before becoming effective. 14.3 An employee's starting date will be adjusted for leaves of absence without pay in accordance with state and federal statutes and local ordinances. -30- ARTICLE 15 MILITARY LEAVE 15.1 The Employer will grant employees leaves of absence for military duties as dictated by the requirements of state and federal laws. 1'x.2 Employees who by reason of membership in the United States Military Reserve or the National Guard, and who, by the appropriate authority are ordered to full-term active duty, short-term active duty, weekend drills, or summer training shall be granted leave with pay for such training not to exceed seventeen (17) working days annually. Such military leave shall be without loss of personal leave, pay, time, or efficiency rating, on all days during which employees are engaged in training ordered under the provisions of the United States military or naval training regulations for such personnel when assigned to active or inactive duty. 15.3 Military leaves in excess of seventeen (17) working days will be granted in accordance with federal law and may be leave without pay. Employees entitled to such military leave shall not lose the rank, grade, rating, or seniority held at the time such leave is granted except as may be authorized by state and federal law. 15.4 Employees requesting military leave are responsible for notifying the appropriate Department Head as soon as possible of the dates for the military leave and to provide an official set of orders, or other documentation of the training, as soon as practicable. -31- ARTICLE 16 BEREAVEMENT LEAVE 16.1 Employees covered by this agreement may be granted, upon .approval of `the appropriate.- Department- Head, . ~!Ege-r time off with pay not to exceed three (3) calendar days, in the event of a death in the employee's immediate '' family for the purpose of attending the funeral of the deceased relative. 16.2 The employee's immediate family shall be defined as the employee's spouse, father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandparents, grandchildren and any other member of kinship who may be residing under the same roof with an employee during the time of death. Upon request and subject to the approval of the City Manager, employees may be granted bereavement leave as provided in 16.1 to attend the funeral of the employee's first cousin, aunt or uncle. 16..3 Funeral leave or bereavement leave shall be leave with full pay and benefits-and shall not be charged to personal leave days. 16.4. The employee may be required to provide the appropriate Department Head with verification of death before compensation is approved. -32- ARTICLE 17 HOURS OF WORK AND OVERTIME 17.1 The purpose of this. Article is to define hours of work but nothing iri this Agreement shall be construed as a guarantee br limitation of the number of hours to be worked per-day, days per week, or for any other period of time, except as may be specifically provided herein. 17.2 Unless changed by the City, forty (40) hours shall constitute a normal work week for an employee covered by this Agreement, except as hereinafter provided. Pdothing herein shall guarantee an employee payment for a forty (40) hour work period unless the employee actually worked a forty (40) hour work week or his actual hours worked and his authorized compensated leave totals forty (40) hours. For the purpose of this Agreement, authorized compensated leave shall mean holidays on which the employee is excused from work, bereavement leave, jury duty, and any other leave paid for and authorized by the City. Overtime will be compensated at time and one-half (1-1/2} for all hours worked in excess of eight (8) in a twenty four (24) hour period commencing at the .start of the employee's normally scheduled work day. Compensation for overtime hours worked shall be paid to the employee during the same pay period in which it is worked, providing the paperwork is delivered to the appropriate payroll office in a timely manner to process for that pay period. 17.3 The City shall have the discretion to compensate for overtime hours worked in the form of cash or compensatory time. Should the City decide to compensate the employee in the form of cash, the employee shall be paid at the rate of one and one-half (1~) the employee's regular rate of pay for each overtime hour worked. Should the City decide to compensate the employee in the form of compensatory time, the employee shall be credited with one and one-half (1'~) hour of compensatory time for each overtime hour worked. 17.4 Employees shall not be able to accumulate more than fifty (50) hours of compensatory time. Once the cap is reached compensation will be in the form of cash payment only. The City shall utilize the procedure set forth in Article 13.1 (e), excluding the 120 hour restriction in the event that employees request cash payment of accrued compensatory time. 17.5 An employee who has accrued compensatory time will be -33- permitted to use the time off within a reasonable period after making a request to use same, provided it does not unduly disrupt the operations of the City. Requests to use compensatory time must be made in writing to the employee's supervisor.. 17.6- At any time the City, in its sole discretion, may determine to substitute cash, in whole or in part, for compensatory time. 17.7 Should an employee voluntarily switch shifts with another employee for the employee's convenience, no overtime compensation will be payable and the hours the employee worked as a substitute shall be excluded by the City in the calculation of the hours for which the employee is entitled to overtime compensation. All such shift trading must be approved by the immediate supervisors prior to the trade and the period during which time is traded and paid back must not exceed twelve (12) months. 17.8 Nothing in this Article shall require payment for overtime hours not worked, except as provided herein. In calculating the amount of overtime compensation due an employee hours actually worked. shall be counted. Additionally, paid holidays, paid compensatory time and paid personal leave shall be included as hours worked for purposes of overtime payment each year. Premium payments shall not be duplicated for the same hours worked under any of the terms of this Agreement. 17.9 All employees shall be required to report to work on time, shall not leave the job early, shall be prompt in reporting to their assigned duties, and shall faithfully perform their duties. 17.10 Employees covered by this Agreement shall be given forty- eight (48) hours notice of any change in their regular hours of work, unless an unscheduled absence by another employee or circumstances necessitate a quicker change. 17.11 The Director of Public Works/Engineer is authorized to schedule employees on a "task basis". 17.12 There will be no duplication of premium payments and no claims that provide for "overtime on overtime". 17.13 An employee who has left his normal place of work and who is "called-back" for overtime work shall receive a minimum payment of three (3) hours at time and one-half (1~) the -34- employee.'s regular rate of pay or the actual hours worked at time and one-half (1'~), whichever is greater. Employees shall be compensated for additional call backs as provided herein if the employee has completed the call back assignment and has left his place. of work prior to receiving another call back.. Prearranged overtime shall not constitute a "call back". This Section shall not apply if hours worked as a result of a call back extend into the start of the employee's regular work period. Employee's who report to work for scheduled overtime shall receive a minimum payment of two (2) hours at one and one- half (1-1/2} times her/her regular rate. 17.14 Upon proof of attending court pursuant to subpoena or other court order involving ajob-related case, not as a plaintiff in litigation against the City, an off-duty employee will receive pay equal to one and one-half (1'-~) times the employee's regular straight time hourly rate of pay for the hours he attends court. Provided, that such employee shall receive a minimum of two (2) hours pay at the rate of one and one-half (l~) the employee's regular straight time hourly rate for such attendance. The City reserves the right to institute any procedure or system it deems • appropriate to measure, record, and/or verify attendance and duration of off-duty court appearance. In the event any employee claims time not actually spent in off-duty court appearance, he may be discharged or disciplined. The employee will sign over all subpoena and witness ,fees, excluding travel fees, unless City transportation is furnished in which case such travel fee will be signed over to the City. 17.15 No employee shall authorize overtime for himself but shall be entitled to work overtime as assigned or authorized by the appropriate Department Head. It is understood that the City has the right to schedule overtime work as needed, and in a manner most advantageous to the City. 17.16 Overtime hours shall be distributed as nearly equal as possible among employees as long as such sharing will not delay or increase the cost of the City's operations. 17.17 Employees required to be accessible by telephone and not performing actual work, but in readiness to perform work when the need arises, shall be considered to be on standby. ~If the employee performs actual work during the standby period, the employee shall be considered to have received a call-out, and shall be paid in accord with Article 17.13. -35- Any employee designated by the Employer to be on. standby duty shall receive thirty ($30.00) dollars in addition to his normal bi-weekly pay for each week the employee is required to be available on standby duty for a minimum of .seven (7) consecutive days. To be eligible for standby compensation, the employee must meet the following criteria; 1. The employee must respond by phone within twenty (20) minutes of receiving page. 2. The employee must arrive at job site within one (1) hour of returning page by phone to the Employer. 17.18 An employee who has worked sixteen (16) hours or more in a twenty-four (24) hour period, or eight (8) hours or more .overtime in the sixteen (16) hour period immediately ;preceding his/her normal workday shall upon release, be entitled to an eight (8) hour rest period before he/she returns to work. If the employee is called back to work without completing his/her eight (8) hour rest period, he/she shall be compensated at the overtime rate of one and one-half (1 ~) times his/her regular rate of pay for all hours worked, commencing from the time he/she reports back to work and ending when he/she is released for an eight (8) hour rest period. 17.19 All employees shall be provided with at least a one-half ('-~) hour lunch break which shall be the employee's own time. If the employee is required to work their lunch break, the employee shall be compensated as provided within this Article. Employees shall be provided with two (2) fifteen (15) minute break periods with pay. The first break shall be taken within the first four (4} hours of work and the second during the last four (4) hour period of work. -36- ARTICLE 18 INJURY IN THE LINE OF DUTY 18..1 Any non-probationary employee covered by this Agreement-who ..sustains a temporary disability as a result of accidental injury in the course of and arising-out of employment by the Employer, shall, in addition to the benefits payable under the Workers` Compensation law of the State of Florida, be entitled to the following benefits: (a) When an employee is absent due to compensable injury, the City will pay 100% of an employee's average daily earnings for each regularly scheduled work day missed beginning with the first calendar day of the authorized disability, and continuing through the seventh calendar day of the authorized disability. However, in no case shall these payments and those paid through Workers' Compensation exceed the employee's normal net salary. Any amount paid by the City to the employee which is subsequently paid by Workers` Compensation shall be reimbursed by the employee to the City. (b) An employee sustaining a lost time injury under this Article may use accumulated Personal Leave Days to cover the time off the job due to an injury until he is compensated by Workers' Compensation. Personal Leave Days can be used to supplement that percentage (33 - 1/3%) of his pay which is not covered by Workers' Compensation. The request to allow the employee to do the above must be made to the appropriate Department Head in writing. (c) In addition to the benefits afforded under Section (a) an employee, subsequent to exhausting all Personal Leave Days, may be awarded special benefits by the City if special circumstances are found to exist in the sole opinion of the City Manager. But such payments shall not, when added to Workers' Compensation benefits, total more than the normal regular pay received by the employee immediately prior to such disability, nor may such payments continue for longer than one year from the date of injury. Factors which the City Manager may consider in each instance are as follows: 1. Consideration of degree of responsibility of employee/employer. 2. Obedience to or violation of laws, statutes, or -37- ordinances involved in connection with the cause of such disability. 3. Obedience to or violation of safety rules and regulations of the City which are involved in the cause of the disability. 4. Obedience to or violation of any Department `_ ~ rules, regulations and policies procedures, or instructions to the employee by supervisors involving the cause of the disability. The decision to grant or deny special benefits is not subject to the grievance or arbitration provisions of this Agreement. 18.2 Where injury is caused by the knowing refusal of the employee to use a safety appliance provided by the City, the unemployment compensation benefits shall be reduced twenty- five percent (250). Failure to obey safety regulations or to use safety devices shall result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge. -38- ARTICLE 19 CODE OF ETHICS AND USE OF CITY EQUIPMENT 19.1 It is essential to the proper .conduct and operation of government that bargaining unit employees be independent and impartial, and that City employment not be used for private gain. This Article is intended to protect against any '~_ conflict of interest and to establish a code of ethics for bargaining unit employees. 19.2 In furtherance of the goals and understandings set forth in Section 19.1, the parties agree that: (a) No bargaining unit employee shall accept any gift, favor or service that may reasonably tend improperly to influence him in the discharge of his official duties. (b) No bargaining unit employee shall use or attempt to use his position to secure special privileges or exemptions for himself or others, except as may be provided~by policy or law. (c) No bargaining unit employee shall accept employment or engage in any business or professional activity which might require or induce him to expose confidential information acquired by him by reason of his official duty. (d) No bargaining unit employee shall disclose confidential information gained by reasons of his official position, nor shall he otherwise use such information for his personal gain or benefit. {e) If a bargaining unit employee is an officer, director, agent, or member of, or owns controlling .interest in any corporation, firm, partnership, or other business entity which is subject to the regulations or which has substantial business commitments with the City, or other political subdivision of the State, he shall file a sworn statement to the effect with the City Clerk and with the Circuit Court of Duval County as may be required by State law. (f) No bargaining unit employee shall transact any business in his official capacity with any business entity of which he is an officer, director, agent or member, or in which he owns controlling interest. -39- (g} No bargaining unit employee shall have a personal investment in any enterprise which will .create a substantial conflict between his private interest and the public interest. 19.3 Bargaining unit employees shall remember that they represent the City as a whole when serving the public. They shall conduct themselves so as to project a desirable image of the City. 19.4 The use of any City equipment such as borrowing typewriters, tape recorders, cameras, shovels, etc., for personal use is prohibited unless otherwise approved by the City Manager, and this only under special or unusual circumstances. 19.5 No bargaining unit employee shall have a financial interest in the profits of any contract, service, or other work performed by the City, nor shall any bargaining unit employee personally profit directly or indirectly from any contract, purchase, sale, or service between the City and/or any person or company; nor personally or as an agency provide any surety bill or bond required by law, or subject to approval of the City Commission. Any bargaining unit employee who violates the provisions of this rule shall be considered guilty of misconduct in his service. 19.6 It may be necessary for some bargaining unit employees to have City vehicles at their disposal in order to carry out their duties. It is essential that these vehicles be used with the utmost care and discretion at all times. Bargaining unit employees are permitted to use City vehicles for performance of their official duties only. Under no circumstances are they to be used for personal business or for pleasure unless such use is expressly granted by the City Manager. A bargaining unit employee driving a City vehicle must have on his person a current, valid driver's license issued by the State of Florida. All mechanical defects or malfunctions should be reported as soon as possible to the City garage. If a City vehicle is involved in an accident, the bargaining unit employee must notify the Public Safety Department and the appropriate Department Head immediately. A police report shall be made of any accident involving a City vehicle. -40- 19.7 The use of City equipment at any time and the use :of City employees during normal working hours for any construction, repair, improvements, or other such actions on private property for the benefit or profit of private individual(s) is prohibited. 19.8 No bargaining unit employee will be allowed to take an Y active part in political management or in political campaigns during working hours. This does not prohibit an employee from voting as he may choose, and from expressing his opinion on any political subject or candidate. No leaves of absence, excluding previously accumulated personal leave, shall be granted to such employees for the purpose of participating in a political campaign. 19.9 In order that the City may maintain and increase the efficiency of its employees: (a) No bargaining unit employee may engage in any outside employment or activity which relates to or is inconsistent, incompatible, or in conflict with his duties as a City employee. Outside employment which may result in an appearance of impropriety, or interfere with the efficient performance of-the employee's regular duties is similarly prohibited. (b) If such outside employment in any manner conflicts or interferes with the bargaining unit employee's service to the City, the City Manager will have the right to order the employee to discontinue the outside employment, or to be terminated from City employment. (c) The term "outside employment" as it is used in this Article refers to any employment engaged in by a bargaining unit employee apart from his City employment, whether or not such employment is for remuneration, and includes self-employment. (d) The City of Atlantic Beach will assume no responsibility or liability for any injuries incurred while the employee is engaged in outside employment activities. 19.10 Any violation of the provisions of this Article shall be subject to review and appropriate disciplinary action, including termination of employment. When a bargaining unit employee has any doubt as to the application of any -41- provision of this Article as it relates to himself, he shall first discuss the possible violation with the appropriate Department Head. If the matter is not resolved the employee shall discuss the matter with the City Manager. -42- ARTICLE 20 INSURANCE 20.1 The City agrees to continue to provide employees with a group term life insurance policy. The City agrees to pay the premiums for the employees' coverage for such insurance. 2Q.2 The City agrees to provide group health insurance coverage through an HMO, PPO and/or other insurance means for all eligible employees covered under this Agreement, and agrees to pay the cost of such coverage. -43- ARTICLE 21 SAFETY AND HEALTH 21.1 The Employer and the Union agree that they will conform to all laws relating to safety, health, sanitation and working conditions. The Employer and the. Union will cooperate in _ the continuing objective of eliminating safety and health `.- hazards where they are shown to exist. 21.2' Safety practices may be improved upon from time to time by the Employer and upon recommendations of the Employer and the Union. Protective devices, apparel, and equipment, when provided by the Employer must be used and any failure to obey safety regulations or to use safety devices shall result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge. 21.3 The Employer agrees to provide hepatitis immunization shots to employees within the bargaining unit subject to the .approval of the appropriate Department Head. Employees who do not wish to receive the hepatitis immunization shots will be required to sign a refusal waiver to this effect. -44- ARTICLE 22 BULLETIN BOARDS 22.1 The Union may be permitted to provide for its own use three (3) bulletin boards not to exceed 3' x 3' in dimension, provided the bulletin boards shall be located only near the time clock in the Public Works Facility, Buccaneer Facility `~ and Atlantic Beach Waste Water Facility. 22.2 The Union agrees it shall use the space on the bulletin board provided for herein only for the following purposes; notices of union meetings, notices of internal elections for union offices, reports of union committees, policies of the Union, recreation and social affairs of the Union, and notices by public bodies. In no event shall the bulletin board be used to post political material or controversial . material. The Business Agent, his designated representative, or the Steward of the Union are the only authorized representatives to post material on the bulletin board. Said representatives shall initial and date all material which is posted. 22.3 The appropriate Department Head or his designee shall decide whether or not Section 22.2 has been violated. Should it be determined that a violation has occurred the Union shall immediately remove the posted material and the Union may lose its bulletin board privileges, following a meeting between the Employer and the Union. -45- ARTICLE 23 UNIFORMS 23.1 The City will furnish to bargaining unit employees who are required to wear such uniforms in .the performance of their duties an initial issue of the following upon employment: `- 1. Eleven (11} pants 2. Eleven (11) shirts 3. Hats 23.2 The City will replace or repair the above items as they become torn, worn or unserviceable due to the performance of the employee's official duty. Any claim for a repair or replacement under this Section must be accompanied by a written explanation addressed to the appropriate Department Head, setting forth the circumstances necessitating the replacement or repair, and the employee shall present the item(s) to the appropriate Department Head or his designee who shall have the sole determination as to whether the items shall be replaced or repaired. 23.3 Any employee who damages, destroys, or loses any furnished article of uniform due to carelessness, negligence or personal use will replace the article at his own expense, or such cost of replacement shall be deducted from the employee's pay. 23.4 The employee shall wear the articles of the uniform listed in Section 23.1 only for official City business. 23.5 Upon termination of employment for any reason, the employee shall return to the City all articles of the uniform issued by the City. 23.6 The City agrees to continue to provide for the cleaning of the uniform articles as in the past. -46- ARTICLE 24 MILEAGE ALLOWANCE 24.1 Employees directed by the appropriate Department Head or his designee to use their private automobiles for City business, shall be compensated .at the rate. established per. mile by the I.R.S.. -47- ARTICLE 25 CAREER DEVELOPMENT 25.1 Upon presentation of an official transcript and proof of degree to the City Manager, each employee in the bargaining unit who receives an associates degree from a accredited college, which degree is determined by the City Manager as applicable to the employee's job responsibilities with the City, shall receive a $50.00 per month career development incentive. 25.2 Upon presentation of an official transcript and proof of degree to the City Manager, each employee of the bargaining unit who receives from an accredited college or university a bachelor's degree, which degree curriculum is determined by the City Manager to include a major study concentration area readily identifiable and applicable to the employee's job responsibilities with the City, shall receive a $100.00 per month career development incentive. 25.3 Employees receiving Career Development monies shall receive monies as accorded them under either Section 25.1 or Section 25.2. They shall not receive at the. same time monies afforded from both of these Sections. 25.4 Employees classified as Water/Wastewater Operator I, II, III, or IV that obtain the required licenses for a higher Water/Wastewater Operator classification, shall be promoted to the higher Water/Wastewater Operator classification with their pay adiusted per Article 26.3(c). Additional Class A, B and C State licenses above those licenses required by the position description recognized by D.E.P., (Not Certifications), obtained by Water and/or Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator's will be recognized by the payment of an annual one-time lump sum payment of $500.00. Payment of such bonus shall be paid annually on the employee's anniversary date for each additional license the employee obtains. The employee must stay for one (1) year after obtaining license. If the employee leaves the employment of the City, the cost borne by the City for the course, travel and lodging must be reimbursed by the employee. 25.5 Cost for other courses will be paid by the City after prior approval of the appropriate Department Head. 25.6 All employees within the bargaining unit shall be covered by -48- a written description of his job duties in the :form of employee job specifications. If the City of Atlantic Beach, or their designees, _ determine that the employees' job specifications need to be changed, added to, deleted, or amended, the Employer will notify the Union of the intended changes no less than ten (10) working days prior to the effective date of change. ~-_- Copies of the proposed changes will be forwarded to the Union along with the above notification. After finalization, a copy of the revised specifications shall be forwarded to the Union as soon as is possible. -49- ARTICLE 26 WAGES 26.1 (a) Effective-October 1, ~9~8- 1999, employees covered by this Agreement shall have their pay .increased by four percent. 4% o These increases shall continue therefrom in accordance with the terms and provisions of this .. Agreement . (b} , , All employees shall receive a twenty-five ($25.00} dollar per month raise for each five years served with the City up to and through the 20th year. This amount shall be placed into the employees base pay after the 3% is applied to the employees base on 10/1/98. 26.2 The Job Classification/Grade Chart is set forth in attached Exhibit A. 26.3 Entrance Wage Determination/Demotion: (a) , -a~-t~o ep~ r-t~m Initial appointment to any position shall normally be made at the entrance rate of pay established for the position. Upon recommendation from the Department Head, the City Manaaer may approve the hire of a new employee at a rate of pay above the starting rate of pay. However, a new employee may only be hired at a rate above the entrance rate of pay established for the position if: 1. The needs of the City make such hire action necessary and all other employees within the same classification have their base salaries increased to be equal to that of the newly hired employee; or; 2. The new employee has yob related training and/or experience that clearly exceeds that of current employees. Prior to City Manaaer approval of_ initial pay under this provision, the City will- notify the union, in writing, of the proposed action and allow the union three (3) workdays to provide comments. -50- (b) Except as provided in the second sentence of this subsection, when an employee is demoted to a different position classification, he shall receive the pay rate in the lower pay range of the new.. position which is .deemed appropriate by the Department Head. Provided that, should the demotion be .the result ofnon- disciplinary action (e.g., a reduction in force), the demoted employee shall receive the rate in the lower position classification pay range which provides the smallest possible decrease in pay. Employees demoted for non-disciplinary reasons shall if possible be reassigned to other duties commensurate with his/her qualifications for the position. The Employer will make a reasonable effort to reassign the employee in accord with the provisions of this section. (c) When an employee is promoted to a classification with a higher base rate of pay, the pay rate of that employee shall be the lowest step in the higher rar_ge that will provide an increase of at least a five percent (5%) ire-asp over the rate received immediately prior to promotion. Employees classified as Water/Wastewater Operator I, II or III who obtain the license required to advance to Water/Wastewater Operator II, III or IV will be t~romoted to the higher job series and have their pav advanced five (5%) percent or to the entrance level pav of the higher yob series, whichever is Greater. 26.4 Evaluation for satisfactory service shall be standard in writing throughout the bargaining unit with each activity using the same evaluation form and procedure as set forth in attached Exhibit B. Employees who receive a unsatisfactory evaluation shall be reevaluated at least quarterly, or earlier if improvement is noted. If the employee feels the evaluation procedure was not followed, he may invoke the grievance procedure and submit the grievance at Step II. 26.5 Any employee covered by this Agreement who is temporarily required by the appropriate Department Head or his designee to perform the duties of a higher classification shall receive pay at a rate of five (5) percent above the employee's regular rate of pay, provided that: (a) The duties and responsibilities of the higher classification are assumed in full for a minimum of one (1) eight-hour working day, and; -51- (b) The working out of classification pay is approved by the City Manager or his designee prior to appointment of the employee to the higher position. If the two (2} conditions set forth are not fully satisfied, the employee will receive the rate of pay of his regularly assigned classification for each hour worked in the higher classification. -52- ARTICLE 27 ALCOHOL AND DRUG TESTING 27.1 Both the City and Union recognize that drug and alcohol abuse is a growing problem among our nation's work force. The City and the Union also recognize the tremendous cost, both in terms of efficiency and in human suffering caused by ,= needless workplace accidents. Acknowledging the necessity for action, the following Alcohol and Drug Testing Program is hereby initiated. 27.2 (a) All applicants may be subject to drug and alcoho l testing. (b) All bargaining unit employees may be subject to drug and alcohol testing as part of an annual physical examination. (c) In the event the City has a reasonable suspicion to believe that an employee is under the influence of drugs or alcohol on duty, the City may require that the employee submit to breathalyser tests, blood tests, urinalysis, and/or other appropriate testing. Should the employee test positive to a drug test, the City will utilize a confirmatory process before instituting action. The City's Medical Review Officer (MRO) must review all confirmation tests, positive and negative. Within five (5) working days after receipt of a positive confirmed test result from the testing laboratory, the City shall inform the employee in writing of such positive test results, the consequences of such results, and the options available to th.e employee, including the right to file an administrative or legal challenge. For purposes of this Article, reasonable suspicion must be based on objective facts and rational inferences. The City shall provide to the employee, upon request, a copy of the test results. (d) Within five (5) working days after receiving notice of a positive confirmed test result, the employee will be allowed to submit information to the City explaining or contesting the test results. If the employee`s explanation or challenge of the positive test results is unsatisfactory to the City, within fifteen (15) days of receipt of the explanation or challenge, a written explanation as to why the employee's explanation is -53- unsatisfactory, along with the report of :positive results, shall be provided by the City to the employee. (e) In the event the City requests that an employee submit to breath, blood, urine and/or other tests. and the employee chooses not to submit to such test or tests, the reasonable suspicion to believe the employee. was under the influence shall be justification for discipline, including discharge. (f) If the employee submits to the tests and the results indicate alcohol or drug use (other than as indicated in Section A), the employee shall be discharged or suspended without pay at the discretion of the City. After thirty (30) days have passed, a suspended employee desiring reinstatement shall, upon written request be given the opportunity to submit to further blood or urine drug/alcohol screening tests, at the employee's expense. If such tests indicate the absence of alcohol or a controlled substance, the employee may be reinstated at the discretion of the City. In the event forty (40) days have passed and the City has not received the written request signed by the employee, to take the alcohol or substance abuse test, or the .employee has failed to take such tests at a time. and location designated by the City, the employee shall be discharged. An employee who is reinstated under this Section shall be subject to random testing during a two (2) year period following the initial test. Should such employee test positive during this two year period he shall be discharged. (g) An employee may be granted a one time leave of absence without pay not to exceed sixty (60) days to undergo treatment for alcohol or substance abuse pursuant to an approved treatment program. No employee benefits shall accrue during this period. The request must be voluntarily made in writing prior to the institution. of disciplinary measures for alcohol or substance abuse. (h) The City has the right to search lockers, handbags, lunch boxes, other containers, or other personal effects of employees at any time provided the City has reasonable suspicion, to believe that an employee possesses or is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If deemed necessary by the City, the employees themselves may be asked to submit to a search, provided that at no time will any employee be searched by or in the presence of a member of the -54- opposite sex. Further such search shall be in the nature of a "pat-down," and shall take place in a location so as not to unnecessarily embarrass the employee. An employee's refusal to cooperate with or submit to a search may be treated as serious insubordination that warrants immediate discipline, including discharge. (i) All employees who must use a prescription drug that causes adverse side effects (drowsiness or impaired reflexes or reaction time) shall inform the City that they are taking such medication on the advice of a physician. It is the employee's responsibility to inform the City of the possible side effects of the drug on performance and expected duration of use. (j) Except as stated in subsection E of this Article, the cost of drug and alcohol screening tests shall be paid by the City. (k) The City retains the right to maintain discipline or invoke disciplinary measures in the case of conduct which may result from or be associated with alcohol or substance abuse. (1) Decisions of an arbitrator under this Article shall be limited to a determination of whether or not the City had reasonable suspicion, and whether or not the employee was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and not the disciplinary measures imposed by the City. 27.3 When drug screening is required under the provisions of this policy, the following standards shall be used to determine what levels of detected substances shall be considered as positive: DRUG GROUP SCREENING TEST CONFIRMATORY TEST (a) Amphetamines (b) Cocaine Metabolites (c) Opiate Metabolites (d) Phencyclidine (e) Marijuana 1000 ng/ml Amphetamine 300 ng/ml Metabolite 300 ng/ml Morphine 25 ng/ml PCP 500 ng/ml GC/MS 150 ng/ml GC/MS 300 ng/ml GC/MS 25 ng/ml GC/MS -55- Metabolites 100 ng/ml Total ng 15 ng/ml :Delta 9 - THC (f) Barbiturates 300 ng/ml 150 ng/ml When alcohol screening. is required under the provisions of -this policy, the standard which shall be used to determine what level of alcohol shall be considered as positive shall ~~ be: .04 grams per deciliter. -56- ARTICLE 28 SENIORITY 28.1 Seniority shall be defined as the length of continuous full- time employment with the City of Atlantic Beach. .Seniority shall be acquired by a full-time employee after satisfactory completion of a six (6) month probationary period, at which `~ time seniority shall be retroactive to the first day of employment. 28.2 In the event of a lay-off or reduction in force, employees shall be laid off in the inverse order of seniority within job classes. Employees laid off shall have the right to bump or replace an employee with less seniority in a lower classification for which the employee is qualified, provided said employee has previously held such a position within the City and can perform the established functions of the current job description. 28.3 Whenever an employee is demoted to a position for which he is qualified, he shall receive the salary performance level in that lower range which provides either no decrease or the smallest decrease in pay, if the action is not for cause as outlined in Article 9 of this Agreement. 28.4 In regard to overtime and vacation, seniority will be defined as the length of continuous time in any specific classification. If an employee is involuntarily transferred from one department or division to another in the same classification, he shall carry with him both the City and job seniority that he has already acquired. 28.5 Seniority shall accumulate during periods of approved leave of absence where the employee remains in a pay status. Seniority is not broken when an employee is on an approved leave of absence without pay, but seniority does not accumulate during this period. 28.6 Seniority shall be broken when an employee: (a) Resigns; (b) Is discharged for just cause; (c) Exceeds an authorized leave of absence. -57- ARTICLE 29 JOB QUALIFICATIONS AND PROMOTIONS 29.1 .Whenever. a job opening occurs, other than a temporary opening, in any existing-.job classification, or as the result of the development or establishment of a new job classification, a notice of such opening shall be posted at ~`__ least five (5) calendar days in advance on all appropriate bulletin boards. A copy of the notices of job openings will be given to the appropriate union steward at the time of posting for posting on all other authorized bulletin boards. 29.2 For the purpose of this Agreement, a vacancy shall be defined as an opening within a classification included in the bargaining unit (Exhibit B) for which funds have been appropriated. 29.3 Whenever a vacancy is posted, employees desiring to be considered for such vacancy shall make written application for the position on a City Employment Application no later than 5:00 o'clock PM on the closing date set forth on the posted announcement. The appropriate Department Head shall interview all bargaining unit applicants prior to filling the vacancy. Applicants within the bargaining unit shall be interviewed prior to advertising outside the City. 29.4 The appropriate Department Head shall make all determinations of the qualifications of the applicants applying for open or promotional positions, provided such determination is limited to those factors required within the job specifications for the position being filled. Among current employees determined to be qualified to perform the work required, the employee having the most seniority with the Employer shall be appointed to the position. Employee's covered under this agreement who apply for any open or promotional positions within the bargaining unit shall be promoted over other applicants, provided all applicants are equally qualified for the position. 29.5 Nothing in this Article shall be construed as precluding employees within the bargaining unit from applying for other vacant positions within the City of Atlantic Beach. -58- ARTICLE 30 UNION TIME POOL 30.1 All members of the bargaining unit who are not on probation as new employees may contribute two (2) or more hours per year of personal leave hours to the union time `pool. Provided that the maximum number of hours which may be Y accumulated in the pool under this Article is 216 hours. 30.2 This leave will be computed and placed in a bank on the lst of October each year. 30.3 The City Manager or his designee shall have the discretion to Grant or deny use of pool time. 30.4 Union time pool hours not expended during the previous year will be compounded onto the new bank of hours beginning October 1 of each year, provided the maximum accumulation set forth in Section 30.1 is not exceeded. 30.5 The City shall have the right to review this Article each year and to eliminate union time pool if it becomes an excessive administrative burden to the City. -59- ARTICLE 31 SEVERABILITY 31.1 In the event any Article, Section or portion of this Agreement should be held invalid and unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction such decision shall apply to the specific. Article, Section or portion thereof specified F in the court's decision; and upon issuance of such decision, the Employer and the Union agree to immediately negotiate a substitute for the invalidated Article, Section or portion thereof. -60- ARTICLE 32 SAVINGS CLAUSE 32.1 The Employer retains all rights, powers, functions and authority it had prior to the signing of this Agreement except: as such- rights are ,specifically relinquished or abridged in this Agreement. -61- ARTICLE 33 ENTIRE AGREEMENT 33.1 The parties acknowledge. that during negotiations which resulted in this Agreement,, each had the unlimited right and opportunity to make demands and proposals with respect to any subject or matter not removed by law-from the area of collective bargaining and that the understandings and agreements arrived at by the parties after the exercise of that right and opportunity are set forth in this Agreement. Therefore, the Employer and the Union for the duration of this Agreement each voluntarily and unqualifiedly waives the right, and each agrees that the other shall not be obligated to bargaining collectively with respect to any subject or matter not specifically referred to or covered in this Agreement even though such subjects or matters may not have been within the knowledge or contemplation of either or both of the parties at the same time they negotiated or signed this Agreement. -62- ARTICLE 34 DURATION OF AGREEMENT This Agreement shall commence and become effective on October 1, ~~ 1999, and shall continue in full force and effect until midnight of the thirtieth day of September ~9-~~ 2000. If either party desires to negotiate a successor agreement, it may do so by giving the other -party written notice to that effect -63- SIGNATURE PAGE IN WITNESS THEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed in their respective names by their respective representatives and have executed this Agreement this 8th day of December, 1999. FOR THE CITY: FOR THE UNION:. Jim Hanson William A. Worsham City Manager Business Manager, Local 630 George Foster Jack D. Baldwin Negotiator, City of Atlantic Negotiator, Local 630 Beach Desmond Green Negotiator, Local 630 Troy Stephens Negotiator, Local 630 ATTEST: City Clerk -64- EXHIBIT A CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH JOB CLASSIFICATION/PAYGR.ADE GRADE STARTING (Hourly) JOB TITLE . r-~ 10 3 $--~-:-5-}- 7 .7 6 Park Attendant General Maintenance Worker ~- Meter Reader Utilities Worker 104 $-8-2-"~ 8.44 Lead Maintenance Worker/Driver Lead Utilities Worker Utility Plant Operator - Traine 105 $--5:-6-~ 8.78 Dispatcher Crew Chief 10 6 $---8~4- 9.12 Mechani c I Heavy Equipment Operator 107 $ 9.57 Utilities Collection/Distribute Operator Cross Connection Administrator 108 ~ 10.63 Mechanic II Water/Wastewater Operator I Single "C" 10 9 ~~~ 11.14 ~ra-t-o-r Water/Wastewater Operator II Sinctle "B"_ Maintenance Foreman Utilities Collection/Distributic Supervisor 110 11.70 Water/Wastewater Operator III Double "C" (Wastewater) 111 12.29 Water/Wastewater Operator IV "B" (Wastewater) and "C" (WateY -65- EXHIBIT B CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH PERFORMANCE EVALUATION PROCEDURE These procedures have been developed to implement a performance evaluation system -:to be used in evaluating .employee performance and in making employment decisions. The system shall include mandatory annual performance evaluations of all bargaining unit employees covered under this Agreement. A copy of the written performance evaluation shall be provided to the employee who is being evaluated and discussed with the employee. The employee may make any written comments concerning the evaluation and the comments shall be made part of the employee's employment record. The purpose of these procedures is to provide a uniform system of performance evaluation for covered employees. I. OBJECTIVES A. The primary objective of this employee performance evaluation system is to provide for improved employee performance. B. The system will also provide; 1. better communications between employees and supervisors; 2. better understanding of job duties and responsibilities; 3. identification of training needs, and; 4. supportive documentation for merit and disciplinary action. II. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION FORMS A. The original completed performance evaluation form is to be forwarded to the personnel office for placement in the employee's official personnel file. The department head, or his/her designee, is responsible for providing the employee with a copy of the completed form and for retaining a copy for the department file. III. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION DATES A. Mid-wav through the probationarv period. In most cases this will be three (3) months from the time the employee is placed in probationary status. The completed form is due in the personnel office no later than fifteen (15) working days after the mid-probation date. -66- B. A_t the end of probation. This evaluation must be completed no earlier than the beginning of the final month of the probationary period and no later than ten working days prior to the last day of the probationary period. In most cases, the probationary period is six (6) months. If the probationary period is extended, the personnel office must be notified immediately. The completed form is due in the personnel office no later than five (5) working days after the end of probation date. C. Annual. This shall be twelve (12) months from the date of last -~ evaluation, to be defined as the performance evaluation date. The completed form is due in the personnel office no later than five (5) .working days after the annual evaluation date. D. Below satisfactory evaluation. Within ninety (90) days after an overall performance evaluation rating of below satisfactory is given. IV. THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION A. Conducting and reviewing the performance evaluation. 1. The rater shall be the person to whom the employee normally reports. The rater shall complete the employee performance form and discuss it with the employee. In those cases where an employee may be assigned work by various supervisors, one supervisor shall be designated as the rater and shall make rating decisions after consulting with others for whom the employee has performed work during the evaluation period. 2. The department head shall be the reviewer. All ratings must be .reviewed. Before the reviewer signs the form, any differences of opinion should be discussed and resolved. The reviewer shall not change the original rating; however, unresolved differences may be noted by comments on the evaluation form by the reviewer. 3. Upon completion of the review by the department head, the city manager shall have final approval of all evaluations. B. The performance evaluation conference. 1. Review the employee's job specification prior to the conference. 2. Attempt to choose a location where you will not be interrupted for the conference. 3. First, discuss the employee's strong points. Discussion of the employee's strong and weak points should be a foundation for development. At this point, a program of suggestions and improvements should be outlined in Section E, Performance Improvement Plan, of the Performance Evaluation Form. 4. Evaluations for an employee should always be based on observable, objective facts. -67- 5. Review the performance improvement plan with the employees. C. Completion of the employee performance evaluation form. Section A. General information. Fill out all spaces as instructed. Section B. Performance factors to .be evaluated. 1. Each job factor should describe a tangible, observable action or series of actions. Upon assignment to a position an employee is to be given a list of the job factors pertaining to that position. 2. The rating scale to be applied to each job factor consists of satisfactory, above satisfactory and below satisfactory. An explanation of each value is found on the evaluation form. 3. Unable To Appraise should be indicated for duties not regularly assigned to the position held by the employee being evaluated or for duties which were not performed during the current performance evaluation period. Section C. Overall rating. 1. An overall rating of job performance is to be indicated in the appropriate space, based on the collective ratings for the job factors listed in Section B. 2. In determining the overall rating, give greater value to the job factors which are more important in terms of total job performance, as well as required job skills, tasks of the employee and the impact on the work of other employees. Section D. Explanation of above satisfactory and below satisfactory. 1. All ratings of Above Satisfactory or Below Satisfactory must be fully explained, with specific examples given. 2. The extent to which performance exceeds or fails to meet job requirements should be clearly described. Section E. Performance improvement plan. 1. This section is to be used for development of a plan for improvement of employee performance or for career development and may be applicable for employee whose overall performance falls in any of the three rating categories. 2. The plan should include the objectives or goals toward which the employee will be working, methods for achieving those objectives, and the anticipated completion date for each -68- objective. Section F. Signatures. The rater, reviewer, and employee being evaluated must sign the form in the appropriate space.. The rater must advise the employee that it is permissible for him/her to attach comments to the form. If he/she wishes to do so, the-space below the employee signature which indicates this must be checked and comments attached. Overall rating of below satisfactory. 1. When an employee's overall rating is Below Satisfactory, another evaluation of job performance is required within ninety (90) days after the date of the performance evaluation conference. 2. Performance evaluations will continue to be made at ninety (90) day intervals until: a) performance has improved and the overall rating is at least Satisfactory or; b) you have reason to believe that the employee's overall performance in the class to which assigned will not improve to a level of at least satisfactory. At this point, appropriate disciplinary action may be initiated up to and including termination. 3. If the probationary period of an employee rated as below satisfactory has been extended and the maximum length of time permitted for a probationary period is reached, removal of the employee from the class may be necessary. -69-