SPM Employee Handbook - City of Des Moines - Home

SPM Employee Handbook

January 2003

City of Des Moines SPM Employee Handbook

February 2003 Page 1 of 32

Table of ContentsTable of Contents_____________________________________________________ 1

About this document ______________________________________________________________________2

Welcome ____________________________________________________________________ 3

General Policies ______________________________________________________________ 4Accidents and Emergencies ________________________________________________________________5Drug and Alcohol Abuse___________________________________________________________________5Positive Public Relations___________________________________________________________________5Smoking Policy__________________________________________________________________________5Workplace Environment ___________________________________________________________________5Workplace Violence ______________________________________________________________________6Workplace Safety ________________________________________________________________________6

Benefits_____________________________________________________________________ 7General ________________________________________________________________________________8Deferred Compensation ___________________________________________________________________8Employee Appreciation____________________________________________________________________8Employee Assistance Program (EAP)_________________________________________________________9Flexible Spending Account _________________________________________________________________9Health Care _____________________________________________________________________________9Iowa Public Employees Retirement System (IPERS)_____________________________________________9Life Insurance __________________________________________________________________________10Long Term Disability ____________________________________________________________________10Post Employment Health Plan______________________________________________________________10Professional Development - Educational Expense Reimbursement _________________________________11Regular Part-Time Benefits________________________________________________________________11Suggestion Program _____________________________________________________________________11Transit Subsidy _________________________________________________________________________11

Communication _____________________________________________________________ 12Access to City of Des Moines Information and Records _________________________________________13Charitable Organizations Solicitation ________________________________________________________13Electronic Forms of Communication ________________________________________________________13Political Activity for City Employees ________________________________________________________13Solicitations, Distributions, Use of Bulletin Boards _____________________________________________13

Compensation_______________________________________________________________ 15General _______________________________________________________________________________16Job Classification and Compensation Review _________________________________________________16Pay Day_______________________________________________________________________________17Overtime Pay___________________________________________________________________________17

Employee Relations __________________________________________________________ 19Appearance and Conduct _________________________________________________________________20Attendance, Punctuality and Dependability ___________________________________________________20Cell Phone Assignment and Allowance ______________________________________________________20Conflict of Interest ______________________________________________________________________20Council Relationships ____________________________________________________________________20Disciplinary Process _____________________________________________________________________21Disclosure of Rental Property ______________________________________________________________21Employee Status: At Will _________________________________________________________________22Human Resources Records ________________________________________________________________22



Identification Cards______________________________________________________________________22Initial Employment Period (Probation)_______________________________________________________22Internal Investigations and Searches _________________________________________________________23Layoff and Reemployment ________________________________________________________________23Nepotism Policy ________________________________________________________________________23Open Door Policy _______________________________________________________________________23Parking _______________________________________________________________________________24Performance Evaluation __________________________________________________________________24Personal Property Replacement ____________________________________________________________24Reference Checks _______________________________________________________________________24Residency Requirement __________________________________________________________________25Resignation ____________________________________________________________________________25Transfers and Promotions _________________________________________________________________25Work Hours____________________________________________________________________________25

Leaves _____________________________________________________________________ 27General _______________________________________________________________________________28Bereavement Leave______________________________________________________________________28Family Medical Leave____________________________________________________________________28Holidays ______________________________________________________________________________29Jury Duty______________________________________________________________________________30Military Leave__________________________________________________________________________30Performance Recognition Leave ____________________________________________________________30Sick Leave_____________________________________________________________________________30Vacation ______________________________________________________________________________31Voting ________________________________________________________________________________32

About this documentThis handbook is designed to provide an overview of the various policies and benefitsthat apply to you in your Supervisory, Professional or Management (SPM) position.SPM employees developed this document to provide assurance that necessaryinformation is included. It may be revised from time to time as appropriate. This isneither a labor agreement nor a contract of employment. It should not be construed aseither. This document is merely a guide and resource to provide you basic informationor to direct you to a more definitive source. Subject only to the provisions of the CivilService Law of Iowa (Iowa Code Chapter 400), your employment is at will. That is, youremployment may be terminated for any reason or no reason.



WelcomeWelcome to the City of Des Moines. We hope your employment with the City provides you anopportunity to gain satisfaction in your career by knowing that you are improving the quality oflife for more than 200,000 citizens. The City provides vital services to the communityindispensable to its well being and growth. We are proud to have you as a part of our team.

The City values the innovative contributions you will make to the organization. New ways ofdoing things will promote efficiency and service. We look to our employees to be a driving forcefor change and innovation. To support change we will work within our abilities to assure thatyou have sufficient resources and training to fulfill your goals and objectives. The City iscommitted to providing a competitive compensation package consistent with our fiscalresponsibilities. We annually review our salary structure and make adjustments that maintainour ability to retain talented staff. We want your employment with our team to be rewarding.

We all bring different perspectives and experiences to the organization and we can all learnfrom one another. We do not tolerate harassment of any kind and seek to promote a workplacewhere our differences are valued and respected.

The City is committed to excellence in job performance and in your service to our customers.Promotion of excellence will make us a more efficient provider of services to the benefit of ourcitizens and fellow employees.

Further, the citizens of Des Moines will benefit and we will gain more satisfaction from our workif we perform our work timely, safely and competently. Your presence at work when scheduledis essential for the City in achieving its goal of superior service delivery.

Again, we would like to welcome you to our organization and wish you a long prosperouscareer.

Eric AndersonCity Manager

Tom Turner Andrew HennesyHuman Resources Director SPM Board President



General Policies



Accidents andEmergencies

All City personnel are responsible for understanding andobserving safety standards established to prevent injury tothemselves, co-workers, the public, equipment and/orproperty. You play an important role in promoting workplacesafety. If you notice an unsafe act or condition, becomeinjured and/or are involved in an on-the-job accident, contactyour Supervisor immediately. Please refer to AdministrativePolicies 11.1 through 11.12 for specific City of Des MoinesSafety policies and injury procedure.

Drug and AlcoholAbuse

Use of drugs and alcohol off the job can take its toll on jobperformance. The presence or use of drugs and alcohol onthe job, and being under their influence during work hours, isprohibited for all City employees. Please refer toAdministrative Policy 5.27 (Alcohol and Drug Abuse) forfurther information.

Positive PublicRelations

If you have a great story to tell or if you anticipate mediainquiries, you are encouraged to contact the PublicInformation Office (283-4795) for assistance. AdministrativePolicy 9.1 (Positive Public Relations) and Policy 9.2 (PressConferences) can provide you with guidance in dealing withthe media.

Smoking Policy The City of Des Moines provides a smoke free environmentin all City facilities. For employees who choose to smoke,normal meal and break periods remain unchanged andemployees are not provided additional time away from workto smoke. Please refer to Administrative Policy 1.16 forfurther information on the City's smoking policy.

WorkplaceEnvironment

In 1996, the City Manager appointed a Work EnvironmentCommittee to design and implement a means to create andpreserve a workplace free of harassment and the effects ofdiscrimination. The product was the Employee Work PlacePolicy Handbook, which is included as an addendum to thishandbook. The Work Place Policy can be stated succinctly:

The City of Des Moines does not and will not tolerateharassment or discrimination of its employees orapplicants for employment.

You should read the Employee Work Place Policy Handbookto become more familiar with the City’s policy. Periodictraining will be offered to refresh your understanding of this



foundational value.

Workplace Violence In 1998, the City Manager issued the City of Des MoinesViolence Prevention Policy. The policy states:

The City of Des Moines is committed to providing a safe andproductive work environment for its employees. To that end,a violence prevention and response policy has beendeveloped. This policy makes clear that verbal threats,physical acts of violence or any unwanted and ongoingbehavior, which induces fear, will not be tolerated.

The policy booklet with explanatory questions and answers isincluded as an addendum to this handbook.

Workplace Safety The City of Des Moines believes in the dignity andimportance of each employee and the value in providing asafe and healthy work environment. The prevention ofoccupational injuries and illnesses must therefore always begiven serious priority.

Safety is the shared responsibility of management,supervisors and employees. Commitment and cooperationamong all staff will create a work environment that protectsthe well being of individuals and the City as a whole.



Benefits



General The City's health, life and disability insurance combinedwith several deferred compensation programs provide youwith a competitive total compensation package. Below is asummary. For specific information, please consult with thebenefit staff in Human Resources.

Deferred Compensation You are eligible to defer a portion of your income into a401(a) defined money purchase plan and/or a 457deferred compensation plan. Both options are definedcontribution plans that allow you to invest pre-tax dollarsfor your retirement. The City matches up to 4% of yourdeferral in the plan of your choice. Regular full-time andregular 3/4 time employees are eligible to participate inthese Deferred Compensation programs.

If you wish to participate in the 401(a) plan, you must doso within one year of your appointment. Once yourparticipation begins, you are committed to contribute 4% ofyour eligible earnings in the 401(a) plan during youremployment tenure with the City.

Employees participating in the 457 plan may start, stopand change their 457-plan contribution monthly if they sodesire. Contribution limits and plan administration aresubject to change in accordance with the Internal RevenueCode.

The City match is applied to the 401(a) contribution if youenroll in the 401(a) plan only or both plans. The Citymatch is applied to the 457 plan if you enroll in the 457plan only.

Employee Appreciation The City sponsors on-going special events and activities inappreciation of its employees. Contact the EmployeeAppreciation Committee Representative in yourdepartment for further information.



Employee AssistanceProgram (EAP)

From time-to-time, all of us feel the stresses of daily living.Most of the time we manage successfully; however, thereare times when some outside help might be welcomed. Ifyou are faced with such problems or need assistance andyou don’t want to deal with it alone, call EAP and arrangea visit with a counselor. All involvement is confidential,and initial evaluation and referral services are offered toyou at no cost. If you need help, call day or night at 244-6090. These services are available to you and yourdependants.

Flexible SpendingAccount

Regular full-time and regular 3/4-time employees canparticipate in Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA). Eligibleemployees receive city contributions into a FSA accountthat can be used for certain qualified medical expenses.Employees can also defer pre-tax dollars into their FSAaccounts for qualified medical expenses and dependentcare expenses. Regular 3/4-time employees receive one-half the City contribution of regular full-time employees.

Health Care The City of Des Moines provides you a comprehensivehealth care plan designed to help you and your familyreceive the best possible care. Regular full-time and 3/4-time employees are eligible to participate. The healthinsurance package provides comprehensive coverage forinpatient hospital, surgery, X-ray laboratory, emergencyroom, prescription drugs, dental and mental health.Employees should consult the Employee Benefit officeand/or their City of Des Moines health insurance plansummary description for benefit coverage.

Currently, the health plan is offered to regular full-timeemployees at no charge for the monthly premium and toregular 3/4 time employees at 1/2 the cost of the monthlypremium.

Iowa Public EmployeesRetirement System(IPERS)

The City of Des Moines participates in the state mandatedpublic employees retirement system, IPERS. This definedbenefit plan provides a lifetime retirement benefit to youupon retirement in accordance with a formula based onyour age, years of service, and the average of your highestthree years of wages. By law, the City withholds 3.7percent of your biweekly earnings from your paycheck andcontributes an additional 5.75 percent on your behalf toIPERS.



Life Insurance You and your dependents rely on your income to helpmeet your financial commitments. To give you peace ofmind and to protect your survivors, regular full-timeemployees receive term life insurance coverage worth twotimes their annual base salary. Further, regular full-timeemployees are eligible to purchase supplemental lifeinsurance for themselves and their dependents. You mustelect the supplemental life plan within 30 days ofappointment or during open enrollment. If election is madeafter 30-days from your appointment, a health evaluationwill be required.

Long Term Disability A long-term disability (LTD) benefit is provided for incomereplacement in the event that you become ill or injured andcannot perform your job. Following a 90-day waitingperiod, you will receive 66 2/3 percent of your base payand longevity for up to two years, if qualified under theplan. Under certain circumstances, benefits may bepayable beyond two years, in accordance with the LTDplan. Employees can supplement this benefit with accruedsick leave. Employees receiving LTD benefits willcontinue to receive health insurance benefits at the samerate and coverage as if fully employed during the first two-years of LTD benefits.

Post Employment HealthPlan

The City provides you a post employment health plan forthe purpose of offsetting medical expenses following youremployment with the City. The City contributes money intoan account in your name that you invest and manage.Upon separation of your City employment, you have thisfund available for qualified medical expenses, such aspremiums and other qualified health expenses.Contributions and reimbursements are tax-free.



ProfessionalDevelopment -Educational ExpenseReimbursement

The City of Des Moines believes in the value ofprofessional growth through educational efforts.Employees are encouraged to pursue individual plans ofaction with their supervisors or Human Resources.

Regular full-time employees can be reimbursed up to$1,200 a year for expenses relating to continuingeducation. In accordance with Administrative Policy 5.6,expenses will be reimbursed upon successful completionof courses where employees acquire credit toward a highschool diploma or equivalent, college degree, graduatedegree, law degree, CPA recognition or relatedprofessional or education certification. Courses mustrelate to City business. Administrative Policy 5.6 providesspecific information relating to eligible courses forreimbursement, the application process andreimbursement procedure.

Regular Part-TimeBenefits

Part-time positions are classified as follows:

• Less than half-time (less than 20 hours per week).

• Half-time (20-29 hours per week).

• Three-quarter time (30 or more hours per week, butless than full-time).

Regular part-time employees should refer to AdministrativePolicy 5.15 for information regarding their eligibility forinsurance and leave benefits in accordance with their part-time classification.

Suggestion Program We’re always looking for ways to improve our operations,especially those that lead to dollar savings or result insignificant improvement in service quality, productivity, orthe working environment. Please refer to AdministrativePolicy 5.1 for further information.

Transit Subsidy Employees can receive 50% subsidized monthly passesfor local Metro bus routes and discounts on other passes.Employees should contact the Action Center in City Hall at283-4500 for further information.



Communication



Access to City of DesMoines Information andRecords

Iowa law governs the access to City of Des Moinesrecords and information. Please refer to Chapter 22(Open Records), Iowa Code, or the City Legal Departmentfor guidance on this matter.

Charitable OrganizationsSolicitation

The City of Des Moines allows employees the opportunityto learn about and contribute to eligible charitableorganizations once a year through our Combined CharitiesCampaign. Please refer to Administrative Policy No. 5.26for further guidance on this item.

Electronic Forms ofCommunication

The City of Des Moines is nationally recognized for itseffective use of technology. This opportunity to usetechnology at work brings an added responsibility to useyour phone, voice mail, e-mail, the Internet and otherdesktop applications in a professional and productivemanner. Electronic forms of communication shall only beused in the manner prescribed in applicable City of DesMoines policies and shall never be used to promoteharassment, discrimination or a hostile work environment.Please refer to Administrative Policy 13.1 and 13.2 forspecific guidance.

Political Activity for CityEmployees

Employees as well as candidates for political office areprohibited from using City equipment, personnel or Cityfacilities that are not normally accessible to the public forthe purpose of electing or defeating any candidate runningfor office. Please refer to Administrative Policy No. 5.30for further guidance on this item.

Solicitations,Distributions, Use ofBulletin Boards

As a public employer, the City of Des Moines mustmaintain an objective and unbiased stance whenconsidering the use and solicitation of private products andservices. Thus, purchase of private goods and servicesmust adhere to the purchasing policies of the City of DesMoines and unsolicited distribution and/or advertising of acompany's goods or services is generally prohibited.

Bulletin boards maintained by the City of Des Moines areto be used only for posting or distributing material of thefollowing nature:

Notices containing matters directly concerning Citybusiness and/or announcements of a business naturewhich are equally applicable and of interest to employees.



All posted material must have authorization from the CityManager's Office. All employees are expected to checkthese bulletin boards periodically for new and/or updatedinformation and to follow the rules set forth in all postednotices. Employees are not to remove material from thebulletin boards.

Employees shall not endorse commercial products orservices by agreeing to the use of a photograph,endorsement or quotation in paid advertisements or salesefforts, whether for compensation or not. If an employee isuncertain as to the applicability of any contemplatedactivity in relation to this provision, the employee shallrequest and receive a determination from the CityManager before proceeding.



Compensation



General The City seeks to balance the need to be prudent with publicfunds and the compensation needs of its employees. TheCity recognizes that the demands placed upon you requiretalent, dedication and creativity. The City competes for thisworkforce in the same labor market as private sectoremployers. Accordingly, the City frequently assesses thelabor market in order to determine the competitiveness of ourpay. Most likely, the City will not be the highest payingemployer in the area. However, we do offer a competitivetotal compensation package and work in a sector where youcan feel good about your contribution in improving thecommunity where you live.

The salary structure for SPM employees was developed inconjunction with the SPM Board. It is reviewed annually forappropriate across the board increases. Additionally, ranges1 through 14 are comprised of nine salary steps. You areeligible for a step increase on your anniversary date in thejob classification, provided you are performing at a standardlevel or better. Senior Managers, Attorneys and DepartmentDirectors are in separate salary ranges. These employeesgenerally will receive a salary increase equal to the SPMsalary range adjustment at the beginning of each fiscal year.In addition, at management's discretion, these employeesmay receive an additional base salary increase or incentivepayment.

Job Classification andCompensation Review

The City Manager has established the EmployeeClassification and Compensation Oversight Committee as amechanism to review salary assignments for new and currentjobs. This five-member committee makes recommendationsregarding the salary range assignment of SPMclassifications. The City Manager may accept, reject ormodify the recommendation. The Committee has twopermanent members (SPM Board President and HumanResources Director) and three at large members (Twodepartment directors and one SPM Board appointee) whoserve staggered three-year terms.



Pay Day You are paid on a biweekly basis. The City prefers that youhave your pay directly deposited. Your paycheck covers thetwo-week period prior to the week you receive it (There is aone-week lag from the end of the pay cycle until your pay isdelivered). The City makes required deductions such asSocial Security, Medicare, IPERS, 411 retirement andincome taxes as appropriate to your classification.Additionally, federal and state income taxes will be withheldaccording to your elections on the W-4 form.

In addition to the deductions required by law, you may electother deductions or distributions. Some of the optionsavailable are contributions to your Des Moines Metro CreditUnion account, Combined Charities (United Way and othercharitable causes), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA),deferred compensation plans (Section 457 Plan and 401(a)Plan) or other banking accounts. See Human Resources foravailable deductions and distributions.

Overtime Pay There may be times when your responsibilities require you towork more than 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week.Some SPM employees are eligible for overtime according tothe Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). These employees arereferred to as non-exempt employees, as they are notexempt from the provisions of the FLSA. Other employeesare considered exempt – meaning they are not paid for hoursworked over forty in a workweek.

The City pays overtime to non-exempt employees for work inexcess of eight hours in a day or more than forty hours in aweek. It is possible for an employee to work more than eighthours on a particular day and then take time off within thesame workweek instead of receiving overtime compensation.A non-exempt non-shift employee who works on a Sunday ora holiday is compensated at two times his or her normalhourly rate. Non-exempt shift employees who work theirregularly scheduled second day off will be compensated attwo times their normal hourly rate.



Overtime is normally not paid in cash earnings. Normally anemployee is credited with “Compensatory Time” (“C Time”).“C Time” is a bank of hours an employee may draw uponwhen they are absent from work. Federal law permits “CTime” to accumulate up to 240 hours for most Cityemployees. There may be lower limits in your particulardepartment's division. You should consult your supervisor inregard to the limit applicable to you. If an employeeaccumulates 240 or more hours of “C Time”, any additionalovertime incurred is paid in cash within the appropriatebiweekly pay cycle.



Employee Relations



Appearance andConduct

The City of Des Moines provides many services to theresidents of the community. Our citizens expect prompt,efficient and competent service. Dressing and conductingyourself in a neat and professional manner will promote apositive image to our citizens.

Attendance,Punctuality andDependability

Because citizens depend upon the services provided by Cityemployees, it is important that you attend work as scheduled.Tardiness and absenteeism diminish our ability to serve ourcitizens and reduces the level of professionalism we seek tocreate. Dependability, attendance, punctuality, and acommitment to do the job right are essential at all times.

Cell PhoneAssignment andAllowance

A cellular telephone may be assigned to you or otherwisemade available for use when a business need exists. Youmay be assigned a cell phone due to the nature of yourduties. You must be available for emergency response orconsultation after normal office hours. Please refer toAdministrative Policy 6.2 (Cellular Telephone Assignmentand Allowance Policy) for specific information.

Conflict of Interest Employment with the City of Des Moines is highly valued.On occasion, situations will arise where your judgment maybe questioned. In order to minimize this issue, the City hasadopted a policy regarding the acceptance of gifts andconflicts of interest.

Iowa Code Chapter 65B and City of Des Moines Ordinance(§ 2-423) limit gifts. Acceptance of gifts may be viewed as anattempt to influence your judgment or how you exercisediscretion. It is also important that you do not hold a positionor engage in a business that may conflict with the properperformance of your job.

These precautions are designed to protect you from issues ofconflict and to preserve your ability to exercise discretion andjudgment free from undue influence. Your reason for being aCity of Des Moines employee is to work for the City and itscitizens. This should be your primary focus.

Council Relationships The City of Des Moines operates under the council-managerform of government. Under this form of government, the CityCouncil employs a City Manager to provide administrativeleadership and implement policy formulated by the Council.The Manager is responsible for most of the day-to-dayoperation of the City governmental organization. The City



Council issues most orders and directives through the CityManager. Conversely, whenever the City Council or amember of the City Council raises a policy or proceduralquestion to you, it should be brought to the attention of theCity Manager. Other Council requests, such as requests forinformation, ordinance enforcement, and/or complaints youreceive should be handled quickly, competently andcourteously. You will need to familiarize yourself withAdministrative Policy 1.1 (Administrative CouncilRelationships) to ensure proper communication with CityCouncil members.

Disciplinary Process All supervisors/employees are encouraged to addressperformance deficiencies and improvement plans with theirimmediate supervisor before there is a need for discipline. Ifdeficiencies continue, employees and supervisors shouldcontact Human Resources for consultation.

The City of Des Moines considers employee discipline ascorrective action. The disciplinary process is a seriousmatter for both the employee and the City. Unacceptableconduct will result in disciplinary action. Employees inpositions covered by Chapter 400 (Civil Service) of the IowaCode may have appeal rights to the City of Des Moines CivilService Commission. For further information regarding rightsaddressed under Chapter 400, please contact HumanResources for assistance. Employees in positions excludedfrom Chapter 400 have no such appeal rights.

Disclosure of RentalProperty

One of the many functions the City performs is the inspectionand issuance of rental certificates. To avoid possibleconflicts regarding rental property holdings, all City officersand employees shall file a Rental Housing PropertyDisclosure Statement with Human Resources. Should youhold any interest in any rental property located in the City,either personally or through a spouse or dependent familymember, you are required to file a disclosure statement.Please refer to Administrative Policy 5.16 and Section 14-27.01 of the Municipal Code for the specific requirements ofthis provision.



Employee Status: AtWill

Subject only to the provisions of the Civil Service Law of Iowa(Iowa Code Chapter 400), your employment is at will. Thatis, your employment may be terminated at any time for anyreason or no reason by the applicable appointing authority.

Human ResourcesRecords

The Human Resources Department keeps a personnel filefor all employees. Documents in this file will include yourapplication(s), Personnel Action Forms (PAF), PerformanceReviews, letters of commendation and letters regardingdiscipline. You may review your file to examine the contents.You must do this in the Human Resources Department andwill need to provide identification in order to preserve thesecurity of your information. You may add explanatorymaterials if you desire, but you may not remove any itemfrom the file. You also may obtain a copy of your personnelfile at a cost of $0.10 per page not to exceed $5.00. Shouldyou question the legitimacy of the contents of your file,please contact a Human Resource representative forclarification.

Identification Cards Non public-safety employees, who frequently work in the fieldand have occasion to enter private property, shall display aCity issued identification card. Please refer to AdministrativePolicy 5.3 (Identification Cards) for the procedure on applyingfor a City of Des Moines identification card.

Initial EmploymentPeriod (Probation)

The Civil Service Law (Iowa Code Chapter 400) covers mostjobs in the City. This law provides for a six- (6) monthprobationary period for full-time employees. This initialemployment period is the opportunity for the City todetermine whether or not you will be successful in your job.With satisfactory performance, at the end of the six months,you will be considered a regular employee with all rightsprovided under the Civil Service law. These includerecognizing your length of service, the ability to pursue otherCivil Service jobs, and the right of appeal to the Civil ServiceCommission in the event the City demotes, suspends orterminates your employment.

There are also jobs at the City that are not covered by CivilService. Full-time non-civil service jobs have a similar initialprobationary employment period. However, non-civil serviceemployees have no right of appeal to the Civil ServiceCommission in the event of a demotion, suspension ortermination; nor can such employees compete for



promotional Civil Service jobs.

Another classification of employees are those who are part-time employees. The Civil Service law does not cover part-time employees. Part-time employees who are routinelyscheduled to work at least 30 hours/week but are less thanfull-time have an initial probationary employment period ofnine months. Part-time employees routinely scheduled towork 20 - 29 hours/week have a probationary employmentperiod of twelve months.

Internal Investigationsand Searches

From time to time, the City of Des Moines may need toaccess your workstation, to conduct internal investigationspertaining to security, auditing or simply to access someneeded information while you are away. Your cooperationduring these times is expected. All items, including personalbelongings you have on the premises, are subject to search.Generally, the City will advise you before conducting asearch. However, no right or expectation of privacy shouldbe assumed concerning your locker, desk, files, computer orother property (including vehicles) owned by the City.

Layoff andReemployment

Whenever it becomes necessary due to lack of work, lack offunds, or reorganization, the City may lay off employees.Generally, layoffs will begin with temporary employees, thenmove to part-time and ultimately regular full-time staff.Administrative Policy 5.7 provides specific information on thelayoff and recall/reemployment process for SPM employees.The Civil Service law of Iowa, (Iowa Code Chapter 400)governs layoffs, transfers and recall rights and processes foremployees in classifications covered by Civil Service.

Nepotism Policy All candidates for City employment are considered based ontheir qualifications. However, candidates may not beappointed, if such employment with the City would create adirect supervisor/subordinate relationship with a familymember. In addition, the City Manager, the Police Chief andthe Fire Chief or those acting in their absence are prohibitedfrom appointing a family member to employment.

Open Door Policy The City of Des Moines promotes an atmosphere where youcan talk freely with members of the management staff. Youare encouraged to discuss openly with your supervisor newideas that promote productivity and efficiency that enhancesthe level of service the City provides. You are alsoencouraged to discuss openly with your supervisor anyproblems encountered or any problems you have witnessed,



so that appropriate action can be taken. If you are unable toresolve the situation or need assistance, contact HumanResources for consultation and guidance. The City of DesMoines is interested in providing an environment thatpromotes success and we therefore welcome the opportunityto encourage and help employees whenever possible.

Parking The City of Des Moines offers free or low cost parking toregular full-time employees. Due to the limited number ofparking spaces available at City Hall and the ArgonneArmory, Administrative Policy 5.11 was created for properutilization of these parking lots. Parking stickers areavailable in Human Resources for a nominal charge.

PerformanceEvaluation

SPM employees should expect informal ongoing feedbackregarding their performance and expectations. Generally, aformal written evaluation consisting of the previous period'sperformance and upcoming goals and expectations shouldbe conducted at least annually. The City of Des Moines andselected SPM employees will periodically team together toreview and change, if necessary, an appraisal system thatevaluates employees' performance consistent with the goalsof the City.

Personal PropertyReplacement

Occasionally, through the course of working for the City, yourpersonal property may be damaged. Personal property(exclusive of clothing), required while on duty, such as awatch or eyeglasses may be replaced or repaired at areasonable cost as determined by the department director.Please refer to Administrative Policy 5.19 (Personal PropertyReplacement) for reimbursement procedures.

Reference Checks From time to time, inquiries by outside agencies or personswill be made regarding and individual's employment status.These inquires must be referred to Human Resources. TheCity’s Human Resources Department will furnish anemployee's name, dates of employment, job title, departmentand salary and other information required by law. No otherdata or information regarding any current or former Cityemployee or his/her employment with the City will befurnished unless the employee provides a writtenauthorization to disclose this confidential information.



ResidencyRequirement

Employees in Civil Service classifications must reside in thestate of Iowa. Public Safety (Police and Fire) employeesmust reside no more than 20 miles from the City limitsmeasured by the most direct route over public roads andhighways.

Notwithstanding employees hired before April 15, 1984, non-Civil Service employees must reside within the City limits ofDes Moines. You have up to seven (7) months after yourappointment to meet this residency requirement. If you haveany questions on the residency requirements please contactHuman Resources. (Refer to § 2-486 of the Des MoinesMunicipal Code).

Resignation Should you plan to terminate your employment in goodstanding please notify your department director at least twoweeks prior your termination date. Your written resignationshould include the effective date and the reason(s) forleaving.

Failure to comply with this rule will be entered into yourpersonnel file and may be cause for denying futureemployment by the City. Upon notification of your pendingrequest, Human Resources will offer you an exit interviewand inform you of any benefits, which may continue at yourelection. Please refer to Administrative Policy 5.10 foradditional information.

Transfers andPromotions

The City values the experience and expertise you gain as anemployee. Often that experience is transferable to otherareas of the City. To encourage your growth in theorganization, the City normally posts all job vacancies. Youare encouraged to check the job postings at City Hall or onthe City’s web site. Additionally, you may feel free to consultHuman Resources staff regarding your career advancementplans. Human Resources staff will assist you in identifying ameans for you to improve your skills to become qualified forthe position you desire.

Work Hours The City has a few functions that operate around the clock,seven days per week. However, most employees work anormal eight-hour shift during regular business hours (8:00a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Typically, a workweek for a full-timeemployee will total 40 hours. On occasion, depending onyour job, you will need to work additional time or additionaldays to fulfill your responsibilities. Whether this will impact



your pay is covered in the Compensation section of thishandbook. Please refer to Administrative Policy 5.2 foradditional guidance.

The City has developed a plan to permit flexible work hoursin some areas. This program allows you to vary yourschedule from the normal 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. five daysper week with appropriate approval. Check with yourSupervisor to determine whether you may participate in thisprogram. Business needs determine your work schedule.

Regular and consistent attendance is an essential jobfunction for all SPM employees. Any absence of anyemployee from duty, including any absence for a single dayor any part of a day that is not requested and authorized maybe grounds for disciplinary action up to and includingtermination.



Leaves



General The City recognizes that employees occasionally needtime away from work for a variety of reasons. Accordingly,the City has developed several leave policies addressingdifferent needs.

Bereavement Leave The City recognizes that the loss of a family memberrequires time to grieve and to handle matters. You areprovided up to seven (7) calendar days of leave with payshould your spouse, child or parent pass away. Underspecial circumstances, the Department Director may grantadditional leave. If additional time is necessary, you mayrequest use of accrued time (vacation, “C Time” orholiday). You are provided up to four (4) calendar dayswithout loss of pay should your sister, brother, father-in-law, stepfather, mother-in-law, stepmother, brother-in-law,stepbrother, sister-in-law, stepsister, grandparent of theemployee or spouse, grandchild of the employee orspouse, or any other relative residing in your householdpasses away. You are provided up to one (1) calendar daywithout loss of pay should your aunt, uncle, niece ornephew pass away.

In addition to the bereavement leave described above, youmay use other leave time to attend the funeral or memorialservice of any other person.

Family Medical Leave Congress enacted the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)to allow employees up to 12 weeks per year time awayfrom work for serious personal/family illness or forchildbirth or adoption. While you are on FMLA leave, youcontinue to receive all employee benefits you received asan active employee, with the exception of pay. You mayuse your sick, “C Time”, holiday or vacation accruals whileon FMLA leave. When you return from FMLA leave, youare guaranteed the same or comparable position you hadbefore your leave.

To qualify for FMLA leave, you must be a full-timeemployee with at least one-year of service and haveworked at least 1250 hours in the previous twelve months.Appropriate medical certification will be required and youmay be required to provide periodic updates while onleave. If you qualify and are absent for three consecutivedays or the City becomes aware that you are hospitalized,the City may put you on FMLA leave by its own action.



If the twelve weeks of FMLA leave are exhausted, youmay apply for an extended leave of absence subject to theCity Manager’s approval. There is no requirement orguarantee that such extension will be granted. Please referto Administrative Policy 5.28 (Family Medical Leave) forspecific guidance.

Holidays The City provides full-time employees with eleven (11)paid holidays per year. They are:

• New Year’s Day • Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday • Memorial Day • Independence Day • Labor Day • Veteran’s Day • Thanksgiving Day • Day after Thanksgiving • Christmas Day •One additional day either before or after Christmas

Day (see below) • Your birthday

Your birthday holiday is added to your Holiday bank duringthe pay-period in which your birthday falls. When aholiday falls on a Saturday it is normally observed thepreceding Friday. If the holiday falls on a Sunday, it isnormally observed on the following Monday. WhenChristmas falls on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday orSaturday, in addition to the legal holiday observance, thepreceding workday shall also be observed as the holiday.When Christmas falls on Sunday, Monday or Thursday, inaddition to the legal holiday observance, the followingworkday shall also be observed as a holiday.

Employees designated as shift employees (who work in anarea where activities are ongoing seven days per week, 24hours per day) observe the holiday on its actual date.These employees, if they are required to work, are paid forthe holiday and may also be compensated at the doubletime rate if they are non-exempt. Exempt employees whoare required or authorized to work a holiday will be paidtheir normal pay and receive 8 hours of holiday time intheir holiday accrual.



If you are on vacation, sick leave or other paid absencewhen a holiday is observed, you will be paid the holiday inlieu of the other paid leave time. If you are on FamilyMedical Leave (FMLA), paid or unpaid, you will be paid theholiday in lieu of the other paid leave time. If you are onan unpaid leave other than FMLA that is longer than sevencalendar days, you will not receive holiday pay for holidaysoccurring during the leave.

Jury Duty From time to time, you may be called to serve thecommunity as a member of a jury. If you are called toserve on a jury, you will incur no loss of pay. You arehowever required to return to the City any paymentreceived from the Court for jury service other than travel orexpense allowances.

Military Leave If you are a member of the National Guard or Reserves,you are allowed up to 30 calendar days per year of leavewith pay for service to these organizations. ConsultAdministrative Policy 5.30 regarding this leave.

PerformanceRecognition Leave

In addition to other forms of leave, Department Directorsare encouraged to recognize superior performance andexceptional effort of "exempt" SPM employees by grantingperformance leave. This performance leave is in additionto the accrued leave mentioned above. Performanceleave will not be administered through the City's payrollsystem and will be granted purely at the discretion of theDepartment Director.

Sick Leave Sick leave is accrued at the rate of one day per month,regardless of length of service.

Sick leave may be used for your own illness or incapacityto work or the illness of your spouse or dependentchildren. Should an emergency arise involving yourimmediate family (spouse, child, parent or sibling) you mayalso use your accrued sick leave. An emergency isconsidered to be an illness or accident involving a life-threatening situation.

The Supervisory, Professional and ManagementEmployee Board (SPM Board) sponsors a sick leave bank.This is a mechanism whereby you can contribute a portionof your vacation or sick time to become a member.Members are then eligible to draw upon the resources ofthe bank if they have exhausted their personal sick leave



and other paid leave accruals and are unable to work dueto a serious illness or injury. Details of this plan can beobtained from members of the SPM Board.

It is important to use your sick leave for only the useslisted herein. Sick leave is intended to provide incomereplacement for periods when you are not able to work dueto illness or injury. Using your sick leave sparingly andonly when absolutely needed will allow your sick leaveaccrual balance to accumulate hours and provide you withincome in the event of a serious illness. If you improperlyuse your sick leave or show a pattern of abuse, you maybe required to provide medical certification for subsequentapproval for the use of sick days and you may be subjectto disciplinary action if sick leave abuse is determined.

Your sick leave continues to accrue without limit. You willreceive one-half of your accrued sick leave up to amaximum payout of 750 hours should you terminate youremployment with 20 years or more of service, or retire(regular or disability) through a bona fide retirementsystem (i.e., IPERS or 411) or death. If you are terminatedfor cause, you are not eligible for any sick leave payment.

Vacation As a new full-time employee, you will begin to accruevacation time at a rate of 6.67 hours per month to total 80hours or ten (10) days per year. You are not eligible touse or receive compensation for this vacation leave untilyou complete the probationary period. Your rate ofvacation accrual will increase as listed below.

• 1 - 6 years of service 10 days / 80 hours • 7 - 11 years of service 15 days / 120 hours• 12 - 18 years of service 20 days / 160 hours • 19+ years of service 25 days / 200 hours

You must get approval in advance from your supervisorand/or department head in order to use vacation leave.Time off must be used in increments of not less than four(4) hours for exempt employees. You are encouraged toregularly use your annual accrued vacation time.Generally, you can only accrue up to 600 hours ofvacation.



When you end your employment with the City, you will bepaid for your vacation leave accrual at that time at yourlast rate of pay.

Voting State law requires that you have time to vote either beforeor after your workday. If your schedule on an Election Dayappears to not permit time to vote, contact your supervisorso an accommodation can be made.