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By-Law 2024-013 - Schedule A - Personnel Policy1 THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF TILLSONBURG PERSONNEL POLICY www.tillsonburg.ca Amended January 2024 2 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT .......................................................................... 4 Employment Conditions/Work Hours .................................................................... 5 Pay Day...................................................................................................... 5 Pay Advances ............................................................................................ 5 Administrative Pay Corrections .................................................................. 5 Pay Deductions .......................................................................................... 5 Vacation and Vacation Pay ........................................................................ 6 Public Holidays and Public Holiday Pay ..................................................... 8 Rates of Pay ............................................................................................... 9 Progressive Discipline/Termination/Problem Resolution ............................ 9 Temporary Layoffs ..................................................................................... 9 GENERAL EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS ................................................................ 9 Regular Attendance and Personal Days .................................................. 10 Short-Term Disability Benefits .................................................................. 10 Long-Term Disability Insurance ................................................................ 10 Employees Injured on the Job .................................................................. 10 Group Insurance ...................................................................................... 11 Pension .................................................................................................... 11 Miscellaneous .......................................................................................... 11 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE ........................................................................... 14 LEAVES OF ABSENCE ...................................................................................... 15 Medical Leave of Absence ....................................................................... 15 Personal Leave of Absence ..................................................................... 17 Sick Leave and Short-Term Disability Leave............................................ 18 Long-Term Disability Leave ...................................................................... 18 Provincially Legislated Leaves of Absence .............................................. 20 Bereavement Leave ................................................................................. 20 Time Off to Vote ....................................................................................... 21 Jury Duty .................................................................................................. 21 Witness Duty ............................................................................................ 21 OTHER EMPLOYMENT REGULATIONS ........................................................... 22 Probationary Period ................................................................................. 22 Retirement ................................................................................................ 22 AODA... .................................................................................................... 22 Use of Vehicles and Equipment ............................................................... 24 Visitors in the Workplace .......................................................................... 24 No Pyramiding or Compounding .............................................................. 24 Electronic Communications ................................................................................ 25 General Statement of Policy ..................................................................... 25 Prohibited Use .......................................................................................... 26 Use of Electronic Communications .......................................................... 27 Use of the Internet .................................................................................... 27 Confidentiality ........................................................................................... 27 Copywright of Software ............................................................................ 27 Storage Media .......................................................................................... 27 The town Access to Electronic Communications………….……………….28 3 Footer for Email………………….…………………………….………………28 No Expectation of Privacy…………………………………….………………28 Online Social Community Pages, Personal Websites and Blogs…….…..28 Telephone Usage ..................................................................................... 30 Performance Evaluations .................................................................................... 31 Equal Opportunity Employer ............................................................................... 31 Recruitment ........................................................................................................ 31 Workplace Security ............................................................................................. 31 CODE OF CONDUCT ......................................................................................... 32 Hiring of Relatives .................................................................................... 32 Conflict of Interest .................................................................................... 33 Outside Employment ................................................................................ 33 Confidential Information ........................................................................... 34 Media Relations ....................................................................................... 34 Police Check and Vulnerable Sector Screening ..................................... 345 Gifts and Other Benefits ........................................................................... 35 Political Activity ........................................................................................ 35 Distribution of Literature / No Solicitation ................................................. 35 Use of Property ........................................................................................ 36 Scent Free Environment........................................................................... 36 Infractions ................................................................................................. 38 Compliance .............................................................................................. 38 PRIVACY POLICY .............................................................................................. 38 APPENDICES ..................................................................................................... 41 Appendix A – Personnel Policy Rates ...................................................... 42 Appendix B – Clothing Allowance Procedure ........................................... 44 Appendix C – Privacy Consent ................................................................. 47 Appendix D – Personnel Policy Acknowledgment .................................... 48 4 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT This Personnel Policy (the “Policy”) is intended to inform all employees of the rights, privileges, expectations and benefits of their employment with the Corporation of the Town of Tillsonburg (the "Town"). The Town is structured under the Chief Administrative Officer system of governance. The Mayor and Council will retain overall responsibility for personnel management through the Chief Administrative Officer for the Town. Council will be responsible for setting policy for the management of the Town’s resources and for determining priority in policy execution. The Human Resource Manager, or his/her designate, will assume responsibility for advising on human resource matters to ensure compliance with both federal and provincial legislation and policies and procedures adopted by municipal by-laws. The Town’s managers will be responsible for ensuring that these policies are implemented and observed. This Policy covers full and Part-time employees of the Town, its local boards, commissions and any appointments made by Council. Council members will not become directly involved in the discharging of the Town’s administrative functions or in the operation of its facilities and equipment. The Town’s managers will be expected to keep Council informed of any changes in the ordered priorities. This Policy is compliant with all primary labour and employment statutes including the Employment Standards Act, 2000, Human Rights Code, Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997, Occupational Health and Safety Act, and Labour Relations Act, 1995. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms of such employment agreement and the Policy, the terms of the employment agreement shall prevail. 5 EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS/WORK HOURS For purposes of this Policy, full-time employees may be either salaried or hourly employees who are regularly scheduled to work at least thirty-five (35) hours per week. Generally, full-time employees are eligible for group insurance arranged by the Town, subject to the terms, conditions and limitations of the group insurance. For purposes of this Policy, part-time employees are those who are regularly scheduled to work up to twenty (20) hours per week. Part-time employees are not eligible for group insurance arranged by the Town. Part-time employees are eligible for insurance, required to be provided by statute, such as employment insurance and workplace safety insurance. For purposes of this Policy, full-time fixed term contract employees working a term 6 months or greater are eligible to receive Town benefits of paid, personal days, required safety equipment, and clothing allowance if applicable. All eligible days will be prorated based on the length of the contract. Please see policy HR-08 – Hours of Work and Overtime for further details. Payday Employees will be paid bi-weekly. The payroll period begins on a Sunday and ends on the 2nd Saturday following. Each employee will be provided a statement of earnings and deductions for the payroll period. In the event that a regularly scheduled payday falls on a day other than regular business day for the Town, employees will receive pay on the last regular day of business prior to the regularly scheduled payday. Pay Advances The Town does not provide pay advances on wages to employees. Administrative Pay Corrections In the event that there is an error in the amount of pay provided to an employee, an employee should promptly bring the discrepancy to the attention of their supervisor or Human Resources Generalist. Any required corrections will be made as quickly as possible. Pay Deductions The Town must make certain deductions from every employee's pay, including applicable Federal and Provincial income taxes, Employment Insurance premiums, and Canada Pension Plan contributions, in the amounts stipulated by legislation. In addition, membership in the OMERS Plan is mandatory for certain 6 employees and, amounts as directed by the OMERS Plan, are deducted from each participating employee's pay. Employees should consult Human Resources Generalist to determine their eligibility and obligations in respect of the OMERS Plan. Where the Town offers programs, benefits and insurances beyond those required by law, eligible employees may be required to, or may voluntarily, authorize deductions from their pay to cover the costs of participation in these programs. In all cases, the Town reserves the right to schedule overtime. In most cases, the Town may first seek volunteers from amongst employees who are qualified to do the work required. However, where there are no qualified volunteers, the Town will schedule employees for overtime. Employees who are so scheduled are expected to report for work except where extraordinary circumstances would prevent their attendance. Where an employee offers or is required to work overtime, and the Town approves such work in advance, the employee is entitled to be paid the applicable overtime rate. Vacation and Vacation Pay All vacation and vacation pay shall be based on the employee’s anniversary date, and, generally, must be earned in advance. Full-time employees shall be eligible for vacation and vacation pay in accordance with the following: Years of Complete Eligible Service Paid Vacation Time OR Vacation Pay Upon initial eligibility (12 mos.) Two (2) weeks 4% of wages earned 4 years Three (3) weeks 6% of wages earned 10 years Four (4) weeks 8% of wages earned 18 years Five (5) weeks 10% of wages earned 25 years Six (6) weeks 12% of wages earned In addition, full-time employees shall be entitled to a single floating vacation day, with pay at the employee’s regular straight time rate of pay, in each calendar year. This day will be prorated in the initial calendar year based on the employee’s date of hire. Upon management’s approval, vacation time may be requested in fifteen (15), thirty (30), sixty (60) minute intervals, as well as daily and weekly intervals. All part-time employees shall be eligible for vacation time and vacation pay in 7 accordance with Ontario’s minimum employment standards legislation. Vacation pay will be paid to part-time employees bi-weekly in accordance with the Town’s customary payroll practice. The vacation pay column in the chart above will only be used to calculate vacation for employees on an approved leave, where they do not earn wages paid by the Town. Part-time, as well as some contract full-time employees receiving an additional 4% or 6% of wages as vacation pay shall have their vacation pay based on all wages, excluding vacation pay, earned during the period for which the vacation or vacation pay is given. Vacation must be taken as time off. No cash payment in lieu of vacation will be provided. Generally, vacation days may not be taken in advance of being credited. If an employee requires vacation days prior to being credited with sufficient days, the employee may request in writing to their manager and may be granted the vacation days requested up to a maximum of five (5) days (40 hours) for the calendar year requested. Vacation of up to one (1) week (40 hours) may be carried over into the employee's next vacation year, if approved by the respective Director or Chief Administrative Officer. To schedule vacation, employees must submit their request for vacation through the Town’s payroll software – Dayforce, on or before the deadline provided by their department director/manager of each year. The supervisor will approve or deny the vacation request based on the Town's operational requirements. A request for vacation of longer than two (2) consecutive weeks will also require the approval of the department director. Accrued vacation pay shall be paid to the employee on the regular pay date occurring during the period of the vacation, unless the employee and the Town agree otherwise. When a statutory holiday occurs during an employee's vacation, the Town shall substitute another day that would ordinarily be a working day for the employee to take off work for which the employee will be paid statutory holiday pay as if the substituted day were a statutory holiday. Vacation entitlement (pay and time) does not accrue during unpaid leaves of absence; however in no case will you receive less than your minimum statutory entitlement to unpaid vacation time. 8 Statutory Holidays and Statutory Holiday Pay All full time employees are entitled to a statutory holiday with pay on each of the following holidays: HOLIDAY New Year’s Day Family Day Good Friday Easter Monday Victoria Day Canada Day 1st Monday in August Labour Day Thanksgiving Christmas Day Boxing Day Part-time employees are not eligible to receive a holiday with statutory holiday pay on Easter Monday or the 1st Monday in August holiday. To be eligible for statutory holiday pay, employees must work all of their previous regularly scheduled day of work before the holiday and all of their first regularly scheduled day of work after the holiday, unless the employee had reasonable cause. Statutory holiday pay for full-time employees will be equal to the employee’s regular wages earned in the pay period immediately preceding the statutory holiday, divided by the number of days the employee worked in that period. In cases where less than a full day is observed as the statutory holiday, employees will be responsible for coverage of the work hours not covered by statutory holiday either by using accrued vacation or unpaid time off. If the Town and employee agree that the employee will work on a statutory holiday that would ordinarily be a working day for that employee, the Town shall pay to the employee wages at his or her regular straight time rate of pay for the hours worked on the holiday and substitute another day that would ordinarily be a working day for the employee to take off work and for which they shall be paid public holiday pay as if the substitute day were a holiday no later than three (3) months after the public holiday or upon written agreement with the employee, within twelve (12) months after the public holiday or the Town shall pay to the employee holiday pay for the day plus one and one half times the employee's regular straight time rate of pay for each hour worked on the public holiday. In addition to the public holidays noted above, the afternoon prior to Christmas Day and the afternoon prior to New Year's Day shall constitute additional paid holidays, provided, however, that Christmas and New Year's half day public holidays will be 9 observed on the working days preceding the respective holidays except when Christmas Day and New Year's Day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday in which case the half-holiday will be observed on the preceding Friday afternoon. The exact dates to be taken off shall be at the discretion of the Chief Administrative Officer. Rates of Pay The regular straight time rates of pay applicable to each position classification are outlined in the applicable Compensation Grid as approved by Council. Employees assigned to act as a lead-hand, provided that such assignment is approved by the appropriate Director or Manager, will be paid a premium of $2.50 per hour above their regular straight time rate of pay for each hour they are working in the lead-hand role. Progressive Discipline/Termination/Problem Resolution Please see policy HR-09 – Progressive Discipline and Problem Resolution for details. Temporary Layoffs Occasionally, there may be the need for the Town to temporarily layoff one or more of its employees. The Town retains the sole discretion to determine which employees will be subject to the temporary layoff. The Town will give employees as much notice of a layoff as business conditions allow. This expression of intent, however, does not create an obligation on the part of the Town to provide any prior notification of a layoff. The Town will comply with the provisions of the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 with respect to temporary layoffs. GENERAL EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS The Town provides certain employment benefits to eligible employees as described in this Policy. Where noted, the employment benefits are provided through contract(s) of insurance and the Town pays certain premiums for the insured benefits only. All decisions as to the eligibility for a benefit rest exclusively with the insurance carrier and benefits are subject to the terms of the applicable contracts. Employment benefits, including insurance coverage, are subject to change without notice. 10 Regular Attendance and Personal Days Please see policy HR-10 – Regular Attendance and Personal Days for further details. Short-Term Disability Benefits Please see policy HR-07 – Short Term Disability for further details. Long-Term Disability Insurance The Town has arranged for a Long-term Disability Insurance Plan (LTD) which provides eligible full-time employees, who have completed their probationary period, with insurance coverage equal to 66.7% of the first $2,250 of basic monthly earnings and 40% of the balance up to a maximum of $4,000 per month, payable up to age 65, after a continuous twenty-six (26) week period of disability is satisfied (Please refer to your Group Insurance Booklet to obtain the specific details). During the twenty-six (26) week waiting period, the employee may be eligible for benefits under the Short-term Disability Plan described in policy HR-07 – Short Term Disability. To qualify for benefits under the LTD plan, an employee must meet the requirements of the insurance plan and provide evidence of the disability that is satisfactory to the insurance carrier. All decisions as to the eligibility for benefits rest solely with the insurance carrier. For more information on the terms of the LTD plan, please contact Human Resources Manager or his/her designate. Employees Injured on the Job An employee who is injured while at work, and as a result of such injury, is certified by a qualified physician as unfit to complete work on the day of the injury, shall not suffer a loss of regular straight time pay for the day of the injury and no deduction will be made from sick leave credits with respect to that particular working day. Employees who sustain work-related injuries or illnesses must inform their supervisor immediately in order not to affect any benefits that they may be entitled to under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (the "Act"). Where a full-time employee is absent from work as a result of an illness or injury covered under the Act, and is in receipt of benefits under the Act, the following applies: Respecting full-time employees who satisfy the conditions stipulated above, the Town shall continue to pay the Town’s normal share of the premiums for the group insurance that that employee would otherwise be entitled to for the period required by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, provided 11 that the employee pays the employee’s share of the premiums, if any. No full-time employee shall suffer loss of regular straight time pay for the period beginning on the first day of an absence from work as a result of an illness or injury for which benefits are payable under the Act and ending on the date that benefits are no longer payable under the Act. In the case the Town makes a payment to an employee in a period for which the employee also receives a payment from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, the employee shall remit the payment (or the value of the payment) to the Town, except any payment that relates to an award of non-economic loss (NEL). Group Insurance The Town presently pays premiums on behalf of eligible Full-time employees for group insurance which consists of the following group benefits:  Life Insurance  Extended Health Insurance  Deluxe Travel Insurance, and  Dental Insurance The Town pays certain premiums for the described group insurance only. All decisions as to the eligibility for a benefit rest exclusively with the insurance carrier, and are subject to the terms of the applicable insurance plan. Please refer to your Group Insurance Booklet to obtain specific details of the insured benefits and to determine the rules respecting eligibility and exclusions for insurances. Pension Participation in a pension, administered by and in accordance with the provisions of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS), is compulsory for every eligible Full-time employee of the Town from the date of hire. Participation in OMERS is optional for certain Part-time employees. To determine whether you qualify or are required to participate in OMERS please contact your Human Resources representatives. Miscellaneous a) Clothing Allowance The number of articles of clothing as indicted in Appendix B, is to be considered the maximum annual amount required. This allowance applies only to clothing required in order for an employee to 12 complete their daily tasks. This does not include any required uniforms or health and safety equipment. b) Personal Protective Equipment Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) shall include, but is not limited to, approved Canadian Standards Association (CSA) safety boots, gloves, high visibility safety wear, safety eye protection, hearing protection, etc. The Town shall provide any personal protective equipment to the employee as warranted by the job conditions determined by department manager and Town’s Health and Safety Coordinator. CSA safety boots shall be limited to one pair per year. In addition, if an employee’s boots are damaged beyond safe limits through the course of their work, replacement is at the discretion of the supervisor. Damaged boots must be returned to the supervisor. If an employee chooses prescription safety glasses, the safety glasses must comply with CSA Z94.3.1-09 standards, Industrial Eye and Face Protectors. Expenses for prescription safety glasses may be submitted through our benefit provider and will be subject to plan reimbursement levels and frequencies. c) Mileage Employees using personal vehicles, as approved by the employee’s manager, or CAO in the case of the in-town rate, while on business for the Town, Tillsonburg Hydro Inc. or the Tillsonburg Police Services Board, shall be reimbursed at a rate in accordance with Appendix A to this Policy. d) Meal Per Diems Employees may claim, and the Town may approve, reimbursement for meal per diems where the: - Director has approved the event which required the employee to attend; - employee is involved in a meeting or seminar where such employee cannot bring a lunch, or - meeting is outside of the geographic boundaries of the Town, or - meeting is during the day and includes lunch as a business lunch. Meal per diems include the reasonable purchase of food, a non-alcoholic beverage, and tip. Whenever possible, an employee PCard should be used to purchase meals that meet the above stated criteria. Receipts are required for all meals purchased either on a PCard, or for submission of an expense form. 13 Approved meal per diems will be paid in accordance with Appendix A to this Policy with the submission of conference or seminar details outlining whether meals are provided as part of the conference or seminar. e) Conferences and Training Annual attendance of delegates at seminars, conventions, conferences or training courses will be restricted to provisions made in the current year’s operating budget. For purposes of this policy a delegate shall mean a representative of the Town authorized to attend a seminar, convention, conference or training course. Delegates who are required to attend approved seminars, conventions, conferences or training courses, will be reimbursed upon providing receipts for expenses relating to the registration fee, accommodations, travel, parking and communications. All costs related to a companion who attends the seminar, convention, conference or training course, will not be reimbursed by the Town. If the annual training budget amount has been committed or spent, attendance at further training opportunities and additional expenses must be approved in advance. A cost sharing arrangement with an employee who wishes to attend a conference or training event may be considered where attendance is considered to be of mutual benefit. Attendance of employees at events must be pre-approved by their Director or Manager. Such arrangements may serve to spread the budget out so that more employees can benefit. Attendance at events outside of Canada must be pre-approved by Council. f) On Call Compensation Compensation for an employee required to be on stand-by is in accordance with Appendix A to this Policy. h) Professional Membership Dues The Town may, in its discretion, reimburse membership dues paid by employees for membership in professional associations required by, or directly related to, the employee's employment with the Town. Requests to be reimbursed for membership dues must be made in writing, together will all relevant details, to the appropriate Director or Chief Administrative Officer. (j) Health Club Membership The Town will offer full-time and part-time employees, volunteer fire fighters and members of Council a 100% discount on an adult regular membership fee (for personal use by the employee) in the Town’s Community Centre health club, squash, tennis and swimming pool facility. This membership is a taxable benefit. 14 Employees may also enroll additional family members for the cost of a Corporate annual Family rate less the Adult annual rate, plus HST. Additional Family Membership Qualifiers: employee must hold a membership. Immediate family members only, this includes spouse, common law spouse, children between the ages of 10 and 21 (ages 10-12 must be accompanied by an adult), or up to 25 if they are enrolled as a student. If an employee leaves the Town, their membership will terminate effective their last day of employment. For more details about health club membership enrollment, please contact Human Resources staff. EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE The Town may provide educational assistance to eligible full-time and part-time employees who have completed their probationary period in an eligible employment classification. Employees must remain in active employment and be performing their job satisfactorily through to the completion of the course for which educational assistance is claimed. An employee must acquire all the details regarding the course (including the educational institution the course is offered through, the full course description, the cost of the course, the program through which the course is offered, and the relevance of the course to the employee's employment with the Town). The employee must then submit a written request to the Town (accompanied by information described in this Policy) for educational assistance. Employees requesting educational assistance must submit a written formal request, to the Town, outlining the following: 1. Educational Institution 2. Full course description (including program offered) 3. Course fees (detailed) 4. Justification and relevance of course to employment All requests for educational assistance will be reviewed to determine qualification for assistance. The Town may approve educational assistance requests for all or part of the amount of assistance being requested. If approved, employees are responsible for paying all costs of the course upfront. All approvals for education assistance must be received prior to the employee commencing the course for which the education assistance is sought and Final assistance payments from the 15 Town will be subject to the employee achieving a final grade of at least 60%, or equivalent, (where the course is graded in that manner) and/or present a certificate of completion (where only a certificate of completion is presented to successful participants). An employee who resigns or is terminated for cause from the Town prior to completion of an approved course will not be reimbursed. While educational assistance is expected to enhance an employee’s performance and professional abilities, the Town makes no representations that participation in formal education will entitle the employee to advancement, a different job assignment, or pay increases. LEAVES OF ABSENCE Medical Leave of Absence The Town recognizes that on occasion, employees may experience an illness or injury which prevents them from attending at work for a significant period of time. While it is our hope that employees fully recover and return to work as soon as possible, this section addresses the circumstances where this is not possible and outlines our mutual responsibilities. Firstly, when an employee becomes aware they will be absent from work due to illness or injury, the employee is required to contact their manager or Human Resources staff regarding the absence as soon as possible. Please note that employees are not required to divulge any diagnoses. The Town will require the employee to supply written medical evidence of inability to attend work if the absence is expected to be longer than three (3) days, subject to compliance with the applicable provincial employment standards legislation. It is important to note any absences not supported by clear medical documentation may be considered to be unapproved, and therefore subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment for cause. In addition, and during the period of the medical leave, an employee will be required to provide medical documentation to the Town on an ongoing basis, as requested. Requests for medical documentation will be sent to the employee by the Town, and may include the requirement to have a treating physician or other medical specialist to complete medical forms. In all instances, it is the responsibility of the employee to ensure that these forms are completed acceptably, and within the time-frames as set by the Town. The purpose of the medical documentation is to (i) ensure the employee’s medical leave is fully protected; (ii) obtain an anticipated return to work date; and/or (iii) ensure that the Town is able to evaluate and determine any appropriate accommodation in ensuring the employee’s safe return to work. 16 As part of this process and in certain circumstances, the Town may also require the employee to attend independent assessments and/or independent medical examinations. Regular communication during medical leaves is essential to ensure that we work collaboratively in the return to work process. If required, the Town will seek to take all reasonable measures to accommodate return to work process. If an employee is unable to perform the essential duties of their pre-injury/illness job, the Town will work with the employee to find ways to modify the job to suit their abilities. While the Town is not required to create jobs, if the employee is unable to perform the pre-injury/illness work with modifications, the Town will seek to be as creative as possible to accommodate the employee, and will only cease to accommodate if it would be an undue hardship for the Town, or if the disability were to create a permanent inability for the employee to perform most of the essential duties of their position. In all cases, the Town will continue to accommodate the employee in accordance with human rights legislation. While the Town is confident that our employees will comply with all of the requirements outlined above, employees should be aware that failure to comply with these requirements may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment on a with cause basis. Financial Assistance Available to Employees on Leave Since medical leaves usually begin with one (1) or two (2) personal days, the employee will be eligible to first avail themselves of the Town’s Personal Days policy if the employee indeed has unused time. If requested, an employee may be permitted to use any unused vacation time which they have accrued but not yet used. In all instances where there is an interruption in earnings for more than five (5) consecutive days, the Town will issue a Record of Employment to the employee. The Record of Employment is the government document employees will need should they wish to apply for Employment Insurance “Sick Leave” Benefits through Employment and Social Development Canada (“ESDC”). The program details can be found at Employment Insurance benefits - Canada.ca It is important to note that certain restrictions may apply to these benefits, and we suggest employees contact their local ESDC office to determine their personal eligibility. Lastly, we take this opportunity to also remind all employees that the Town has both a short term disability and long term disability program that is available for 17 extended medical leaves. Both of these programs have various requirements in order to qualify. For more details please contact Human Resources staff. Personal Leave of Absence  A personal leave of absence under this Policy is defined as an approved leave of an employee without pay.  An employee is required to make a request in advance, in writing, to his/her immediate manager who shall review the request with the department director and assess it against the operational requirements of the Town or any other relevant factor. The Town will make all decisions in respect of requests for personal leave of absence and its decision is final.  Except as identified in this Policy, or in the most extraordinary of circumstances, a personal leave of absence will not be granted for a period exceeding thirty (30) calendar days.  All personal leaves of absence approved under this Policy shall not result in additional cost to the Town, including costs related to the premiums for group insurance.  While an employee is on a personal leave of absence under this section, group insurance will be administered on the following basis: i) In the event the personal leave of absence exceeds ten (10) working days but is less than thirty (30) calendar days, group life and extended health insurance may be maintained at the employee's expense. In any case where a leave of absence exceeds ten (10) working days, the short term disability benefits described in this Policy that would otherwise be available to employees shall not be available. ii) Employees wishing to maintain the benefit coverage noted above, shall make arrangements, in writing, prior to commencement of the leave of absence with employees being responsible for all premium payments required and payable to the Town prior to commencement of the employees leave. Failure to notify the Town in writing of the desire to maintain available benefit coverage and make full payment, as noted, for the premium associated with the group insurance may result in the insurance coverage lapsing and otherwise not covering the employee for the period of the leave of absence (and beyond). iii) No OMERS contributions shall be made by either the Town or the employee 18 during any personal leaves of absence. Employees may arrange to make OMERS contributions, at the employee’s expense, for the broken service period on behalf of both the employee and the Town, subject to OMERS regulations. Sick Leave and Short-Term Disability Leave A sick leave, or short-term disability leave, may be granted to employees who are required to be absent from work due to sickness or injury unrelated to work. In order to qualify for either a sick leave or a short-term disability leave, employees are required to notify their immediate supervisor of their inability to be at work because of sickness or disability Employees may be required to produce proof of sickness or disability in the form of a detailed medical certificate issued by a qualified physician subject to compliance with the applicable minimum provincial employment standards legislation. Failure to comply with the request to provide a detailed medical certificate in support of the request for leave may result in forfeiture of pay, denial of the sick leave or short term disability leave and suspension or discharge from employment for cause. If an employee is approved by the Town for sick leave or short term disability leave, the Town shall continue to pay the Town’s normal share of the premiums for the group insurance that that employee would otherwise be entitled to for a maximum of twenty-six (26) weeks from the date of the first absence caused by the sickness or disability, provided that the employee pays the employee’s share of the premiums, if any. Long-Term Disability Leave (a) Full-time employees may be approved for a long-term disability leave of absence. Employees may be required to produce proof of sickness or disability, in the form of a detailed medical certificate issued by a qualified physician, and provide regular updates from a qualified physician, subject to compliance with the applicable minimum provincial employment standards legislation. Failure to comply with the request to provide a detailed medical certificate in support of the request for long-term disability leave of absence may result in forfeiture of pay, denial of the sick leave or long term disability leave and suspension or discharge from employment for cause. In addition, absences of extended duration and the cause(s) of the absences will be reviewed by the Town. In appropriate circumstances, and having regard to available medical evidence and prognosis for return to employment (including accommodated employment in accordance with legal requirements) the Town may treat the employment relationship as having been frustrated and terminate the employee's employment. 19 Where a long-term disability leave of absence has been approved by the carrier, eligible employees shall have their group insurance administered on the following basis: i) The Town shall continue to pay the Town’s normal share of the premiums for group life and extended health insurance for twenty-four (24) months from the date of the first absence caused by the sickness or disability, subject to the employee paying the employee’s share of the premiums, if any. ii) No contribution to OMERS will be made by either the Town or the employee while the employee is on long-term disability leave since provision is made under the OMERS plan for either a disability pension or disability waiver of contributions, subject to OMERS regulations. (b) Employees who have been employed by the Town for at least thirty (30) consecutive years and i) have been approved for a long term disability leave of absence in accordance with this Article and ii) have been absent from work on such approved long term disability leave of absence for at least twenty-four (24) months from the date of the first absence caused by the sickness or disability, may request that the Town continue to remit premiums on their behalf for group life and extended health insurance, subject, in all cases, to the following further conditions and limitations: (i) the employee ceases to be employed by the Town commensurate with, or prior to the time, that the Town begins to remit premiums on behalf of the employee under article (b); (ii) the employee makes arrangements satisfactory to the Town for the payment of the employee’s share of such premiums, if any, prior to the time that the premiums are payable, and the employee complies with those arrangements; (iii) the arrangements described at sub-article (ii) shall include a commitment by the employee to pay any increases to the premiums that may be charged by the group insurer from time to time; (iv) no premiums will be paid by the Town after the earlier of the date that the employee is no longer eligible to receive long term disability benefits under the Town’s long term disability insurance, as determined by the Town’s group insurer, and the employee’s 65th birthday; 20 (v) group insurance will lapse no later than the dates described at sub- article (iv); and (vi) the employee complies with all requests made by the Town to supply information related to the employee’s sickness or disability. Employees recognize that the Town can agree to pay certain premiums for the described group insurance only. All decisions as to whether insurance will be extended and in respect of the eligibility for a benefit rest exclusively with the insurer, and are subject to the terms of the applicable insurance plan. Provincially Legislated Leaves of Absence Under the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000, the following leaves of absences shall be granted to all employees in accordance with the Provincial legislation, as noted:  Pregnancy/Parental Leave  Family Medical Leave  Organ Donor Leave  Reservist Leave  Family Caregiver Leave  Critically Ill Child Care Leave  Crime-Related Child Death and Disappearance Leave  Domestic or Sexual Violence Leave  Any other leaves Provincially approved after the date of this Policy While an employee is on any provincially legislated leave of absence, group insurance will be administered in accordance with the applicable legislation. In the event an employee wishes to extend a provincially legislated leave, the employee may make application in accordance with the Personal Leave of Absence section. Bereavement Leave Bereavement leave of absence, without loss of regular straight time pay, may be granted for full-time employees attending the funeral and for bereavement purposes in accordance with the following:  Five (5) working days immediately following the death of a spouse, common-law spouse, same sex partner, parent, stepmother, stepfather, child, stepchild, or parent, stepmother, stepfather of the employee’s current spouse, common-law spouse or same sex partner. 21  Three (3) working days immediately following the death of a grandchild, grandparent, brother, stepbrother, sister, stepsister, or sister, stepsister, brother, stepbrother or grandparent of the employee's current spouse, common-law spouse or same sex partner.  One (1) working day, to attend the funeral of an aunt or uncle, a close friend or to serve as a pallbearer. An employee requesting a bereavement leave of absence pursuant to this Policy may be required by the Town to furnish evidence supporting the leave. Time Off to Vote If, due directly to their work schedules, employees are not provided with three (3) consecutive hours to cast their vote in a federal, provincial or municipal election outside of their working hours, the Town may grant up to four hours off work without loss of regular straight time pay for the purpose of permitting employees the opportunity to vote. Employees must request time off to vote under this Policy from their supervisor at least two working days prior to the day of the federal, provincial or municipal election. Jury Duty An employee who is requested for jury consideration/service, in any court in Ontario shall be granted necessary leave of absence without loss of regular straight time pay during the period which the employee is required to serve as a juror and attends at court for that purpose. Upon completion of jury duty, such employee shall present to their director a certificate satisfactory to the director, signed by a responsible official of the Court, showing such period of service. It shall be a condition of the employee receiving any compensation pursuant to this Policy that the employee deposits with the Treasurer of the Town the full amount of compensation received, excluding mileage and any travelling expenses, for attending jury duty. Witness Duty If an employee has been subpoenaed as a witness for the Town or otherwise requested to testify as a witness by the Town, employee will not suffer any loss of regular straight time pay during the period they are required to be absent from work pursuant to the subpoena or the Town's request to testify. Employees who are subpoenaed to attend court by any party other than the Town shall not suffer loss of regular straight time pay for the first two days of the absence. Any employee who is subpoenaed must deliver a copy of the subpoena to their supervisor immediately after it is received so the supervisor may make any operational adjustments. The employee is expected to report for work as the court 22 schedule permits. OTHER EMPLOYMENT REGULATIONS Probationary Period All new employees will be subject to a probationary period. The probationary period is a trial period used by the Town to determine if the new employee is suitable for continued employment with the Town. It shall be a condition of continued employment with the Town that the employee complete the probationary period to the satisfaction of the Town. The probationary period for a new employee shall start on the date in which the employee commenced active full or part-time employment with the Town and continue from that date for a period of six (6) months. The probationary period may only be satisfied through the completion of such working days. The Town, in its discretion, may extend the probationary period for a period of up to 90 additional working days, on the provision of written notice to the employee affected. Retirement An employee may retire on the date of the employee’s 65th birthday. An employee may explore early retirement options with OMERS. Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) All employees, volunteers, consultants and persons who provide goods and services to the municipality shall be trained in accordance with Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) - Integrated Accessibility Standard Regulations (IASR) Section 7 and the Ontario Human Rights Code as it pertains to individuals with disabilities. All training shall be completed with all new hires for the Town, as well as new volunteers, who have not previously received the required training as soon as operationally possible. The Town is committed to principles of equal opportunity for all job applicants and employees. In keeping with this policy, the Town does not engage in impermissible discrimination based on any prohibited ground, race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information or any other protected class as identified including an individual’s disability (perceived or real). The Town will also make reasonable accommodations that are necessary to comply with the provincial and federal laws. The Town will make reasonable accommodations for a known physical or mental disability or known medical condition of an applicant or employee, consistent with its legal obligations to do so. 23 As part of its commitment to make reasonable accommodations, the Town also wishes to participate in a timely, good faith, interactive process with the disabled applicant or employee to determine effective reasonable accommodations, if any, which can be made in response to a request for accommodations. Applicants and employees are invited to identify reasonable accommodations that can be made to assist them to perform the essential functions of the position they seek or occupy. The Town will also, upon request, provide any necessary supports to employees with disabilities. Applicants and employees who may require reasonable accommodation should contact the Human Resources staff as soon as possible to request the opportunity to participate in a timely interactive process. By working together in good faith, the Town hopes to implement reasonable accommodations that are appropriate and consistent with its legal obligations. 24 Use of Vehicles and Equipment When using vehicles and equipment owned or leased by the Town, employees are expected to exercise care, or report the need for maintenance, and follow all operating instructions, safety standards and guidelines. Employees required to use a Town vehicle shall be required to provide proof of a valid driver’s licence and a driving abstract from the Ministry of Transportation on an annual basis and at such other times as may be required by the Town. The Town shall pay the costs of the driving abstracts. Employees are immediately required to inform their supervisor when their driver’s licence has been suspended or becomes invalid for any other reason. Employees shall also notify their supervisor if any vehicle or equipment appears to be damaged, defective, or in need of repair. The improper, careless, negligent, destructive, or unsafe use or operation of vehicles and equipment, as well as excessive or avoidable traffic and parking violations, can result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment for cause. Vehicles, equipment, and/or property owned, leased, or rented by the Town may not be used for personal use. For further details, please refer to the Corporate Fleet Policy. Visitors in the Workplace For safety and security reasons, only authorized visitors are allowed in the workplace. All visitors should enter the Office at the Main Entrance and sign in/out in the visitors’ logbook located at each Town location. Authorized visitors will receive directions or be escorted to their destination. Employees are responsible for the safety of their visitors. If an unauthorized or abusive individual is observed in the Town's work areas, employees should immediately notify their supervisor or, if necessary, direct the individual to the Chief Administrative Officer and otherwise refer to the Town’s applicable Operations Policy Manual. No Pyramiding or Compounding All the employment benefits and terms of employment that are described in this Policy do not pyramid or compound. 25 ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS General Statement of Policy This document sets forth the Town’s policy on access to, use and disclosure of information entered into or obtained through the Town’s computers and other electronic communication systems that can receive and retain information. Voicemail, facsimile, data network and email systems and other electronic communications are for use in conducting the business of the Town. The Town expects communications and information received or transmitted through these systems will have a business purpose. The Town recognizes that employees will occasionally use these electronic communication systems for personal matters. The Town expects that employees’ personal use will be minimal, will not interfere with the conduct of our business, and that the content of the communications employees send and receive will comply with the requirements set forth below. 1. The computer hardware, software, email, other media of electronic and telephonic communications and the Internet connection, (collectively the “Communication Systems”) are the property of the Town and are to be used solely for business purposes. 2. Use of the Communication Systems for outside commercial ventures, religious or political causes, outside the Town’s, illegal purposes, or other non-job related matters such as entertainment or gaming, or to disclose, store or send confidential, proprietary, secret or privileged information is prohibited. The Town’s communication systems may not be used in a way that may be harassing, disparaging, disruptive or offensive to others, or harmful to morale. 3. Employee communications transmitted or received by the communication systems should not be considered private by employees. The internet gateway is not a secure system. There is no expectation of privacy for either the sender or recipient of electronic communications using the communication systems. 4. The use of the communication systems and the transmissions sent or received may be monitored or examined by authorized personnel to ensure the Town’s legitimate business interest in the proper utilization of its property and the compliance with its policy. The Town reserves the right to access and disclose the contents of the communications/transmissions as is required in furtherance of the Town’s legitimate business interests, by law or by legal obligations to third parties. By using the communication systems, employees consent to such access and disclosure of the contents of the communications/transmissions as set out above by authorized Town 26 personnel. The existence of passwords or message delete functions does not restrict or eliminate the Town’s ability or right to access electronic communications. 5. Information on Internet activity may be collected and periodically reviewed with the focus on possible misuse, unauthorized access and growth trends for capacity planning. 6. Use of software that violates the software vendor’s licensing agreement is prohibited. 7. Employees shall not use a code, access a file, or retrieve any stored information, other than where authorized. Employees shall not attempt to gain access to another employee’s messages without the latter’s permission. 8. The Town, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to suspend or limit an employee’s use of the communication systems. Prohibited Use Policies prohibiting all forms of harassment apply to the use of the communication systems. No one may use the communication systems in any manner that could be construed by others as harassment or discrimination based on a person’s race, sex, colour, ancestry, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, creed or any other factor that is legislatively protected. As such, it is of fundamental importance that these tools not be used for the following purposes:  Visiting any pornographic web site,  Expressing sexual jokes or other written references to sexual conduct, and  Displaying sexually suggestive or other offensive objects, pictures or cartoons. Any communications containing such content should be immediately brought to the attention of the immediate supervisor. Abuse of the Communication Systems to access or transmit offensive images or materials may in certain circumstances (i.e., child pornography) require the Town to report such illegal activity to the appropriate authorities. In addition, due to issues surrounding IT bandwidth, as well as the high volume or spam that already infiltrates our working environment; the following uses are also prohibited:  Participation in web based chat rooms,  Storing or forwarding jokes, political satire, trivia, "chain mail," or other "junk" communications, 27  Sending and/or receiving online greeting cards, non-business related newsletters, or non-business related news groups, and  Downloading of MPEG files. The Communication Systems may not be used to solicit for social, religious, political, or other causes, outside the Town’s, or other personal matters unrelated to the Town’s business. Users may not send unsolicited email to persons within or outside of the Town. This includes distribution of hoaxes, chain letters, or advertisements. Users may not propagate viruses, knowingly or maliciously (spamming). Users may not, under any circumstances, use “spoofing” or other means to disguise their identities in sending email. Use of Electronic Communications Because all electronic communications represent the Town in some way, all such communications should observe normal standards of professional conduct. All use of the Communication Systems should take business interests into account: trade secrets should be protected; communications should be courteous and display proper grammar and spelling, just as business letters and conversations should; recipients of communications should be limited to those for whom the communications are intended and necessary; and responses to communications should be appropriate and swift, whether entailing reply, storage to other locations, or deletion to eliminate clutter. Use of the Internet Employees may have access to the Internet depending on their job responsibilities. Every Internet site visited is capable of determining the employee’s and the Town’s identity. Exercise sound judgment and much discretion when accessing the Internet. Confidentiality We have an obligation to preserve and protect our customer’s confidential data, as well as trade secrets and other confidential information. The confidentiality of data (including email messages) sent via the Internet cannot be assured. The transmission of customer sensitive material, trade secrets or any other proprietary information, without the customer's permission and/or approval from management, is prohibited and may result in discipline, including termination of employment for cause. Copyright of Software Unless otherwise noted, all software on the Internet should be considered copyrighted work. Therefore, employees are prohibited from downloading software and/or modifying any such files without permission from the copyright holder and the immediate supervisor. Storage Media The Town may store electronic communications and information for a period of 28 time. From time to time, communications or information stored in the Communication Systems may be deleted, printed, or utilized for any purpose. The Town Access to Electronic Communications Email and voicemail messages, a history of Internet domains accessed, and preliminary drafts of word processing documents may be electronically stored even after they have been deleted from your computer or telephone. Footer for Email All email signatures should contain this footer: “This E-mail contains legally privileged information intended only for the individual or entity named in the message. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or the agent responsible to deliver it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is prohibited. If this communication was received in error, please notify us by reply E-mail and delete the original message.” No Expectation of Privacy The Town and specially authorized individuals reserve the right to access, use and disclose contents of the Communication Systems at any time and review, use and disclose communications within the Communication Systems, without notice to users of the Communication Systems. No one may access or attempt to access another's electronic communications without appropriate authorization from management. The reasons the Town may access the Communication Systems include but are not limited to, the following: system maintenance; preventing or investigating allegations of system abuse or misuse or misconduct; assuring compliance with software copyright laws; complying with legal and regulatory requests for information; ensuring that the Town operations continue appropriately during an employee's absence; investigating alleged employee misconduct; and any other purpose deemed appropriate by the Town. Employees should not expect the use of the Communication Systems to be private. Online Social Community Pages, Personal Websites and Blogs The purpose of this section is to define guidelines and standards for employees who maintain personal pages within an online social community such as Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn or Instagram (or any other social networking sites), a personal website, and/or blogs. This policy covers appropriate use of personal pages, websites and/or blogs that reference the Town and applies to all employees, contractors, consultants, temporary employees, and other workers at the Town who maintain a social media accounts, a personal websites and/or blogs. If you choose to identify yourself as a Town employee or to discuss matters related to the Town’s business on your personal page, website or blog, please bear in 29 mind that although the personal page, website or blog is a personal project and a medium of personal expression, some readers may nonetheless view you as a de facto spokesperson for the Town. In light of this, we ask that you observe the following guidelines:  Please make it clear to your readers that the views you express are yours alone and that they do not necessarily reflect the views of the Town. To help reduce the potential for confusion, we would appreciate it if you put the following notice – or something similar – in a reasonably prominent place on your site: The views expressed on this personal page, website/blog are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer. If you do put a notice on your page and or site, you needn’t put it on every page, but please use reasonable efforts to draw attention to it – if at all possible, from the home page of your site.  Do not disclose any information that is confidential or proprietary to the Town or of any third party that has disclosed information to us. The Town’s policy on Confidentiality applies. Accordingly, a violation of the policy may lead to discipline, up to and including termination of employment for cause.  Please remember that your employment relationship gives the Town certain rights with respect to concepts and developments you produce that are related to the Town’s business. Accordingly, we strongly discourage publishing such concepts or developments related to the Town’s business on your site. If you have any questions in this regard, please contact Human Resources staff. Since your site is a public space, we anticipate you will be as respectful to the Town, our employees, our customers, our partners and affiliates, and others (including our competitors) as the Town itself endeavors to be.  Be very careful to avoid posting any material that is protected by copyright. Failure to do so could result in legal action against you by the owner of the material. It may also lead to Town imposed discipline, up to and including termination of employment for cause.  We also warn you against making a false claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may harm the reputation of the Town, any individual, business, product, group, government or nation. This could lead to civil or criminal actions against you. In addition, you may face Town imposed discipline, up to and including termination of employment for cause. 30  Please be aware that the Town may request that you temporarily confine your personal page, website or blog commentary to topics unrelated to the Town (or, in rare cases, that you temporarily suspend your website or blog activity altogether) if it considers this is necessary or advisable to ensure compliance with securities regulations, other laws or to protect the interests of the Town and its stakeholders. If you have any questions about these guidelines or any matter related to your site that these guidelines do not address, please direct them to your immediate supervisor. Telephone Usage Cellular Phone and Smartphone Use All employees who utilize smartphones or cellular phones are asked to completely turn off these devices during internal meetings and to set these devices to “vibrate mode” when in the office but not in a meeting. Responses to emails or calls on these devices should never be done during meetings, and employees are asked to be cognizant of any distractions or disturbances these items may create for co-workers. All employees who utilize smartphones or cellular phones are advised that the Town strictly prohibits employees from using hand held smartphones or cellular phones while driving and does not require employees to make or receive calls when driving for safety reasons. When driving, hand held smartphones or cellular phones should be switched off or, if switched on, the call should be left to go through to voicemail until a safe place to stop has been found to check messages and return calls. Drivers should pull over to a safe location before making or receiving calls, text messaging or accessing the Internet. Please note, we do not recommend that you pull over on the side of a highway. Recommended pull over locations include a parking lot or service area. Employees should never take notes while talking and driving and if an in depth conversation requires full attention, employees should return the call when they are not driving. For those employees, who travel on Town business, we require that they continue to adhere to this policy at all times during the trip, even while they are not technically working. We also require employees who have Town provided smartphones or cellular phones to adhere to this policy at any time while using the equipment. Be aware that you could face prosecution for failing to have proper control of your vehicle or for careless or reckless driving if use of a smartphone or cellular phone affects your driving. You may also be subject to discipline, including termination of employment for cause for violation of this policy. 31 It is a provincial offence to drive while using or holding a hand held cellular phone or smartphone in all Canadian provinces/territories with the exception of Nunavut. Personal Telephone Calls Personal use of the phone will be permitted but only in respect of urgent matters. Employees must limit their personal use of the phone and will be required to reimburse the Town for all long distance or other charges incurred as a result of their personal use of the phone. Personal Mail Employees must refrain from sending or receiving personal mail from or to the workplace. PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS Performance evaluations are scheduled during an employee’s probationary period, and on the employee’s anniversary date thereafter. The evaluation process shall include a review of the job description; an evaluation prepared by management/supervisor, with an opportunity for review and comment by the employee; and the establishment of objectives for the next following evaluation where applicable. Results of the evaluation process will be a factor in determining placement on the approved salary grid. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER It is the objective of the Town to provide equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of a person’s race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, record of offences, marital status, same-sex partnership status, family status, or disability or such other prohibited ground as set out under provincial human rights legislation. RECRUITMENT Vacancies for permanent full-time and permanent part-time positions are to be advertised internally for a period of one week. It is suggested that an internal applicant advise their immediate supervisor of their intention to apply for a position prior to submitting an application. The Town may elect to post an advertisement for a position externally at the same time that it is posted internally. Offers of employment will be prepared by the Human Resources Manager or his or her designate in consultation with the Chief Administrative Officer. All positions at the Director’s level or above will be subject to Council approval. WORKPLACE SECURITY Every employee is responsible for making the workplace a safe and secure environment. Accordingly, all employees are required to comply with following 32 security requirements: 1) Keys given to employees may not be duplicated or loaned to anyone. Lost keys must be reported to the Town immediately. Security codes or passwords must be kept in a secure location or committed to memory and are not to be disclosed to any unauthorized individual and not unless specifically directed by the Town to do so. 2) Each employee is responsible for turning off the lights and equipment, such as fans, heaters, radios, and computers, in their offices or workspaces at the end of each workday. 3) During work hours, purses and wallets should be placed in a secure location and should not be left visible to others. 4) Any employee who notices any unusual condition must report this condition to the employee's supervisor immediately. 5) Guests and visitors must not be permitted to walk through areas of Town Buildings or property that are generally accessible to the public unless specifically authorized to do so by a responsible Town supervisor. 6) Former employees of the Town must be treated as any other guest or visitor for security purposes. Employees are not to remain at their work locations after their working hours unless the Town has given prior approval. CODE OF CONDUCT The purpose of this code of conduct for employees of the Town is to foster a common understanding of the fundamental rights, privileges, and obligations of employees. A code of conduct serves as a statement of principles of integrity, honesty, and impartiality, and recognizes that, as employees of a municipal corporation, employees of the Town are reposed with a public trust that they have a responsibility to uphold. Every employee has an obligation to the Town to report practices that are not in compliance with this Policy since it is in the best interest of the Town and all employees that are involved. Hiring of Relatives In most cases the Town does not support having relatives working together. The reason for this is that it has the potential of creating a conflict of interest, or an abuse of power. For the purposes of this policy, a relative is defined as a spouse, common-law spouse, child, common-law spouse’s child, mother, father, brother, sister, grandchild, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, mother-in- law, same sex partner, common-law spouse’s mother, father-in-law, common-law spouse’s father, grandparent, spouse’s grandparents, aunt, and uncle. The Town does not have a policy against hiring relatives or family members; 33 however, one stipulation has been established to ensure fair treatment of all employees. Relatives of employees currently employed by the Town or relatives of a member of Council or a local board may be hired, or may be continued in employment, only if they will be employed in or transferred into a position that does not directly report to or supervise the relative. That said the Town will always look at the nature of the positions that both employees hold within the Town when making work related decisions (including but not limited to hiring, promotion and transfer). In all situations, the Town will ensure that any decisions made in this regard follow all provincial human rights requirements. The Town requires that all employees who may be working with a relative disclose this information to both their supervisor and Human Resources. If the relationship is found to have been deliberately concealed from the Town at the time the second relative is hired or any time thereafter, the employment of one, the other or both of the relatives may be terminated for cause. For further information on this topic, please feel free to contact Human Resources staff. Conflict of Interest If a conflict of interest (potential or actual) exists because of an employee’s personal interest (or the interest of a relative of the employee) in a property matter, a business dealing with the Town, or similar circumstance, the Town must be immediately advised of the potential conflict in writing by all employees concerned. A conflict of interest (potential or actual) exists when an employee is in a position to influence a decision that may result in a personal gain or advantage for the employee or for a relative of the employee as a result of decisions or actions taken by the Town. For the purposes of this Policy, a relative is any person as defined in the Hiring of Relatives section. Once an employee has declared a conflict of interest, in accordance with this Policy, the employee will be relieved from any decision-making responsibilities in respect of the interest that has been disclosed. Employees who fail to report a conflict of interest (potential or actual) to the Town in a timely manner will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination of employment for cause. Outside Employment Employees may hold employment outside of their employment with the Town so long as that employment does not conflict with their responsibilities or work schedule of their employment with the Town and they satisfactorily perform their 34 job responsibilities with the Town. Employment in the same profession or occupation as that in which an employee is employed by the Town, requires written disclosure to, and approval by, the Chief Administrative Officer. If the Town determines that an employee's outside work interferes with performance or the ability to meet the requirements of employment with the Town, the employee may be required to terminate the outside employment if the employee wishes to remain employed with the Town. Confidential Information Confidential information shall only be released in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. All matters and information that come to be known by employees through the course of their employment must be treated as confidential by the employees and must not be released, disclosed, or discussed with any employee or third party without the express consent of the Town. A violation of this confidentiality policy will result in discipline, up to and including termination for cause. Matters and information that may come to be known by employees through the course of their employment and which must be kept confidential include (but are not limited to): Compensation data Legal Opinions and Briefs Personnel information Pending projects and proposals Collection Roll Pending Land purchases and sales Taxpayer and User Accounts Financial information Labour relations strategies Employees who improperly use or disclose confidential information will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment for cause. Employees may also be subject to legal action in respect of the disclosure, even in the case they not actually benefit from the disclosure of the confidential information. Media Relations To avoid transmitting misinformation or confidential information, the Mayor and the Chief Administrative Officer shall be the primary spokespersons and contacts to the media for the dissemination of information. Directors and managers are authorized to disseminate information regarding technical/administrative matters within their functional areas. In an emergency situation, the provisions of the Town’s Emergency Plan prevail. The Chief Administrative Officer may appoint a designate in their absence. 35 Police Check and Vulnerable Sector Screening “Vulnerable Person(s)” means any person(s) who, because of their age, a disability, or other circumstance, whether temporary or permanent, are in a position of dependence on others, or are at a greater risk than the general population of being harmed by a person(s) in a position of authority or trust. The Town of Tillsonburg strives to maintain a safe environment for all staff (including volunteers) and vulnerable persons. In order to minimize risk and safeguard its employees, citizens, clients and assets the Town shall require that a police screening check be conducted on all new hires prior to commencing employment with Town. Students will require a Vulnerable Sector screening completed prior to commencing their employment with Town. In the instance if the police check turns out positive, Human Resources Manager and the department manager will review the information and will made the hiring decision based on whether the offence would have a real effect on the new hire’s ability to do the job and whether there would be any risks associated with the hire. Gifts and Other Benefits Employees must refrain from accepting gifts and other benefits from firms or individuals, and must not place themselves in a position where they are under obligation (real or perceived) to favour any individual or firm. If any question arises as to whether an employee should accept a particular gift, protocol or social obligation, the employee must consult with his or her supervisor and receive direction before accepting such gift, protocol or social obligation. Political Activity Employees are encouraged not to get directly involved in a local government political campaign in the Town. Employees may be involved in provincial, federal or other local municipal campaigns as long as this involvement does not affect the objectivity and impartiality with which they must discharge their duties. Distribution of Literature / No Solicitation No employee shall cause any printed matter unrelated to the business of the Town and prepared outside of the normal course of the employee's responsibilities with the Town, to be circulated or posted on Town property without first obtaining the written approval of their Director or the Chief Administrative Officer. No employee shall solicit other employees of the Town, or third parties, during their 36 working hours, in respect of personal or other business or matters not directly related to the business of the Town. Use of Property Employees must not use Town property, equipment, supplies, or services for activities not directly related with the discharge of their official duties and responsibilities unless prior authorization is provided by the employee's supervisor. In no case shall employees use Town property, equipment, supplies, or services for personal gain. Scent Free Environment The Town of Tillsonburg is committed to eliminating health concerns arising from exposure to scented products by maintaining a scent-safe environment for all employees and visitors within Town of Tillsonburg workplaces. All employees and visitors will refrain from using or wearing scented products at Town facilities. Section 25 (2)(h) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act imposes a requirement upon the employer to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of the worker. Thus this regulation requires the employer to limit the exposure of workers to chemical substances. Scented products are by their very nature shared with others. For people who report multiple chemical sensitivity or environmental illnesses, their ability to function depends on having air free of chemicals. Exposure to scented products can adversely affect a person’s health. In sufficient concentrations scented products may trigger responses to those with allergies or chemical sensitivities. Allergic and asthmatic people, as well as those with other conditions, report that exposure to scented products, even in the smallest amounts, can trigger response. Reported symptoms can include, but are not limited to: Headaches, migraines Nausea Dizziness, lightheadedness Fatigue Weakness Malaise Confusion Anxiety Numbness Difficulty with concentration Upper respiratory symptoms Sinus Congestion Skin irritation Loss of appetite The severity of these symptoms can vary. Some may only experience mild irritation while others can be incapacitated. Scented products include both personal products, as well as non-personal products. 37 Personal Products Hygiene: Products include, but are not limited to, cosmetics, perfumes, colognes, after-shave and scented shaving creams, deodorant, shampoo/conditions, hair spray, lotions and creams. Non Hygiene: Products include, but are not limited to, scented candles, potpourri and scented ornaments. Non-Personal Products Products with a distinct scent or fragrance and include scented household/ industrial cleaning products, air fresheners, deodorizers, building materials (e.g. paint) and some types of flowers. All staff are asked to refrain from using, wearing, and bringing scented products and materials into Town facilities. Responsibilities Senior Management/Managers/Supervisors  Support managers, employees, and Joint Health and Safety Committee in implementing a scent-safe workplace.  Enforce compliance with maintaining a scent-safe environment.  Inform visitors of this policy before they visit any Town facility.  Ensure employees use scent-free products.  Ensure that materials and other resources required to maintain a scent- safe environment are readily available (i.e., posted signs, promotional materials, presentations, etc.).  Ensure that any products used for construction, maintenance, and cleaning are scent-free, where possible.  Inform contractors of this policy before they visit any Town facility.  Notify appropriate personnel when work is to take place that may involve the use of scented products, or products that contain an odor that may affect the health of staff. Sufficient advance warning should be given to allow employee accommodation to take place, if necessary. Employees  Do not use or bring scented personal and/or non-personal products Town facilities.  Participate in scent safety awareness, education, and training.  Report any unsafe conditions or acts to your manager/supervisor. 38 Infractions The following are examples of infractions of the code of conduct that may result in disciplinary action, up to and including, termination of employment for cause. This list is not meant to be all inclusive.  Falsification of timekeeping records  Subject to human rights considerations, possession, distribution, sale or use of alcohol, marijuana or illegal drugs in the work place  Fighting or threatening violence in the work place  Boisterous or disruptive activity in the workplace  Insubordination or other disrespectful conduct  Possession of dangerous or unauthorized materials  Subject to human rights considerations, excessive absenteeism or tardiness or any absence without authorization  Unsatisfactory performance or conduct  Subject to human rights considerations, unprofessional dress, grooming, and personal cleanliness including inappropriate display of a tattoo or piercing. Compliance Supervisors and managers shall ensure that employees are made aware of and are in compliance with the terms of the code of conduct. Failure to comply with the terms of this code of conduct may result in dismissal for cause or other disciplinary action. PRIVACY POLICY The Town is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of confidentiality with respect to all employees’ personal information provided to us. We are committed to ensuring that our handling of personal information is in compliance with applicable privacy legislation. What Is Personal Information? Canadian privacy legislation defines “Personal Information” broadly as information about an identifiable individual or as information that allows an individual to be identified. Personal Information includes information such as address, gender, age, ID numbers, income, ethnic origin, employee files, credit records or medical records. Generally speaking Personal Information does not include what is considered business contact information: your name, title or position, business address, business telephone or facsimile number, or business email address. Objectives of the Privacy Policy: the Town is responsible for Personal Information it holds or has under its control, including Personal Information it 39 passes on to others with your permission. We have designated a Privacy Officer to ensure our compliance with legislation and this policy. Our Privacy Officer will receive and respond to your inquiries and complaints regarding the protection and privacy of your Personal Information, and deal with requests for access to your information. Purpose for the Collection of Personal Information: The purpose for which Personal Information is collected by the Town is, in part, specified below:  to enrol the employee on the payroll system  to comply with requirements imposed by law  to comply with statutory obligations including tax withholdings and remittances for Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance Any change of purpose to any of the above will be communicated to you. Where appropriate, Personal Information will be obtained directly from you. In the event Personal Information is obtained from any other source, you will be notified or your authorization will be obtained. Consent to Collection, Use and Disclosure of Personal Information: BY SUBMITTING PERSONAL INFORMATION TO the Town OR ITS SERVICE PROVIDERS AND AGENTS, YOU AGREE THAT WE MAY COLLECT, USE AND DISCLOSE SUCH PERSONAL INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS PRIVACY POLICY, BUSINESS INTERESTS AND AS PERMITTED OR REQUIRED BY LAW. Subject to legal and contractual requirements, you may refuse or withdraw your consent to certain of the identified purposes at any time by contacting the Human Resources staff. If you refuse to consent or withdraw your consent, we may not be able to provide you or continue to provide you with certain employment benefits. There are circumstances where collection, use or disclosure may be justified or permitted, or where we are obliged to disclose personal information without your consent. These circumstances could include, but are not limited to:  Where the information is publicly available  Where we are required to do so by law or by order of a court or tribunal  Where we believe, upon reasonable grounds, that there is an imminent risk to an identifiable person or group of death or serious bodily harm  Where it is alleged that an employee, officer, agent or director of the Town is guilty of a criminal offence, or is civilly liable in a legal action or guilty of certain misconduct In such circumstances, we will not collect, use or disclose more personal information than is required. Attached as Appendix C is the form of consent you will be requested to execute 40 where applicable. Third Parties: Third parties that receive personal information will be required to confirm their commitment to the privacy policies set out herein. Storage, Security and Protection of Personal Information: the Town endeavours to maintain appropriate physical, procedural and technical security over our offices and information storage facilities so as to prevent any unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification of personal information. Your personal information may be stored in secured physical locations and on computer network servers controlled by the Town, located either at our offices or at the offices of our service providers. To help protect the confidentiality of your personal information, the Town employs physical, administrative and technological safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of your personal information. For instance, we use secure computer data networks protected by industry standard firewalls and password protection systems. In addition, where personal information is sent to a third party for processing, we make sure, through our arrangements with them, that all personal information is kept secure. Retention of Personal Information: We will keep personal information only as long as it is necessary. When the personal information is no longer required, it will be destroyed to prevent unauthorized parties from gaining access to the information. Access and Accuracy: Upon receiving a written request, and subject to any applicable exemptions, the Town will inform employees of the current version of your personal information and will give you access to that information and the opportunity to correct any errors in it. Access requests should be sent to our Human Resources staff, using the contact information provided above. Changes to the Privacy Policy: the Town reserves the right to modify or supplement this Privacy Policy at any time. If changes are made to this Privacy Policy, such changes shall be posted and, if requested, a physical copy will be provided to employees. 41 APPENDICES 42 Appendix A – Personnel Policy Rates Item Rate Mileage Mileage will be reimbursed at the Canada Revenue Agency’s automobile per-kilometre allowance rate posted for the year. Meal Per Diems Daily Maximum Reimbursement of up to $100/day aligning with the Council Expense Policy. An employee will only be reimbursed for each meal not provided at the event based on submission of conference or seminar details that indicate what meals are provided at the event. Receipts must be provided. For international travel, the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada’s Meal Per Diem Rate is to be used instead of the Town’s standard per diem rate. On Call Compensation An on-call/stand-by rotational schedule will be prepared by management and distributed to participants. On-call/stand-by employees assigned this responsibility must be accessible via emergency pager, cell phone, or smartphone. On-call/stand-by employees are expected to respond within a timeframe established by each department and be able and fit to report to work if required. Compensation for on-call/stand-by will be $16.00 for each weeknight. Each weekend day shall be paid at a rate of $60.00 for each 24 hour period. 43 When a Paid holiday occurs, such day will be paid at the weekend rate of $60.00. Maximum allowance for a week without a paid public holiday is $200. 44 Appendix B – Clothing Allowance Procedure Definitions T-Shirt – refers to either short sleeve or long sleeve t-shirt based on employee’s preference; navy blue in colour, unless otherwise specified. Work Pants – does not include jeans; three styles of work pants to choose from; navy or khaki in colour, unless otherwise specified. Sweatshirt – navy blue in colour, unless otherwise specified. Annual Allowance The number of articles of clothing is to be considered the maximum annual amount required. This allowance applies only to clothing required in order for an employee to complete their daily tasks. This does not include any required uniforms or health and safety equipment. Procedure to Acquire Managers will be able to supply employees with the approval and means to purchase from the Town’s approved vendor for each article of clothing they require. Employee must return the soiled or worn out article that they wish to replace to their Manager/Supervisor. CLOTHING ALLOWANCES BY POSITION All reflective clothing is based on CSA Standard Z96-15 High-Visibility Safety Apparel (HVSA) Minimum level 3 Building Chief Building Official, Deputy Chief Building Official, Property Standards & By-Law Enforcement Officer, Building Inspector I 2 Pairs of work pants 4 Short sleeve T-Shirts 2 Long sleeve T-Shirts 45 Recreation Aquatics Supervisor, Aquatics Coordinator, Instructor/Lifeguards 1 Bathing Suit 2 Singlets 2 Long Sleeve Shirts 1 Hoodie Per Ontario Public Pools Regulation the above clothing must be red in color and labeled ‘Lifeguard’ for easy identification Program Supervisor, Program Coordinator- Health Club & Active Living Athletic Shoes Parks & Facilities Parks & Facilities Manager 1 Set of coveralls Facilities Supervisor, Chief Operator, Facilities Operator II, Facility & Ground Labourer, Custodial Services Lead Hand, Parks & Cemetery Supervisor, Parks & Cemetery Operator (I & II) 4 Pairs of work pants 4 T-shirts 2 Sweatshirts 1 Toque Hydro Operations Manager of Hydro Operations & Design 1 Set of coveralls Instrumentation Technologist 4 Pairs of work pants 4 T-shirts 2 Sweatshirts Hydro Operations Technologist 2 Pairs of work pants 2 T-shirts 1 Sweatshirt Water/Wastewater 46 Manager of Water/Wastewater 1 Set of coveralls Water Operators, Water Foreperson 4 Pairs of work pants 4 T-shirts 2 Sweatshirts 2 Pairs of work socks for winter work. Engineering Engineering Manager 1 Set of coveralls Development & Design Technologist, Operations Technician, Asset Management Technician 2 Pairs of work pants 2 T-shirts 1 Sweatshirt Public Works Manager of Public Works 1 Set of coveralls Roads Foreperson/Heavy Equipment Operator 4 Pairs of work pants 4 T-shirts 2 Sweatshirts Fleet Maintenance Foreperson, Fleet Technician Class S&T, Fleet Technician Class S 4 Pairs of work pants 4 T-shirts 2 Sweatshirts 47 Please remove the following pages, sign where indicated, and return to the Manager of Human Resources. The original documents will be housed in your employee file. You are welcome to retain a photocopy for your own record. Appendix C – Privacy Consent I, __________________, by my signature below specifically consent to the collection, use or disclosure of my Personal Information in accordance with the Privacy Policy herein. Although I acknowledge I am being requested to provide written consent in this situation, I understand and agree that there will be circumstances where my express consent will be oral or my consent implied. Dated this ________ day of _______________, 20__ Employee’s Name Printed_____________________________________ Employee’s Signature________________________________________ 48 Appendix D – Personnel Policy Acknowledgment I, ____________________, certify that I have read the Personnel Policy and understand all the policies and procedures set out in the Personnel Policy. I have had a full and complete opportunity to ask questions and seek clarification. I agree to abide by the policies and procedures contained in this Personnel Policy and acknowledge that a failure to abide by these policies and procedures may result in disciplinary action and/or dismissal. Employee’s Name Printed_____________________________________ Employee’s Signature________________________________________ Date Signed________________________________________________