ABOUT THIS HANDBOOK / DISCLAIMER
We prepared this handbook to assist you in finding the answers to many questions that you may have regarding your employment with The Lane Libraries. Please take the necessary time to read it.

We do not expect this handbook to answer all of your questions. Your Manager or Human Resources will also be a major source of information.

Neither this handbook nor any other verbal or written communication by a management representative is, nor should it be considered to be, an agreement, contract of employment, express or implied, or a promise of treatment in any particular manner in any given situation. The Lane Libraries adhere to the policy of employment at will, which permits the Library or the employee to terminate the employment relationship at any time, for any reason, with or without cause or notice. No one is authorized to provide any employee with an employment contract or special arrangement concerning terms or conditions of employment unless the contract or agreement is in writing and signed by the Director or Lane’s Board of Trustees.

Many matters covered by this handbook, such as benefit plan descriptions, are also described in separate Library documents. These Library documents are always controlling over any statement made in this handbook or by any member of management.

This handbook describes only general Library guidelines concerning expectations and procedures relating to your employment. Except with regards to vacation, sick leave, and other forms of paid leave not otherwise governed by applicable law, no failure by the Library to comply with any provision of this handbook shall provide an employee with any claim against the Library or prevent the Library from taking any action permitted by law. The Library may, at any time, in its sole discretion, modify or vary from anything stated in this handbook, with or without notice.

This handbook supersedes all prior handbooks.

APPOINTMENT TO THE STAFF
The Lane Libraries is committed to providing equal employment opportunity in regards to their hiring decisions. To the extent feasible considering the needs of the Library, open staff positions will be publicized as widely as practical, both publicly and internally within the Library, and such publication will provide interested persons with a reasonable description of the position requirements and a reasonable time parameter for the submission of applications. The time parameters for submitting application may vary based upon the needs of the Library. Upon receipt of applications, management of the Library will consider individual applicant’s fitness to perform the essential functions of the position(s) giving due regard for the applicants’ relative education, training, experience, temperament, and job skills. Although not being determinative, the Library will also consider individual applicant’s knowledge and familiarity with the work environment within The Lane Libraries system to the extent that it may be determined to enhance the ability to predict the applicant’s ability to perform the essential functions
of the open position(s).

When a job vacancy is posted, staff members must use the Internal Job Application to indicate their interest in being considered for the vacant position.

A staff member who resigns in good standing is eligible for reappointment. Employees rehired within one year of leaving are permitted to retain former privileges for the purposes of determining vacation and sick leave benefits.

PART-TIME LIBRARY EMPLOYEES:
The Library employs a large number of part-time personnel. All of these employees are considered hourly, regardless of individual schedules. As such, they do not qualify for paid insurance programs. Participation in the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) is mandatory for all employees regardless of the number of hours worked. As employees of the Library, part-time staff are governed by the regulations of this document. The general policy of the Library is that part-time employees are hired for a maximum of 25 hours per week.

EMPLOYMENT OF MINORS
Ohio law prohibits employment of anyone under 14 years of age. Employees under 18 years of age must have work permits. The Lane Libraries require that all minors must have work permits on file. Work permits may be obtained by the minor from the local school board office. Completed work permits are held in the employee’s personnel file.

The law further requires that a work permit must be returned to the issuing office within two days after a minor has ceased to work for the employer. It is essential, therefore, that every resignation be reported to the Human Resources Department at the earliest possible time. The Human Resources Department will return the work permit to the issuing office.

GUIDELINES FOR EMPLOYMENT OF MINORS
Hours Restrictions for Minors 14 & 15 years of age:

Prohibited from working during school hours, and not before 7 a.m. or after7 p.m. from Labor Day through June 1.
Prohibited from working before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day.
Prohibited from working for more than 3 hours on a school day including Friday.
Prohibited from working for more than 18 hours in any school week.
Prohibited from working for more than 8 hours on a non school day.
Prohibited from working for more than 40 hours in a non school week.

Hours Restrictions for Minors 16 & 17 years of age:

Prohibited from working before 7 a.m. on a day when school is in session and after 11 p.m. on any night preceding a day that school is in session.
May be employed after 6 a.m. if they didn’t work after 8 p.m. the previous night.

Minors under age 18 must receive at least one 30-minute break for every five consecutive hours of work.

INTRODUCTORY AND DISCIPLINARY PROBATION PERIODS
Each new staff member shall be in a probationary period for the first 90 days of employment. This probationary period is intended to provide the employee with a reasonable period to adjust to the needs of the position and to enable the employer to assess the employee’s performance and give suggestions for improvement.

A written review of the employee’s performance will be given after 90 days of employment. Thereafter, the employee’s work is reviewed annually (see Performance Appraisals). Promoted employees begin a new probationary period in their new position and receive performance reviews after 90 days in that new position. Probationary periods may be extended as situations warrant upon the recommendation of the supervisor and with the approval of the HR Manager or the Director.

An employee whose performance has deteriorated to the point where it is no longer satisfactory may be placed on disciplinary probation upon the written recommendation of the supervisor and the approval of the HR Manager or the Director. Disciplinary probation will be treated like an introductory period.

Employment with the Library remains on an at-will basis. Furthermore, assignments to specific branches or departments may be changed as the needs of the Library dictates.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS
Depending on your position and classification, The Lane Libraries endeavors to review your performance annually. However, please understand that a positive performance evaluation does not guarantee an increase in salary, a promotion, or continued employment. Compensation increases and the terms and conditions of employment, including job assignments, transfers, promotions, and demotions, are determined by and at the discretion of management and The Board of Trustees.

All evaluations become part of the employee’s personnel record. In addition to these formal performance evaluations, the Library encourages
you and your Manager to discuss your job performance on a frequent and ongoing basis.

CHANGES IN POSITION
Transfers
Transfers are changes in assignment in which the salary rate and job classification remain the same. Transfers of personnel are made for the good of the Library and the development of the staff member’s potential. Whenever possible, the needs and desires of the employee are taken into consideration. An employee may request a transfer through the HR Manager or Director, who retain sole discretion whether to grant or deny a request. Employee initiated transfer requests are addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Current staff who wish to work at another Lane location in the same job classification must submit an internal job application for that position when the vacancy occurs.

Promotions
Notices of job vacancies are posted on the staff intranet with a brief job description, classification and salary range. Staff members who believe that they are qualified should submit an internal job application listing current skills as they relate to the vacant position. In seeking the best candidate, outside applications may be considered along with those from within the Library system.

Promoted employees will be subject to an Introductory Period in their new position, during which time they will receive a performance review after 90 days in their new position.

DISCIPLINARY ACTION
Employees are expected to conduct themselves and their work in accordance with the Lane Libraries Staff Handbook, policies and procedures when they are on duty in the Library and when they serve as representatives of the Library. Should the supervisor decide that an employee’s actions either conflict with the Library’s Staff Handbook, policies, or procedures, or are otherwise inconsistent with the mission and best interests of the Library, the employee may be subject to disciplinary action. The purpose of discipline is to improve employee performance and to protect the interests of the Library. Application of a standard disciplinary policy means that the Library intends that discipline will be applied consistently and objectively.

Library leadership will attempt to provide information concerning disciplinary actions to the employee and to respond to employee questions at each step in the procedure (see below). The employee shall have the opportunity to respond in writing. The employee has the right to request the HR Manager be present at any meeting which might result in discipline. (This privilege does not apply during Introductory Periods.)

All disciplinary action documents will be placed in the employee’s personnel file. The employee shall be made aware of these documents at the time discipline is administered. If the employee corrects the problem and does not repeat the offense in a three-year period, the employee shall have the right to request the removal of all documents relating to the problem from the employee’s personnel file.

Disciplinary Procedure:
The employee’s supervisor may begin disciplinary action at any one of the steps listed below, and the supervisor may repeat a step, if necessary. One disciplinary step does not necessarily follow another, and steps can be skipped. The Lane Libraries will apply the step it deems appropriate in its sole discretion.

VERBAL WARNING: For certain first-time violations of the Staff Handbook or policies and procedures, the employee will typically be given a verbal warning. A document containing the details of the verbal warning will be signed and dated by the employee and the supervisor and placed in the employee’s personnel file. If the situation is not corrected in a reasonable length of time, as agreed upon by both parties, the supervisor may impose additional discipline.
WRITTEN WARNING: The employee’s supervisor has the discretion to provide the employee with a written warning for Staff Handbook or policies and procedures violations. The written warning will be signed and dated by both the employee and the supervisor to indicate the employee has seen the written warning and has discussed the situation with the supervisor. The written warning will be placed in the employee’s personnel file. If the employee has not corrected the situation within the time limit stated in the written warning, the supervisor may impose additional discipline.
SUSPENSION: For Staff Handbook or policies and procedures violations, the supervisor has the discretion to report the situation in writing to the Director and may recommend suspension without pay for up to three days or to place the employee on probation for one to three months with written goals to correct performance deficiencies. If the employee’s performance is not corrected within 30 days from the date of suspension, additional discipline may be imposed. During suspension or probation, the employee remains an employee at-will.
TERMINATION: If, based on the written report of the supervisor, little or no improvement has been shown in the employee’s performance within 30 days of the employee’s suspension or if the employee commits a similar violation of the Library Staff Handbook or policies and procedures within a period of one year from the first documented verbal or written warning, the Director has the discretion to request that the employee submit his/her resignation. If the employee refuses to resign, the Director has the discretion to immediately discharge the employee.

In the Library’s sole discretion, a staff member charged with an offense warranting immediate termination may be suspended without pay pending an investigation. Depending on the results of the investigation, the employee may be reinstated with or without pay and with no loss of benefits.

Nothing contained in this section shall alter, modify, or change the at-will nature of the employment relationship, and the employee is not guaranteed continued employment for any period of time.

CONDUCT WARRANTING IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL
The following actions are likely to result in an employee’s immediate dismissal, at the sole discretion of the Director. This list is not intended to be exhaustive.

Physical abuse or harm to a Library patron or employee
Theft or the destruction of Library property or the property of an employee or Library patron
Sale or use of alcohol while on the job
Sale, possession or use of illegal drugs on Library property or while on the job
Unapproved release of confidential records
Falsification of the Library employment application
Falsification of hours of work
Violation of the Workplace Harassment Policy
Gross insubordination, including overt refusal to follow, and/or willful disregard of explicit instructions
Willful violation of Board policy
Failure to show up at work without notifying the supervisor

EMERGENCY SUSPENSION
Notwithstanding any provision of this Staff Handbook, the Library retains the authority to impose an immediate suspension on an employee, with or without pay, as a result of misconduct which the Director determines, in his/her sole and exclusive discretion, warrants the immediate removal of the employee from the workplace. Examples of misconduct likely to result in immediate suspension include reporting for work under the influence of alcohol or drugs, observed attempts to steal or damage Library property, and direct and open refusal to perform normally assigned tasks. The foregoing examples are not intended to be exhaustive and shall not limit the discretion of the Director to authorize or approve an immediate suspension. Although the Director and/or the HR Manager should, whenever practicable, be consulted prior to an immediate removal, the Branch or Assistant Branch Manager on the scene may direct an employee to immediately leave the Library’s property pending a decision by the Director and/or HR Manager on whether to impose an immediate suspension.

COMPLAINT PROCEDURE
When a staff member has a work related complaint against another member of the staff or against a supervisor, the parties involved should meet and attempt to reach a workable solution. If no solution can be agreed upon, or if the party with the complaint cannot discuss the problem with the other party, the complaint may be taken directly to their Supervisor, or at their discretion, the HR Manager. If there is still no satisfactory resolution of the complaint, the documented complaint may be taken directly to the HR Manager for resolution. If there is still no satisfactory resolution of the complaint, the documented complaint may be taken directly to the Director for resolution. Once the Director has reached a decision on the staff member’s complaint, it is final.

SEPARATION
Resignations
Employees who voluntarily resign must first notify their supervisor of their intention to leave employment with the Lane Libraries with a letter of resignation, which will be placed in the employee’s personnel file. The letter of resignation should include: the date of notification of intent to resign, a statement of voluntary resignation and the handwritten signature of the employee. The letter should also include the last date of employment which is always the last day the employee actually works, as well as the employee’s handwritten signature. Under ordinary circumstances, one month’s notice is requested for professional positions and two weeks’ notice for all other positions.

No vacation day, paid holiday, sick day or floating holiday can be considered an employee’s last day. In order for a full-time employee to be paid for
a holiday, sick leave or vacation day (including floating holidays), the full-time employee must work at least 3 days beyond the day in question. In order for a part-time employee to be paid for sick leave or a vacation day, the part-time employee must work at least 3 days beyond the day in question. In order for a part-time employee to be paid for a holiday, the part-time employee must work at least three days beyond the day in question, AND the holiday must occur on a day the employee would normally have been scheduled.

Employees who resign after complying with the provisions of this Staff Handbook will receive payment for the vacation they have earned but not used. Unused sick leave will not be paid to employees who resign or are terminated. Employees who have tendered their resignation and call in sick prior to their last day of employment will be required to provide medical documentation in order to use sick leave.

Reduction in Staff

In the event that the Board of Trustees determines the need for retrenchment because of financial circumstances, it may be necessary to terminate the services of staff members. Whenever possible, staff reduction will be accomplished through attrition, i.e., as staff members leave and are not replaced.

Reductions in staff will be made in the following order, giving due consideration to organizational function, job duties, and special skills and specialties: (A) temporary and probationary employees, (B) those employees with the shortest period of service. Full- and part-time staff will be considered in the same manner, first considering job criteria and then the employee’s hire date.

Staff members in agencies affected by staff change or termination of service or reorganization will have the same rights as all other members of the staff and may ask for reassignment in other departments or branches to positions of the same or lower level for which they are qualified if the positions are filled by employees with less seniority. The Director, in conjunction with the HR Manager, reserves the right to make such reassignments based on the qualifications of the staff member and the effects the reassignment might have on the Library.

In layoff situations, as much advance notice is given as possible. Every assistance possible is given to employees in finding a suitable position elsewhere, and an explanatory statement is provided for use in seeking other employment.

Reduction in Force/Layoff Procedure
From time to time, economic conditions may dictate that we reduce staff on a temporary or permanent basis. While the library makes every effort to avoid this through prudent personnel management practices, it may occur on occasion, and a method of selection must be used to determine the extent of such reductions, and which employees will be involved.

While each situation will be thoroughly considered on its individual characteristics, a few general principles will apply. The library will involve the appropriate management personnel in developing the strategy. In doing so, the following things will be evaluated:

The economic situation, which drives the action.
Any alternative actions, which might deliver the same effect.
The needs of the operation.
Individual employee characteristics and histories.

The following facts and situations will be considered in employee selection:

The needs of each department and/or branch.
The skills, abilities and experience of the personnel.
The employees’ performance histories.
The employees’ attendance histories.
Where all else is equal, the employees’ length of service.

No doubt other circumstances may also impact the final decision. The above points, however, form a general practice and will guide the library’s thought process in making these serious decisions. As specified elsewhere in our policies, all decisions of this nature will be made without illegal discrimination and
with the best interests of the library and the employees in mind.

RETIREMENT
Unless excluded from membership by law, all Library employees are members of the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS)., As defined by Ohio law, the Library is required to make certain contributions to OPERS on behalf of its employees who are OPERS contributing members. The Library is also required by law to withhold employee contributions defined by law from the pensionable earnings of its employees who are OPERS contributing members and to transmit those employee contributions to OPERS. The Library also participates in the OPERS “Pick-Up” Program pursuant to which the employees’ contributions are paid directly to OPERS by the Library. This plan reduces the employees’ gross income for federal and state income tax purposes. Otherwise, the Library does not provide or guarantee any pension benefits to its employees and the pension rights of the Library’s employees (including without limitation the age of retirement and years of service credit required for retirement benefits) are determined by the General Assembly of Ohio and OPERS.

Although booklets and other printed material explaining OPERS may be available from the Human Resources Department, any questions or specific concerns about the rules and regulations or the tax implications of this retirement system should be directed to OPERS. They can be contacted at 1-800-222-7377 or online at www.opers.org.

Employees leaving the Library before retirement may apply for a refund of the money withheld from their earnings for OPERS. A three month waiting period is required before such refunds are made.

PERSONNEL RECORDS
Personnel records are located in the Human Resources Department and are maintained for all employees of the Lane Libraries. The Director, Business Manager, Bookkeeper, and, HR Manager have access to these files for business purposes. An employee’s supervisor, with the knowledge of the Director or the HR Manager, may have access to an employee’s performance evaluations and other evaluative materials for business purposes. Except as otherwise provided by Ohio or federal law, personnel records are public records which are subject to public inspection and copying under the Ohio Public Records Law. Any information contained in an employee’s personnel records which is determined to not be a public record will be released only after a signed release from the employee has been placed in the employee’s personnel file. Requests for information concerning non-public records coming directly to supervisors should be forwarded to the Human Resources Department.

Work references based on evaluative material in the personnel file may be written for an employee and released to a potential employer only after a signed release from the employee has been placed in the employee’s personnel file.

Use, disclosure, or dissemination of information contained within an employee’s personnel file other than as authorized or required by this Staff Handbook and Ohio law may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

Included in the personnel files are the following items:

Forms related to hiring, reassigning and promotion
1. Federal Tax Form W-4
2. Ohio Department of Taxation Form IT-4
3. Ohio Department of Public Safety HLS 0037/Declaration
4. New Employee Checklist
5. Current Job Description
6. Payroll Status Form
7. Systems (Email) Set Up Form
8. Employment Not Covered by Social Security Form SSA-1945
9. Acknowledgement of Having Read Staff Handbook
10. Items Belonging to Lane Libraries
Performance appraisals
Documentation of disciplinary action
Grievance statements
Commendations, letters and memoranda relating to performance
Emergency telephone numbers
Letters of reference
Acknowledgement of Receipt of Ohio Ethics Law
Records of attendance at job-related workshops and courses of study
Other material authorized by the Director as information necessary and relevant to the functions of the organization

Anonymous letters or materials shall not be placed in an employee’s file.

Any documentation pertaining to individual employee’s behavior or work performance that is placed in an employee’s permanent personnel file must be initialed or signed by the employee as an indication of the employee’s knowledge of the document. The employee’s signature does not necessarily imply agreement with the document. The employee may write a response to any material in the file; the response will be attached to the file copy of the material. Employees may request that reprimands be destroyed three years after the initial incident as long as no further similar incidents have occurred.

Each employee has a right to inspect his/her personnel file. The files are available during business hours by making arrangements with the Director, Fiscal officer, or the HR Manager. Files may not be removed from the office. Employees have the right to have an individual of their choice accompany them to review their personnel file. The Library will provide photocopies of any documents in the file at the employee’s request. The personnel files of all former employees of The Lane Libraries are kept in the Human Resources Department. Pertinent personnel information is retained for ten years for every former employee.

MEDICAL RECORDS
The Lane Libraries take the appropriate and reasonable steps to keep an employee’s health information secure. This information is not kept in personnel files but in a separate medical file in the Human Resources Office. Staff members do have access to their own information.

STANDARDS FOR STAFF CONDUCT
The Lane Libraries endorse the ALA Code of Ethics and expect that all employees in the system will conduct themselves in a professional manner in relation to the following standards. This conduct will be evident in the ways in which employees interact with each other and with the public.

Cooperative attitude: All staff are expected to work together as part of a team effort to accomplish the goals and purpose of the Library.

Service attitude: Prompt, courteous and friendly assistance to the public and to co-workers is essential. Staff are also expected to avoid, eliminate or report any situations which may cause irritation or discomfort to the public.

Maturity: All staff are expected to exercise self-restraint at all times and demonstrate emotional maturity, professionalism, tact and sensitivity in dealing with the public and co-workers.

Respect: All staff are expected to treat each member of the Library staff and the public with respect and consideration in the performance of their duties.

Approachability: All staff are expected to dress and maintain grooming habits appropriate to the nature of the work being done and consistent with commonly accepted practices in other public libraries. (See Dress Code.) The administration reserves the right to assign personnel in accordance with the image they project.

Violations of these standards may result in disciplinary action.

STAFF DRESS CODE GUIDELINES
A key element in providing excellent customer service is to consistently be aware of the first impressions we make upon our patrons. Personal appearance is one visible way we convey our belief in the services we provide. Professional presentation is a powerful nonverbal communicator. Staff members in business attire appropriate to the tasks they perform, send the message to patrons and co-workers alike that they are competent and approachable. The personal presentation of every staff member communicates not only their specific attitude about the work they perform for the library, but also the particular attitude the person holds about him or herself as a skilled professional. All staff members are expected to dress and maintain grooming habits consistent with the business image of the Lane Libraries as a public institution. These guidelines pertain only to “on the clock” hours at Lane.

The supervisor of each staff member will determine the appropriateness of any clothing or grooming choice. Staff and supervisors may use the following guidelines when determining the suitability of any specific garment or grooming choice.

This list of inappropriate dress is not intended to be inclusive. The list should serve as a guideline to supervisors and staff members in making decisions about what is not acceptable professional attire.

Visible tattoos and facial piercings are left to the supervisor’s discretion to determine appropriateness. If deemed inappropriate, the staff member will be requested to cover up tattoo(s) or remove any earrings or studs to facial area (e.g. lips, nose, eyebrow, tongue, etc.) while “on the clock”
Denim is only permitted on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Denim may include: jeans, skirts, dresses, jumpers, vests, shirts, or jackets. No holes, tears, etc.
Low cut or short garments which render the wearer inappropriately exposed
Any garment which is dirty, torn, or faded
Casual or leisure clothes such as:
- shorts
- strapless, spaghetti straps or low cut sun-dresses
- tank or halter tops
- sweatpants
- overalls
- leggings
- sheer or see-through items
- spandex clothing
- t-shirts / sweatshirts with promotional material (summer reading t-shirts are approved)
- flip flops
- hats

WORKPLACE HARASSMENT/DISCRIMINATION POLICY
It is Lane Libraries’ policy and intent to afford all employees a workplace that is free from all forms of sexual, racial, religious, age, disability, or national origin harassment or discrimination. Such misconduct should be reported promptly to your Manager, Director or the HR Manager, regardless of who originates it or participates in it, and regardless of whether it is oral, written, visual, or physical conduct. If found to have occurred, employee conduct which amounts to prohibited harassment will result in corrective action that the Library determines is an appropriate resolution of the matter. The corrective action could range up to and include termination of the offender.

Explanation Of Sexual Harassment
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines sexual harassment as follows: Unwelcome sexual advances (verbal and/or physical), requests for favors and other verbal and/or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when:

Submission to such conduct is either an explicit or implicit term or condition of employment (such as a promotion, job assignment, overtime opportunity, wage increase, etc.); or
Submission to or rejection of the conduct is used as a basis for making employment decisions; or
The conduct has the purpose or the effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating a hostile or offensive work environment.

Sexual harassment under this definition may range from sexual innuendo, perhaps in the guise of humor, to coerced sexual relations. It may include but certainly is not limited to:

Unwelcome sexual jokes or offensive sexual language
Unwelcome sexual references
Verbal harassment of a sexual nature
Subtle or direct pressure for sexual activity
Physical contact such as touching, patting, pinching, rubbing or squeezing
Leering at or ogling or other sexual references or comments about a person’s
body, appearance or clothing
Seeking sexual attention with implied or explicit threats or rewards
Displaying pictures or objects that have women and/or men as sexual objects

Using and insisting upon good manners, professional behavior and the exercise of good sense will go a long way in avoiding and preventing the inappropriate conduct covered by this policy. Should there be any incident, however, which runs afoul of this policy, it should be reported immediately to your Manager, Director or HR Manager.

Complaint Procedure
Anyone who is the object of any conduct in violation of this policy or who observes any such activity should immediately report the matter in accordance with the procedure below. The Library encourages reporting of all incidents of harassment regardless of who the offender may be.

An employee subjected to acts of harassment shall make a complaint concerning such incidents immediately to his/her supervisor, or at the employee’s discretion, to the HR Manager, or to the Director. If the complaint alleges harassment by the HR Manager, the complaint shall be made directly to the Director. If the complaint alleges harassment by the Director, the complaint shall be made directly to the HR Manager who shall immediately provide a copy of the complaint to the President of the Board of Library Trustees. (Employees may report incidents which they witness. The person who is the object of the harassment, however, is responsible for making a complaint. Witness reports may also be investigated.).
The HR Manager, except in certain circumstances that may necessitate the use of an outside investigator, will accept written statements and investigate all reports within thirty (30) days of receipt of the complaint.
The HR Manager or outside investigator will provide a written report of the incident and the investigation to the Director, or if the incident involves the Director or Fiscal Officer, to the President of the Board of Library Trustees.
The Director (or in an appropriate case the President of the Board) and the HR Manager (or in an appropriate case the outside investigator) will meet to discuss the report.
Based upon the results of the investigation, the HR Manager and the Director (or in the appropriate case the President of the Board) will make a decision concerning recommendations and any disciplinary action deemed appropriate for the incident.
The results of the investigation and any action taken thereon will be communicated to the appropriate parties.
The involved parties may submit written objections to the decision to the HR Manager and the Director. Such objections will be ruled upon within thirty (30) days of receipt.

Any employee found to have violated this Policy will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including immediate termination.

WORKPLACE SAFETY/VIOLENCE
The Lane Libraries are committed to providing a safe workplace. The purpose of this policy is to minimize the risk of personal injury to staff and damage to Library and personal property. Any staff member who threatens violence, engages in violence or engages in intimidating behavior in the workplace, is in violation of our policy. The workplace is defined as all the Lane Libraries including, without limitation, all Library-owned or leased buildings or premises, and surrounding areas such as sidewalks, walkways, driveways, and parking lots, break rooms, and all public areas such as lobby and restrooms.

Prohibited Conduct
Library buildings are government facilities under the control of the Board of Library Trustees. Unless otherwise authorized by law, pursuant to the Ohio Revised Code, no employee or any other person shall knowingly possess, have under the person’s control, convey, or attempt to convey a deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance onto any Library premises. A valid concealed handgun license does not authorize the licensee to carry a concealed handgun into any Library building.

Threatening Behavior
Threats, threatening language or any other acts of aggression or violence made toward or by any Library staff WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. For purposes of this policy, a threat includes any verbal or physical harassment or abuse, any attempt at intimidating or instilling fear in others, menacing gestures, flashing of weapons, violation of restraining orders, fighting, sabotaging another employee’s work, harmful misuse of equipment or other Library property, stalking or any other hostile, aggressive, injurious or destructive action undertaken for the purpose of domination or intimidation or which is reasonably perceived as threatening by the recipient or observers.

If you apply for or obtain a protective or restraining order that lists the Library as being protected areas, you must provide a copy of the order, as well as the petition, motions, counter memoranda, and affidavits used to seek the order, to both your supervisor and Human Resources.

Procedures for Reporting Dangerous Situations
Because the Library desires to take effective measures to protect everyone from a threat of harm in the workplace, it is important for us to be aware of any potential danger in our libraries. All potentially dangerous situations, including threats by co-workers or any outside person/entity, should be reported immediately to any member of management. Reports of threats may be maintained confidential to the extent maintaining confidentiality does not impede our ability to investigate and respond to the complaints. All reported dangerous situations will be promptly investigated. No staff member will be subjected to retaliation, intimidation or disciplinary action as a result of reporting a dangerous situation in good faith under this policy.

If the Library determines, after an appropriate good faith investigation, that someone has violated this policy, the Library will take appropriate corrective action.

DRUG AND ALCOHOL POLICY
The Library is committed to maintaining a drug and alcohol free workplace for all employees. The use, sale, manufacture, distribution or possession of
alcohol or illegal drugs on library premises is prohibited. Employees are also prohibited from being under the influence of any illegal drugs or under the influence of alcohol while on library premises or when they are representing the Library. This includes library vehicles on or off library premises. It is the intention of the Library to use every lawful means to establish and maintain a drug and alcohol free workplace.

An employee who violates this policy is subject to disciplinary action up to and including immediate termination and may be subject to legal consequences.

An employee must report any drug or alcohol related convictions to the Human Resources Manager, or designee, within five days of a conviction.

This policy is not meant to prohibit the responsible consumption of alcohol when and where it is specifically authorized by management as part of a library sponsored event.

This policy does not limit the right of the Library to invoke disciplinary action for any unauthorized activity not enumerated in this policy or in the
administrative procedures.

Administrative Procedure
Employees may not come to work under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs. Employees found in violation will be subject to immediate disciplinary action up to and including termination.

The Library shall have the right to require any employee to submit to drug and/or alcohol testing under the following circumstances:
1. Reasonable Suspicion: Upon the belief of management that the employee may have alcohol or illegal drugs in his or her system while at work or while performing his or her job duties away from the workplace.
2. Post-Accident: If the employee is involved in an on-the-job accident that results in property damage, physical injury to any person, a fatality, or the employee receives a citation from a law enforcement officer in connection with an accident.
The above list is not meant to limit the circumstances under which a drug or alcohol test may be required. The Library may exercise its right to test for the presence of alcohol or illegal drugs for other lawful purposes.
An employee will be tested by an outside laboratory with whom the Library contracts. If a supervisor suspects that an employee is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the Human Resources Manager and/or Library Director must be contacted to determine the appropriate course of action. Arrangements for the employee to be tested will be made by Human Resources. The cost for an alcohol and/or drug test will be paid for by the Library.
An employee who is to be tested must sign an authorization and consent form releasing alcohol and/or drug test results to the Library Director and Human Resources Manager.
An employee who is tested upon suspicion that he or she is under the influence of alcohol or drugs at work will not be permitted to return to work until the results are obtained. During this time the employee may use available paid time off. If paid time is not available, the time off will be unpaid. If the results are negative, any paid time off or unpaid time will be converted to regular pay for the employee.
A positive result indicating failure of a drug or alcohol test shall consist of the presence of any detectable amount of alcohol or an illegal drug in the employee’s system when tested. Refusal to submit to a drug or alcohol test when requested by the Library, or any attempt to interfere with the test or alter the sample, will result in discipline up to and including termination.
If a confirmed positive result for drugs or alcohol is returned to the Library, the tested employee will be given the opportunity to demonstrate that the confirmed positive test result is from legally prescribed medications by supplying a signed written statement from their physician verifying a valid prescription.
If an employee is using medication prescribed by a licensed physician, he or she is responsible for obtaining assurances from that physician that the medication will not impair the employee’s judgment or ability to safely and efficiently perform his or her job duties.
If an employee is using an over-the-counter medication it is his or her responsibility to ensure that the medication will not impair the employee’s judgment or ability to safely and efficiently perform his or her job duties.
Although the Library recognizes that drug or alcohol addiction may, in some cases, be an illness or health problem, each employee is responsible to assure that he/she remains able to perform the essential functions of his/her position. An employee who needs assistance in dealing with these problems is encouraged to seek professional treatment or other forms of intervention before the situation requires management intervention relative to the employee’s failure to adequately perform the essential functions of his/her employment. An employee receiving treatment for a substance addiction may, upon request, receive a reasonable accommodation (including but not limited to paid or unpaid leave to participate in a treatment/intervention program) to enable the employee to perform the essential functions of his/her employment despite the addiction. An employee who is allowed paid or unpaid leave to participate in a treatment/intervention program may be required to provide written proof of satisfactory completion of the program prior to returning to work.

WORKERS COMPENSATION
Staff members who incur a workplace accident must report it immediately to their supervisor. If a workers compensation claim is made, the injured employee must contact Human Resources. Failure to report an accident may result in a delay in receiving workers compensation benefits and may cause disruption in payment by an applicable health insurance plan of medical claims connected to a work-related injury.

GIFTS
The Library is a public institution and its services are equally available to all. Members of the staff may not accept valuable gifts or money from patrons. It is unethical and illegal to accept valuable gifts from those vendors doing business with the Library. Staff members are permitted to accept food, candy and any other inexpensive items usually worth less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per item.

The Ohio Ethics Law and related statutes prohibit a public official or employee from accepting the following from a vendor interested in doing business with the official’s or employee’s agency: payment for expenses related to travel, meals, and lodging incurred in viewing the vendor’s product regardless of whether the expenses would be paid directly to the public official or employee, or as a reimbursement to the official’s or employee’s agency. Each employee receives a copy of the Ethics Law when hired as outlined in the Ohio Revised Code and is required to sign that this information has been received. This acknowledgement is included in the personnel file.

PAYCHECK STUBS AND MANDATORY DEDUCTIONS
All members of the staff are paid twice a month. Pay days ordinarily fall on the 15th and the last working day of the month. If a regular payday should fall on a weekend or holiday, then staff get paid on the preceding work day. All staff members must use direct deposit to get paid. Paycheck stubs can be viewed online in the Paycor payroll system. The Lane Libraries will not advance wage payments to staff members for any reason.

Mandatory deductions from checks include the following: City Income Tax, School District Income Tax (where applicable), Federal Income Tax, State Income Tax, Medicare, and OPERS (Public Employees Retirement System).

Any payroll questions should be directed to the Business Office.

HOURS OF WORK
Non-Exempt Employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
Each full-time staff member works 37.5 hours per week. The work week is defined as Sunday, 12:00 a.m., through Saturday, 11:59 p.m. The schedule is arranged by each supervisor to meet the business needs of that particular department or branch. Supervisors may change individual schedules at any time as dictated by the business needs of the specific department. Tardiness and absence must be made up by non-exempt, full-time employees by the end of the work week. Tardiness and absence must be made up by non-exempt, part-time staff within the current pay period. Habitual tardiness is cause for disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.

Occasionally a staff member may need to keep a personal/business appointment which cannot be arranged outside of work hours. The staff member must receive permission from the department/Branch Manager or the Director to leave during work hours. All time lost in this manner must be made up within the same work week. This privilege may be granted only if there is no loss of service to the public.

Supervisors are encouraged to accommodate reasonable requests for changes in schedules; however, they are not required or obligated in any way to grant such requests. Schedule changes are a privilege and can be denied. The responsibility of making arrangements to accommodate a schedule change is on the employee who wishes the change, not the supervisor. An employee who wishes to make a change should make every effort to find some other staff member who will switch schedules before going to the supervisor. Supervisors may reject requests that are submitted without any effort on the part of the employee to make alternative arrangements.

Non-exempt personnel cannot work over 37.5 hours per week unless authorized to do so and approved by the Director in writing. Each job description denotes the FLSA status. This rule will be strictly adhered to in order to comply with the FLSA.

Evenings and weekend work may be required of any staff member.

Safe Harbor Policy for Exempt Employees (Supervisors)
It is our policy and practice to accurately compensate employees and to do so in compliance with all applicable State and Federal laws. To ensure that you are paid properly and that no improper deductions are made, you must review your pay stubs promptly to identify and report all errors.

If you are classified as an exempt salaried employee (Supervisors), you will receive a salary which is intended to compensate you for all hours you may work for the Library. This salary will be established at the time of hire or when you become classified as an exempt employee. While it may be subject to review and modification from time to time, such as during salary review times, budget reductions or furloughs, the salary will be a predetermined amount that will not be subject to deductions for variations in the quantity or quality of the work you perform. Under federal and state law, your salary is subject to certain deductions. For example, unless state law requires otherwise, your salary can be reduced for the following reasons:

Full-day absences for personal reasons, not including sickness or disability;
Full-day absences for sickness or disability, if the deduction is made in accordance with a bona fide plan, policy or practice of providing compensation for salary lost due to illness;
Full-day disciplinary suspensions made in good faith for infractions of our written policies and procedures;
Penalties imposed in good faith for infractions of safety rules of major significance;
Unpaid Family and Medical Leave absences;
To offset amounts received as payment for jury and witness fees or temporary military duty pay;
The first or last week of employment in the event you work less than a full week; and
Any full work week in which you do not perform any work

Your salary may also be reduced for certain types of deductions such as your portion of health or dental insurance premiums; state, federal or local taxes; or OPERS.

In any work week in which you performed any work, your salary will not be reduced for any of the following reasons:

Partial day absences for personal reasons, sickness or disability
Absences for jury duty, attendance as a witness, or military leave in any week in which you have performed any work
Any other deductions prohibited by state or federal law

However, unless state law provides otherwise, deductions may be made to your accrued leave for full-day absences for personal reasons, sickness or disability.

If you believe you have been subject to any improper deductions, you should immediately report the matter to your Manager or the HR Manager.

PAYCOR TIME MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
All non-exempt employees record their hours of work daily through the use of the computer time clocks. Managers and supervisors do not record their hours worked unless they take sick, vacation or holiday time. However, the cut-off dates for reporting the number of hours worked are the ninth and the 24th of each month. Managers are responsible for seeing that this information is correct and made on time. Falsification of work hours are a violation of the Library’s work requirements.

PUNCTUALITY
Staff members are required to be working promptly at the time scheduled. Habitual tardiness is a violation of the Library’s work requirements. Full- or part-time staff who anticipate that their arrival will be delayed are expected to call ahead to inform a supervisor. If a supervisor is unavailable, the staff member must speak directly to a coworker in addition to leaving a message for a supervisor.

Full- or part-time staff who are late for work should speak with a supervisor about the possibility of making up time at the beginning or end of a work day in the same week. Shortened lunch hours or breaks may not be used to compensate for delayed arrival. Employees who work longer than the scheduled time should speak with a supervisor about the possibility of taking that time off the beginning or end of a work day in the same week. All such schedule adjustments must occur in the same work week (full-time staff) or the same pay period (part-time staff).

REPORTING ABSENCES
Full- and part-time staff members who must miss a scheduled day of work are expected to inform a supervisor as soon as possible. Each staff member is responsible for knowing how to reach a supervisor outside of work. If a supervisor cannot be reached at work or at home, it is the employee’s responsibility to contact the senior staff person on duty in addition to leaving a message with a supervisor.

Staff members who do not show up for work and do not contact a supervisor are in violation of the Library’s work requirements. Absences or tardiness which are not properly reported/documented or which are not eligible for paid or unpaid leave under the terms of this handbook or applicable law may be regarded as unexcused absences and, except as otherwise provided by law, may result in disciplinary action.

The Lane Libraries reserve the right to require documentation of any absence.

(see also Sick Leave and Leave Under the Family Medical Leave Act)

MEAL PERIODS
Non-exempt full-time employees are entitled to a full hour (unpaid) for lunch or dinner as scheduled by their supervisors. Part-time employees have scheduled unpaid lunch or dinner hours. All non-exempt employees, whether full or part-time, MUST take a lunch/dinner hour (sixty minutes) after working five continuous hours. In other words, if someone works 5.25 hours during one day, the supervisor must schedule a lunch/dinner period. Paycor automatically deducts the dinner hour after 5.25 hours. Meal periods may not be skipped in order to leave early. Meal periods may not be shortened in order to make up time.

Staff members who are dining in the Library are expected to use assigned areas for consumption of food.

BREAKS
Non-exempt employees may take a rest period not to exceed a maximum of 15 minutes for each half day worked (3.75 hours). Employees may take two paid breaks (one during each half day of work) only when employees are scheduled for 7.5 hours of work or more in one day.

Paid breaks may be taken only when there is no interference with good public service and branch/department routines. Every effort is made to provide paid breaks for employees, but breaks are not guaranteed. Breaks are scheduled by the supervisor. Break time is not cumulated or combined, nor is it added to mealtime or taken to leave early. Break time must be taken as one fifteen-minute segment. For example, it may not be broken into three five-minute breaks. A supervisor may restrict privileges when breaks are persistently abused.

Minors under age 18 must receive at least one thirty-minute break for every five consecutive hours of work.

UNSCHEDULED CLOSING
Authority to close the Library system or any individual Library location due to emergency or special temporary conditions is vested with the Director. In the absence of the Director, the Branch Managers shall have the authority to apply discretionary judgments in interpreting Board and Administrative policy with regard to special and/or emergency situations.

In the event of an unscheduled closing of the entire Library system due to weather conditions or for any other reason, employees are paid for the time for which they were scheduled to work. Normally, if a single agency is closed for any reason, the staff will be reassigned to another Library location. Such situations are treated on a case-by-case basis by the administration.

The Director will consult with local and county authorities concerning road conditions and any related advisories before determining whether or not the Library system will close.

An employee who cannot get to work because of weather conditions even though the Library is open may deduct the time missed from accumulated vacation or a floating holiday. With the supervisor’s permission, the time missed may be made up within the same work week (full-time staff) or same pay period (part-time staff). Sick leave may not be used to cover such absences unless the employee is actually sick and staff may be required to provide medical documentation of their illness.

All employees who are late for work due to extreme weather conditions will not be required to make up the time unless they are more than 30 minutes late. For example, a person unavoidably detained for 45 minutes would need to make up only 15 minutes following the usual guidelines. This policy will be effective on days any public school within The Lane Libraries’ service district is closed or delayed by more than one hour. Closings on weekends or holidays will be determined by the Director.

STAFF PRIVILEGES
All staff members have the same privileges:

Staff members are exempt from paying overdue fines for Library materials with the exception of SearchOhio and Ohiolink items. However, staff members are charged for replacement of lost/returned materials and any collection agency fees as any patron would be.
Staff may not borrow new materials before they have been cataloged and processed. The borrowing privileges do not include extended loan periods. Abuse of staff borrowing privileges may necessitate the privilege being denied to an individual.
Staff may use Library phones for brief personal calls which can only be made during regular business hours. All such calls must be made in non-public areas. Personal long distance calls must be billed to the person’s home telephone.
Excessive personal calls or texting during the day, regardless of the phone used, can interfere with productivity and can be distracting to others, both public and staff.
Personal cell phones must be turned to “vibrate” while at work. Staff may use their cell phones during break periods, including meal breaks, in designated areas. A camera on a cell phone may not be used on library premises except with prior administrative permission.
Safe use of the cell phone is of the utmost importance. Staff members who are using library vehicles and/or library issued cell phones are prohibited from using the phone at any time while driving. Staff using their own vehicles and/or cell phones are not to use the cell phone for library business while driving.
Staff rooms with kitchen facilities are maintained at all locations. Staff members who avail themselves of these facilities are responsible for maintaining the general cleanliness of the room. Staff members are responsible for washing and drying their own dishes immediately after use and returning them to their proper place. There are to be no open containers of food or drink left after use.
Staff rooms and facilities may be made available to persons performing services for the Library (consultants, speakers, repair and maintenance personnel, etc.). The general public is not permitted in staff only areas – breakrooms, kitchen areas, staff workrooms. Family or friends who call for staff members must wait in public areas.

HEALTH INSURANCE
Group health insurance is available to all eligible employees and their dependents. Employees share the cost of the insurance with the Library. The ratio of the employer and employee share is reviewed on an annual basis and may change based upon premium cost increases. Spouses of employees who are eligible for health insurance coverage through their employer are not eligible for health care coverage through the Lane Libraries. Spouses who are not eligible for health care coverage through their employer are required to provide written verification of this fact. Brochures describing the details of each plan are available from the Human Resources Department.

The insurance carrier requires that an employee work at least 30 hours per week to be considered eligible for participation; therefore, part-time employees cannot be eligible for this health insurance even if they want to pay the entire premium.

Participating employees contribute their portion of the premium through payroll deduction each pay period. The billing cycle for health insurance dictates that premiums are paid one month for the following month. New hires enrolling in the health insurance program may be required to personally pay for coverage based upon when their start date falls during the pay period.

New full-time staff members must apply for this plan within thirty (30) days after appointment to the Library staff. After the employee applies, he/she becomes enrolled on the first day of the month following (30) days after the appointment to the Library staff. Employees not enrolling within the thirty-day period must wait until the annual open enrollment date.

Staff members enrolled in the health plan are responsible for notifying the Human Resources Department of any changes in dependent status, such as newborn or adopted child, loss of insurance eligibility of college age child, change of marital status or spouse’s loss or newly acquired eligibility for insurance.

DENTAL INSURANCE
Group dental insurance is available to all full-time employees. Employees share the cost of the insurance with the Library. The ratio of the employer and employee share is reviewed on an annual basis and may change based upon premium cost increases. New full-time staff members must apply for this plan within thirty days after appointment to the Library staff. After the employee applies, he/she becomes enrolled on the first day of the month following the date of hire. Employees not enrolling within the thirty one day period must wait until the open enrollment date and have no guarantee that they will be eligible to enroll. Brochures describing the details of each plan are available from the Human Resources Department.

Participating employees contribute their portion of the premium through payroll deduction each pay period. The billing cycle for dental insurance dictates that
premiums are paid for one month for the following month. New hires enrolling in the dental insurance program may be required to personally pay for coverage based upon their start date during the pay period.

PREMIUM ONLY PLAN
Lane Libraries sponsor an employee benefit program known as a “Premium Only Plan” (POP) for full-time employees. Employees can use pre-tax dollars to pay for group insurance premiums. This program helps employees because the benefits elected are non-taxable; the employee saves on federal and state income taxes and on Medicare payments on that amount.

The employee may choose to participate in the plan’s pre-tax program options by completing a required enrollment form for the component Benefit Plan or Policy. The benefit options available are the Group Health and Dental Plans. Full-time employees who are eligible to participate in the component parts of Lane’s group benefit program(s) are eligible to participate in the “POP” plan. The benefit options available are the Group Health and Dental Plans.

Employees cannot change the election to participate in the “POP” program or vary the pre-tax premiums once the selection is made except during this stated period.

New employees must complete a “POP” enrollment form and then enter the “POP” plan on the effective date of coverage under the component benefit plans or policies – the date coverage begins with the Group Health and Dental Insurance.

For the details regarding eligibility provisions, premium amounts, or a summary of each of the programs, contact the Human Resources Department.

VISION INSURANCE
Vision insurance is provided for full-time employees by Lane Libraries. Currently the Library pays the full premium for either individual or family coverage for
each full-time staff member. Each full-time staff member will be enrolled on the first (1st) of the month following 30 days from their date of hire at Lane Libraries.

All information regarding the specifics of the insurance is in the information published by the carrier and is available from the Human Resources Department.

DISABILITY INSURANCE
The Board of Trustees has adopted a short-term and long-term disability plan for all full-time employees. This insurance is paid for entirely by the Library. Each full-time staff member will be enrolled on the first (1st) of the month following 30 days from their date of hire at Lane Libraries.

If an employee does not have enough accumulated sick leave to cover this waiting period, vacation and holidays must be used until the employee is eligible for disability benefits. If the employee does not have any time to cover the waiting period, leave in accordance with the Sick Leave policy will be unpaid.

Claim forms are kept in the Human Resources Department. After the employee and the doctor have filled in their portions of the form, the form is returned to
the Human Resources Department for processing. Benefits begin approximately two weeks after filing and are paid weekly thereafter, up to 26 weeks. Benefit checks from the insurance company are sent to the employee’s home. Employees receive 67% of their weekly earnings up to a maximum of $500.00. This third-party insurance is taxable income. Upon return to work, the employee must contact the Business Office to verify tax liability information.

While drawing disability benefits, a staff member will continue to accumulate sick leave and vacation but does not earn credit for floating holidays. If the
employee is eligible for leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the time spent on short-term disability will be counted towards the employee’s 12 week entitlement under the FMLA. While on short term disability, the employee continues to earn credit under OPERS. Both sides of the contribution (employer and employee share) are paid for by the Library. If the staff member participates in the Library’s health insurance and dental programs, the employee will be responsible for paying the employee’s share of the premiums. The Library will continue paying the employer’s share of the health, dental and vision insurance premiums while the employee is on disability.

An employee is not eligible to receive disability insurance benefits under a worker’s compensation injury or claim in accordance with the insurance company’s policy.

Information concerning services, coverage, premiums, applications and other details of this insurance plan may be obtained from the Human Resources Department.

LIFE INSURANCE
The Board of Trustees has adopted a life insurance plan for all full-time employees. This insurance is paid for by the Library.

Each full-time staff member will be enrolled on the first (1st) of the month following 30 days from their date of hire at Lane Libraries. The coverage is
equal to the nearest thousand of the person’s salary. Coverage provided by the Library then ends when the employee leaves the Lane Libraries. A conversion option (for the employee to pay the premium) is offered by the insurance company. Full-time staff members also have the opportunity to participate optional voluntary life insurance.

Information concerning this coverage may be obtained from the Human Resources Department.

HOLIDAYS
The Lane Libraries are closed on the following holidays:

New Year’s Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Eve Day
Christmas Day

Full-time staff members are paid for these seven holidays. Part-time staff receive pay if the person is normally scheduled to work the day of the week that the Library system is closed for the holiday. The part-time staff member must work or use vacation time during that week to be eligible for the holiday pay. Part-time staff members are paid for the number of hours that they usually work on that day.

Full-time staff members have four floating holidays:

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Presidents’ Day
Columbus Day
Veterans’ Day

The Library does not close on these dates. Full-time staff may arrange to take these days on the days that they are celebrated or at a later date. Martin Luther
King and Presidents’ Day compensation days must be taken by June 30 of the year. Columbus Day and Veterans Day must be taken by December 31 of the year. Part-time staff receive no special compensation for these days.

The Library is closed on Easter Sunday. All staff members (both full- and part-time) who are normally scheduled to work that day will be paid for the number of hours that they would have worked.

On New Year’s Eve, the Library closes at 5 p.m. If an employee is scheduled for the evening shift eg. 11:30 – 8:00 p.m. or 3:00 – 8:00 p.m. they will work up to 5:00 p.m. and will receive holiday pay for any scheduled hours after 5:00 p.m.

When a holiday falls on a day which is a full-time employee’s scheduled day off, or during a vacation period, the staff member may take that time off at a later date. All time off must be arranged with a supervisor and is based upon the business needs of the branch or department.

For members of religious groups which have observances on days other than the holidays observed by the Library, the supervisor, upon request, arranges the
schedule so that employees may be absent on their own time. The supervisor shall, whenever possible, allow these employees to make up the lost time during the same work week.

VACATION
As a full-time employee of the Lane Libraries, you will receive vacation time throughout the year. Vacation time is based on length of continuous service and position. Vacation time is earned in hourly increments at the end of each month.

Part-time employees who work at least 15 hours per week will earn vacation time. Vacation time is based on the number of hours per week the part-time employee was hired to work. Shelvers hired after January 1, 2014 are not eligible for vacation time.

Vacation Accrual Schedule:

Years of Service	Management/Exempt	Full-Time Hourly Employees/Non-Exempt	Part-Time Hourly Employees/Non-Exempt
1 year	20 Days	10 Days	5 Days
2 years	21 Days	11 Days	10 Days
3 years	21 Days	12 Days	10 Days
4 years	22 Days	13 Days	10 Days
5 years	22 Days	14 Days	10 Days
6 years	23 Days	15 Days	15 Days
7 years	23 Days	16 Days	15 Days
8 years	24 Days	18 Days	15 Days
9 years	24 Days	19 Days	15 Days
10 + years	25 Days	20 Days	20 Days

Full-time employees may carry up to a maximum of 225 hours and part-time employees may carry up to 120 hours of their vacation accrual amounts before their vacation accrual will temporarily stop. When vacation is taken again and the total accrued amount falls below the maximum, vacation accrual will begin again.

To schedule vacation leave, employees should email their vacation request to their supervisor at least two weeks before the requested leave. Employees must ensure that they have enough vacation time available to cover the dates requested. Requests will be approved based on the business needs of the branch or department.

If the request for vacation leave is denied, the supervisor should provide an appropriate reason to the employee. Hourly/non-exempt employees must use
vacation time in no less than 15 minute increments and management staff must use vacation time in no less than 7.5 hour increments.

Vacation leave will be paid at the employee’s base rate at the time the leave is taken. Vacation pay does not include overtime or any special forms of compensation. If a holiday falls during the employee’s vacation, the day will be charged to holiday pay, as applicable, rather than vacation pay.

Employees who are on unpaid leave will not accrue vacation time. The vacation leave bank may not go into a negative balance.

Employees who are on probation or are within their first 90 days of employment will not be able to use vacation time. Upon termination of employment for any reason except gross misconduct, employees will be paid at their current rates for unused vacation time.

SICK LEAVE
Full-time employees earn sick leave at the rate of 9.4 hours per month, which is 112.8 hours (approximately 15 days) per year. Unused sick leave is accumulated
to 900 hours (120 days). No further sick leave is earned after that point until sick leave is used. Sick leave used must be reported in 15-minute segments for nonexempt employees for example, one hour and fifteen minutes, not one hour and five minutes. Sick leave for supervisory staff must be taken in 7.5 hour segments. Under no circumstances will an employee be permitted to “borrow” sick leave in anticipation of earning it later.

If an employee’s illness continues after accumulated sick leave is all used, he/she must then use vacation and holidays. After that, the employee must take
unpaid days with their supervisor’s permission until the employee is eligible for disability benefits. For additional policies and procedures regarding leaves of absence, see the Family Medical Leave Act.

Sick leave is used under the following conditions: absence due to the employee’s illness, pregnancy & childbirth, injury or exposure to contagious disease
which could be communicated to other employees, absence due to illness in the employee’s immediate household or family. The immediate family is defined as parents, grandparents, grandchildren, spouse, children, siblings and in-laws of the same degree of relationship. Supervisors do not have discretionary power
to change this definition of immediate family. Sick leave is allowed for dental and medical appointments which cannot be made on the employee’s own time. Under most circumstances, an employee is expected to return to work after a routine medical appointment.

Abuses of sick leave benefits will not be tolerated and may lead to suspension or termination. The HR Manager and/or supervisor will review sick leave usage
with any employee whose sick leave exceeds 8 days per year. Supervisors may request a doctor’s certificate to substantiate use of sick leave in frequent or unusual circumstances. Employees calling in sick, preceding or following scheduled vacation or holidays may be required to provide medical documentation
in order to use sick leave. Accumulated sick leave is used for pregnancy or maternity leave for full-time staff. A staff member may work as long as she wishes before beginning maternity leave, with her doctor’s written permission. Sick leave may not be used for extended maternity leave when there is no health related reason that individual cannot return to work.

For full-time employees who have not worked a full year and all part-time employees who are not eligible for FMLA, a job-protected, unpaid leave of up to six weeks (42 consecutive calendar days) may be used for the following reasons: major surgery, illness or the birth of a child. This leave must be approved by the HR Manager and the Director and is made on a case-by-case basis, based upon the business needs of the department. Both full and part-time employees must first use any unused sick leave and then any earned vacation hours before requesting the six weeks of unpaid leave.

When a sick leave absence can be anticipated (scheduled surgery, for instance), the employee should submit such information to the supervisor and the Human Resources Department.

A former full-time staff member resuming employment with Lane Libraries will be credited with unused sick leave accrued during the time of previous employment. For a workers’ compensation injury, a full-time employee must first use any accumulated sick leave to cover lost work time. A part-time employee with a workers’ compensation injury must first use sick leave, then vacation leave or a six-week leave of absence to cover lost time (see above). If the employee is eligible and qualified for FMLA leave, time off for a workers’ compensation injury will be counted towards the employee’s twelve-week entitlement under the FMLA. The Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is the mechanism for all employees to recover lost wages from time lost on the job for work-related injuries. An employee who has worked with any other Ohio public agency in their last position will be credited with the unused, unpaid sick leave accrued at the agency upon certification by that agency.

Part-time employees who work at least 15 hours per week will earn sick time. Sick time is based on the number of hours per week the part-time employee was
hired to work and is earned in monthly increments as follows:

Hours Worked Per Week	Sick Time Hours Earn Per Month	Maximum Sick Time Hours Earned
15	1.250	15
16	1.333	16
20	1.667	20
25	2.084	25

Sick time accrual will temporarily stop once the part time employee has reached the maximum sick time earned. When sick time is taken again and the total accrued amount falls below the maximum, sick time accrual will begin again.

A full-time employee who changes to a part-time position with the Library will retain sick leave hours up to the number of part-time hours for which they are
hired. Part-time sick leave will then be calculated from the date of the part-time status change. The amount of sick leave accumulated when last on full-time status with the Library will be reinstated if the person returns as a full-time employee.

Part-time employees who are promoted or transferred to another part-time position will be immediately eligible for sick leave in the new position. The amount of sick leave available will equal the number of part-time hours of their current position.

SEVERANCE PAY UPON RETIREMENT
Full-time employees who separate from employment with the Library by means of a service retirement under the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System Plan after ten or more years of service with the Lane Libraries receive severance pay of one-fourth of their unused sick leave at the time of retirement. Part-time employees who separate from employment with the Library by means of a service retirement under OPERS after ten or more years of service with the Lane Libraries receive $50.00 for each year of service with the Library.

Former retired employees who have received retirement severance pay and return to work for the Library in a full-time capacity will be credited for the amount of sick leave accumulated minus the hours for which they were paid.

The retirement severance pay may only be received once.

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE
Length of bereavement leave, in each instance, must be approved by the Director or the HR Manager and will depend upon the circumstances and location of the arrangements and/or service.

Full-time employees shall be granted three work days per occurrence for attendance at funerals and religious observances in Ohio and contiguous states in conjunction with the death of a member of the employee’s immediate family. Up to five paid days may be granted for out-of-state funerals that require significant travel time. The immediate family is defined as spouse, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, children, siblings and in-laws of the same degree of relationship.

Part-time staff may be granted up to five consecutive days for funeral leave for the immediate family. For example, if the immediate family member died on
Monday, the five consecutive days could be Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The employee will be paid for the number of hours that she/he is normally scheduled to work during that time.

This time off with pay is not charged against the employee’s sick leave or vacation. The employee has the option to take additional time off by using vacation or holidays. This additional time off must be approved by the supervisor.

If schedules permit, time with pay may be allowed during a scheduled work day to attend a funeral of current or retired staff and members of their families. Permission for this privilege must be obtained from the supervisor.

LEAVE UNDER THE FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT (FMLA)
The Library is a covered employer and Library employees who meet certain requirements may be eligible employees under the federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The coverage of the FMLA and the benefits available to eligible employees are established by the FMLA and regulations adopted under the authority of the FMLA. The provisions of this handbook are intended to summarize the Library’s understanding of the FMLA and regulations as of the time this handbook was prepared; these provisions are intended only to provide employees with basic information concerning the FMLA. Nothing contained in this handbook shall alter, modify, enlarge, or reduce the benefits provided to Library employees under the FMLA except to the extent that the FMLA, or the regulations, permit a covered employer to exercise discretion as to any provision of the FMLA. To the best of the Library’s knowledge, the basic provisions of the FMLA are summarized as follows:

Eligible employees are entitled to up to twelve (12) weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave during a rolling twelve (12) month period for the following reasons:

to care for a newborn son or daughter;
for the placement of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care;
to care for a spouse, child or parent with a serious health condition;
because of the employee’s own serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of the employee’s job.
because of “any qualifying exigency” arising out of the fact that the spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the employee is on active duty, or has been notified of an impending call to active duty status, in support of a contingency operation.

An eligible employee who is the spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin of a covered service member who is recovering from a serious illness or injury
sustained in the in the line of duty on active duty is entitled to up to 26 weeks of leave in a single twelve (12) month period to care for the service member. This military caregiver leave is available during “a single twelve (12) month period” during which an eligible employee is entitled to a combined total of twenty-six (26) weeks of all types of FMLA leave.

To be eligible for FMLA leave, a staff member must have been employed for at least one year and for at least 1250 hours during the past twelve-month period.

An employee’s right to FMLA leave for the birth or adoption of a child ends on the child’s first birthday, or, in the case of adoption or foster care, twelve
(12) months after placement of the child with the employee. If two (2) Lane Libraries employees are married to each other, then their combined entitlement to leave for the birth or adoption of a child or to care for a sick parent is limited to twelve (12) weeks during a rolling twelve (12)-month period.

Requests for FMLA leave must include certification from the employee’s physician. Or in the case of adoption or foster care, certification must be from the appropriate court or agency. When the need for leave is foreseeable, medical certification should be provided before the leave begins. In any event, medical certification should be provided within fifteen (15) days of the Library’s request.

Failure to provide adequate medical certification could result in the delay of FMLA leave. If the employee does not provide requested certifications, the leave will not be considered FMLA leave.

Within five business days of an eligible employee’s request for FMLA leave or when the Human Resources Manager acquires knowledge that an employee’s
use of leave may be for an FMLA-qualifying reason, the Human Resources Manager may notify the employee that the leave is eligible for, and will be designated as, FMLA Leave; such notice will generally be provided using the DOL Form WH-381 which will also provide other rights and responsibilities notices as required by the FMLA regulations. An employee whose leave is designated as FMLA leave shall be required to use available earned time allowances for paid leave (e.g., sick leave, holidays, and vacation) for the leave, and this time will be counted as part of the twelve (12) weeks leave to which the employee is entitled under the FMLA.

Upon return from FMLA leave, employees are entitled to reinstatement to the job position they held when they went on leave or, at the Library’s option,
they may be placed in an equivalent position with equivalent pay and benefits. Employees on FMLA leave will continue to be covered under the Library’s group health and dental insurance then in effect under the same terms which apply to any other employee who is not on leave. The Lane Libraries will pay its part
of the health and dental insurance coverage during this unpaid leave. The employee will be responsible for sending to the Business Office the employee’s share of the insurance premium.

An employee who requests leave because of the employee’s own serious health condition or in order to care for the employee’s seriously ill spouse, child or parent may be entitled to take leave on an intermittent or reduced schedule basis if such intermittent or reduced-schedule leave is medically necessary.

The employee must provide as much notice as is practicable to the Library and make a reasonable effort to schedule the absences so as not to interfere with the branch’s or department’s schedule. An employee who needs intermittent or reduced schedule leave may have to transfer temporarily to an alternative position with equivalent pay and benefits, which better accommodates recurring periods of leave. Said transfer will be at the discretion of the Library’s administration. Re-certification of a medical condition may be required as frequently as 30 days.

JURY DUTY
Staff members called for jury duty should notify their supervisors as soon as possible. It is the usual policy of the Library not to request exemption from jury duty for its staff members. Supervisors should plan for jury duty absences as if the employee will be unavailable for the entire time.

That is, persons on jury duty should be scheduled in such a way that sudden absences will not cause problems. Persons called for jury duty frequently spend
very little time in court, but it is wise to schedule such employees so that their absences will not cause scheduling problems. Staff on jury duty are expected
to report to work as scheduled when not required in court. Jurors must request a letter from the clerk showing the dates on which they are to serve. This letter is to be submitted to the Human Resources Department through the staff member’s supervisor.

Full-time staff members called for jury duty or as a trial witness will be paid their regular salary during such service, but they must surrender to the Library
the compensation from the court for those days on which they were scheduled to work. A staff member who spends only part of the day in court should report
to work unless the amount of time remaining would be too brief to justify the trip.

Part-time employees will be paid for jury duty if they are normally scheduled to work on the days they are serving and for only those hours that they would normally work. Part-time employees must surrender the compensation from the court for that time that they were paid by the Library.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Memberships and committee work by staff in professional, educational, and social service organizations is of benefit to the Library and is encouraged by the administration.

All staff members are encouraged to join the Ohio Library Council and support its activities in promoting better libraries and improve working conditions
throughout the State. The Library will pay the dues for any employee who wishes to join OLC. Membership should be predicated upon participation. The Library will pay for basic membership only. The employee is responsible for any additional dues.

The Library will also pay dues to the American Library Association (the national library organization) for any employees who have paid their own dues for at
least one year. The Library will pay for basic membership only. The employee is responsible for any additional dues for divisions and sections.

These dues are paid by the Library at the beginning of each calendar year. New hires who begin employment with Lane after the January renewal must wait
for the Library to pay their ALA or OLC dues until the January renewal of the next year.

EDUCATIONAL REIMBURSEMENT POLICY
Purpose
The Board of Trustees has adopted a tuition reimbursement plan. The plan is designed to offer encouragement to those staff members who wish to obtain additional training that will increase competency in a position currently held or who wish to become eligible for advancement.

Policy
Under this policy, an employee will be eligible for reimbursement for the cost of tuition to a maximum of $750 annually. A maximum of $5,000.00 per year is
allowed for reimbursement tuition of ALA accredited MLS programs. Reimbursements are made based upon the extent that funds are budgeted for this purpose and if all eligibility and procedural requirements are met.

Eligibility:
Employees

The tuition reimbursement program is available to any employee (both full- and part-time) who has been employed more than one year with the Library prior to the date on which the course begins.
Tuition reimbursement will not be available for courses reimbursable from other non-library educational assistance programs, such as veteran’s benefits.
The resignation or discharge of an employee automatically terminates eligibility for benefits under this policy.
Layoff or leave of absence granted to an employee after enrollment in an approved course will not alter eligibility for tuition reimbursement for that course.

Courses

Tuition reimbursement will be given for courses offered by accredited colleges, universities and technical schools. The library will pay for a maximum of
two courses per semester. Reimbursement is not provided for electives or audited courses nor for workshops, seminars, or classes offered for CEU (Continuing Education Units) credits.
There must be substantial justification that the course will contribute to the employee’s career development within the Library. The determination
as to whether the course is substantially justified will rest with the Library Board of Trustees and the Director.
Course attendance should be on the employee’s own time. Any work schedule modifications must be negotiated with the supervisor.

Approval:

Course approval must be granted in advance of enrollment. The Winter Semester application needs to be submitted by November 1st of the previous year, the Summer Semester by April 1st of the current year, and the Fall Semester by June 1st of the current year.
Each course must be approved individually.
In determining whether to approve a request for educational reimbursement, the Board of Trustees and the Director will consider the following factors:
1. The nature and the purpose of the course of study
2. The benefits to be derived by the employee and the Library
3. The length of service of the employee
4. Employee’s work performance based on the annual performance appraisal process

Reimbursement:
Within 60 days of course completion, the following must be submitted:

Evidence of successful course completion
A verified statement of the cost of tuition
Evidence that the employee has paid the tuition.

Reimbursement will be provided for completed courses according to the following
schedule:

100% of tuition paid by library if the student receives an A or B
50% of tuition paid by library if the student receives a C
Tuition will not be paid by the library if a student receives a D grade
or lower

Procedure:
When an employee wants to participate in the tuition reimbursement plan, an application should be submitted to the Library Board of Trustees through the Director and a copy sent to the immediate supervisor by the employee.

The employee should discuss educational plans with the supervisor to determine whether eligibility will be recognized under this policy.
A separate application must be completed and approved for each course. (See attached Tuition Reimbursement Application form.)
All records will become a part of the employee’s personnel file.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Supervisors are responsible for the continued development of their staff. They are expected to see that each employee is thoroughly familiar with the assigned
duties of the position, trained in efficient performance and informed of new plans and policies. Supervisors are expected to give each employee an opportunity to assume responsibility, to find means of self-development and to make use of special interests, knowledge and abilities. A supervisor may also make recommendations for in-service programs based on staff needs. The supervisor should constantly seek to discover staff who are best qualified for promotion and to devise assignments which will develop characteristics for advancement in skill levels in a number of ways: application, initiative and continuation of education and training. The taking of college work, including courses in literature, history and library science, is important in providing employees with the background information which is necessary for more effective library service. The Board does have a tuition reimbursement program available for employees. (See Educational Reimbursement policy)

All requests to attend any conference or workshop on Library time must be made in writing. Any overtime involved in attending such a session is then a choice of the staff member. There is no compensation for such time.

Travel time going to and from an approved meeting is allowed on Library time. Travel to another Library location during the workday is on Library time. Travel
from another Library location to the employee’s home at the end of the work day is not on Library time.

Travel time is not compensated when staff works a split shift.

TRAVEL EXPENSES
As it is in the Library’s best interest to have staff continue their development by attending conferences, workshops, and meetings, these events sometimes require staff to travel elsewhere in order to attend the training.

In addition to the Library paying for the event registration, the library will reimburse staff for some of their travel expenses associated with attending conferences as long as the budget permits.

Mileage
Staff members on Library business in their own car are to be paid the Library’s standard mileage rate. Library business includes attending workshops at another
location, visits to schools, required travel among Library locations, approved trips to a book store, trips to airports, and traveling to give public talks. The Business Office prepares a purchase order at the beginning of each year to reimburse staff for these mileage charges.

The Library does not pay for a trip to a Library location if the employee’s work assignment is at that different location for the entire day. Parking fees while doing business at any Lane Libraries location will not be reimbursed.

Airfare, meals and lodging
The Ohio Ethics Commission has ruled that public officials and employees are prohibited from accepting, for personal travel, discounted or free airline tickets or other benefits if the tickets or other benefits were earned with “frequent flyer” credits accrued during official business.

Day Conferences
A “day” conference constitutes conferences, seminars or workshops located close enough to the Lane Libraries’ service district that the staff member can reasonably be expected to travel to/attend/return all in the same day. Examples of a “day conference” are a conference in the Cincinnati area, a seminar in Indianapolis, an OHIONET workshop in Dublin, an OLC presentation in Columbus, or a training opportunity in Wilmington.

When a staff member attends a day conference, the library system will cover lunch expenses if the lunch period during the conference is advertised as “on your own.”

When a day conference is located far enough away that the morning attendance can only reasonably be achieved by overnight travel the day before, the library will cover dinner expenses during that initial travel time and cover the cost of the lodging for that night.

Once overnight travel has occurred, meal expenses for breakfast, lunch and dinner will be reimbursed. The staff member is expected to keep meal expenses
reasonable. An example of a day conference at a distant location would be a workshop held in Cleveland.

Multi-day Conferences
Examples of multi-day conferences include ALA annual or midwinter conferences, any ALA Division sponsored conferences, and annual OLC Conference. Typically these events are not held near the Lane Libraries’ service area and are spread over a period of two to five days. Employees that wish to attend these conferences must submit a requisition request to their Branch Manager and then to the Library Director for trip approval. The requisition should include an estimate of all applicable expenses associated with the trip. This would include duration of the trip, airfare, lodging, meals, local transportation costs (rentals, taxis, shuttles, etc.), parking, and mileage, when personal vehicle is used. More than one requisition may be required if certain expenses are being paid directly by the Library and other expenses by the Employee. Since overnight travel has occurred, meal expenses for breakfast, lunch and dinner will be reimbursed. Staff members are expected to keep meal expenses reasonable.

Often at multi-day conferences, separately charged luncheon or dinner activities are listed on the registration form. These activities usually take the form
of an author or award breakfast, lunch or dinner. A meal expense can be used to cover this expenditure if the staff member sees a need to attend the function.

The annual OLC Conference is a multi-day event. When it is located within a reasonable travel distance from the Lane Libraries’ service area, the professional
travel budget will not cover overnight lodging and will only cover a daily lunch stipend, if not included in the event. The Library Travel budget shall not be used to cover the cost of alcoholic beverages.

Reimbursement of Travel Expenses
For mileage reimbursement only, a completed mileage log form and Expense Reimbursement Form, signed by your Manager, should be submitted to the Business Office for processing. The Business Office has a Requisition Form/Purchase Order already prepared for mileage reimbursements. For other travel related reimbursements, an Expense Reimbursement Form needs to be completed and signed by your Manager. Be sure to attach all applicable receipts to the form. The receipts need have detailed information about the services provided and/or items purchased. For example, meal receipts should have itemized details concerning the food & drink ordered and the respective amount with grand total paid, including tip. Just a receipt with a total will not suffice. In addition, the library will not reimburse for alcoholic beverages.

MISCELLANEOUS

Food and Drink
In order to present a professional demeanor to the public, gum chewing is forbidden while on duty. Staff may eat and drink at their workstation before the library opens, whether in a public or nonpublic area. Staff may have a beverage in a closed, non-spillable container at the public desk during open hours. It is
asked that it be kept in as inconspicuous place as possible. Staff can then consume the beverage in a manner that does not interrupt public service and still projects a professional image.

The Smith History Library, Cummins Room and the Fairfield computer Lab all have a “no food or drink policy.”

Consumption of food is restricted to the staff rooms, designated non-public areas and meeting rooms during the hours that the Library is open to the public. Open containers of an alcoholic beverage in any facility belonging to the Library is a violation of Ohio Law.

Smoking
Smoking and any tobacco products are not permitted on any Lane Libraries property, including in any building or vehicle.

Reading
The patron has the right to expect the staff to be familiar with book collections and to be informed about new titles. Staff reading while on duty is limited to professional periodicals, book reviews, etc., unless a particular assignment requires the reading of other materials. A professional collection is available at the Lane Administration Center in the Human Resources Department and may be checked out to staff members.

Conversation
Conversation with either patrons or co-workers should be kept to a minimum. Loud conversation is disturbing to both patrons and staff.

Family Members/Friends/Former Employees
Personal visits from staff members’ families, friends and former employees should be brief so that there is minimal disruption to the work day. Staff members
are expected to be concentrating on work responsibilities while on duty, therefore, staff members are not allowed to bring their children or other family members to work with them instead of making childcare arrangements. Older children who can work independently of the parents’ supervision (able to do research on their own) may use the Library like any other patron. In this same vein, staff members’ family may attend any programs, even if they are presented by the staff member. No children or other family members or friends may come to the Library to stay with the staff member before opening hours.

Staff Phone Use
Staff may use Library phones for brief personal calls which can only be made during regular business hours. All such calls must be made in non-public areas. Personal long distance calls must be billed to the person’s home telephone.

Excessive personal calls during the day, regardless of the phone used, can interfere with productivity and can be distracting to others, both public and staff.

Personal cell phones and pagers must be turned to “vibrate” while at work. Staff may use their cell phones/pagers during break periods, including meal breaks, in designated areas. A camera cell phone may be used on library premises only with prior administrative permission no matter who, where or what the subject.

Safe use of the cell phone is of the utmost importance. Staff members who are using library vehicles and/or library issued cell phones are prohibited from using the phone at any time while driving. Staff using their own vehicles and/or cell phones are not to use the cell phone for library business while driving.

The Lane Libraries Business Information Systems Policy
This policy addresses the appropriate use of the Library’s business information systems as well as the personal privacy and confidentiality expectations for those individuals using the Library’s business information systems.

This policy applies to all individuals using the Library’s business information systems, including without limitation, employees (whether permanent or temporary), subcontractors, consultants, and any other individuals who represent themselves as being connected with the Library (collectively “Users”).

This policy addresses only employees’ use of the Library’s business information systems afforded to them in the course and scope of their employment. This policy does not apply to library employees’ non-work-related use of public terminals or other technologies which the Library makes available to its patrons.

When using such technologies available to the general public, Library employees are subject to the Library’s then-existing Internet use Policy.

The business information systems includes without limitation, all desktop, laptop and other computer and computer networks, telephone, email and facsimile
systems and all other similar technologies and systems devised now or in the future that are offered to Users.

The business information systems of the Library are to be used solely for the benefit of the Library. The business information systems are not intended
for personal use. The Library recognizes that incidental and occasional use of the business information systems for personal purposes is inevitable, but
such use should not interfere with the normal business operations of the Library. Any personal use of business information systems is subject to scrutiny by the Library and possible disapproval by the Library.
However, nothing in this policy is intended to prohibit communications concerning wages, hours, and working conditions, or to prohibit any communications otherwise protected by law. The Library will be the sole judge of whether any particular personal use of the business information systems complies with this policy.
Users shall not copy or distribute through electronic communications any copyrightable material of a third party (such as computer software, articles,
graphics files, and other downloaded information) without first confirming in advance from an appropriate source that the Library has the right to copy
or distribute these materials.
Users shall not use the business information systems to create any offensive or disruptive files or messages or in ways inconsistent with the professional
image of the Library. The business information systems should not be used in any way that violates any other Library policy, including without limitation, its policies on harassment.
Users shall not use the business information systems to solicit outside business ventures or address others regarding commercial, religious, charitable or political causes or for any other solicitations that are not work related without prior approval.
Users shall not use the business information systems to knowingly upload, copy, post, publish, transmit, transfer or distribute any files that contain
viruses, corrupted files, malicious code. Users should not download, transmit or reproduce any software program, including, without limitation, screen savers, peer to peer file sharing networks, multi-media players, and Instant Messenger, unless prior approval is obtained.
Users are responsible for the protection of the Library’s proprietary and/or confidential information, including patron and circulation information protected under Revised Code Section 149.432. Accordingly, Users shall not disclose, post, or transmit any of the Library’s proprietary and/or confidential information to third parties via the business information systems unless prior approval is obtained.

All files, email messages, voice mail messages, documents and other records which are created and transmitted using or which are received, or stored on
the business information systems are the property of the Library. Users should not expect privacy for any files, messages or materials created, transmitted using or stored on the Library’s business information systems (even though security may be placed on a document or file and regardless of whether passwords are employed), or for any access to the Internet made through business information systems.

This is true regardless of whether a file, email message, voice mail message, document or other record or Internet access is related to personal or to business
use. By using the Library’s business information systems to send or receive messages, to author or store files or documents, or to access the Internet, Users consent to the Library’s accessing, intercepting, reviewing, listening to, copying, deleting, and/or disclosing any such message, file, document or Internet access, with or without notice, when the Library deems it appropriate to do so in its sole judgment.

If a User has encrypted or password protected any files or messages stored on or transmitted via the Library’s business information systems, the User will be required, at the request of the Library, to provide the encryption key or password to the Library.

Violations of this business information systems policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE WORKPLACE
The Lane Libraries are committed to attracting, retaining and developing talented staff. In doing so, it is acknowledges that there may be situations regarding
the employment of relatives, or staff who may be involved in a dating or married relationship. Therefore, to ensure that there is no appearance of a conflict of interest, relatives or staff members in a dating relationship may not occupy positions that will require them to work directly for or supervise the other staff member. After January 1, 2014, relatives hired, transferred or promoted will not be able to work in the same branch or department.

Any supervisor involved in a consensual romantic or sexual relationship, in the context of employment supervision, must discuss the matter on a confidential
basis with his or her own supervisor or with the HR Manager to assess the implications for the workplace and make arrangements to ensure that employment-related decisions are made in an appropriate and unbiased setting. Although both employees involved in a consensual relationship are individually responsible for disclosure, a supervisor’s failure to report such a relationship will be regarded as a serious lapse in his or her management of the workplace and grounds for appropriate disciplinary action, including termination of employment (particularly in cases where bias or harassment has occurred in connection with a benefit).

The Lane Libraries reserve the right to reassign a staff member should an actual or potential conflict of interest arise involving relatives or staff involved
in a dating or married relationship or a potential supervisory relationship. For purposes of this policy, a relative is any person who is related by blood or marriage, including domestic partners, whose relationship with the staff member is similar to that of persons who are related by blood or marriage.

The Lane Libraries reserve the right to address this situation on a case-by-case basis to ensure a work environment which will be as conflict free as possible
for all staff members.

General Handbook Acknowledgment
This Staff Handbook is an important document intended to help you become acquainted with The Lane Libraries. This document is intended to provide guidelines and general descriptions only; it is not the final word in all cases. Individual circumstances may call for individual attention.

Because the Library’s operations may change, the contents of this Handbook may be changed at any time, with or without notice, in an individual case or generally, at the sole discretion of management.

Please read the following statements and sign below to indicate your receipt and acknowledgment of this Staff Handbook.

I have read a copy of Lane’s Staff Handbook. I further acknowledge that I have read the handbook and that I agree to abide by the policies contained in the handbook. I understand that although I am and will continue to be an at-will employee, my acceptance of and adherence to the policies contained in the handbook are conditions of my continued employment with the Library.

I understand that the policies, rules and benefits described in the handbook are subject to change at the sole discretion of the Library at any time.

I further understand that my employment is terminable at will, either by myself or the Library, with or without cause or notice, regardless of the length of my employment or the granting of benefits of any kind.

I understand that no contract of employment other than “at will” has been expressed or implied, and that no circumstances arising out of my employment will alter my “at will” status except an express written agreement signed by the Director or the Library Board. I understand that my signature below indicates that I have read and understand the above statements.

Employee’s Printed Name: __________________________Position: __________________

Employee’s Signature: _________________________________________Date: _________

The signed original copy of this acknowledgment should be given to management
– it will be filed in your personnel file