ORIENTATION

Each new employee shall be provided with an orientation on the first day of employment at Holmes SWCD. The Program Administrator will facilitate the orientation. Employees are responsible to thoroughly review orientation materials and seek clarification as necessary to understand employment and administrative policies and expectations. The Holmes County Human Resources Director (in the Holmes County Commissioners office) will facilitate health insurance enrollment and gather payroll information.

 The orientation checklist shall cover the following areas: overview of SWCDs, relationships with conservation partners, responsibilities and benefits of an SWCD Employee, SWCD activities, recordkeeping, specific duties and training specific to the position

TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT

  • Full Time - Employee is required to work at least 30 hours per week and not more than forty (40) hours per week.

  • Full Time -Limited Hours- Employee is required to work less than thirty (30) hours per week on a schedule approved by the Program Administrator to complete assigned tasks.

  • Intermittent - Employee is required to work when needed with no regularly scheduled work days and no more than forty (40) hours per week.

  • Seasonal - Summer employees or other employees hired for a specific period-of-time, with hours not to exceed forty (40) hours per week.

 NEW EMPLOYEE PROBATIONARY PERIOD

Job qualifications, educational requirements, and preferred personal characteristics will be developed for each position. Each hire will be subject to a probationary period. The purpose of the probationary period is to determine the employee’s suitability for the position to which he/she has been employed.

The length of the probationary period for any employee shall be 120 days.  Only those employees who demonstrate an acceptable standard of conduct and performance shall retain their positions. Employees may be evaluated on or about their completion of 60 days of the probationary period and the end of the probationary period established above.

If at any time during the probationary period a newly hired employee’s performance is determined to be such that further employment is not merited, he or she may be terminated.

TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENTS

All employees may be required to perform any and all temporary assigned duties of which they are capable, regardless of their usual or customary duties or job assignments.

TRAINING AND CONTINUING EDUCATION

District employees will be trained by the preceding employee whenever feasible. Professional development assistance will be made by existing district employees, district supervisors, Natural Resources Conservation Service staff, Ohio Department of Agriculture staff, and other agencies as per an appropriate agreement or training plan.

The District Board of Supervisors will pay for additional continuing education courses, if funds are available, to improve an employee’s job-related skills.  Training should be consistent with employee’s development plan. The ODA Division of Soil & Water Conservation, as part of the conservation partnership agreement, has developed technician development program and administrative development programs to benefit district staff.

DAILY WORK SCHEDULE, OVERTIME AND OVERTIME COMPENSATION

Generally, the normal work week consists of five days and forty (40) hours of work. Full time, limited hour employees shall work a consistent number of hours per week, less than forty (40) hours on a regular schedule. The daily working hours will be 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., unless otherwise specifically approved by the board of supervisors. Employees may opt to work a compressed/flex schedule, if advanced scheduling ensures adequate office coverage, and 40 hours/week are not exceeded without prior approval.

The normal workday includes an unpaid, one half hour meal period, with the meal period time to be determined by the employees and program administrator.  The Holmes SWCD calendar week consist of 7 days (168 hours) and runs from 12:00 A.M. on Thursday to 11:59 P.M. on Wednesday.  Pay day is 9 days after the final closeout pay period.

All employees are required to a time record showing the daily hours worked, in an approved timekeeping system. The following points should be considered when filling out time records:

  • Employees will keep a record of their total daily work hours.

  • Employees are expected to commence work at their normal starting time and to stop work at their normal quitting time.

  •  Employees are permitted a lunch or meal period each day at a designated time mutually agreed to by the Board or Program Administrator and the employee. Employee will not be compensated for work performed during the established lunch or meal period.

  • Employee time records are to be checked and approved by the Program Administrator. Non-work time for which an employee is entitled to be paid (sick leave, vacation leave, paid holidays, etc.) should be pre-approved by the Program Administrator or appropriate authority on the time record.  Authorized overtime also should be identified and pre-approved by the Program Administrator or appropriate authority. The Program Administrator or appropriate authority should identify non-approved and/or unauthorized absences.  Employees will not be paid for certain hours of absence or unauthorized overtime.

  • The falsifying of any time record is prohibited.

Compensatory (Comp) Time

Employees may be required to work overtime whenever it is deemed necessary by the Holmes SWCD Board. If possible, employees should flex time off during the work week to avoid comp time. The Program Administrator will assign overtime to qualified employees. Employees are not permitted to work overtime without the prior approval of the Holmes SWCD Board and/or Program Administrator. For purposes of overtime compensation, only hours in active pay status more than forty hours during a work week shall be paid at time and one-half. “Active Pay Status” can consist of any or all the following: Actual hours worked, time off on authorized vacation leave, sick leave or compensatory time. An employee is limited to a maximum of 80 hours of comp time. 

  • An employee must elect to take compensatory time in lieu of overtime pay. Compensatory time is earned at one and one-half hours for each hour worked over 40 hours. If the employee elects compensatory time, such time shall be granted at a time mutually convenient to the employee and the Holmes SWCD Board and/or District Program Administrator. An employee may accrue compensatory time to a maximum of 80 hours. Compensatory time must be used within 180 days after the overtime is worked.

The Holmes SWCD Board and/or District Program Administrator must approve the earning of overtime or compensatory time. Guidelines for overtime or compensatory time earnings include:

  • Regularly scheduled and special board meetings (after hours)

  • Holmes SWCD Annual Meeting - hours earned for set-up time, banquet, and meeting (after normal work hours).

  • Travel to and from area or state meetings on workdays - hours earned beyond normal work hours.

  • OFSWCD Annual Meeting and Supervisor’s School - overtime hours earned for travel to and from the meeting (using District office as point of origin and termination), attendance at legislator’s event, awards presentations, and other activities (before or after normal work hours).

  •  Scheduled Holmes SWCD-sponsored seminars or workshops on evenings or weekends - overtime hours earned for set-up, registration, time to conduct event, and travel time from and back to the District office. 

  • District required attendance at meetings of other agencies/organizations —overtime hours earned for travel time from and back to the District office and actual meeting time (after hours).

  •  Tree packet distribution -- after-hours distribution as approved by the Holmes SWCD Board and scheduled by Program Administrator.

  •  Any other occasion deemed appropriate by the Holmes SWCD Board and/or District Program Administrator.

 Attendance at lectures, meetings, and training programs are considered time worked if:

  • The employee’s attendance is outside regular working hours; and

  • The employee’s attendance is required by the Holmes SWCD Board or Administrator; and

  • The course, lecture, or meeting is directly related to the employee’s job; and

  • The employee performs productive work during such attendance.

 The Holmes SWCD Board at a regular board meeting prior to the event may grant exceptions to the above guidelines on a case-by-case basis.

LACTATION BREAKS

Employees who have recently given birth will be allowed a reasonable break time in order to nurse or express breast milk, for up to one year after the child’s birth. The employee will be provided appropriate space, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from other employees and members of the public. Lactation breaks under this policy should, to the extent possible, run concurrently with any other break time available to the employee.

 REPORTING TO WORK AND TARDINESS

Employees are expected to report for and remain at work as scheduled and to be at their work stations at their starting time. Employees who call off work for personal reasons should call off in advance of their starting time to the Administrator. Employees who call off must make contact with their supervisor or designee each day of their absence unless they have made alternate arrangements. Calling off work in accordance with this procedure will not necessarily result in an employee receiving approved leave for their absence. The District will consider the underlying reason for the absence in order to determine whether to grant approved leave. An employee who reports to work late, extends his/her lunch or break without authorization, or who leaves before the end of his/her scheduled shift, may be disciplined and docked pay. Pay will be docked in the lowest increments permitted by the District’s timekeeping system.

NEPOTISM

Holmes SWCD will receive employment applications from relatives of current employees.  However, the following four (4) situations shall prevent the Holmes SWCD from hiring a relative of a current employee:

  • If relative would be supervising or disciplinary authority over the other

  • If one relative would audit the work of another

  • If a conflict of interest exists between the relative and the employee or the relative and the Holmes SWCD

  • If the hiring of relatives could result in a conflict of interest.

OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT

  • Employees are required to notify their Program Administrator of any outside employment.  No employee shall have outside employment which conflicts in any manner with the employee’s ability to perform his/her duties and responsibilities properly and efficiently with the Holmes SWCD.  Employees are expected to be at work and fit for duty when scheduled.  

  • Employees are prohibited from engaging in secondary employment while on sick leave, disability leave, or family medical leave.  Employees are strictly prohibited from engaging in or conducting outside private business during scheduled working hours and are further prohibited from engaging in conduct which creates a potential or actual conflict of interest with their duties and responsibilities as a Holmes SWCD employee.

REDUCTIONS IN WORK FORCE

The Holmes SWCD Board may reduce staffing levels due to lack of work, lack of funds, or job abolishment.

 The Holmes SWCD Board, as a matter of policy, shall first attempt to accomplish reductions based on attrition. In the event reductions in force are deemed necessary, the Holmes SWCD shall lay off intermittent, seasonal and probationary employees before full-time employees.

 REHIRING RETIRED OPERS MEMBERS

 Holmes SWCD Employees who take OPERS retirement may be rehired subject to the following:

In accordance with O.R.C 145.381, if the retiring employee is subject to hire through a Board, then sixty (60) days prior to rehire in the same job from which the employee retired, the hiring Board must give public notice of the employee’s intent to rehire.  The hiring Board must then hold a public hearing on the issue between fifteen (15) and thirty (30) days prior to the retired employee’s rehire date.

  • At the time of retirement, the employee must be paid all accrued vacation time.  When rehired, the employee will begin accruing vacation as a new employee.  The employee will not receive credit for prior years’ service in determining the vacation accrual rate.

  • If the employee requests payment of sick leave upon retirement, the employee will start with a zero balance and accrue sick leave as a new employee.  The employee will not be eligible for any future payment of unused sick leave earned during post-retirement employment.

  • If the employee does not request payment of sick leave upon retirement, he may retain the sick leave balance for use when rehired provided his/her rehire date is within ten (10) years of his/her retirement.  If the employee chooses not to request payout upon retirement, he shall not be eligible for any payment of unused sick leave upon separation from the post-retirement employment.

  • Classified employees who are rehired after taking OPERS retirement will receive no credit for prior service.  Rehired employees will start a new period of classified service for the purpose of calculating service credits in the event of layoff or other action affecting their employment.

  • Employees are required to notify their employer of their retirement date.  The Holmes SWCD reserves the right to start a rehired employee at a newly negotiated rate of pay.

EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

Employees who are not serving an initial probationary period shall have their performance reviewed periodically.

Employee evaluations are intended to identify the strengths of an employee’s performance and identify areas for improvement. Periodic evaluations should encourage communications between the Holmes SWCD Board, Program Administrator, and the employee, and provide a better understanding of what is expected of an employee.

 Although a Standard of Performance document is not required for each employee, the Holmes SWCD Board may choose to develop a Standard of Performance for one or more employee. This document permits the Holmes SWCD Board to set goals on time utilization and to define any areas which they wish to have the employee devote special attention.      

 The employee’s Standard of Performance is filed in the individual employee’s personnel file. At six month or yearly intervals, the employee can be evaluated as to the attainment of the performance standards using a performance evaluation form. The supervisors and district program administrator will complete and review a summary rating with the employee. The Holmes SWCD Board on a periodic basis may modify a Standard of Performance document for employees.

REVIEW OF FILE

Each employee shall have the right, with reasonable notice, to examine his/her personnel file. Such examination shall be made on non-work time or at some other mutually agreeable time. If an employee disputes the accuracy, timeliness, relevance, or completeness of documents in her file, he may submit a written request that the appointing authority investigate the current status of the information. The appointing authority will make a reasonable investigation to determine the accuracy, timeliness, relevance, and completeness of the file, and will notify the employee of the results of the investigation and any plans the appointing authority has to take action with respect to the disputed information. Employees are not permitted to alter, add or remove documents or other information contained in their personnel files absent express authorization from the appropriate appointing authority. An employee who alters, adds or removes documents or information from his/her personnel file without prior approval may be subject to discipline. Employees may submit a statement to be attached to any disputed document

SEPARATION

Should an employee decide to resign or retire from Holmes SWCD employment, a written resignation should be submitted to the Holmes SWCD Board Chairperson, Program Administrator, or appropriate authority at least two weeks prior to the date of departure.

The Holmes SWCD shall do the same to employees affected by reductions in work force.