Standards of Conduct

Nothing in this policy section limits any rights or procedures available to employees under applicable law or a collective bargaining agreement.

PERFORMANCE AND ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS

The Library’s success depends on all employees performing their duties responsibly, reliably, and in alignment with the Library’s mission and service standards. Employees are expected to demonstrate accountability, professionalism, and consistent attendance in carrying out their work, while maintaining positive and respectful interactions with coworkers and patrons.

1. Performance Standards

• Perform all assigned duties and responsibilities as outlined in the employee’s job description, as well as any additional tasks reasonably assigned by a Supervisor, Assistant Director, or Director.
• Maintain a level of quality, accuracy, and timeliness in work that meets or exceeds established performance expectations.
• Demonstrate sound judgment, initiative, and effective problem-solving in daily tasks and patron service.
• Exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality in handling patron, personnel, and administrative information.
• Accept and implement supervisory feedback, directives, and decisions professionally.
• Use Library resources responsibly, efficiently, and in accordance with Library policy.
• Seek clarification or guidance from a Supervisor, Assistant Director, or Director when unsure about a task, directive, or policy interpretation.
• Demonstrate courtesy, professionalism, and cooperation in all interactions with patrons, coworkers, supervisors, and trustees.

2. Attendance and Punctuality

• Report to work as scheduled, ready to begin assigned duties at the designated start time.
• Maintain reliable attendance as an essential function of employment and a condition of continued service.
• Notify the immediate Supervisor (or designee) as early as possible when absence, lateness, or early departure is unavoidable, following established call-in procedures.
• Request planned time off in advance, in accordance with Library leave policies and departmental scheduling needs.
• Limit unscheduled absences to legitimate circumstances such as illness, emergency, or other approved reasons.
• Record time worked accurately and honestly on all timesheets or timekeeping systems.

3. Accountability and Follow-Through

• Take responsibility for the outcomes of assigned work and commitments.
• Follow up on tasks, patron requests, and communications in a timely manner.
• Seek assistance or escalate issues appropriately through the chain of command when barriers to completing assignments arise.
• Cooperate fully in performance evaluations, audits, or investigations when required.
• Demonstrate adaptability and professionalism in accepting organizational changes or revised work assignments.

4. Performance Improvement and Corrective Action

When performance or attendance concerns arise, the Library may implement performance improvement plans or progressive discipline. Employees are encouraged to discuss challenges openly with their Supervisor, Assistant Director, or Director to identify solutions and resources for improvement, following the Chain of Command and Issue Resolution policy.

BREACHES OF CONDUCT

The following examples represent conduct that does not align with the Library’s standards of professionalism and integrity. This list is not exhaustive; other behavior inconsistent with these expectations may also be addressed under the Library’s disciplinary procedures.

1. Performance and Attendance

• Failure to meet the requirements of the position, including all duties reasonably assigned in addition to those listed in the job description.
• Failure to meet reasonable performance expectations established by a supervisor.
• Any behavior that results in an employee not performing their job, including sleeping on the job.
• Patterns of excessive absenteeism, tardiness, or early departures that disrupt operations or burden coworkers. Failure to report to work without a satisfactory reason.
• Abuse of leave privileges.

2. Professional and Ethical Conduct

• Threatening, intimidating, coercing, fighting, or using abusive or vulgar language toward employees, customers, patrons, or trustees.
• Interfering with the performance of other employees.
• Insubordination or failure to follow reasonable and lawful directives from a Supervisor or Library Administration.

3. Safety and Security

• Possession, use, or distribution of weapons or explosives on library property.
• Fighting or other disorderly conduct.
• Reporting to work under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, or illegal drugs; consuming or possessing these substances on library property.
• Negligence in observing fire prevention and safety rules.
• Abuse, negligence, or unauthorized access of library security systems or confidential materials.

4. Use of Property and Technology

• Unauthorized or inappropriate use of library, coworker, customer, or patron property, materials, time, or equipment.
• Damaging or destroying property through careless or willful acts.
• Installing unauthorized or illegal software on library-owned devices.

5. Legal and Policy Compliance

• Falsifying time records, applications, expense reports, personnel documents, or other official records.
• Theft or misappropriation of library, employee, customer, or patron property.
• Revealing confidential or proprietary information to unauthorized individuals or those who do not have a legitimate need to know.
• Violations of local, state, or federal laws.
• Failure to attend or participate in library audits or investigations when required.
• Engaging in other practices that may be inconsistent with the ordinary and reasonable rules of conduct necessary to the welfare of the Library, its employees, or its patrons.

ANTI-BULLYING

The Library prohibits all acts of bullying. Bullying, like other disruptive or violent behaviors, is conduct that disrupts both an employee’s ability to positively contribute to the Library on a dayto-day basis and the Library’s ability to successfully run its business. Bullying can occur between individuals at any level of the organization, including but not limited to between peers, between supervisors and employees, between employees and supervisors, or across departments. No position or role in the Library is exempt from this policy.

“Bullying” is conduct that meets all three of the following criteria:

• Is directed at one or more employees;
• Substantially interferes with work/prevents work from being accomplished; and
• Adversely affects the ability of an employee to contribute in a positive manner in the workplace by placing the employee in reasonable fear of physical harm and/or by causing emotional distress.

Examples of bullying behavior may include but are not limited to:

• Verbal abuse, including shouting, insults, inappropriate remarks, or threats;
• Using body language in a repeated, hostile way, including eye-rolling, dismissive gestures, and aggressive posturing;
• Spreading rumors, gossip, innuendo, or making derogatory comments about others;
• Undermining or deliberately impeding someone’s work;  Consistently ignoring, dismissing, or interrupting someone’s contributions in meetings or discussions;
• Deliberately excluding or isolating an individual from team activities or communication;
• Deliberately withholding information needed for others to do their jobs, or giving misleading/incomplete information;
• Excessive monitoring or micromanaging beyond what is reasonable for job performance;
• Unreasonable work demands targeted at one individual;
• Sabotaging work or setting someone up to fail, including deliberately assigning impossible tasks, deliberately deleting files or someone else’s work, etc.;
• Public humiliation, such as mocking someone in meetings or making them the subject of jokes;
• Taking credit for another person’s work or ideas;  Repeatedly criticizing someone without providing constructive feedback;
• Intimidation through physical actions/gestures such as staring, following someone, invading someone’s personal space, or accessing someone’s personal property without permission;
• Cyberbullying via email, social media, or messaging platforms;
• Upward bullying, which includes repeated, unnecessary disrespect, confrontational behavior, triangulation, or undermining of supervisors or administrators that interferes with management’s ability to perform their responsibilities.
• Any other malicious behavior that a reasonable person would consider to be highly unprofessional, disturbing, and harmful to one’s psychological health.

All employees have a responsibility to stop bullying in the workplace. Bystander support of bullying can encourage further bullying; therefore, the Library prohibits both active and passive support for acts of bullying.

Power Dynamics and Reciprocal Bullying

Reciprocal bullying most often occurs between peers, where hostility escalates back and forth. In situations involving an employee and a supervisor, the behavior may instead reflect both downward bullying (a supervisor targeting an employee) and upward bullying (an employee targeting a supervisor). In such cases, each party’s conduct will be evaluated separately, with recognition of the power dynamics involved. Both employees and supervisors are accountable for maintaining professional, respectful conduct and may be subject to discipline if found to have engaged in bullying behaviors.

Complaint Procedure

Any employee or supervisor who believes that he/she/they have experienced or witnessed bullying should immediately tell the individual that his/her/their conduct is inappropriate (if comfortable doing so) and submit a complaint to his/her/their Supervisor or Library Administration. In the event the complaint concerns the Director, it should be reported to the Board. The Board can be contacted via phone or email as listed on the Library’s website. \

Investigative Procedures

The Director, or his/her/their designee, shall promptly investigate all complaints and make all reasonable efforts to resolve the matter. These efforts may include, but are not limited to, convening conferences with the complainant, the accused, and any witnesses to discuss the complaint and the results of the investigation.

The right to confidentiality, both of the complainant and of the accused, will be respected consistent with the Library’s legal obligations and with the necessity to investigate allegations of misconduct and to take corrective action when this conduct has occurred. Absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed, but information will only be shared with those who need to know in order to investigate and resolve the complaint.

A substantiated complaint against an employee will subject the individual to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. The Library will also take appropriate action to address a substantiated complaint of bullying by a third party or non-employee. If an investigation results in a finding that the complainant falsely accused another of bullying knowingly or in a malicious manner, the complainant will be subject to appropriate discipline, including the possibility of discharge.

Retaliation

The Library prohibits reprisal or retaliation against any employee, supervisor, or other individual who reports an act of bullying. Any employee who retaliates against another for exercising his/her/their rights under this policy shall be subject to discipline, up to and including termination. The Library will also take appropriate action to address a third party or nonemployee who engages in retaliation.

CHAIN OF COMMAND AND ISSUE RESOLUTION

The Library encourages open, respectful communication and fair review of workplace concerns through the established chain of command. This process ensures that issues are addressed at the most appropriate level and promotes a positive, solution-focused work environment.

Employees should follow the steps below unless the matter involves allegations of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, or other serious misconduct, in which case they should contact Human Resources or Library Administration directly.

1. If the issue involves a personnel matter with a co-worker, the employee should attempt to discuss the situation directly with that co-worker in a respectful and constructive manner. If direct communication is not successful or appropriate, the employee may seek guidance from their Supervisor or Human Resources.
2. If the concern remains unresolved with a coworker, or the concern is with the employee’s Supervisor, the employee should bring it to their Supervisor for review. The Supervisor will investigate, address the issue, and communicate a response. In most cases, the Supervisor’s decision will serve as the operational determination.
3. If the employee believes the concern was not fully addressed, they may present it to Human Resources, ideally in writing. Human Resources will review the matter, gather information as needed, and respond in a timely manner.
4. 4. If further review is necessary, the employee may elevate the issue to the Assistant Director or Director, depending on reporting lines. If the matter involves the Director or Assistant Director, it may be brought to the Library Board using the contact information listed on the Library’s website.

Finality of Decisions and Professional Conduct

Once a management or administrative decision has been reviewed and communicated through the appropriate chain of command, employees are expected to follow that decision in the course of their work. This does not limit an employee’s right to bring forward new concerns, new information, or issues involving possible policy violations or misconduct.