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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNS ORD-1997-007 Personnel Ordinance Revision - Workplace Violence Prevention (2) l Orange County Board of Commissioners Action Agenda Item Abstract Meeting Date: May 5, 1997 Action Agenda Item No. 8-C Subject: Personnel Ordinance Revision -Workplace Violence Prevention Department: Personnel Public Hearing: Yes No X Budget Amendment Needed: Yes No X Attachment(s): Information Contact: Draft Revision to the Orange County Eleanor Green, Personnel Analyst Personnel Ordinance, Article III, New Section 9.0 Extension 2556 Telephone Number: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 227-2031 Purpose: To consider the addition of a Workplace Violence Prevention policy to the Orange County Personnel Ordinance. Background: The Personnel Department is working closely with Risk Management Director Pam Jones and members of the County's Risk Management Team to address employee safety concerns. One of the top employee concerns identified is the increasing incidence of workplace violence. To respond to employee concerns about workplace violence, the Risk Management Team and the Personnel Department plan to launch a Workplace Violence Prevention initiative that includes development and communication of policies and procedures to support the initiative, as well as training for employees on workplace violence prevention and incident reporting. The attached draft addition of a Workplace Violence policy supports this initiative and addresses the following issues related to Workplace Violence: 2 • Expresses concern for the security and safety of all Orange County employees and citizens. • Delineates specific responsibilities for the employee, department head or supervisor, Personnel Department and Risk Management Director in managing and reporting workplace violence. • Provides for reporting and assessment of workplace violence incidents. Beginning in May, Workplace Violence Prevention training will be offered to employees whose jobs are designated as "high risk." The "high risk" employees are those employees whose jobs require work in community and home settings away from the Orange County offices (social workers, public health nurses, inspectors, for example). After the initial phase of training for the "high risk" employees, training will be offered to other Orange County employees as requested. In addition to training, the workplace violence prevention initiative will include looking at existing facilities and work practices and making recommendations for any necessary changes in these areas. Recommendation: The Manager recommends the Board approve amending the Orange County Personnel Ordinance to add the Workplace Violence Prevention Policy. f:\pers\wkviolen.doc 3/4/97 D RAFT ATTACHMENT i�l�O Orange Coup Personnel Ordinance Article III. New Section 9.0 9.0 WORKPLACIF VIOLENCE PREVENTION 9.1 P=ose Orange County is concerned for the security and safety of its employees and citizens. It is the responsibility of each employee to contribute to the safety of the work environment. No Orange County employee may engage in workplace violence or activities that may provoke workplace violence. Each employee shall report workplace violence and handle conflicts according to established guidelines. To facilitate workplace safety and violence prevention,the County has established this Workplace Violence Prevention policy. In addition,.the County provides employees with guidelines to follow when responding to workplace violence and training to educate employees in ways to prevent workplace violence. 9.2 Coverage This policy applies to all Orange County employees both permanent and temporary. 9.3 ReMmsibilities 9.3.1 Emti_.lovee Each employee is responsible for: • Following established guidelines for workplace violence prevention • Reporting any suspicion or knowledge of a current or potential incident of workplace violence(involving employees or non- employees)to a supervisor as instructed by the Workplace Violence Prevention Guidelines including completion of the required reporting form following any incident. 9.3.2 DCpadM=j Head/,Supervisor Each department head and supervisor is responsible for: • Following the guidelines for workplace violence prevention • Reporting any suspicion or knowledge of a current or potential incident of workplace violence to the Risk Management Director as instructed by the reporting procedures,including completion of the Workplace Violence Reporting form. 4 • Communicating the Workplace Violence Prevention Policy and Workplace Violence Prevention guidelines to employees 9.3.3 Risk Management Director(Purchasing and Central Services Director) The Risk Management Director is responsible for: • Establishing and maintaining the workplace violence prevention policy and guidelines • Reviewing and facilitating the evaluation of all incident reports of workplace violence • Coordinating the Violence Assessment Team to review and respond to any incidents as necessary • Initiating any necessary changes to enhance workplace safety and communicating the planned changes to involved employees 9.3.4 Personnel Department The Personnel Department is responsible for: • Planning and coordinating training for department heads, supervisors and employees in building understanding of what workplace violence is and how to recognize and respond to a potentially violent or threatening incident • Communicating to employees and supervisors the County's policies and guidelines relating to workplace violence prevention 9.3.5 Violence Assessment Team The Violence Assessment Team is appointed by the Risk Management Director and is responsible for: • Assessing the vulnerability to workplace violence and making recommendations on preventive actions • Reviewing and responding to any workplace violence incidents as necessary. 9.4 Definitions Workplace Violence includes,but is not limited to,verbal abuse,harassment, intimidation,threats,physical attack,carrying or possession of a prohibited weapon,or inflicting property damage as a result of an intentional act. Harassment/Intimidation includes,but is not limited to, stalking or engaging in actions intended to frighten or coerce. 2 Threat is an expression or action showing intent to inflict harm. This includes the giving of signs or warnings of violence. An expression constitutes a threat without regard to whether the party communicating the threat has the present ability to carry it out and without regard to the overt or subtle nature of the expression. Physical Attack is unwanted or hostile physical contact such as hitting,fighting, pushing, shoving or throwing objects at a person. Prohibited Weapons-A firearm;an explosive,corrosive, inflammable or radioactive substance or any instrumentality of mass death and destruction; a knife(other than a pocket knife with a blade not exceeding four inches long which provides for its point and cutting edge to be entirely enclosed by its handle and which may not be opened by any throwing,explosive or spring action)not furnished or approved by the employee's department for the accomplishment of the job;and any other object used or which reasonably could be used to cause bodily harm. A small container of tear gas,pepper spray, or mace used or intended to be used for personal defense is not a prohibited weapon for the purposes of this policy. 3 199 -5-- g7 L. PRELIMINARY PLAN FOR CEDAR POINTE S'C_ This item was moved to the end of the Consent Agenda for separate consideration. M. BID AWARD FOR FOOD STAMP DIRECT MAIL ISSUANCE CONTRACT The Board approved and authorized the Chair to sign a three-year contract, effective July 1, 1997, with Cost Containment, Inc. for the direct mailing of food stamps at a not-to-exceed rate of$0.448 per transaction following receipt of written approval of the contract from the State. N. NO ITEM ADDED ITEM O. MODIFICATION OF BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING SCHEDULE The Board approved modifying the meeting schedule changing the presentation of the Budget from May 27 to May 29, 1997. VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA: UNANIMOUS STUB-OUTS IN SUBDIVISION DEVELOPMENTS A motion was made by Commissioner Brown, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to reaffirm the present Planning Board policy for land dedicated to stub-outs in subdivision developments to allow for access to undeveloped land adjacent to the subdivision. VOTE: UNANIMOUS ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA B. MINUTES A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Carey to approve the minutes as corrected for December 7, 1996. VOTE: UNANIMOUS C. PERSONNEL ORDINANCE REVISIONS_WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION Commissioner Carey asked that the ordinance revision cover volunteers. He was told that this revision will be incorporated into the Personnel Ordinance and that volunteers would be covered in another document. Commissioner Gordon asked about the guidelines and was told that these are listed in a document separate. She also asked about identification of high risk employees. A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Brown to table this item for receipt of further information. VOTE: UNANIMOUS E. CLASSIFICATION PLAN AMENDMENT AND INCREASE IN HOURS - ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE TESL) COORDINATOR After a brief discussion, a motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Carey to change the ESL (English as a Second Language) Coordinator position by (1) amending the Orange County classification and Pay Plan to change the salary grade of ESL Coordinator from Salary Grade 62 to Salary Grade 64 and (2) increasing the hours of the ESL Coordinator position from 20 hours to 30 hours each week. VOTE: UNANIMOUS F. HEALTH CHECK OUTREACH PROJECT AGREEMENTS A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Carey to approve the Health Check Outreach Project implementation agreement and authorize the Health Director to sign the document in accordance with the policy previously approved by the Commissioners. VOTE: UNANIMOUS G. DENTAL SCREENING CONTRACT