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Employee Accountability

Policy Number:
1.1.5
Responsible Office:
University Police
Approved Date:
7/25/2022
Approved By:
Tony Decker

Policy Properties

  • Chapter: 1 Organization and Management Role
  • Distribution: Policy Manual
  • Reference: UWGB HR 14-16-6, UWGB HR 14-15-7
  • Scope: All Employees

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines and a process for the accountability of staff's actions which may consist of explementary or determinantal action(s) or inaction(s). The rapid identification and documentation will facilitate the appropriate tracking of occurrences and allow for prompt notification to the employee if they have either exceeded or failed to meet behavior or performance expectations.

This policy is designed to be recognitive, positive and corrective. Employee discipline is considered a serious action, undertaken with care, objectivity and full consideration for the rights and interests of the employee and the University.

Policy

It is the policy of the University of Wisconsin Green Bay Police Department to hold their employees accountable for their actions and inaction and also to recognize efforts that exceed expectations.

Definitions

  1. Administrative Action: facilitated by Human Resources, typically occurs following written notice and may consist of a modification of an employee's work assignment or being placed on paid administrative leave. This is not in and of itself a disciplinary action, but may or may not be followed by such.
  2. Dismissal: facilitated through Human Resources, a disciplinary action to remove an employee from employment with the University.
  3. Documented Counseling: The lowest level of interdepartmental documented corrective action, is often preceded by unsuccessful Verbal Counseling attempts.
  4. Notice of Direction: A written notice that an employee's actions have not met the expectations of the University or University Police Department. This often includes actions that hinder University Police's ability to function, retain and command respect in their police functions or impairs the Department or University's credibility, reputation or image. A failure to comply can lead to disciplinary action.
  5. Performance Improvement Plan: A non-disciplinary formal process initiated by university supervisors and facilitated by Human Resources, which attempts to bring an employee's performance into conformity with departmental standards. (see UWGB employee handbook) 
  6. Suspension: facilitated through Human Resources, a disciplinary action taken to temporarily relieve an employee of their duties and place them on leave without pay.
  7. Verbal Counseling: The lowest level of interdepartmental corrective action on an employee that is not formally documented. The expectation is that the supervisor clearly informs the employee of future expectations.
  8. Written Reprimand: facilitated through Human Resources and issued into an employee's University level record, a formal written document of discipline outlining behaviors that are below performance or behavior expectations and the potential consequences if the behavior continues.

Procedure

A. University Expectations

  1. All University employees are expected to adhere to all University policies. Policy HR 14-16-6 generally directs that all employees will
    1. Be Fair and Respectful to others
    2. Protect and Preserve UW System Resources
    3. Act Ethically and with Integrity
    4. Contribute to a healthy and safe workplace
    5. Promote a culture of compliance
    6. Engage in Proper personal conduct
  2. University Police Supervisors should document exemplary employee actions by completing Appendix A: Interdepartmental Tracking Form as necessary.

B. Interdepartmental Counseling for failure to meet expectations

  1. University Departments are permitted to address minor employee performance or conduct violations interdepartmentally.
  2. An employee's failure to meet workplace performance or behavior expectations should be appropriately addressed by University Police supervisors consistent with policу.
    1. A supervisor should generally use verbal counseling as the first corrective action for minor violations.
    2. University Police Supervisors may complete an Interdepartmental Tracking Form, to ensure that the employee was advised on the performance or behavior expectations.
    3. University Police Supervisors will initiate Documented Counseling on an Interdepartmental Tracking Form when repeated verbal corrections are proven ineffective or if willfully ignored.
    4. University Police Supervisors should detail on any subsequent Interdepartmental Tracking Forms a summary of previous corrective efforts related to that specific performance or behavior expectation. Supervisors are responsible for the accuracy and appropriateness of any Interdepartmental Tracking Form they produce.
  3. Consistent with lines of supervision, any University Police Supervisor may direct a subordinate supervisor to address an employee's performance or behavioral violations. How the performance or behavioral violation is addressed is subject to the employee's direct supervisor's determination, unless specifically ordered by that directing supervisor.
  4. University Police Supervisors when taking corrective actions should do so at the appropriate progressive levels; ensuring that the employee has been clearly informed or should otherwise have known the performance or behavior expectation(s).
  5. The Chief of Police, or their designee, may serve as an arbitrator for disagreements between supervisors and subordinates for interdepartmental issues. An employee who does this in no way surrenders or diminishes any right afforded to them by their employment, or which would be available to them through the University.
  6. Formal disciplinary action through Human Resources typically begins after significant but ineffective interdepartmental corrective action has occurred, or is necessitated by the severity of the observed actions or inaction.

C. Human Resource Disciplinary Procedures

  1. The Chief of Police or their designee, after consultation with Human Resources may initiate Administrative Action against any subordinate employee.
  2. The Chief of Police or their designee, after consultation with Human Resources may initiate a Written Reprimand against any subordinate employee.
  3. The Chief of Police or their designee, after consultation with Human Resources may initiate a Suspension against any subordinate employee.
  4. Any supervisor may initiate a Performance Improvement Plan against a subordinate employee, after consultation with the Chief of Police and Human Resources.
  5. The Chief of Police, after consultation with Human Resources may initiate the dismissal process to dismiss any subordinate employee from employment.
  6. This policy is at all times subordinate to those of the University. University employees have and retain all the rights and privileges afforded to them by the status and tenue of their employment. Probationary and Non-Probationary employees have different employment statuses.
  7. Employees who violate expectations may be subject to progressive and cumulative disciplinary action by Human Resources. Progressive discipline is based on the principle that employees have been informed of the expected performance and behavior. As offenses occur, appropriate discipline will be administered progressively and shall be appropriate to the circumstances of the offense. These standards do not preclude imposing more or less severe actions based upon the full circumstances surrounding an incident or employee record.
  8. Prior to issuance of any discipline by Human Resources, and in line with just-cause provisions, investigatory interviews may be conducted to determine alleged offenses and allow an employee to present evidence related to the allegation. Employees have a right to representation in predisciplinary investigations and the representative's role is limited to serving as an observer, asking clarifying questions or taking notes. Notice of predisciplinary investigations will be provided to employees a minimum of 24 hours in advance to allow employees time to prepare and secure a representative, if they choose.

D. Human Resource Facilitated Corrective Efforts

  1. After consultation with the Chief of Police, a supervisor may engage Human Resources to initiate a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) with any subordinate employee. This process is meant to be corrective and is not disciplinary.
  2. A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) occurs when an employee has received demonstratable corrective efforts which have failed to bring an employee's performance or behavior into compliance with departmental standards. The commencement of a PIP is marked by an employee receiving a Human Resources approved Letter of Consequence from their supervisor.
  3. A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is a significant corrective action facilitated and assisted by Human Resources. It consists of structured formal evaluations and notices provided to the employee if their actions met or did not meet performance or behavioral expectations, and providing reasonable corrective resources.
  4. A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) has three logical paths during and upon its conclusion;
    1. the employee successful completes the PIP
    2. the employee elects to discontinue employment
    3. the University moves to terminate employment if performance or behavioral expectations cannot be raised to an acceptable and employee self-sustaining level.
  5. An employee who completes a Performance Improvement Plan, but subsequently fails to maintain the performance or behavioral expectations, is subject to progressive discipline including termination.

E. Recognition for actions that exceed expectations

  1. University supervisors are encouraged to recognize the exemplary actions of our department members. When the actions rise to the level of recognition, but not to the level of an award, supervisors will complete an Interdepartmental Tracking Form.
  2. Consistent with lines of supervision and best practice, any University Police Supervisor may direct a subordinate supervisor to document the exemplary actions of their subordinate on a Interdepartmental Tracking Form. This process allows the direct supervisor to formally recognize the positive action or behavior of the employee, and encourages similar acts by the employee and other members of this department.
  3. Employees are encouraged to make supervisors aware of the actions of other employees which may fall into this category