§ 32.053 RULES AND REGULATIONS.

   (A)   Lake County has the right, to monitor any and all aspects of its computer system, including but not limited to, monitoring sites visited by the user on the Internet, monitoring chat groups and news groups, reviewing material download or upload by users, and reviewing e-mail sent and received by users.

   (B)   Users are governed by the following provisions, which apply to all users of Lake County's computer and telecommunications resources and services.

      (1)   Users must comply with all software licenses and copyrights, and with all state, federal, and international laws governing intellectual property and on line activities.

      (2)   Fraudulent, harassing, embarrassing, sexually explicit, obscene, intimidating, defamatory, or other unlawful or inappropriate material may not be sent by e-mail or other forms of electronic communication (such as chat groups, bulletin boards, or news groups) or displayed on or stored in the Lake County computers. Users encountering or receiving the material should immediately report the incident to their supervisor.

      (3)   Without prior written permission, the computer and telecommunications resources and services of Lake County may not be used for the transmission or storage of commercial or personal advertisements, solicitations, promotions, (that is, viruses or self-replicating code) or any other unauthorized use.

      (4)   Content of all communications should be accurate. Users should use the same care in drafting e-mail and other electronic documents as they would for any other written communication. Anything created on the computer may, and likely will, be reviewed by others.

      (5)   Unless expressly authorized by the user's supervisor, sending receiving or otherwise disseminating proprietary data, or other confidential information of Lake County is expressly prohibited. Unauthorized dissemination of this information may result in substantial civil liability as well as serious criminal penalties.

      (6)   Unless expressly authorized by Lake County Data Processing, users are prohibited from:

         (a)   Installing software on individual computers or the network;

         (b)   Installing or using encryption software on any of Lake County's computers;

         (c)   Using passwords (other than network log in) or encryption keys that are unknown to their supervisors;

         (d)   Downloading software or data to or from any computer on the Lake County network;

         (e)   Placing any material, whether downloaded from the internet, other computers or networks, or installed from magnetic or optical media, into Lake County’s computer system, which has not been scanned for viruses or other destructive programs by Lake County Data Processing or by IT personnel within the office or department who have been approved by the Lake County Data Board;

         (f)   Accessing any internet sites not needed by an employee to fulfill his or her job responsibilities;

         (g)   Accessing internet sites not submitted to Lake County Data Processing in writing by the elected official or department head responsible for the supervision of the user (provided however, that because of the unique nature of their responsibilities, prior disclosure and approval shall not be required of the Lake County Prosecuting Attorney or his or her staff, and compliance with division (6)(f) will be monitored within this office);

         (h)   Connecting any computer or laptop to the Lake County computer network that has not been checked for the latest virus software;

         (i)   Operating personal computers, servers or laptops that do not have the latest version of their operating system as well as the latest service packs and patches; and/or

         (j)   Bringing laptops into Lake County Government facilities which have not been scanned by Lake County Data Processing for viruses or other destructive software before connection to the Lake County Network. The Director of Data Processing may delegate this responsibility to existing qualified employees within a particular department if, in his or her discretion, adequate system protection will be advanced by doing so.

      (7)   Users should not alter or copy a file belonging to another user without first obtaining permission from the owner of the file. The ability to read, alter or copy a file belonging to another user does not imply permission to read, alter, or copy that file.

      (8)   Users are responsible for safeguarding their passwords for the computer system. Individual passwords should not be printed, stored on-line, or given to others. Users are responsible for all transactions made using their passwords. No user may access the computer system using another user's password or account. Users may not disguise their identities while using the computer system.

      (9)   Users waive any right to privacy in anything they create, store, send, or receive on Lake County's computers or the Internet. Users consent to personnel of Lake County accessing and reviewing all material users create, store, send, or receive on Lake County's computers on the Internet.

      (10)   Notwithstanding the above, this subchapter shall not apply to judges, magistrates, commissioners, and referees of the Lake Circuit Court and Lake Superior Courts and their support staff, including but not limited to, judges' secretaries and law clerks, with respect to private case notes and court records which are works in progress, or classified as confidential by Indiana Supreme Court Rule or court order. Works in progress shall include, but are not limited to, court orders, findings, and memorandums.

      (11)   Prosecuting Attorney and Public Defender. Notwithstanding division (B)(6)(g) or division (B)(9) above, nothing contained in this section shall be construed to require the disclosure by the attorneys or support staff of the Prosecuting Attorney or the Public Defender, or any information deemed confidential under state or federal law, any rule of the Indiana Supreme Court, or Order of any court of record, or to constitute or require waiver of attorney-client privilege or attorney work product privilege or to require disclosure of information in violation thereof.

      (12)   Users shall observe and comply with all other policies and guidelines of Lake County in addition to the policies set forth herein.

      (13)   Lake County is not responsible for the actions of individual users in using the equipment and resources that are subject of this policy.

      (14)   Lake County is not responsible for material viewed or downloaded by users from the Internet. Users are cautioned that the Internet is a worldwide network of computers that contains millions of pages of information. Many of these pages include offensive, sexually explicit, and inappropriate material. Users accessing the Internet do so at their own risk.

   (C)   Elected officials or department heads utilizing Lake County computer resources shall inform their staff of the requirements of this subchapter and shall take all steps necessary to assure compliance with the rules and regulations contained herein. It is the responsibility of the elected officials or department heads to assure compliance with the requirements of this subchapter to make sure computer operating systems are kept current, and that virus software is updated daily.

   (D)   Noncompliance with the requirements of this subchapter may place the computer resources of the county at risk. In the event that Lake County Data Processing determines the risk to exist, individual users or groups of users may be isolated from the system until the problem is resolved. Any dispute regarding the application or enforcement of this subchapter by Lake County Data Processing shall be appealed to the Lake County Data Board.

(Ord. 1204I, passed 6-27-2000; Ord. 1204I-1, passed 9-12-2000; Ord. 1204I-2, passed 2-20-2007; Ord. 1204I-3, passed 5-15-2012) Penalty, see § 32.999

§ 32.054 UNAUTHORIZED INTERNET SITE ACCESS POLICY.

   (A)   Lake County Data Processing shall acquire and install software to block unauthorized internet site access by county employees.

   (B)   Data Processing shall develop forms for use by elected officials or department heads, identifying:

      (1)   Internet sites for which access is needed by their office or department; and

      (2)   Employees who need access to each identified site.

   (C)   Data Processing shall establish and communicate a deadline for submission of the internet site access request forms.

   (D)   Prior to implementing the blocking of unauthorized sites, Data Processing shall distribute to each office or department notice of the procedure to be followed to obtain access to sites otherwise blocked, and a one page summary of activity prohibited by this subchapter.

   (E)   Thereafter, Data Processing shall allow temporary access to sites not included on the initial list submitted, upon receipt of an internet site access change of status report, at least 48 hours in advance, indicating:

      (1)   The office or department requesting access;

      (2)   Duration of access required;

      (3)   Internet site to which access is required; and

      (4)   Which employees require access.

   (F)   The official or department head submitting the request for access shall certify that the access requested is needed in order for the employee to fulfill job responsibilities, and that the employee has been instructed to use it only for that purpose. The request may be submitted by mail.

   (G)   Any dispute regarding access to internet sites by county employees shall be resolved by appeal to the Lake County Data Board.

(Ord. 1204I-4, passed 6-12-2018)

§ 32.999 PENALTY.

      (A)   A violation of any provision of this chapter for which a penalty is not set out shall be subject to § 10.99.

   (B)   Compliance with §§ 32.050 through 32.054 by employees of Lake County, Indiana shall be considered a condition of employment. Violations of §§ 32.050 through 32.054 may result in disciplinary action, including possible immediate termination of employment, legal action and criminal liability. Users who violate §§ 32.050 through 32.054 may have their access to the Lake County computer network suspended or terminated. It shall be unlawful for a user to intentionally violate the provisions of §§ 32.050 through 32.054. Violation of §§ 32.050 through 32.054 resulting in damage to the Lake County computer network may result in civil liability of the violator for the damage caused thereby.

(Ord. 1204I, passed 6-27-2000; Ord. 1204I-2, passed 2-20-2007; Ord. 1204I-4, passed 6-12-2018)

APPENDIX A: HUMAN RESOURCES MANUAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Topic

Policy Disclaimer

Uniform Application of this Handbook

Section 1 - General Employment Practices

§ 1.1   Affirmative Action

§ 1.2   Civil Rights

§ 1.3   Conflict of Interest

§ 1.4   Conflict of Interest Governing Legal Services

§ 1.5   Disabled Employees/Americans With Disabilities Act

§ 1.6   Drug Free Workplace

§ 1.7   Equal Employment Opportunity

§ 1.8   Sexual Harassment

§ 1.9   Harassment (Of A Non-Sexual Nature)

§ 1.10   Open Door Policy

§ 1.11   Indemnification of Employees, Officers and Agents

Section 2 - Hiring Process And Employment Standards

§ 2.1   Application, Recruitment and Hiring

§ 2.2   Bridging of Service - Credit for Full Time Status

§ 2.3   Changes in Employee Information

§ 2.4   Definitions of Employment Status

§ 2.5   Orientation

§ 2.6   Probationary Performance Evaluation

§ 2.7   Work hours

§ 2.8   Flexible Time

§ 2.9   Emergency Closings

§ 2.10   Pay Periods, Paydays, Paychecks, Payroll Deductions and Credit Union

§ 2.11   Personnel Actions

§ 2.12   Performance Evaluations

§ 2.13   Official Personnel Records and Information

§ 2.14   References/Employment Verification

§ 2.15   Travel Guidelines

Section 3 - Employee Responsibilities

§ 3.1   Attendance Policy

§ 3.2   Care for County Property

§ 3.3   Vehicle Use Policy

§ 3.4   Computer Policy

§ 3.5   Social Media

§ 3.6   Telephone Use Policy

§ 3.7   Confidentiality

§ 3.8   Customer Service

§ 3.9   Dress Code

§ 3.10   Office Decor and Maintaining Work Areas and Equipment

§ 3.11   Drugs and Alcohol: Termination, Discipline, Rehabilitation

§ 3.12   Outside Employment

§ 3.13   Employee Ethics

§ 3.14   Guidelines for Conduct

§ 3.15   Mediation

§ 3.16   Possession of Firearms

§ 3.17   Violence-Free Workplace

§ 3.18   Safety and Health

§ 3.19   Smoke Free Environment

§ 3.20   Staff Identification Badges

§ 3.21   Internal Control Standards - Personnel Training

Section 4 - Employee Benefits

§ 4.1   Life Insurance

§ 4.2   Health Insurance

§ 4.3   Family and Medical Leave

§ 4.4   Bereavement Leave

§ 4.5   Holidays

§ 4.6   Employee Birthday Holiday

§ 4.7   Jury Duty and Subpoenaed Witness

§ 4.8   Military Leave

§ 4.9   Sick Days/Personal Leave

§ 4.10   Short Term Disability

§ 4.11   Vacation

§ 4.12   Worker Compensation

§ 4.13   Mandatory Benefits

§ 4.14   Health Insurance upon Retirement

§ 4.15   Voluntary Supplemental Benefits

§ 4.16   Parental Leave Policy

The Lake County Employee Handbook is a guide that describes the procedures and regulations that relate to your employment and has been prepared to assist you in making your employment enjoyable and rewarding.

In order to insure that the County's employment records are accurate, please notify your department's payroll clerk should you at any time change your name, address, telephone number, or marital/family status.

Although the handbook is designed to serve all employees in an equitable and fair manner, parts of this book may be superseded by union agreement or by specific department procedure. Wherever possible, those conflicts have been noted.

POLICY DISCLAIMER

This handbook has been prepared for the employees of Lake County to promote and maintain a positive working environment and to provide general direction and information. Since it is not possible for this handbook to cover each and every aspect of employment, the policies, procedures and benefits described in this handbook are summary descriptions, presented for information only, and are not intended to be all encompassing or applicable to every situation. Although this handbook has in itself been adopted as an ordinance, it may also provide summaries of County ordinances which are on file with the City Council. Additionally, departments may implement additional policies or procedures as authorized by this handbook.

Neither this handbook nor any other written or oral statement made to an employee by a representative of the County is intended to be an actual or implied contract unless reduced in writing, signed by the appropriate department head and explicitly stated in writing that the document is intended to serve as a contract.

Although the County wishes to make every effort to maintain continuity in its policies and the way it handles personnel issues, it retains the right to add, modify or terminate its policies, procedures or benefits at any time should a situation arise where such change is necessary to preserve appropriate operations. In those instances, changes shall be immediately applicable to all employees regardless of whether the change conflicts with previous language contained in the handbook and whether or not notice was given prior to the change in policy was made.

Unless covered by contractual agreement, all County employees are employees “at will,” and are free to resign at any time, just as the County is free to terminate that employment at any time pursuant to County policy. Neither this handbook nor any other written or oral statements of County policy is intended to modify the “at will” status of an individual's employment.

As noted earlier, employees who are represented by collective bargaining are also subject to the provisions of this handbook unless otherwise defined or addressed by written contract or agreement. In those instances, the contractual language (or written agreement) will supersede the terms of the handbook.

All benefits granted to an employee as a result of his/her employment with the County are subject to change without notice if those changes are necessary to comply with state or federal law or if amended by the County due to budgetary constraint.

UNIFORM APPLICATION OF THIS HANDBOOK

It is the intent of the County Council to adopt an employee handbook that applies uniformly to all divisions of government except the Judiciary (which are employees of the Indiana 31st Judicial District) Park Department, merit correctional officers and merit police officers, each of which maintain their own handbooks or are covered by collective bargaining. The handbook applies to employees of the Highway Department unless it conflicts with that department's collective bargaining agreement or mutually agreed to work rules. Although this handbook makes reference to the Board of Commissioners, employees of other divisions of County Government including the Lake County Auditor, Treasurer, Coroner, Recorder, Assessor, Surveyor, Clerk, Sheriff and Township Assessors should substitute the chief elected official of that division for references to “Board of Commissioners” except where such authority is expressly granted to the Board of Commissioners by ordinance or state statute.

SECTION 1- GENERAL EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES