260.19   PERSONNEL POLICY MANUAL.
   (a)   Purpose. To provide quality services to the citizens of this City, there is a need to provide guidance for the administration of those services and to establish employment policies to bring a sense of order and unity to the workplace. The purpose of the Personnel Policy Manual shall be to establish policies, rules, and regulations governing the provision of high-quality services to the citizens and to achieve a high degree of understanding, cooperation, efficiency, and unity among the City's employees. The Personnel Policy Manual is intended to establish systematic and equitable procedures and regulations that provide uniform policies for the administration of all City employees, within both the classified and unclassified service, and to promote the professional management of the City's business.
   (b)   Development. The Administrative Steering Committee shall develop the policies, rules and regulations, as well as any amendments thereto, pertaining to the methods of compensation and fringe benefits approved by Council in this chapter, along with personnel management policies in the Personnel Policy Manual.
   (c)   Composition. The Personnel Policy Manual shall include:
      (1)   Provisions dealing with the administration and use of overtime, holidays, personal days, vacation, compensatory time, flex time, sick leave, family medical leave, injury leave, bereavement leave, longevity compensation, retirement plans and insurance plans, and any other fringe benefits authorized by Council under this chapter.
      (2)   Provisions providing policies and procedures for discipline of City employees, including causes for, and suspension, demotion, or removal, as well as for appeals to the Civil Service Commission from suspensions, demotions or removals of all officers and employees in the classified service whose employment is not covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
      (3)   Procedures for the in-house resolution of complaints or grievances to ensure employees' questions, grievances or complaints arising from misunderstandings and the application of the Manual's policies, procedures, rules, and regulations are promptly heard, answered and action taken to resolve the issues.
      (4)   Policies and procedures governing equal opportunity employment, employment eligibility verification, nepotism, nondiscrimination, workers' compensation, unemployment compensation, health insurance following separation, and any other policies or procedures necessary to comply with federal or state law.
      (5)   Any other practices and procedures necessary for the administration and management of City personnel.
   (d)   Application.
      (1)   If there is a conflict between the provisions of the Manual and the specific provision of a collective bargaining agreement entered into between the City and a group of employees, the terms of the collective bargaining agreement shall prevail only as to those employees covered by the agreement.
      (2)   If a collective bargaining agreement is silent as to any matter covered by the Manual, the Manual shall prevail and apply to those employees covered by that collective bargaining agreement, except as otherwise provided in the Manual.
      (3)   The City Charter and any City ordinances shall prevail in the event of a conflict between the policies, rules and procedures contained in the Manual and the Charter or ordinance.
   (e)   Use of Manual. An up-to-date copy of the Personnel Policy Manual shall be made readily available to all employees. Upon employment, all new hires will be required to sign a statement that he or she is aware of the Manual and its availability, and that he or she understands that his or her employment is governed by the policies, rules, regulations, and procedures contained therein. The signed employee statement shall be placed in the employee's personnel file.
(Ord. 2022-13. Adopted 05/26/22)