Agenda - 10-28-2008 - 6 - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 "It is the intent of Orange County in establishing this policy to provide a fair, clear and useful tool for correcting performance or conduct problems. Disciplinary action, when imposed, will be for the purpose of improving employee and County performance and conduct. When an employee fails to meet his or her work performance or conduct responsibilities, the supervisor is responsible for correcting such failure by initiating appropriate disciplinary action. An employee may be warned, demoted, suspended or dismissed for just cause. The degree and type of action taken shall be based on the sound and considered judgment of the appropriate authority...." 2. Coaching and Counseling The County Management, guided by the principles set out in the Ordinance, understands it is management's duty to address unacceptable work performance and personal conduct, but sees the primary responsibility of management as reviewing and encouraging satisfactory job performance and conduct in County employees. The County's disciplinary process is only one of the tools used for improving and/or correcting an employee's performance or conduct. The primary tool used to improve and/or correct employee's performance and conduct is coaching and counseling. This is an interactive process between the employee and the supervisor requiring open and honest dialogue and feedback. This process is encouraged as soon as problems in performance or conduct are identified and at the lowest possible level, generally between the employee and the supervisor. In the process of coaching and counseling, the Supervisor and the employee may also seek the assistance of a Human Resource Professional and work collaboratively to define expectations and establish a plan of action to improve the employee's performance or conduct. As a result of coaching and counseling most employees do not get to the disciplinary stage. 3. Covered Employees. This disciplinary process covers permanent employees who have completed their probationary period. Exempt from the process are employees in the Departments of Social Service and Health as well as employees in the Register of Deeds and Sheriff's Office. Both the Sheriff and the Register of Deeds Office have the discretion to follow the process set forth in the Personnel Ordinance. The Social Service and Health Departments employees are County employees covered by the State Personnel Act, who must follow the procedures for local government employees set forth in the North Carolina Administrative Code. This means of the 844 permanent Orange County employees, 392 or 47% of the employees are not subject to the Disciplinary Action Process covered in Article IX of the Ordinance. Additionally, in disciplinary proceedings involving Social Service or Health Department employees, the Administrative Code specifically prohibits legal representation by either side. Any changes to the Personnel Ordinance regarding legal representation at pre-disciplinary conferences would only affect those employees covered by the Personnel Ordinance. (See Attachment 2) 4. Employee Perceptions. In May 2008, with the assistance of the North Carolina Employment Security Commission the County developed an Employee Opinion Survey. All employees where ask to respond to the survey, 484 (59.4%) of employees responded. One question asked by the survey was does "[This] organization makes an honest attempt to resolve problems that may exist." Seventy-two