Employee hanbook exam.docx

3.3 Performance Reviews 7 The Village will make its best effort to conduct a minimum of one written performance review per year for all employees. Performance evaluation forms will be completed by the employee’s immediate supervisor. The annual performance evaluation should be completed for each emp...

3.3 Performance Reviews 7 The Village will make its best effort to conduct a minimum of one written performance review per year for all employees. Performance evaluation forms will be completed by the employee’s immediate supervisor. The annual performance evaluation should be completed for each employee, and a copy provided to the employee. A personal interview between the employee and the immediate supervisor shall be conducted within a reasonable period after receipt by the employee of the written evaluation. The evaluation will include a review of the employee’s principal responsibilities, an appraisal of the employee’s job performance, a discussion of problem areas, and a plan of action to set objectives for performance and to assist in alleviating any problem areas. All evaluations shall be submitted to the Human Resources for review and be made a part of the employee’s personnel records 3.12 Workers’ Compensation All employees are covered by Workers’ Compensation, which provides for work time lost and payment for medical expenses incurred because of injury or illness arising out of and during the performance of his/her job. An injured employee must report immediately any injury or illness (no matter how minor) to his/her supervisor. Within three (3) days of any incident, the supervisor must notify the Human Resources Office. Medical bills for job-related injuries should be submitted to the Human Resources Office. Employees must receive authorization from a physician to return to work when off from work for three (3) consecutive days or more. The first three (3) days an employee is off work due to a job-related injury are not paid by workers’ compensation. If an employee is off work with a job-related injury for more than fourteen (14) days, the first three (3) days are paid by workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation covers 2/3 of the employee’s average weekly pay. To ensure no service time is lost, any participants in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (“I.M.R.F.”) must file for disability benefits when injury occurs. 3.13 Paychecks Employees will receive electronic notification regarding their paychecks by Friday, after the completion of a two-week period ending the previous Sunday. The pay period for all employees shall be bi-weekly with the close of the pay period designated at 12:00 midnight the Sunday prior to payday. When a holiday on a payday exists, checks will be distributed on the preceding workday. Paychecks will be available in the respective department for those employees not getting their paychecks direct deposited. The Village retains sole discretion in the establishment of the payroll period, and paydays may be changed by the Village Board. 3.14 Payroll Deductions An employee’s pay shall be subject to legally mandated payroll deductions, including withholding for federal and state taxes. The amount deducted depends upon the number of exemptions claimed by the employee. Employees who wish to change the number of exemptions should contact Human Resources. 10 Except for employees eligible to participate in the Fire and Police Pension Funds, payroll deductions are also made for the Federal Insurance Contribution Act (“F.I.C.A.”) or Social Security. F.I.C.A. deductions are set by federal law. All employees who work more than 1,000 hours per year and are not eligible for membership in the Fire and Police Pension Funds are subject to deductions for the I.M.R.F. The current employee contribution established by State law is 4.5% of total wages. Employees may also arrange to have voluntary deductions made from their pay for direct deposits to banks, for deferred compensation plans and to the credit union (this service must be available at the bank or credit union so named). Arrangements should be made through the HR Portal, Payroll, or Human Resources. SECTION 4: RECRUITMENT AND EMPLOYMENT 4.1 Equal Employment Opportunity Statement It is the policy of the Village that employment in Village government shall be based on merit and individual qualifications. No discrimination shall be exercised in any manner by a Village official or employee against or in favor of any applicant for Village employment or employee because of political or religious opinions or affiliations, or because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, marital status, military or veteran status, order of protection status, genetic information, disability, sexual orientation, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions), gender expression, gender identification, unfavorable military discharge, and arrest record (or criminal history record ordered expunged, sealed, or impounded) or other protected status or characteristic as established by law. The Village interprets these protected statuses broadly to include both the actual status and any perceptions and assumptions made regarding these statuses. An applicant or employee shall be considered solely based on qualifications, abilities, skills, and knowledge, with or without reasonable accommodation. Just and equitable incentives and conditions of employment are to be maintained to promote efficiency and economy in the operation of Village government. The Village has officially affirmed this policy statement and it is reaffirmed by its inclusion in this manual. The policy of Equal Employment Opportunity applies to all policies and procedures relating to recruiting, hiring, training, promotion, pay, and all personnel actions. The Village complies with 13 Federal and State equal employment opportunity laws and strives to keep the workplace free from all forms of illegal harassment as set forth in its Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation Prevention Policy. The Village also makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities and for religious reasons, unless doing so creates an undue hardship, in accordance with all legal requirements. Any applicant or employee who requires an accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job should contact the Village Manager or the Director of Human Resources to request that accommodation. We will work with that individual to attempt to identify a reasonable accommodation which will not impose an undue hardship on the Village. All employees must follow this policy. Any employee who violates this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. We are committed to the practice of equal employment opportunity and will not tolerate intimidation or retaliation against employees or applicants because they have engaged in or may engage in filing a complaint of discrimination or retaliation; assisting or participating in an investigation; opposing any act or practice made unlawful by any local, state, or federal law; or for exercising any other legally protected right. The Village Manager has overall responsibility for this policy and maintains reporting and monitoring procedures. Employee questions or concerns regarding this policy or violation thereof, should be referred to the Village Manager or the Director of Human Resources. Complaints are investigated immediately and handled as confidentially as possible in accordance with the procedure outlined in the Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation Prevention Policy. The Village ensures employees following this complaint procedure are protected against retaliation. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against any employee violating this policy. Please see our Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation Prevention Policy for information about the Village’s policy regarding investigation and resolution of complaints. 4.2 Disability and Pregnancy Accommodations The Village reaffirms its commitment to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and the Illinois Human Rights Act. The ADA makes it unlawful to discriminate in any employment practices such as recruiting, hiring, promoting, training, reduction- in- force, pay, firing, classifications, leaves, benefits, etc., against a job-qualified individual with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, an individual who has a record of such a limiting impairment, or an individual who is regarded as having such an impairment. The term “pregnancy” for purposes of this policy shall mean pregnancy, childbirth, or medical or common conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth. The Village will provide reasonable accommodations to such qualified individuals with a disability or pregnancy, such as making the workplace readily accessible and providing necessary equipment and devices for such individuals in the functioning of their job. It is the responsibility of the employee to bring his/her need for any such modification to the workplace or necessary equipment or device to the attention of his/her Department Manager. This information will be kept confidential and separate from the employee’s personnel file. The employee and Department Manager shall work to mutually agree upon a reasonable accommodation. However, the Village does not guarantee that the accommodation shall necessarily be the one requested by the employee or the “best” accommodation but only that it 14 shall be one that enables the employee to perform the essential functions of the job. Accommodations will not be provided if doing so would create an undue hardship on the Village. If the employee is not satisfied with the reasonable accommodation provided by the Department Manager, the employee may bring the matter to the attention of the Village Manager. Lactation Accommodation Policy The Village will provide employees with a safe space and a reasonable amount of break time to accommodate the employee’s need to express breastmilk for their nursing infant child, for up to one (1) year following the child’s birth. The requested break time, if possible, should be taken concurrently with other scheduled or provided break periods. Employees will be paid for any additional amount of reasonable break time needed to express breastmilk, unless doing so would cause the Village undue hardship in accordance with applicable law. 4.3 Religious Accommodation The Village respects the religious beliefs and practices of all employees and will make an accommodation for such sincerely held observances and beliefs when a reasonable accommodation is available that does not create an undue hardship on the organization. The immediate supervisor will evaluate any request for accommodation considering whether a work conflict exists and whether an accommodation is available. The supervisor and employee will meet to discuss the request and decision on an accommodation. If the employee accepts the proposed accommodation, the supervisor will implement the decision. If the employee disagrees with the proposed accommodation, the employee may submit a written appeal the decision of the supervisor to the Village Manager 4.7 Employment of Relatives / Anti-Nepotism Members of the family (as defined below) or household will not be considered for employment. 15 The employment of other close relatives is discouraged. With the Village Manager’s approval, a Department Manager may hire, temporary, seasonal or part-time employees with no benefits, persons within the family or elected officials. However, that employee will not be able to work in the same department as their relative. Neither shall they be transferred, promoted, or demoted to a position whereby they would be supervised or where they would supervise a family member. Employees employed prior to 2018 who are presently working in the same department with a member of his/her family, as defined below, shall be exempted from this policy. However, the following policy shall apply in such circumstances: A. Members of a household within the same department may not have a direct reporting relationship with another member of their family. B. Members of a household may not be in the position of approving either the timecard or the salary of another member of their family. C. Electronic Time sheets and employee scheduling for members of a household within the same department shall be subject to approval by the Village Manager. D. The Village Manager shall be responsible for monitoring these situations to ensure that there are no violations or problems created. If two employees at the same location become family/spouse during their employment and are in a supervisory/subordinate relationship, or one of the employees is in a position of having access to confidential material, one of the two must transfer, if a position for which he or she is qualified is available. The Village will try to accommodate a job transfer to a different department or transfer one employee to different shift or different supervisor. If no position is available, one employee must either voluntarily resign or enter into an Alternative Management Plan within 30 days of the date in which the two became family. The choice of the voluntary resignation or alternative management plan shall be made by the employees involved. An Alternative Management Plan shall be approved by the Village Manager or his or her designee, and shall outline supervision and evaluation procedures that will mitigate possible conflicts of interest amongst members of family. In the event of members of family having a supervisory/subordinate relationship, the Alternative Management Plan should address to whom the subordinate employee shall report and who will supervise, evaluate, and discipline the subordinate employee to ensure members of family do not have any effect upon the promotion, compensation, hours, or other conditions of employment of another member of family. In the event one of the members of family has access to confidential information, that member of family must enter into a non-disclosure agreement with the Village agreeing not to disclose any confidential information to the other member of family. Alternative Management Plans should also address ways to avoid any potential appearance of nepotism, conflict of interest, or conflict of commitment. To ensure continuity and appropriateness, a unit review of the approved management plan should take place in the event of any change in reporting relationships, and on an annual basis at a minimum. For purposes of this Section 4.7 only, the terms “family” and “spouse” are defined as follows: Family: Mother, father, sister, brother, spouse, son, daughter, stepmother, stepfather, stepsister, stepbrother, or grandparent of employee or spouse. (Blood, step, in-laws) 16 Spouse: Those people living together married or unmarried in an espoused relationship, which is defined as two people living together sharing bed and board, siring children, sharing financial, recreational, and social activities with or without benefit of a marriage license or marriage ceremony. Employees must notify Human Resources within 14 days of the marriage or civil union. 4.8 Employee Dating Policy The Village of Romeoville strongly believes that a work environment where employees maintain clear boundaries between employee personal and business interactions is most effective for conducting business and enhancing productivity. Although this policy does not prevent the development of friendship or romantic relationships between co-workers, it does establish boundaries as to how relationships are conducted during work hours and within the working environment. Individuals in supervisory or Managerial roles, and those with authority over others’ terms and conditions of employment, are subject to more stringent requirements under this policy due to their status as role models, their access to sensitive information, and their ability to affect terms and conditions of employment of individuals in subordinate positions. This policy does not preclude or interfere with the rights of employees protected by the National Labor Relations Act or any other applicable statue concerning the employment relationship. A. During working time and in working areas, employees are expected to conduct themselves in an appropriate workplace manner. B. During nonworking time, such as lunches, breaks, and before and after work periods, employees engaging in personal exchanges in non-work areas should observe an appropriate workplace manner to avoid offending other employees or putting others in an uncomfortable position. C. Employees are strictly prohibited from engaging in physical contact that would in any way be deemed inappropriate by a reasonable person while anywhere on company premises, whether during work hours or not. D. Employees who allow personal relationships with co-workers to adversely affect the work environment will be subject to the appropriate provisions of the Village of Romeoville’s disciplinary policy. Failure to change behavior and maintain expected work responsibilities is viewed as a serious disciplinary matter. E. Employee off-duty conduct is generally regarded as private if such conduct does not create problems within the workplace. An exception to this principle, however, is romantic or sexual relationships between supervisors and subordinates. F. Any supervisor, Manager, or in a sensitive or influential position with the Village of Romeoville must disclose the existence of a romantic or sexual relationship with a co-worker. Disclosure may be made to the immediate supervisor or the Human Resources Manager. This disclosure will enable the Village of Romeoville to determine whether any conflict of interest exists because of the relative positions of the individuals involved. All other employees must disclose their relationship with co-workers to their immediate supervisor. Failure to disclose a romantic or sexual relationship may lead to discipline up to and including termination. G. Regarding Paragraph F, when a conflict-of-interest problem or potential risk is identified, the Village of Romeoville will work with the employees involved to consider options for resolving the problem. The initial solution may be to make sure the employees no longer work together 17 on matters where one is able to influence the other or act for the other. Matters such as hiring, firing, promotions, performance management, compensation decisions and financial transactions are examples of situations that will require reallocation of duties to avoid any actual or perceived reward or disadvantage. In some cases, other measures may be necessary, such as transfer to other positions or departments. H. Regarding Paragraph F, if one or both parties refuse to accept a reasonable solution or to offer an alternative position, if available, such refusal will be deemed a voluntary resignation. I. Failure to cooperate with the Village of Romeoville to resolve a conflict or problem caused by a romantic or sexual relationship between co-workers or among mangers, supervisors, or others in positions of authority over another employee in a mutually agreeable fashion may be deemed insubordination and cause for immediate termination. The disciplinary policy of the Village of Romeoville will be followed to ensure fairness and consistency before any such extreme measures are undertaken. J. The provisions of this policy apply regardless of the sexual orientation of the employees involved. K. Where doubt exist as to the specific meaning of the terms used above, employees should make judgements based on the overall spirit and intent of this policy. L. Any concerns about the administration of this policy should be addressed to the Human Resources Manager. 5.7 Unused Sick Leave at Retirement and Health Insurance When an employee retires, the value of unused sick time may be applied toward the payment of continuing health insurance by one of the approved methods. The Village may offer three (3) different options to the retiree on how the premiums can be paid. Option 1: The retiree can stay on the Village’s health insurance plan and the monthly premium will be deducted from the value of the retiree’s sick bank. Option 2: The retiree can choose an outside vendor sponsored by IMRF and the Village will pay IMRF/Vendor directly and deduct the month premium from the value of the retiree’s sick bank. The maximum the Village will pay is equal to the amount the Village would pay under Option 1 based upon the coverage the employee has at the time of retirement. Option 3: The retiree would receive the Village equivalent of the insurance they had upon leaving the Village in a monthly cash payment. The maximum the Village will pay is equal to the amount the Village would pay under Option 1 based upon the coverage the employee has at the time of retirement. The retiree would be responsible for any taxes associated with the monthly payment they receive. The sick bank balance paid out monthly is not eligible for the match that is offered per the MAP contract or employee handbook for union and non-union sworn officers. The Village may offer the retiring employee four types of coverage: (1) Retiree only, (2) Retiree and spouse, (3) Retiree and child(children) and (4) Retiree and family. The premium charged will be reviewed by the Village on an annual basis, and if there are any changes to be made, the retiree will be notified. Once the employee and/or spouse reach age 65 and are Medicare qualified, they must enroll in the Village’s carve out plan for Medicare retirees only. The premium can be paid from your sick bank if you have not depleted it, or the retiree pays the company directly. In the event the retired employee dies prior to becoming 65 years of age, the surviving spouse shall be eligible coverage based on the option the retiree was participating in at the time of his/her death. The surviving spouse is only eligible if they are receiving a monthly pension from the retirement system in which the employee participated. 5.11 Family and Medical Leave Eligibility: The purpose of the Family and Medical Leave Act (“F.M.L.A.”) is to balance the needs of families with the demands of the workplace. Any employee who has been employed for at least twelve (12) months and worked at least 1,250 regular scheduled hours during the previous twelve (12) months is eligible for this leave. Calculation of Leave: The Village counts FMLA leave on a “rolling backward basis” from the date an employee uses any FMLA leave. A rolling forward basis, however, is used to track the 26 weeks of family military leave available to care for an injured service member. Employees are entitled to take up to 12 weeks’ unpaid leave per rolling calendar basis for the following purposes: A. The birth of the employee’s child. B. The placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care. C. To care for the employee’s spouse, child or parent who has a serious health condition. D. A serious health condition rendering the employee unable to perform his/her job. Under FMLA, employees will be required to use all accrued leave prior to going on unpaid leave. All employees are required to provide at least thirty (30) days’ notice, if possible, of their intention to take leave. This notification must be in writing to the respective Department Manager. The Village may require medical certification that the leave is needed due to the employee’s own serious health condition or that of a family member. The Village may also, at the Village’s expense, require a second medical opinion. If the first and second opinions differ, the Village may request a third opinion, at the Village’s expense, which would then be determinative of eligibility. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) prohibits employers and other entities covered by GINA Title II from requesting or requiring genetic information of an individual or family member of the individual, except as specifically allowed by this law. To comply with this law, we are asking that you not provide any genetic information when responding to this request for medical information. “Genetic information,” as defined by GINA, includes an individual’s family medical history, the results of an individual’s or family member’s genetic tests, the fact that an individual or an individual’s family member sought or received genetic services, and genetic information of a fetus carried by an individual or an individual’s family member or an embryo lawfully held by an individual or family member receiving assistive reproductive services. An employee on such leave does not accumulate sick leave or vacation leave during the period he/she is on unpaid leave. Further, the employee’s anniversary date shall be adjusted by the same number of days during this leave. When an employee wishes to return to work following a medical leave, the Village may require a doctor’s release stating the employee is fit to work. Upon returning from leave, an employee is entitled to return to his/her same or equivalent position with equivalent pay, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment. 27 Military Family Leave: 1. Eligible employees may use their 12-week leave entitlement to address certain qualifying exigencies when his or her spouse, son, daughter, or parent 1) is a member of the Reserves or National Guard and has been called up to active duty or notified of an impending call or order to active duty in support of a “contingency operation”; or 2) is a member of a regular component of the Armed forces. Qualifying exigencies may include short notice deployment, attending military events and related activities, arranging for alternative childcare and school activities, addressing certain financial and legal arrangements, attending certain counseling, rest and recuperations, attending certain post-deployment activities and such other eligible additional activities to address other events that arise out of the covered service member’s active duty or call to active-duty status. 2. FMLA also includes a special leave entitlement that permits eligible employees to take up to 26 weeks of leave to care for a covered service member where the employee is a spouse, son, or daughter, parent or next of kin of the covered service member during a single 12- month period. A covered service member is a current member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who has a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty on active duty that may render the service member medically unfit to perform his or her duties for which the service member is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy; or is in outpatient status; or is on the temporary disability retired list; or a veteran who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation or therapy for a serious injury or illness and who was a member of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserves, at any time during the five-year period preceding the date on which the veteran undergoes medical treatment, recuperation or therapy. 5.12 Disability Leave During your leave you must submit all medical documentation after every doctor’s appointment. This documentation must be at a minimum of once monthly. The employee may be required at the Village’s discretion and expense, to have a physical examination by a doctor designated by the Village to determine the employee’s capacity to perform assigned work or to verify the need to continue such leave. Employees shall notify their supervisor of their availability to return to work at least five (5) days prior to the expiration of the leave granted or extended. Employees are only eligible for two disability leaves in a 7-year span. Employees who have exhausted their accumulated sick leave days but are unable to report to or go back to work because of a start or continuance of illness, injury or pregnancy related disabilities may receive additional leave without pay for a period not to exceed three (3) months. The employee must request such leave from the Village Manager. To qualify for such leave, the employee must report the disability as soon as the need for such leave becomes known, and thereafter furnish to the Village Manager or designee a physician’s written statement of the nature of the disability and the estimated length of time that the employee will be unavailable for work, together with a written application for such leave. Such leaves are purely discretionary and if approved, will initially be granted for a period of one (1) month. All health benefits will continue under this leave, although the employee will still be liable for any payments that may be required. Before returning from a leave of absence for disability, or at thirty (30) day intervals during such leave, the employee may be required, at the Village’s discretion and expense, to have a physical examination by a doctor designated by the Village to determine the employee’s capacity to perform assigned work or to verify the need to continue such leave. Employees shall notify their supervisor of their availability to return to work at least five (5) working days prior to the expiration of the leave as granted or extended. 28 To ensure no service time is lost, any participants in I.M.R.F. must file for disability benefits as soon as notification is given of disability. 5.19 Emergency Staffing Policy If the Village Manager declares an emergency the following procedures will be implemented: In the event of an emergency, all non-emergency personnel that are ordered to stay home will be paid their normal hourly wages. 31 All emergency personnel who are required to work will be paid their normal hourly wage and will receive eight (8) hours of additional time off. Any personnel that are ordered into work but are unable to make it will be required to use vacation or personal time for that day. Any personnel that are already scheduled for that day off will be required to use the time off that was previously requested. No additional time will be granted. Department Managers will not be given additional time off if he/she is called into work for the emergency. The Village Manager if he or she chooses will direct Department Managers to call in staff to ensure that there is proper staffing in each department so that the needs of the Village can be met. 8.11 Whistleblower Policy Upon commencement of employment and at least once each year of employment, every employee shall receive a copy of this policy and a written summary or complete copy of Section 4.1 of the Public Officer Prohibit Activities Act (50 ILCS 105/4.1 - Retaliation against a whistleblower). Definitions 42 The following words or phrases shall have the following definitions and meanings for the purpose of this Policy. Improper governmental action means the following: any action by a unit of local government employee, an appointed member of a board, commission, or committee, or an elected official of the unit of local government that is 1. undertaken in violation of a federal, State, or unit of local government law or rule. 2. an abuse of authority. 3. violates the public's trust or expectation of his or her conduct. 4. is of substantial and specific danger to the public's health or safety; or 5. is a gross waste of public funds. The action need not be within the scope of the employee's, elected officials, board member's, commission members, or committee member's official duties to be subject to a claim of “improper governmental action”. Improper governmental action does not include a unit of local government personnel actions, including, but not limited to employee grievances, complaints, appointments, promotions, transfers, assignments, reassignments, reinstatements, restorations, reemployment, performance evaluations, reductions in pay, dismissals, suspensions, demotions, reprimands, or violations of collective bargaining agreements, except to the extent that the action amounts to retaliation. Retaliate, retaliation, or retaliatory action means any adverse change in an employee's employment status or the terms and conditions of employment that results from an employee's protected activity under this Section. “Retaliatory action” includes, but is not limited to, denial of adequate staff to perform duties; frequent staff changes; frequent and undesirable office changes; refusal to assign meaningful work; unsubstantiated letters of reprimand or unsatisfactory performance evaluations; demotion; reduction in pay; denial of promotion; transfer or reassignment; suspension or dismissal; or other disciplinary action made because of an employee's protected activity under this Policy. Policy It is prohibited for a unit of local government, any agent or representative of a unit of local government, or another employee to retaliate against an employee or contractor who: 1. reports an improper governmental action under this Section. 2. cooperates with an investigation by an auditing official related to a report of improper governmental action; or 3. testifies in a proceeding or prosecution arising out of an improper governmental action. The Village of Romeoville will not retaliate against a whistleblower. This includes, but is not limited to, protection from retaliation in the form of adverse employment action such as termination, compensation decreases, or poor work assignments and threats of physical harm. Complaints To be protected under this Policy, the employee shall make a written complaint of improper governmental action to the employee’s Department Manager or the Human Resources Manager. An employee who believes he or she has been retaliated against in violation of this 43 Policy must submit a written complaint to the employee’s Department Manager or the Human Resources Manager within 60 days of gaining knowledge of the retaliatory action. If the Human Resources Manager are the individuals doing the improper governmental action, then a complaint may be submitted to the appropriate State's Attorney. The employee must exercise sound judgement to avoid baseless allegations. An employee who intentionally files a false report of wrongdoing will be subject to discipline up to and including termination. Processing Complaints If you submit a complaint under this Policy, it is not your responsibility to investigate further into the improper government action. Unless reported to the State’s Attorney, all complaints submitted under this Policy will be investigated by the Human Resources Manager. Complaints submitted shall be marked by the Department Manager or the Human Resources Manager with the date the complaint was received. A Department Manager that receives a complaint shall immediately forward the complaint to the Human Resources Manager. Insofar as possible, the confidentiality of the whistleblower will be maintained unless the employee waives confidentiality in writing. However, the identity may have to be disclosed to conduct a complete investigation, to comply with the law, and to provide accused individuals the ability to provide a defense. Reasonable measures may be taken to protect employees who reasonably believe they may be subject to bodily harm for reporting improper government action. The Human Resources Manager shall investigate and coordinate with other necessary employees or officials to investigate and dispose of complaints of improper governmental action and/or retaliation. Alternatively, if the Human Resources Manager deems it appropriate, the Human Resources Manager may transfer the complaint to another auditing official for investigation, including but not limited to the appropriate State’s Attorney. An investigation conducted by the Human Resources Manager may include but is not limited to interviews with the complainant employee, the individuals allegedly involved in the improper governmental action and/or retaliation, and any witnesses that may be witnesses to the information contained in the complaint. After the investigation is complete, the Human Resources Manager shall conclude whether improper governmental action or retaliation has taken place or whether the municipality, department, or any supervisory officials have hindered the investigation of the complaint, and if so, the Human Resources Manager shall give written notification to the Village Manager and any other individual or entity the Human Resources Manager deems necessary in the circumstances to take appropriate employment actions. Employees with any questions regarding this policy should contact the Human Resources Manager. 50 ILCS 105/4.1 105/4.1. Retaliation against a whistleblower § 4.1. Retaliation against a whistleblower. (a) It is prohibited for a unit of local government, any agent or representative of a unit of local government, or another employee to retaliate against an employee or contractor who: 44 (1) reports an improper governmental action under this Section. (2) cooperates with an investigation by an auditing official related to a report of improper governmental action; or (3) testifies in a proceeding or prosecution arising out of an improper governmental action. (b) To invoke the protections of this Section, an employee shall make a written report of improper governmental action to the appropriate auditing official. An employee who believes he or she has been retaliated against in violation of this Section must submit a written report to the auditing official within 60 days of gaining knowledge of the retaliatory action. If the auditing official is the individual doing the improper governmental action, then a report under this subsection may be submitted to any State’s Attorney. (c) Each auditing official shall establish written processes and procedures for managing complaints filed under this Section, and each auditing official shall investigate and dispose of reports of improper governmental action in accordance with these processes and procedures. If an auditing official concludes that an improper governmental action has taken place or concludes that the relevant unit of local government, department, agency, or supervisory officials have hindered the auditing official’s investigation into the report, the auditing official shall notify in writing the chief executive of the unit of local government and any other individual or entity the auditing official deems necessary in the circumstances. (d) An auditing official may transfer a report of improper governmental action to another auditing official for investigation if an auditing official deems it appropriate, including, but not limited to, the appropriate State’s Attorney. (e) To the extent allowed by law, the identity of an employee reporting information about an improper governmental action shall be kept confidential unless the employee waives confidentiality in writing. Auditing officials may take reasonable measures to protect employees who reasonably believe they may be subject to bodily harm for reporting improper government action. (f) The following remedies are available to employees subjected to adverse actions for reporting improper government action: (1) Auditing officials may reinstate, reimburse for lost wages or expenses incurred, promote, or provide some other form of restitution. (2) In instances where an auditing official determines that restitution will not suffice, the auditing official may make his or her investigation findings available for the purposes of aiding in that employee or the employee’s attorney’s effort to make the employee whole. (g) A person who engages in prohibited retaliatory action under subsection (a) is subject to the following penalties: a fine of no less than $500 and no more than $5,000, suspension without pay, demotion, discharge, civil or criminal prosecution, or any combination of these penalties, as appropriate. (h) Every employee shall receive a written summary or a complete copy of this Section upon commencement of employment and at least once each year of employment. At the same time, the employee shall also receive a copy of the written processes and procedures for reporting improper governmental actions from the applicable auditing official. (i) As used in this Section: “Auditing official” means any elected, appointed, or hired individual, by whatever name, in a unit of local government whose duties are similar to, but not limited to, receiving, registering, and investigating complaints and information concerning misconduct, inefficiency, and waste within the unit of local government; investigating the performance of officers, employees, functions, and programs; and promoting economy, efficiency, effectiveness and integrity in the administration of the programs and operations of the municipality. If a unit of local government does not have an “auditing official”, the “auditing official” shall 45 be a State’s Attorney of the county in which the unit of local government is located within. “Employee” means anyone employed by a unit of local government, whether in a permanent or temporary position, including full-time, part-time, and intermittent workers. “Employee” also includes members of appointed boards or commissions, whether or not paid. “Employee” also includes persons who have been terminated because of any report or complaint submitted under this Section. “Improper governmental action” means any action by a unit of local government employee, an appointed member of a board, commission, or committee, or an elected official of the unit of local government that is undertaken in violation of a federal, State, or unit of local government law or rule; is an abuse of authority; violates the public’s trust or expectation of his or her conduct; is of substantial and specific danger to the public’s health or safety; or is a gross waste of public funds. The action need not be within the scope of the employee’s, elected officials, board member’s, commission member’s, or committee member’s official duties to be subject to a claim of “improper governmental action”. “Improper governmental action” does not include a unit of local government personnel actions, including, but not limited to employee grievances, complaints, appointments, promotions, transfers, assignments, reassignments, reinstatements, restorations, reemployment, performance evaluations, reductions in pay, dismissals, suspensions, demotions, reprimands, or violations of collective bargaining agreements, except to the extent that the action amounts to retaliation. “Retaliate”, “retaliation”, or “retaliatory action” means any adverse change in an employee’s employment status or the terms and conditions of employment that results from an employee’s protected activity under this Section. “Retaliatory action” includes, but is not limited to, denial of adequate staff to perform duties; frequent staff changes; frequent and undesirable office changes; refusal to assign meaningful work; unsubstantiated letters of reprimand or unsatisfactory performance evaluations; demotion; reduction in pay; denial of promotion; transfer or reassignment; suspension or dismissal; or other disciplinary action made because of an employee’s protected activity under this Section. 8.12 Code of Conduct Policy It is the policy of the Village of Romeoville to conduct its business activities and transactions with the highest level of integrity and ethical standards and in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Obeying the law and following Village policies both in letter and in spirit is a substantial part of our foundation and core values. All employees must conduct themselves accordingly and seek to avoid even the appearance of improper behavior. Furthermore, all employees of the Village of Romeoville are to treat their co-workers as well as residents, vendors and visitors with the utmost respect and dignity. Certain actions are inappropriate in the work setting. Listed below are some of the behaviors that are not appropriate. This is by no means an all-inclusive list. This list is illustrative rather than exhaustive and management reserves the right to decide upon appropriate disciplinary action for breaches of conduct. Violation of these standards will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. Activities prohibited by State and Federal statutes or Village Ordinances. Failure to meet prescribed standards of work. Absenteeism or tardiness. Threatening, intimidating, or coercing another employee or the public. Willful destruction or damage to Village property or the property of a fellow employee. Dishonesty, including falsification of Village records. Insubordination or refusal to follow a direct lawful order. Sleeping during work hours or leaving work without permission. 46 Theft or unauthorized possession of Village property, the property of a fellow employee or resident’s property. Acceptance of any consideration from a third party intended to inappropriately influence the employee in the performance of his duties. Use of official position for personal advantage. Intoxication during working hours, including bringing intoxicating beverages, marijuana or other illegal substances on Village property; the consuming of the same on Village property or any other violation of the Village’s Drug & Alcohol Use/Abuse Policy. Violation of Village safety rules. Discussion of confidential Village business and/or information with unauthorized persons. Misuse or illegal use of Village telephones, computer privileges or equipment. Refusal to cooperate in an officially sanctioned investigation. Violation of the Village’s policies and procedures set forth in this Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual, including the Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation Prevention Policy. 8.13 Fraud Prevention Policy The Village is committed to protecting its revenue, property, proprietary information, and other assets. The Village will not tolerate any misuses or misappropriations of those assets. The Fraud Prevention Policy is established to provide guidance to employees when misuses or misappropriation of Village assets is suspected and to facilitate the development of protocols and practices which will aid in the detection and prevention of fraud. The policy applies to any fraud perpetrated by employee, officials, as well as consultants, vendors, contractors, outside agencies and/or any other parties with a business relationship with the Village. Any investigation commenced pursuant to this policy shall be undertaken without regard to a person’s length of service, position, or title, or relationship to the Village. The term fraud includes, but is not limited to, the following: Any dishonest or fraudulent act. Forgery or alteration of any document or account belonging to the Village. Forgery or alteration of a check, bank draft, or any other financial document. Unauthorized disclosure of confidential and proprietary information. Unauthorized disclosure of securities activities of the Village. Misappropriation of funds, securities, supplies and other assets. Accepting or seeking anything of substantial value from contractors, vendors or persons providing services/materials to the Village. Authorizing or receiving payment for goods not received or services not performed. Impropriety in the handling or reporting of money or financial transactions. Intentional violation of the Village’s purchasing policy. Profiteering because of inside knowledge of Village activities. Theft, destruction, removal or fraudulent use of Village records and intellectual property. Actions related to concealing or perpetuating abovementioned activities. If there are any questions as to whether an act constitutes fraud, please contact Human Resources. 47 All employees of the Village, regardless of position have a responsibility in regards to Village funds and other assets. Village employees are responsible for safeguarding village resources and ensuring that those resources are used only for authorized purposes in accordance with Village policies and applicable state and federal laws. When fraud is suspected, observed, or otherwise made known to an employee, the employee must immediately report the activity to his/her supervisor. If the employee has reason to believe his/her supervisor may be involved in fraudulent activity, the employee is obligated to report the activity to the next higher level of management or to Human Resources or the Village Manager. The reporting employee shall refrain from discussing the matter with any other person within the Village unless directed to do so by Human Resources Manager. All employees shall cooperate fully with any investigation performed by the Village, oversight agencies and/or law enforcement officials. Any Village employee reporting suspected, observed, or otherwise known fraudulent activity will be held harmless and not subject to retaliation. All management personnel are responsible for detecting and preventing fraudulent activities in their respective work areas. All management personnel will be familiar with the types of activities that constitutes fraud and be alert for any indication that improper or dishonest activity is or was in existence in his/her department. If a supervisor suspects fraud or has received a report of fraud from an employee, he/she must contact the department Manager immediately. When a Department Manager is informed by a supervisor that fraud is suspected, the Department Manager must immediately contact Human Resources Manager who will consult with the Village Manager and legal counsel. Upon investigation, if the Village determines that fraud exists, the Village shall take immediate action to halt the fraudulent activity. If criminal activity has occurred, the Village shall report the activity to the appropriate agencies and/or law enforcement officials. All management personnel shall cooperate fully with any investigation performed by the Village, appropriate agencies and/or law enforcement officials. Following all incidents of fraud, or at least on an annual basis, management personnel shall conduct a review of internal controls, policies and procedures for the prevention and detection of fraud and implement new and/or modify controls when necessary. All employees in a fraud investigation shall treat all information received confidentially. A person reporting suspected fraud may remain anonymous except as otherwise required by law. Investigation results will not be disclosed or discussed with anyone other than those who have a legitimate need to know. Any employee contacted by the media with respect to a fraud investigation shall refer the media person the Village Manager. Employees who have committed fraud will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. Any disciplinary action taken by the Village because of its investigation shall be in accordance with terms and conditions of applicable collective bargaining agreements and the employee handbook. In all cases, the Village reserves the right to refer the matter to appropriate 48 agencies and/or law enforcement officials for independent review, investigation and/or prosecution. The Village’s internal investigation and disciplinary process shall be conducted independently from any external review performed. Human Resources is responsible for the administration, revision, interpretation, and application of this policy. The policy will be reviewed annually and revised as needed. In addition to this policy, the Village shall comply with all applicable state and federal laws addressing fraud prevention SECTION 9: TECHNOLOGY Introduction This section outlines the policy to be used in administering and coordinating all technology resources for the Village of Romeoville (Henceforth referred to as Village). It is the policy of the Village, wherever economically possible, to establish and maintain state of the art information technology, and to provide access to said technology for furthering the goals and the objectives of the Village. The ability of the Village to operate effectively is reliant upon the proper operation of its computers and the security and integrity of its data. It is critical that employees understand how to use the Village’s technology resources within the scope of their job duties, Village policies, and the law. This policy documents the users’ responsibility to safeguard computer and telecommunications equipment and information from accidental or deliberate unauthorized access, tampering, snooping, distribution, or destruction. It sets forth what is, and is not, appropriate use of Village technology resources. The failure of employees to comply with the provisions outlined in this policy may result in corrective or disciplinary action up to and including termination. The purpose of this policy is to ensure responsible and acceptable use of Village’s technology resources. These resources and the data created, received, transmitted, or stored therein must be protected by unauthorized disclosure, modification, use, or destruction. Adherence to the policy will protect the Village and its employees from liability and business interruptions due to inappropriate use of Village resources and breaches of security. In support of the Village mission of public service, the Information Technology department provides computing, networking, and information technology resources to the Village Board of Trustees, community of department employees, supervisors, and staff. 9.1 Glossary of Terms CLOUD - Refers to distributed computing over a network that generally provides a shared pool of resources that is rapidly configurable and widely accessible. A cloud may be public, private, community, or a hybrid of these. COMPUTER INFORMATION - Data, software, files, and any other information stored on Village computers and systems. COMPUTER RESOURCE - A physical or virtual component of limited availability within a computer system. Village computer resources include devices, network equipment, communications equipment, and data as well as similar resources that are part of hosted systems or SaaS (Software as a Service) systems in use by the Village. ENCRYPTION - The process of turning plain text into cipher text by applying an algorithm that rearranges or changes its input into something unrecognizable. 49 FIREWALL - A specifically configured system that serves as a secure gateway between an outside network (e.g., the Internet), and the organization’s internal networks. HACKER - Slang for an individual intensely absorbed with and/or extremely knowledgeable about computer hardware and software. Also used to describe those who break into and corrupt computer systems. (Hacker is used here to describe those who break into and corrupt computer systems.) INSTANT MESSAGING - A method of linking people together electronically for the purpose of real-time communication. INTERNET - A group of networks connected via routers; a vast computer network linking smaller computer networks worldwide. INTRANET - A computer network with restricted access, as within a company. LOCAL AREA NETWORK - A set of connections between computers that provides the basis for electrical transmissions of information, generally within a small geographical location to serve a single organization. LOCK - To lock your workstation, use CTL-ALT-DEL. MALWARE - Software of malicious intent/impact such as viruses, worms, and spyware. MODEM - Short for modulator-demodulator. A hardware device that allows two computers to communicate over ordinary telephone lines. PHISHING – The criminally fraudulent process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. PROFILE (AKA USER PROFILE or ROAMING PROFILE) - The profile is a special set of information that defines and maintains program and Windows settings specific to a user or, in some cases, a group of users. The word “Roaming” implies that the profile will be the same and accessible from multiple computers, i.e., it ‘roams’ with the user. RECORD - Information that is created, received, and maintained as evidence by an organization or person in the transaction of business or in the pursuance of legal obligations regardless of media. A record can also be thought of as information that holds operational, legal, fiscal, financial, vital, or historic value. Media can include books, documents, papers, letters, emails, faxes, maps, photographs, sound or video recordings, microfilm, magnetic tape, electronic media, images, or other information regardless of physical form or characteristics. REMOVABLE DEVICE - Device or media that is readable and/or writeable by the end user and can be moved from computer to computer without modifications to the computer. This includes flash memory devices such as thumb drives, cameras, MP3 players and PDAs; removable hard drives (including hard drive-based MP3 players); and any commercial music and software disks not provided by the Village of Romeoville. SENSITIVE INFORMATION - Information which, if made available to unauthorized persons, may adversely affect the Village of Romeoville, its programs, or participants served by its programs. Examples include but are not limited to personal identifiers and financial information. SERVER - A computer or device that administers network functions and applications. SPAM - Many copies of the same unsolicited message sent to newsgroups or via email intended to force the message on people who would not otherwise choose to receive it. 50 TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES - All Village computers (desktop and portable computers, servers, networks, printers, software, storage media), email system, internet access and use, fax machines, telephones, cellular phones, pagers, two-way radios, personal handheld devices, Global Positioning System (GPS) devices, flash drives, modems, scanners, copy machines, other electronic and communication devices, and new or emerging technologies. TROJAN HORSE - A program that masquerades as something it is not, usually for the purpose of breaking into an account or exceeding commands with another user’s privileges. VIRUS - A set of instructions that can reside in software and can be used to destroy other files or perform other tasks with another user’s privileges. WORM - A program that propagates by replicating itself on each host in a network with the purpose of breaking into systems. 9.2 General Information A. Applicability For purposes of this document, the term ‘computer user’ or ‘user’ is meant to include all fulltime and part-time Village employees, elected officials, temporary employees, volunteers, and contractors. All forms of technology resources provided for computer users are property of the Village, unless otherwise specified. Computer users are responsible for the appropriate use of Village technology resources and for taking reasonable precautions to secure the information and equipment entrusted to them. This policy also applies to other technology resources that may or may not create or contain computer records. Examples of these resources include fax machines, telephones, mobile devices, pagers, two-way radios, personal devices, GPS (Global Positioning System) devices, flash drives, cloud storage, data stored in hosted databases, modems, scanners, copy machines, and other communication devices. The policy also applies to new or emerging technologies and those not specifically named. This policy covers all information created, entered, received, stored, or transmitted by such technology resources, including files, programs, emails, text messages, internet logs, and all other data. Users specifically consent to the access and disclosure of such information stored by a third-party electronic communication service or remote computing service. Employees are responsible for reporting inappropriate use of the Village’s technology resources and breaches of computer security and for assisting in resolving such matters. Users are responsible for adhering to Village policies and practices to ensure Village computers are used in accordance with policy. They are also responsible for ensuring that reasonable measures are taken to prevent loss or damage of computer information and equipment. B. Computer Access to Village computers, as well as the level of access, must be authorized by each computer user’s supervisor. Computers and networks can provide access to resources on and off site, as well as the ability to communicate with other users worldwide. Such access is a privilege and requires that individual users act responsibility. Employees must respect the rights of other users, respect the integrity of the systems and related physical resources, and observe all existing and future relevant laws, regulations, and contractual obligations concerning computers and networks. Department Managers need to request access approval from the IT Department before allowing access for any external persons to carry out work, on behalf of the Village. Access may be revoked in whole or in part any time at the discretion of an employee’s or external person’s Department Manager. 51 9.3 Privacy Technology resources are provided for employee use for business purposes and remain the property of the Village. Users have no expectation of privacy in the use of Village technology resources, including the creation, entry, receipt, storage, or transmission of data. All data generated by, created, entered, received, stored, or transmitted via the Village’s technology resources is Village property, and the Village may, without prior notice, access, search, monitor, inspect, review, or disclose all such data and use of technology resources. Additionally, any use of your personal cell phone, tablet, etc. like text messages concerning Village business is FOIAable. There are now cameras located throughout village buildings and parking lots to ensure employee safety and to document any incidents that may occur with residents, vendors, and or other visitors at our facilities and other village owned properties. Global Positioning System (GPS) devices are used for reporting items such as location, condition, or current operational state of Village assets. Some Village equipment, including, but not limited to, cell phones, mobile devices, computers, and vehicles may have GPS devices attached or built in and enabled for management and reporting purposes. The Village may monitor such devices at any time for any lawful purpose. Any alteration to disable the device or prevent it from functioning properly is prohibited and will be investigated and fully prosecuted of the law. Users specifically consent to the access by and disclosure to the Village of information created, entered, transmitted, or received via the Village’s technology resources that are stored by a thirdparty electronic communication service or remote computing service and have no expectation of privacy in such information. In addition, the information generated by, created, entered, received, stored or transmitted via the Village’s technology resources may constitute a public record subject to disclosure pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, subpoenas, and other lawful requests for information. Employees may have rights of access to information about themselves contained in computer files, as specified in state, federal or international laws. Files may be subject to search under court order. In addition, technology staff reserves the right to access any Village equipment to protect the integrity of computer systems or network. Except for Police Department records, the FOIA Officer assigned to each department will process such requests for information. Any employee who receives a request by a third-party to disclose information should direct the request to their respective FOIA Officer. Requests for Police records are processed by and should be directed to the Police Records Manager. 9.4 Guidelines for Use A. Harassment, Threats, and Discrimination Users are prohibited from using the Village’s technology resources in any way that violates the Village’s policies. Users should be aware that even communications sent via a personal email account from the Village’s technology resources are subject to the limitation on privacy under this policy and are subject to compliance with Village policies. The scope of prohibited use extends to files, data, pictures, games, jokes, etc., that are received by a user, even if unsolicited. Such information should be immediately deleted and/or brought to the attention of a supervisor. B. Unauthorized Access Unauthorized access of the Village’s technology resources is prohibited. Unauthorized access of third-party computers or resources using the Village’s technology resources is prohibited. Attempting to access the Village’s technology resources without specific authorization is 52 prohibited. Any form of tampering to gain access to computers is a violation of Village policy and carries serious consequences. You may only access information on the Village’s technology resources that you are authorized to access and have a business reason to access. If you inadvertently identify a new way to access information to which you are not authorized, report it to the IT Department immediately. To help prevent security breaches, computer users are required to log off or lock their computers at the end of the day and when not in use for more than ten (10) minutes. In addition, users must take other reasonable precautions to prevent unauthorized access to the Village’s technology resources. Department Directors have primary responsibility for the creation and maintenance of application data. These system owners shall be responsible for defining the security and integrity requirements of their data. They are primarily responsible for authorizing data access and ensuring adequate security, accountability, and control is employed to protect the data. The Village employees will not attempt to breach computer or network security for which they do not have access. This includes but is not limited to network appliances, computer workstations, servers, and/or secure electronic folders and files. Any unauthorized changes made to any network device are prohibited. Any breaches of network security are to be reported to the IT Department. B. Computer Sabotage Destruction, theft, alteration, or any other form of sabotage of Village computers, telephones, network or telecommunications cabling, programs, files, or data is prohibited and will be investigated and fully prosecuted of the law. C. Unauthorized Changes to the Village’s Technology Resources Unauthorized installation of software and making changes to computer hardware, software, system configuration, and the like are prohibited. The IT Department must authorize the installation of any software, even if we are licensed. The Village’s computer systems have been designed and documented to prevent loss of data and provide an audit trail for correcting problems. Installation of some programs can change the computer’s system configuration and may be incompatible with other systems on the device. If you need to download software or make any changes to Village computers or technology resources in the performance of your duties, contact the IT Department for approval and/or assistance. D. Viruses, Worms, and Trojan horses It is critical that users make certain that data loaded on the Village’s technology resources is free of viruses. Data that has been exposed to any computer other than a Village computer or resource must be scanned using the virus scanning software present on all Village PCs before installation. Viruses can result in significant damage and lost productivity. Never open an attachment unless you know the sender and are expecting the attachment. If you are uncertain whether data needs to be scanned before installation, call the IT Department. Use of virus, worm, or Trojan horse programs is prohibited. If you identify a virus, worm, or Trojan horse, or what you suspect to be one, do not try to fix the problem. Make notes as to what you observed and contact the IT Department. If you receive a virus warning, call the IT Department immediately. Do not forward it to other computer users within the Village. If the IT Department determines that the warning is valid, they will take the appropriate steps to notify other users. E. Termination of Employment 53 All information on Village resources is considered Village property. Deleting, altering, copying, or sharing confidential, proprietary, or any other information upon termination requires authorization from your Department Manager. The technology equipment you have been entrusted with must be returned with your password, identification code, and any other appropriate information necessary for the Village to continue using the computer and information uninterrupted. The following activity is prohibited upon termination and will be fully prosecuted of the law: Accessing Village resources Providing third parties, or anyone else, access to Village resources Taking computer files, data, programs, or computer equipment 9.5 Administration of Technology Resources A. Computer systems Department Managers (or designated person) that has the need for any external persons or organizations to carry out work, on behalf of the Village, that require access to any equipment, computers, network, or technology services need to request approval from the IT department before such work is carried out. Department Managers have the authority to inspect the contents of any hardware, software, document(s) or file(s) of their subordinates in the normal course of their supervisory responsibilities. Village technology employees or approved contractors shall extract information, files or documents when requested by authorized supervisory personnel. Reasons for review include but are not limited to system, hardware, and software problems; general system failure; a legal proceeding involving the Village; suspicion of a crime; violation of this policy; and a need to perform work or provide a service when the employee is unavailable. All Users are to use their own network, e-mail, and application accounts unless other arrangements have been made with the IT Manager or respective Department Manager. B. Data / File Storage File storage could vary depending on your job function and interactions with other departments or external organizations. Please note that copyright material is not to be stored in any data areas. These include but are not limited to.exe (programs files), MP3 files, video files, and image files that are licensed. Any requests for storing such data should be made to the IT Manager. Reproduction or distribution of copyrighted works, including, but not limited to, images, videos, text, configuration, settings, or software, without permission of the owner is an infringement of U.S. Copyright Law and is subject to civil damages and criminal penalties including fines and imprisonment. C. File Retention Just as with any other government record, electronic records are retained or disposed of in accordance with the Village’s overall record retention policies. See the Village records management and email retention policies or contact your Department Managers if you have questions about what should be retained. D. Back-up 54 Backing up files is essential to productivity and safeguarding data against unwanted intrusions. Most Village computers are attached to the network. If data is being properly stored on the network, backup is automatically handled by the IT Department. A computer user’s home drive is on the network. It is essential to save data to your home drive on the Village network. To ensure proper backup, do not save data to the computer hard drive, a flash drive, or memory stick. Copies or Back-up files should not be stored on personal computers or taken home. If your computer is not attached to the network, you must contact the IT Department to develop an appropriate backup protocol to preserve and protect Village information and records. E. File Recovery Computer files and email are rarely erased from the system simply by hitting the delete key. Rather, they are stored in a random place on the computer. These files can sometimes be recovered by running a file recovery program. The IT Department will coordinate any necessary file recovery or restoration of backup data. Deleted files may also be recoverable from backup and, as such, subject to FOIA or subpoena. F. Disposal of Technology Equipment When a user department no longer has use for a hardware or software component of an information technology resource, the component should be transferred to the IT Department. The IT Department will retain a repository of computer system components and will supply user departments with available components as needed to avoid unnecessary purchases. The IT Department will also appropriately dispose of obsolete technology resources or software and remove it from the inventory. G. Copyright Infringement The Village does not own most of the computer software that it utilizes, but rather licenses the right to use software. Accordingly, Village owned, or licensed software may only be reproduced or modified by authorized IT personnel in accordance with the terms of the software licensing agreements. Unauthorized modifying, copying, redistributing, and republishing of copyrighted or proprietary material are strictly prohibited. Copyright laws apply to the Internet as well. Copyright infringement is serious business, and the Village strictly prohibits any such activity. If you have questions about copyright infringement, discuss it with the IT Department immediately. Copies of shareware or “free” programs must be registered with the IT Department. Shareware and free software often have licensing and use restrictions and should not be copied or forwarded to others. It is not unusual for “free” software to contain a virus. As such, it is important that all new software is purchased through and installed by the IT Department. Your department director and the IT Department must approve all requests for application programs. H. Proprietary Information Village data, databases, programs, and other proprietary information are Village property and can only be used for authorized Village business. Use of Village property for personal gain or benefit is prohibited. Sharing Village proprietary information with unauthorized Village personnel or third parties is prohibited. Upon termination of employment, employees do not have the right to any Village documents, therefore employees shall not copy or email Village documents for personal use unless they have submitted a request in writing to their Department Manger or Village Manger for approval. 55 I. Data Licensing Agreement When dissemination of Village data, databases, and programs occurs, a data licensing agreement needs to be established between the Village and any third party. Information will be licensed for use on a project basis with a specified time span. The IT Department will facilitate the licenses and distribute the requested information. J. Purchases of Computer Software and Equipment All purchases of computer software and equipment, including tablets, are prohibited without approval from your department director. All computer software and equipment purchases must be made through the IT Department. Working with the requesting department, the IT Department will ensure that purchases are the most appropriate solution for the application, meet pre-established quality requirements, and are compatible with other Village computer software and equipment. Donated or confiscated equipment must be placed into service by the IT Department subject to current quality and compatibility guidelines. The IT Department is responsible for maintaining appropriate procedures for tracking computer assets and licenses and maintaining proper security for all computer-related resources. 9.6 Confidentiality All computer information is considered restricted unless you have received permission to use it. Accessing or attempting to access confidential data is strictly prohibited. Confidential information should only be used for its intended purpose. Using confidential information for anything other than its intended use is prohibited without prior approval from your department director. A. Handling Confidential Information Any document that contains unique personal identifiers, such as social security numbers, bank account numbers, passwords, etc., must be considered CONFIDENTIAL. Store all confidential and sensitive data on the network drives only. Confidential information may not be stored on portable devices or media without the express consent of your department director. The network drives are more secure than removable media or hard drives on individual workstations or laptops. The following are some activities that are prohibited under normal circumstances when dealing with confidential information: Leaving your computer unattended and logged on except in the case of Public Safety vehicles where access to the vehicle is limited by other security measures. Leaving mobile devices unlocked. Sending confidential information over the Internet, Intranet, dial-up modem lines, or other unsecured communication lines without approval from your department director. Remember, email is an unsecure form of data transfer. Do not send any confidential or sensitive data in an email either in the body or as an attachment. Storing confidential or sensitive data on a workstation or mobile device. Workstations and mobile devices are easily stolen. If stolen, all data contained therein is also stolen. Leaving printed reports containing confidential data in an unsecured location (for example, lying on your desk, in a recycle bin, or in your in/out box). When you are not working with such reports, they must be kept in a locked location. Printing to a printer in an unsecured area where documents may be read by others. If you observe a document at a shared printer or any other location, do not read it without 56 permission. B. Encryption Encryption and encryption utilities are prohibited without the approval of your department director. If you need to send confidential or proprietary information over the Internet or other public communication lines or if you need to transport this information on a laptop, flash drive, or other portable storage device you must work with the IT Department on the specific mechanism/software used for the encryption and obtain approval from your department director prior to using. 9.7 Security A. Authentication to Systems Authentication is the process that allows authorized users to provide and prove their identity to access Village systems. The Village maintains several types of systems, and most systems require some form of authentication for access. Required authentication can be as simple as accessing a system from an approved workstation or as complicated as requiring possession of an authentication device. The requirements for the type of authentication assigned to a system or user is based on the sensitivity of the system. Systems with very sensitive information or systems that provide the ability to change or access information from uncontrolled (mobile) locations will require more stringent authentication. There are three possible forms or factors of authentication: 1) Something you know (username and password or PIN number) 2) Something you have (a special key, card, or token) 3) Something you are (biometrics such as fingerprints, voice recognition, etc.) The basic form of authentication is single factor and is generally based on something you know. This information is equivalent to a key and, in most cases, will identify an individual person. Extended authentication is multi-factor, meaning that something you know will be combined with something you have. If multifactor authentication is required, each user will be issued a special device called a key (usually a Village ID or token) that will be combined with something they know (a PIN or password) to provide authentication. In the future, the Village may choose to employ the third factor, such as fingerprints. If you have been issued a token or Village ID access device, you should treat this as any other key. You are responsible for keeping your PIN private and for keeping the key itself secure. If the key is ever lost or compromised, you must report it to the IT Department immediately. If you lost your Village ID or token, you will be responsible for the cost of replacement. Unless clearly distinguished as shared, all authentication methods are unique and private to an individual user and should never be shared with other users! Your computer must be locked if it is logged on and unattended for more than 10 minutes. Do not log on to your system if someone can see you keying in your password. Report any irregularities flagged by the password access program (last login time and date, number of attempts to login, etc.) to your supervisor or to the IT Department. B. Network Access Restrictions The Village provides network and Internet access to computer users for Village business related activities. As part of the network system, the Village provides content filtering, 57 reporting, and protection from external network threats. It is absolutely forbidden under this policy to attempt to circumvent any element of the Village’s default Internet configuration. This includes, but is not limited to, manually connecting Village equipment to other networks, or connecting non-Village equipment to the Village network. This applies to both wired and wireless connections. There may be specific exclusions for laptops that have been appropriately configured to be protected on external networks, but no attempt should be made to connect to other networks without express approval from Information Systems. It is also prohibited under this policy to make or attempt to make any Village resource accessible from the Internet without the approval of IT. Internet-based desktop sharing systems are not allowed unless installed and configured by the IT Department. C. Password Selection and Protection Passwords are an important part of security and should be selected carefully and protected from use by anyone other than the owner. Employees may not share their passwords with anyone other than an IT Department employee. Do not write it down where someone can easily find it, do not send it over the Internet, Intranet, email, dial-up modem, or any other communication line. Do not log into a computer and allow someone else to use it. If you have a question about password selection or safekeeping, please see your supervisor or someone from the IT Department. D. Hackers Hackers frequently penetrate computer systems by calling unsuspecting employees representing themselves as new employees, supervisors, or other trusted individuals. Through a variety of probing questions, they obtain information necessary for their invasive programs to do their work. Never give any information about computer systems out over the telephone or in any other way to anyone but authorized IT personnel. If someone requests such information, get their name, and phone number, and tell them you will get right back to them. Report the incident immediately to the Information Systems help desk. Without your help, the Village has little chance of protecting the Village’s computer systems. Using hacker programs and trying to access computer systems using hacker techniques is prohibited. Trying to hack into third party computer systems using Village computers is prohibited and will be reported to the appropriate authorities. If you are caught hacking, it is a serious offense. If you identify vulnerability in the Village's computer security system, report it to the IT Department immediately. E. Phishing Phishing is a term used to describe the illegal practice of obtaining personal information from you by pretending to be a legitimate organization. This is most done by sending emails, popup messages, or instant messages with links to sites that appear to be from a legitimate organization. These links will direct you to enter personal information such as passwords, social security numbers, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, etc. These sites often appear official and may include graphics from the legitimate organization’s site. Legitimate organizations never request information in this manner. Since business is increasingly done via the Internet, it is very important to be continually vigilant by using safe techniques to retrieve and update information. The easiest way to avoid becoming a victim of a phishing attack is to never click on links contained in these messages. Instead, open another browser session and manually navigate to the site of interest – do not cut and paste addresses from the message. Also verify that the “lock” icon displays in your browser indicating that the connection is secure. If you have any 58 concerns, use the phone and call a phone number you know to be legitimate to speak to someone at the company. Do not rely on phone numbers contained in the message. If you believe you unknowingly supplied sensitive information to an illegitimate site, contact your supervisor immediately. F. Locks Store external storage devices such as floppy disks, CDs, DVDs, flash drives, USB keys, printed reports, and other sensitive items in a locked drawer. You should lock your computer or log off when it is not in use for more than ten (10) minutes. If you have been issued a key or token, you should log off, remove it, and take it with you if you will be away from your workstation. There are practical exceptions to this, such as some types of in-vehicle use. Lock the door to your office or work area when leaving for the night if you have confidential information that could be easily accessed. F. Removable Devices Removable devices are a well-known source of malware infections and have been directly tied to the loss of sensitive information in many organizations. To minimize the risk of loss or exposure of sensitive information maintained by Village of Romeoville and to reduce the risk of acquiring malware infections on the Village network, users may not use any removable devices on Village workstations or that have not been provided by our IT Department. Outside or personal removable devices are prohibited. For users with the proper permission, the following rules apply: Staff may only use removable devices purchased by the Village of Romeoville or from a trusted third party that have been issued by the IT Department. Village of Romeoville removable devices may not be connected to or used in computers that are not owned or leased by the Village of Romeoville without explicit permission from the employee’s Department Director. Devices must be scanned upon return using the virus scanning software present on all PCs to help ensure that the removable device does not introduce malware into the Village’s network. Sensitive information should be stored on removable devices only when required in the performance of the user’s assigned duties and in accordance with the confidentiality section of this policy. All Village-owned removable devices need to be always accounted for. If you have a unique situation that requires the use of removable devices, please contact the IT Department for assistance in setting up the appropriate security procedures. If the virus scanning software detects an issue on a removable device, contact the IT Department for assistance. 9.8 External Communications A. Internet Connections Internet connections are authorized for specific business needs. Connection to the Internet without your supervisor’s authorization is prohibited. Incidental or occasional use of the Internet for personal reasons may be permitted subject to all other Internet guidelines and should be limited to formal lunch and break periods. All web sites visited on the Village network are monitored, filtered, and recorded. Furthermore, the following activities are prohibited without the authorization of your department director and the knowledge of the IT 59 Department. Accessing the Internet by intentionally bypassing the firewall. Downloading information of any kind, including data, files, programs, pictures, screen savers, streaming video or audio, and attachments, except as required in the fulfillment of one’s job responsibilities. Exploring the Internet for profit. Establishing communications with third parties that allows access to the employee’s computer without prior IT approval. Forwarding or transmitting information to third parties or employees for reasons other than Village business Copying programs, files, and data for reasons other than Village business. Transmitting important, confidential, or proprietary information. Speaking on behalf of the Village Individuals who have received management approval to transmit information on the Internet should understand that such transmissions are identifiable and attributable to the Village. Accordingly, users are expected to maintain a professional decorum in all communications and transmissions. The following actions are prohibited under any circumstances: Portraying yourself as someone other than who you are or the Village you represent. Accessing inappropriate web sites, data, pictures, jokes, files, and games. Inappropriate chatting, email, monitoring, or viewing. Harassing, discriminating, or in any way making defamatory comments. Transmitting junk mail, chain letters, or soliciting for commercial, religious, charitable, or political causes except for Village-sponsored or approved charities. Gambling or any other activity that is illegal, violates Village policy, or is contrary to the Village’s interests. Accessing audio or video sites for entertainment purposes. B. Filters The Village reserves the right to identify and block Internet content that is inconsistent with the goals of the Village. Materials that may reasonably be construed to be obscene, disruptive, or harmful to the working environment may be blocked. Since no filtering mechanism can block all objectionable content, however, computer users must adhere to the guidelines stated herein and refrain from viewing, displaying, sending, receiving, storing, or printing all such materials. C. Subscriptions Use of subscription-based services for work purposes without approval from your department director is prohibited. Some Internet sites require that users subscribe 60 before being able to use them. Users should not subscribe to such services without prior approval. Resources of any kind where fees are assessed may not be accessed without prior approval. 9.9 Email Email is provided by the Village to assist in the conduct of Village business. All messages composed, sent, received, or stored on the electronic mail system are considered business communications and remain the property of the Village. THERE IS NO EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY FOR ANY EMAIL. Although the Village network and applications used may provide password security, the Village cannot guarantee confidentiality of information transmitted on the electronic communication systems. Therefore, confidential information should generally not be transmitted either inside or outside the organization. Village employees should also be aware that electronic messages deleted by the user are not necessarily removed from the e-mail system. All email related to Village business should be transmitted via the Village’s email system. Use of personal email accounts to conduct Village business is prohibited. Incidental or occasional use of Village email for personal reasons may be permitted but should be limited to formal lunch or break periods. To ensure that the use of the electronic communication systems is consistent with the Village’s legitimate interest, the village reserves the right to access electronic communications when in its discretion the Village determines there is a perceived need. The following email activity is prohibited: Accessing, or trying to access, another user’s email account unless you are authorized to do so. Obtaining or distributing another user’s email account. Using email to harass, discriminate, or make defamatory comments. Using email in a manner that violates any Village policy or is illegal. Transmitting Village records within or outside the Village without authorization. Transmitting junk mail, chain letters, or soliciting for commercial, religious, charitable, or political causes except in the case of a Village-supported charity event. Sending or receiving copyrighted materials, trade secrets, proprietary financial information, sensitive personnel data, or similar information without authorization from your department director or without appropriate encryption. The transmission of a message with someone else’s name as author without the author’s permission. The transmission of unacceptable content, which includes, but is not limited to, material that is pornographic, racist, sexist, or contains inappropriate language for an office environment. Any use that impairs or damages any system operation or that impairs or damages the use of the system by another account holder. The transmission of computer viruses through any form of electronic media. Employees are not to open any file(s) or e-mail(s) that they receive electronically if they do not recognize the source. All viruses are to be reported to the IT Department. Computer users are required to report inappropriate use of email. Appropriate email etiquette is essential to maintaining a productive and professional work environment. Users should use the 61 same standards of professionalism in drafting email that they would use for any other formal written communication on behalf of the Village. A. Rules of Email The same standards of decorum, respect, and professionalism that guide us in our face-toface interactions and written communication on behalf of the village apply to the use of email. It is important to remember that an email recipient cannot hear tone or see body language. As a result, you should never give bad news by email or use it to criticize someone. If there is any possibility that the recipient will misinterpret your e-mail, use another means to communicate. B. Forwarding Information If you receive an email (particularly an email with an attachment) and intend to forward it to others, consider the following: Is any of the information unnecessary or inappropriate for any individual? Would the author take exception to your forwarding the information? (A good rule of thumb is to copy the author.) Is the receiver likely to forward the information to individuals that should not have, or do not need, the information? Do the attachments have viruses? Forwarding Village email to a personal or private account is prohibited without the consent of your department director and only for business purposes. C. Spam Sending unsolicited messages or files to individuals, groups, or organizations that you do not have a prior relationship with is prohibited without authorization from your supervisor. Sending messages or files with the intent to cause harm or damage to the intended receiver is a violation of Village policy and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. D. Global Messages Email messages sent to all employees on the Village email system should only be used for work related subjects and must have the approval of the appropriate department director before being sent. Content in a message sent to all employees should be limited to text if possible, and attachments should never be included. If you have an attachment that must be included, it should be posted on the intranet with a link to the attachment provided in the email. 9.10 Local Area Network All important, confidential, or proprietary information must be stored on the network. Storing information on your desktop computer or on removable media is prohibited without authorization from your supervisor. The network is equipped with electronic and physical security. Activity on the network is monitored for tampering and other security breaches. Maintenance and back up are performed on the network daily; and programs and other information are updated regularly. Because important, confidential, and proprietary information is stored on the network, only approved individuals are allowed access with written or electronic authorization from a department director. All Village policies apply to the network. The following activities are prohibited without authorization from the director of information systems: 62 Installation of business or personal software on the network. Making any changes to the network hardware or software. Exceeding authorization to network programs, data, and files. Assisting anyone within or outside the Village in obtaining access to the network. 9.11 Personal / Non-Village Owned Equipment Any equipment that is not owned by the Village is not allowed to be used on any premises unless written permission has been obtained. All submissions for the use of such equipment should be made to the IT department through your Department Manager. Examples of such equipment include, but are not limited to, Tablets, Mice, and Thumb drives. All personal property is used entirely at the owner’s risk. The Village or IT department will not support such devices and are not responsible for installation, configuration or repairs due to damage or loss of any personal item. 9.12 Personal Cell Phone The Village discourages the use of personal cellular equipment for making phone calls or texting during business operating hours. Employees shall not access any social media websites while on duty unless it is required as part of their position. Employees can be reimbursed $20.00 (this benefit is taxable) a month with prior approval from their Department Manager for their personal cell phone as it pertains to their position. Any Village business such as texting and village emails on your personal cell phone are subject to FOIA requests. 9.13 Reporting Policy Violations and Enforcement Computer users are required to report violations, or suspected violations, of this technology use and security policy. Penalties may be imposed under one or more of the following: Village regulations, state, federal or international law. Activities that should immediately be reported to your Department Director include, but are not limited to: Attempts to circumvent established computer security systems. Use or suspected use of virus, Trojan horse, or hacker programs. Obtaining or trying to obtain another user’s password. Using the computer to make harassing or defamatory comments or to, in any way, create a hostile work environment. Storing Village data on portable devices or storage outside the Village’s network without the express permission of the department director. Using the computer to communicate inappropriate messages or jokes that may be considered offensive by others. Illegal activity of any kind. Trying to damage the Village or an employee of the Village in any way. Technology use and security policy violations will be investigated. Complaints alleging misuse of IT resources will be directed to those responsi

Show More Show Less