Chapter 12 - Discipline

City of Redmond Personnel Manual

Chapter 12 - DISCIPLINE

12.10 Cause for Discipline

12.20 Progressive Discipline and Types of Discipline

12.30 Disciplinary Authority

12.40 Disciplinary Procedure

12.50 At-Will Employees

12.10 Cause for Discipline

(rev. 7/2018)

The primary mission of every City employee is to provide courteous, orderly, efficient, and economic delivery of services to the citizens of the City. All employees are expected to exercise good judgment, loyalty, common sense, dedication, courtesy, and professionalism in the performance of their duties. Generally, cause for discipline includes either poor performance or misconduct. Specific grounds for discipline may include, but are not limited to:

- Fraud or dishonesty in securing employment;

- Incompetence, inefficiency, negligence or dereliction of duty;

- Insubordination (unwillingness to submit to authority) or willful disobedience;

- Dishonesty;

- Being under the influence of or consuming any alcoholic beverage while on duty (except for authorized undercover police officers);

- Unlawfully possessing, selling, or using any illegal drug or being under the influence of any drug, except as authorized by a physician;

- Unauthorized leave of absence, continued tardiness, or abuse of sick leave or other leaves;

- Conviction for any felony, or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude;

- Discourteous treatment of the public or other employees;

- Use of City resources or time for political activity;

- Misuse or abuse of City property or waste of public funds;

- Failure to hold and maintain required licenses, certifications or endorsements;

- With the exception of commissioned law enforcement personnel, City employees are prohibited from carrying firearms and/or explosives into City workplaces (even if the workplace is not owned or leased by the City) and/or in City vehicles;

- Solicitation or acceptance of gifts or gratuities having more than de minimis value;

- Violation of any provision of the Redmond Personnel Manual.

12.20 Progressive Discipline and Types of Discipline

(rev. 7/2018)

The City endorses the practice of progressive discipline in which the supervisor, manager, or department director attempts to provide employees with notice of deficiencies and an opportunity to improve their performance or behavior. However, the City’s endorsement of the general principle of progressive discipline does not restrict the City’s right to impose any level of discipline up to and including termination if warranted by the poor performance or misconduct at issue.

Where progressive discipline is appropriate, the City will generally proceed through the following steps of discipline; however, as stated above, the City has the sole discretion to follow some, none, or all of the following steps:

1. Oral warning. If an employee is not meeting standards of behavior or performance, the supervisor or manager may meet with the employee to discuss the matter. The employee should be informed of the nature of the problem and the action necessary to correct it. The oral warning should be documented in writing and maintained in the supervisor’s working file. This document may be removed after one year if there is no recurrence of the behavior that resulted in the oral reprimand.

2. Written reprimand. A written reprimand is a reprimand that is documented and placed in the employee’s central personnel file. This document may be removed after one year if there is no recurrence of the behavior that resulted in the written reprimand.

3. Reduction in pay. A disciplinary reduction in pay is a change to a lower pay amount in the same classification. A disciplinary reduction in pay shall not exceed three calendar months at five percent (5%). Records pertaining to any disciplinary action impacting an employee’s pay shall be permanently maintained in the employee’s central personnel file. Any such records may be removed six years following the employee’s separation from employment. Reduction in pay does not apply to employees in the Fire IAFF union.

4. Suspension without pay. An employee suspended from City service forfeits all pay during the period of the suspension. However, the employee remains entitled to all benefits and the employee’s seniority date remains unchanged. A suspension without pay shall not exceed sixty calendar days. Suspensions imposed upon FLSA-exempt employees should be in one-week increments. Records pertaining to any disciplinary action impacting an employee’s pay shall be permanently maintained in the employee’s central personnel file. Any such records may be removed six years following the employee’s separation from employment.

5. Demotion. A disciplinary demotion is a change to a position in a different classification with less responsible duties, lower qualifications, and a lower rate of pay. Records pertaining to any disciplinary action impacting an employee’s pay shall be permanently maintained in the employee’s central personnel file. Any such records may be removed six years following the employee’s separation from employment.

6. Termination. Records pertaining to any disciplinary action impacting an employee’s pay shall be permanently maintained in the employee’s central personnel file. Any such records may be removed six years following the employee’s separation from employment.

12.30 Disciplinary Authority

(rev. 7/2018)

Supervisors

Supervisors may issue oral and written reprimands to employees in their chain-of- command. Supervisors may recommend more severe disciplinary action to their respective Department directors.

Department Directors

Department directors may issue oral warnings, written reprimands, reductions in pay, suspensions without pay of up to thirty days, and demotions. Department directors may also recommend that the Mayor impose more severe forms of discipline up to and including termination.

Mayor

The Mayor has full disciplinary authority and may impose oral warnings, written reprimands, reductions in pay, suspensions without pay of up to sixty days, demotions, and terminations.

12.40 Disciplinary Procedure

(rev. 7/2018)

Notice / Loudermill Notice

Prior to imposition of any discipline having a monetary impact (i.e., a reduction in pay, suspension without pay, demotion, or termination), the department director or the department director’s designee must advise the employee in writing of the alleged facts and that disciplinary action is being contemplated. The written notice must specify a time and place for a pre-discipline conference.

Pre-Discipline Conference / Loudermill Conference

After receiving notice of the allegations, the employee is entitled to a pre-discipline conference. At the conference, the employee has the opportunity to present his or her version of the facts as well as to present any reasons why he or she believes discipline should not be taken. If the employee fails to attend the pre-discipline conference, the disciplinary process may continue without input from the employee.

Written Decision

Within ten working days after the pre-discipline conference, the department director or the Department director’s designee shall provide the employee with a written decision as to (1) whether there are reasonable grounds to conclude that the factual allegations against the employee have merit and, if so, (2) a decision to either:

- Issue an oral warning, written reprimand, reduction in pay, suspension without pay of up to thirty days, demotion, or

- Provide a recommendation that the Mayor issue a more severe form of discipline, i.e., a suspension without pay in excess of thirty days or termination.

Mayor’s Decision

After receiving a recommendation for disciplinary action from a department director, the Mayor will issue a determination. The Mayor’s decision is final.

12.50 At-Will Employees

(rev. 7/2018)

At-will employees serve at the pleasure of the department director and/or Mayor. Therefore, in the event an at-will employee is separated from employment, the at-will employee does not have access to the Dispute Resolution Procedure described in Section 2.70 Dispute Resolution Procedure.

At-will employees are identified in At-Will Status Sections 3.130, 4.20, and 5.20.