TOWN OF NIAGARA – An employee handbook that contains all town policies regarding working for the town is in the works.
At a work session Thursday, the Town Board agreed to authorize Town Attorney Michael Risman to develop a handbook that would be given to all current employees as well as new hires.
According to the discussion, the handbook would contain the town’s policies on sexual harassment, appropriate internet use, emailing, leaves of absence, and other issues, Risman said.
The decision to go to a handbook stemmed from a discussion on the town sexual harassment policy which he said needed to be more fully developed. The board needs to approve a procedure for victims of sexual harassment to file a complaint and for a subsequent investigation.
“If not, you’re exposed to liability,” Risman told the board. “(The town) should have had one ten years ago.”
Deputy Supervisor Danny Sklarski said the state requires municipalities to conduct sexual harassment training every year.
Sklarski, who, along with Councilman Marc Carpenter, will act as board liaison for the book, said the manual would “be a condition of pre-employment, just like a background check.”
“It protects the worker, the co-workers, the employer and the town,” he explained.
Carpenter mentioned that the internet and emailing policies could be set up to appear on the computer monitors every time an employee signs in to the town system. Part of the sign-in process would be to agree to the policies.
Superintendent Steve Richards directed Risman to develop the handbook. The book will be reviewed by the board before being implemented.
At a work session Thursday, the Town Board agreed to authorize Town Attorney Michael Risman to develop a handbook that would be given to all current employees as well as new hires.
According to the discussion, the handbook would contain the town’s policies on sexual harassment, appropriate internet use, emailing, leaves of absence, and other issues, Risman said.
The decision to go to a handbook stemmed from a discussion on the town sexual harassment policy which he said needed to be more fully developed. The board needs to approve a procedure for victims of sexual harassment to file a complaint and for a subsequent investigation.
“If not, you’re exposed to liability,” Risman told the board. “(The town) should have had one ten years ago.”
Deputy Supervisor Danny Sklarski said the state requires municipalities to conduct sexual harassment training every year.
Sklarski, who, along with Councilman Marc Carpenter, will act as board liaison for the book, said the manual would “be a condition of pre-employment, just like a background check.”
“It protects the worker, the co-workers, the employer and the town,” he explained.
Carpenter mentioned that the internet and emailing policies could be set up to appear on the computer monitors every time an employee signs in to the town system. Part of the sign-in process would be to agree to the policies.
Superintendent Steve Richards directed Risman to develop the handbook. The book will be reviewed by the board before being implemented.