Kent County Code References
§ 68-11 — Attendance policy; hours
of work.
§ 68-19 — General prohibitions.
[Adopted 9-30-2003, effective 7-1-2003 (P-21E, Subsection 6)]
It shall be the responsibility of the appointing official, or
designee, to determine the hours of work for deputies and chief deputies.
Hours of work shall be coordinated between the appointing official
and the deputy or chief deputy. Slotted deputies are expected to work
the number of hours required to the get their work done consistent
with the number of hours worked by other similarly responsible exempt
employees.
[Adopted 1-28-1997 (P-66); amended 1-17-2006]
This Policy establishes a flexible work schedule and flexible
working hours program for County employees.
A.
County
offices must be sufficiently staffed at all times during regular office
hours.
B.
The
use of a flexible schedule and/or flexing working hours during a particular
workweek must be approved in advance by the respective department
head.
C.
Like
the normal work schedule, all work performed before or after regular
office hours must be productive and beneficial to the mission of the
department.
D.
Flexible
or modified work schedules may be approved by department heads, if:
E.
Flexible
working hours may be approved or enforced by a department head or
his/her designee, if:
(1)
An employee has worked additional hours earlier in the week or day
and the total number of hours worked for the week is not less than
40 (or 35 for thirty-five-week employees); and
(2)
The flexed hours do not require an employee to work more than seven
consecutive hours without a lunch break. (Employees are required to
take a lunch break unless flexed under this provision.)
F.
Flexible
hours may not be used to offset full-day deductions from sick leave
accruals.
G.
Flexible
schedules are subject at all times to revocation or alteration by
the department head to meet staffing needs, to achieve performance
initiatives, or failure by the participating employee to accrue necessary
hours for flexing.
[Adopted 2-20-2007]
This Policy establishes provisions for the evaluation of employee
performance: to provide introductory employment employees with timely
reports of his/her progress and allow for correction of deficiencies;
to provide all employees with positive recognition of strengths and
special abilities and an opportunity to improve deficiencies; to provide
an ongoing performance record which may become part of documentation
used in taking personnel actions; to provide employees with an opportunity
to discuss ways and means for improvement; and to cause current job
descriptions to be formulated and/or maintained.
A.
Format.
Supervisors shall use a standard performance appraisal form issued
by the Personnel Office. Annual training shall be provided by the
Personnel Office for employees and supervisors on performance evaluation
process and forms.
B.
Probationary
employees. Employees on introductory (probationary) employment status
shall be evaluated at least at the midpoint of such status and two
weeks prior to the end of the introductory employment period, at which
time the employee shall be advised of his/her status (regular or terminated).
C.
All
personnel shall be evaluated at least once a year. All employees are
evaluated on an annual basis prior to the new fiscal year with a due
date determined by the Personnel Director. Department heads may choose
to evaluate employees more often. Those employees receiving an "Effective"
evaluation shall be eligible for an annual step increase, unless the
employee is at the top of the range.
D.
Procedures.
Employees who regularly supervise one or more full-time employees
are evaluated using a supervisory personnel form. All other employees
are evaluated using the form designated for their type of work. Employees
are encouraged to do a self-evaluation, in order to facilitate the
open discussion process. Once the supervisor and the employee have
completed the evaluation form, both parties shall meet to discuss
the contents, discuss training needs, and establish performance goals
for the upcoming year, and the supervisor's performance rating
of the employee. In order to achieve an "Effective" (3.00) or higher
on the performance evaluation, all goals must have been substantially
met. A score of "Highly Effective" (4.00) or "Exceptional" (5.00)
would only be granted to the degree performance exceeded documented
expectations and timelines.
E.
Performance
improvement plan. Employees receiving a performance evaluation score
less than "Effective" (3.00) overall will receive a performance improvement
plan developed by the supervisor and reviewed with the employee. The
supervisor shall establish specific tasks or behaviors required to
improve performance with specified dates of accomplishment. Employees
failing to meet the deadlines and receiving a subsequent less than
effective evaluation may be terminated. If performance has improved
and the employee achieves an "Effective" score, he/she shall receive
a nonretroactive step increase.
F.
Adjustments
to ratings. An employee is required to sign the performance evaluation
form as an acknowledgement that it was completed and that he/she is
aware of its contents. The supervisor likewise signs the form. Completed
evaluations and recommended adjustments are subject to review and
approval by the department head, where applicable, and then the Personnel
Director, whose determination shall be final. The department head
and/or Personnel Director may change the recommended adjustment or
return it for reconsideration due to budget considerations, evidence
of rating error, bias, or other relevant factors. The employee and
supervisor should make a copy of the evaluation for use in future
evaluations. The original shall be kept in the employee's confidential
personnel file.
G.
Department
heads. The performance of department heads appointed by the Levy Court
shall be annually evaluated by the County Administrator using a format
of his/her choosing. After discussing the evaluation with the individual
department heads, the completed evaluations shall be reviewed with
the Commissioners, and any desired revisions made thereto. An annual
evaluation of the County Administrator's performance shall be
conducted by the individual Levy Court Commissioners using a form
or format approved by them, and the contents thereof reviewed in confidence
with the President.
H.
Appeals
of ratings. Ratings may not be appealed or grieved, but employees
may attach written comments to the evaluation form identifying those
areas of dispute and providing supporting statements.
I.
Employees
with less than one year of service. Employees who will have more than
three months but fewer than nine months of service by July 1 shall
be evaluated and are eligible for a half-step (1%) pay increase. Employees
with more than nine months of service shall be evaluated and eligible
to receive the full step increase. Employees employed three months
or less need not be evaluated and shall receive no step increase for
the upcoming fiscal year.
J.
The
Personnel Director shall develop appropriate forms and any additional
procedures necessary to effect the administration of this Policy.
[Adopted 12-13-2011 (P11-04)]
This Policy establishes expectations for a high quality of service
and assistance provided by County employees when interacting with
external customers, co-workers, constituents, business owners, governmental
officials, and other members of the public. This Policy is intended
to list in clear, concise language the goals and objectives of each
County employee with respect to customer service.
A.
Excellence.
County employees shall strive to go beyond the minimum required to
provide the highest quality of customer service that regularly exceeds
customer expectations. To monitor our progress, the County will actively
seek feedback from our customers and will use this feedback as an
aid in assessing our strengths and weaknesses, and for seeking continual
improvement. Feedback will be solicited in a number of ways, including
but not limited to direct contact, customer comment cards, written
correspondence, and website customer satisfaction postings.
B.
Accessibility.
County employees shall be reasonably accessible for consultation and
meetings with customers. Departments with regular public interaction
shall have the front counter staffed at all times during normal business
hours. Inquiries and requests for meetings with technical staff, division
managers and department heads shall be arranged promptly and at the
most immediate and mutually convenient time possible. It is expected
that division managers and department heads shall make themselves
available for consultation as soon as possible and in deference to
the customer's preference.
C.
Clarity
and responsiveness. It shall be the responsibility of each employee
to operate within the limits of his/her County job description and
area of responsibility to provide clear, concise, and courteous responses
to inquiries for assistance and/or requests for information. When
inquiries are received that would best be responded to by another
County employee or County department, the employee receiving the inquiry
shall bear the responsibility of assuring that every effort has been
taken to confirm that a person-to-person relay of the inquiry has
been made.
(1)
For inquiries, complaints and other requests that require research,
analysis, site visits, inspections, or consultation, the employee
handling the request shall be responsible for following up with the
inquiring party to provide status reports and/or to communicate how
that inquiry is being processed or resolved. There shall be no exception
to this provision unless an inquiring party indicates that the party
does not want to be contacted.
(2)
In many situations, there may be alternative approaches to resolving
an inquiry, problem, or complaint. In such situations it shall be
the responsibility of the County employee to consider alternative
approaches and to offer options and alternatives to the customer for
his/her consideration. The goal of the County employee shall be to
achieve and/or maintain compliance with all applicable laws, codes
and ordinances while striving for the maximum level of satisfaction
for all parties involved in the most expedient manner practicable.
D.
Timeliness.
All requests for assistance and/or information shall be processed
and responded to promptly, with most routine inquiries being satisfied
immediately or within 24 hours. Requests for information pursuant
to Delaware Code Title 29, Chapter 100 (Freedom of Information Act),
shall be processed in accordance with County Policy P08-05.[1]
E.
Commitment.
It is the expressed policy of Kent County Levy Court that every County
employee shall engage each customer with respect, service and assistance
in a manner equal to or exceeding what the employee would expect if
he/she were the customer.
F.
County
employees shall strive to maintain compliance with the provisions
of this Policy at all times in their official capacities as County
employees. Lapses in compliance with this Policy shall be considered
deficiencies in performance and may be subject to disciplinary action
as prescribed in Chapter 68, § 68-4, of the Kent County
Code.