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Home My WebLink AboutWorkplace Relationships - SOPIdaho Department of Correction Standard Operating Procedure Title: Workplace Relationships Page: 1 of 6 Control Number: 220.07.01.001 Version: 1.0 Adopted: 08/16/2005 IDOC Data Sensitivity Classification - L3 Restricted Sharla Means, human resource manager, approved this document on 02/13/2017. Open to the public: Yes SCOPE This standard operating procedure (SOP) applies to all Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) employees and contractors. Revision Summary Revision date (02/13/2017) version 1.0: This is a new document. Previously, information regarding workplace relationships was contained in policy 220. The creation of a standard operating procedure written under the authority of policy 220 was completed to meet current IDOC controlled document standards. TABLE OF CONTENTS Board Of Corrections IDAPA Rule Number ....................................................................................... 1 Policy Control Number 220 ................................................................................................................ 1 Purpose ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Responsibility ..................................................................................................................................... 2 Standard Procedures ........................................................................................................................ 2 1. Workplace Relationships ............................................................................................................. 2 2. Nepotism ..................................................................................................................................... 3 3. Romantic Relationships .............................................................................................................. 3 4. Notification .................................................................................................................................. 4 5. Plan Of Action ............................................................................................................................. 4 Definitions ......................................................................................................................................... 5 References ....................................................................................................................................... 6 BOARD OF CORRECTIONS IDAPA RULE NUMBER None POLICY CONTROL NUMBER 220 Work Place Relationships PURPOSE The purpose of this SOP is to provide guidance for developing professional relationships as well as defining unwanted relationships in the workplace. Control Number: 220.07.01.001 Version: 1.0 Title: Workplace Relationships Page Number: 2 of 6 Idaho Department of Correction IDOC Data Sensitivity Classification - L3 Restricted RESPONSIBILITY Contractor The employees of contractors providing services to the department are subject to the procedures of this standard operating procedure. Employees IDOC employees are responsible for participating in training, complying with this SOP, and reporting violations. Human Resource Manager Human resources manager is responsible to compose, interpret, and revise workplace relationships procedures for the department. Deputy Attorney General The Idaho deputy attorney general staff members, assigned to IDOC, are responsible for rendering legal advice, interpreting, and providing counsel services to management concerning policy or procedures. Managers IDOC managers are responsible for conducting employee training, and monitoring compliance. Managers are authorized to take corrective or disciplinary actions for violations. Special Investigation Unit (SIU) The SIU is responsible for conducting authorized investigations into employee misconduct. Senior Leadership The director, deputy director, division chiefs, deputy division chiefs, and administrators are responsible for providing primary guidance and approval for these procedures, and ensuring that managers are trained and knowledgeable concerning all department policies and SOPs. Supervisor Supervisors are responsible for training and evaluating assigned staff to meet performance standards and to ensure compliance with this SOP. Supervisors are responsible to report all violations. STANDARD PROCEDURES 1. Workplace Relationships The department encourages employees to develop professional supportive and caring relationships with their co-workers. Employees must maintain professional workplace relationships to ensure the safety, security and morale of departmental operations. The department will provide training on professional relationships and establish identification and reporting procedures for unprofessional workplace behaviors. Corrective or disciplinary action will be implemented when unprofessional conduct adversely affects the department. The department does not tolerate unprofessional workplace behaviors to include: • Conflicts of interest • Favoritism • Illegal discrimination Control Number: 220.07.01.001 Version: 1.0 Title: Workplace Relationships Page Number: 3 of 6 Idaho Department of Correction IDOC Data Sensitivity Classification - L3 Restricted • Nepotism • Workplace harassment Each employee can seek advice and counsel from the employee's supervisor, manager, or human resources when questions arise regarding whether social situations that develop after work hours or away from the work site are consistent with this SOP. Co-workers engaging in relationships outside of the workplace that manifest in personal disagreements between themselves and/or other employees in the workplace are subject to corrective and or disciplinary action. The following are examples of unacceptable conflicts of interest and behaviors: • Any activity resulting in an employee being monetarily indebted to another employee, supervisor/manager, or subordinate that could result in a workplace conflict or could through coercion compromise any supervisor, manager or other employee’s ability to perform assigned duties properly. • Promising to grant, or granting salary increases, promotions or assignments not based on merit or established employment procedures. • Participating in unprofessional relationships that affect the department's safety, effectiveness, efficient operations, morale, or productivity. 2. Nepotism Employment of a family member or extended family member is not prohibited except where one family member or an extended family member would be in a position of authority or supervision over another family member or extended family member. Employees must provide written notification to supervisors of any family member or extended family member who is currently employed, or becomes employed by the department: • When first hired • Upon reinstatement • Upon rehire • Upon transferring to the department from another state agency • Any time that an employee’s family member or an extended family member becomes employed with the department. 3. Romantic Relationships The department recognizes that employees may choose to engage in consensual romantic or other personal relationships outside of the workplace. When personal relationships could affect the workplace in an adverse manner, however, the department has an interest in eliminating unprofessional situations or taking other appropriate action to ensure fairness, uniformity, stability, and productivity in the workplace. When a dating, sexual, and/or romantic relationship develops between employees, regardless of whether or not they are within the same work unit, facility or division, both employees are responsible to promptly notify their respective supervisors. Employees, who believe that they have been, or are being, adversely affected in regards to employment with the department by a dating, sexual, and/or romantic relationship with another employee are required to promptly report this concern to their manager, supervisor, or human resources. Control Number: 220.07.01.001 Version: 1.0 Title: Workplace Relationships Page Number: 4 of 6 Idaho Department of Correction IDOC Data Sensitivity Classification - L3 Restricted Supervisors Supervisors and managers are subject to additional restrictions. Supervisors and managers are prohibited from engaging in dating, sexual, and/or romantic relationships with employees working within their same chain of command. In the event a dating, sexual, and/or romantic relationship develops between a supervisor or manager and an employee assigned to another chain of command, both employees are responsible to promptly notify their respective supervisor as discussed above in this SOP. Supervisors and managers assume responsibility for creating a positive workplace environment that promotes professional growth of all employees. Therefore, no supervisor or manager may influence, directly or indirectly, salary, promotion, performance appraisals, work assignments, disciplinary action, or other working conditions for an employee with whom the supervisor or manager has a current or past dating, sexual, or romantic relationship. This prohibition applies even though the supervisor/manager and the employee are not within the same chain of command. Managers must ensure that married employees, or employees with significant others, or those who are engaged to become married, are not working under the other’s chain of command. 4. Notification Employees must complete a Relationship Disclosure Form when the following occur: • Family member is newly hired • Another IDOC employee marries into one's family (or becomes a significant other) • Any other incident involving nepotism as described in this SOP • Conflict of interest as an employee or as a supervisor/manager • Dating, sexual, or romantic relationships between employees as described in this SOP • Any unprofessional relationship Non-disclosure of nepotism, a conflict of interest, an unprofessional relationship, or a dating, sexual, or romantic relationship can be grounds for corrective or disciplinary action up to and including termination. 5. Plan of Action If the department finds that an administrative or employment action is appropriate, upon receiving notice of any employee relationship governed by this SOP, a plan of action will be implemented. Examples of a plan of action may include, but are not limited to: • An agreement of one person to transfer to another unit, facility, or division • Change in shift assignment • Change in reporting structure • Voluntary demotion or resignation • Performance improvement plan • Corrective-disciplinary action • Dismissal Control Number: 220.07.01.001 Version: 1.0 Title: Workplace Relationships Page Number: 5 of 6 Idaho Department of Correction IDOC Data Sensitivity Classification - L3 Restricted An employee will be issued a written notification regarding the resolution imposed, if any. A copy of the notification will be placed in the employee’s official personnel file in Human Resources. Any corrective-disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with Corrective and Disciplinary Action, SOP 205.07.01.001. DEFINITIONS Conflict Of Interest: Situations where employees have private or personal dealings or interests that are in conflict with their official duties and responsibilities. Employee: For the purposes of this SOP, an employee, as used through this procedure, refers to all hired employees, interns, and temporary employees including IDOC authorized volunteers, contract workers, vendors, and authorized agents. Extended Family Member: For purposes of this SOP, family member means family members related by blood, adoption or marriage: spouse, father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, grandfather, grandmother, grandson, granddaughter, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew - whether in a full or half or step relationships. Also included are fiancés, legal guardians, significant others in the same household, and their family members related by blood or marriage, including in-laws. Favoritism: Any preferential treatment given to a subordinate by a superior over others of the same grade and/or job class, particularly within the same work unit. Notification: For the purpose of this SOP, a notification is an oral or written report by an employee to his supervisor, or from a supervisor to a superior. Professional Relationship: Employee conduct or behavior that exemplifies respectfulness, truthfulness, sincerity, helpfulness, professionalism, empathy, and trustfulness while performing duties. Relationship: The term relationship, as used within this SOP, is an association between persons, regardless of sexual orientation. Romantic Relationship: When employees within the department consider themselves romantically involved, are dating one another, are living together in a sexual relationship, or are having intimate relations. Significant other: When employees are cohabitating in a domestic unit partnership and/or romantic relationship, or when an employee considers himself another employee’s significant other. Excluded are employees who are independent roommates with one another for housing purposes, which is without romantic involvement, such as a platonic relationship. Superior and Subordinate Relationship: A superior and subordinate relationship exists when an employee in a position of supervisory or managerial authority, has direct working association, interaction or supervision with a non-supervisory employee. The relationship does not have to be in the same chain of command or even the same unit. Unprofessional Relationship: Unprofessional relationships occur when two or more employees' personal interaction (conduct or behaviors) compromises their expected professional, ethical, and assigned responsibilities in the work place. Work Unit: For the purposes of this SOP, a work unit is an assigned workplace that is designated by the division administrator. A shift may qualify as a work unit when declared by the manager and approved by the division chief. Workplace Harassment: Unacceptable harassing behavior or conduct directed towards another employee in violation of Policy 201, Respectful Workplace, or Policy 217, Ethics and Control Number: 220.07.01.001 Version: 1.0 Title: Workplace Relationships Page Number: 6 of 6 Idaho Department of Correction IDOC Data Sensitivity Classification - L3 Restricted Standards of Conduct. Harassing behavior can occur during work hours and /or after work hours between department employees. In addition, for purposes of this SOP, inappropriate and unacceptable behavior towards another employee based on sexual orientation is a violation of this SOP. REFERENCES Department Policy 201, Respectful Workplace Department Policy 217, Ethics and Standards of Conduct Department Policy 227, Administrative Investigations Department’s Statement of Mission, Vision and Values Section 18-1359, Using Public Position for Personal Gain Idaho Code, Sections 59-701 through 59-705, Ethics in Government Act of 1990. Idaho Division of Human Resources, Rule 025, Nepotism Idaho Division of Human Resources, Rule 190, Disciplinary Actions IDAPA Rule 15.04.01, Rules of the Division of Human Resources and Idaho Personnel Commission Relationship Disclosure Form – End of Document