Work Rules

The employer may establish reasonable work rules; however, the union must be given fourteen (14) calendar days (7 calendar days for SPOC) notice prior to the effective date of any new rule or rule changes. By contractual definition, work rules regulate the personal conduct of employees. Work assignments, procedures or directives for completion of work activities, and post (or general) orders relating to work activities are not work rules.

Personnel Files

Access to Files

Employees have a right to inspect their personnel file, to receive a copy of anything placed in their file, and to respond in writing to any item in their personnel file. These rights apply to all duplicates of their personnel file. Access to an employee’s personnel file is limited to the employee, a union representative or other person so designated in writing by the employee, and authorized management personnel.

Copies of Personnel File Material

In accordance with Iowa Code section 91B.1, an employee shall have access to and be permitted to obtain a copy of the employee’s personnel file. An employee’s access to a personnel file is subject to the following:

1) The employer and employee shall agree on the time the employee may have access to the employee’s personnel file, and a representative of the employer may be present.

2) An employee shall not have access to employment references written for the employee.

3) An employer may charge a reasonable fee for each page of a copy made by the employer for an employee of an item in the employee’s personnel file. The Code of Iowa defines reasonable fee as an amount equivalent to an amount charged per page for copies made by a commercial copying business.

In the event of a suspension or discharge and upon request, an employee will be furnished a copy of any material in his or her file at no expense to the employee. The request must specify which file documents are to be copied.

Special Expenses

The intent of this section is to allow reimbursement of special expenses for work activities that have been required by the supervisor, including expenses for conferences, banquets, etc., that are held in the employee’s official domicile.

Moving Expenses

Moving expenses will be reimbursed if the employee has been directed by the employer to move regardless of the employee’s pay grade. This includes moves of 25 miles or more and moves resulting from disciplinary reassignments or demotion. An employee who is required to move will be allowed a reasonable amount of time with pay, but no more than sixteen (16) hours, to seek permanent lodging.

Contract covered employees will not be granted the one-step increase for moves beyond the normal commuting distance as provided in the DAS-HRE rules.

The procedure for obtaining approval and payment of moving expenses is in Article XI of the AFSCME and IUP agreements and in Article VII for SPOC covered employees.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits

Employees may supplement workers’ compensation benefits with paid leave such as sick leave, annual leave, or compensatory time. Employees must be advised that all periods when workers’ compensation benefits are not supplemented by paid leave are considered periods of leave without pay. Employees who do not supplement workers’ compensation benefits are also considered to be in non-pay status for purposes of eligibility for holidays.

Home Phone Numbers

This provision is only applicable to employees covered by the IUP contract.

Employee home phone numbers may not be given to the general public or to clients without prior employee approval. Supervisors can, however, release employee home phone numbers to foster parents, private social service agencies, law enforcement personnel, and other work units without employee consent.

Employees are under no obligation to accept long distance collect phone calls at home from their clients. If collect calls are accepted, the employee will be reimbursed through normal expense claim procedures.

Time Sheets

An employee's time sheet or report may not be changed arbitrarily. If a time report is incorrect, however, it may be changed by a supervisor or other appropriate person. The employee must be advised that the time report has been changed and the reasons for that change. The employee may also be asked to sign the corrected time report to indicate his or her knowledge of the change.

Retention of Disabled Employees

Whenever possible, the retention to employees who have become disabled while in state service is encouraged. The retention or return of such employees may necessitate reasonable job modification. Job modification or restructuring will be attempted whenever it can be reasonably accomplished. The personnel officer should be consulted for assistance.

Performance Evaluation

All employees must be evaluated at least annually. Employees may grieve their performance evaluation if they feel the evaluation was not fair and impartial. Employees may not grieve the responsibilities, standards, comments, or the rating unless: a) the evaluation rating score is less than satisfactory; or b) the performance evaluation is used as justification for disciplinary action. The grievant’s burden is to prove that the evaluation was unfair.

(See additional requirements in the IUP contract for grievance evaluations.)