EMPLOYEE SAFETY
Sexual and Unlawful Harassment
The Library expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment or discrimination based on race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, genetic information, service in the military, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. Each employee has the right to work in an environment free of harassment of any sort by co-workers and the general public.
1. Unlawful harassment:
Unlawful harassment is conduct that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, a hostile, or an offensive work environment; has the purpose or effect of substantially and unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance; or otherwise adversely affects an individual’s employment opportunities because of the individual’s membership in a protected class.
Unlawful harassment includes, but is not limited to, epithets; slurs; jokes; pranks; comments; written or graphic material; stereotyping; or other threatening, hostile, or intimidating acts based on race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or another characteristic protected by state or federal law.
2. Sexual Harassment:
Sexual harassment is a unique form of gender discrimination and is
defined as unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors and other physical, verbal or
visual conduct based on gender under any of the following circumstances:
• Submission to the conduct is an explicit or implicit term or condition of
employment.
• Submission to, or rejection of, the conduct is used as the basis of an employment
decision.
• The conduct has the purpose or the effect of interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.
Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to,
• Sexual epithets; jokes; written or oral references to sexual conduct; gossip regarding one’s sex life; comments about an individual’s body; and comments about an individual’s sexual activity, deficiencies, or prowess;
• Displaying sexually suggestive objects, pictures, or cartoons;
• Unwelcome leering, whistling, brushing up against the body, sexual gestures, or suggestive or insulting comments;
• Inquiries into one’s sexual experiences; and
• Discussion of one’s sexual activities.
3. Responsibility to Report:
All employees are responsible for ensuring that discriminatory or harassing conduct does not occur in any form in the workplace. Employees who believe that they have been subjected to harassment should, where appropriate, verbally communicate to the offending employee that the employee’s behavior must stop. Employees who believe that they have been subjected to harassment are also required to immediately report the offending incident(s) to the Operations and Personnel Manager. Further, employees who observe conduct, which reasonably amounts to harassment, must likewise immediately report such conduct to the Operations and Personnel Manager. Upon receipt of such a complaint, the Operations and Personnel Manager must report the complaint to the Director. In the event a complaint is lodged against the Director, the employee must report the conduct directly to the Board President.
4. Investigation:
The Operations and Personnel Manager (or the Director if the allegations are against the Operations and Personnel Manager) will act promptly and positively to investigate complaints of harassment. Every effort will be made to conduct the investigation in an efficient and impartial manner. The employee against whom the complaint has been made will be given a full opportunity to respond to the allegations against that employee. To the extent possible, the investigation will be conducted confidentially, with only relevant employees interviewed. The employee who made the complaint and the employee who the complaint is lodged against will be advised of the findings and conclusion of the investigation.
5. Confirmed Allegations of Harassment:
If the allegations of harassment are determined to be valid at the conclusion of the investigation, the Operations and Personnel Manager will take immediate, appropriate, corrective action, including retraining, reassignment, and/or disciplinary action, up to and including immediate termination. If the allegation of harassment was lodged against a patron, the patron may be denied access to Library.
6. False Allegations of Harassment:
No employee should be subjected to false accusations of sexual harassment/unlawful harassment. Any employee determined to have intentionally and knowingly filed a false complaint of harassment against another employee will be subjected to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Sexual harassment, or any other behavior which is discriminatory, will subject the offending employee to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
7. Prohibition Against Retaliation: No employee shall be subjected to coercion, intimidation, interference, or any form of retaliation for raising a good faith complaint of harassment or for assisting in an investigation under this policy. Any incidences of such retaliation shall be immediately reported to the Operations and Personnel Manager and will, if validated, be grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Injury
An injury in the course of employment with the Library shall be reported to the Operations and Personnel Manager or the Director in absence of the Operations and Personnel Manager. An injury report form should be completed and submitted the Operations and Personnel Manager or Director. An application may be completed and filed with the Ohio Bureau of Worker’s Compensation by the employee.
Workplace Violence
The Library is committed to providing a work environment that is safe, secure, and free of harassment, threats, intimidation, and violence. Threats or acts of physical or verbal violence (including intimidation, harassment, or coercion) which involve or affect the Library or its employees or which occur on Library’s property will not be tolerated. Such conduct will be met with the strongest disciplinary action by the Library, up to and including termination, the use of law enforcement, and the use of criminal prosecution measures.
Duty to Report: All employees are required to immediately notify their supervisor or the Operations and Personnel Manager if they witness or hear of any threats or acts which violate this policy. In addition, employees should notify the Operations and Personnel Manager if they become aware of any situation or risk factor which could lead to violence.
Weapons
Employees are prohibited from carrying, using, displaying, possessing, or discharging weapons (concealed or otherwise) on Library property at any time. For purposes of this policy, “weapons” are defined as firearms, handguns, or other weapons further defined by Ohio statute or local ordnance, and “Library property” is defined as including all Library-owned or leased buildings and surrounding areas, such as sidewalks, walkways, parking lots and driveways. This policy applies to all employees and other persons entering the Library’s property at all times regardless of whether the employee or person are licensed to carry the weapon. The only exception to this policy will be police officers, security guards, law enforcement officials, or other persons who have been given consent by the Library to carry a weapon on the property.
WPL Approved 7/9/2024, Amended 12/9/25
DISCIPLINE POLICY
Discipline is intended to serve as corrective action and provide an employee notice of a problem and an opportunity to improve. The library hopes that employees will exercise self-discipline so that it will be unnecessary for the library to impose discipline. However, objectionable and unsatisfactory conduct or performance will not be permitted and may result in disciplinary action, including but not limited to one or more of the following, depending upon the severity of the infraction:
· Verbal warning
· Written warning
· Final written warning
· Probation and/or suspension
· Termination of employment
Certain infractions may warrant immediate suspension or termination. Repeated infractions of a less serious nature may result in progressively more serious disciplinary actions, up to and including termination. At all times, the library may take the disciplinary action it believes is appropriate under the circumstances. Behavior which will result in disciplinary action includes, but is not limited to:
· Unsatisfactory work performance;
· Violation of the library's policies;
· Theft or inappropriate removal of library property;
· Falsification of timekeeping or any other library records;
· Misrepresentation on any library document, including resumes and employment applications;
· Working under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs or controlled substances;
· Possession, distribution, purchase, or sale of alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, or controlled substances while on duty;
· Working on your personal matters while on duty;
· Disruptive activity in the workplace;
· Negligent or improper conduct leading to damage of library property;
· Excessive absenteeism and tardiness;
· Absence without notice or any unauthorized absence
· Unauthorized use or possession of library documents or property;
· Disregard of safety rules or practices;
· Creating or contributing to hazardous, unhealthy, unsafe, or unsanitary conditions;
· Fighting, provoking a fight or altercation, engaging in any act or threat of violence, or any conduct that causes any individual to
reasonably fear for his or her safety or the safety of his or her family, friends, or property;
· Sleeping during working hours;
· Insubordination;
· Possessing weapons on library premises;
· Unauthorized disclosure of confidential information;
· Violation of the library's policies regarding use of computers, e¬mail, telephone, or other electronic communications equipment;
· Smoking in unauthorized areas;
· Refusing to cooperate with a library investigation;
· Failing to make work accident reports;
· Unlawful or inappropriate harassment or discrimination.
· Inappropriate use of library funds
NOTE: Nothing in this policy limits your right or the library's right to terminate employment at any time, with or without cause or notice.
DISCIPLINE/CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN-DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS AND PERSONNEL MANAGER AND FISCAL OFFICER
The Wauseon Public Library is committed to good service for its patrons and a fair work environment for the director and the fiscal officer. The discipline/corrective action plan will be used as a tool to improve and or resolve performance problems or deficiencies.
1. When problems or deficiencies arise, the Personnel Committee will meet with the director and/or fiscal officer to investigate and/or resolve the problem.
2. If the meeting does not resolve the issue the Board of Trustees will meet to determine the appropriate disciplinary action including but not limited to one or more of the following depending upon the severity of the infraction;
• Verbal warning
• Written warning
• Final written warning
• Probation and/or suspension
• Performance improvement plan
• Termination of employment
3. The Board of Trustees or selected board members will meet with the director and/or fiscal officer to discuss the disciplinary action. If a performance improvement plan is included, it will contain the stated problem, measurable actions to address it, achievable deadlines, and follow-up meetings to monitor progress and improvement.
4. Progress will be monitored through meetings, documents, and/or evaluations.
5. If adequate progress is not made on the performance improvement plan, additional disciplinary action may be warranted.
DISCIPLINE/CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN-STAFF
The Wauseon Public Library is committed to good service for its patrons and a fair work environment for its staff. The discipline/corrective action plan will be used as a tool to improve and or resolve performance problems or deficiencies.
1. When problems or deficiencies arise, the Operations and Personnel Manager will meet with the staff member to investigate and/or resolve the problem.
2. If the meeting does not resolve the issue, the Operations and Personnel Manager will determine an appropriate disciplinary action including but not limited to one or more of the following depending upon the severity of the infraction;
• Verbal warning
• Written warning
• Final written warning
• Probation and/or suspension
• Performance improvement plan
• Termination of employment
3. The Operations and Personnel Manager will meet with the staff member to discuss the disciplinary action. If a performance improvement plan is included, it will contain the stated problem, measurable actions to address it, achievable deadlines, and follow-up meetings to monitor progress and improvement.
4. The measurable actions, progress, and deadlines will be reviewed at the follow-up meetings.
5. Written progress notes will be kept.
6. If adequate progress is not made on the performance improvement plan, additional disciplinary action may be warranted up to and including remedial training and termination.
WPL Approved 2/13/2024, Amended 12/9/25
