Imperial County Grand Jury
2004-2005
Findings & Recommendations
5 findings
F1:
The Imperial County Sexual Harassment Policy and Employee Handbook are not congruent with each other; Specifically the wording in complaint procedures do not match. (Ref. Page .7, Employee Hand Book, Sec. XIV. DISCRIMINATION / HARASSMENT COMPLAINT PROCEDURE); http://www.imperialcounty.net/human-resources/SexualHarrassment.htm, (Imperial County Sexual Harassment Policy "Online" Sec. VII Procedures.)
F2:
There is a lack of congruency and clarity in both complaint procedures that allows complainants to forgo the entire complaint process and file directly with the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer (EEO). See ref. below: • Employee Hand Book XIV, 2(b). - If their department does not respond or if the response does not satisfactorily address the complaint, the employee may formalize the complaint within the department or the employee may contact the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Office for assistance in informally resolving the complaint. (Formal complaint resolution is covered in the following section.) • Imperial County Sexual Harassment Policy - A complaint alleging sexual harassment shall be filed according to standard complaint procedures given in the Employee Personnel Handbook, or may be filed directly with the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer.
F3:
There is concern over employees having to report his/her complaint verbally to an immediate supervisor and the time frame that follows for a response. See ref. Below: • Employee Hand Book XIV, 2 (a)- An employee who has a discrimination complaint should informally discuss their complaint with their immediate supervisor or department management personnel. The department should respond orally to the employee within five (5) days.
F4:
This prolonged complaint procedure could still allow whatever harassment to continue or escalate in the meantime. Ref Employee Hand Book XIV, 3. “Formal Discrimination Complaint with EEO office.” • 5 day response time from EEO • 20 day investigation period • Must file within 10 days to Employee Appeals board if you do not agree with EEO findings
F5:
Both ordinance policy book and employee handbook recently updated but not Sexual Harassment and Procedure Policy.
Findings & Recommendations
4 findings
F1:
If practical, no Board of Director with the SCSD should serve as a volunteer firefighter (and vice versa) with either fire station.
F2:
The Board of Directors should not micromanage either fire department. This task is the responsibility of the designated Fire Chief and the District’s General Manager.
F3:
The Board of Directors should remember that the only place that they have any authority is in a formal session (advanced notice required), and minutes of that session should be approved and published by the board.
F4:
All District personnel must follow the designated line of authority, including the SCSD Board of Directors. The applicable lines of authority should be incorporated into the District’s rules and regulations. Failure to follow those pertinent rules and regulations should result in disciplinary (administrative) action against the violator. The Committee would like to take this opportunity to compliment all the SCSD officials and staff for their straightforwardness in their numerous discussions with Committee members throughout the investigative process. The members of this Committee look forward to the full Grand Jury accepting their recommendations as stated above.
Additional Recommendations
32
Not linked to specific findings.
R1:
If practical, no Board of Director with the SCSD should serve as a volunteer firefighter (and vice versa) with either fire station.
R2:
The Board of Directors should not micromanage either fire department. This task is the responsibility of the designated Fire Chief and the District’s General Manager.
R3:
The Board of Directors should remember that the only place that they have any authority is in a formal session (advanced notice required), and minutes of that session should be approved and published by the board.
R4:
All District personnel must follow the designated line of authority, including the SCSD Board of Directors. The applicable lines of authority should be incorporated into the District’s rules and regulations. Failure to follow those pertinent rules and regulations should result in disciplinary (administrative) action against the violator. The Committee would like to take this opportunity to compliment all the SCSD officials and staff for their straightforwardness in their numerous discussions with Committee members throughout the investigative process. The members of this Committee look forward to the full Grand Jury accepting their recommendations as stated above.
R5:
If practical, no Board of Director with the SCSD should serve as a volunteer firefighter (and vice versa) with either fire station.
R6:
The Board of Directors should not micromanage either fire department. This task is the responsibility of the designated Fire Chief and the District’s General Manager.
R7:
The Board of Directors should remember that the only place that they have any authority is in a formal session (advanced notice required), and minutes of that session should be approved and published by the board.
R8:
All District personnel must follow the designated line of authority, including the SCSD Board of Directors. The applicable lines of authority should be incorporated into the District’s rules and regulations. Failure to follow those pertinent rules and regulations should result in disciplinary (administrative) action against the violator. The Committee would like to take this opportunity to compliment all the SCSD officials and staff for their straightforwardness in their numerous discussions with Committee members throughout the investigative process. The members of this Committee look forward to the full Grand Jury accepting their recommendations as stated above.
R9:
If practical, no Board of Director with the SCSD should serve as a volunteer firefighter (and vice versa) with either fire station.
R10:
The Board of Directors should not micromanage either fire department. This task is the responsibility of the designated Fire Chief and the District’s General Manager.
R11:
The Board of Directors should remember that the only place that they have any authority is in a formal session (advanced notice required), and minutes of that session should be approved and published by the board.
R12:
All District personnel must follow the designated line of authority, including the SCSD Board of Directors. The applicable lines of authority should be incorporated into the District’s rules and regulations. Failure to follow those pertinent rules and regulations should result in disciplinary (administrative) action against the violator. The Committee would like to take this opportunity to compliment all the SCSD officials and staff for their straightforwardness in their numerous discussions with Committee members throughout the investigative process. The members of this Committee look forward to the full Grand Jury accepting their recommendations as stated above.
R13:
If practical, no Board of Director with the SCSD should serve as a volunteer firefighter (and vice versa) with either fire station.
R14:
The Board of Directors should not micromanage either fire department. This task is the responsibility of the designated Fire Chief and the District’s General Manager.
R15:
The Board of Directors should remember that the only place that they have any authority is in a formal session (advanced notice required), and minutes of that session should be approved and published by the board.
R16:
All District personnel must follow the designated line of authority, including the SCSD Board of Directors. The applicable lines of authority should be incorporated into the District’s rules and regulations. Failure to follow those pertinent rules and regulations should result in disciplinary (administrative) action against the violator. The Committee would like to take this opportunity to compliment all the SCSD officials and staff for their straightforwardness in their numerous discussions with Committee members throughout the investigative process. The members of this Committee look forward to the full Grand Jury accepting their recommendations as stated above.
R17:
If practical, no Board of Director with the SCSD should serve as a volunteer firefighter (and vice versa) with either fire station.
R18:
The Board of Directors should not micromanage either fire department. This task is the responsibility of the designated Fire Chief and the District’s General Manager.
R19:
The Board of Directors should remember that the only place that they have any authority is in a formal session (advanced notice required), and minutes of that session should be approved and published by the board.
R20:
All District personnel must follow the designated line of authority, including the SCSD Board of Directors. The applicable lines of authority should be incorporated into the District’s rules and regulations. Failure to follow those pertinent rules and regulations should result in disciplinary (administrative) action against the violator. The Committee would like to take this opportunity to compliment all the SCSD officials and staff for their straightforwardness in their numerous discussions with Committee members throughout the investigative process. The members of this Committee look forward to the full Grand Jury accepting their recommendations as stated above.
R21:
If practical, no Board of Director with the SCSD should serve as a volunteer firefighter (and vice versa) with either fire station.
R22:
The Board of Directors should not micromanage either fire department. This task is the responsibility of the designated Fire Chief and the District’s General Manager.
R23:
The Board of Directors should remember that the only place that they have any authority is in a formal session (advanced notice required), and minutes of that session should be approved and published by the board.
R24:
All District personnel must follow the designated line of authority, including the SCSD Board of Directors. The applicable lines of authority should be incorporated into the District’s rules and regulations. Failure to follow those pertinent rules and regulations should result in disciplinary (administrative) action against the violator. The Committee would like to take this opportunity to compliment all the SCSD officials and staff for their straightforwardness in their numerous discussions with Committee members throughout the investigative process. The members of this Committee look forward to the full Grand Jury accepting their recommendations as stated above.
R25:
If practical, no Board of Director with the SCSD should serve as a volunteer firefighter (and vice versa) with either fire station.
R26:
The Board of Directors should not micromanage either fire department. This task is the responsibility of the designated Fire Chief and the District’s General Manager.
R27:
The Board of Directors should remember that the only place that they have any authority is in a formal session (advanced notice required), and minutes of that session should be approved and published by the board.
R28:
All District personnel must follow the designated line of authority, including the SCSD Board of Directors. The applicable lines of authority should be incorporated into the District’s rules and regulations. Failure to follow those pertinent rules and regulations should result in disciplinary (administrative) action against the violator. The Committee would like to take this opportunity to compliment all the SCSD officials and staff for their straightforwardness in their numerous discussions with Committee members throughout the investigative process. The members of this Committee look forward to the full Grand Jury accepting their recommendations as stated above.
R29:
If practical, no Board of Director with the SCSD should serve as a volunteer firefighter (and vice versa) with either fire station.
R30:
The Board of Directors should not micromanage either fire department. This task is the responsibility of the designated Fire Chief and the District’s General Manager.
R31:
The Board of Directors should remember that the only place that they have any authority is in a formal session (advanced notice required), and minutes of that session should be approved and published by the board.
R32:
All District personnel must follow the designated line of authority, including the SCSD Board of Directors. The applicable lines of authority should be incorporated into the District’s rules and regulations. Failure to follow those pertinent rules and regulations should result in disciplinary (administrative) action against the violator. The Committee would like to take this opportunity to compliment all the SCSD officials and staff for their straightforwardness in their numerous discussions with Committee members throughout the investigative process. The members of this Committee look forward to the full Grand Jury accepting their recommendations as stated above.