Policy 1110
Appendix A
Standards of Conduct & Performance Issues Related to Classified Employees
Drug/Alcohol Policy The Commonwealth of Virginia’s Policy on Alcohol and Other Drugs states that the following acts by employees are prohibited:
- Unlawful or unauthorized manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of alcohol and other drugs on the workplace;
- Impairment on the workplace from the use of alcohol or other drugs (except the use of drugs for legitimate medical purposes);
- Action which results in the criminal conviction for:
- A violation of any criminal drug law, based upon conduct occurring either on or off the workplace, or
- A violation of any alcoholic beverage control law, or law that governs driving while intoxicated, based upon conduct occurring on the workplace.
The Commonwealth of Virginia and JMU have established Standards of Conduct, which are uniform rules of personal conduct and performance to protect the well being and rights of all employees, to assure safe, efficient university operations and to assure compliance with public law. The Standards serve to establish a fair and objective process for correcting or treating unacceptable conduct or work performance, to distinguish between less serious and more serious actions of misconduct and provide corrective action accordingly. The standards in this policy are intended to be illustrative but not all inclusive. Therefore, an offense which, in the judgment of the University, although not listed in the policy, undermines the effectiveness of the University’s activities or the employee’s performance, should be treated consistent with the provisions of this policy.
The offenses listed below are organized into three groups according to the severity of the behavior, with Group I being the least severe.
Group I Offenses
- Unsatisfactory attendance or excessive tardiness.
- Abuse of State time (unauthorized time away from the work area, use of State time for personal business, abuse of sick leave, etc.).
- Obscene or abusive language.
- Inadequate or unsatisfactory job performance.
- Disruptive behavior.
- Conviction of a moving traffic violation while using a State/ public-use vehicle.
- Violation of Policy 1110, Alcohol and Other Drugs (considered a Group I offense depending on the nature of the violation).
- Violation of Policy 1324, Sexual Harassment (considered a Group I offense depending on the nature of the violation).
- Violation of Policy 1302, Equal Employment Opportunity (considered a Group I offense depending upon the nature of the violation).
Group II Offenses
These offenses include acts and behaviors that are more severe in nature and are such that an accumulation of two Group II offenses normally should warrant removal.
- Failure to follow a supervisor’s instructions, perform assigned work or otherwise comply with applicable established written policy.
- Violating safety rules where there is not a threat of bodily harm.
- Leaving the work site without permission during working hours.
- Failure to report to work as scheduled without proper notice to supervision.
- Unauthorized use or misuse of State property or records.
- Refusal to work required overtime.
- Violation of Policy 1110, Alcohol and Other Drugs (considered a Group II offense depending upon the nature of the violation, such as reporting to work when impaired by or under the influence of alcohol, or the unlawful use of a controlled drug).
- Violation of Policy 1324, Sexual Harassment (considered a Group II offense depending upon the nature of the violation).
- Violation of Policy 1302, Equal Employment Opportunity (considered a Group II offense depending upon the nature of the violation).
Group III Offenses
These offenses include acts and behavior of such a serious nature that a first occurrence normally warrants removal.
- Absence in excess of three days without proper authorization or satisfactory reason.
- Falsifying any records (vouchers, reports, insurance claims, time records, leave records, etc.)
- Willfully or negligently damaging or defacing State records, State property or other person’s property.
- Theft or unauthorized removal of State records, State property or other person’s property.
- Gambling on state property or during work hours.
- Acts of physical violence or fighting.
- Violating safety rules where there is a threat of bodily harm.
- Sleeping during working hours.
- Participating in any kind of work slowdown, sit- down, or similar concerted interference with state operations.
- Unauthorized possession or use of firearms, dangerous weapons or explosives.
- Threatening or coercing persons associated with any State agency.
- Criminal convictions for acts of conduct occurring on or off the job that are plainly related to job performance or are of such a nature that to continue the employee in the assigned position could constitute negligence in regard to the agency’s duties to the public or to other state employees.
- Failure of an employee whose job requires carrying a firearm or authorization to carry a firearm to report conviction for a “misdemeanor crime of domestic violence”.
- Violation of Policy 1110, Alcohol and Other Drugs (considered a Group III offense depending on the nature of the violation, such as the use of alcohol or unlawful use or possession of a controlled drug while on the job).
- Violation of Policy 1324, Sexual Harassment (considered a Group III offense depending upon the nature of the violation).
- Violation of Policy 1302, Equal Employment Opportunity (considered a Group III offense depending upon the nature of the violation).