PPMR 08-21, Revision of 13-4-6 B-C -. Number: 08-21
~- Subject: Discipline/
Standards of Conduct
~ Village of North Palm Beach
Date: November 13, 2008
Revised: Section 13.4.6 B/C
dated November 3, 2008
POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL REVISION
This revision adds Conduct Unbecoming an Employee to Section B/C.
B/C
Citizen Complaints: Personnel shall courteously and promptly respond to any complaint
made by a citizen against any Village personnel or the Village. Personnel may attempt to
resolve the complaint, but shall never attempt to dissuade any citizen from lodging a formal
complaint against Village personnel. All formal complaints received shall be in writing,
signed by the complainant and notarized. Complaints shall be forwarded to the Human
Resources Director for further action.
Conduct Unbecoming an Employee: Employees must at all times, while on duty or off
duty, conduct themselves in a manner which does not bring discredit to themselves and the
Village. Unbecoming Conduct shall include that conduct which adversely affects the morale
or efficiency of the Village or which has a tendency to destroy public respect for employees
and confidence in the employees' workplace and the Village. This policy is not intended to
prohibit an employee's First Amendment constitutional right and it applies to both written
and verbal communications.
A. Employees shall not publicly criticize or ridicule the Village, its policies, or other
employees by speech, writing, or other expressions, where such speech, writing, or other
expressions is defamatory, obscene, or unlawful, and undermines the effectiveness of the
Village, interferes with the maintenance of discipline, is detrimental to the welfare and
good name of the Village, or is made with reckless disregard for the truth. Employees
will not gossip about or malign one another through the use of harmful, untrue
statements, or language which will defame another employee.
B. All employees shall treat supervisors, subordinates and associates with respect. They
shall be courteous and civil at all times in their relationships with one another.
C. All complaints of unbecoming conduct will be made to the Village Manager through the
proper channels and once the complaint is registered, no further communication about the
complaint will be made during the subsequent investigation.
Conflicting -Illegal Orders: Personnel who are given an otherwise proper order which is in
conflict with a previous order, rule, regulation or directive shall respectfully inform the
supervisor issuing the order of the conflict.
A. If the supervisor issuing the order does not alter or retract the conflicting order, the order
shall stand. Under these circumstances, the responsibility for the conflict shall be upon
the supervisor. Personnel shall obey the conflicting order and shall not be held
responsible for disobedience of the order, rule, regulation or directive previously issued.
B. Personnel shall not obey any order which they know or should know would require them
to commit an illegal act. If in doubt as to the legality of an order, personnel shall request
the person issuing the order to clarify it or may confer with higher authority.
Conformance to Laws: Personnel shall obey all Federal, State, County, and Local laws.
Conviction of the violation or attempted violation of any law shall be prima facie evidence of
a violation of this section.
Courtesy: Personnel shall be courteous to the public. Personnel shall be tactful in the
performance of their duties, shall control their tempers, and exercise the utmost patience and
discretion. In the performance of their duties, personnel shall not use coarse, violent, profane,
or insolent language or gestures and shall not express any prejudice concerning race,
religion, politics, national origin, lifestyle, or similar personal characteristics.
APPROVED
Jimmy Knight
Village Manager