Library Policies: Personnel Policies
1. HOLIDAYS: Regularly recognized holidays shall be as follows:
New Year’s Eve (1/2 day)
New Year’s Day
President’s Day
Good Friday (1/2 day)
Memorial Day (as observed)
Fourth of July
Labor Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving Day
Day after Thanksgiving
Christmas Eve Day
Christmas Day
Library hours on ½ days are from 9 AM – Noon.
Holidays falling on Sunday shall be observed on the following Monday.
Holidays falling on Saturday shall be observed on Saturday and the previous Friday, without additional holiday pay for Saturday.
In the event a holiday falls within an employee’s vacation period, they shall be granted an additional day off with pay at the employee’s option either in conjunction with this or any other vacation period.
BIRTHDAY: In addition to the Holidays provided above, the employee shall be given his/her birthday as an additional day off with pay. If the birthday falls on a scheduled day off or on a Holiday, they shall be granted the next immediately succeeding day as said day off.
2. VACATIONS: All full time employees of the library are allowed vacation in accordance with these regulations and not otherwise (this excludes individuals hired on a temporary basis).
Earned vacations are to be scheduled and taken between January 1st and December 31st each year. The director is responsible for adequate planning to provide scheduled vacations. In case of duplicate requests for the same vacation period, seniority will be the deciding factor.
New employees hired November 1 or after can not earn a paid vacation before January 2. Employees leaving before the end of the calendar year will not be paid for vacation that was not accrued.
3. LEAVE OF ABSENCE: An employee desiring a leave of absence from his employment shall submit a written request for permission to take a leave of absence to his employer. Leaves of absence, with or without pay, may be granted per the Family Medical Leave Act Resolution, at the discretion of the library board upon the recommendation of the director.
4. SICK LEAVE: Employees shall accumulate sick leave at the rate of 1+ workday per month (or 13 work days per year). An employee may accumulate a maximum of one-thousand four-hundred forty (1,440) hours or one hundred eighty days (180 days) sick leave.
New employees shall be advanced six (6) days sick leave upon employment and shall not earn or accumulate additional sick leave until they have been employed six (6) months. After six (6) months of employment, they shall begin accruing at the set rate.
If death should occur while employed, pay out of unused sick leave up to a maximum of ninety (90) days or seven hundred twenty hours (720) shall be made to the surviving spouse and/or dependents living at home. If death should occur while an employee is on duty then 100% of unused sick leave will be paid to the surviving spouse and/or dependent living at home.
All non-union employees shall, upon regular retirement (IPERS rule currently in effect), be entitled to 100% of unused sick leave as severance pay, up to a maximum of ninety (90) days or seven-hundred twenty (720) hours or they may elect to use his/her accumulated sick leave up to a maximum of one hundred eighty (180) days or one thousand four hundred forty (1,440) hours to purchase health insurance from the City. If election is made to use accumulated sick leave to purchase health insurance, the value of the sick leave will be calculated by dividing the employee’s average compensation by the number of hours worked in a year (2,080) to calculate an hourly rate, then multiplying the hourly rate by the number of hours accrued to the employees’ credit. This amount would be placed in an employee escrow account to be diminished each month by the amount of the insurance payment, and shall not accrue any interest on the escrow account. The option selected must be exercised immediately at the time of retirement without option for change afterward. If an employee is discharged by the City of Keokuk for misconduct, this benefit does not apply.
Employees must promptly notify their superior of the inability to work their scheduled work period. Penalties for intentional misuse of sick leave will be imposed at the discretion of the director. The director can request a physician’s statement as proof of illness of any member that appears to be abusing the sick leave policy.
Employees may trade three (3) sick days for one (1) vacation day with a maximum of seven (7) vacation days per year.
5. PERSONAL LEAVE: Each employee will be granted four (4) personal leave days with pay per calendar year. These personal leave days shall be in addition to any other days off. An employee must give forty-eight (48) hours notice to the director before taking a personal leave day (the director may waive this requirement). An employee taking a personal leave day shall receive one day’s pay at his/her regular rate for each personal leave day taken. In the event that a request for personal leave will reduce the number of employees in the library to levels below minimum manning requirements, personal leave on the day requested may be refused. In the event that multiple requests are received for time off, the employee with seniority will be given preference.
A new employee hired between January and March will be granted 4 days personal leave; if hired between April and June he/she will be granted 3 personal days; if hired between July and September he/she will be granted 2 personal days; and if hired between October and December he/she will be granted 1 personal day to be taken before the end of the calendar year. Personal leave shall not be carried over beyond the end of the calendar year ending December 31st of each year.
6. FUNERALS: Employees will be allowed three (3) days off work with pay as bereavement leave in the case of a death in their immediate family. Pay for such leave shall be at the employee’s straight time hourly rate for a total of twenty-four (24) hours. The immediate family shall include spouse, father, mother, son, son-in-law, daughter, daughter-in-law, foster child, sister, sister-in-law, brother, brother-in-law, aunt, uncle, step-parents, step-children, step-brother or sister, grandparents, grandchildren, and other corresponding relatives of the employee and spouse or other relatives residing in the employee’s immediate household. Employees will be allowed one (1) day off work with pay as mentioned above as bereavement leave for any relative of the employee not mentioned above.
It is further agreed that an employee shall be allowed without loss of pay two (2) hours off work to attend the funeral of another employee. Employees taking time off to serve as pallbearers shall be allowed up to four (4) hours off work without loss of pay.
7. MEDICAL AND LIFE INSURANCE: The City will contribute 100% of the total premium toward the cost of a single medical and life insurance plan for an employee. The City will contribute 90% of the total premium toward a family medical and life insurance plan with the balance to be paid by the employee.
8. RESIDENCY OF CITY EMPLOYEES: All employees employed by the City of Keokuk must reside within the State of Iowa within sixty (60) days of his/her first day of work, and must remain a resident of Iowa throughout the period of his/her employment with the City of Keokuk. In addition, all City employees shall reside within five (5) miles of the corporate limits of the City of Keokuk. Exceptions may be made by Council approval.
9. HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT: Full time employment at the library consists of a 37½ hour workweek. Overtime will be compensated with 1 hour time off for each hour worked over 37½ hours in a workweek. Compensatory time must be used within the month.
10. LONGEVITY PAY: All non-union employees shall be paid as longevity pay the semi-monthly sum indicated below:
Longevity shall be determined upon the anniversary of each employee’s employment. An employee attaining an anniversary requiring an adjustment of longevity pay will receive the adjustment on their anniversary date.
11. TERM LIFE: The City will provide a term life insurance plan in an amount not to exceed $20,000.
12. VACANCIES: The employment practices of the Keokuk Public Library are to recruit and hire employees without discrimination because of race, creed, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, or sexual orientation. All employees are to be treated equally with respect to compensation and opportunities for advancement.
13. RECRUITMENT: Iowa Workforce Development will be notified of all job vacancies. All vacancies will be published in the local newspaper, except those of a technical nature which may be published in other newspapers or magazines, and/or hired through temporary job placement agencies.
The library makes an effort to fill vacant or new positions from the current staff, following a policy of encouraging professional growth for the staff.
14. SELECTION: Selection of staff members is based solely on qualifications. Appointment of members of the immediate families of Trustees or administrative staff is discouraged.
All applicants are expected to supply the information requested on the application forms. Personal interviews are required for all potential hirees and are an important element of the selection process.
All hiring decisions are made by the Director.
15. PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Each new employee is considered on probation for the first 6 months of employment. The library director may terminate the employee during the probationary period without advance notice or right of appeal.
During the probationary period, a preliminary evaluation is made by the supervisor at the end of the 3rd month. The rules for probationary periods apply to employees who have been reassigned. Employees in the probationary period earn benefits at the same rate as permanent employees.
16. EVALUATION: Evaluation of the director is made yearly by the library board at least one month before the end of the fiscal year. Evaluations of all library staff are made yearly by the director or supervisor in the month of the employee’s anniversary date.
17. RETIREMENT: Employees shall, upon regular retirement (IPERS rule currently in effect) be entitled to 100% of unused sick leave pay as severance pay, up to a maximum of 90 days or they may elect to use accumulated sick leave up to a maximum of 180 days to purchase health insurance. If the employee is discharged for misconduct, the benefit does not apply.
18. RESIGNATION: Employees must submit a written notice of resignation to the director if they are planning to discontinue employment. A two week notice is required in such cases, and a one month notice is recommended. Supervisory staff must submit at least one month notice.
19. DISMISSAL: Dismissals are made by the director. The advice and counsel of the city attorney may be sought when advisable.
20. GRIEVANCE: The word “grievance” is used to indicate a difference between the library and the employee.
The grievance should be discussed informally between the staff member involved and the director within a week of the occurrence giving rise to the grievance. An oral response by the director should be given within 5 business days of the discussion.
If a grievance is not settled informally, the aggrieved employee may appeal through a written statement to the director. This statement should specify the problem and the desired outcome. After investigation, the director will issue a written decision within 5 business days.
If the grievance is not settled, an appeal may be made to the library board. Written notice of appeal must be submitted to the board president. The written notice should be signed by the employee and contain a specific statement of the situation, and outcome desired. The library board will consider the grievance at the next regular meeting. The aggrieved employee may attend.
The decision of the board is considered final.
Adopted 7/18/1988
Revised 11/20/1989
Revised 6/18/1990
Revised 12/16/1996
Reviewed 12/15/1999
Revised 12/20/1999
Reviewed 12/16/2002
Revised 9/20/2004
Reviewed 1/16/2006
Revised 2/26/2007
Revised 6/20/2011
Revised 4/17/2012
Reviewed 11/20/2017
Revised 11/16/2020