Prepared
by: Barbara Clubb, City
Librarian
Prepared for: Ottawa
Public Library Board
Meeting of: April
12, 2010
Date of preparation: March
22, 2010
Executive Limitations Policy A.2, Staffing &
Staff Relations was approved by the Board February 25, 2002 and last revised
April 20, 2009. It states:
With respect to paid staff, the Chief Executive
Officer may not cause or allow conditions which are unfair, undignified or in violation
of any related legislation.
Accordingly, the CEO shall:
1. Operate with written
management procedures, which clearly set out rules for staff relations, provide
for effective handling of grievances, and protect against wrongful conditions
of employment.
The Library adopted an Employee Code of Conduct in April of 2006. The document has been distributed to all
employees, is issued to new employees upon hire and is available on the
employee Intranet site along with all other administrative policies. Working conditions for unionized employees,
including the handling of grievances, are outlined in the collective agreement
ratified September 14, 2009. Management
and professional exempt (MPE) employees are covered by the working conditions
adopted by the Management Group (MG) of the City of Ottawa.
I report compliance.
2. Operate with written
management procedures, which set out staffing procedures.
Library
administrative policies and procedures are available online on the employee
Intranet (Ozone/My Branch/Policies, Procedures, Guidelines and Forms). As new policies and procedures are
developed, the Intranet is updated.
Staff are advised, via e-mail of changes to policies as these
occur. The Library also reviews City HR
policies to determine which of these should be adopted by OPL.
I report compliance.
3.
Not discriminate against any
staff member for any reason (e.g. ethical dissent, race, sexual orientation,
gender).
The OPL collective agreement recognized that every employee has a right
to freedom from harassment in the workplace and to equal treatment with respect
to employment without discrimination because of race, ancestry, place of
origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation,
age, record of offences, marital status, same-sex partnership status, family
status, political and religious affiliations or handicap. Further, the OPL respects and abides by the
Ontario Human Rights Code, R.S.O. 1990.
I report compliance
4.
Provide
staff opportunities of regular professional growth focused on the needs of the
Library as expressed in Board Ends policies.
The Board adopted an Ends policy in November
2009. It states:
The
OPL exists so that the people of Ottawa enrich their personal, professional and
civic lives through:
·
Equal access to information, resources and ideas
In a:
·
Trusted, bilingual, public, physical and virtual
setting that serves as community gathering places and a
·
Sustainable,
cost efficient, optimal manner.
Library staff is encouraged to
participate in conferences (e.g. OLA, CLA) and attend workshops presented by
the Southern Ontario Library Service, and other agencies and
organizations. A number of in-house
training opportunities are also provided (e.g. training on customer service,
the use of electronic products, maximizing the use of the integrated library
system, participation in educational teleconferences). OPL also makes regular
use of the workshops offered, free of charge, by the City of Ottawa’s Learning
Centre. A new department, Staff Development and Service Excellence, was created
as a result of the 2009 strategic organizational review to create dedicated
resources to staff training. In 2009 the library provided 14,579 hours of
training.
I report compliance.
5.
Recognize
staff achievements within their roles and responsibilities in the organization.
In December 2002, the Library Board agreed to
participate in the City’s recognition program.
Further, the Library has an Employee Recognition Administrative
Policy. Recognition includes longevity
awards as well as peer recognition awards, which are awarded during the
library’s annual General Staff meeting held in the spring of every year. For example, OPL service pins are awarded to
employees having worked 5, 10, 15 and 20 years at the Library. Pins and gifts are awarded to employees who
have worked 25, 30 and 35 years at the Library. Peer recognition awards are also distributed to employees at the
General Staff Meeting. Staff also looks for opportunities to submit
applications for recognition awards via the Ontario Library Association, the
Canadian Library Association and other professional organizations. Recognition events are also held locally in
each branch and department during Employee Recognition Week.
The Library also seeks out external
opportunities for staff, board and Friends to be recognized for their work.
I report compliance.
6.
Acquaint
staff with their rights under this policy.
All employees have
access to the intranet and receive a copy of the collective agreement as soon
as it has been printed. Information
regarding the various recognition programs is posted in all work
locations. Training opportunities are
advertised in the Library news bulletin (In the Loop / Au courant) and
emailed out to employees. As well,
notices are sent out electronically indicating deadlines for requests to
participate in conferences and workshops.
I report
compliance
Furthermore, library staff members
are accountable to the CEO for the performance of their duties. The CEO shall not cause or allow conditions,
establish procedures or make decisions that would prevent staff from carrying
out their prescribed duties.
Accordingly, the CEO shall provide comprehensive information to staff
members about:
7.
The
expectations of their position, through library policies, job descriptions,
orientations, training and other documentation.
Job descriptions outline the various
duties and responsibilities of library employees. When new processes or services are implemented, training is
provided (e.g. migration to new a new desktop image on public and staff work
stations; Web 2.0). Policies/procedures
are available on the staff intranet.
I report compliance.
8.
Any
prescribed standards related to the duties of the position.
Any prescribed standards are identified during
on the job training.
I report
compliance.
9.
Their
position’s ethical requirements, the need to maintain confidentiality, and the
avoidance of conflict of interest.
Such issues are reviewed at the time
of hire. All job offer letters contain
a confidentiality clause. As well, all
employees have received a copy of the OPL Employee Code of Conduct. The code of
conduct is also available on the staff intranet. Specific issues are reviewed during staff meetings.
I report compliance.
10.
The
reporting of gifts received, their source and their value.
This has not been an issue in the
past year.
I report
compliance.
11.
Making
public comments about the operations of the Library.
Staff is reminded of this through on-going
communications, particularly at times when the Library is profiled in the media
(e.g. unsolicited proposal for a new central library).
I report compliance.
If the CEO becomes aware that
one or more staff members are not following prescribed library policies or
other requirements of their positions, s/he shall not fail to ensure that all
necessary corrective steps have been taken.
This action is delegated to Library Managers. Should it be found that staff are not
applying appropriate policy/procedure, they are reminded of what it the
policy/procedure is. If needed,
additional training is provided so as to ensure that policies/procedures are
understood.
I report compliance.
I hereby present my monitoring report on executive
limitation policy A.2, Staffing and Staff Relations. I certify that the information contained in this report is true.
Signed: _____ Date:
Barbara
Clubb, City Librarian and CEO