Replaces Out-Of-Date Instruction Guide;
Covers Sexual Harrassment
Following questions the Leader Herald about whether or not the city had a strict sexual harassment policy in force several months back the city is close to completing a new and updated employee handbook for the first time in 14 years.
It replaces and or updates arcane city policies and protections for employees, all of whom, one way or another, receive the handbook either in its paper form or on e-mail, according to Tom Philbin spokesperson for the mayor.
E-mail recipients must sign the document and send it back to the Human Resources Department now headed by Michael Verano.
All the city’s employment rules and regulations are online on the city’s website.
The new handbook pays direct attention to the issue of sexual harassment and itemizes city policies about how employees who feel they were treated improperly should go to their superiors or supervisors to make a report – and then that report is scrutinized by the director of Human Resources. If any questions remain and there is an appeal of the HR chief’s ruling, the HR chief sends the case to the mayor’s chief of staff for adjudication.
The city has apparently reached a zero tolerance stance on the issue of sexual harassment and all types of harassment in the Everett workplace.
A search of the city’s records has revealed the following in response to a spate of questions from the Leader Herald:
One employee has been terminated, following a disciplinary hearing during the past three years.
No employee or employees have been terminated because of sexual harassment of fellow employees during the past three years. The city now has approximately 1700 full time employees; 464 on the municipal side and 1225 on the school side.
Fire and police are all covered by the city’s job complaint protocol.
Police can also be investigated internally by the police department as well as the city.
Six months ago the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination came into the city and did a training program for all department heads.