Employees of the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library of Pike County are employed on an at-will basis, meaning that an employee may leave his or her employment at any time for any reason and the Library may terminate the employment of any employee at any time for any reason.
While the Library retains the right to terminate an employee’s employment as set forth above, the Library may elect to utilize counseling or progressive discipline for performance or for employee misconduct depending on the severity of the problem exhibited.
Among the reasons that will subject an employee to counseling, discipline, suspension, or termination are: unsatisfactory work performance; conduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Library; incompetence; inefficiency; dishonesty; the misuse of drugs or alcohol; theft; insubordination; abuse of sick leave; objectionable treatment of the public or fellow staff members; neglect of duty; excessive absenteeism; willful violation of Library rules and regulations; removing materials from the Library without proper authorization; betraying the confidentiality of Library records; falsification of time records; or any other reason the Library deems appropriate.
At the time of suspension or dismissal, the employee shall relinquish to the Director all keys to Library facilities and vehicles.
An employee shall have 48 hours to appeal a suspension. Such an appeal must be made in writing to the Director, after which the Director shall have 48 hours to contact the Personnel Committee of the Board of Trustees. The employee shall then be entitled to a hearing before the Personnel Committee and Director.
The decision of the Personnel Committee and Director shall be the final ruling in the case. If the decision is in favor of the employee, the suspension shall terminate immediately and employee shall be entitled to unpaid wages at the regular hourly rate for the term of the suspension.
A dismissed employee has a period of seven calendar days to appeal to the Personnel Committee of the Board of Trustees through the Director. The appeal shall be presented in writing to the Director requesting a hearing before the Personnel Committee and Director. The Director shall have five days to contact members of the Personnel Committee and set up the hearing. After the hearing, the Personnel Committee and Director shall have final authority as to the outcome of the hearing.
The Director and Fiscal officer shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Trustees, and dismissal of either or both shall be by Board action only.