All Employees shall be responsible for performing work assignments in a safe manner. Prime consideration shall be given to safety in all work situations.

All Employees shall:

1. Be thoroughly familiar with safety requirements and practices applicable to their respective work assignments
2. Actively observe safety practices, and report unsafe or potentially dangerous conditions and accidents or injuries to their Supervisor immediately
3. Refrain from engaging in horseplay, wrestling, hazing of co-workers, and any other unsafe practice under penalty of disciplinary action up to and including dismissal
4. Wear protective equipment, use protective devices and wear safety belts in all County vehicles so equipped
5. Report to Supervisors any suspension, revocation or other loss or potential loss of the right to legally drive a motor vehicle. Driving a County vehicle is a responsibility or privilege of the job
6. Be properly licensed at the time of employment or assignment to a vehicle (if responsible for driving County vehicles) and, upon each license renewal date, must complete driver training or driver performance qualification checks as required by the department before operating County vehicles
7. Wear Safety eye glasses and Safety boots or shoes when required by the position

The Taney County Commission has adopted a “No Smoking” policy in all offices and facilities. Employees and visitors are not allowed to smoke in County buildings. Employees and visitors are not allowed to smoke within 25 feet of County buildings. Employees may only smoke in designated “smoking permitted“ locations. “No Smoking” areas include stairwells and attachments thereto. Employees who are smoking in any nonsmoking area may be subject to disciplinary action. Employees smoking breaks should coincide with their lunch breaks, or other breaks as their Elected Official or Department Head allows. Employees that take advantage of frequent breaks for smoking can result in disciplinary action. Smoking in County vehicles is strictly prohibited.

The unfortunate spread of AIDS in recent years has presented a need for a policy regarding the employment of those who have, or may have, this disease. Medical experts and medical evidence available to date has shown that casual workplace contact with an Employee who has AIDS, or who has been exposed to the AIDS virus, will not result in the transmission of AIDS to others.

The County's policy shall be to employ persons who have AIDS, or are suspected of having AIDS, so long as such persons remain qualified to perform their jobs in accordance with County standards. Some exceptions or deviations to this policy may be necessary for certain positions, but the County's intent will be to maximize the employment opportunities of AIDS patients, while at the same time preserving the safety and morale of all Employees and the public.

The County will stay abreast of the latest medical knowledge regarding this disease. If it ever appears that the implementation of this policy may present a danger to Employees and the public, appropriate revisions will be made.

It is the responsibility of the County’s Elected Officials and Department Heads to ensure that work on the County’s campus is accomplished in an environment which respects Employee health and safety concerns and that work-related disruptions are minimized. An Employee’s minor child in the work place can create a work-related disruption; therefore Employees should refrain from bringing their minor children to work with them. However, exceptions can be made on a case by case basis as directed by the Elected Official or Department Head.

The presence of dependents during the Employee’s work day may result in the following: A lack of regard for the safety of such person; the creation of disruptions in the work flow and work activities of the Employee and co-workers; compromise confidentiality; and present a distraction from a professional work environment. In addition, dependents in the work place could present a liability issue. Dependents exhibiting symptoms of potentially contagious illnesses should not be brought into the workplace at all.

The workplace may not be used as an alternative for daycare. When daycare arrangements do not work out for a particular day(s), the Employee should make other arrangements.

The Taney County Commission may provide vehicles to Elected Officials, Department Heads, and Employees for the purpose of conducting official County business.

Retention of County Vehicles at a Private Residence: County Employees are not to drive any County-owned Vehicle to or from the Employee’s place of residence after normal working hours except for those Employees who are on-call twenty-four (24) hours a day, such as the Sheriff’s Office and certain Road and Bridge Department Employee’s. Elected Officials, Department Heads or Supervisors may authorize an Employee to drive County- owned Vehicles to or from their home outside of normal working hours only if the Employee is using the Vehicle for a purpose that serves the County.

Maintenance of County Vehicles: The maintenance of all County Vehicles is the responsibility of the driver. Regularly scheduled maintenance should be conducted through the Mechanic’s Shed located at the old district #2 barn.

Vehicle Damage: Employees must report any accident, theft, or malicious damage involving a County Vehicle or personal vehicle used on County business to their Supervisor. Such reports must be made as soon as possible.

Taney County Employees are to use the following reporting procedure when an accident occurs involving a Taney County Vehicle, or personal vehicles being driven on County business:

1. The proper law enforcement agency must be contacted, and an accident report must be completed as soon as possible after the accident. The procedures outlined in the Worker’s Compensation policy should be followed if any County Employee is injured, as well as the procedures set out in the Substance Abuse Policy.
2. Employees should obtain as much information as possible from other drivers and possible witnesses. Under no circumstances should the Employee put themselves in danger in order to obtain this information. The information obtained should include the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all drivers, passengers and witnesses; insurance and driver’s license information from all drivers. Taney County Employees are to provide only the information required by law enforcement authorities.
3. Employees are instructed not to talk with any parties involved in the accident, or any investigators except the officer gathering information about the accident. Employees should not make any statement as to whose fault the accident was. Employees are not to write or sign any statement to that effect until you have been advised by County Counsel.

The law requires employers to make certain that drivers of “commercial vehicles,” including certain County Vehicles, have the required class of commercial drivers' license for the size and type of vehicle they are required to drive. Depending on the particular job requirements, County Employees may be required to possess a special class of license. The State may require a written test covering the class of vehicle operated and the applicable endorsements and restrictions. Endorsements for hazardous materials, passenger, tank vehicle, double/triple trailer and restrictions for air brakes may also be required. Written testing varies with the class of license and the endorsements and restrictions. The actual driving test must be taken in a vehicle falling in the class applied for. The County may provide Employees with the training and assistance necessary to comply with the licensing requirements as follows:

1. Up to four (4) hours training on the written testing materials.
2. Up to two (2) hours training on the pre-trip portion of the test on a vehicle similar to the one the driver would drive during the testing.
3. Make available the best vehicle in the class an Employee must be licensed in to the Employee for road testing and must allow time for the testing.

Employees shall be required to have, and maintain the necessary class of drivers' licenses at their expense.

It is the policy of Taney County, Missouri to promote a productive and safe environment for its Employees. This includes usage of personal cell phones during work time and in certain instances, County cell phones.

Road and Bridge Department: The use of personal cell phones while at work, and especially while driving a truck, may present a hazard or distraction to the user and/or co- workers, or even the general public if used while driving a truck.

Personal cell phones can only be used by any Employee of the Road and Bridge Department for personal use during specified break times or lunch time, or in the case of an emergency. Personal cell phones should not in any way interfere with working hours by the Employee making or by receiving calls.

Many cell phones offer a host of additional functions and/or services, including text messaging and digital photography. Since it is not possible to list all of the services that are available now, or will be in the future, Road and Bridge Employees are prohibited from using any of these services while at work with the exception of break times or lunch times. This is a preventative step necessary to secure Employee privacy and other proprietary information.

County cell phones must be used according to the rules of the Road and Bridge Department, but cannot be used at any time while driving a vehicle (either County vehicle or personal vehicle). When there is an emergency or immediate business to attend to while driving a vehicle, the Employee should stop the vehicle before using the cell phone.

All Other County Employees: Each Elected Official or Department Head shall have specific Office or Department rules regarding personal cell phone use that will help to make that Office or Department safe. Employees should follow the rules for their individual Office or Department.

Change or Amend Policy: This policy is not all inclusive and The Commission retains the right to change or amend this policy at any time for any reason. Failure to comply with this policy will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Sheriff’s Office: Employees in the Sheriff’s Office will follow the policy in the Sheriff’s Office Policy Manual.

Open flames not only create a serious fire hazard, but also create a serious personal injury hazard. Open flames include the following:

1. Candles, including incense candles, are prohibited in all Taney County owned or managed buildings without prior approval of the Taney County Commission.
2. Candlelight vigils are permitted if the venue is outside of all buildings or breezeways. Candles shall be lit outside and extinguished prior to entrance to any building.
3. Food Service operations (portable cooking equipment) must be placed on a non- combustible surface and have prior approval of the Taney County Commission.
4. Open flames fueled by propane tanks are prohibited. (Exception: gas barbecue grills are permitted, but must be located exterior to the building and propane tanks shall not be stored inside buildings.)
5. Bonfires/burning trash or construction waste are prohibited unless approved by the Taney County Commission.
6. Pyrotechnics are prohibited unless approved by the Taney County Commission.

(Welding and associated maintenance work is excluded from this policy.)

In an effort to promote Employee Physical Health, Taney County has provided its Employees, and certain guests, with an in-house Wellness and Fitness Center. All Employees of Taney County may use this Wellness and Fitness Center.

State Employees working in the Judicial Center and Employees contracted through Advanced Correctional Healthcare are eligible to use the Wellness and Fitness Center as well. The Wellness Center is open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. If you wish to utilize the facility outside of working hours, which are noted from 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, access is to be gained by swiping the bar-code on the back of your ID badge. There is one outside entrance with a reader. This access is located on the lower level of the Administration Building (next to Information Technology), facing Highway 160.

Guests: Certain guests are allowed to use the Wellness and Fitness Center. They are defined as:

• A spouse or significant other of a current Taney County Employee or a spouse or significant other of a current State Employee who is living in the household and is eligible for insurance through that County Employee.
• Dependent(s) of a current Taney County Employee living in the household and is/are between the ages of 10 years and 26 years. They must be eligible for insurance through the said Employee. Dependent(s) between the ages of 10 years and 12 years must maintain visual contact of Employee.
• Dependents of a current State Employee living in the household and is/are between the ages of 12 years and 26 years. They must be eligible for insurance through the said Employee.
• Buddy System: A Full Time County Employee / Dependent must accompany the “Buddy” of their choice, provided a waiver has been completed by the “Buddy”. Waivers may be obtained from a member of the Advisory Committee. Both the Employee and the “Buddy” must agree to adhere to all rules to maintain the privilege of the Center. (Rules will be posted in the Wellness Center.) ¹⁾

Wellness Advisory Committee:

The Advisory Board for the County Wellness Center is to consist of seven (7) members. Qualifications for being a member of the Wellness Advisory Board are as follows:

1. Any Full Time Employee of Taney County
2. Any Full Time State Employee within the Judicial Center
3. Candidate must complete an application required by the Wellness Advisory Committee and submit the application to the current Advisory Committee
4. Upon recommendation by the Wellness Advisory Committee, the Commission may appoint new member(s)
5. Each member appointed to the Wellness Advisory Committee will serve until dismissed by the Commission or upon their voluntarily resignation or who no longer meets the member criteria. ²⁾

Taney County promotes and supports breastfeeding mothers by accommodating the mother who wishes to express breast milk during her workday when separated from her newborn child. The provisions of this Lactation/Breastfeeding Policy meet the requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act as it relates to breaks for nursing mothers.

For up to one year after the child’s birth, any employee who is breastfeeding her child will be provided reasonable break times to express breast milk for her newborn, or to breastfeed the child that has been brought on the premises for the mother to feed.

Taney County has designated one of the rooms in the Human Resources Hall for this purpose. A small refrigerator reserved for the specific storage of breast milk is available. Any breast milk stored in the refrigerator must be labeled with the name of the employee and the date of expressing the breast milk. Any non-conforming products stored in the refrigerator may be disposed of. Employees storing breast milk in the refrigerator assume all responsibility for the safety of the breast milk and the risk of harm for any reason, including improper storage, refrigeration and tampering.

Nursing mothers wishing to use this room must request/reserve the room by contacting Human Resources at 417-546-7237 and by signing the Daily “In and Out” Reservation List. An Employee may sign up for the room for up to a week in advance. Additional rules for use of the Lactation/Breastfeeding room and refrigerator storage are posted in the room. Employees who work off-site of the Courthouse or in other locations will be accommodated with a private area as necessary.

The Employee will be paid for up to twenty (20) minutes for the Lactation/Breastfeeding break(s). Any time used after the twenty (20) minutes will be unpaid, and the employee should indicate this additional time on her time card.

Taney County recognizes that our Employees are our most important asset. Any employee reporting an on-the-job injury or illness will receive appropriate medical treatment as soon as possible.

It is the policy of Taney County that all work related injuries and/or illnesses must be reported immediately to the Employee’s immediate Supervisor and NurseNow. If the immediate Supervisor is unavailable, the Employee (or co-worker of the injured Employee is unable to report due to nature of injury) reporting the work related injury or illness must follow the chain of command. If there is not a Supervisor or Department Head available, the Employee must then report the injury or illness to the Benefits Coordinator. Failure to immediately report the injury or illness may result in disciplinary action and/or the denial of the Worker’s Compensation claim. It is important that the employee notify his or her supervisor in writing of the injury, including the date, time and place of injury, the nature of the injury and the name and address of the person injured and that the First Report of Injury is filled out properly and timely.

If an Employee is injured at work and does not report the injury, but instead proceeds to see a physician of their choice, any claim for Worker’s Compensation may be denied, due to the Employee not following procedure of reporting the injury immediately or receiving treatment from Taney County’s Occupational Health Physician.

Once the safety of the Employee has been determined, NurseNow must be called to report the injury. When reporting to NurseNow, it will then be determined if medical treatment other than first aid should be administered. If it is determined that medical treatment other than first aid is needed, the Employee’s immediate Supervisor, or designated Employee by the Supervisor, will transport the Employee to Cox Occupational Medicine. Address is, 1601 Branson Hills Parkway, Suite 120, Branson, MO 65616. Phone number is (417)335- 7555. With all injuries or illnesses, if an ambulance is needed, 911 should be called. All work related injuries that are treated at the Emergency Room, must have a follow up at Cox Occupational Medicine the next business day prior to returning to work.

The Employee is responsible for filling out an “Employee’s Report of Injury or Illness” and the Supervisor should fill out a “Supervisor’s Report of Injury or Illness”. These reports must be completed and submitted to the Benefits Coordinator the day of the injury or illness. If circumstances do not allow these reports to be completed the day of injury or illness, they must be submitted no later than the day after the injury or illness.

Employees who are traveling or telecommuting for company business must go to the nearest medical facility available if they cannot go to the designated facilities. They should follow all procedures written for reporting the injury.

When arriving for treatment, the Employee must inform attending personnel that the injury or illness could be work related (to be determined by medical authority.) A drug and alcohol test is to be administered to the Employee with the injury or illness (with the exception of an Employee involved in an accident by hitting an animal with a County vehicle during work time). Refusal to take a drug and alcohol test will result in immediate termination of employment. It is the discretion of the immediate Supervisor, after release from the attending physician, as to whether the Employee may return to work immediately after treatment, or must wait until the results of the drug and alcohol tests are completed. If the Supervisor makes the decision not to allow the Employee to work until the drug and alcohol tests are completed, the Employee will be compensated for the time missed if the drug and alcohol tests are negative. No Employee shall return to work if they are seeing a physician, without a signed release for file, whether it be light duty or not.

After treatment, and every subsequent visit, a work authorization slip must be given to the Benefits Coordinator before the Employee is permitted to return to work. In certain instances, the treating physician will state that the Employee may return to modified work or restricted duty. If this is the case and modified/restricted duties are available, the Employee must return to work based on the information provided by the treating physician. If an Employee has work restrictions or restricted duty, the County will attempt to provide work that will accommodate their restrictions. Any follow up appointment(s) set by the treating physician must be kept.

When initial outside medical treatment is administered, Employees will be paid for their entire shift, if it should take that long, and should not clock out. The Employee’s immediate Supervisor will be responsible for clocking him or her out at the end of the shift.

If an Employee is injured at work and needs to have initial medical treatment on a non-work day, the Employee must contact NurseNow, and his/her immediate Supervisor. All Supervisors must provide their Employees with the appropriate phone number.

In the event that an Employee’s injury or illness (assumed to be work-related) needs medical treatment and is taken to Cox Medical Occupational Health for treatment where it is determined by the physician that the injury or illness is not work-related, Taney County will pay for the initial visit. Any subsequent visit(s) will be charged to the Employee.

It is important to remember that any work-related injury or illness charge, either medical and/or prescription, should not be submitted for payment through the Employee’s personal or group medical insurance. (The exception to the rule is listed in the previous paragraph).

Prescriptions prescribed to an Employee with a work injury can be filled at the pharmacy of your choice. Directions on how to fill prescriptions are listed on the back of the NurseNow card and must be followed to avoid paying cost of prescription.

All medical services related to a work-related injury must be authorized before Taney County will be responsible for the cost. Please refer any questions regarding this policy to the Benefits Department. ³⁾

In accordance to §105.800 RSMo, all Juvenile Court Employees are considered State Employees for purposes of Workers’ Compensation and are to follow the provisions of the state program.

Road and Bridge/Transfer Station: All employees must be fit for duty, physically and psychologically, in order to provide the highest level of services possible to the citizens of Taney County. The Fitness for Duty Policy is designed to provide fair and uniform standards for consistent application of the criteria of fitness for duty of employees. It is designed to protect the health and safety of the employee, coworkers, and the work equipment/environment.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to assist and accommodate employees in medical, physical, psychological/emotional problems or a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which may affect the satisfactory performance of their job functions. Administrative and disciplinary procedures and standards relating to availability for work or ability to perform satisfactorily apply. In the event an employee with a disability requests a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential functions of his/her job, the Administrator and County Commission will consider the request and decide the appropriate accommodations to make, if any. An employee is obligated to notify their immediate supervisor when reporting for duty or in the course of their work shift, if use of drug, alcohol or other cause, may adversely affect their ability to satisfactorily perform the functions of the job (i.e., drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision, etc.). It is the responsibility of the employee to cooperate with the requests of the physician and/or referral in an examination. Failure to cooperate is considered insubordination and a violation of the policy.

Physical and/or Psychological/Emotional Disabilities

Supervisors will be trained and required to refer an employee for a fitness-for-duty evaluation when it appears that there is reasonable doubt about the employee’s ability to safely and properly perform normal work duties and it is job-related and consistent with business necessity. When possible, the decision to refer the employee for a fit-for-duty evaluation should be corroborated by at least 2 people, including one supervisor. The supervisor must document the reasons for the referral, including specific performance/behavior relevant to the employee’s inability to safely and properly perform their normal work duties.

Confidentiality

The medical records of a fitness-for-duty evaluation will be filled out by the county’s occupational medicine physician.

Fitness-For-Duty Procedures

The following are the steps and responsibilities for implementation of the fitness-for-duty policy:

1. If a supervisor observes or becomes aware of deterioration in an employee’s performance or behavior, the supervisor is to document the observations or information. The documentation must be directly related to the employee’s inability to perform their work duties in a safe, satisfactory manner. Possible observations may include, but are not limed to:
   1. Absenteeism
   2. Punctuality
   3. Work habits
   4. Carelessness
   5. Accidents
   6. Extreme nervousness
   7. Drowsiness
   8. Slurred/incoherent speech
   9. Inability to concentrate
   10. Lack of attention
   11. Unusually aggressive behavior
   12. Unexplained work errors
   13. Unexplained changes in mood
   14. Lack of manual dexterity
   15. Lack of coordination in walking
       (This list should not be considered to be all-inclusive)
2. If at all possible, a second supervisory employee or co-worker(s) should witness and confirm any observed deterioration in the employee’s performance or behavior. If an employee returns to work after hospitalization or a prolonged absence for health reasons, the supervisor and/or appropriate representative of the County may require the employee to be examined by the designated county physician prior to allowing the employee to return to work.
3. The supervisor will meet with the employee in private to determine the need for a fitness-for-duty evaluation.
4. If the supervisor determines that a fitness-for-duty evaluation is needed, he or she will notify the Human Resources or Benefits Department.
5. If the supervisor determines that a fitness-for-duty evaluation is not necessary, the supervisor may, upon their discretion, offer EAP information to the employee.
6. If the employee is recommended for a fitness-for-duty evaluation, the Human Resources or Benefits Department will coordinate with the supervisor to schedule a fitness-for-duty evaluation for the employee with the county physician. The evaluation will include such elements of a general physical examination and other specific testing/lab procedures deemed medically appropriate. The evaluation shall be at the county’s expense and take place on the employee’s paid work time.
7. Under no circumstances is an employee who is sent home as unfit to work to be allowed to drive him or herself. (A person who is unfit for work is unfit to drive). The designated county physician and/or, when appropriate, the referred physician, will determine if the employee is “fit for duty” and able to return to work, or “unfit for duty”. The results of the fitness-for-duty examination will be shared with the employee.
8. If the employee is determined to be fit for duty, the designated county physician or EAP professional will provide the employee with written a release to return to work.
9. If the County’s designated physician or EAP Professional determines the employee to be unfit for duty for reasons of physical illness, mental illness, or other impairment, the county physician or EAP professional will send the employee home and refer him/her for medical care as indicated below:
   1. In cases that are not covered under workers ‘compensation, offer the employee a referral to his/her current physician; or
   2. Offer the employee a referral to an appropriate physician; or
   3. Offer the employee a referral to the EAP.
10. In order to return to work, a written release is required from the county’s occupational medicine physician and/or the referred physician, if applicable, which states the employee may return to work without restriction, or states the type of reasonable accommodation necessary. The county’s designated physician and Taney County will determine whether an accommodation will cause an undue hardship prior to the employee returning to work. If the county selected physician and/or referred physician’s opinions on the employee’s ability to return to work contradict, the employee may request that he or she be examined by a third physician who shall be selected by mutual agreement of the county selected physician and the employee’s referring physician. The opinion of the third physician shall be the final decision and binding upon the County and employee. The cost of obtaining an opinion of a third physician shall be split evenly between the county and employee. ⁴⁾

Employee Report Of Injury / Illness Form

Supervisor's Report Of Injury / Illness Form