Employee Handbook

Section 8 — Safety and Wellness

All employees who are required to operate either a City-owned/leased vehicle or Personal Vehicle for City business as an essential function of their jobs are covered by this policy. Furthermore, this policy covers those individuals who may, on occasion, operate City-owned/leased vehicles or personal vehicles for City business.

All employees are required to comply with all traffic regulations, laws, and ordinances when operating City-owned/leased vehicles or Personal Vehicle for City business. Employees are personally responsible if they are ticketed while operating a City-owned/leased vehicle or Personal Vehicle used for City business.

At no time should employees jeopardize the safety of themselves, other City employees, or the public when operating motor vehicles. Unsafe driving will not be tolerated by the City. Employees who drive negligently or fail to comply with this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Seat belts must be worn by all employees and passengers when operating a City-owned/leased vehicle or a Personal Vehicle for City business.

Employees who are involved in an accident while operating a City-owned/leased vehicle or a Personal Vehicle for City business must report the accident to the local police and their supervisors immediately. Employees involved in an accident must adhere to all related procedures established by the City.  

City Owned/Leased Vehicles

All vehicles owned or leased by the City are to be used for conducting official City business only. City-owned/leased vehicles are not to be used for personal business without prior approval of the City Manager. However, employees are allowed to stop for a meal break while using a City-owned/leased vehicle while conducting official City business.

Passengers are only allowed in City-owned/leased vehicles during City-sponsored activities or when City-related business is being conducted.

Use of Personal Vehicle for City Business

When City-owned/leased vehicles are not available for employees to use, they may be required to use their Personal Vehicles to conduct City business. With the approval of their department directors, employees can be reimbursed for mileage. The City shall set the rate for reimbursement (contact Finance for current rate). The City provides insurance coverage for a Personal Vehicle while it is being used to conduct City business; however, this insurance coverage is secondary to the employee’s individual personal auto insurance policy.

Driver’s License Requirements

To operate City-owned/leased vehicles or Personal Vehicle for City business, employees must maintain an appropriate, valid Iowa driver’s license. No employee shall operate a City-owned/leased vehicle or Personal Vehicle for City business without the required valid Iowa driver’s license. Employees required to maintain a Commercial Drivers License (CDL)  as part of their jobs are subject to additional requirements mandated by the Federal Department of Transportation (DOT). In addition, the following applies:

1. Employees in job classifications who may, on occasion, operate City-owned/leased vehicles or Personal Vehicle for City business (occasional drivers) must maintain a valid Iowa driver’s license to continue to operate City-owned vehicles or Personal Vehicle for City business.

2. Employees in job classifications that require a valid Iowa drivers’ license and/or CDL, as an essential function of their jobs must maintain the required license at all times. Failure to maintain a valid Iowa driver’s license and/or CDL, or otherwise loses or has driving privileges restricted, suspended, or revoked, may be cause for disciplinary action, up to and including immediate termination of employment with the City.  

Employee Guidelines

The following guidelines apply:

1. All employees required to maintain a Commercial Drivers License (CDL) are required to report all traffic violations (except parking infractions) to the City within 30 days, whether the offense occurs on or off duty.

2. All employees who operate a City-owned vehicle or Personal Vehicle for City business must inform their supervisor prior to the start of their next shift if they lose their driver’s license or have their driving privileges restricted, suspended, or revoked for any reason.

3. The City will base employment decisions related to the loss of driving privileges on the appropriate state agency’s administrative determination and will not wait for the outcome of a judicial proceeding.

4. If an employee fails to report the loss of his or her driver’s license or restriction of driving privileges to the supervisor and the employee continues to operate City-owned vehicles or Personal Vehicle for City business, the employee may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

5. The following applies to drivers, as defined above in item # 2 of Driver’s License Requirements:

• If a driver in a Introductory (Probationary) Period or on a temporary assignment with the City fails to maintain a valid Iowa driver’s license and/or CDL, or otherwise loses or has driving privileges restricted, suspended, or revoked, that driver will be terminated immediately.

1. If any other driver in the City’s employment fails to maintain a valid Iowa driver’s license and/or CDL, or otherwise loses or has driving privileges restricted, suspended or revoked, that driver will be given the opportunity for temporary assignment to another position, if available, provided that the minimum qualifications for the available temporary position are met. The City will not create a temporary position or make work to ensure continued employment. If no temporary position is available for the driver to Transfer to, the employee will be terminated after all administrative proceedings before the licensing agency are exhausted or 45 days from the date the loss of license occurred, whichever occurs first.

2. During the period of time administrative proceedings are being exhausted and an employee is unable to Transfer to a temporary position, the employee will be allowed to use appropriate accrued paid leave and/or non-paid leave. This use of leave does not apply to judicial proceedings, which may follow an agency’s administrative determination.

3. If a driver fails to maintain a valid Iowa driver’s license and/or CDL, or otherwise loses or has driving privileges restricted, suspended or revoked a second time within five years during the employment with the City, that driver will be terminated.

4. Any employment-related action taken will be documented in the employee’s appropriate personnel file.

5. The City will not allow "ignition interlocks” to be installed in City owned/leased vehicles and will not allow employees to use private vehicles for City business if an ”ignition interlock” has been installed on the employee’s car for the employee’s use.

6. Drivers must immediately report the following to their supervisor:

   1. Any and all moving violations and/or accidents for which they are ticketed while operating a City-owned/leased vehicle or Personal Vehicle for City business.

   2. Any change in driver’s license status including, but not limited to, suspension, revocation, and/or restriction.

7. Employees are personally responsible if they are ticketed while operating a city-owned/leased vehicle or Personal Vehicle used for city business.

8. All employees are also responsible for the correct, safe and responsible use of all electronic communication devices including but not limited to the making of legal phone calls and using  "hands-free" devices with cell phones while driving vehicles or motorized equipment.

See Section 4.3, Cellular Telephone Usage

Management Guidelines

Supervisors are not to allow an employee to operate a City-owned/leased vehicle or Personal Vehicle to conduct City business if they are aware that the employee does not have a valid driver’s license or has driving privileges that are restricted such that the employee cannot lawfully operate a City-owned/leased vehicle or Personal Vehicle for City business.

Supervisors may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment, if they knowingly allow an employee to operate a City-owned/leased vehicle or Personal Vehicle for City business after being informed that the employee does not have a valid driver’s license or that the driving privileges are restricted such that they cannot lawfully operate a City-owned/leased vehicle or Personal Vehicle for City business.