614 Investigatory Placements and Investigatory Suspensions

Investigatory placements and investigatory suspensions are non-disciplinary measures that provide time for management to investigate allegations of employee misconduct or serious violations of work rules in order to establish facts and make a decision concerning the employee's status in cases where it is determined that the employee should not continue to work, pending a decision.

With an investigatory placement, the employee may be assigned different job duties that remove the employee from the original work situation during the period of the investigation. An investigatory placement shall normally not exceed two (2) weeks.

As an alternative to an investigatory placement, a supervisor may elect to suspend an employee for the duration of an investigation. An investigatory suspension for an hourly/temporary employee is always without pay.  An investigatory suspension for a salaried employee may be with or without pay, based on the severity of the charges against the employee, the employee’s employment record, and all other relevant factors, as determined by the supervisor/department head.

{NOTE:  According to FLSA requirements, an exempt status employee may not be suspended without pay, except for safety reasons, for less than one full workday (employees on  fluctuating work week may only be suspended without pay for their entire work period).}

County paid health, life, and, if applicable, long term disability benefits will be continued for a salaried employee who enters leave without pay status during the period of the investigation.

Supervisors are expected to conduct investigations in a timely and efficient manner. The period of the investigation normally shall not exceed two (2) weeks. Once the investigation has been completed, management will determine whether the employee was not at fault or totally/partially responsible for the action, and what disciplinary action, if any, is appropriate. An employee who has been suspended without pay and is found to be not at fault will be re-instated into the position previously occupied and will receive full pay (his regular rate) and benefits for the entire period of suspension without pay. The supervisor’s determination will be recorded in the employee’s personnel file.

Revised 12/1/97