Performance Standards

We are each responsible for performing our duties adequately and properly. Personnel policies and procedures must be followed.

You are expected to respect your coworkers and should not behave in a manner that obstructs or hinders other employees from completing their duties.

The College expects that employees will act in a manner that is safe for themselves, their coworkers and our students, and will follow the College's safety procedures at all times.

MICA expects all employees to uphold the College's mission, as well as certain standards of conduct within the College and in their dealings with students and the general public. In order to maintain these principles, you should:

• Meet your commitments.
• Be honest in all business relationships.
• Exercise common sense.
• Utilize sound judgment.
• Be imaginative in striving for improvement.
• Gain the respect of students and co-workers.
• Be accountable for your own work.
• Work with your co-workers and supervisor to make constructive suggestions for change.
• Strive to bring out the best in others.
• Use tact and courtesy in your dealings with coworkers, students and third parties.
• Broaden your outlook and take responsibility for your own development.
• Develop your ability to communicate, both written and verbal.

Standards of Conduct

To maintain a safe and productive work environment, all employees must follow certain guidelines pertaining to conduct and relationships. We strive to take a constructive approach to discipline, with a goal of ensuring that actions that would interfere with job performance or the College's operations are not continued.

Violations of the Standards of Conduct will be taken seriously and may subject employees to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Supervisors have authority to enforce standards of conduct and other College policies or procedures. (Please refer to the Definition of Employment Status, section 4.1, for further explanation of the term "supervisor.") To protect our employees and the College, employees witnessing a violation are required to immediately report such an incident to a Supervisor. Although there is no way to identify every possible violation of standards of conduct, the following is a list of examples of infractions which may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination at the College's discretion.

This list is intended to be representative of the types of activities that may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. It is not intended to be comprehensive and, therefore, the College may impose discipline up to and including termination for violations or inappropriate conduct not listed below. This policy does not alter the employment-at-will relationship between you and the College. This list is not intended to and does not prohibit any conduct that is protected by law.

• Violation of the College's Equal Employment and Anti-Harassment; Conflict of Interest; Confidentiality; Solicitation & Distribution; Information Requests and Employment References; Time Records; Standards of Conduct; Attendance Standards; Smoking; Substance Abuse; Workplace Violence; Overtime; Use of College Equipment and Facilities; Telephone; Fax and Voicemail Use; Computer Usage; PC and Virus Protection; Workplace Safety policies; or other policies included in this handbook.
• Engaging in acts of dishonesty, fraud, theft, or sabotage. Unauthorized possession of property belonging to the College, a student or another employee. 
• Stealing and/or other misappropriation of cash or cash equivalents. 
• Fighting, horseplay, practical jokes or other conduct that may endanger or disrupt anyone on our premises. 
• Drinking alcohol and/or the use of controlled substances on the job or during lunch time or reporting to work under the influence. 
• Refusing to cooperate with College investigations, or providing false information or otherwise interfering with or obstructing a College investigation.
• Violating criminal laws on College premises or while performing College business. 
• Being convicted of a felony or crime that reflects negatively on your trustworthiness or dedication to personal safety or reasonably may be expected to damage the College's reputation in the community. 
• Threatening, intimidating, coercing, harming or interfering with the performance of employees, applicants, students, vendors or the general public.
• Falsifying employment applications, resumes, time records, personnel documents, student documents, or any other records belonging or relating to the College, or intentionally giving false information to anyone who makes such records.
• Insubordination, including refusal to work on an assigned job, refusal to comply with instructions, refusal to comply with College policies and refusal to work overtime.
• Instigating, encouraging or participating in any illegal or unprotected work stoppages, slowdowns or picketing.
• Inability to establish sound relationships with students, third parties, supervisors or other MICA staff, as determined by management.
• Unauthorized, willful or careless waste, damage, removal or destruction of College materials, property, equipment or supplies.
• Wasting time, loitering or leaving your place of work without permission during working time.
• Conduct that reflects adversely on the College.
• Disclosing to any person, including television, radio and print media representatives, any confidential information relating to the College's business, students, finances or trade secrets.
• Carelessness or neglect of job duties that results in the loss, damage or destruction of the College, employee or student property. 
• Performance that does not meet College requirements or expectations.
• Failure to comply with safety precautions that are necessary to the welfare or interests of the College, its employees, or students.
• Failure to immediately report any accident, incident, work-related injury, fire or other emergency to your supervisor, and if appropriate, the proper authorities.

* The reporting process described in this policy does not apply in situations where other specific instructions are outlined, such as those in the EEO and Anti-Harassment policy. In such cases, all employees should follow the procedures provided in those policies.

Attendance Standards

Punctuality and regular attendance are essential to the proper operation of our College. Excessive employee absence, tardiness or job abandonment are undesirable performance factors for all employees, and those found to be in violation of the College's attendance standards may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Employees may also be required to make up time missed.

If you will be arriving late, leaving early, or not reporting to work for any reason (unless an unexpected medical or other emergency makes it impossible to do so), you must inform your supervisor as soon as possible. If you are unable to reach your Supervisor, you must leave a message and call back to speak to your supervisor during your scheduled shift. Failure to call in properly will be considered an unreported absence, and may result in disciplinary action.

For absences of three (3) or more consecutive scheduled workdays, you may be required to provide a written doctor's statement to your supervisor. However, your supervisor may request written documentation for any absence of any length. If an employee is absent from work for three (3) or more consecutive scheduled workdays without calling in, it will be assumed that the employee has voluntarily terminated his or her employment. Additionally, unless you are on an authorized leave of absence, you must maintain contact with your supervisor throughout any absence extending beyond one day, notifying him/her daily whether and when you will be returning to work.

Smoking

For the health and safety of all, no smoking will be allowed in any area of our offices at any time. Employees are free to smoke off College property (non-smoking areas include building entrances and parking lots) during their non-working hours (i.e., before work, during lunch breaks and after work). The College does not condone "smoke breaks" during normal working hours. Employees who violate this policy and/or disarm any College fire protection equipment may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Substance Abuse

The College upholds the obligation to its employees, students and the general public, to reasonably ensure safety in our workplace, comply with federal and state health and safety regulations and prevent accidents. We also believe that by following this policy the safety, health and productivity of employees will improve.

Use, possession, sale, transfer, manufacture, purchase or being under the influence of illegal drugs or other intoxicants by employees at any time on our premises or while involved in any business relating to our College is prohibited, except as provided for in paragraph three below. Employees must not report for duty or be on our property while under the influence of, or in the possession of, any intoxicating liquor, marijuana, narcotic or other illegal or illegally obtained substance.

If the College, as part of a social function or authorized entertaining, provides alcoholic beverages, employees choosing to consume such beverages must do so responsibly. Additionally, employees are reminded that College Standard of Conduct rules are still in effect for such functions and that violation of these rules may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Employees are strictly prohibited from driving following consumption of any quantity of alcohol at such functions that could impair their ability to drive safely, and must request assistance if a ride is needed. These College-sponsored or approved functions are the only times that consumption of alcoholic beverages on College time or premises is acceptable.

Individuals who appear to be unfit for work or who are involved in an accident while on our premises, a job-site or otherwise in the course of employment with the College, may be subject to a fitness-for-duty examination and/or drug-testing at a designated medical facility. When necessary, the College may inspect and/or search all College property, as well as any employee's personal property on College premises, for alcohol, controlled or illegal substances, or any other substances which impair job performance. Refusal to submit to any such inspection or refusal to cooperate in any investigation may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Any illegal or controlled substances discovered on our premises will be turned over to the appropriate law enforcement agency and may result in criminal prosecution.

Workplace Violence

The College recognizes the unfortunate increase in workplace violence in our society and has a strong commitment to ensuring that our workplace remains safe.

To help employees understand and report behavior that could lead to violent incidents, we have included this list of prohibited conduct. This list of behaviors should not be considered all-inclusive, but merely a list of examples to be considered. These and other violent actions may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination:

• Intentionally causing physical injury to another person.
• Making verbal or written (including e-mail) threats of violence/intimidation.
• Aggressive or hostile behavior.
• Intentionally damaging College property or property of another employee.
• Possession of a weapon (prohibited weapons include any form of weapon or explosive restricted under local, state or federal regulations; this includes all firearms, knives, or other weapons).
• Committing acts motivated by or related to, sexual harassment, discrimination or domestic violence.
• Retaliatory actions against an individual who reported a workplace violence incident.

When deemed necessary by College officials, the College reserves the right to inspect and/or search all College property, as well as any employee's personal property on College premises.

While the College does not expect employees to be skilled at identifying potentially dangerous persons, employees are expected to exercise good judgment in recognizing behavior that could be a sign of a potentially dangerous situation. Such behavior includes but is not limited to:

• Discussing weapons.
• Displaying overt signs of extreme stress, resentment, hostility or anger.
• Making threatening remarks.
• Harassing and/or menacing behavior.
• Sudden or significant deterioration of performance.
• Displaying irrational or inappropriate behavior.

If you have any concerns about safety or have any knowledge of someone or something that may cause a threat to you, your co-workers, property or the College, please report this information immediately to Campus Safety, your supervisor and/or Human Resources.