The Maquoketa Valley Community School District will provide equal opportunity to employees and applicants for employment in accordance with applicable equal employment opportunity and affirmative action laws, directives and regulations of federal, state and local governing bodies.  Opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment includes hiring, placement, promotion, transfer or demotion, recruitment, advertising or solicitation for employment, treatment during employment, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, and layoff or termination.  The school district will take affirmative action in major job categories where women, men, minorities and persons with disabilities are underrepresented.  Employees will support and comply with the district's established equal employment opportunity and affirmative action policies.  Employees will be given notice of this policy annually.

The board will appoint an affirmative action coordinator.  The affirmative action coordinator will have the responsibility for drafting the affirmative action plan.  The affirmative action plan will be reviewed by the board at least every two years.

Individuals who file an application with the school district will be given consideration for employment if they meet or exceed the qualifications set by the board, administration, and Iowa Department of Education for the position for which they apply.  In employing individuals, the board will consider the qualifications, credentials, and records of the applicants without regard to race, color, creed, sex, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.  In keeping with the law, the board will consider the veteran status of applicants.

Advertisements and notices for vacancies within the district will contain the following statement:  "The Maquoketa ValleyCommunity School District is an EEO/AA employer."  The statement will also appear on application forms.

Inquiries by employees or applicants for employment regarding compliance with equal employment opportunity and affirmative action laws and policies, including but not limited to complaints of discrimination, will be directed to the Affirmative Action Coordinator by writing to the Affirmative Action Coordinator, Maquoketa Valley Community School District, Delhi, Iowa 52223; or by telephoning 562-922-2091. 

Inquiries by employees or applicants for employment regarding compliance with equal employment opportunity and affirmative action laws and policies, including but not limited to complaints of discrimination, may also be directed in writing to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commissions, Milwaukee Area Office, Reuss Federal Plaza, 310 West Wisconsin Ave., Suite 800, Milwaukee, WI., 53203-2292, (800) 669-4000 or TTY (800) 669-6820. http://www.eeoc.gov/field/milwaukee/index.cfm or the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, 400 E. 14^th Street, Des Moines, Iowa, 50319-1004, (515) 281-4121 or 1-800-457-4416, http://www.state.ia.us/government/crc/index.html.  This inquiry or complaint to the federal office may be done instead of, or in addition to, an inquiry or complaint at the local level.

Further information and copies of the procedures for filing a complaint are available in the school district's central administrative office and the administrative office in each attendance center.

 

 

Legal Reference:  29 U.S.C. §§ 621-634.
                                       42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e et seq.
                                       42 U.S.C. §§ 12101 et seq.
                                       Iowa Code §§ 19B; 20; 35C; 73; 216; 279.8.
                                       281 I.A.C. 12.4; 95.

Cross Reference:  102       Equal Educational Opportunity
                                       104       Bullying/Harassment
                                       405.2    Licensed Employee Qualifications, Recruitment, Selection
                                       411.2    Classified Employee Qualifications, Recruitment, Selection

Approved      5/18/2020                         
Reviewed                                                                               
Revised                   

 

 

 

 

The school district will maintain personnel records on employees.  The records are important for the daily administration of the educational program, for implementing board policy, for budget and financial planning, and for meeting state and federal requirements.

The records will include, but not be limited to, records necessary for the daily administration of the school district, salary records, evaluations, application for employment, references, and other items needed to carry out board policy.  Employee personnel files are school district records and are considered confidential records and therefore are not generally open to public inspection or accessibility.  Only in certain limited instances, when the employee has given a signed consent, will employee personnel records be accessible to individuals other than the employee or authorized school officials.

Employees may have access to their personnel files, with the exception of letters of reference, and copy items from their personnel files at a time mutually agreed upon between the superintendent and the employee.  The school district may charge a reasonable fee for each copy made.  Employees, however, will not be allowed access to the employment references written on behalf of the employee.  Board members will generally only have access to an employee's file when it is necessary because of an employee related matter before the board.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to keep employees' personnel files current.  The board secretary is the custodian of employee records.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations for the implementation of this policy.

 

 

Legal Reference:  Iowa Code chs. 20; 21; 22; 91B.

Cross Reference:  402.1    Release of Credit Information
                                       403         Employees' Health and Well-Being
                                       708         Care, Maintenance and Disposal of School District Records

Approved         5/18/2020                      
Reviewed                                                                               
Revised                   

 

The district believes in taking appropriate measures to promote the health and welfare of all students.  Any school employee, volunteer, contractor, or agent shall not assist another school employee, contractor, or agent in obtaining a new job, apart from the routine transmission of administrative personnel files, if the individual or agency knows, or has probable cause to believe, that such school employee, contractor, or agent engaged in sexual misconduct regarding a minor or student in violation of the law. Sexual misconduct means physical or sexual abuse of students, including but not limited to sexual or physical relationships, grooming behavior, and otherwise inappropriate relationships with students.  

This limitation does not apply if the matter has been properly reported to law enforcement and any other regulatory authorities required by law, and either: 

• the matter has been officially closed by the law enforcement agency; 
• the individual is acquitted or otherwise exonerated of the alleged misconduct; or 
• more than four years has passed since the case was opened, and no charges or indictment have been filed.

 

Legal References:     20 U.S.C. §7926
                                  Iowa Code §256
                                  281 I.A.C. 12.3(14)

Cross References:    401.5 Employee Records 
                                  402.2 Child Abuse Reporting
                                  402.3 Abuse of Students by School District Employees
                                  405.2 Licensed Employee Qualifications, Recruitment, Selection
                                  411.2 Classified Employee Qualifications, Recruitment, Selection

Approved       5/18/2020           
Reviewed      7/15/2024       
Revised         7/15/2024       

Employees traveling on behalf of the school district and performing approved school district business will be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses.  Actual and necessary travel expenses will include, but not be limited to, transportation and/or mileage costs, lodging expenses, meal expenses and registration costs.

 

Travel Outside the School District

Travel outside of the school district must be pre-approved.  Pre-approval will include an evaluation of the necessity of the travel, the reason for the travel and an estimate of the cost of the travel to qualify as approved school district business.  Travel outside the school district by employees, other than the superintendent, is pre-approved by the superintendent or an immediate supervisor.  Travel outside the school district by the superintendent shall be approved by the board president.

Reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses may be allowed for travel outside the school district if the employee received pre-approval for the travel.  Prior to reimbursement of actual and necessary expenses, the employee must provide the school district with a detailed, itemized receipt, indicating the date, purpose and nature of the expense for each claim item.  In exceptional circumstances, the superintendent may allow a claim without proper receipt.  Written documentation explaining the exceptional circumstances is maintained as part of the school district's record of the claim.

Failure to have a detailed, itemized receipt will make the expense a personal expense.  Personal expenses, including mileage, in excess of that required for the trip are reimbursed by the employee to the school district no later than 10 working days following the date of the expense.

Reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses for travel outside the school district will be limited to the pre-approved expenses.  Pre-approved expenses for registration are limited to the actual cost of the registration.

Pre-approved expenses for transportation within three-hundred miles of the school district administrative office will be by automobile.  If a school district vehicle is not available, the employee will be reimbursed mileage at the rate of $0.45 per mile.  Travel to/from home and work is never a reimbursable travel expense.  Travel costs for a spouse or anyone other than the district employee shall be a personal expense not reimbursed by the district.

 

Travel Within the School District

Employees required to travel in their personal vehicle between school district buildings to carry out the duties of their position may be reimbursed at the rate of $0.45 per mile.  It is the responsibility of the superintendent to approve travel within the school district by employees.  It is the responsibility of the board to review the travel within the school district by the superintendent through the board's audit and approval process.

Travel allowances within the district will be provided only after board approval.  Employees who are allowed a within district travel allowance will have the amount of the allowance actually received during each calendar year included on the employee's W-2 form as taxable income according to the Internal Revenue Code.

 

Use of District-Owned Vehicles

Certain district employment positions may require regular and extensive travel.  Due to the required duties of these positions, the district may provide certain positions with use of district-owned vehicles.  Employees who utilize district-owned vehicles during the course of their job duties are fulfilling the public purpose of meeting the needs of the educational community in an efficient, and time-sensitive manner.  District-owned vehicles are purchased and maintained with public money and must be used strictly in accordance with fulfilling a public purpose.  These vehicles represent the district in carrying out its educational mission.  Therefore, district-owned vehicles will be clearly marked at all times to identify the district. 

The superintendent is responsible for developing administrative regulations regarding actual and necessary expenses, in-school district travel allowances and assignment and proper use of school district vehicles.  The administrative regulations will include the appropriate forms to be filed for reimbursement to the employee from the school district and the procedures for obtaining approval for travel outside of and within the school district.

 

 

Legal Reference:  Iowa Constitution, Art. III, § 31.
                                       Iowa Code §§ 70A.9-.11.

Cross Reference:  216.3    Board of Directors' Member Compensation and Expenses
                                       401.6    Transporting of Students by Employees
                                       401.10  Credit Cards
                                       904.1    Transporting Students in Private Vehicles

Approved      5/18/2020                        
Reviewed   11/221/22                                                                 
Revised    11/21/22        

 

Employees will not engage in political activity upon property under the jurisdiction of the board including the use of school district e-mail accounts.  Activities including, but not limited to, posting of political circulars or petitions, the distribution of political circulars or petitions, the collection of or solicitation for campaign funds, solicitation for campaign workers, general information regarding elections or ballot issues and the use of students for writing or addressing political materials, or the distribution of such materials to or by students are specifically prohibited.

Violation of this policy may be grounds for disciplinary action.

 

 

Legal Reference:  Iowa Code §§ 55; 279.8.

Cross Reference:  409.5                                    Licensed Employee Political Leave
                                       414.5                                    Classified Employee Political Leave

Approved   5/18/2020                           
Reviewed                                                                               
Revised                   

 

Employees may use school district credit cards and/or procurement cards (p-cards) for the actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of work-related duties.  Actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of work-related duties include, but are not limited to travel expenses related to professional development or fulfillment of required job duties, fuel for school district transportation vehicles used for transporting students to and from school and for school-sponsored events, payment of claims related to professional development of the board and employees, and other expenses required by employees and the board in the performance of their duties.

Employees and officers using a school district credit or procurement card must submit a detailed, itemized receipt in addition to a credit or procurement card receipt indicating the date, purpose and nature of the expense for each claim item.  Failure to provide a proper receipt will make the employee responsible for expenses incurred.  Those expenses are reimbursed to the school district no later than ten working days following use of the school district's credit or procurement card.  In exceptional circumstances, the superintendent or board may allow a claim without proper receipt.  Written documentation explaining the exceptional circumstances is maintained as part of the school district's record of the claim.

The school district may maintain a school district credit or procurement card for actual and necessary expenses incurred by employees and officers in the performance of their duties.  The superintendent may maintain a school district credit or procurement card for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of the superintendent's duties.  The transportation director may maintain a school district credit or procurement card for fueling school district transportation vehicles in accordance with board policy.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to determine whether the school district credit or procurement card use is for appropriate school business.  It is the responsibility of the board to determine through the audit and approval process of the board whether the school district credit or procurement card used by the superintendent and the board is for appropriate school business.

The superintendent is responsible for developing administrative regulations regarding actual and necessary expenses and use of a school district credit or procurement card.  The administrative regulations will include the appropriate forms to be filed for obtaining a credit  or procurement card.

 

 

Legal Reference:  Iowa Constitution, Art. III, § 31.
                                       Iowa Code §§ 279.8, .29, .30.
                                       281 I.A.C. 12.3(1).

Cross Reference:  216.3                                    Board of Directors' Member Compensation and Expenses
                                       401.7                                    Employee Travel Compensation

Approved     5/18/2020                         
Reviewed                                                                               
Revised                   

 

Employees must know their role and duties.  New employees may be required to participate in an orientation program for new employees.  The employee's immediate supervisor should provide the new employee with a review of the employee's responsibilities and duties.  Payroll procedures and employee benefit programs and accompanying forms will be explained to the employee by the School Business Official.  Regular employees ineligible for the school district's group health plan will be given information regarding where they can obtain health care or health care insurance.

 

 

Legal Reference:  Iowa Code §§ 20; 279.8.
                                       191 I.A.C. 74.

Cross Reference:  404                                    Employee Conduct and Appearance
                                       406                                    Licensed Employee Compensation and Benefits
                                       412                                    Classified Employee Compensation and Benefits

Approved    5/18/2020                          
Reviewed                                                                               
Revised                   

 

 

The board believes the district has an interest in maintaining an orderly and effective work environment while balancing employees First Amendment rights to freedom of expression and diverse viewpoints and beliefs.  When employees speak within their official capacity, their expression represents the district and may be regulated.  The First Amendment protects a public employee’s speech when the employee is speaking as an individual citizen on a matter of public concern.  Even so, employee expression that has an adverse impact on district operations and/or negatively impacts an employee’s ability to perform their job for the district may still result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Employees will comply with Iowa law to the extent that compliance does not infringe on employees’ free speech rights.

Employees who use social media platforms are encouraged to remember that the school community may not be able to separate employees as private citizens, from their role within the district.  Employee expression on social media platforms that interferes with the district’s operations or prevents the district from functioning efficiently and effectively may be subject to discipline up to and including termination.

A district employee who acts to protect a student for engaging in free expression or who refuses to infringe on students engaging in free expression; and who is acting within the scope of their professional ethics will not be retaliated against or face any adverse employment action based on their behavior provided that expression is otherwise permitted by law and board policy. 

If the board or court finds an employee that is subject to licensure, certification or authorization by the Board of Educational Examiners discriminated against a student or other co-employee, the board will refer the employee to the Board of Educational Examiners for additional proceedings as required by law and which may result in discipline up to and including termination.

 

 

Legal Reference:  U.S. Const. Amend. I
                                       Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, 597 U.S.    (2022)
                                       Iowa Code §§ 279.73; 280.22

Cross Reference:  401.13         Staff Technology Use/Social Networking
                                        401.13R1   Staff Technology Use/Social Networking Regulation
                                        502.03         Student Expression and Student Publications Code
                                        502.03R1  Student Expression and Student Publications Code Regulation

Approved      10/24/22                            
Reviewed                                                                               
Revised