Pinellas County Human Resources - Compensation - Personnel Rules

Resources

Human Resources Home
Lay-Off Resources
Help During Challenging Times
Alpha - A to Z
Contact Us

Topic Areas
Benefits
Compensation
Employment
Policies & Guidelines
Programs & Services
Publications
Training
Volunteer Services
Wellness Program

Quick Links
Art Show
Discounts/You Decide
Employee Emergency
Activation Protocol

Employees' Advisory Council
Forms
Job Descriptions/
Class Specifications
Job Openings

Personnel Board
Rules
Suggestion Awards Program

Department Function Areas
Benefits
Employee Communications
Employee Relations
Employment & Volunteers
Pay & Classification
Records Administration
Training & Development

Phone: 727-464-3367

Personnel Rules - Rule XXIV. Discipline continued. . .

Revised 06/08

Standard Ranges of Disciplinary Actions continued

This list of offenses is not meant to be all-inclusive but rather a listing of the most common offenses.

Offenses and Deficiencies	First Offense	Second Offense	Third Offense	Fourth Offense
(1) Substandard quality or quantity of work.	Oral reminder to written reminder	Written reminder to 3 day suspension	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(2) Sleeping on the job	Written reminder to 3 day suspension	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(3) Failure to perform assigned duties.	Oral reminder to 3 day suspension	Written reminder to 5 day suspension	Dismissal
(4) That the employee refused to answer questions from a superior or investigative agency relating specifically and directly and narrowly to the employee's official duties, after the employee had been warned that refusal to answer such questions could lead to disciplinary action and that statements made by employees under such circumstances were inadmissible as evidence in a criminal prosecution.	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(5) Insubordination.	Oral reminder to 3 day suspension	Written reminder to 5 day suspension	Dismissal
(6) Excessive tardiness.	Oral reminder to written reminder	Written reminder to reduction in pay	Reduction in pay to dismissal	Dismissal
(7) Excessive absenteeism.	Oral reminder to written reminder	Written reminder to reduction in pay	Reduction in pay to dismissal	Dismissal
(8) Leaving work station without authorization.	Oral reminder to 3 day suspension	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(9) Absence without authorized leave.	Written reminder	3 day suspension	Dismissal
(10) Intentional falsification of records.	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(11) Unintentional destruction or misuse of property or equipment.	Oral reminder to 3 day suspension	Written reminder to 5 day suspension	Greater than 5 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(12) Intentional destruction or misuse of property or equipment.	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(13) Unauthorized use of bulletin boards.	Oral reminder to 3 day suspension	Written reminder to 3 day suspension	5 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(14) Unauthorized use of County equipment or property	Oral reminder to 3 day suspension	Written reminder to dismissal	Dismissal
(15) Violation of Safety Rules.	Oral reminder to 3 day suspension	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(16) Willful violation of written rules, regulation policies or statutes.	Written reminder to dismissal	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(17) Negligence resulting in minor consequences.	Oral or written reminder	Written reminder to 3 day suspension	Dismissal
(18) Negligence resulting in serious consequences.	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(19) Unauthorized distribution, solicitation, or sales.	Oral to written reminder	Written reminder to 3 day suspension	Dismissal
(20) That the employee has engaged in a physical fight at the work site.	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(21) That the employee has engaged in a verbally abusive and/or intimidating confrontation with a supervisor, peer, employee or citizen.	Written reminder to dismissal	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(22) Horseplay.	Oral reminder to written reminder	Written reminder to 3 day suspension	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(23) Unlawful gambling during working hours or on County property.	Oral reminder to 3 day suspension	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(24) That the employee possesses a deadly weapon, while on County owned or leased property, or in a County owned vehicle or in a personal vehicle while being used for County business except as specifically provided in Florida Statute §790.251. Prohibited possession under this Rule shall also apply to a deadly weapon located in an employee's privately-owned vehicle if such vehicle is parked on County owned or leased property. For the purposes of this Rule, a "deadly weapon" shall be defined as any instrument which will cause death or great bodily injury when used in the ordinary and usual manner contemplated by its design and construction and includes, but is not limited to, the following: Firearms; clubs; knives, other than a common pocket knife with a folding blade or an eating utensil; stun guns; brass knuckles; and numchucks, throwing stars, and other martial arts weapons. Exceptions to the above prohibitions may be granted by Appointing Authorities to employees whose duties require them to carry such an item or who have a need to carry a firearm or deadly weapon for their own personal protection.	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(25) Use of profane, obscene or abusive language.	Oral reminder to written reminder	Written reminder to 3 day suspension	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(26) Violating decency or morality.	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(27) That the employee has misappropriated County funds, appropriated County property for personal use, or illegally disposed of County property.	Written reminder to dismissal	Dismissal
(28) Violation of County Substance Abuse Policy or CDL Testing Policy.	Dismissal
(29) That the employee has been guilty of conduct unbecoming an employee of the County whether on or off duty.	Written reminder to dismissal	Dismissal
(30) Finding of guilty or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to an employment-related first degree misdemeanor, or felony whether adjudication of guilt is withheld or not.	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(31) Finding of guilty or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a misdemeanor or felony involving moral turpitude*, whether adjudication of guilt is withheld or not and whether related to employment or not.	Written reminder to dismissal	Dismissal
(32) Unlawful harassment and/or discrimination.	Written reminder to dismissal	Dismissal
(33) That the employee is incapable of performing the essential functions of the job classification because of a mental or physical disability, even with a reasonable accommodation.	Demotion or dismissal
(34) That the employee has violated the Personnel Act with regard to political activity.	Written reminder to dismissal	Dismissal
(35) That the employee has been guilty of attempting to use political influence in attaining a position or in securing promotional positions or attempting to influence officers or supervisory employees in personnel matters.	Written reminder to dismissal	Dismissal
(36) That the employee has intentionally falsified a time record or made a false claim for leave, or failed to report absence from duty to supervisors	3 days suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(37) That the employee, after employment, is found to have made a false statement in his application for employment.	Written reminder to dismissal
(38) That the employee is offensive in his conduct; antagonistic toward superiors, fellow employees, or the public; or whose conduct interferes with the proper cooperation of employees or impairs the efficiency of the County service.	Oral reminder to 3 day suspension	Written reminder to dismissal	Dismissal
(39) That the employee has been refused a surety bond when applied for as a qualification for employment.	Dismissal
(40) That the employee refuses to have fingerprints or photograph taken when directed to do so.	Dismissal
(41) That the employee, whose position requires the operation of a motor vehicle in the performance of assigned duties, has a suspended driver's license or fails to advise the supervisor that the driver's license has been suspended or revoked.	Demotion or dismissal	Dismissal
(42) That the employee whose position requires the operation of a motor vehicle in the performance of his duties, fails to immediately advise of a conviction for violation of any motor vehicle law or ordinance for which more than three (3) points are assessed pursuant to Section 322.27, Florida Statutes, or any conviction under Sections 316.193 or 316.1931, Florida Statutes (driving under the influence).	Oral to written reminder	Written reminder to 3 day suspension	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(43) That the employee has failed to qualify on the examination required for the held job classification.	Demotion or dismissal
(44) That the employee, during working hours or non-duty hours, has engaged in an employment, activity, or enterprise that is inconsistent, incompatible, in moral or in legal or technical conflict with assigned duties, functions, and responsibilities as a County employee.	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(45) That the employee has violated Section 447.505, Florida Statutes, or any subsequent amendments thereto or any other related, applicable Florida Statute, or has induced or attempted to induce, or aided or abetted any employee of Pinellas County to engage in any strike or walk-out against Pinellas County or any organizational department or unit thereof.	Dismissal
(46) Violation of County Ethics Policy. That the employee has solicited or taken for personal use a fee, gift, or other valuable thing in the course of assigned work or in connection with it, when such fee, gift, or other valuable thing so solicited or given might be construed to be a means of receiving a favor or obtaining better treatment than that accorded other persons either on a present or future basis.	Oral reminder to dismissal	Dismissal
(47) Failure to perform a reasonable amount of emergency work outside normal working hours when directed to so do by proper authority.	3 day suspension to dismissal	Dismissal
(48) That the employee has failed to report any arrest during employment with the County. (The employer may or may not elect to exercise a suspension pending judicial review (Section G))	Oral reminder to dismissal	Written reminder to dismissal	Dismissal
(49) Violation of County or Departmental building, grounds or other security regulations	Oral reminder to dismissal	Written reminder to dismissal	Dismissal

Conferences for Probationary Employees.

When incidental to the dismissal of a probationary employee the Department places in the employee's personnel file any information concerning the employee which might be considered stigmatizing to future employers, i.e., termination for misconduct; and if the employee contends that the information is false, the employee may, in writing, demand a name clearing conference. If such demand is made, the Department shall provide the employee an opportunity to demonstrate the falsity of the information, and the burden of proof shall be on the employee. The sole issue to be determined shall be the truth or falsity of the information alleged by the employee to be false, and the decision shall not necessarily affect the dismissal.

*For the purpose of this rule, the term "moral turpitude" shall refer to acts which are contrary to justice, honesty, principle or good morals in the community.

top of page