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Personnel Policy and Procedures Manual

Tools and Equipment

PPP # 85-00
Policy on Tools and Equipment

SCOPE

This Policy covers all employees who are assigned tools, property, and equipment either owned or leased by the City.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Policy is to develop an accountability system for all tools and equipment owned and leased by the City and assigned to employees. Supervisors are responsible for the safekeeping and accountability of all tools and equipment assigned to their locations or staff, although final responsibility for tools and equipment rests with the individual employee to whom it is assigned.

Employees will be charged appropriately for replacement or repair of equipment lost or damaged through neglect or misuse while in their possession. Should damage or loss occur due to neglect or misuse, the responsible employee will be charged accordingly for the item as outlined in this policy. The employee will have the option of paying directly or having payroll deductions made according to PPP# 85-10.

Failure of the employees to reimburse the City may cause disciplinary action to be taken, up to and including suspension and/or termination of employment. The employees will be notified in writing by the immediate supervisors of any problems concerning tools and equipment.

The schedule for replacement of lost or damaged tools and equipment is as follows:

Tools and equipment less than one year old shall be repaid at the current replacement cost or current market value, whichever is less. Tools and equipment that are one year old, but less than two years old, shall be repaid at 75% of the current replacement cost or current market value, whichever is less. Tools and equipment two years old or older, shall be repaid at 50% of the current replacement cost or current market value, whichever is less. Equipment such as keys and computers for which the City may incur a service cost to rekey or reconfigure, shall be repaid at the full cost. Any tools and equipment that are depreciated by the City shall be repaid at the value established by the City. In the case of repair, the charge will not exceed the cost to replace the tool or piece of equipment.

Upon separation of an employee from the City for any reason, the employee's supervisor will account for all tools property and equipment in the possession of that employee. Any tools, property, or pieces of equipment not returned or damaged due to misuse or neglect by the employee, must be documented by the supervisor immediately so that appropriate arrangements for repayment my be made. The Payroll division will take appropriate action to hold the final monies due the employee until settlement of the charge is made.

Loss of city property will be reported promptly as defined above, or reported according to the procedure outlined in PPP# 205-10.

PPP # 85-10
Procedure on Tools and Equipment

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Procedure is to implement the Policy on Tools and Equipment.

PROCEDURE

Tools and equipment that are assigned to employees will be recorded by the supervisor or designee. The exact method for recording these transactions is at the discretion of the supervisor, but it is recommended that a written record of tool and equipment issuances and returns be kept. When a tool or piece of equipment is returned by employees, the supervisor or designee shall inspect the item for damage. Any employee who observes a loss of or damage to City-owned or leased property should report the occurrence to the responsible supervisor immediately.

If tools and equipment belonging to the City are lost or damaged through neglect or misuse, the supervisor of the responsible employee will prepare a memorandum to the responsible employee indicating the charges for repair or replacement. The cost of replacement should be determined through consultation with the Finance Department. The memorandum will be forwarded to the department director or designee who will review the memorandum, and if in agreement, initial and approve the charge. Upon approval by the department, arrangements should be made for payment by sending a copy of the letter to the Director of Finance to effect the payment. A copy of the approved memorandum will go to the employee being charged.

Employees must make cash payment for such charges to the City of Rockville within two weeks from the date that the memorandum was approved by the department director. If the employee is unable to pay the entire amount due within the two-week period, the Director of Finance will effect a payment schedule, with payments to be made on each successive payday following the determination of the charge. The minimum payment allowed shall be $10.00 or 10% of the item's value (whichever is greater) per pay period. In cases where the monies involved are extraordinary, then alternate payment schedules may be arranged through the Director of Personnel.