All employees, and all other persons, have certain rights and responsibilities that they can justly expect in their employment and other dealings with the Metropolitan Library System including equal employment opportunities, equal application of benefits, and expected behavior and conduct.

Policies

1. Employment

   It has been and continues to be the policy of the Metropolitan Library System to afford equal opportunity for employment to all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, veteran status, or any physical or mental disability except where age, sex or physical or mental ability is a bonafide occupational qualification or reasonable accommodation cannot be made. The Metropolitan Library System will take measures to ensure that it will:

   1. Recruit, hire and promote all job classifications to further the equal opportunity principle cited above.
   2. Base employment decisions on essential job requirements devoid of prohibited discriminatory practices. (See Section VIII, Item L for restrictions on the hiring of close relatives of commission members or staff.)
   3. Eliminate artificial barriers to employment including non-valid qualifications and/or physical barriers restricting employment of the physically handicapped.
   4. Ensure that promotion decisions are based on valid employee qualifications required for such advancement.
   5. Ensure that all personnel actions such as compensation, benefits, transfers, layoffs, returns from layoff, and any Metropolitan Library System-sponsored employee training will be administered so as to further the equal opportunity principle cited above.
   6. Make reasonable accommodation of physical and mental disabilities of employees or prospective employees and make reasonable accommodation of the religious beliefs of employees or prospective employees including their Sabbath and religious holiday observances.
   7. The Library Commission's Administrative and Personnel Committee shall have the responsibility to monitor and review compliance with this policy and to make recommendations to the Administration from time to time as necessary. The Human Resources Manager shall be the System's civil rights compliance officer to maintain and ensure fair and impartial practices and procedures.
2. Centralized Personnel

   The library system has established a centralized personnel function. The Human Resources Office is responsible for coordinating and monitoring the overall employment procedures of the library system. The Human Resources Manager coordinates advertising, job announcements, correspondence with applicants, screening and referral of applications, offers of employment and applicant notifications. Selection committees, agency/office heads, managers of library operations and supervisors are advised of their equal employment responsibilities by the Human Resources Manager.

3. Introductory Probation Period

   The first ninety (90) days of employment with the Metropolitan Library System (MLS) is considered an Introductory Probation Period.  During this Introductory Probation Period, the Library will evaluate the employee's suitability for employment, and the employee may do the same with regard to MLS as an employer.  Policies SH 520 [4] (Grievance Policy) and SH 530 [5] (Due Process Hearing in Certain Employment Actions) are inapplicable to an employee during the Introductory Probation Period.  During the Introductory Probation Period, both the Library and the employee may terminate the employee/employer relationship for any reason with or without notice.

   The completion of the Introductory Probation Period does not signify nor shall it guarantee any employee continued employment.

   This policy is intended to be an “established probationary plan” in compliance with Oklahoma Statute title 40, Section 3-106(G)(5) [6].  If an employee is terminated for unsatisfactory performance during this time period, the employee may not be entitled to unemployment compensation from the State.