Use of Employee Locker Procedure

Purpose statement

This procedure defines the standards and guidelines for the acceptable use of lockers during an employee’s term of employment as well as establishes a procedure to outline when the employer will carry out a locker inspection.

Scope

This procedure applies to all Town of Oakville (town) employees including, but not limited to, full-time, part-time, students, volunteers, temporary and interns, who are assigned lockers at any town facility.

Procedure

Compliance

Town resource(s) must be used in compliance with applicable laws or regulations, professional standards, and corporate policies and procedures.

Employees in full-time and seasonal positions may be provided or assigned one locker by the town for the storage of uniforms, street clothes, and other personal items during their employment. Additional lockers may be granted at the discretion of management.

Management has the right to determine if lockers will be secured with town-owned locks or allow the use of personal locks.

The Town of Oakville is not responsible for any valuables or belongings left inside the lockers. This includes cell phones, jewelry, cash, etc.

Use of a locker by a person other than to whom it is assigned is prohibited.

Terms of use

• Employees may be assigned one locker at their home facility location following a request submitted to management.
• Employees who work seasonal shifts at alternate facilities may request an additional locker during their shift duration.
• Employees who accept a contract position exceeding four months are required to leave their home facility locker location and empty the contents of their locker.
• All employees must vacate the locker at the end of their employment term.

Health and safety

Flammable material, dangerous chemicals, explosives or weapons of any kind are strictly prohibited inside the lockers.  Food and perishables may not be stored inside lockers.

Personal use

Items stored or displayed in lockers shall be in accordance with the Employee Code of Conduct and Respectful Conduct Policy and Procedure, and as such must be free from discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, workplace conflict or any other material that could be deemed as inappropriate or offensive.

Preserving assets

Employees are not permitted to modify lockers or affix anything to the interior or exterior of their lockers.

Inspection

The town respects the personal privacy of its employees. The town endeavours to uphold such privacy but retains the right to inspect lockers in circumstances affecting business interests, including, but not limited to, loss prevention, safety, security, discrimination, harassment, and sexual harassment.

Should such circumstances arise, employees will be given notice, where possible, of the reason for the inspection or investigation, and the inspection process to be implemented, noted in the next section.

Employees are expected to cooperate with these procedures and may be subject to discipline, up to and including termination, where a reasonable request has been made under this procedure.

Inspections of lockers may be conducted where the town reasonably believes that such an inspection is necessary to prevent, impede or reduce the risk of, but not limited to, the following:

1. physical injury or illness to any person;
2. damage to personal or town property;
3. violation with applicable laws or regulations, professional standards and/or town policies and procedures;
4. chemicals or fluids that have a noticeable odour or can be visibly seen coming out of the locker;
5. a locker containing items that may be rotting, spoiling or mildewing (i.e. food items, etc.).

Inspection Process

• Inspection of lockers will be carried out as follows;
• inspection will be carried out in the least intrusive manner possible under the circumstances;
• employees, or their designate, are entitled to be present during an inspection, where possible;
• inspection will be carried out in the presence of a witness;
• photographs of contents may be taken at the discretion of management;
• any illegal substances found in the locker will be turned over to appropriate authorities;
• any results of the inspection will be kept confidential and not be disclosed except to the employer’s agents, appropriate authorities or as may be required by law.

Every reasonable effort will be made to follow the steps of the inspection process, however, in the event of an emergency, the town reserves the right to inspect the locker without notice.

Removal of items from lockers

In the event the employee terminates his or her employment without notice, management or their designate shall empty the locker and take an inventory of the contents.

The contents of the locker will be made available to be picked up the day the employee’s last paycheque is made available. Items not picked up at that time will be handled in accordance with the town’s Lost and Found Procedure

Consequences of non-compliance

Misuse of a locker may lead to termination of locker privileges. Users who fail to comply with this procedure and associated guidelines may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal, early termination of contract or other sanctions as applicable. Lockers are a privilege, not a requirement.

Definitions

Personal items: privately owned items (such as clothing and jewelry) normally worn or carried on the person.

Responsibilities

Employees:

1. adhering to Use of Employee Lockers Procedure and all underlying requirements;
2. reporting any known or suspected violations to the immediate supervisor or manager.
3. ensuring that any town owned equipment is returned to the town.

Management:

1. making employees aware of the Use of Employee Lockers Procedure and all underlying requirements, and reporting any contraventions of the procedure ;
2. ensuring that access rights of employees are issued or revoked in a timely manner when changes are required;
3. ensuring that any town owned equipment is returned to the town.