City employees no longer bringing kids to work

Until new workplace policies are implemented, city employees will no longer be able to bring their children to work.

When she was hired, Maricopa City Manager Brenda Fischer reviewed the practice of several employees bringing their children to work and asked that the practice be discontinued until new city policies could be updated and implemented, according to a statement from Public Information Officer LaTricia Woods.

The city is currently updating all personnel policies and procedures, and it is expected those policies will to be presented to the City Council for approval and adoption at the beginning of 2012.

The reasons for not allowing employees to bring children to work are:

• Liability to the city for the actions of employees’ children.
• Reduction in productivity by employees who are supervising their children while working.
• Liability to the employee and the city for damage done to city or another employee’s property by his or her children, which may not be covered by the city’s insurance policies.
• Children in the workplace are a distraction to other employees.
• Safety and protection of the children when their parent is attending to city business.

An occasional visit or emergency situation is permissible, but the regular ongoing presence of children in the workplace is not permitted by the city manager.

Ultimately, as the policies are finalized, they will go to the City Council for consideration and action.