Covering all aspects of employee conduct in the workplace

1. Aim

1.1 The public is entitled to expect the highest standard of conduct from all Bobtails staff. The aim of this Code is to set out the minimum standards expected of Bobtails Employees, to help maintain and improve those standards and to help protect Employees from unjustified criticism or misunderstanding.

2. Introduction & Interpretation

2.1This Code applies to all Bobtails Employees, including part time, agency staff and students/trainees.

2.2 The extent to which this Code affects individual Employees will depend to some extent upon their job. All Employees should make sure they are aware of the Bobtails policies and practices which are relevant to them or their job including:

  • The Bobtails Constitution, which incorporates

    • Contracts Rules

    • Financial Rules

    • Code and Protocol on Member/Employee Relations, and

2.3 Employees should also be aware of legislation that may affect the way in which they do their jobs including Health and Safety legislation and the Human Rights Act 1998.


3. Equality and Fairness General

3.1 An Employee must:

  1. promote equality by not discriminating unlawfully against any person, and

  2. treat others with respect

3.2 This means, amongst other things, that Employees should give courteous, efficient and impartial service, treating everyone equally and in line with the Bobtails Equal Opportunities and Complaints Policies. They should also comply with legal requirements on human rights, equality and anti discrimination issues.

The Workplace

3.3 Within the workplace, there should be mutual respect and Employees' behaviour should be conducive to a productive and harmonious work environment, with all Employees having a right to be treated with courtesy, fairness and equality. Unless there are good reasons why not, e.g. for legal reasons or because of the need under the Whistle blowing Policy to complain direct to the Police or other enforcement agency, Employees should always first follow internal procedures to resolve problems, reporting and taking issues through their managers or through recognised procedures, including the Grievance Procedure.

Use of facilities

3.4 Bobtails time, property and facilities, including the use of machinery, stationery, vehicles, resources, offices etc, may be used only for official Bobtails business unless the approval of the Manager has first been obtained in writing.

4. Confidentiality and Access to Information

4.1 An Employee must not:

  1. disclose outside the workplace information given to him/her in confidence by anyone, or information acquired which he/she believes is of a confidential nature, without the consent of a person authorised to give it or unless he/she is required by law to do so; nor

  2. Prevent another person from gaining access to information to which that person is entitled by law.

5. Fidelity

5.1 All Employees have a general duty to obey lawful and reasonable instructions, to serve Bobtails, as their employer, personally and faithfully, to exercise reasonable care and skill in carrying out their work, to abide by the law and not to disclose confidential information after the employment ends.