Definitions

Table of Contents
  • 0.01. “Blind” means any person who is totally blind or any person who is functionally blind — that is, a person who is partially blind and who uses alternative techniques to enable him or her to perform a majority of life’s essential activities or functions competently, independently, competitively and successfully.
  • 0.02. “IDB” means the Iowa Department for the Blind
  • 0.03. “Staff” means anyone employed by the Iowa Department for the Blind as an employee or contractor.
  • 0.04. “Client" means a blind person as defined in section 0.01 above who is a child or student receiving transition services; an adult receiving Vocational Rehabilitation services, Rehabilitation Teaching services or Independent Living services from the Iowa Department for the Blind.
  • 0.05. “Instructor” means any staff member engaged in providing adjustment to blindness training to a client. This means Center Instructors, VRTs, and ILRTs. This does not include RTSs.
  • 0.06. "Case Manager" means anyone responsible for determining client eligibility for services and developing a rehabilitation plan.
  • 0.07. “Patron” is anyone receiving any services from the Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled
  • 0.08. “Purchaser” is anyone recommending or authorizing the purchase of any goods or services on behalf of IDB or a client.
  • 0.09. “Key” is any physical key, key card, dongle, or other object that allows access to any building, room, drawer, storage and retrieval system, or device.
  • 0.10. “Logon information” is any username, password, passphrase, passcode, secret question or answer, account name, or account number that allows access to a physical or electronic resource or source of information.
  • 0.11. “Indirect service staff” are staff members who are not involved in instruction, case management, or the provision of direct services to patrons.
  • 0.12. “Direct service staff” includes instructors, case managers, BEP Business Counselors, VR specialists staff providing direct service to library patrons.
  • 0.13. “Violence” for the purposes of this manual is equivalent to the definition provided in the state employee handbook.
  • 0.14. “A dangerous weapon” is any instrument or device designed primarily for use in inflicting death or injury upon a human being or animal, and which is capable of inflicting death or injury upon a human being when used in the manner for which it was designed. Additionally, any instrument or device of any sort whatsoever which is actually used in such a manner as to indicate that the individual intends to inflict death or injury upon the other, and which, when so used, is capable of inflicting death upon a human being, is a dangerous weapon. Dangerous weapons include, but are not limited to, any offensive weapon, pistol, revolver, or other firearm, dagger, razor, stiletto, switchblade knife, or knife having a blade exceeding five inches in length.
  • 0.15. “Personal contact” means an encounter in which two or more persons are in visual or physical proximity to each other. Personal contact does not require a physical touching or oral communication, although it may include these types of contacts.
  • 0.16. “Social media” includes, but is not limited to: video, wiki postings, Facebook, X, Linked-In, YouTube, Instagram, Flickir, Medium, Slack, Tumblr, What's App, Snap Chat, chat rooms, personal blogs, podcasts, or other similar forms of online journals, diaries, or personal messaging systems.
  • 0.17. “IDB’s IT resources” include all computer systems, tablets, phones, and associated software and functions; e.g., the Internet and Internet connections, email systems, and any IDB equipment connected to or used by such resources.
  • 0.18. “Orientation Center Training” is participation in our Blindness Empowerment and Independence center training program wherein any participant with any vision must wear learning shades during all activities to ensure that the participant can perform all tasks non-visually.
  • 0.19. “Readers and drivers” are non-employees engaged to provide reading and/or driving services to a staff member or client.
  • 0.20. “Family member” means the employee’s spouse, children, grandchildren, foster children, stepchildren, legal wards, parents, grandparents, foster parents, stepparents, brothers, foster brothers, stepbrothers, sons-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters, foster sisters, stepsisters, daughters-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, first cousins, corresponding relatives of the employee’s spouse and other persons who are members of the employee’s household.
  • 0.21. An “in-grade increase” is a percentage increase in an employee’s annual salary related to job performance.
  • 0.22. The “eligibility date” is the day on which an in-grade increase takes effect. It is generally the anniversary of the end of an employee's probationary period.
  • 0.23. A “paper suspension” is a paid suspension where the employee continues to perform their regular job duties. A paper suspension carries the same weight as a “non-working” or unpaid suspension. A supervisor will decide whether to issue a paper or non-working suspension.
  • 0.24. A “non-working suspension” is an unpaid suspension where the employee is not working and should not come into the building or log in to any IDB systems.
  • 0.25. “Learning shades”, also called sleep shades, are a covering worn over the eyes to block all visual information.
  • 0.26. “Actively participate” means to remain awake, listen to comments made by others, respond when spoken to, and add at least one substantive comment or question to the discussion.
  • 0.27. “Business class” is the daily group discussion of blindness related topics and philosophy conducted for center students and staff in training or receiving continuing education.
  • 0.28. A “written reprimand” is a letter that serves as written notice of disciplinary action. It is placed in the employee’s personnel file.
  • 0.29 “Conflicts of interest” include purchases from a spouse, domestic partner, direct descendant, direct ascendant (parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, etc.), sibling, dependent, member of household, or business partner (collectively, “related parties”).
  • 0.30 “Direct or indirect financial interest” means an ownership or other financial interest in a business entity; or any relationship, contractual or otherwise, which could result in a monetary or non-monetary gain to a purchaser.
  • 0.31. “Confidential information” is defined as follows: * Personal information defined by Iowa Code 715c. Personal information includes an individual’s first name/initial and last name in combination with one or more, of the following:
    • Social security number.
    • Driver’s license number.
    • Unique identification number (e.g., Iowa Student State ID or Medicaid ID).
    • Financial account number, credit card number, or debit card number in combination with any required security code, access code, or password.
    • Unique electronic identifier or routing code, in combination with any required security code, access code, or password.
    • Unique biometric data, such as a fingerprint, retina or iris image, or other unique physical representation or digital representation of biometric data.
    • Any information or record deemed confidential under Section 22.7 of Iowa Code Chapter 22, also known as the Iowa Open Records Law.
    • All protected health information for agencies covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
    • All protected credit card information as defined by the Payment Card Industry – Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS).
    • Any other information that if lost, disclosed, corrupted, or accessed by unauthorized means would violate state or federal law.
    • All information defined as confidential by contact/agreement with agency trading partners, customers, vendors or other entities.
    • Any information deemed confidential under the administrative rules of the Department for the Blind (111–13.13(2), IAC).
  • 0.32 "Merit staff" are staff members occupying positions deemed to be merit covered by the State of Iowa. The merit system is a system of human resource administration based upon merit principles to govern the appointment, compensation, promotion, welfare, development, transfer, layoff, removal, and discipline of its civil employees, and other incidents of state employment. Merit covered employees may be disciplined or discharged for just cause.
  • 0.33 "Non-merit staff" are staff members occupying positions exempted from the State of Iowa merit system by statute. These positions are considered at-will and non-merit employees serve at the pleasure of your Appointing Authority. This means you may be disciplined or discharged for any lawful reason at any time without regard to cause or just cause.
  • 0.34 "Flexing or using flex time" refers to the use of an alternative schedule on a temporary basis.
  • 0.35 "Policies" are courses or principles of action adopted by the Iowa Commission for the Blind that govern and direct agency actions.
  • 0.36 "Procedures" are established and official ways of conducting agency business. Procedures may be altered to deal with changing circumstances and do not require approval by the Iowa Commission for the Blind.