Section 1: Professional Conduct & Job Performance

Table of Contents
  • 1.01 IDB staff will follow all policies and procedures included in this manual.
  • 1.02 All IDB staff are required to follow all legal instructions and work directives provided by their supervisors. Direct instructions issued via email are equivalent to a work directive.
  • 1.03 Poor work is not acceptable. Employees are expected to perform their work properly and efficiently and to meet performance standards.
  • 1.04 Employees are expected to seek, accept and accurately complete assignments within deadlines and not neglect job duties.
  • 1.05 Employees are expected to be attentive to their responsibilities and shall not loaf, loiter, sleep or engage in unauthorized personal business while on work time.
  • 1.06 IDB Staff will enter correct dates of service into all case management and library information systems to ensure the integrity of all client and patron records.
  • 1.07 The IDB staff member shall take responsibility for maintaining and improving competence by participating regularly in professional development and training opportunities. Including continuing education requirements.
  • 1.08 The IDB staff member shall provide appropriate supervision to all readers, drivers, contractors, volunteers, and temporary employees who they employ or supervise.
  • 1.09 IDB staff will not withhold or limit services to any client or patron based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identification, disability, political affiliation, or consumer group membership.
  • 1.10 All IDB staff members shall take reasonable precautions to avoid imposing or inflicting harm upon the client or patron with whom that staff member is working.
  • 1.11 All IDB staff members shall maintain relationships that do not exploit clients sexually, physically, emotionally, financially, socially or in any other manner.
  • 1.12 All IDB Staff shall not, by their conduct, provide a basis for the impression that any person can influence them or enjoy their favor in the performance of their duties, or that they are affected by the kinship, rank, position, or influence of any party or person in the performance of their duties.
  • 1.13 Employees shall not use, or attempt to use, their position to secure privileges or exemptions for themselves or others.
  • 1.14 All IDB staff members shall accurately represent their credentials, qualifications, educational background, experience, training and competence.
  • 1.15 All IDB staff members shall accurately represent the qualifications, views, contributions and recommendations of colleagues.
  • 1.16 All IDB staff members shall provide clients and patrons with accurate information regarding available employment, education, or adjustment to blindness services.
  • 1.17 All IDB staff members shall refrain from using or participating in the use of any form of communication that contains false, unprofessional, or fraudulent statements or claims concerning colleagues or IDB policies and actions.
  • 1.18 All IDB staff shall refrain from posting disparaging or defamatory statements about IDB’s policies and administration, including social media communications that damage the agency’s goodwill and reputation.
  • 1.19 The IDB staff member shall disclose any professional, personal, financial, business or volunteer affiliations that potentially could pose a conflict of interest on the IDB conflict of interest form. Any concerns regarding potential conflicts of interest should be discussed with the staff member’s supervisor. **Note: A internal IDB conflict of interest form ([will be linked here to be used to report this and other necessary items]) **
  • 1.20 All purchasers, case managers, and instructors will complete and sign the Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form at the beginning of each state fiscal year and when a change occurs that alters the contents of the form.
  • 1.21 Any IDB staff employing a reader or driver must obtain a signed confidentiality agreement from each reader driver that they employ.
  • 1.22 No IDB staff may employ any family member as a reader, driver, or other service claimed on a travel reimbursement form.
  • 1.23 No case manager or instructor may employ any family member of any active client to whom the staff member is currently providing service as a reader, driver, or other service claimed on a travel reimbursement form.
  • 1.24 No IDB staff will be permitted to impact case services provided to any family member or anyone with whom they are having a physical or romantic relationship. Any such potential conflict of interest must be reported on the staff member’s conflict of interest disclosure form.
  • 1.25 No IDB staff shall sell any goods or services to any client to whom they are providing any case service or has provided any case service in the last six months. This does not include participating in fundraisers where the ultimate recipient of the payment is a non-profit, charity, or school. This also does not include sales that are transacted via anonymizing sales platforms such as Amazon or Etsy.
  • 1.26 No IDB staff shall buy any goods or services from any client to whom they are providing any case service or has provided any case service in the last six months. This does not include participating in fundraisers where the ultimate recipient of the payment is a non-profit, charity, or school. This also does not include sales that are transacted via anonymizing sales platforms such as Amazon or Etsy.
  • 1.27 No IDB staff will be permitted to directly supervise any family member or anyone with whom that supervisor is having a physical or romantic relationship.
  • 1.28 All IDB staff will obtain and maintain any state or private credentials required for the services which are being provided.
  • 1.29 Only the director or the director’s designee is authorized to speak for IDB with respect to a reference for or comment about the work performance or character of a current or former employee.
  • 1.30 The IDB staff member shall take adequate measures to prevent, and correct any accidental, unintentional or inadvertent breaches of this policy manual and report any breaches to their supervisor for curative action.