MCTI POLICY 62

DATE:             8/29/05

TO:                  MCTI STAFF

FROM:            Dennis Hart, Director

SUBJECT:        Ethical Code of Conduct

SECTION I

MISSION STATEMENT

The Michigan Career and Technical Institute (MCTI) conducts vocational and technical training programs and provides the supportive services needed to prepare Michigan citizens with disabilities for competitive employment.

SECTION II 

MCTI CORE WORK VALUES

• Integrity:  We will be people of our word and our deed and do the "right thing".

• Respect:  We will value others for their individual ideas and beliefs.  We adhere to the "Golden Rule".

• Open Communication:  We will accept other opinions with two way listening and foster a safe environment for communication.

• Excellence:  We will do our best to seek new ideas and better ways to do things.

• Accountability:  We will take ownership and accept responsibility for our actions.

SECTION III

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT - PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

It is the goal of MCTI to establish a high standard of performance, professionalism, and ethical conduct.  MCTI intends to create an environment that fosters ethical conduct, where no employee will ever feel the need to compromise personal integrity to help achieve the mission of the school.

MCTI's Code of Conduct sets forth values, ethical principles, and ethical standards by which actions can be judged.  MCTI's Code of Conduct cannot guarantee ethical behavior.  Moreover, the Code of Conduct cannot resolve all ethical issues, disputes, nor capture the complexity involved in striving to make responsible choices.

The MCTI Code of Conduct is relevant to all MCTI staff, consultants, and contractual employees, regardless of their professional functions, the settings in which they work, or the population they serve.  While working under the MCTI's Code of Conduct, the staff, consultants and contractual employees must be conscientious, committed, and honest in their work as well as in aspects of their private lives that are related to their respective jobs in the organization.

MCTI employees are expected to comply with the ethical codes of conduct outlined by Michigan Civil Service and the Department of Labor and Economic Growth (DLEG) as well as those included in this document.

SECTION IV

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT  - CONFLICT OF INTEREST

No employee of MCTI shall create or allow to be created any situation that causes a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest with the employee's job responsibilities.  MCTI employees will not: 

a)      Represent or act as an agent for any private interests, whether for compensation or otherwise, in any transaction in which the state has a direct and substantial interest and which could reasonably be expected to result in a conflict between the employee's private interests and official state responsibilities.

b)      Exercise any decision-making authority of the state regarding any state regulation, enforcement, auditing, licensing, or purchasing with respect to any business or entity in which the employee or a member of the employee's immediate family has any financial interest.

c)      Divulge or release, for the purpose of fostering personal financial gain or financial gain for a member of the employee's immediate family, any confidential information, which is not by law, rule, regulation, or court order available to members of the general public.

d)      Engage in any business transaction or private arrangement for personal financial gain or financial gain for a member of the employee's immediate family that accrues from or is based on the employee's official position or on confidential information gained by reason of the employee's position.

e)      Solicit, accept, or agree to accept anything of value under any circumstances that could reasonably be expected to influence the manner in which the employee performs work or makes decisions.

f)        Grant or make available to any person any consideration, treatment, advantage or favor beyond that which is generally granted or made available to others under similar circumstances.

SECTION V

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT - TREATMENT OF STUDENTS

a)      Persons receiving services will always be treated with respect and dignity regardless of disability or other potential deficit areas.

b)      Reasonable measures will be taken to protect the health, safety and emotional well being of MCTI students.

c)      Students will not be exploited for monetary, sexual or personal gain.

d)      Students will not be subjected to embarrassment or disparagement.

e)      Information about students will be kept in confidence and released only within the parameters of the agency's policies regarding confidentiality and release of information.

f)        Appropriate services will be provided regardless of disability, race, national origin, religion, creed, gender, age or sexual orientation.

g)      MCTI staff will not engage in any sexually related behavior with students with or without consent, but will maintain a professional approach.  Sexually related behavior shall include such behaviors as sexual jokes; sexual remarks; sexual kidding or teasing; sexual innuendo; pressure for dates or sexual favors; inappropriate physical touching, kissing, or grabbing; rape; threats or physical harm; and sexual assault.

SECTION VI

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT - STAFF MEMBERS

a)      Employees will do their best to create and maintain a climate of loyalty, trust, and mutual respect.

b)      Employees will support a work atmosphere in which the work of each individual is respected as important.

c)      Employees will strive to speak to everyone in a friendly, positive, respectful and courteous manner.

d)      Employees will refrain from doing anything that might bring discredit to the school.

e)      Employees will not knowingly make false or malicious statements about colleagues.

f)        Employees will have the courage to face situations squarely and offer a minority opinion when necessary.

g)      If an employee knows a co-worker has violated ethical standards, he/she will bring this to the co-workers attention and report the activity to their supervisor.

h)      Employees will refrain from the use of obscene or otherwise objectionable language.

i)        Employees shall endeavor to understand and appreciate diversity among their co-workers. 

j)        Employees shall not work in a manner that willfully obstructs or hinders the work of another employee, and they shall work in a manner that is conducive to efficiency and safety.

Staff and Individual Relationships

It is a violation of MCTI's policy and of professional ethics for staff persons to engage in interpersonal relationships with individuals receiving services through the agency beyond what is necessary and approved by MCTI's administration for therapeutic service to its individuals.  Specifically, "dating" is forbidden between staff persons and the individuals served.  Any activities for which a staff person volunteers time and companionship to an individual outside paid time must have MCTI's administrative approval.

All staff-individual relationships must be formed for professional purposes only.  In a professional relationship, staff persons will devote themselves to interests and needs of individuals, rather than to personal interests.  Professional relationships are to be based on objectivity and self-awareness, which allow staff persons to step outside of personal and emotional needs, and to be sensitive to the needs of the individuals.

It is recognized that professional relationships and activities with individuals will cause personal satisfaction and/or frustration for staff persons, but external reactions must be objective, and not based on emotional responses.

Staff persons are encouraged to incorporate empathy, warmth, and genuineness into their style of instruction and communication with individuals, but with the awareness that these qualities are reinforcing to individuals must consciously be used in an objective manner and not interfere with the professional relationship.

Human Resources - Hiring and Performance Evaluations

MCTI shall keep in confidence information acquired about colleagues in the course of employment, unless disclosure serves professional purposes or it required by law.

MCTI shall only offer or assign a position or responsibility on the basis of professional preparation and qualifications.

MCTI staff responsible for evaluating staff performance will do so in a manner that is responsible, fair, considerate and equitable.

SECTION VII

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT - FINANCIAL

a)      All financial practices shall be handled in accordance with the applicable federal, state, and local laws.

b)      All financial matters shall be conducted within the standards of commonly accepted, sound financial management practices.

c)      All financial matters that fall within the purview of the department or the agency's financial management policies shall comply with those policies.

d)      MCTI will not enter into any contractual relationships.  This will be handled at the department level.

SECTION VIII

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT - MARKETING

a)      Marketing activities will never knowingly mislead or misinform the public or misrepresent MCTI.

b)      Marketing efforts will always respect the dignity and privacy rights of those receiving services.

c)      Marketing efforts will be uniform throughout the state and will not target or exclude any particular geographic area.

SECTION IX

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT - WASTE-FRAUD-MISUSE -ABUSE

a)      MCTI staff will be responsible stewards of MCTI's resources

b)      MCTI staff will refuse to engage in or tolerate any waste, fraud, misuse, or abuse of resources.

c)      MCTI staff will maintain equipment and supplies for which they are responsible.

SECTION X

ETHICAL CODE OF CONDUCT - COMMUNITY AND VISITORS

a)      Community members and visitors, referral sources and the general public will be treated with respect and dignity.

b)      Requests for information will be responded to in a timely manner.

c)      Concerns and complaints will be addressed.

SECTION XI

PROCEDURES TO ADDRESS ALLEGATIONS OF VIOLATIONS OF ETHICAL CODE OR ALLEGATIONS OF WASTE/FRAUDE/MISUSE/ABUSE

MCTI staff, consultants and contractual employees who violate the MCTI Code of Conduct may be subjected to disciplinary action.  Investigations and actions taken in response to alleged violations of the Code of Conduct would be conducted in accordance with the DLEG and MCTI's Personnel Policies and Procedures, union guidelines, and Civil Service rules.  There will be no reprisals against an employee for disclosing a violation or suspected violation of the MCTI Code of Conduct. 

MCTI Supervisors will act as the Ethics Committee.  All reported violations of the MCTI Code of Conduct would be brought to this group.  A log of violations will be kept in a locked file in the Directors office.  This policy will be reviewed annually and modified as needed.

SECTION XII

POLICIES TO EDUCATE PERSONNEL AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS

New MCTI staff will receive a copy of the Ethical Code of Conduct during their orientation process.

The Ethical Code of Conduct will be included in the MCTI Policy Manual.

MCTI's Ethical Code of Conduct will be placed on the MCTI web page so that it is available to all stakeholders.