501R - Basis and Standards of Employment

  1. Information regarding individual employees of Frederick County Public Schools is released only with written authorization of the employee or as required by law. 

    Prospective employers will be told, without authorization, the position held and dates of service with Frederick County Public Schools. Additional information including performance and reason for leaving FCPS, will be shared only with written authorization from the employee. 

  2. Information in an employee's personnel file shall not be disclosed to any third party, except for requests pursuant to a valid court order or other statutory request, without the written authorization of the employee. Requests under the Freedom of Information Act shall be restricted as defined by applicable statutes. 

  3. Access to individual personnel files shall be restricted to the superintendent, assistant superintendents, executive director of finance, executive director of human resources, and their designees; the individual employee; and the employee's immediate supervisor. 

  4. All personnel files are maintained by the human resources department office(s) and may not be removed from the department. 

  5. Security in schools is crucial to the education and safety of our students. Frederick County Public School employees have a duty to ensure the safety of the students in our charge. To facilitate access control and assist students and staff in identifying personnel who enter our schools, Frederick County Public School employees will be issued identification badges (hereinafter referred to as ID's) by the Human Resources Department. 

    The ID badges identify individual wearers by name and photograph, and are required to be worn by all Frederick County Public School employees (full-time, part-time and full-time/part-time) while on school property. Visitor ID badges or passes will be issued and maintained by the individual facilities. Individual facilities are responsible for providing substitute employees a suitable identification while performing work in the building. Frederick County Public School employees should be familiar with the basic badge types being used and are encouraged to challenge anyone not wearing a badge. 

    ID's are to be prominently displayed at all times. They shall be worn above the waist with the picture visible. ID's shall not be defaced by obscuring the picture or other identifying information printed on the badge. 

    Identification badges are the property of Frederick County Public Schools. ID's are intended for the sole and exclusive use of the person to whom the ID is issued for purposes of identification as an employee of Frederick County Public Schools. An employee should have only one ID in his/her possession and it should be the one most recently issued. 

    Substitutes, visitors, and contractors shall turn in their ID's upon leaving the school each day. Employees shall turn in their badges to their immediate supervisor upon termination of their employment. 

    Loss, mutilation, or theft of the ID card must be reported to the Human Resources Department. Replacement ID's will be issued, as needed, to replace lost, stolen, or mutilated ID's. 

    Requesting or acquiring a new ID while in possession of a usable ID is in violation of this regulation. After a new ID is issued, if the lost or stolen ID is found or returned, employees must immediately forward the badge to the Human Resources Department. 

Adopted: August 1, 1991 
Amended: August 9, 1995 
Amended: June 22, 2007
Amended: July 1, 2015