Code of Conduct for DOE Employees

This section is an overview of the basic code of conduct for DOE employees. In addition to this section, employees are responsible for adhering to the Chancellor’s Regulations and other City rules, as applicable. Failure to follow DOE rules and policies may result in an investigation and/or disciplinary action.

1. Department of Education employees are expected to conduct themselves with professionalism, respect, and courtesy for others. Employees should not at any time conduct themselves in a manner to cause embarrassment to or criticism of the Department of Education or interfere with the efficient performance of the agency.
2. Employees must always be courteous, respectful, and avoid using brusque, impatient, or violent language in their dealings with colleagues and the public. Employees are expected to maintain respectful behavior within DOE buildings. Employees shall not be disruptive to others in the building, loiter or visit areas where they do not have business, handle personal matters on work time, wait at the time clock prior to lunch and/or closing hours, punch the time clock for other employees, or leave the building for personal reasons after registering the time of arrival. Such actions may subject the offender to disciplinary action.
3. No person employed by the Department of Education shall represent or presume to reflect the opinion of the agency on any matter whatsoever before any legislative body or committee thereof, the Department of Education of the State of New York, or any other department or office of the State of New York, court, commission, person or group of persons without the express authorization of the Department of Education and then only to the extent provided in such authorization.
4. Absence of an employee from duty except for satisfactory cause shall be deemed neglect of duty (see Absence without Official Leave).
5. Agency business is confidential. No employee should share agency information outside of their office unless there are true business needs. Further, no employee shall give or use information obtained by their official position to advance their own, their family's interests, or the interests of business or personal associates.
6. The property of the DOE entrusted to the care of employees must be kept in good order. Breakage, loss, or impairment must be reported in writing immediately to the office head with an explanation regarding the cause. All equipment and files should be kept in their proper places and returned within three (3) days of the last day of employment.
7. Employees on an approved leave of absence due to illness or physical disability, or working remotely as part of a reasonable accommodation for recovery of health, treatment of illness, or other purposes must remain in their residential area during work hours and may not relocate to any place remote from their residences without the approval of the Chancellor per Chancellor’s Regulation C-603. A violation of this policy shall be reportable to the Special Commissioner of Investigation (SCI) or its equivalent.
8. All employees are responsible for their own time being recorded properly and accurately. Employees are prohibited from recording or altering another employee’s time, except when done by a supervisor/timekeeper as part of attendance verification procedures. Unauthorized recording or altering of an employee’s time may constitute professional misconduct and should be reported to the Special Commissioner of Investigation (SCI) or its equivalent.