SOP 104.57: Repayment for Failure to Return State Issued Property

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Repayment for Failure to Return State Issued Property|Policy Name:Repayment for Failure to Return State Issued Property|Policy Name:Repayment for Failure to Return State Issued Property|
|Policy Number: 104.57|Effective Date: 7/30/2019|Page Number: 1 of 2|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Administration & Finance
Division (Human Resources)
|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access
|

I. Introduction and Summary :

Each employee of the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) must be informed and
acknowledge his/her understanding that he/she is responsible for the reasonable care,
safekeeping and return of any items issued as state property.

II. Authority:

GDC Standard Operation Procedure (SOP): 401.11, Departmental Badges.

III. Definitions:

A. Care and Custody Property - Property issued by the Department’s Care and

Custody Unit. Items include but are not limited to uniform accessories, firearms,
radios, badges and batons.

B. State Property - Items issued to employees, by the Department which enable the

proper performance of their assigned job duties. Items include, but are not limited
to, uniforms, accessories, firearms, radios, cellular telephones, badges, batons,
identification cards, pagers, access cards, modems, vehicles, calculators, computers,
etc.

IV. Statement of Policy and Applicable Procedures:

A. Agreement/Acknowledgement Statement - The Appointing Authority (AA) must

ensure the employee reads and signs the Acknowledgement Statement, “Agreement
for Use of State Property” paragraph, located in the appointment package for a newly
hired employee or a transfer in from another State Agency. This agreement will
become part of the employee’s official personnel file.

B. Responsibility for Items Issued - Each employee is responsible for maintaining all

property items issued to them for their use in performing their assigned duties. If an
employee loses, damages, or destroys any issued state property, the employee is held
fully responsible and financially liable for reimbursing the Department for the full
cost of the item(s).

1. Upon separation from employment with the Department, or upon a job
change within the Department, the employee will return all weapons, ballistic
vests, computers, cell phones, badges and full sets of uniforms.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Repayment for Failure to Return State Issued Property|Policy Name:Repayment for Failure to Return State Issued Property|Policy Name:Repayment for Failure to Return State Issued Property|
|Policy Number: 104.57|Effective Date: 7/30/2019|Page Number: 2 of 2|
|Authority:
Commissioner
|Originating Division:
Administration & Finance
Division (Human Resources)
|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access
|

NOTE: The loss of property that potentially or actually compromises the
security of the GDC, a facility, or an employee, including, but not limited to a
weapon, may be grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.

C. Repayment of Unreturned State Property:

1. The employee should make direct payment by certified check or money order to

the local HR Office/Business Office for any state property that needs to be
replaced. The money order or certified check should be made payable to the
Georgia Department of Corrections. Care and Custody will determine the
current cost of badges, uniforms and Care and Custody equipment to be replaced.
The issuing office will determine the replacement cost for items that are not the
property of Care and Custody.

2. Local HR/Business Office will immediately submit the certified check or money

order to Care & Custody for Care and Custody property, with a memo outlining
the details of the damage/loss and a copy of the police/fire report, if applicable.

D. Payroll Deduction:

1. If the employee fails to make direct payment for the missing items, when

requested by the AA, the amount owed will be deducted from any monies due the
employee which are in excess of the current minimum wage. In the event that
monies held by the Department are not sufficient to cover the amount owed, the
employee remains liable for the difference. In such cases, the Department will
take necessary steps to recover the debt, up to and including obtaining a warrant.

2. The local HR Representative shall inform the local Business Office of the

collection of monies. Monies will be immediately submitted to the Central
Accounting Office with a memo outlining the reasons funds were collected.

3. If a repayment schedule is established for an employee due to an amount that is

in excess of $200.00 and cannot be repaid in a lump sum, equal
installments/payments may be payroll deducted but must be repaid in full within
five months.

V. Attachments: None.

VI. Record Retention of Forms Relevant to this Policy: None.