115 Motor Vehicle Use

Has a valid state-issued driver’s license in their possession while operating a vehicle for state business purposes on behalf of DHS;

Completes the Motor Vehicle Use Program Driver Acknowledgement Form.

Employee does not possess a valid state issued driver’s license;

Accumulates 10 points or more on his or her driving record;

Receives a citation (ticket) while driving for state business purposes on behalf of DHS;

Has an “at-fault” motor vehicle accident within six (6) months preceding an assignment to drive for state business purposes on behalf of DHS. An employee is considered “at-fault” if the employee is issued a citation (ticket) and/or is convicted of, pleads guilty or nolo contendere to a moving violation;

Has been charged with or convicted of one of the following offenses:

An employee whose essential job function includes driving and has been charged with and/or convicted of any of these offenses shall not be permitted to drive on behalf of DHS until there has been a final disposition of the charges. Employees who drive on behalf of DHS are required to disclose receipt of any of the above charges by submitting a Motor Vehicle Use Driver Notification Form to their supervisor no later than the first business day following the issuance of the charges. The supervisor shall notify the employee’s Division/Office Director and OHR immediately upon receipt of the a Motor Vehicle Use Driver Notification Form and provide copies of the form to the Division/Office Director and OHR.

An employee whose essential job function does not include driving will be handled on a case-by-case basis if any of the above parameters apply.

Additionally, an employee with a driver’s license that is expired, suspended, or revoked shall be considered a “Disqualified Driver” and is not permitted to drive on behalf of DHS until the employee’s driver’s license is reinstated. Employees who drive on behalf of DHS are to disclose any driver’s license expiration, suspension, or revocation to their supervisor no later than the first business day after becoming aware of the driver’s license action by completing the Motor Vehicle Use Driver Notification Form and submitting it to their supervisor (See Attachment 2). The supervisor shall notify and forward a copy of the Motor Vehicle Use Driver Notification Form to their Division/Office Director and OHR immediately upon receipt of notification, as well as maintain a copy for their records.

A Disqualified Driver may not drive on DHS business until: (a) his or her Motor Vehicle Record has been reviewed by the Director of Human Resources, Division/Office Director and DHS Deputy General Counsel or their designee(s); (b) the Disqualified Driver has been provided with corrective, preventative or educational measures by the Director of Human Resources, Division/Office Director and DHS Deputy General Counsel or their designee(s), if applicable; and (c) the Disqualified Driver has satisfied the corrective, preventative and/or educational measures specified by DHS, if applicable.

Prior to determining whether a Disqualified Driver is eligible to continue driving a vehicle on behalf of DHS, the Director of Human Resources and DHS Deputy General Counsel shall consult with the employee’s Division/Office Director to discuss the factors supporting the employee eligibility and the impact the determination may have on the employee’s employment status. If the employee is determined to be ineligible to drive a vehicle on behalf of DHS, then the employee may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including separation from employment.

Employees who meet all driver qualifications following disposition of any charges are permitted to resume driving on behalf of DHS. If an employee does not meet all driver qualifications following disposition of the charges, the employee will not be permitted to drive on behalf of DHS until the circumstances leading to such actions have been reviewed by the Director of Human Resources, Division/Office Director and DHS Deputy General Counsel or their designee(s) and the employee has satisfied corrective, preventative and/or educational measures specified by DHS. The determination of the measures required will be made by DHS Risk Management Services in consultation with the Director of Human Resources, Division/Office Director and DHS Deputy General Counsel or their designee(s), based on the specific actions and circumstances of the employee.

Upon publication of this policy, a Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) will be reviewed annually by OHR for all DHS employees covering a minimum of three (3) year driving history.

Beginning March 1, 2019, all DHS employees will be required to certify that they have a valid, state-issued driver’s license and can safely operate a vehicle while driving on behalf of DHS. Each employee will certify this by completing the Motor Vehicle Driver Acknowledgement form and submitting the form to their supervisor (See Attachment 1). The employee’s supervisor shall provide the original form to the Office of Human Resources (OHR) and retain a copy for the supervisor’s files. Supervisors shall review completed forms and allow employees to drive for purposes of state business only if they have initialed next to every safety standard.

DHS employees with an out of state driver’s license that drives on state business are required to provide a certified copy of his/her driving history record annually, at his/her sole expense, to OHR and should retain a copy for his/her records.

The MVR will be obtained and reviewed by OHR for all DHS employees to determine each employee’s compliance with this policy. OHR will designate the employee as a Qualified Driver or a Disqualified Driver. If the employee is designated as a Disqualified Driver, appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including separation of employment, will be initiated.

The MVR will be reviewed before hiring any applicant for employment at DHS. Candidates who do not meet Driver Qualifications, at the time of offer, will be deemed ineligible for hire.