United Ranger
Protection Agency
Policies
Federal law prohibits discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment because of the individual’s sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age or disability with respect to compensation, hiring, or other terms, conditions or privileges of employment.
It is the policy of United Ranger and/or its affiliates to seek and employ the best qualified personnel to all of its facilities and at all of its locations. An integral part of this policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all persons for employment and to recruit and administer hiring, working conditions, benefits, and privileges of employment, compensation, training, opportunities for advancement including upgrading and promotions, transfers, and terminations of employment including layoff and recalls for all employees, without discrimination because of race, color, religions, national origin, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.
The director of administration, who reports directly to the president, is responsible for coordinating and implementing the equal employment opportunity programs. Complaints of discrimination shall be made either to the local branch manager or your direct supervisor.
1.1 Policy on Non-Harassment
1.1.1 United Ranger is committed to providing a work environment that is free of unlawful discrimination and harassment. united Ranger will not tolerate harassment based on sex (with or without sexual content), race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, and protected activity (i.e., opposition to prohibited discrimination or participation in the statutory complaint process), regardless of who the harasser is. Actions, words, jokes, or comments based on an individual’s sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally-protected characteristic will not be tolerated.
1.1.2 While it is not easy to define what exactly constitutes harassment in the workplace, it does include but not limited to slurs, epithets, threats, derogatory comments and unwelcome jokes regarding status in any of the classifications, sexual advances, request for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct such as uninvited touching or sexually related comments.
Some examples of harassment are:
○ Unwelcome or unsolicited sexual advances, demands, or request for sexual favors or other physical conduct of sexual nature.
○ Hitting, pushing, or other aggressive physical conduct or threats to take such action.
○ Epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping, or threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts or words that relate to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected category.
○ Written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward and individual or group because of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected category.
1.1.3 Anyone engaging in any form of unlawful harassment will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.
1.1.4 United Ranger will not tolerate adverse treatment of any employee because that employee complains of harassment or provides information related to a complaint of harassment. Retaliation in any manner against an employee who complains of or cooperates in an investigation of unlawful harassment is absolutely prohibited.
1.1.5 Harassment incident reporting procedures:
Employees who believe they have been unlawfully harassed should, if possible advise the alleged harasser that his behavior is offensive and unwelcome, that his behavior should stop immediately and that his behavior will be reported if continued.
If the harassing behavior does not stop, or if the employee is uncomfortable confronting the alleged harasser, the employee shall report the alleged harasser to the following:
○ Employees immediate supervisor
Complaints of harassment will be promptly, thoroughly, and impartially investigated and United Ranger will determine whether unlawful harassment has occurred. United Ranger will immediately take corrective action, including discipline of the harasser, designed to stop the unlawful harassment and prevent its recurrence. Such remedial measures will not adversely affect the complaining the employee.
United Ranger will protect the confidentiality of unlawful harassment allegations to the extent possible. Complete confidentiality cannot be guaranteed, since effective investigations cannot be conducted without revealing certain information to the alleged harasser and potential witnesses. However, information about the allegation of unlawful harassment will be shared only with those who need to know about it. Also, records relating to unlawful harassment complaints will be kept confidential on the same basis.
If you believe that you have been subject to harassment, you must immediately report it to your supervisor. If you do not wish to discuss or disclose the matter with your supervisor, you may contact internal affairs at internalaffairs@unitedranger.com. Management will conduct an immediate investigation as discreetly as possible regarding your concern/matter. This should be done within fourteen (14) days after the report of harassment to the supervisor or internal affairs. At the completion of the investigation, the results will be reviewed with the employee and appropriate action will be taken, up to and including termination of the offending person(s).
It is imperative that you immediately report potentially offending behavior to your supervisor or internal affairs. We are unable to properly regulate improper activity if we are not informed.
1.1.6 Management-level employees having knowledge of a complaint of unlawful discrimination or harassment have an affirmative duty to respond appropriately to all such complaints, as set forth above in section 1.1.5. Further, any management-level employees are required to immediately report any unlawful or discrimination or harassment complaint. Failure of any management-level employee to follow this policy will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
1.1.7 Although we expect all of our employees to be of high moral character, we are not attempting to regulate your behavior except as it relates to your relationship with our employees and clients. We intend to ensure that in the workplace, each employee is able to accomplish his job without being subject to harassment.
Policy on Alcohol, Illegal Substance and Substance Use/Abuse
The policy has the following purpose and objectives:
1. To provide notice and guidance to United Ranger’s employees, visitors and members of the general public regarding the approach toward safety that United Ranger has adopted.
2. To prevent injuries to any person and to protect the property of United Ranger and its employees and the general public.
3. To protect the reputation of United Ranger and its employees within the community and among our clients.
4. To maximize efficiency and ensure quality of service to clients and minimize absenteeism and tardiness by improving mental and physical abilities.
5. Compliance with any an all regulations regarding our industry, and specifically, any regulations of the Texas State Commission on Private Security and the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988.
Definitions
Alcohol means ethyl alcohol (ethanol) and includes all beverages, mixtures, or preparations that contain ethyl alcohol.
Drug is any substance that has known mind or body function altering effects upon the human body, or that impairs one’s ability to safely perform his/her work. This specifically includes, but is not limited to, all prescriptions and over the counter medications, all psychoactive substances, all controlled substances, all substances classified as illegal under Federal or State Law, all “synthetic or designer” drugs, all “look-alike” or counterfeit drugs and all drug paraphernalia.
Negative means that a detectable amount of prohibited substance was not present in the sample.
Positive means that detectable amount of prohibited substance was present in the sample.
Possession means to have on one’s person, in one’s personal effects, in one’s vehicle or under one’s control.
Sale or Distribution means any exchange, transfer, conveyance, or sharing of alcohol of drugs whether for money or otherwise.
Under the Influence means that condition wherein any of the body’s sensory, thinking, or motor functions or capabilities are altered, impaired, diminished or affected due to alcohol of drugs. “Under the Influence” also means any delectable presence of alcohol or drugs within the body.
Use means consuming, ingesting, drinking, injecting, inhaling, smoking, or otherwise using any drug or alcohol.
PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENING
United Ranger will require pre-employment substance abuse screening of all potential employees in an effort to prevent the hiring of individuals who use drugs illegally or whose use of legal drugs or alcohol indicates a potential for unsafe job performance.
All new hires will be sent to a qualified testing laboratory for a new hire drug screening. The status of employment will depend on the results of the testing.
PROHIBITIONS
No employees shall report to work or remain on duty while under the influence of any substance defined by this policy.
The use, possession, distribution, or sale of any substance prohibited by this policy by any employee, contractor or other business visitor during working hours or while on United Ranger controlled property is prohibited.
Provided, however, it shall not be a violation of this policy for any employee or other covered individual, with a current and valid prescription for a drug to use, to possess or be under the influence of such drug in the manner and for the purpose prescribed. It is a requirement that such use does not affect the employee’s performance or become a risk to the safety of the employee or to others. Employees are responsible for learning of the possible effects of prescription and non-prescription drugs they intend to use while working. All prescriptions must be in the employee’s name. United Ranger may, at its discretion, require any employee to refrain from working while under the influence of any drug or medication upon the advice of the United Ranger medical consultant or the employee’s physician.
Therefore, use of prescription drugs will be allowed under the following conditions:
● Supervisors must be informed that the employee is taking medication and must be advised of the side effects of such medication.
● The prescription medication must not hinder the employee’s ability to fully perform their duties safely.
● The medication must be prescribed by a licensed physician and must be in the employee’s name.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE SCREENING
United Ranger reserves the right to require substance abuse screening of employees at any time and specifically will screen under any of the following conditions.
● Where reasonable suspicion exists that the employee is using or is under the influence of a drug or alcohol
● After any incident that result in an injury to the employee or anyone else, or damage to property.
All employees are required to consent to such testing as condition of continued employment and any employee’s refusal to consent to such testing could result in disciplinary action, including immediate termination.
Any employee whose test results indicate a blood alcohol concentration that equals or exceeds .04 percent (i.e. .04 grams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood) shall be conclusively presumed to have been under the influence of alcohol at the time the sample was taken. The existence of this standard shall not preclude United Ranger from determining that an employee with a lower or undetermined blood alcohol concentration is under the influence of alcohol, nor shall it limit United Ranger the right to discipline or discharge an employee for using or possessing alcohol, regardless of the amount.
Any employee whose urinalysis results are positive for the presence of any drug or its metabolites shall be conclusively presumed to have been under the influence of such drug at the time the sample was taken.
Urine specimens may be collected, sealed, and witnessed by United Ranger designated collection center or contractor to be analyzed by a qualified laboratory for testing. All first-test positives will be confirmed by a second test on the same sample using the GC/MS test. Only the designated United Ranger representative or designee shall receive the testing results.
All searches, inspections and urine sampling will be performed with the concern for each employee’s or person’s personal privacy, dignity and confidentiality. The results of any testing will be considered a medical record, disseminated strictly on a need-to-know basis or as legally required. The State Commission on Private Security shall have access to the testing results as required. Illegal substances, drugs, and other contraband discovered through searches and inspections will be catalogued and surrendered to the proper law enforcement authorities.
Searches
United Ranger may from time to time and without further notice, conduct searches for drugs and alcohol on company premises and property under our control, including but not limited to, personal effects, desks, briefcases, lockers, purses, baggage and vehicles. All employees are required to cooperate in the conducting of such searches. Any employee’s refusal to consent will result in disciplinary action, up to and including immediate termination.
United Ranger also reserves the right to use professional investigators and trained search dogs to conduct the searches.
1.2.1 Any employee found to be unlawfully in possession of, selling, using, or under the influence of drugs or illegal substances or in the possession of, selling, using, or under the influence of alcohol on United Ranger client’s property or during work hours will be disciplined, up to and including discharge. Illegal substance of any nature will be confiscated and turned over to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
1.2.2 Any employee found to be unlawfully involved with drugs or controlled substances on his own time will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including discharge.
1.2.3 United Ranger will take action against employee arrested for off the job activity up to and including termination.
1.2.4 Any employee undergoing prescribed medical treatment with a drug or controlled substance which may later his physical or mental abilities must report this fact to United Ranger or have his physician report this fact to United Ranger.
1.2.5 Any employee who is deemed by United Ranger’s management to be unfit for work who is reasonably suspected of alcohol or drug use, or who is found by drug screen test, blood alcohol test, or alcohol breath test to have alcohol or drugs in his system, shall not be permitted to remain on the job or on United Ranger’s or its clients property.
1.2.6 If reliable information comes to the attention of United Ranger’s management staff that an employee may be a drug user or alcohol/substance abuser, he shall be directed to submit immediately to a drug test, blood alcohol test or alcohol breath analysis test. Pending the results of said test, United Ranger may, in the interim, reassign the employee to other work or suspend the employee without pay, depending on the circumstances.
1.2.7 If the results to the testing are negative and thus it is determined that the employee is “clean” he shall be restored to regular job duties and made for any loss in pay, unless the behavior itself be prompted the test warrants discipline.
1.2.8 From time to time, employees may be directed to submit to unannounced drug screen testing, blood alcohol testing, or alcohol breath analysis testing.
1.2.9 All employees involved in on-the-job accidents or injuries will be directed to submit to drug screening and alcohol screening.
1.2.10 Employees directed to submit to the above referenced testing who refuses to cooperate will be considered insubordinate and will be terminated.
1.2.11 If an employee receives a First Offense D.U.I., irrespective of a withheld judgment, and if he is not discharged, the employee shall enroll in an alcohol or drug abuse counseling program and be placed by United Ranger on nine (9) months’ probation. If during the probation period, a second offense D.U.I. is received by the employee, he will be subject to immediate discharge.
1.2.12 If an employee receives a D.U.I. while operating an United Ranger or a client’s vehicle, irrespective of a withheld judgment, he shall immediately be subject to termination.