Title: Children in the Workplace
Number: AP 4.07
Adopted: November 2016
Reviewed: March 2020
Revised:
Nicolet College values family life and has worked to develop policies and benefits that seek to provide a supportive work/family environment. While we seek to provide an environment open to work and family issues, the College cannot allow the continued or reoccurring presence of children (defined as persons below the age of sixteen years old) in the workplace for the following reasons: (1) the potential interruption of work; (2) health and safety concerns; and (3) liability to the College.
Policy Principles
Children are welcome on campus when the purpose of their visit is to attend classes or to participate in college sanctioned activities specifically scheduled and designed for their benefit. Additionally, children may be brought to the workplace by parent employees for other exceptional times when common sense would dictate that it is more efficient for the employee to bring the child into the workplace (e.g., before or following a physician’s appointment if the child is not contagious). The parent employee must supervise the child on such visits and ensure that they are not disruptive to other employees in the work place. During these visits, children must not be left unattended or with other employees.
It is not appropriate for children to be in the workplace on a regular basis, including after school or school holidays. Any child with an illness that prevents the child from going to a childcare facility or from attending school should not be brought to the workplace. No child with an infectious disease should be brought to the workplace under any circumstances. If employees must attend to their children, and short term childcare cannot be arranged, employees should take sick or other available leave time, as appropriate per College policy, to accommodate their children during working hours.
Employees who bring children to the workplace are responsible for all aspects of the child’s behavior. The employee is responsible for the child’s safety and is financially responsible for any damages caused by the child. The College does not accept liability for injuries to children on College premises in violation of this policy.
The department’s supervisor may direct the employee to remove the child from the workplace at any time if the supervisor determines that this policy has been violated or that a child’s presence negatively impacts College interests.
Questions regarding children in the workplace must be directed to your supervisor or Human Resources.