Does the provision in standard 115.17(f) that requires the agency to ask employees who may have contact with inmates directly about previous misconduct described in paragraph (a) of the standard, “in any interview or written self-evaluation conducted as part of reviews of current employees,” still apply if the agency does not interview nor provide employees with an opportunity to self-evaluate as part of their review process? And, if so, does an ongoing affirmative duty to report said misconduct as an employee of the agency satisfy this requirement?
Standard 115.17(f) states, “The agency shall ask all applicants and employees who may have contact with inmates directly about previous misconduct described in paragraph (a) of this section in written applications or interviews for hiring or promotions and in any interviews or written self-evaluations conducted as part of reviews of current employees. The agency shall also impose upon employees a continuing affirmative duty to disclose any such misconduct.”
If the agency does not use written applications, written self-evaluations, or conduct interviews under the circumstances indicated in standard 115.17(f), it has no obligation under this standard to begin these practices. However, the agency does have the obligation to establish a continual affirmative duty to disclose misconduct. The agency must impose on employees the affirmative duty to report any misconduct described in standard 115.17(a) [i.e., paragraph (a) of the standard] at any time that it occurs.