WWRF inmates shall work locally. Work outside of Sedgwick County & Wichita City limits shall be considered upon administration approval.
To ensure safety and accountability, Inmates shall be easily located, contacted or spot-checked by facility staff.
WWRF inmates are not allowed to work in or at “occupied residences
Inmate employee work sites may vary; however, there must be a viable method for WWRF staff to locate the inmate at any time during work hours, (i.e. pager, telephone notification, office dispatcher or receptionist, etc.).
Inmate employee must remain on-site for lunches and are provided with a lunch from the facility.
Scheduling & Availability
Inmates are expected to maintain full-time employment. For an inmate to be considered employed on a full-time basis, he must work a minimum average of 30 hours per week. However, inmates shall be prohibited from working more than 16 hours in a 24-hour period.
Prior to reporting for work, Inmate employee work schedules shall be verified by WWRF staff.
If the inmate works a varied schedule, the inmate must provide WWRF staff with a daily or weekly schedule with the employer’s signature of verification.
Inmate employees are allowed to work overtime, to be called in for shift coverage, etc. The employer must notify WWRF staff if the inmate is required to work any hours other than those normally designated as work hours.
WWRF inmates shall not be allowed to work for the duration of a worker’s strike. Employers should notify WWRF staff in the event such a strike does occur.
Operating Vehicles
WWRF inmates may not accept employment in which the major job duty is driving a vehicle on streets and highways. (i.e. taxi cab driver or route delivery person). An inmate may, however, drive a licensed company vehicle from job site to job site for construction, lawn care, etc., if the inmate possesses a valid Kansas driver’s license and has counselor approval.
While at Work
WWRF inmates shall be supervised by an authorized supervisor at all times. Inmates and parolees shall not be considered authorized supervisors.
WWRF inmates are not allowed to stock, serve, or sell alcoholic beverages.
WWRF inmates may not accept employment that required them to have any contact with weapons, ammunition, explosives, etc.
Inmates are not allowed to receive visits, phone calls, personal mail or property while at work.
Inmates must remain at their worksite during work hours, unless prior authorization from WWRF staff is obtained.
Insurance, Payroll, and Fair Compensation
Employers must maintain liability insurance and/or worker’s compensation insurance for inmate employees.
Employers shall be expected to process the same deductions for tax and social security for WWRF inmates as they would for any employee.
The employer shall compensate the inmate worker at the prevailing wage rate for the position occupied, and shall withhold payroll deductions, provide Workman’s Compensation or private insurance, unemployment insurance and/or other kinds of insurance as required by law. The W-2 and paychecks shall reflect the facility address.
Employers must be willing to provide the inmate employee with a statement of pay period, hours worked, gross wages, deductions made, and overtime earned. This statement may be in the form of a paycheck stub.
Inmates are responsible to ensure that wages and deductions have been properly computed by their employer.
Inmates must turn in all monies received from their employment to WWRF staff for further disbursement. This includes all tip money and/or bonuses.
Inmates are not allowed to receive cash advances or loans from employers. Inmates are not allowed to cash their paychecks.
Inmates shall follow property registration policies and declare all non-cash gifts immediately upon return to the facility. Employers shall provide a signed authorization for each gift.
Employers must forward the inmate’s final paycheck to work release staff for final disbursement.
Transportation To and From Work
Inmates are responsible for their own transportation to and from work. Approved transportation includes: WMTA buses, walking, bicycling, or a family member, friend, employer, or co-worker who is willing to provide reliable transportation. The inmate’s counselor may authorize a person to transport the inmate.
Work Release Facility staff may provide transportation on a case by case basis. State transportation must be coordinated in advance and must be approved by the shift supervisor or designee.
State transportation will not transport inmates whose hours of work begin or end after 11:00 p.m. or before 6:30 a.m.
Reporting Problems
Employers who experience any difficulties with an inmate employee should IMMEDIATELY notify staff who will then counsel the inmate.
Employers shall notify WWRF staff IMMEDIATELY of pending termination or termination of an inmate employee for any reason.
Employers shall report any inmate injury, which renders the inmate incapable of notifying the facility.
Employers should notify WWRF staff IMMEDIATELY if an inmate employee does not report for work, is late for work, calls in with an excuse for not reporting to work or terminates employment.
Termination
Inmates are not allowed to change or terminate employment unless they have obtained approval from their work release counselor and have given their current employer two weeks notice.
Program Removal
Employers shall be notified as soon as possible if an employee is removed from the work release program for any reason.