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This is the Career Development Guide


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Personnel Policy


This policy has been most recently updated on April 9, 2021. Always check this policy for changes. It may be subject to change without notice.

Nothing in this Policy/Procedure or any other part of our Career Development Guide represents an employment contract. Employment at Accend is at will and we reserve the right to change these policies or terminate employment as we determine is necessary.

You are encouraged, whenever you have a question about Personnel Policies to revisit this guide, and ask any questions you have. Send us questions or feedback on this guide using the feeback link below.

Welcome!

Welcome to Accend Services! We are thrilled that you have chosen to join our organization and hope that you will enjoy a long and successful career with us. As you become familiar with our culture and mission, we hope you will take advantage of opportunities to enhance your career and development goals.

With your active involvement, participation, and support, Accend Services will continue to achieve its goals. We sincerely hope you will take pride in being an important part of our success.

Please take time to review the policies contained in this policy handbook. If you have questions, please ask our Human Resources Department.

Exceptions to Policy

We may make rare exceptions to policies and procedures found here, and in other parts of the Career Development Guide. Exceptions will be made for reasons such as the following, but not limited to:

We will not make exceptions to policies that are established by federal or state statute or administrative rules without a variance to that rule or statute that has been authorized by applicable authorities.

The Executive Director must approve all exceptions. We will document exceptions to policy/procedure in the personnel file for the employee where the exception has been made.

Employment, Hire and Termination

At-Will Employment

All employees of Accend Services are "at-will" unless provided with a written contract, approved, and signed by the President of the Board of Directors. This means that the employment relationship of any type (temporary or regular) may end at any time at the discretion of Accend or the employee.

Nothing contained in this or any other document provided to the employee is intended to be, nor should it be, construed as a contract that employment or any benefit will be continued for any period of time.

Non-Discrimination and Commitment to Diversity

Accend Services is committed to creating and maintaining a workplace in which all employees have an opportunity to participate and contribute to the success of the business and are valued for their skills, experience, and unique perspectives. This commitment is embodied in company policy and the way we do business.

We value diversity as a core value and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any employment practice, including but not limited to offers of employment or promotion, wages or salary, job duties, or performance evaluation. Employees who are unable to perform assigned tasks or duties because of any factor such as religious belief, disability or any other reason should ask for reasonable accommodations in writing, stating the need for accommodations and proposing what accommodations or alternatives will meet their needs.

This non-discrimination policy is subject to modification in making work assignments of staff members in cases where the client being served prefers a staff member of a specific gender or age. Being client-centered, Accend Services shall honor these requests when reasonable, and will also provide special consideration to clients who request services from a staff member of specific ethnic or racial identity.

Verifying Qualifications

Prior to a job offer, Accend Services will verify employment history and education to assure that the employee meets minimum qualifications for the position as defined in the job description and/or by applicable state or federal statutes and rules.

Background Checks

Certain criminal offenses, prior abuse or neglect of children or adults, and other conduct may disqualify employees, by law, from employment with Accend. Accend will conduct background checks in accordance with Mn Statute 245C before making a job offer and may repeat this background check during the course of employment. If an employee commits a disqualifying offense during the course of employment fails to report a potentially disqualifying offense, this will represent misconduct and grounds for immediate termination.

Driving Records and Insurance

For employees who will be paid for driving personal or company vehicles during work hours, Accend will check driving records prior to employment and at least annually. For purposes of driving record checks, Accend uses a point system recommended to us by our liability insurance provider, with more serious moving violations constituting more points. A score of 10 points or higher in the previous three years may disqualify an employee from driving. When driving is a requirement for a position, this may result in termination of employment.

Employees who drive personal vehicles for work must maintain minimum liability insurance and provide proof of this to Human Resources. If you change your insurance coverage or carrier, you must provide proof of the new/changed coverage.

Job Offers

Accend Services will make all job offers in writing. Applicants will receive an initial Letter of Interest, constituting a conditional job offer, contingent on the individual passing a criminal background check, motor vehicle record check, and submission of documents verifying qualifications for their position. No applicant should assume that he or she has been hired for any position unless he or she has received a formal written job offer.

Internal Transfers

Current employees who apply for promotions or transfers should also expect a formal offer and not assume that a transfer or promotion is approved until this letter is received. The process for transfers and promotions is as follows:

  1. Employee formally applies for the position through HR using the process defined in the position posting.
  2. HR will notify managers from both departments of the application.
  3. HR and managers meet, discuss, and decide on the appropriateness of the transfer.
  4. If eligible, the candidate will be asked to formally interview by managers delegated by the Board of Directors.
  5. No transfer or promotion decision shall be final until it is approved by the Board of Directors or its delegate.

Termination

Voluntary Termination

Accend asks employees to provide advance notification of voluntary termination, unless the reason for termination is illness, injury, or family emergency.

We ask for this notice at least two weeks in advance of the last planned day of work, except that certain employees are asked to provide 30-days notice. These include:

We consider any resignation, in writing or verbal, to be final and may be revoked only at the discretion of Accend Services.

Upon voluntary termination, employees will receive their final paychecks on the scheduld payday for the pay period that includes their last day of work and be notified of their options for continuing benefits

Involuntary Termination

Accend Services may terminate employees involuntarily with or without prior notification due to lack of work, repeated violations of work rules, policies, procedures or expectations, fraudulent documentation whether intentional or due to negligence, criminal activity, abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of clients regardless of whether or not that behavior is determined to be mlatreatment under law, excessive absenteeism or tardiness, failing to meet or maintain training expectations or qualifications for the assigned position, disqualification from work based on required background check, and for other reasons not specified here.

Employees who are terminated involuntarily will receive final paychecks immediately, either in person or by mail, upon termination.

Requirement to Return Equipment, Work Products, Supplies and Materials

All supplies, materials and equipment provided by Accend Services are the property of Accend Services after resignation, discharge, or layoff of that employee. Written works produced by employees on as a part of their job duties are also Accend property unless otherwise specified in a written agreement with the employee. The employee must return written works, files, equipment, books, resources and other papers.

An employee using equipment on loan or purchasing equipment from Accend through a payroll deduction agreement must return that equipment or pay off any remaining balance. If any leaving employee fails to return property belonging to Accend Services, the monetary value of that property may be withheld from the employee's final paycheck. If the value is not fully recovered in this manner, Accend Services may take civil or criminal action to recover property that is not returned.

Employess participating in a purchase cost match for equipment who terminate employment within one year of the purchase must refund the matched amount. This will be deducted from the employee's final paycheck.

Job Abandonment

Accend defines job abandonment as failure to appear for work on three consecutive regularly-scheduled or expected work days or shifts without communicating the need or reason for the absence with a supervisor. (Communicating with coworkers or other employees who are not direct supervisors during the period of absence does not constitute meeting this requirement.) Expected work days are Monday-Friday excluding holidays on which the employee's primary office is closed, and may include weekends if the employee's job includes scheduled weekend shifts. Exceptions to this rule include serious medical conditions or other situations in which the employee was unable to contact a supervisor, or send a message in some other form of inability to report to work.

Failure to return from paid or unpaid leave on the aniticipated return date (the date that was arranged for return to work when the leave was arranged) without communicating the need and reason for extended leave also constitutes job abandonment.

Job Abandonment shall be conidered voluntary termination and employees who abandon their jobs shall be ineglible for rehire. The employee will be paid wages for any work completed prior to the abandonment of the job on the next scheduled payday.

Unreported or unexplained absences of fewer than three days may result in disciplinary action, and if repeated may result in termination for misconduct.

Eligibility for Rehire

Employees who terminate voluntarily with notification and who meet all obligations to Accend Services during the notification period, or who are terminated for the sole reason of lack of work, may be eligible for rehire, but are subject to application, interview, and rehire as a new employee. Employees who are involuntarily terminated for cause related to misconduct or disqualification, or employees who leave without notification as required by our policies, or fail to honor that notice by working through the notification date, are ineligible for rehire indefinitely.

Employment References for Former Employees

When we receive a request for information from another person or employer about a current or former employee, Accend will provide only dates of employment, last job title, and status of eligibility for rehire, unless we have a signed release that authorizes the specific information requested. Even with a release, Accend may decline to provide additional information about, or references for, former employees. No current employee of Accend may provide references or any other information about work performance of former employees, or provide letters of reference without authorization by an officer or director.

Wages, Salaries and Benefits

At Accend, we are always reviewing staff wages and benefits in and effort to provide the best wages and benefits possible.

Wages and salaries for each are determined by several factors and we review each team member's pay at regular intervals, no less often than annually, and based on goals and objectives in his or her career plan. Factors used to determine wages include:


Employee Classifications

Regular Hourly

Regular Hourly employees are eligible for overtime pay, PTO, and all of the benefits described below. Regular hourly employees may be part-time or full-time and benefits are pro-rated based on hours worked. Hourly employees are eligible for overtime if work hours exceeding 40 hours per week only if the extra work hours are scheduled by, or approved in advance by, a supervisor. Hourly employees may have fixed or flexible schedules as defined by the job description.

Regular Exempt (Salary)

Effective 12/29/2024, Salary positions are limited to Program and Department Managers, Directors and Treatment Supervisors. Regular Exempt Salaried employees receive salaries for defined job duties, are eligible for PTO, and for the benefits described below. Exempt employees are not eligible for overtime pay. Regular Exempt employees may be part-time or full-time and salaries benefits are pro-rated based on average hours worked.

Piece Rate

Some employees, who work very few hours on flexible schedules, may be classified as Piece Rate employees. These employees are paid for performing specific tasks or duties at rates determined in advance. Piece rate is intended for specific circumstances, including, but not limited to, the following:

Piece rate employees will be paid a piece rate only for:

Clinical staff who are piece rate and conduct Diagnostic Assessments will be paid as follows for those diagnostic assessments.

Where assessment or planning work (such as ARMHS Functional Assessment or Treatment Interview or EIDBI Treatment Planning) is reimbursed in a service by occurrence, piece rate employees will be paid at the equivalent rate of one hour per occurrence limited to one occurrence per day.

Piece rate employees must document In and Out time (total work hours). They are eligible for competency-based pay increases.

Temporary

Temporary employees are employees whose position at the time of hire is short-term. Terms of employment will depend on agency needs and the offer of employment shall define the position as temporary. In no case will a temporary position be construed as being a contract for a definite time.

Temporary employees may be paid on an hourly basis or piece rate. If hourly, temporary employees shall be eligible for overtime, but shall not be eligible for PTO or other employment benefits. Hourly temporary employees are eligible for overtime if approved in advance by a supervisor.

Some employees who work in positions normally filled by regular employees may voluntarily choose temporary status. If we agree, we will define this employment relationship in writing with the employee. The employee may be subject to termination without notice for any reason, is not asked to provide notice if leaving, and is not eligible for benefits of regular employees.

New Hire Trainees

Trainees are part-or full-time Regular Hourly, Regular Exempt, or Temporary employees with less than three months of employment. All employees are considered trainees for the first three months of employment. This period may be extended at the discretion of the trainee's director supervisor if the trainee fails to complete required training or demonstrate satisfactory progress in job performance. Trainees may accrue PTO if eligible but may not use PTO during the training period. Hourly Trainees are eligible for overtime if approved in advance by a supervisor.

Interns

Interns are temporary employees and may perform internship duties with or without pay as defined in the internship plan. When paid, interns may receive hourly or piece rate pay. As temporary employees, interns are not eligible for PTO or other benefits.

Work Hours and FTE

For guidelines on FTE changes, see the Career Development Policy

Wages and Pay Cycle

Accend Service's pay period for all employees is biweekly on Friday. If pay day falls on a banking holiday, employees will receive their paycheck on the preceding workday. Paychecks are directly deposited into employee checking and/or savings accounts. Paper checks will be distributed by 12:00PM biweekly on Friday for employees who do not have direct deposit. All time must be submitted daily. Payment of wages due will be delayed if received by the Payroll office after the corresponding deadline.

Timecard Submission Deadlines

Employees are responsible for submitting their time records concurrently each day as directed by their managers using TabsTM. Time records must show all hours worked and services provided each day. Time records should not be completed in advance.

Deadlines for submmission of complete time records is 8:00 AM Monday of each week. When notes are sent back for edits by the approving supervisor, the deadline for submission is 12:00 PM (Noon) on Tuesday.

If time is submitted late it may result in a delay in your paycheck. Repeated problems with late-submitted time may result in disciplinary action.

Quarterly Calendar 2024

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Dec 31, 2023 - March 23, 2024 March 24, 2024 - June 29, 2024 June 30, 2024 - Sept 21, 2024 Sept 22, 2024 - Dec 28, 2024

Pay Dates 2024

January 5 & 19 May 10 & 24 September 13, 27
February 2 & 16 June 7 & 21 October 11 & 25
March 1, 15 & 29 July 5 & 19 November 8 & 22
April 12 & 26 August 2, 16 & 30 December 6 & 20



Benefits

Accend Services offers the benefits listed below to its Regular Hourly and Regular Salary employees only and may require an employee contribution as noted for the benefit. Accend Services reserves the right, in its discretion, however, to change the nature of the benefits offered to employees, or to change insurance carriers, deductibles, premiums, or other features of any benefit. In addition, Accend Services may decide to discontinue or add one or more benefits. Covered employees will be notified of such changes, discontinuations or additions as soon as such changes are known.

The following table explains the benefits offered at the time this policy was most recently updated.

Benefit Eligiblity Requirements Employer Contribution Employee Contribution
Health Insurance All non-temporary, and non-piece rate employees who work 24 or more hours weekly. Eligibility begins on the 91st day of employment. Employees may choose from one of three types of plans. Accend pays a portion of individual employee premium for the lowest cost account option, regardless of the type of insurance plan selected. The amount of the match is dependent on FTE as follows:

90% for 1.0 FTE (40 hours/week)
80% for 0.9 FTE (36 hours/week)
70% for 0.8 FTE (32 hours/week)
60% for 0.7 FTE (28 hours/week)
50% for 0.6 FTE (24 hours/week) 		Balance of individual and family premium (if selected).
Health Savings Account Employees enrolled in the Accend Services HSA Health Insurance plan may make pre- tax payroll deductions for medical expenses. Accend matches up to $50/month of employee contributions to the lower decutible HSA account, and up to $100 per month on the higher deductible HSA plan. Voluntary, up to $3500 individual or $7000 per family annually.
Life Insurance All non-temporary, and non-piece rate employees who work 24 or more hours weekly. Accend pays the full premium on insurance equaling one year's wages. Employees may purchase additional insurance coverage.
Short-Term Disability Insurance All non-temporary, and non-piece rate employees who work 24 or more hours weekly. Accend pays the full premium.
Long-Term Disability Insurance All non-temporary, and non-piece rate employees who work 24 or more hours weekly. Accend pays the full premium.
Family Dental Insurance All non-temporary, and non-piece rate employees who work 24 or more hours weekly. Eligibility begins the first month after 90 days of employment. Accend pays 50-90% of individual premium for families, depending on FTE, on the same schedule as for health insurance. Balance of individual or family premium (if selected).
401K Retirement Savings Employees who have worked for at least six months, and have worked at least 500 hours. Accend matches employee contributions up to 4% of gross annual income. Voluntary up to limits allowed by federal tax rules.
Time off and Leaves of Absence All non-temporary employees earn Paid Time Off. Employees, with at least one year of service and 1000 hours are eligible for unpaid family and medical leave. Accrual tables and guidelines for use can be found in the Paid Time Off and Leave of Absence Policy and Guidelines
Voluntary Vision Insurance All regular (non-temporary) employees working at least 24 hours per week. Accend facilitates this option. Monthly premium as a payroll deduction.
Technology Purchase Supervisors or clerical staff who work remotely (away from the office) for periods of time. Any direct service staff member at practitioner or professional level, responsible for assessment and treatment planning, and over 0.6 FTE See details below.


Expense Reimbursements

Accend Services may reimburse employees for certain expenses directly incurred as a result of work benefiting the agency or its clients. Expenses eligible for reimbursement may include, but are not limited to:

Time Purchase and Equipment Matching

Eligible Employees

Any direct service staff member at practitioner or professional level, responsible for assessment and treatment planning, and over 0.6 FTE, and supervisors who will work out of the office for periods of time.

Employees who have succesfully completed their probationary (training) period of at least 90 days.

Employees who are asked to use personal iPhones for work (are not issued a mobile phone) and whose phone is damaged while it is being used for a legitimate work purpose.

Not Eligible

Any employee whose current status is under 0.6 FTE.

Workers, behavior aides, other direct service positions not responsible for assessment and treatment planning are excluded from reimbursement for laptop purchases.

Any employee with a current open formal performance intervention is not eligible.

FTE %Match Max Match
FTE Match % Match Max

Mac Laptop		 Match Max

iPad or iPhone
0.6 10% $100 $60
0.7 20% $200 $120
0.8 30% $300 $180
0.9 40% $400 $240
1.0 50% $500 $300
Match Policies

Accend will match hardware computer (lpatop or iPad) purchases on Apple products only, once every two years. The balance must be paid for by the employee up front.

We will match purchasing on mobile phones as applicable for any type of smart phone that meet requirements of our technnology matching and property damage policies.

We will accept requests for matching the purchase of other equipment necessary to carry out job duties. This match will be 1/2 of the purchase price, not to exceed the maximums for FTEs shown in the table above.

If matched, the full matched portion is owed to Accend for one year. If the employee leaves within one year of the date of purchase (final payment if purchased with payroll withholding), the employee owes for the full purchase price of the equipment. If the employee stays for one year from date of purchase the match is forgiven on the anniversary of purchase.

Time Purchase Policies

Time purchase is available for Apple products only, once every two years Purchases must be fully paid through payroll deductions within 6 months (13 pay periods) Total amount owed on any time purchase may not exceed the employee's base wages/salary for one pay period, or $1000, whichever is lower. The difference must be made up with a downpayment.

Procedures
General

This policy may be subject to change or revocation at any time. Matching and time purchase may be limited at any given time by the number of persons making requests and the available funds. If not all requests can be approved, priority will be given to employees based in seniority, FTE, and performance.

Matching and time purchases will be authorized only for new products purchased from a reliable retailer.

Reimbursement for Damage to Personal Property

Accend may reimburse employees for personal property that is damaged in the course of doing their work when the damage is not the result of a lack of due care and caution on the part of the property owner. The following table describes some specifics, but is not necessarily all-inclusive.

Eligible for Reimbursement

Property Policy Limits
Clothing Employees should wear clothing to work that is appropriate for the activities planned. Clothing that was otherwise in good repair, with no tears, stains or significant wear is reimbursable at the cost of repair, or replacement if irreparably damaged or stained. Up to $50.00 per item.
Eyeglasses Employees who wear prescription eyeglasses at work are eligible for reimbursement for repair or replacement if they are damaged, while they are wearing them, as a result of behavior of individuals served or environment.

Vision insurance is available to all employees at a annual cost of $51.48. Employees who wear glasses are encouraged to purchase this coverage, which pays (annually) up to $100.00 for frames and $50.00 - $150.00 for lenses depending on the type.		 Up to $250.00 per incident for costs exceeding those covered by vision insurance, whether or not the employee has chosen to participate in the vision insurance plan.
Personal Electronic Equipment An employee may request early eligibility for matching of technology purchases when personally-owned electronics use for work are damaged or destroyed as a result of behavior of persons served or other hazardous conditions in an Accend office or other community location. This includes mobile phones for employees who are not issued company phones. See Time Purchase and Equipment Matching policy
Treatment Resources Personally-owned treatment resources (tools, equipment, toys, props, books, etc.) that damaged or destroyed while being used as a part of an approved treatment plan are eligible for potential reimbursemet. Up to $50 per resource.
Vehicle damage Reimbursement for repairs to vehicles will be considered when the damage is a result of vandalism by or behavior of persons served, or for automobile accidents when the employee is not at fault and using his or her vehicle for work purposes. The employee must first seek reimbursement through insurance and present a request only for denied claims or deductibles.

Damage to a vehicle as a result of vandalism by unknown individuals, or the result of an other criminal acts (such as a hit-and-run) when the employee's vehicle is parked on a public street or other property that is not Accend property is not reimbursable. Damage to a vehicle that is discovered while the vehicle is parked on Accend property that cannot be definitively identified as having occurred there and having been caused by persons served or other conditions on the property is similarily not eligible for reimbursement.
 Up to $500 per incident.
Wrist watches and smart watches Wristwatches worn for specific work purposes (such as measuring latency or duration in a treatment plan objective) may be eligible for reimbursement if damaged or destroyed. If not worn for a specific treatment purpose, a wristwatch or smart watch is considered jewelry and not eligible for reimbursement. Wristwatch: up to $50

Smart Watch: may be eligible for matching of technology purchase if used for an approved work purpose.
Other Requests for reimbursement for all of the above, and other losses not listed here will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Eligible with Conditions

Personal Mobile Phones Employees who are issued mobile phones should not use personal phones at work. In this case, personal mobile phones is not reimbursable.

Where employees are asked to use personal mobile phones, employees are eligible for technology purchase matching program to purchase a phone, within the liimits decribed for that program.

Not Eligible for Reimbursement

Property Policy
Jewelry Employees should not wear jewelry to work, or should remove and safely store jewelry if there is a risk of it being damaged in the workplace. Damaged jewelry is not eligible for reimbursement. Wristwatches may be an exception to this policy. See that section.
Lost or stolen items Lost or stolen items are not eligible for reimbursement. Employees should secure personal belongings safely to prevent loss.

Procedures for Requesting and Receiving Reimbursement

  1. Complete an incident report immediately (within 24 hours) describing how the property was damaged. Reimbursement will not be considered for incidents reported later than 24 hours following the occurrence unless there were mitigating circumstances preventing the employee from reporting.
  2. Obtain estimates for replacement or repair.
  3. Request reimbursement prior to completing the purchase or repair.
  4. If approved for reimbursement, Accend will reimburse only with a written quote for repairs or purchase receipt. If reimbursement is provided based on a quote, the employee must submit the receipt once the repairs are completed.

Reasonable Accommodations

We will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with a disability provided that they can perform the essential functions of a job unless doing so causes a safety risk to the employee or other individuals, or if the accommodation creates an undue financial hardship to the agency. Disabilities may be long-term conditions or short-term (temporary). We evaluate all requests for reasonable accommodations on a case-by-case basis considering the request made the employee.

Accommodations may include, but are not limited to, the following:

When any employee believes that disability may impact his or her ability to meet expectations, the employee must identify that and request an accommodation. Accend may ask for medical evaluation and documentation of the disability as a part of reasonable accommodation plannning.

Undue Hardship

Procedures for Requesting and Granting Accommodation Requests

  1. Employee submits a written using the Tabs HR form called Request for Reasonable Accommodations to his or her direct supervisor identifying the specific accomodation needed. This request should be accompanied by written physician (or other health/mental health care professional) orders or recommendations identifying the need for the accomodation.
  2. In consultation with the Program Director, supervisor reviews the request for feasability, makes a recommendation and forwards the request and supporting documentation to the CEO.
  3. CEO reviews the request and approves, denies, or makes recommendations for modification of the requested accommodation.
  4. No request shall be considered granted until approved by the CEO or delegate of the CEO.

Work Breaks

All employees are encouraged to take breaks as necessary but not excessively and this break time is paid time if it is less than 20 minutes. Breaks longer than 20 minutes must be off-the-clock.

Upon return to work following childbirth, nursing mothers may take breaks to express breast milk for her nursing child for one year after the child's birth each time such employee has need to express the milk. Nursing mothers without private office may ask for a private room.

Staff Training and Career Development

Our Career Development goal is to offer employee-centered training and development opportunities that align with employee career plans, and to make skill enhancement (competency-based pay) an essential component of our wage scale. More detailed information on how competency-based pay works in any position, read the Career Development and Performance Management Guide.

Requests for Reimbursement of Training Expenses

Employees may request to attend and receive wages and/or reimbursement for training expenses at any point after their first year of employment. These requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, with all of the following considerations:

To complete a training request, click this link and follow the guidance in the form: Training Request. (You must be logged in to TabsTM for the link to work.)

Employment Agreements for Some Trainings May Be Required

In some cases where training expenses are significant and the training results in the employee obtaining some sort of external certification, the employee may be asked to sign an employment agreement that makes reimbursement of these training expenses a forgiveable loan from the agency. The agreement might require, for example, that the employee remains employed by the agency for a certain period of time following completion of the training, successfully passes the course and obtains the certification, trains others, or other such requirements. Failure to meet these requirements would result in the employee paying back the reimbursed expenses in a payroll deduction.

Personnel Records

Employee files are maintained by the Human Resources department and are considered confidential. Managers and supervisors may only have access only to personnel file information for employees whom they directly supervise. That access is also limited to information required to perform supervision duties.

Employees have access at any time to certain information stored in their electronic personnel files. Current and former employees may request additional access to view their entire file by appointment with the Human Resources department. Employees may request that employment records be released under specific circumstances.

Licensing, auditors, investigators, law enforcement and other officials may be granted access to information in employee files as needed to perform their duties.

Dress Code

Dressing appropriately for activity and situation improves our public image and ability to advocate effectively for our clients.

Appropriate dress for most days at work is casual, conservative and appropriate to activities planned. Most important is to dress in a way that facilitates a therapeutic relationship with your clients and promotes their best interest. Some styles of dress, while they may be fashionable, may offend the sensibilities of persons of certain cultures or age, or may inhibit the therapeutic nature of your relationship with them. Examples of dress styles that might be unwise and are not acceptable include, but are not limited to:


Jewelry, makeup should be in good taste, with limited visible body piercing.

Remember, that some employees and clients are allergic to the chemicals in perfumes and make-up, so wear these substances with restraint, or not at all.

You are encouraged to dress for the activities or services planned, and to bring changes of clothing to work as necessary. Clothing that works well for services involving housekeeping, exercise or recreation require a different type of dress than attending a meeting, appointment, or court appearance with a client.

Guidelines for Business Casual Dress

When your day will include attending a meeting, outside training session, appointment, court hearing or other similar activity, you will want to dress in a way that promotes your client's best interest and represents your agency in a professional manner. Business casual dress is the recommended minimum standard for such occasions.

The following guidelines may be helpful to you in understanding business casual.

Slacks, Pants, and Suit Pants: Khakis and dress pants are acceptable. Inappropriate slacks or pants include jeans, sweatpants, exercise pants, Bermuda shorts, short shorts, shorts, bib overalls, leggings, and any spandex or other form-fitting pants.

Skirts, Dresses, and Skirted Suits: Casual dresses and skirts, and skirts that are split at or below the knee are acceptable. Dress and skirt length should be at a length at which you can sit comfortably in public. Short, tight skirts that ride halfway up the thigh are inappropriate for work. Mini-skirts, skorts, sun dresses, beach dresses, and spaghetti-strap dresses are inappropriate.

Shirts, Tops, Blouses, and Jackets: Casual shirts, dress shirts, sweaters, tops, golf/polo shirts, and turtlenecks are acceptable attire. Most suit jackets or sport jackets are also acceptable. Inappropriate attire for work includes tank tops; midriff tops; shirts with potentially offensive words, terms, logos, pictures, cartoons, or slogans; halter-tops; tops with bare shoulders; sweatshirts, and t-shirts unless worn under another blouse, shirt, jacket, or dress.

Shoes and Footwear: Conservative athletic or walking shoes, loafers, clogs, sneakers, boots, flats, dress heels, and leather deck-type shoes are acceptable for work. Wearing no stockings is acceptable in warm weather. Flashy athletic shoes, thongs, flip-flops, slippers, and any shoe with an open toe are not acceptable.

Hats and Head Coverings: Hats are not appropriate indoors. Head covers that are required for religious purposes or to honor cultural tradition are allowed.

Tattoos and Piercings: Cover tattoos with long sleeves and pants or dresses. Remove visible body piercings other than earrings.

Communication, Conflict Resolution, Grievances and Complaints

Accend Services values direct, open, honest and proactive communication. We are a small corporation in which all of our officers, directors and board members work for the company. For this reason, we expect employees to resolve conflicts with one another or with officers and directors directly, involving others only when these efforts are unsuccessful.

Grievances

At any time you have a problem, conflict, issue or grievance with management, please feel that you may raise the issue without fear of reprisal. Do so by indicating your intention to identify a problem or address a grievance. Make your intentions clear.


A grievance is a formal complaint filed for the record when a problem has not been resolved after following the steps above. If all efforts have been made, and steps above followed, a grievance may not necessarily serve to further resolve the problem, but can serve as a formal record of the aggrieved employee's position or feeling on the issue, and the agency's response.

You may file a grievance at any time, but should write the letter within two weeks of the day on which the problem occurred, or when you became aware that the problem had not been resolved. You may file a grievance regarding a pattern of behavior that started prior to the two week time period, but your grievance should be filed within two weeks of the last incident or attempt to resolve the problem. While this is not a firm deadline, it sets a reasonable time period that allows you the time to thoughtfully consider your decision to file the grievance, yet keeps timelines short enough to facilitate recall of events by others involved.

To file a formal grievance, write a letter to the Executive Director or another Director/Officer stating:


If your letter has exposed new information or shed new light on the problem, an officer/director of the company will contact you within 5 working days to discuss the new information. You will receive a final letter within 5 days of your letter (or 5 days of the meeting) clarifying the agency's final position on the issue, and/or correcting or clarifying matters of fact from the agency's perspective, Both letters will be placed in the your employee file as a record of the grievance. You may ask to review this record at any time. Any staff member, having made the appropriate efforts above to solve a problem, may file a grievance without fear of reprisal. A grievance may be filed by a group of staff.

Improper Communication of Grievances

The following responses to internal conflicts are always improper and may represent misconduct, because they are potentially harmful to clients, staff, potential employees, referrals, or others:


Harassment

Harassment in the workplace is unwelcome conduct that is offensive in nature and that detrimentally affects the work environment or leads to adverse job-related consequences for the victims of the harassment. It does not include the legitimate exercise of an individual's supervisory authority. The behavior is one-sided and not wanted by the victim. The harasser ought reasonably to have known that the behavior would be unwelcome. Harassment of others may be grounds for immediate termination. It might include, but not necessarily be limited to:


In the case that you feel harassed by any coworker or supervisor at Accend Services, please report this immediately to a Director.

Maltreatment

Report neglect, abuse or financial exploitation of any client immediately according to the Accend Services policy on Reporting Maltreatment. This requirement does not excuse you from the responsibility of confronting a problem or addressing an issue with a coworker or supervisor that might prevent abuse or neglect from occurring. Maltreatment, or failure to report maltreatment, of any client, vulnerable adult or child may constitute misconduct and be grounds for immediate dismissal.

Outside Employment

Occasionally, employees may decide to seek employment outside of their regular working hours. We want to support our employees in this type of work so long as the outside employment does not compromise their work at Accend Services. Potential problems include, but are not limited to situations in which another job:


All employees will be evaluated by the same performance standards as all other employees in their role. Employees will be subject to the department's scheduling needs and requirements as agreed upon in the acceptance of their position at Accend Services, regardless of any existing outside work requirements.

We ask that any employee who is engaged in outside employment inform their supervisor and the human resources department in writing immediately.

Consulting, Speaking Gifts, Honoraria, and Consulting Fees

No employee may formally represent himself/herself as a spokesperson for Accend Services without prior approval of his/her supervisor.

All employees are encouraged to participate in a variety of community and professional activities. In those instances where an employee's activities are part of their regular duties and responsibilities, any payment received for such services will be turned over to Accend Services. All fees derived from Accend Services reports, activities, events, or speaking engagements while employed by Accend Services shall also be paid directly to Accend Services.

In some instances, an individual may do work that is based on activities or experiences prior to or separate from their regular duties and responsibilities at Accend Services. To avoid actual or appearance of conflict of interest, any employee who engages in any remuneration activity in any field directly related to Accend Services programs must have prior approval by the President or assigned Officer or Director.

Intellectual Property

Documents, forms, educational materials, policies, procedures, methodologies, and any and all other written works directly related to the business of Accend Services, Inc., and created by the agency's employees, officers or directors while engaged in paid employment for the agency, shall remain the sole property of Accend Services, Inc., unless otherwise specified in written agreement prior to the development of said works. Employees of Accend Services Inc. may not use any such works or other agency property for personal gain or while engaged in separate paid employment, volunteer work, consulting or other activities, except with the express written consent of the agency, or when directed to do so as part of an assigned project or contract by the agency.

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Updates to this Chapter


June 5, 2024: References to salary for direct service positions modified in preparation for the change to hourly pay for these roles. Salary table deleted.


November 30, 2022:

Language clarified on the notice period for voluntary termination, and the positions more specifically defined regarding from whom we require a 30-day notice (with Integrated Care Managers specifically listed. This provision is effective January 1, 2023.


January 29, 2024:

Work Breaks section added. Notification to nursing mothers that breaks are allowed to express milk and a private room will be provided.


June 21, 2024:

2024 Quarterly Calendar corrected.