Personnel Policy

This policy has been most recently updated on July 16, 2018. Always check this policy for changes. It may be subject to change without notice.

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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.

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 candidates have the 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:

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

Termination

Accend asks employees to provide two-weeks notification of voluntary termination, unless the reason for termination is illness, injury, or family emergency. Supervisors and department leads should provide 30-days notice. We consider any resignation, in writing or verbal, to be final and may be revoked only at the discretion of Accend Services.

Accend Services may terminate employees involuntarily with or without prior notification due to lack of work, repeated violations of work rules or expectations, gross negligence, criminal activity, abuse or neglect of clients, 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.

Upon voluntary termination, employees will receive their final paychecks and be notified of their options for continuing benefits on the next scheduled pay day following the last day of work. Employees who are terminated involuntarily may exercise the option of receiving their final paychecks within 48 hours of the last day worked, upon request.

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.

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

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)

Accend Services may, at our discretion, establish a position for an Executive, Administrative, Professional, Computer, & Outside Sales Employee as a salaried position and exempt from overtime pay. 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.

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

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:

Credentials/qualifications
Year of employment
Performance and skills
Productivity

FTE and Required Work Hours

Pay rates and benefits (eligibility and matching) are determined by FTE. Employees may voluntarily request changes in FTE, upward or downward, no more often than once per calendar quarter.

To request a change upward in FTE, employees must do all of the following:

meet all performance expectations;
meet productivity targets at current FTE;
have a demonstrated history of acceptable attendance; and
demonstrate the ability to do all of the above while working the equivalent number of hours of the new desired FTE for least 6 weeks prior to the change.

Employees who do not maintain because they consistently work fewer hours than required, and who do not document PTO, or who deplete accrued PTO with a pattern of poor attendance may receive an involuntary reduction in FTE. Employees who fall short of FTE for three pay periods during any three-month period, and who do not request and use PTO, or request and be authorized for unpaid medical or family leave, may have their FTE adjusted downward.

Required work hours at each FTE are as follows:

FTE	Work Hours per Week
1.0	40
0.9	36
0.8	32
0.7	28
0.6	24

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.

Employees are responsible for submitting their time records concurrently as directed by their managers using the Accend Services system (Tabs). Time records must show all hours worked with project codes or departmental codes and labor distribution codes (e.g., hours worked, PTO) that were incurred for the week. Time records should not be completed in advance.

Benefits

Accend Services offers the benefits listed below to its Regular employees 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 the first month after 90 days 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 HSA account.	Voluntary, up to $3000/individual or $6000/family annually
Short-Term Disability Insurance	All non-temporary, and non-piece rate employees who work 22 or more hours weekly.	Accend pays the full premium.
Long-Term Disability Insurance	All non-temporary, and non-piece rate employees who work 22 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 will earn at least $5000 (gross income) at Accend Services annually.	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, non-piece rate employees earn Paid Time Off. These 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, officers and directors 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:

transportation or mileage, meals, lodging and other travel expenses incurred while traveling as assigned by the agency;
training fees or tuition, registrations and materials if prior authorized;
admission fees for events attended as a required job duty if prior authorized;
purchased supplies necessary for service provision if prior authorized; and
other expenses incurred as a direct result of participating in assigned duties if prior-authorized.

Time Purchase and Equipment Matching

Eligible Employees

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.

Not Eligible

Employees who have a company-issued computer.

Any employee whose current status is under 0.6 FTE.

Workers, behavior aides, other direct service positions not responsible for assessment and treatment planning.

Any employee with a current open formal performance intervention.

FTE %Match Max Match

0.6	10%	$100
0.7	20%	$200
0.8	30%	$300
0.9	40%	$400
1.0	50%	$500

Match Policies

This match is available for Apple products only, once every two years Match percentages based on a purchase up to $1000.00. The balance must be paid for by the employee up front.

If matched, the full matched portion is owed to Accend for one year. If the employee leaves within one year of the purchase, 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 then 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

Employee applies with application form.
If purchasing in full for matched equipment, employee signs a form agreeing to pay the matched portion with a payroll deduction if terminating within one year of purchase.
If purchasing on time payments, employee signs a form agreeing to a payroll deduction and agreeing to pay the matched portion with a payroll deduction if terminating within one year of purchase.

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.

Staff Training and Career Development

Accend Services is dedicated to quality services. The key to quality services is high quality staff members. For this reason, we are dedicated to proactive approach to training, evaluation and performance management.

Each direct service and supervisory position shall have a job description defining core duties, pre-service qualifications, orientation and ongoing training requirements, and evaluation competencies. Accend Services will provide, in some cases, some of the pre-service training required for certain positions. In others, pre-service qualifications must be met prior to placement in the position.

For more information, see the Staff Training, Evaluation and Performance Management Policy.

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:

Clothing that reveals cleavage, stomach, or underwear.
Formfitting/skin tight tops, sheer tops,
Shorts or skirts that are shorter than mid-thigh,
Sloppy, torn, dirty, or frayed, or stained clothing, or
Any clothing that has words, terms, or pictures that may be offensive

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.

Present facts and specific information or data.
Describe your perceptions and identify them as such.
Differentiate personal viewpoints from those of others.
Be prepared, at times, to accept that you may not be privy to information about coworkers because of confidentiality or privacy issues.
Demonstrate an understanding of, or attempt to understand both sides of an issue.
Present considered and thoughtful solutions to problems.

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:

the date(s) that the problem occurred and relevant facts of the issue;
how the problem has affected you;
what steps you have taken to resolve the problem;
what issues have not been resolved to your satisfaction; and
any other factual information that you may feel is important or relevant.

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:

Making false or unsubstantiated inflammatory statements that are damaging to the agency's public image. Making unsubstantiated statements means third-person information, gossip, rumors or other statements or assertions that are not supported or borne out by fact, and then treating those assertions as an established fact.
Rumors of maltreatment of vulnerable adults or ethical violations may require a different standard and should be brought to the attention of the Clinical, Treatment, Staff Development, or Executive Director immediately. With questions about reporting maltreatment or ethical violations, visit with the Clinical, Treatment, Staff Development, or Executive Director.
Repeating idle gossip or rumors that are derogatory, slanderous or hurtful to any member of the Accend Services staff or clients.
Repeating private or confidential information about a coworker or client, without permission, to a person who is not privy to that information, or attempting to gain access to such information.
Excessive complaining that is damaging to staff morale, without efforts to resolve the problem.

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:

unwelcome remarks, jokes, insulting gestures or practical jokes or taunting about a person's race, religious beliefs, gender, physical or mental disability, marital status, age, ancestry or place of origin, or refusing to converse or work with an employee based on any of the same;
display of racist or offensive pictures or materials;
any unwelcome behavior towards a person because of the race, religious beliefs, gender, physical or mental disability, marital status, age, ancestry or place of origin of someone with whom they associate;
unwelcome enquiries or comments about an individual's personal life;
unwelcome sexual comments, slurs, or jokes, or sexual advances or unwelcome remarks about a person's physical attributes or appearance;
starting or repeating rumors or gossip of an offensive nature; and
physical assault.

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.

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.