Employee Handbook

Mission Statement

'Newark Manor is dedicated to providing quality care within a secure and loving environment. We are committed to providing all services based on our tradition of caring and compassion. Newark Manor is committed to providing care to our residents and without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnic background or sexual preference.'

ABUSE

Any employee guilty of committing physical, verbal, emotional, sexual or financial abuse or consciously neglects the needs of a resident will be terminated immediately. Any employee who fails to report witnessed abuse will be treated as though they committed the abuse themselves.

All allegations of abuse will be thoroughly investigated and employees may be suspended pending the results of the investigation.

ACCEPTING GIFTS AND COMPENSATION

Under no circumstances may you accept monetary compensation or gifts from residents or their families. Failure to comply will result in termination.

ATTIRE

Please abide by these standards of attire and cleanliness: ATTENDANCE
 * Always	wear your name tag, as required by State regulation.
 * Food	Service employees must wear a hair net.
 * Nursing	Staff must wear scrubs and closed toed rubber soled shoes.
 * Ensure	personal cleanliness at all times, pay special attention to your	hands.
 * Fingernails	must be kept trim. (infection control)
 * No	dangling jewelery. (infection control)
 * Nursing	staff are to follow guidelines provided by the Director of Nursing.
 * Fridays	are “casual”. Denim is permitted. Sweat pants or stretch/yoga	pants are never permitted. No shorts. Shirts with provocative or	demeaning slogans are not permitted.
 * Tattoos	must be covered.
 * No facial piercings.

Perfect attendance is required while on probation.

Your regular attendance and promptness is essential to providing the highest quality care. Absences add to the workload of your co-workers and disrupt the department’s routine. If you are unable to report to work as scheduled, you must contact your immediate supervisor at least four hours before your scheduled shift time. Absences without valid excuse, excessive absences or continued tardiness will result in disciplinary action.

Please note: Absences due to illness greater than three days in a seven day period requires a doctor’s note before returning to work. A seven minute grace period is given.

BEREAVEMENT

In the event of a death, employees are entitled to paid bereavement days as follows:

Three (3) days for death of a spouse, child, mother, father or sibling.

One (1) day for death of an in-law, grandparent, aunt or uncle.

BREAKS

Your supervisor will schedule one fifteen (15) minute break and one thirty (30) minute meal break during each eight (8) hour shift. Since breaks are included in the time you work, please do not leave the facility unless pre-approved by your supervisor. If you do leave the facility, you must clock out.

CONFIDENTIALITY

The records of residents and employees are confidential. Information regarding residents should only be discussed with appropriate staff members and family members designated as Responsible Parties. Full compliance with the Heath Insurance Privacy and Portability Act(HIPPA) is required.

DISCIPLINARY ACTION

Failure to comply with the provisions of this manual or substandard work performance will result in disciplinary action. Depending on the severity of the infraction, you will receive a verbal warning, a written warning, reduction in hours, or be terminated.

DRUG TESTING

All candidates for employment must submit to a pre-employment drug testing. A candidate with a positive drug screen will not be considered for employment.

Random drug screening may be performed in the instance of suspicion and evident cause. An employee must present two consecutive negative drug screens, at their own expense, before the individual will be considered for re-employment.

If an employee is suspected of working impaired, either by alcohol or drug use, two supervisors must witness the employee’s behavior. If an employee appears to be impaired, the employee will be immediately tested and suspended pending results of the testing and further investigation.

GRIEVANCES

There will inevitably be conflicts in the workplace that may require outside intervention. Altercations, verbal or physical are not tolerated. This created a hostile environment for our residents. Altercations will result in disciplinary action. Please discuss any concerns or grievances with your department manager. If you do not feel that the issue has been resolved, please discuss your concerns with the Administrator.

HARASSMENT

Any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, verbal or physical conduct which creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment is considered harassment and is expressly prohibited. It is imperative that you report all incidents of harassment to your department manager or the Administrator.

INSURANCE

Newark Manor offers health and dental insurance plans to employees who are scheduled 30 or more hours a week. The employee must have been employed at 30 hours a week for at least 60 days to be eligible. Enrollments are the first of the month following eligibility. See your supervisor for information about enrollment.

JURY DUTY

Any employee called to jury duty should submit a statement given to you by the court, to your department manager, so that you may be reimbursed for any time missed during jury duty.

LANGUAGE/NOISE

Please act in a dignified and professional manner at all times. Do not use profanity or vulgar language. Please respect the need for a calm and quiet atmosphere. Remember, we work in their home. Using profane or vulgar language may result in disciplinary action.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE/FMLA

Requests for Leave of Absence must be made, in writing, to your department manager. Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) you may be granted up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected, leave for your own serious illness or the illness of a family member or for incapacity due to pregnancy. Although your job is protected for up to 12 weeks, medical documentation must be submitted and you must be medically cleared by your physician prior to returning to work.

LOCKERS

The lockers by the break room are there for the purpose of storing you personal items during the time you're working. You may not claim a locker by leaving items in it while you're not working. Neglected lockers' contents are subject to donation.

Paid Time Off (PTO)

After 90 days of employment, full and part time employees receive Paid Time Off benefits. Newark Manor does not designate sick days, vacation time or holidays. All “benefit” days are combined under PTO days. Paid Time Off may be used when desired, upon approval of your department manager. All requests for PTO requests should be made by the 10th of the month prior to the month of the requested leave in writing using the PTO request form. A request does not guarantee approval.

Earned PTO will be paid out in two situations. One, when the PTO is requested as an active employee and approved by the supervisor. Two, when the proper notice of resignation is received. If an employee quits without proper notice PTO will not be paid out. Upon termination of employment, earned PTO time will not be paid out.

All PTO time will begin to accrue after 90 days of employment. PTO is earned on the same bi-weekly schedule as payroll. 1/26th of the annual PTO amount is added each pay period. PTO carryover is limited to your next year's full allotment. The carryover date is the day after the final day of the final pay period in a calendar year. Additionally, PTO accrual is limited to double your present years amount. Newark Manor does not offer the option of “buying back” benefit time.

PTO days may not be used for unexcused absences. Supervisor approval must be obtained to use PTO time.

PARKING

Newark Manor does not have an abundance of parking spaces, so carpooling is encouraged. Parking spaces marked “VISITOR” are reserved for visitors to the facility, staff parking there are subject to disciplinary action and/or towing at the vehicle owners expense. Handicap parking spaces are reserved for vehicles with proper license plate or placard. Staff parking there without proper documentation are subject to disciplinary action and towing.

The First Presbyterian Church next door as issued parking permits to certain staff members. Parking there without a permit may result in your car being towed.

PAYROLL PRACTICES

The payroll period begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday of the second week. All employees will receive your paycheck the following Friday after 9:00 a.m.

Direct deposit is available to all employees. Funds are available in your account on the pay Friday after 12:00 midnight.

You must complete a missed punch form if you forget to clock in or out. It is your responsibility to complete the missing punch form by the close of the payroll, otherwise you may not be compensated for the time during the missed punch.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD

All new employees are on probationary status for the first 90 days of employment. The probationary period gives new employees the opportunity to become oriented and decide whether they wish to continue with us. It also gives us the opportunity to evaluate you and your ability to meet the high standards we have set for ourselves.

Based upon your Department Director’s evaluation after 90 days, your probationary period may be extended.

Probation may be used for discipline, and applied by a supervisor's discretion.

PROPER DOCUMENTATION

Documentation is the only acceptable way to prove care was given. Failing to document properly indicates that the tasks were not performed. Failing to document properly is grounds for termination as it indicates proper care was not provided. It should be noted that failing to document properly affects medicaid payments to the extent that payment can be denied. This will affect pay raise decisions.

RESIDENT RIGHTS

A copy of Title 16, Patient Bill of Rights is given to employees for review at Orientation.

RESIGNATION

All hourly personnel are expected to give at least 14 days advance notice. All salaried personnel are expected to give at least 30 days advance notice. If the criteria outlined above is not met, you risk forfeiture of any earned PTO time that is still unused.

SAFETY

Safety is everyone’s responsibility. We ask that you adhere to safety regulations, correct or report all safety hazards and cooperate with safety investigations.

SMOKING

Smoking is not permitted, at any time or anywhere, within Newark Manor. Smoking is permitted only during breaks and only outside at the designated smoking area across from the rear entrance to the building. Per regulation, smoking is not permitted within 20 feet of the building. Please remember to keep the smoking area clean. Improperly disposed cigarettes will result in the suspension of a smoking area.

SOLICITATION

No employee or resident is permitted to solicit any person or distribute any material, of any kind, without the prior approval of the Administrator.

TELEPHONE CALLS/VISITORS

We ask that employees not accept personal phone calls or visitors during working hours, except in an emergency. Cell phones should be turned off while on duty but may be used during breaks in the Employee Lounge or outside. Using a personal device while working may result in a written warning.

TELEPHONE COURTESY

When you answer the telephone at Newark Manor, you are representing this facility to the public. Please be courteous and professional. Please offer to take a message and accurately record the information and pass to the appropriate staff member.

TERMINATION

Upon termination, PTO is forfeited. You can be terminated for a multitude of offenses against the facility or its residents. This list includes by is not limited to… TIME CLOCK
 * Sleeping while clocked in.
 * Being in the facility while impaired by drugs or alcohol.
 * Yelling or contributing to a hostile environment.
 * Job abandonment.
 * Stealing from Residents or Newark Manor.
 * Any type of abuse.
 * Failing to document properly.
 * Non-compliance with attendance.
 * Providing sub-standard care or deviating from procedures.

Your Department Director will furnish you an employee number and show you the location of the time clock. Clocking in late, clocking out late or early is cause for immediate dismissal. Should you fail to clock in or out at the appropriate time, you must complete a missed punch report and have your Department Manager or supervisor approve this.

TRAINING

There will be regular in-service training opportunities, some of which are mandatory. Failure to attend mandatory in-services is cause for disciplinary action.

WEATHER EMERGENCIES

Newark Manor must continue to operate during periods of inclement weather. Therefore, we stress the importance of making every effort to report to work. It is possible that you may, during such emergencies, be asked to stay beyond your scheduled shift. In this instance, you will be compensated by overtime pay.