L Arche Daybreak Toronto

L’ArcheL’Arche DaybreakDaybreak

PoliciesPolicies && ProceduresProcedures

Revised: November 2005 L’Arche Daybreak PERSONNEL POLICIES & PROCEDURES MANUAL MAIN INDEX

Section PA: EMPLOYMENT

PA1 Equal Opportunity Employer PA2 Category Definitions PA3 Personnel Access to Files PA4 Privacy of Personnel Information PA5 Secondary Employment

Section PB: HIRING CRITERIA

PB1 Criminal Background Checks PB2 Medical Examination PB3 Driver’s License Requirements

Section PC: PERFORMANCE REVIEW

PC1 Three-Month Performance Review (Core Standard) PC2 Annual Performance Review (Core Standard)

Section PD: CONDUCT

PD1 Standard Code of Conduct (Core Standard) PD2 Conflict of Interest (Core Standard) PD3 Conflict Resolution (Core Standard) PD4 Computer/Internet Use (Core Standard) PD5 Sexual Harassment and Abuse between Personnel (Core Standard) PD6 Stewardship and Use of Community Property (Core Standard) PD7 Welcoming People to Stay in Community Homes (Core Standard)

Section PE: TERMINATIONS

PE Termination of Employment

Section PF: TIME AWAY

PF1 Vacation PF2 Days Away/Renewal/Weekends Away PF3 Assistant Retreats PF4 Recognized Holidays PF5 Assistant Winter Holiday Time

L’Arche Daybreak PERSONNEL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL MAIN INDEX

Section PG: LEAVE OF ABSENCE

PG1 Bereavement PG2 Jury and Witness Duty Leave PG3 Time off for Voting PG4 Sabbatical PG5 Religious holidays PG6 Maternity & Parental/Adoption Leaves PG7 Sick Leave PG8 Emergency Leave PG9 Family Medical Leave

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Employment POLICY #: PA1 APPROVAL: Board APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06 REVIEW DATE:

L’Arche Daybreak EMPLOYMENT: EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

PA1 L’Arche Daybreak is an equal opportunity employer. L’Arche Daybreak will strive at all times to recruit, employ and promote persons for all job classifications without regard to race, physical handicap, religion, place of origin, conviction of an offense which a pardon has been granted, nationality, political beliefs, gender or age (except where gender or age is a bona fide occupational qualification).

POLICY

 All employment decisions will be based solely upon an individual's qualifications for the position being filled.

 All personnel disciplinary action and personnel programs will be administered in a fair and consistent manner.

 L’Arche Daybreak will fully comply with the provisions of The Ontario Human Rights Code, The Labour Code of Canada and Ontario Employment Standards along with Pay Equity Legislation.

L’Arche Daybreak EMPLOYMENT: CATEGORY DEFINITIONS

PA2 All Personnel at L’Arche Daybreak will be made aware of their employment category at the time of hire and at any time that their employment category is altered. The employment category of all Personnel will be documented. All Personnel will be classified as Assistants, Employees or Volunteers.

PERSONNEL CATEGORIES

1. Assistant

 A person who is developing or has established relationships of mutuality with other Community Members and, in particular, with the Core Members, and is desiring to be accountable to the vision and values of L'Arche International and L’Arche Daybreak.

 Live-in Assistants live and work in a Community home or program.

 Live-out Assistants are part of the Daybreak Community, work in a Community home or program, but do not live in a Community home.

2. Visa Assistant

 A person who is developing or has established relationships of mutuality with all Community members and, in particular with the Core Members, and is desiring to be accountable to the mission and values of L’Arche International and L’Arche Daybreak.

 These persons do not have Canadian Citizenship or valid Landed Immigrant status and must have a valid “Temporary Employment Authorization Permit” granted by the Canadian Department of Immigration to be employed by L’Arche Daybreak. This permit must be renewed annually.

3. Employee

 Personnel who offer their expertise and talents to the building of the Community, but are not choosing the privileges and responsibilities as outlined in the L’Arche Daybreak Membership Document. These personnel have no end date to their position and are considered “Regular Employees”. This was previously referred to as “permanent” employment.

L’Arche Daybreak EMPLOYMENT: CATEGORY DEFINITIONS

4. Contract Employees

 Persons who offer their professional services for a specified duration of time. Often the organization would hire someone on contract who is filling in for an extended leave of absence or for a new or trial position.

5. Casual Employees

 Often referred to as temporary, are individuals hired for a short term. Hired to work on an irregular or temporary basis without clearly defined hours or work days. A casual Employee may be hired to assist with backfilling vacation; short term leaves of absence; or during busy times in the Community.

6. Relief (or On Call) Employees

 An individual who will be called to come in to work to fill in for an Employee absence that was unplanned. Relief workers will be put on a schedule on an as needed basis. Relief staff that begins to be placed on a regular schedule will be converted to Contract or Regular Employees. At L’Arche, relief workers are made available to fill in for care giving roles in our homes, programs, or the office. An individual who is called in on an as needed basis will be paid at a minimum for 3 hours, or for the amount of time actually worked, whichever is greater.

7. Volunteers

 People who choose to donate their time and energy into supporting Community life on a practical level, and by sharing in the spirit of L’Arche.

HOURS OF WORK

Full-time

 At L’Arche Daybreak an average full-time week is 35-40 hours, depending on your location and position.

Part-Time

 Anyone who works less than 35 hours a week at L’Arche Daybreak is classified as part-time. Part-time Employees who work more than 20 hours per week are eligible to participate in the group benefit plan and have pro-rated vacation and leave benefits.

L’Arche Daybreak EMPLOYMENT: PERSONNEL ACCESS TO FILES

PA3 L’Arche Daybreak Personnel are allowed access to their personal records, in compliance with Ministry regulations and, therefore, may obtain any information that may be recorded in their Personnel File.

PROCEDURES

 Personnel are required to request, in writing, authorization from a Personnel Coordinator prior to accessing their own Personnel file.

 The review of the original file is to take place in the Personnel Offices.

 Once an individual has reviewed all necessary information it is to be returned to their Personnel file.

 Personnel are allowed to receive copies of all records kept in their Personnel File, with acknowledgement from the Personnel Coordinator.

 At no time can records, which are maintained in Personnel Files, be permanently removed or destroyed.

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Employment POLICY #: PA4 APPROVAL: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06 REVIEW DATE:

L’Arche Daybreak EMPLOYMENT: PRIVACY OF INFORMATION

PA4 All personal information provided to L’Arche Daybreak upon hire or during employment will be kept in an individual’s personnel file to be referred to and used only for the purpose of setting up and maintaining: salaries /wages; completed forms required during the hiring process, benefit information; to provide notifications and annual reminders; employment status; and performance reviews. This information will be kept personal and confidential at all times and is only to be accessed by the Personnel Team and anyone in addition who has been authorized by the Assistant/ Employee.

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Employment POLICY #: PA5 APPROVAL: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06 REVIEW DATE:

L’Arche Daybreak EMPLOYMENT: SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT

PA5 L’Arche Daybreak expects to be the sole employer for all Assistants and Employees in the Community. While it may be possible, in some circumstances, to have a secondary job while working at Daybreak, it is imperative that the secondary employment does not affect an Assistant’s/ Employee’s ability to effectively perform their work and meet the needs of the community, and it does not in anyway conflict with Core Members and the nature of work at L’Arche Daybreak.

POLICY

 Live-in Assistants cannot hold secondary employment, as this would affect the rhythm of the home and the expectations of one’s energy and time required with Core Members.

 Secondary jobs carried out on a part-time basis are acceptable as long as the work does not cause any assistant/employee to become inflexible with their Daybreak work schedule.

 Any consideration of secondary employment is to be reported to a direct Supervisor and a Personnel Coordinator prior to accepting a position. At this time any potential conflict of interest and whether the secondary position is acceptable will be determined.

 If a secondary job has begun prior to an assistant’s/employee’s employment at L’Arche Daybreak, it is expected that the candidate comes forth with this information to the direct Supervisor and a Personnel Coordinator during the selection & hiring process.

 Any conflict(s) with secondary employment identified by a Supervisor or a Personnel Coordinator could lead to immediate termination of employment for an Assistant/Employee from L’Arche Daybreak.

 Home based and mail order businesses are considered secondary employment. These types of businesses must also be reported to a supervisor and/or Personnel Coordinator.

L’Arche Daybreak EMPLOYMENT: SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT

PROCEDURES

 Any secondary employment situation is to be communicated to the direct supervisor and a Personnel Coordinator during the hiring process or whenever the potential employment opportunity arises.

 The Supervisor and Personnel Coordinator will determine whether the secondary employment situation is acceptable and not in any way a conflict of interest for L’Arche Daybreak.

 The Personnel Coordinator will notify the assistant/employee with whether the secondary employment opportunity is acceptable.

 If the position is not acceptable, the assistant/employee is expected to turn down the opportunity or resign from the secondary employment role immediately. Where necessary, two weeks of working notice with the alternate employer will be allowed.

 If the assistant/employee does not cease working in a situation that has been deemed a conflict of interest, his/her employment with L’Arche Daybreak may be terminated immediately with cause.

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Hiring Criteria POLICY #: PB1 APPROVAL: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06

L’Arche Daybreak HIRING CRITERIA: CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS

PB1 All potential L’Arche Daybreak Personnel must have a current criminal reference check as a condition of employment. A positive result from a criminal reference check does not necessarily preclude employment.

PROCESS: ASSISTANTS & EMPLOYEES

 Each new hire is provided with a conditional offer / contract that explains the need for completing a criminal reference check, which includes a search of the vulnerable sectors. The form to be completed is the “Vulnerable Sector Screening”.

 It is fully explained in the offer letter/contract that this reference check must be completed as a condition of employment, but that a criminal record does not necessarily preclude employment.

 The results of the reference check will be sent directly to the Assistant’s/Employee’s home.

 The original of the results are to be provided to a Personnel Coordinator as soon as the Assistant/Employee receives them.

PROCESS: INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANTS

 International Assistants will be required to obtain a letter from the relevant authorities in their home country indicating that they have no previous criminal record, including a search of the vulnerable sector, or the nature of any criminal record they may have.

 This letter must be sent to a Personnel Coordinator before their arrival at L’Arche Daybreak.

PROCESS: VOLUNTEERS

 Volunteers must complete a criminal reference check before placement.

 A Personnel Coordinator will explain that this reference check, including a search of the vulnerable sector, must be completed as a condition of placement, but that a positive result does not necessarily preclude placement.

L’Arche Daybreak HIRING CRITERIA: CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS

COST OF CRIMINAL REFERENCE CHECKS

 L’Arche Daybreak will pay the fee for each criminal reference check.

NEGATIVE RESULTS

 In the case of negative results (no police record) in combination with a satisfactory medical exam (see Policy PB2), the individual’s employment status will change from conditional to probationary.

 The criminal reference check received from the Police Department will be filed in the individual's personnel file.

POSITIVE RESULTS

 As recommended by the Police Department, once the Personnel Coordinator has reviewed the findings, if appropriate, the individual may wish to schedule a discussion with a Personnel Coordinator to talk about their particular case.

 If conditional employment has already commenced, the individual will be suspended without pay pending a final decision.

 A Personnel Coordinator will discuss the individual's suitability for hire with the Community Leader.

 Any decisions in relation to an individual with a positive finding would be undertaken within the following context: o The nature of the conviction; o The length of time since conviction; o The rehabilitative and other efforts subsequently made by the individual; o The overall qualifications the applicant brings to the position; o The specific duties, responsibilities, and risks associated with the position and the relevance of the particular conviction to that position.

 Final decisions will be made on an individual, case-by-case basis.

 The Personnel Coordinator will inform the individual of the final decision within 14 days after receipt of the results.

CONFIDENTIALITY

 All information received in processing a criminal reference check is privileged and confidential.

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Hiring Criteria POLICY #: PB2 APPROVAL: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06 REVIEW DATE:

L’Arche Daybreak HIRING CRITERIA: MEDICAL EXAMINATION

PB2 All personnel directly working or living with people with developmental disabilities at L’Arche Daybreak require certification from a legally qualified medical practitioner, certifying that they are free from active tuberculosis, or other communicable or contagious disease; and physically fit to undertake assigned duties prior to beginning with L’Arche Daybreak, and annually thereafter.

POLICY

 Prior to employment with L’Arche Daybreak, all personnel working or living with Core Members are to have a qualified physician complete the “Pre-Employment Medical Form”.

 L’Arche Daybreak will reimburse personnel up to a maximum of $50.00 Canadian for the Pre-Employment 2-step T.B. test or chest X-Ray.

 The L’Arche Daybreak “Annual Medical Form” is to be completed annually by the same personnel.

 L’Arche Daybreak will reimburse personnel up to a maximum of $25.00 Canadian for the completion of the annual 1-step T.B. test or chest X-Ray.

PROCEDURES

 The Pre-employment Medical Form is sent to a new hire with their conditional letter of offer/contract.

 All new L’Arche Daybreak personnel, required to complete the form, will provide a Personnel Coordinator with their completed Pre-Employment Medical Form within 14 days after receipt of an offer of conditional employment.

 Subsequent medical forms are to be completed annually then provided to a Personnel Coordinator within one month of the Assistant / Employee’s anniversary date of hire.

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Hiring Criteria POLICY #: PB3 APPROVAL: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06 REVIEW DATE:

L’Arche Daybreak HIRING CRITERIA: DRIVING REQUIREMENTS

PB3 L’Arche Daybreak requests that all Assistants and Employees, who are required to drive as part of their responsibilities, have a G driver’s license prior to commencing work in the Community.

POLICY

 Assistants / Employees hired and required to drive as part of their job will be required to pass a Daybreak approved driver’s evaluation before they are allowed to drive a Daybreak vehicle and/or drive Core Members in any vehicle.

 L’Arche Daybreak will pay the costs involved with upgrading, or applying for an Ontario driver’s license for International Assistants only, where applicable.

 A prerequisite for being a driver in the Daybreak Community is that the Assistant/Employee has a minimum of 2 years experience as a licensed driver.

 As a standard practice, Daybreak will cover the cost of the initial lesson and evaluation. If further lessons are required Daybreak will pay for up to 2 more lessons and 1 additional evaluation. Any further retraining or evaluation requirements are at the Assistant’s/Employee’s expense.

 All new hires that are required to drive, must have successfully met the driving requirements as defined by L’Arche Daybreak within the first 3 months of employment. Failure to do so may lead to immediate termination as per the conditions of employment set out in the letter of offer/contract.

 If an Assistant/Employee uses their own personal vehicle for transportation with Core Members, Daybreak requires proof that the vehicle has a rider’s clause and a minimum of $1 million of current liability insurance.

 Assistants / Employees who are required to drive a wheelchair van must take their evaluation using the applicable wheelchair van.

PROCEDURES

 A photocopy of the driver’s license is required for the Personnel file.

GUIDELINES

 International driver’s licenses are valid for 60 days if the Assistant/Employee is a resident and one year if a tourist in Ontario.

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Performance Reviews POLICY #: PC1 APPROVAL: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06

(Core Standard) L’Arche Daybreak PERFORMANCE REVIEWS: THREE MONTH REVIEW

PC1 All L’Arche Daybreak Personnel will have a Performance Review after completion of their three month probationary period. This review is important to determine if there is a good fit between the individual and Daybreak and to establish solid objectives for moving forward. Prior to this review, informal meetings should take place at the 1 and 2 month timeframe between the individual and their Supervisor. Performance Reviews will be documented and filed in each individual's Personnel file.

PEOPLE AT THE REVIEW MEETING

 The individual under review and their immediate supervisor must be present at the review meeting.

 A Personnel Coordinator will attend the meeting as the Facilitator.

PROCEDURES

 Prior to the meeting, the Facilitator shall explain the review process to both the individual under review and their immediate supervisor, provide them with the “Three Month Review” form to be completed, and arrange a date and time for the review meeting to occur.

 The Three Month Review Form is to be returned to the Facilitator no less than three days before the date of the review meeting. Upon receipt of the forms, the Facilitator must read and compare the two forms to look for areas where there may be discrepancies. Any areas of discrepancy will be addressed prior to the review meeting with the Facilitator and both the supervisor and the Assistant/Employee.

 During the review meeting, the Assistant/Employee being reviewed shall have an opportunity to verbally elaborate on the information they have provided in the review form. The review form shall be available to the individual to use as a guide.

 The immediate supervisor will be given an opportunity to verbally elaborate on the information they have given in the review form. The review form will be available to be used as a guide.

L’Arche Daybreak PERFORMANCE REVIEWS: THREE MONTH REVIEW

DOCUMENTATION

 The Facilitator will write a summary of the review using the “Review Summary” outline.

 The summary must be approved and signed by the individual under review and their immediate supervisor.

 The review summary will be filed in the individual's Personnel file.

SUGGESTED MEETING FORMAT

People Present  Assistant/Employee  Personnel Coordinator  Direct Supervisor

Location  Mutually agreed upon by all parties involved.

Length of Review Meeting  Approximately 1 hour

Format (in minutes)  Arrival, check ins, reading and prayer (10 min.)  Assistant/Employee sharing (10 min.)  Direct Supervisor sharing (10 min.)  Discussion (10 min.)  Goal Setting & Commitment (10 min.)  Check Out & Closure (10 min.)

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Performance Reviews POLICY #: PC2 APPROVAL: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06 (Core Standard) L’Arche Daybreak PERFORMANCE REVIEWS: ANNUAL REVIEW

PC2 All L’Arche Daybreak Personnel will have a Performance Review after completion of their first year of employment and each year after. The annual review is an opportunity to review how successfully the individual’s goals and objectives were achieved. Performance Reviews will be documented and filed in each individual's Personnel file.

PEOPLE AT THE REVIEW MEETING

 The individual under review and their immediate supervisor must be present at the review meeting.

 A Personnel Coordinator will attend the meeting as the Facilitator.

 The individual under review can request participants (2-3) from their team and/or Core Members to be at the review or to provide written feedback, however their immediate supervisor must always attend.

PROCEDURES

 Prior to the meeting, the Facilitator shall explain the review process to both the individual under review and their immediate supervisor, provide them with the “Annual Review Form” to be completed, and arrange a date and time for the review meeting to occur.

 The Annual Review Form is to be returned to the Facilitator no less than three days before the date of the review meeting. Upon receipt of the forms, the Facilitator must read and compare the two forms to look for areas where there may be discrepancies. Any areas of discrepancy will be addressed prior to the review meeting with the Facilitator and both the supervisor and the Assistant/Employee.

 During the review meeting, the Assistant/Employee being reviewed shall have an opportunity to verbally elaborate on the information they have provided in the review form. The review form shall be available to the individual to use as a guide.

 The immediate supervisor will be given an opportunity to verbally elaborate on the information they have given in the review form. The review form will be available to be used as a guide.

L’Arche Daybreak PERFORMANCE REVIEWS: ANNUAL REVIEW

DOCUMENTATION

 The Facilitator will write a summary of the review using the “Review Summary” outline.

 The summary must be approved and signed by the individual under review and their immediate supervisor.

 The review summary will be filed in the individual's Personnel file.

SUGGESTED MEETING FORMAT

People Present  Assistant/Employee  Personnel Coordinator  Direct Supervisor  Participants from the team and/or Core Members

Location  Mutually agreed upon by all parties involved.

Length of Review Meeting  Approximately 1 hour

Format (in minutes)  Arrival, check ins, reading and prayer (10 min.)  Assistant/Employee sharing (10 min.)  Direct Supervisor sharing (10 min.)  Discussion (10 min.)  Goal Setting & Commitment (10 min.)  Check Out & Closure (10 min.)

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Code of Conduct POLICY #: PD1 APPROVAL: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06 REVIEW DATE: (Core Standard) L’Arche Daybreak CODE OF CONDUCT: STANDARD CODE OF CONDUCT

PD1 As a condition of employment, all L’Arche Daybreak Personnel will agree to at all times faithfully, industriously, and to the best of his/her skill, ability and talents, perform the duties outlined in his/her role description. In carrying out these duties and responsibilities the Assistant/Employee shall comply with all L’Arche Daybreak policies and procedures, rules and regulations, both written and oral, as are announced by the Leadership Team and/or Board of Directors from time to time.

POLICY

 Our life together is a gift from God. By God’s grace we are able to share our lives with one another, in living out the mission of L’Arche. Qualities that enhance this life are openness, honesty, patience and trust of one another. The intent of the Standard Code of Conduct is to state as clearly as possible the position of the Community on issues of importance to the Community. It is the responsibility of each individual to know the position of the Community and to integrate it into all of their interactions.

UNACCEPTABLE CONDUCT

 It is not possible to list all forms of behaviour that are considered unacceptable. The following are examples of unacceptable conduct that may result in disciplinary action, including suspension and/or termination of employment: o Theft or inappropriate removal of property; o Falsification of records; o Use of illegal drugs or excessive alcohol consumption while present at L’Arche Daybreak; o Possession, distribution, sale, transfer, or use of illegal drugs on L’Arche Daybreak property; o Operating a L’Arche Daybreak vehicle or equipment while intoxicated; o Fighting or threatening violence; o Negligence or improper conduct leading to damage of property; o Insubordination; o Violation of health and safety rules; o All forms of harassment or abuse; o Disrespectful, inappropriate interaction with any Core Member; o Disrespectful, inappropriate, and/or slanderous remarks about any member of L’Arche Daybreak; o Violation of L’Arche Daybreak Policy and Procedures; o Unsatisfactory Performance or Conduct;

L’Arche Daybreak CODE OF CONDUCT: STANDARD CODE OF CONDUCT

UNACCEPTABLE CONDUCT (Continued)

o Possession of dangerous or unauthorized materials or weapons at L’Arche Daybreak; o Excessive absenteeism or any absence without notice; o Chronic lateness; o Smoking in undesignated locations, including L’Arche Daybreak Vehicles; o Any behaviour that places the safety and well-being of any member of the L’Arche Daybreak Community at risk; o Failure to represent L’Arche Daybreak in an appropriate way; o Failure to respect the rights of any member the L’Arche Daybreak Community.

CONFIDENTIALITY

 It is acknowledged that Assistants and Employees, as caregivers, need to know pertinent information about Core Members, each other, the Community and its business, to ensure proper care.

 The Community considers confidentiality to be an essential value to uphold in order to protect the rights of all members of the Community and to build trust with one another. This is particularly important regarding Core Members because Assistants, Employees, and Volunteers, of necessity, have access to a great deal of personal information about them.

 All Core Members have the right to confidentiality and all other members of the Community have a fiduciary responsibility toward Core Members, which entails the obligation of confidentiality.

 Confidential information cannot be discussed with, or disclosed to, anyone except those members of the L’Arche Daybreak community who need to know this information in order to fulfill their role.

 No person outside of the L’Arche community may be given information about any Core Member without a written “Consent to Disclose Confidential Information” Form signed by the competent Core Member or his/her legal guardian.

 Files, written records, audio or visual materials should not be left accessible for unauthorized people. Care must be exercised to ensure that the right to confidentiality is not breached.

 Personnel are not to disclose any information shared with them about L’Arche Daybreak, its property, personnel, or Core Members with any unauthorized people outside of the Community.

RIGHT TO PRIVACY

 Private information concerning any member of the Community is not to be revealed or be the subject of gossip at any time.

 If there is an overriding value in having private information communicated to another, it is better if that person is encouraged to reveal the information himself or herself. The level of trust essential to sustaining life in community requires nothing less.

 There are some circumstances where an Assistant/Employee may receive information or witness a situation that could be harmful to the well being of an individual or the Community. In these circumstances, the Assistant/Employee can only agree to respect the right to privacy of the person involved. The Assistant/Employee should encourage the person to bring the situation to the attention of a member of the Leadership Team. In the event that the person is unwilling or unable to make that contact, the Assistant/Employee must let the person know that s/he may share the information with a member of the Leadership Team to safeguard the well being of anyone involved.

DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

 Illegal drugs are not to be used at any time on L’Arche Daybreak property. If an Assistant/Employee is found to be using illegal drugs while on Daybreak property, they will be immediately dismissed from the Community.

 When Assistants/Employees come to the Community, the expectation is that they are willing to choose a lifestyle that is compatible with the mission of L’Arche that is to create a safe loving home environment for Core Members. This lifestyle calls us to acknowledge and accept responsibility for other people’s lives. Therefore, it requires a certain maturity of individuals regarding the consumption of alcohol.

 When Assistants/Employees are in the home, whether on time away or not, they are expected to respond if there is an emergency, therefore Assistants/Employees shall not permit their ability to care for Core Members to be impaired by alcohol. A breach of this policy will be grounds for dismissal.

 L’Arche Daybreak has a zero tolerance rule regarding the use of any vehicle after the consumption of alcohol. Assistants/Employees shall not drive any vehicle after consuming alcohol. In these situations Assistants/Employees are to seek another form of transportation or call the L’Arche Daybreak emergency phone.

DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE (Continued)

 If an Assistant/Employee begins to exhibit signs of possible alcohol and/or drug abuse or addiction, the Leadership Team may ask that member to seek appropriate treatment outside the Community.

 It is both unlawful and a potential health risk to take medications prescribed for a Core Member and is grounds for immediate dismissal from L’Arche Daybreak.

COMMUNITY AND PERSONAL LOANS OR FUNDS

 It is unethical and illegal to borrow funds from Core Members, and grounds for dismissal.

 It is also unethical and grounds for dismissal to borrow money from Community funds.

SEXUALITY

 At L’Arche Daybreak people live together in relationships of mutuality. Members of the community strive to foster a common understanding of our vision about sexuality with some specific policy for the way we live together. This vision on human sexuality is consistent and integrated with the larger spiritual vision of our life together in L’Arche. Guidance is given in sensitive areas of community life while ensuring a context of stated values. For a more thorough discussion of relationships and sexuality, please refer to the document Relationships and Sexuality: A Vision Statement and Fundamental Policy for Community Life. Policies stated here are taken directly from this guiding document.

 To maintain the vitality of our community life and enable community members to stay well focused on mission, community members embrace the items of policy outlined below. While the content of the policy is important, the process by which the content is implemented or by which decisions are made are equally important.

1. The L’Arche Daybreak Community abides by legal norms and the policies in this manual as well as those in its Service Delivery policy and procedures about reporting and investigating allegations of sexual abuse. The Community will provide education and training to foster competence and to ensure that personal care is given respectfully.

2. Except for those who are married or in common-law or covenanted relationships, members agree not to sleep together or have sexual relations in Daybreak homes.

SEXUALITY (Continued)

3. When romantic relationships develop, couples will require privacy as well as support in order that these relationships grow in love and fidelity. This is to be encouraged and respected, while not compromising the common life of the home or program. It is expected that members in romantic relationships will not live in the same home or work in the same program. Dialogue with the appropriate coordinator will be needed to work out the best possible arrangement when a move is needed.

4. With regard to exclusive/romantic relationships between supervisors and subordinates, there is potential for the abuse of power and authority, and could provide grounds for potential allegations of harassment. Therefore, such relationships between those in supervisory positions and those they supervise, are inappropriate and unethical.

5. Sexual activity with Core Members is unethical, illegal and grounds for immediate dismissal from L’Arche Daybreak. If you have any reason to believe that a Core Member in the care of Daybreak is being sexually abused, notify the Leadership Team immediately.

6. When welcoming their own friends and spouses in the community, assistants and employees are expected to show good examples of how to live relationships well and demonstrate culturally acceptable public expressions of affection (i.e. holding hands or hugging). More intimate, physical expressions of affection are inappropriate and intrusive.

7. L’Arche Daybreak is a Christian, ecumenical and interfaith community. Within this context matters of faith and individual conscience will be protected and respected.

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Code of Conduct POLICY #: PD2 APPROVAL: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06 REVIEW DATE: (Core Standard) L’Arche Daybreak CODE OF CONDUCT: CONFLICT OF INTEREST

PD2 An actual or potential business conflict of interest is defined as any time L’Arche Daybreak Personnel are in a position to influence a transaction involving purchases, contracts or leases made with L’Arche Daybreak, which may result in a personal gain for any Personnel and/or a member of their family.

POLICY

 If an Assistant/Employee has any potential influences on transactions involving purchases, contract, or leases, they must disclose this to the Leadership Team, in writing, within seventy-two hours of discovering the potential conflict of interest.

 Instances of possible personal gain include situations where an Assistant /Employee or their relative has a significant ownership in a firm or business with which L’Arche Daybreak conducts business; and/or instances where an Assistant/Employee or relative receives a kickback, bribe, substantial gift, or special consideration, as a result of any transaction or business dealings with L’Arche Daybreak.

 No L’Arche Daybreak personnel or their relatives may buy, sell, rent, or lease any item to any Core Member or Home in the L’Arche Daybreak Community.

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Code of Conduct POLICY #: PD3 APPROVAL: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06 REVIEW DATE: (Core Standard) L’Arche Daybreak CODE OF CONDUCT: CONFLICT RESOLUTION

PD3 L’Arche Daybreak recognizes that differences will arise between Assistants/Employees of varying levels of responsibility and authority. It should always be remembered that L’Arche operates on values, which include mutual respect. Accordingly, whenever possible, the first step in addressing any conflict or complaint of unfairness, should be open and fair discussion between those affected. The participants should bring to the discussion a willingness to modify their own position. The goal of the process is to continue positive working and living relationships in accord with the spirit of L’Arche.

PROCEDURES

 If the initial discussion does not result in a solution acceptable to the person who feels injured, please refer to the “Lines of Communication” document for full details. Some of the steps outlined include:

o The details of the complaint should be recorded and given to the Leadership Team within 14 days of the event, which gave rise to the complaint. o Within 7 days of receipt of the complaint, the Leadership Team should speak with any person who may have knowledge of the facts, and record those facts. o Within another 7 days, the Leadership Team should then meet with the interested parties to discuss the problem. The Leadership Team will lead the participants in a discussion to help them arrive at a mutually acceptable solution. o If one of the participants is a member of the Leadership Team, then the complaint shall be made to the President of the Board. The President may delegate the functions and responsibilities, which would ordinarily fall to the Leadership Team, to the Personnel Committee or an individual who shall follow the procedures and time limits, set out above. o The person(s) hearing a complaint may: - Allow the complaint, in whole or in part, and make directions for any appropriate remedy; - Disallow the complaint; - Refer the matter to the Personnel Committee (if not already referred). o The decision or recommendation made by the initial reviewer may be referred to the Personnel Committee, at the insistence of either of the people involved. The Personnel Committee will respond to the matter, as the circumstances require.

L’Arche Daybreak CODE OF CONDUCT: CONFLICT RESOLUTION

PROCEDURES (Continued)

 All decisions in these matters shall be in writing and will be kept in the individual’s file. The rationale for any decisions should be recorded in a summary. This is done to provide history and a guide for future conflict resolutions.

 All details of these matters will be kept confidential. Only those involved, the Board of Directors, and the Leadership Team of L’Arche Daybreak, shall have access to the recorded details.

 The need to have the complaints recorded is twofold; it prevents the process from becoming lost in irrelevant matters, and it permits the person about whom the complaint is made, to know exactly what the problem is from the other’s point of view.

 The need for deadlines is likewise twofold; they permit the fact finding function to be fulfilled while events are fresh in people’s memories, and they ensure that conflicts do not go unresolved by neglect.

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Code of Conduct POLICY #: PD4 APPROVAL: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06 REVIEW DATE: (Core Standard) L’Arche Daybreak CODE OF CONDUCT: COMPUTER / INTERNET USE

PD4 L’Arche Daybreak has formulated clear expectations, limitations and privileges regarding computer/internet use in the Community. Assistants and Employees are asked to adhere to this policy so as to ensure that as a Community we remain in compliance with legal regulations pertaining to it.

POLICY

 It is the policy of L’Arche Daybreak that all Assistants and Employees are responsible for obeying Provincial and Federal laws and regulations concerning the use of information technology services and computer equipment.

 The focus in our homes is the care and support of Core Members, and this expectation will help guide questions regarding computer/internet use.

 The computer, printer, and all other attachments are the property of L’Arche Daybreak and should be treated as such. Good stewardship is essential in maintaining the privilege of having computer and Internet access in our homes and office.

 Personal computers and information technology services, such as the Internet and email, have been provided by Daybreak primarily to assist with research, learning, and carrying out functions required in an Assistant or Employee position.

 Although L’Arche Daybreak supports intellectual freedom and freedom of access to all legally available information, there may be material on the Internet that is not appropriate for display in our homes or office. Users must immediately cease displaying material if it is offensive to other individuals.

 Any materials which may violate a person’s right to work or live in an environment free from discrimination and/or harassment are not to be stored, displayed, transmitted or otherwise linked to L’Arche Daybreak computers and their information.

 Installation or downloading of games or programs without prior approval from a member of the Leadership Team is strongly prohibited.

L’Arche Daybreak CODE OF CONDUCT: COMPUTER / INTERNET USE

POLICY (Continued)

 Email addresses provided to the homes or office personnel are not for personal use and are not to be used as a vehicle for personal communication.

 While it is recognized that Assistants and Employees may wish to set up their own personal computers in our homes, the expectation is that the same policy guidelines apply in relation to appropriate use and access of materials and that the same consequences would be applied if these guidelines are not adhered to in full.

 Email accounts are not to be used to send obscene, abusive, derogatory or harassing messages.

 The content of all computer/internet use (files, documents, e-mails, chat rooms, etc.) must be appropriate and respectful to all who are using the computers.

 Assistants and Employees are only to use email accounts assigned to them by Daybreak for the sole purpose of helping them fulfill their job duties.

 Ensure information being accessed, displayed, or distributed does not imply discrimination or an intention to discriminate.

 Assistants and Employees in our homes are expected to respect the rhythm of the home and Community life and, therefore, limit their personal computer/internet use to times to their time away.

 All of these policy statements also apply to Assistants/Employees who own their own Personal Computer, Notebook, or Blackberry.

PROCEDURES

 Any personal files created on a computer of L’Arche Daybreak are required to be saved on diskettes or Compact Discs (CDs), provided at the cost of each individual. No personal information is to be saved on the computer’s hard drive.

 The procedures outlined in Policy PD3 “Conflict Resolution” will be followed for any violation of this policy.

CONSEQUENCES

 When there is suspected violation of this policy, L’Arche Daybreak has the authority to conduct appropriate search and confiscation procedures of all Daybreak owned and operated information technology services, and equipment.

L’Arche Daybreak CODE OF CONDUCT: COMPUTER / INTERNET USE

CONSEQUENCES (Continued)

 Those who are found responsible for viewing, writing, saving or otherwise ‘handling’ offensive material on L’Arche Daybreak computers, will be discharged for reason of engaging in discrimination and/or harassment, as determined by the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Criminal Code of Canada.

COMPUTER / TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT

 In the event that a computer, printer or any other associated equipment or software are not working properly, Assistants/Employees are to contact the appropriate technology support person within L’Arche Daybreak.

 Supplies, such as paper, printer ink, toner, etc., will be purchased centrally due to discounts available. Arrangements need to be made by the homes to have the supplies picked up, as required. Any unusual supplies, such as colour paper, need to be obtained by the individual or home and charged to the house, or department supplies budget, or to the individual.

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Code of Conduct POLICY #: PD5 APPROVAL: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06 REVIEW DATE: (Core Standard) L’Arche Daybreak CODE OF CONDUCT: SEXUAL HARRASSMENT AND ABUSE BETWEEN PERSONNEL

PD5 L’Arche Daybreak, in compliance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, prohibits sexual harassment between personnel. As a Community rooted in values of respect, dignity and equity, there is zero tolerance for any inappropriate behavior that may be defined as sexual harassment or sexual abuse.

All personnel in L’Arche Daybreak have the right to be free from sexual solicitation or advance from any peer, or made by a person in a position to confer, grant or deny a benefit or advancement to the person, where the person making the solicitation or advance know or ought reasonably to know that it is unwelcome. All Personnel in L’Arche Daybreak have a right to be free from a reprisal or a threat of reprisal for the rejection of a sexual solicitation or advance.

DEFINITION

Sexual Harassment is:

 An abuse of power, based on gender.

 An unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that detrimentally affects the work environment, or leads to adverse job-related consequences for the victims of the harassment.

 Any conduct, comment, gesture or contact of a sexual nature that is likely to cause offence or humiliation.

 Any conduct, comment, gesture or contact of a sexual nature that might, on reasonable grounds, be perceived by personnel as placing a condition of a sexual nature on employment, or on any opportunity for training or promotion.

L’Arche Daybreak CODE OF CONDUCT: SEXUAL HARRASSMENT AND ABUSE BETWEEN PERSONNEL

PROCEDURES

 All personnel are required to read and sign off their understanding of this Policy when they commence employment with L’Arche Daybreak.

 L’Arche Daybreak will make every reasonable effort to ensure that no personnel are subjected to sexual harassment.

 All complaints of sexual harassment are to be brought to the attention of a Personnel Coordinator who will keep thorough records of complaints, investigations and actions taken.

 The name of the complainant will not be disclosed, nor will the circumstances related to the complaint, except where disclosure is necessary for the purpose of investigating the complaint or taking disciplinary measures in relation thereto.

 L’Arche Daybreak will take such disciplinary measures as deemed appropriate, including immediate termination and/or requesting legal action, against any person who subjects another to sexual harassment.

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Conduct POLICY #: PD6 APPROVAL BY: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06 REVIEW DATE: (Core Standard) L’Arche Daybreak CODE OF CONDUCT: STEWARDSHIP AND USE OF COMMUNITY PROPERTY

PD6 L’Arche Daybreak personnel are required to respect all property belonging to Core Members, Community property within the homes and office, and any Community vehicles. Should personnel be found to be remiss in their responsibility of good stewardship, then L’Arche Daybreak may take disciplinary action as deemed appropriate.

PROCEDURES

 Anyone suspecting that another person is being neglectful of a Core Members’ property or Community property should report this directly to a Personnel Coordinator.

 The Personnel Coordinator will meet with the individual concerned, and a report will be put in their Personnel file.

 The individual may receive disciplinary action as deemed appropriate by L’Arche Daybreak.

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Code of Conduct POLICY #: PD7 APPROVAL: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06 REVIEW DATE: (Core Standard) L’Arche Daybreak CODE OF CONDUCT: WELCOMING PEOPLE TO STAY IN COMMUNITY HOMES

PD7 As a Community founded on values such as openness, respect, and trust, L’Arche Daybreak will strive to be a place of welcome to persons wishing to stay in our Community homes. The reason for an individual’s visit and the length of their stay should be firmly established prior to their arrival. Due to limited space and in order to respect the rhythm of life within our own Community, consultation is needed to determine whom we can welcome, and for how long they can stay with us.

PEOPLE VISITING FROM OTHER L’ARCHE COMMUNITIES

 All requests need to go through a Personnel Coordinator for approval.

 The Personnel Coordinator will consult with Core Members and Assistants living in L’Arche Daybreak homes prior to accepting a request for people to visit with us.

 It is expected that people visiting from other L’Arche Communities will respect the rhythm of life of the home in which they are staying.

 Those visiting from other L’Arche communities who wish to spend time during the day with people in a L’Arche Daybreak home, may be requested to share in the responsibilities of cooking, clean up, etc., so as to contribute and maintain a positive atmosphere during their visit.

FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF ASSISTANTS/EMPLOYEES WISHING TO VISIT

 The Assistant, who wishes to invite friends or family to visit in the Community, must speak with a Personnel Coordinator for prior authorization.

 The Assistant must also speak with Core Members and Assistants living in the home to seek their approval for such a visit.

 It is expected that family and friends of Assistants’ visiting L’Arche Daybreak, will respect the rhythm of life of the home in which they are staying.

L’Arche Daybreak CODE OF CONDUCT: WELCOMING PEOPLE TO STAY IN COMMUNITY HOMES

FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF ASSISTANTS/EMPLOYEES WISHING TO VISIT (Continued)

 Those family and friends visiting a home who wish to spend time during the days with people in a L’Arche Daybreak home, may be requested to share in the responsibilities of cooking, clean up, etc., so as to contribute and maintain a positive atmosphere during their visit.

 Family and friends of Assistants wishing to visit, are asked to contribute $5.00 per person, per day, to cover the cost of food, showers, laundry, etc. during their stay in a L’Arche Daybreak home. This money should be given to the House Leader for the house where they are staying. Larger donations that may be received from people staying in our Community should be directed to a Personnel Coordinator.

 It is not possible for L’Arche Daybreak to welcome family and friends during the summer months, as this is a time in which we welcome visitors from other L’Arche Communities and potential Assistants.

 Assistants / Employees who are involved in exclusive romantic relationships with people not employed by Daybreak, who may be visiting the home, are expected to abide by the L’Arche Daybreak Sexuality guidelines outlined in policy PD1: Standard Code of Conduct. In these situations, guests will be directed to sleep in another Daybreak home or guesthouse from the Assistant / Employee.

 It is expected that sexual relations between people do not take place in L’Arche Daybreak households.

DURATION OF VISITS

 Family and friends, as well as people visiting L’Arche Daybreak from other L’Arche Communities may stay up to fourteen (14) days.

 L’Arche Daybreak recognizes that many of our Assistants come from other countries, and so their family and friends may be coming for a longer visit. After consultation with a Personnel Coordinator, some exceptions may be made for longer stays. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Termination POLICY #: PE APPROVAL: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06 REVIEW DATE:

L’Arche Daybreak TERMINATIONS

PE There are times when terminations of employment for an Assistant/Employee may take place within the Community at L’Arche Daybreak. Some reasons surrounding the termination of an Assistant/Employee could be due to violation of L’Arche Daybreak policies and procedures, theft, insubordination, misuse of Daybreak property, or inappropriate support of Core Members. At times there may also be situations where personnel are terminated due to a change or elimination of their role. Each of these situations is handled according the Ontario Labour Board of Canada and the Employment Standards Act.

Terminations within the community will be communicated within L’Arche Daybreak with regard for the Assistant/Employee and in accordance with the Ontario laws governing the right to Privacy and Confidentiality.

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Time Away POLICY #: PF1 APPROVAL: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06 REVIEW DATE:

L’Arche Daybreak TIME AWAY: VACATION

PF1 Annual Vacation is determined according to employment category and years of service. For the purposes of determining annual vacation benefit accruement, the L’Arche Daybreak benefit year is from September 1 - August 31. All requested vacation dates are subject to approval.

ELIGIBILITY

 All full-time and part-time salaried Assistants and Employees are eligible for paid vacation time away from work. Hourly paid Employees receive the appropriate percentage of vacation pay semi-monthly with their regular pay.

POLICY

 Personnel should have had an active presence and employment in the L’Arche Daybreak Community by the end of a vacation year in order to receive full vacation benefits.

 There are situations where personnel may take their vacation time before having actually accrued it, with the approval of their Supervisor and the Homes/Program Coordinator (where applicable), in the spirit that they will fulfill their year's commitment. If however an individual leaves the Community prior to the end of the vacation year, any money already paid out for unaccrued vacation time will be deducted from their last pay cheque with L’Arche Daybreak.

 Assistants/Employees are not permitted to take vacation during their 3-month probationary period, except in special circumstances where the vacation has been approved prior to hire.

 Summer vacation requests need to be submitted in writing on or before March 1st each year to accommodate the planning needed for coverage in the homes, programs, or office. All requests submitted by the deadline will be treated fairly.

 Vacation time is approved or denied by the immediate Supervisor (House Leader, Program Leader, Office Supervisor), in consultation with the Homes, Program, and Personnel Coordinators.

 Personnel submitting vacation requests are expected to respect the overall rhythm of the Community and the office, and in so doing be flexible to accommodate the Community’s primary needs.

POLICY (Continued)

 Where two or three people request the same or similar vacation time by the deadline, approval is at the discretion of the immediate supervisor in consultation with Homes, Program, and Personnel Coordinators. Seniority is usually given precedence in such instances, although exceptional circumstances may warrant a person with lesser seniority having their vacation request approved.

 Until approval has been received from their Supervisor, Assistants/Employees are requested to NOT book any flights, accommodations, or make definite plans.

 A vacation request could still be denied, depending upon the needs of the Community, regardless if travel arrangements were made prior to approval.

 Personnel are strongly encouraged to take their accrued vacation days as time away by the end of the vacation year, or their departure from L’Arche Daybreak.

 Vacation time cannot be carried over from year to year without supervisor approval and cannot be attached to retreat time or winter break days.

 If an individual’s date of hire is before the 15th of the month, full vacation entitlement will be earned for that month; if the starting date is the 15th or after, half of the vacation entitlement will be earned for that month.

 The desired time for personnel to take vacation while working for L'Arche Daybreak is May 1st – Aug. 15th.

 Short-term contracts of 4 months or less will be paid for vacation at 4% of earnings with each pay, rather than vacation time taken away.

 Summer Assistants will be paid their 4% accrued vacation at the end of their contracted time with Daybreak.

 Vacation credits are cumulative during most leaves of absence from the Community. Please refer to the leave policies (policies titled PG) for details on vacation accrual during the various leaves.

PROCEDURES

 The Assistant/Employee completes the “Leave of Absence Request Form” and submits it to their immediate Supervisor.

 The Supervisor reviews the request then: o The House / Program Leader liaises with the Homes/Program Coordinator about the vacation request, to confirm that there are no other concerns from the Community perspective or; o Office supervisors dialogue together to confirm that there are no other concerns from the office operational perspective.

 If the vacation request can be supported, the House Leader / Program Leader / Office Supervisor informs the Assistant/Employee that their request has been approved.

 If the vacation request cannot be supported the House Leader / Program Leader / Office Supervisor will dialogue with the Assistant/Employee to adjust the request.

 Vacation time taken is to be reported monthly by each Supervisor on the “Leave of Absence Monthly Reporting Form”.

VACATION ALLOWANCES ON TERMINATION

 Personnel, who are laid off, retire, resign or are terminated at any time during the vacation year, will be paid out for vacation in accordance with the vacation credits they have accrued.

 If the person's date of termination is the 15th of the month or later, full vacation benefit will be earned for the month; half vacation entitlement will be earned for termination prior to the 15th.

VACATION ACCRUAL

ALL ASSISTANTS

 Individuals who are members of the L’Arche Daybreak Community, who live in a L’Arche Daybreak home, and whose main focus is the support of Core Members in a home or program setting, or who provide support from an administrative level are included in this category.

ASSISTANTS 0 – 1 YEAR

 Vacation allotment is calculated at 3 calendar weeks for an assistant in their first year.

 Summer assistants who decide to commit to an additional year will be granted 7 calendar days of holiday to be taken before Nov. 15th.

 An assistant whose commitment is four months or less are not eligible to take vacation time, but will be paid the appropriate percentage of vacation pay on each semi-monthly pay.

ASSISTANTS 1 – 20 YEARS

 Vacation allotment is calculated at 4 calendar weeks per year.

 Vacation is to be taken in one or two blocks of time, for example: 4 weeks at once, or 2 weeks + 2 weeks, or 3 weeks + 1 week.

 Assistant weekends away are not to be taken during the month when the majority of vacation is taken. If vacation is taken in equal blocks (2 weeks + 2 weeks), the weekend away is not to be taken during one of these vacation months.

ASSISTANTS 20+ YEARS

 Vacation allotment is calculated at 5 calendar weeks per year.

 Vacation is to be taken in one or two blocks of time, for example: 5 weeks at once, or 2 weeks + 3 weeks, or 2 weeks + 2 weeks + 1 week, or 4 weeks + 1 week.

ALL EMPLOYEES

Those personnel who are classified by L’Arche Daybreak as care giving employees in homes or programs, or administrative or professional employees are included in this category.

PERMANENT FULL TIME EMPLOYEES 0- 1 YEAR

 Vacation accrual is calculated at .83 days per month or 10 working days per year.

PERMANENT FULL TIME EMPLOYEE 1 - 5 YEARS

 Vacation accrual is calculated at 1.25 days per month or 15 working days per year.

PERMANENT FULL TIME EMPLOYEE 6+ YEARS

 Vacation accrual is calculated at 1.7 days per month or 20 working days per year.

PERMANENT PART-TIME EMPLOYEES

 Part-time employees vacation accrual is the same as full-time employees, based on the number of year of service.

 Vacation time is pro-rated based on the number of hours worked each week. For example: an employee who works 20 hours per week in their third year at Daybreak accrues at 20/35 hours / 1.25 days per month = .71 days per month.

L’Arche Daybreak TIME AWAY: DAYS AWAY/RENEWAL/WEEKENDS

PF2 L’Arche Daybreak is committed to providing the appropriate time needed for personnel to find a balance between work, Community life, and personal time. Taking time away, and using it wisely, is an essential part of caring for ourselves. It sustains us and allows us to continue contributing to Community life. This policy applies only to Live-In House Assistants at L’Arche Daybreak.

RENEWAL TIME

 Every live-in Assistant is encouraged to take renewal time every day. Personal time should take into account the needs of the Core Members, so as to respect the needs and rhythm of the house. People are encouraged to be flexible when taking this time.

 Weekends are special times for homes. Core Members’ needs and activities should take priority when planning personal renewal time. Personal renewal time will not exceed 2 hours per day while supporting a home on weekends.

DAYS AWAY/WEEKENDS AWAY

 All house Assistants are entitled to 1.5 days away per week, and one 3-day weekend per month. Assistants’ days away will be set by the House Leader when preparing the monthly schedule. As far as possible, days away will be set according to the standard schedule established for the particular house, and will also take into consideration any upcoming Community events.

 All days away will be taken in one block of time, e.g. 12.00 pm Wednesday through Thursday, unless approved by the House Leader.

 Days away may not be accumulated from week to week.

 All weekends away will be taken in a block of time beginning at 12:00 pm Thursday to 6:00pm Sunday. All Assistants are expected to provide support in their home from 6:00 pm onward.

 Weekend away time cannot be accrued from month to month.

L’Arche Daybreak TIME AWAY: DAYS AWAY/RENEWAL/WEEKENDS

DAYS AWAY/WEEKENDS AWAY (Continued)

 An Assistant is not entitled to a weekend away during the month of their annual vacation. If the Assistant takes their vacation in two time blocks, they are not entitled to a weekend away in the month in which they take the majority of their vacation days.

 An Assistant is not entitled to a weekend away during the month they take their Winter Holiday.

 Assistants are not to take their weekly days away consecutive to their Winter Holiday. See Policy “PF5 Winter Holiday Time” for details.

 Weekends Away and/or days away cannot be connected to vacation or retreat times, except under special circumstances as approved by a Personnel Coordinator.

L’Arche Daybreak TIME AWAY: ASSISTANT RETREATS

PF3 All L’Arche Daybreak Assistants who are at L’Arche Daybreak for a full year, and have made a commitment for another year, may request one seven day retreat annually. Retreats must be approved by the Leadership Team and scheduled in conjunction with the home team.

It is sometimes the case that an individual may have already been asked to attend a L’Arche Daybreak workshop or program, and would then need to discern which they would prefer to experience. Due to the time constraints of persons being away from their role in the Community, combined with financial limitations, L’Arche Daybreak cannot support an individual attending both a retreat and a workshop or program in the same year.

POLICY

 Retreat time and vacation time must be taken separately.

 A personal retreat must be directed by a qualified person and taken in the context of a structured format.

 Retreat time must be taken in a way that respects the needs of the house and program, and the schedule of the other Assistants' vacation and retreat time.

 Participants in the regional “Growing in the Mission” program are not entitled to another retreat during the same year they participate in the program.

 The Leadership Team must approve a retreat of longer than seven days.

 Assistants, who are in their 1st year and have made a commitment to L’Arche Daybreak for another year, are eligible for a 7-day retreat that may include 4 days of directed retreat and 3 days of Formation offered by the region of L'Arche Ontario.

 All retreat time must be taken between Jan. 15th and May 1st, unless otherwise approved by the Leadership team.

 A request to attend a Covenant Retreat should be directed to the Community Leader.

L’Arche Daybreak TIME AWAY: ASSISTANT RETREATS

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

 L'Arche Daybreak will cover the cost of L'Arche retreats and Formation.

 All other requests for retreat will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine which of the costs associated with the retreat may be financed.

 L’Arche Daybreak will pay 25% of an Assistant’s travel costs for any type of retreat with a maximum of $100 per year.

L’Arche Daybreak TIME AWAY: RECOGNIZED HOLIDAYS

PF4 L’Arche Daybreak provides a paid day-off or holiday pay, or substitute holidays for recognized L’Arche Daybreak public holidays, to full-time and part-time Employees as well as weekday Program Assistants and Leadership Team members.

POLICY

 If a scheduled recognized holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, personnel will receive a holiday with pay on either the business day immediately before or after the statutory holiday. L’Arche will determine which of these alternate days will be taken.

 The nine Holidays recognized by L’Arche Daybreak are:

New Years Day Canada Day Thanksgiving Day Good Friday Civic Holiday Christmas Day Victoria Day Labour Day Boxing Day

 The calendar date for these holidays change each year. L’Arche will circulate a list of the dates for each current year during the first two months of the benefit calendar year.

 Program Assistants / Leadership Team members who choose to support a home during all of the recognized holidays may received the 8 or 10 day Winter Holiday. See policy PF5 “Winter Holiday Time” for more details.

ELIGIBILITY FOR PAY

 Each person is required to work his or her full regularly scheduled day immediately prior to and following the holiday to be eligible for a paid holiday.

 Personnel, who are sick and are on the Short Term Sickness Plan during a Recognized L’Arche Daybreak Holiday, will be paid for the Holiday.

 If an Assistant/Employee has received prior approval to be absent from a regular shift the day prior to or after a recognized holiday they will be paid for the holiday.

L’Arche Daybreak TIME AWAY: RECOGNIZED HOLIDAYS

ELIGIBILITY FOR PAY (Continued)

 Exception may be given if an Assistant/Employee fails to work all or part of a shift or their regularly scheduled days due to illness, injury, medical emergencies, deaths, or other emergencies (either personal or family related). In this situation personnel are to supply their Supervisor and a Personnel Coordinator with an explanation of the absence. In most instances a doctor’s note is required.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE FOR RECOGNIZED HOLIDAYS

 Assistants/Employees who are off work on a recognized Holiday and who would normally be working will receive straight time for their regular work hours as scheduled for that day.

 If an Employee is required to work on a Recognized L’Arche Daybreak holiday, which would be a regular work day, they will be paid their regular rate of pay for hours worked on the holiday and given a substitute day off with pay, within 3 months of the holiday worked;

 They will be paid 2.5 times their regular rate of pay for the holiday. This is to be discussed with a Personnel Coordinator prior to the holiday.

 If an Employee is scheduled for a shift on Christmas Day, L’Arche Daybreak provides eligible staff 3 times their regular rate of pay for each hour worked on the holiday.

 For part time Employees: when a recognized holiday falls on a day that isn’t ordinarily a working day for an Employee, they are eligible to take a substitute working day off with pay;

 They will be paid for the holiday at the rate of 1X their salary for a regular workday in addition to their regular pay. For Employee’s who do not have a set number of hours per week, this amount will be determined by averaging their wages for the four weeks prior to the holiday.

L’Arche Daybreak TIME AWAY: WINTER HOLIDAY TIME

PF5 In recognition of the support house Assistants give to their homes throughout the year, including recognized holidays, Daybreak provides 8 or 10 days away in the winter months.

POLICY

 The 8-day Winter Holiday is provided for Assistants with service at Daybreak between 1 and 20 years and who support a home during all of the recognized holidays.

 The 10-day Winter Holiday is provided for Assistants with service over 20 years at Daybreak and who support a home during all of the recognized holidays.

 Winter Holiday time must be taken as 8 or 10 consecutive days away between December and February.

 The 8 or 10 days time away must be determined in dialogue with the House Leader.

 Personal Vacation or Retreats may not be taken consecutive to the Winter Holiday.

 Assistants are not entitled to a weekend away in the month in which the majority of the 8 or 10 days are taken.

 Assistants’ 1.5 days away per week are not to be taken consecutive to the Winter Holiday. If the Winter Holiday begins at the beginning of a week: Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, the Assistant is entitled to a break of 1 day away, to be taken at the end of the return week. Should the Winter Break begin on a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, the 1 day away should be taken early in the week before the Winter Break is taken.

 Assistants who desire to be at Daybreak over Christmas must coordinate their plans with the needs of the community in order to support the needs of the Core Members who stay at Daybreak over the Christmas and New Year season.

L’Arche Daybreak TIME AWAY: WINTER HOLIDAY TIME

PROCEDURES

 Assistants are to discuss their proposed Winter Holiday time with the House Leader to determine whether the time away works with the rhythm of the home.

 Assistants must complete and submit a Leave of Absence Request Form to the House Leader for written approval.

 The House Leader will report all approved Winter Holiday time on the Monthly Leave of Absence Form to the Personnel Administrative Assistant.

BOOK: Personnel SECTION: Leave of Absence POLICY #: PG1 APPROVAL: Board of Directors APPROVAL DATE: Jan/06 REVIEW DATE:

L’Arche Daybreak LEAVE OF ABSENCE: BEREAVEMENT

PG1 Bereavement leave will be granted to all L’Arche Daybreak Personnel when the death of a family member or close friend occurs.

POLICY

 A Personnel Coordinator on a case-by-case basis will determine the length of time for Bereavement Leave.

 Up to five (5) days paid leave is provided to L’Arche Daybreak personnel in the event of the death of a family member. This includes: a wife, husband, or partner, a parent, father-in-law, mother-in-law, step parent, foster parent, children, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, grandparent, and grandchildren.

 In an instance where the deceased relative is at such a distance that the Personnel do not attend the funeral, they will still be allowed bereavement leave.

 Paid bereavement leave may also be granted to attend a funeral in the event of the death of other individuals, which may include: aunts, uncles, cousins, or a close friend. The paid period will be typically 1-2 paid days away.

 In exceptional circumstances, paid bereavement leave may be extended at the discretion of the Leadership Team.

 Additional unpaid days may be requested when necessary.

PROCEDURES

 A Personnel Coordinator and the direct Supervisor are to be notified of the need for Bereavement leave as soon as it becomes known to the Assistant/Employee.

 The Personnel Coordinator contacted will determine an appropriate length for the paid bereavement time and will communicate this decision to the Assistant/Employee and their Supervisor.

L’Arche Daybreak LEAVE OF ABSENCE: BEREAVEMENT

 The Personnel Administrative Assistant is notified by the Personnel Coordinator to input the information for payroll and the Personnel file.

 If additional bereavement leave is required, the Assistant/Employee are to once again contact their direct Supervisor and a Personnel Coordinator.

 The Personnel Coordinator will take this request directly to the Leadership Team who will determine if, and for how long, it is reasonable to extend the leave. They will also determine whether the additional leave will be un/paid.

 The Personnel Coordinator will communicate the decision for the extended leave to the Assistant/Employee and the appropriate payment method provided to the Personnel Administrative Assistant.

L’Arche Daybreak LEAVE OF ABSENCE: JURY AND WITNESS DUTY LEAVE

PG2 L’Arche Daybreak Personnel called for jury duty, or subpoenaed to appear as a witness (providing the person is not a party to a law suit) will be granted leave with pay for days spent in court. L’Arche Daybreak will pay the Assistant/Employee their regular pay for the complete period of the leave.

POLICY

 A Personnel Coordinator is to be notified as soon as an Assistant/Employee is contacted for Jury or Witness Duty to review the impact to their position and for the community.

 L’Arche Daybreak will continue to pay all Assistant/Employees’ 100% of their regular earnings while on jury/witness duty.

 All monies paid by the courts are to be reimbursed directly to L’Arche Daybreak.

PROCEDURES

 The Assistant/Employee will return all court payments/allowance to L’Arche Daybreak upon completion of such duty.

 If released from potential Jury Duty earlier than expected, the Assistant/Employee is to notify a Personnel Coordinator and return to work at the beginning of their next scheduled shift.

L’Arche Daybreak LEAVE OF ABSENCE: TIME OFF FOR VOTING

PG3 L’Arche Daybreak Personnel, who are qualified electors for the purpose of casting a vote on an election day, will, if their regular work day does not allow for the prescribed consecutive hours free during the time the polls are open, be granted the time off with pay necessary to make up the prescribed consecutive hours.

POLICY

 Personnel will be given a maximum of three hours off to vote in a Municipal or Provincial election.

 Personnel will be given a maximum of four hours off to vote in a Federal election.

PROCEDURES

 Personnel will only take time off from work to vote where necessary, informing their Direct Supervisor when they will be arriving for or departing from a shift.

L’Arche Daybreak LEAVE OF ABSENCE: SABBATICAL

PG4 For Assistants who have been in the Community for more than six (6) years and have made a commitment to L’Arche Daybreak a sabbatical may be requested. A sabbatical is for Assistants who wish to take time to further their professional, educational or spiritual development in a way that will provide a long-term positive impact for both them and for the Community. L’Arche Daybreak and its Board of Directors will consider requests for sabbaticals on a case-by-case basis.

POLICY

 Only Assistants who have been at L’Arche Daybreak for a period of more than six (6) years can request a sabbatical.

 Assistants, who have held a particular role, such as Community Leader, or a leadership role in the Region or the Zone, over a period of years, may request a long-term sabbatical for up to one year.

 Requests for sabbatical will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis ensuring appropriate criteria for the leave will be met.

PROCEDURES

 Due to the planning that is generally required to accommodate sabbaticals, assistants are strongly encouraged to submit their written request for sabbatical time at least a full year before the proposed leave is to begin. It is however mandatory for the request be received at least three (3) months in advance of the desired date to begin a sabbatical.

 A written request for sabbatical is to be completed on the “Leave of Absence Request Form” and submitted to the Community Leader, who in turn will present this to the Board of Directors. If the Community Leader wishes to be considered for a sabbatical, he/she is to take the request directly to the Board of Directors.

 It is at the discretion of the Board of Directors, after consultation with the Community Leader, to decide whether the request will be approved.

L’Arche Daybreak LEAVE OF ABSENCE: SABBATICAL

 Should the request for a sabbatical be approved, it is the responsibility of the person who shall be leaving on sabbatical, in consultation with the Community Leader or his/her designate, to set all their work and responsibilities of their role in order beforehand, so that the Community will not be negatively impacted by their leave of absence.

 For most short-term sabbaticals (three to six months), the person taking a sabbatical would return to the role he/she had before the sabbatical began.

 Assistants requesting sabbaticals longer than six months must understand that when they to return to L’Arche Daybreak, it will not necessarily be in the same role as they held before.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

 L’Arche Daybreak will not pay the salary of individuals during sabbaticals, but may in some cases continue to contribute toward benefit premiums. Details regarding continuing benefits will be negotiated and recorded in writing before the sabbatical begins.

 When a Community Leader completes a mandate and/or steps down, and leaves the Community for a given period of time, the Board of Directors will take into consideration the financial repercussion of such a required leave. Any financial support will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

 Assistants may request that any outstanding accrued vacation time be paid out to them in a lump sum amount at the beginning of the sabbatical.

L’Arche Daybreak LEAVE OF ABSENCE: RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS

PG5 Reasonable accommodation will be made for personnel wishing to observe a religious holiday(s), other than those classified as L’Arche Daybreak Recognized Holidays.

POLICY

 Religious holidays are holy days not classified under the L’Arche Daybreak Recognized Holidays (see Policy PF4).

 Separate religious holidays can be substituted for Christmas Day and Good Friday. For example, an Assistant/Employee could schedule to be off work for Yom Kippur, but then opt to work on Christmas Day. This would be classified as a substitute day with pay.

 If an Assistant/Employee wishes to observe a religious holiday in addition to Christmas Day and Good Friday, it can be taken as a paid vacation day, or an unpaid leave of absence day.

PROCEDURES

 Any time an Assistant/ Employee wises to take a day off work to observe a religious holiday, they are to complete the “Leave of Absence Request Form” and submit to their Supervisor who will then submit the completed and signed form to the Personnel Administrative Assistant.

 The Personnel Administrative Assistant will process the leave indicating whether the day(s) is (are) a substitute for a recognized holiday, paid vacation, or an unpaid leave of absence.

L’Arche Daybreak LEAVE OF ABSENCE: MATERNITY & PARENTAL / ADOPTION

PG6 Maternity leave is available for any pregnant woman employed by L’Arche Daybreak. In addition, a parent of a new child is entitled to take parental or adoption leave, with an opportunity for him/her to return to work without loss of position or benefits.

MATERNITY LEAVE

POLICY

 An Assistant/Employee is entitled to 17 weeks of unpaid leave of absence for Maternity leave, providing she has been employed with L’Arche Daybreak for at least 13 weeks preceding the estimated date of delivery.

 The leave may commence no earlier than 17 weeks before the expected date of delivery or the day on which the Employee gives birth.

 Following Maternity Leave, the Assistant/Employee will be reinstated to the same position she left, providing it still exists, or to an equally comparable position if it does not. This does not apply if the employment of the Assistant/Employee is ended solely for reasons unrelated to the leave. The rate of pay on reinstatement must be at least equal to or greater than the rate the Assistant/Employee most recently earned, and the rate that the Assistant/Employee would be earning had she worked through the leave.

 An Assistant/Employee cannot be laid off, terminated or disciplined because she is entitled to, has applied for, or has taken Maternity Leave.

PROCEDURES

 The Assistant/Employee is required to contact the Personnel Administrative Assistant four (4) weeks’ prior to the date that the leave is to begin to obtain the “Maternity & Parental / Adoption Leave Form” for completion. A Personnel Coordinator may request a certificate from a legally qualified practitioner stating the due date.

 An Assistant/Employee who has given notice to begin Maternity Leave may change the notice to an earlier date, by giving at least 2 weeks’ written notice before the earlier date. She may change to a later date also, by giving 2 week’s notice before the leave is to begin.

 An Assistant/Employee who stops working because of a complication caused by her pregnancy or because of a birth, still-birth or miscarriage that occurs earlier than the due date, does not need to give prior notice. However, within 2 weeks after stopping work, the Assistant/Employee is required to give written notice to L’Arche Daybreak of the day the Maternity or Sick Leave, depending on the circumstances, began or is to begin.

 In the case of illness due to pregnancy or birthing complications, L’Arche Daybreak may request a certified medical certificate stating that the Assistant/Employee stopped working and is unable to perform her duties because of this complication. The certificate should also state her due date and/or the actual date of birth, stillbirth or miscarriage. Depending on the nature of the complication and/or illness, this leave may be deemed a Sick Leave and all procedures will apply under policy PG7 for Short Term Sickness benefits. A Personnel Coordinator will determine the nature of the leave in this type of instance.

 For Assistants/Employees who wish to begin benefit coverage for their child, s/he is to complete and submit to the Personnel Administrative Assistant the “Announcement of Birth/Adoption Form” as soon as the information is known.

 If an Assistant/Employee wishes to change her date of return to work to an earlier date, she must give L’Arche Daybreak at least 4 weeks’ written notice before the earlier date. If she wishes to change her date of return to a later date (subject to the rules concerning the maximum length of leave), she must give at least 4 weeks’ written notice by completing the “Maternity & Parental/Adoption Leave Form” before the date the leave was to end originally.

 An Assistant/Employee who takes Maternity Leave is not allowed to terminate her employment before the leave expires or when it expires, without giving L’Arche Daybreak at least four (4) weeks’ written notice of termination.

PARENTAL / ADOPTION LEAVE

POLICY

 An Assistant/Employee who has been employed by L’Arche Daybreak for at least 13 weeks, and who is a parent of a child, is entitled to a leave of absence without pay following the birth of the child, or the arrival of the child into the Assistant/ Employee’s custody, care and control for the first time.

 An Assistant/Employee may begin Parental/Adoption Leave no later than 52 weeks after the day the child is born, or arrives into the Assistant/Employee’s custody, care and control for the first time.

 An Assistant/Employee who has taken Maternity Leave must begin her Parental Leave directly following the end of her Maternity Leave.

 An Assistant/Employee’s Parental Leave ends 37 weeks after it began, unless taken directly after Maternity Leave, in which case it will end 35 weeks after it began.

 Following Parental/Adoption Leave, the Assistant/Employee will be reinstated to the same position s/he left, providing it still exists, or to a comparable position if it does not. This does not apply if the employment of the Assistant/Employee is ended solely for reasons unrelated to the leave. The Assistant/Employee’s rate of pay on reinstatement must be at least equal to or greater than the rate the Assistant/Employee most recently earned, and the rate that the Assistant/Employee would be earning had s/he worked through the leave.

 An Assistant/Employee cannot be laid off, terminated or disciplined because s/he is entitled to, has applied for, or has taken Parental Leave.

PROCEDURES

 An Assistant/Employee wishing to take Parental / Adoption Leave is to contact the Personnel Administrative Assistant to obtain and complete the “Maternity & Parental/Adoption Leave Form” four (4) weeks before the day the leave is to begin.

 Where the child enters the custody, care and control of the Assistant/Employee earlier than expected, the Assistant/Employee’s Parental/Adoption Leave begins on the day they stopped working. In this instance the Assistant/Employee must give L’Arche Daybreak written notice that they are commencing Parental Leave, within 2 weeks after stopping work.

 An Assistant/Employee who has given notice to begin Parental / Adoption Leave may change the notice to an earlier date, by giving at least 2 weeks’ written notice before the earlier date. The Assistant/Employee may change to a later date by giving 2 weeks’ notice before the earlier leave date was scheduled to begin.

 If an Assistant/Employee wishes to change the date of return to work to an earlier date, the Assistant/Employee must give L’Arche Daybreak at least four (4) weeks’ written notice before the earlier date. If the Assistant/Employee wishes to change the date of return to a later date (subject to the rules concerning the maximum length of leave), the Assistant/Employee must give at least four (4) weeks’ written notice before the date the leave was to end originally.

 For Assistants/Employees who wish to begin benefit coverage for their child and who did not take Maternity Leave, s/he is to complete the “Announcement of Birth/Adoption Form” as soon as this information is known.

 An Assistant/Employee who takes Parental / Adoption Leave is not allowed to terminate his or her employment before the leave expires or when it expires, without giving L’Arche Daybreak at least four (4) weeks’ written notice of termination.

POLICY AND PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO BOTH MATERNITY AND PARENTAL / ADOPTION LEAVES

 The Assistant/Employee has the option of taking any earned vacation days prior to the commencement of their Maternity, Parental or Adoption Leave or suspending vacation due until return. If the Assistant or Employee terminates during the leave, vacation due will then be received as pay.

 Vacation continues to accrue while an Assistant or Employee is on Maternity and / or Parental / Adoption leave(s).

 An Assistant/Employee can continue to be covered under the Daybreak Benefit plan while on Maternity and/or Parental/Adoption Leave if s/he chooses to continue to pay the premiums required for the duration of her/his leave. The Assistant /Employee is to make arrangements for premium payments and any other monies required for benefit coverage with the Personnel Administrative Assistant at least four (4) weeks’ prior to the expected leave.

 The “Return from Maternity & Parental/Adoption Leave Form” needs to be completed and received by the Personnel Administrative Assistant at least four (4) weeks’ before the expected return to work date.

L’Arche Daybreak LEAVE OF ABSENCE: SICK LEAVE

PG7 L’Arche Daybreak is committed to the well being of its Assistants and Employees and responds with care and empathy to those who are ill. This policy outlines the financial and other forms of support available to Assistants and Employees who are temporarily unable to work because of illness or accidental injury. Benefits under this policy do not apply to Maternity/Parental leave but includes sickness during pregnancy.

POLICY

 All regular salaried as well as full-time hourly Assistants and Employees at L’Arche Daybreak are eligible to be paid for time off work due to illness or injury.

 Employees classified as casual, relief, hourly, or on a short-term contract of four (4) months or less, are not eligible for paid time off for illness or injury.

PROCEDURES

 Assistants and Employees are required to contact their immediate Supervisor and the Personnel Administrative Assistant of their inability to report to work due to illness or injury as soon as it becomes known, using the “Leave of Absence Monthly Reporting Form”.

 The immediate Supervisor is expected to record absences and submit these records to the Personnel Administrative Assistant monthly.

 When personnel are away from work for more than two consecutive days they are to obtain a doctor’s certificate at their expense to provide to their Supervisor. This note is to explain the absence, the length of the absence including when the Assistant/Employee can return to work, and any accommodations required by L’Arche Daybreak.

 If L’Arche Daybreak does not feel that the information provided from a physician by the Assistant/Employee is sufficient, they may be asked to have their physician complete the “Report of Illness or Injury Form”. This form is to be returned to Personnel by the Assistant/Employee and/or they may be sent for a second opinion with a certified physician of Daybreak’s choice.

 L’Arche Daybreak has the right to instruct an Assistant or Employee not to come to work if they are too sick or badly injured.

 If a sick time absence occurs immediately before or after a recognized L’Arche Daybreak holiday, or at any time where abuse of this policy is suspected, a doctor’s certificate may be required by an L’Arche Daybreak recommended physician.

 A pattern of consistent absences will warrant a discussion between the individual and their Supervisor, and a member of the Personnel Team with possible repercussions to the Assistant’s/Employee’s position at L’Arche Daybreak.

 Sick Leave is not to be used for doctor’s/dentist’s appointments that cannot be scheduled outside of work time or for any family emergencies, illnesses or medical appointments that may occur. This type of leave is detailed under policy PG9 “Emergency Leave”.

 An Assistant/Employee is not eligible for paid sick days for at least three (3) months after returning from a sick leave of one (1) consecutive week or more.

SHORT TERM SICKNESS PLAN

 After a regular salaried Assistant/Employee has been absent from work due to illness or injury for two consecutive calendar weeks, they are eligible to begin the short-term sickness plan. The “Report of Illness/Injury Form” is to be completed by a physician at the Assistant/Employee’s expense and / or a second opinion by an independent physician recommended by Daybreak, will be required at this time. Daybreak will not pay the Assistant/Employee any monies toward the short-term sickness leave until all of the appropriate documentation has been received.

 An Assistant/Employee will receive 66.67% of their regular salary for an additional 105 calendar days, once they are deemed to be on the short-term sickness plan leave.

SHORT TERM SICKNESS PLAN (Continued)

 The 105 calendar days available for short term sickness will be pro-rated for those who are regular salaried part-time employees.

 Assistants/Employees continue to accrue vacation while on the Short Term Sickness Plan, however it will be calculated at 66.67% of what their standard accrual rate was prior to going on the leave.

 Regular Assistants and Employees are eligible to apply for Long Term Disability (LTD) benefits to begin following the 105th calendar day away from work on the Short Term Sickness Plan.

 Compensation under the LTD plan will then apply, provided that the qualifying criteria are met. L’Arche Daybreak’s benefit carrier will determine whether the criteria for LTD are sufficient.

LONG TERM DISABILITY

 The Long Term Disability Plan provides income protection for Assistants and Employees who are unable to perform the material duties of their position due to total disablement resulting from an illness or injury.

 A waiting period of 119 calendar days of continuous absence must be satisfied in order to qualify for receipt of benefits. Refer to the Long-Term Disability information in the Benefit Booklet for details regarding this Plan.

 Pay continues at 66.67% of regular earnings once approved or as outlined by the L’Arche Daybreak benefit carrier. Refer to the most recent benefit information when beginning Long Term Disability.

 Vacation does not accrue when an Assistant/Employee is on Long Term Disability.

 Where qualification criteria for LTD are not met, the Assistant/Employee is expected to return for work at the end of their qualifying Short Term Sickness Leave or may be placed on a leave without pay and provided with a Record of Employment in order to make an application for Federal Employment Insurance benefits.

 An Assistant/Employee can continue to be covered under the Daybreak Benefit plan while on LTD if s/he chooses to continue to pay the premiums required for the duration of her/his leave. The Assistant/Employee is to make arrangements for premium payments and any other monies required for benefit coverage with the Personnel Administrative Assistant at the beginning of the LTD period.

USE OF ACCUMULATED VACATION

 Assistants and Employees, at their option, can draw upon accumulated vacation days to assist in receiving full pay while on the Short Term Sickness plan.

 An Assistant/Employee is required to get approval from a Personnel Coordinator if they want to take any unused vacation still available directly following being off on the Short Term Sickness Plan.

 Accrued vacation available cannot be used to top up Long Term Disability.

ACCOMMODATION

 After extended sick leave, and where supported by medical documentation, L’Arche Daybreak will make a reasonable attempt to facilitate an Assistant’s or Employee’s return to work even if the person is unable to perform all the job duties. Methods of accommodation must be specified by a certified physician and may include:

o Permanent or temporary modification of job duties; o Reduced hours of work.

 Upon return, if the Assistant/Employee enters into a modified work program their salary could be pro-rated based on the number of hours being worked.

 Accommodation may not always be possible depending on the nature of the Assistant’s/Employee’s role and other factors at L’Arche Daybreak at the time.

L’Arche Daybreak LEAVE OF ABSENCE: EMERGENCY LEAVE

PG8 Emergency Leave of up to five (5) paid days, plus an additional five (5) unpaid days, shall be granted to Assistants and Employees to attend to personal matters or those associated with family members, each benefit year. These days are non-cumulative and there is no cash payout for days not used. The purpose of this policy is to assist Assistants and Employees to deal with personal and family responsibilities, which cannot be dealt with outside of their normal hours of work.

ELIGIBILITY

 All full-time and part-time Assistants and Employees are eligible for Emergency Leave of up to five (5) paid days and five (5) unpaid days per benefit year.

 Individuals who are classified as relief or temporary are not eligible for Emergency Leave. Any questions regarding eligibility should be directed to a Personnel Coordinator.

 The ten (10) days of leave do not have to be taken consecutively. Assistants/ Employees should inform their Supervisor as early as possible about the leave.

 The Assistant’s/Employee’s Supervisor or a Personnel Coordinator may ask for proof that validates an Assistants/Employees reasons for the leave.

 For purposes of this leave, family is defined as wife, husband, partner, son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, foster parent, mother, father, brother, sister, stepfather, stepmother, mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandmother, grandfather or grandchild. At the discretion of a Personnel Coordinator, other individuals may be included, provided that they are dependent on or reside with, the Assistant/ Employee.

L’Arche Daybreak LEAVE OF ABSENCE: EMERGENCY LEAVE

REASONS FOR LEAVE

 The following are reasons for taking Emergency Leave:

o Family illness, injury, medical emergency, or other urgent matters relating to family members; o Extended time required for bereavement due to a death in the family; o Scheduled appointments for personal or family health matters where the appointment could not be reasonably made outside of normal hours of work.

PROCEDURES

 If the Emergency Leave is known ahead of time, the Assistant/Employee is to complete the “Leave of Absence Request” form and provides to their supervisor.

 If there is a question about the eligibility of an Emergency leave, the Supervisor or a Personnel Coordinator may ask for proof that is reasonable to the circumstances.

 When an Emergency leave occurs without notice, the Assistant/Employee must inform their Supervisor and the Personnel Administrative Assistant, as soon as possible after starting the leave.

 Each Supervisor is required to submit the “Leave of Absence Monthly Reporting” form on a monthly basis to Personnel. This form needs to include all absences due to Emergency leave.

 If an Assistant/Employee takes only part of a day as emergency leave, Personnel may count this as a full day of leave, depending on the timing and circumstances.

L’Arche Daybreak LEAVE OF ABSENCE: FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE

PG9 Family Medical leave is unpaid, job-protected leave of up to eight (8) weeks. The purpose of this leave is solely to provide care and support to a family member with a serious medical condition where there is a significant risk of death occurring within a period of 26 weeks of the leave. This policy is directed and administered through Human Resources Development Canada.

ELIGIBILITY

 All full-time and part-time Assistants and Employees, regular or contract, are eligible for unpaid Family Medical leave of up to eight (8) weeks where there is significant risk of death within a 26-week period.

 Individuals who are classified as relief or temporary are not eligible for Family Medical Leave. Any questions regarding eligibility should be directed to a Personnel Coordinator.

 Anyone applying for Family Medical Leave is required to obtain a certificate from a qualified medical doctor indicating that the family member has a serious medical condition and there is significant risk of death occurring within a period of 26 weeks.

 For the purpose of this policy family members are: a spouse; or a parent, stepparent, or foster parent of the Assistant or Employee; or a child, stepchild, or foster child of the Assistant/Employee or their spouse/partner.

 Any Assistant/Employee who takes Family Medical Leave can apply for “Compassionate Care Benefits” at a local Human Resources Development Canada office. This can provide eligible individuals with up to six (6) weeks of Employment insurance benefits while on leave.

PROCEDURES

 Each Assistant or Employee seeking to take Family Medical Leave is required to complete the “Leave of Absence Request” form and attach the certificate provided by the medical doctor to the form. Both of these are then to be provided to their immediate Supervisor.

L’Arche Daybreak LEAVE OF ABSENCE: FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE

 In the case where the leave is required before obtaining a copy of the medical doctor’s certificate, the Assistant/Employee is required to provide a copy as soon as possible to their supervisor. The certificate must include the dates for the leave and must correspond to the dates indicated by the Assistant/Employee. If a copy of the certificate is not produced within a reasonable amount of time, the leave will not be approved. The Supervisor and a Personnel Coordinator will determine eligibility for the leave.

 The Assistant/Employee is responsible for paying any costs required for obtaining the medical certificate.

 All Family Medical leaves begin on a Sunday and end on a Saturday. If a leave begins on any other day, the start date for the leave will be adjusted back to the most recent Sunday.

Example: An Employee began their leave on Wednesday, September15th. The actual start date of the leave is Sunday, September 12th and continues until the Saturday of the week the leave ends.

o Family Medical Leave does not have to be taken all at one time, but the time does need to be taken in weekly (7 consecutive days) timeframes. o The entire eight (8) weeks’ of leave must be taken within a 26-week period.

 Each Supervisor is required to submit the “Leave of Absence Monthly Reporting” form on a monthly basis to Personnel. This form needs to include all absences due to Family Medical leave with the accompanying documents, which support the leave.

 The last day an Assistant/Employee can remain on leave would be the earliest of:

o The last day of the week in which the family member passes away OR; o The last day of the week when the 26-week period ends OR; o The last day of the eight (8) weeks of Family Medical Leave.

 Seniority and vacation continue to accrue for an Assistant/Employee while on Family Medical Leave.

 Assistants/Employees are to contact the Personnel Administrative Assistant to discuss how their benefit coverage can continue while on this leave.