Employee Handbook
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Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc. Employee Handbook Arizona Updated June 2018 Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc. Page 1 of 79 Updated June 2018 ABOUT THIS HANDBOOK / DISCLAIMER We prepared this handbook to assist Staff and Teachers in finding the answers to many questions that they may have regarding their employment with Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc. Please take the necessary time to read it. We do not expect this handbook to answer all employee questions. Team Leaders, Vice Principals, Principals and the Personnel Department (HR) also will be a major source of information. Neither this handbook nor any other verbal or written communication by any Senior Administration representative, is, nor should it be considered to be, an agreement, contract of employment, express or implied, or a promise of treatment in any particular manner in any given situation nor does it confer any contractual rights whatsoever. Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc. adheres to the policy of employment at will, which permits the School or the employee to terminate the employment relationship at any time, for any reason, with or without cause or notice. No School representative other than the Personnel Department (HR) or the CEO may modify at-will status and/or provide any special arrangement concerning terms or conditions of employment in an individual case or generally and any such modification must be in a signed writing. Many matters covered by this handbook, such as benefit plan descriptions, are also described in separate School documents. These School documents are always controlling over any statement made in this handbook or by any member of Senior Administration. This handbook states only general School guidelines. The School may, at any time, in its sole discretion, modify or vary from anything stated in this handbook, with or without notice, except for the rights of the parties to terminate employment at will, which may only be modified by an express written agreement signed by the employee and the Personnel Department (HR) or the CEO. This handbook supersedes all prior handbooks. Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc. Page 2 of 79 Updated June 2018 Table of Contents Welcome Statement 8 Section 1 - Governing Principles of Employment 9 1-1. Equal Employment Opportunity 9 1-2. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 9 1-3. Discrimination, Harassment, Workplace Bullying and Retaliation Prevention Policy 10 Discrimination Defined 10 Harassment Defined 10 Sexual Harassment Defined 11 Retaliation Defined 11 Workplace Bullying 12 Reporting Procedures 13 Investigation Procedures 13 1-4. Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace 14 Purpose and Goal 14 Covered Workers 14 Applicability 15 Prohibited Behavior 15 Notification of Convictions 16 Searches 16 Drug Testing 16 Prescription Medication Policy 17 Consequences 17 Return-to-Work Agreements 17 Assistance 17 Confidentiality 18 Shared Responsibility 18 Communication 19 1-5. Workplace Violence 19 Prohibited Conduct 19 Procedures for Reporting a Threat 20 1-6. Pay Transparency 20 Section 2 - Operational Policies 20 2-1. Immigration Law Compliance 21 2-2. Employment Applications 21 2-3. Employee Classifications 21 2-4. Emergency Closings 22 Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc. Page 3 of 79 Updated June 2018 2-5. Timekeeping Procedures 22 2-6. Overtime 23 2-7. Safe Harbor Policy for Exempt Staff and Teachers 23 2-8. Financial Policy and Procedure 25 Annual Audit 25 Purchasing 25 Contracts 27 Banking 27 Petty Cash 27 Accounts Payable 28 Accounts Receivable 29 Returned Check Policy 29 Fundraising Events 30 Financial Reporting 30 2-9. Paychecks 30 2-10. Direct Deposit 31 2-11. Performance Reviews 31 2-12. Record Retention 32 Section 3 - Benefits 32 3-1. Benefits Overview 32 3-2. Holidays 32 3-3. Vacations / Paid Time Off (PTO) 33 Vacation Time 33 Vacation Accumulation: 33 Paid Time Off (PTO) 34 PTO Accumulation (Full-time Preschool Directors): 34 PTO Accumulation (Full-time Preschool Staff and Teachers): 34 PTO Accumulation (Full-time Employee – Non-Preschool): 34 PTO Accumulation (Teaching Assistants): 35 3-4. Paid Sick Leave 36 Eligibility 36 Accrual 36 Sick Leave Accumulation: 36 Usage 37 Grey Dates 38 Notice and Documentation 38 Payment 39 Carryover and Payout 39 Enforcement & Retaliation 40 3-5. Lactation Breaks 40 Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc. Page 4 of 79 Updated June 2018 3-6. Insurance Programs 40 3-7. Workers’ Compensation 41 3-8. 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan 41 Section 4 - Leaves of Absence 42 4-1. Family and Medical Leave 42 Eligibility for FMLA Leave 42 Basic FMLA Leave 42 Married Couples 43 Serious Health Condition 43 Military Family Leave 43 Use of Leave 45 Employee Responsibilities when Requesting FMLA Leave 45 Medical Certification 46 Employer Responsibilities 46 Pay, Benefits, and Protections during FMLA Leave 46 Intermittent and Reduced-Schedule Leave 47 Unlawful Acts by Employers 48 Enforcement 48 4-2. Personal Leave 48 4-3. Military Leave 49 4-4. Jury Duty 49 4-5. Witness Leave 50 4-6. Voting Leave 50 4-7. Leave for Crime Victims 50 Notice and Documentation 51 Confidentiality 51 Retaliation 51 4-8. Bereavement Leave 51 Section 5 - General Standards of being a Leman Employee 52 5-1. Workplace Conduct 52 5-2. Scholar Interaction Policy 54 5-3. Punctuality and Attendance 58 5-4. Use of Communication and Computer Systems 58 5-5. Use of Social Media 59 5-6. Personal and School-Provided Portable Communication Devices 60 5-7. Camera Phones/Recording Devices 61 5-8. Inspections 61 5-9. Smoking 62 5-10. Telephone Calls, Postage and Personal Visits 62 5-11. Solicitation and Distribution 62 Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc. Page 5 of 79 Updated June 2018 5-12. Bulletin Boards 63 5-13. Confidentiality/Non-Disclosure 63 FERPA 63 5-13. Conflict of Interest and Business Ethics 64 5-14. Use of Facilities, Equipment and Property, Including Intellectual Property 65 Intellectual Property 66 5-15. Health and Safety 67 5-16. Employee Dress and Personal Appearance 68 5-17. Operation of Vehicles 69 Portable Communication Device Use While Driving 70 5-18. Travel and Expense Reimbursements 70 Expense Reimbursement 71 General Travel Requirements 71 Travel Accommodations 72 Travel Transportation 72 Other Travel Expenses 73 Non-Reimbursable Travel Expenditures 73 5-19. References 74 5-20. If You Must Leave Us 74 5-21. Exit Interview 75 5-22. A Few Closing Words 75 General Handbook Acknowledgment 76 Receipt of Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Prevention Policy 77 Acknowledgement of Company Equipment 78 Intellectual Property Policy 79 \ Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc. Page 6 of 79 Updated June 2018 Welcome Statement For those of you who are commencing employment with Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc. (herein: “Leman Academy” or “Leman Academy of Excellence” or “the School”), on behalf of Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc., let me extend a warm and sincere welcome. I hope you will enjoy your work and feel as fulfilled as one can feel in your work here with us. I cannot explain how glad and excited we are to have you as part of our team and community. For those of you who have been with us, thank you for your continued service. I extend to you my personal best wishes for your personal success and professional satisfaction here at Leman Academy of Excellence. I understand that it is our Staff and Teachers that offer the support, love and guidance our families expect for their scholars. It is also you who will grow and enable us to create new opportunities in the years to come. Dennis O’Reilly, Head of Schools Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc. Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc. Page 7 of 79 Updated June 2018 Section 1 - Governing Principles of Employment 1-1. Equal Employment Opportunity Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, religion, creed, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, marital status, civil union status, medical condition, disability (mental and physical), military and veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. Our Senior Administration team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment during employment. Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008 protects applicants and Staff and Teachers from discrimination based on genetic information in hiring, promotion, termination, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral, and other aspects of employment. GINA also restricts employers’ acquisition of genetic information and strictly limits disclosure of genetic information. Genetic information includes information about genetic tests of applicants, Staff and Teachers, or their family members; the manifestation of diseases or disorders in family members (family medical history); and requests for or receipt of genetic services by applicants, Staff and Teachers, or their family members. The School will endeavor to accommodate the sincere religious beliefs of its Staff and Teachers to the extent such accommodation does not pose an undue hardship on the School’s operations. Staff and Teachers who wish to request such an accommodation should speak to the Personnel Department (Human Resources). Any Staff and Teachers with questions or concerns about equal employment opportunities in the workplace are encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of the Personnel Department (HR). The School will not allow any form of retaliation against individuals who raise issues of equal employment opportunity. To ensure our workplace is free of artificial barriers, violation of this policy will lead to discipline, up to and including termination. All Staff and Teachers must cooperate with all investigations. 1-2. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Leman Academy of Excellence, Inc.