• At-Will Employment

This handbook has been prepared to inform you of Avenue Home Care’s employment practices, policies, benefits, and standards of conduct expected of you as an employee.  This handbook is a guideline, not a complete description of expectations for your standards of conduct or policies applicable to your employment.

This handbook is not a contract, express or implied, guaranteeing employment for any specific duration. Although we hope your employment relationship with Avenue Home Care will be long term, either you or the agency, may terminate this relationship at any time, for any reason, with or without cause or notice.

Additionally, if your California Social Service registration is allowed to expire, you will be placed on unpaid suspension until it is renewed and you are legally permitted to practice again.

Any part of this handbook or other agency policies may be changed, deleted, suspended, added to, discontinued, and applied at any time without notice or consideration. You are responsible for knowing these policies, which may change with or without notice. A current version of this handbook shall be maintained both in the office and online in the Caregiver Portal.

As laws change over time and vary by jurisdiction, if this handbook is inconsistent with applicable law the agency shall follow applicable law.

Exceptions, additions, and amendments to these policies may be only be made in writing and with express written approval by the agency owner/board of directors.

• Conflict of interest

Avenue Home Care expects all our employees to conduct business to the highest ethical standards of conduct. Any situation that appears to be a conflict of interest between the agency and the employee is not acceptable. A potential or actual conflict of interest occurs whenever an employee is in a position to influence a decision that may result in a personal gain for the employee or an immediate family member (i.e., spouse or significant other, children, parents, siblings) as a result of the agency's business dealings.

All employees will be required upon hire to sign a conflict of interest form attesting that they will not place themselves in a position where a personal interest may influence decisions between agency and other entities to ensure the agency’s mission is not harmed by their relationships.

In addition, all employees must promptly disclose actual or potential conflicts of interest, in writing, to his or her supervisor. The supervisor or administration then will decide whether the relationship does/does not interfere with the employee's ability to do their duties or damage the agency’s reputation. A violation of this policy will result in immediate and appropriate discipline, which may include immediate termination.

• Confidentiality

All Avenue Home Care records and information, including without limitation, documents, notes, files, records, oral information, computer files, and any and all information related to personnel and clients, is considered confidential. In the course of their business, employees will ensure all such information is treated accordingly. All employees will be required to sign and date a confidentiality statement upon hire.

Employees must not disclose any confidential information, purposefully or inadvertently through casual conversation, to any unauthorized person inside or outside the agency. Client information is considered confidential and private, and sharing this information with persons other than those who have a right to know is considered a breach of confidentiality and a violation of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations. At no time is a client’s privileged information to be shared with your family, friends, or other clients. 

If you are unsure about the confidential nature of specific information consult with your supervisor for clarification. An employee, who breaches confidentiality, whether knowingly or unknowingly, will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. In some cases, there could be criminal charges.

• outside employment

Avenue Home Care employees are permitted to engage in outside work or to hold other jobs, subject to certain restrictions as outlined below. However, you are not to seek employment directly or indirectly from any client to whom you have been assigned for at least 2 years after your last day of that assignment.

Activities and conduct away from the job must not compete with, conflict with, or compromise the agency interests or adversely affect the employee’s job performance and ability to fulfill all job responsibilities. Employees are prohibited from performing any services for customers on nonworking time that are normally performed by the agency. This prohibition also extends to the unauthorized use of any agency tools or equipment and the unauthorized use or application of any confidential information. In addition, employees are not to solicit or conduct any outside business during paid working time.

Employees are cautioned to carefully consider the demands that additional work can create before accepting outside employment. Outside employment will not be considered an excuse for poor job performance, absenteeism, tardiness, leaving early, refusal to travel, or refusal to work overtime or different hours. If the agency determines that an employee’s outside work interferes with performance, the employee may be asked to terminate the outside employment.

Employees who have accepted outside employment may not use paid sick leave to work on the outside job. Fraudulent use of sick leave will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

• right-to-know laws

The Federal Government has substance right-to-know laws. These laws were created to protect employees from hazards in the workplace. Avenue Home Care complies with all posting requirements and records creation and retention relevant to the laws. Also, the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requires that we maintain a listing of all substances that you may encounter in your work that are considered hazardous. The information relevant to these substances is found in the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) Manual located in the office. You have unlimited access to the manual. If you are a remote worker, you will be provided copies of MSDS on hire, either in paper or Employee Handbook format.