•  Open Door Policy

Avenue Home Care encourages open communication among all employees to create a productive and respectful work environment. We hope that all employees feel free to express issues of concern and make suggestions and/or recommendations regarding work conditions and operations. If a work-related or interpersonal issue arises with a co-worker, an employee is encouraged to address the problem directly with the employee involved. However, if this is unsuccessful the employee should bring the matter to the attention of their supervisor. If the issue is with a supervisor, then the employee should seek resolution with the next level of supervision.

• Workday

Avenue Home Care’ normal workday is eight hours for non-exempt employees, with 40 hours being a normal full-time employee workweek. Exempt employees generally work the same hours but may be required to work more hours as the workload dictates.  You are not guaranteed you will actually work these amounts of hours per day or week. Employees must update their availability with the office staff for scheduling purposes. Changes to availability must be submitted in writing via text or email.

Overtime work must be approved in advance by your supervisor. Your supervisor will confirm your availability and eligibility for overtime hours. Non-exempt employees will receive one and one-half times their regular hourly rate for hours worked exceeding 40 hours per workweek. Full-time non-exempt employees will be paid double their regular hourly rate when requested to work on an agency-designated holiday. Part-time employees will be paid one and one-half times their regular hourly rate for working on an agency-designated holiday. Exempt employees are not entitled to overtime or holiday pay.

• Absenteeism and Tardiness

All Avenue employees are expected to be punctual and regular in their attendance. You are expected to report to work as scheduled, on time, and prepared. Unscheduled absence and tardiness is disruptive to the quality of care we provide our clients, and it places an unfair burden on your fellow employees.

When you accept a job assignment, you are expected to arrive on time and work the full scheduled hours. If an employee reports more than five minutes late to work without permission, they are considered tardy. We do understand that an emergency or situation out of your control, may cause you to be tardy or absent. If you are going to be tardy or totally absent from your assignment, you must immediately notify your supervisor. Your supervisor will directly notify your assignment.

Repeated absenteeism and/or tardiness is not tolerated. If at all possible it is requested that employees notify their supervisor a minimum of at least two hours in advance of their assignment, with 24 hours being preferred, for the need to reschedule or cancel. If an employee is absent from work without prior authorization or without giving proper notice for more than three days, they will be considered as resigning from the agency.

• Personal Appearance

As an employee of Avenue Home Care, your appearance and behavior reflects directly on the agency. Cleanliness and good grooming are essential to a professional appearance. Reasonable accommodation will be made for a person’s disability or religious/moral beliefs.

If you have an employment arrangement with another agency, you are not to wear your Avenue Home Care nametag while on duty for the other agency. Clothing must be kept clean and pressed at all times. You will also be required to follow the following guidelines for other aspects of your appearance:

• Hair, beards, and mustaches clean and well-groomed and a natural color

• Long hair must be pulled back

• No cologne or perfume, or cosmetics with a fragrance

• Conservative makeup

• No excessive or dangling jewelry, or facial jewelry e.g., nose rings

• Caregivers tops must have sleeves, cover cleavage, and have adequate length to cover midriff and top of pants in all circumstances.

• Unacceptable attire includes jeans, yoga/exercise pants, shorts, or skirts. Street clothes must be modest and scrubs are acceptable for most clients.

• No torn, stained, or wrinkled clothing

• No open-toed shoes, sandals, or thongs (flip flops)

If your attire is deemed by management to not be inappropriate, you will be asked to go home and change. You will not be compensated for the time off work to accomplish this. If you feel you need to wear something different than what the guidelines require, contact your supervisor.

• Solicitation

Out of respect for our customers and other employees, no person, employed or otherwise, may solicit or distribute literature in the workplace at any time for any purpose.

• Use of Agency/Client Property

Avenue Home Care endeavors to provide an environment that is positive and supportive of its employees. As an employee, you are expected to treat the agency, co-workers, and client’s property with respect and care. Equipment and supplies provided to do your assignment should not be used for personal use.

You are asked to report any lost, stolen, broken, or damaged property to your supervisor as soon as possible. Any agency property checked out to you at the beginning of your employment is to be returned on upon your termination/resignation. Any property belonging to the agency that is not returned will be deducted from your final paycheck.

• Use of Client Phone

Avenue Home Care employees are not to use the client's phone for personal calls. If it is necessary for you to call the office or one of the clinical staff for purpose of the client's care, you are to ask the client's permission to do so. This also applies to calls that you expect to come to you while on duty. Again, no personal calls!! You are not to give the client’s phone number to your family or friends. If someone needs to reach you in an emergency, instruct him or her to call the main office. If you become ill while on assignment, please obtain the client's permission to use the phone to call your supervisor to make arrangements for a replacement.

• Personal Cell Phone Use

Avenue Home Care employees shall only use their personal cell phones during work hours for legitimate agency business, with permission from a supervisor. We do realize that your family may need to reach you in cases of emergencies, but we want you to know that this is the only exception to using your personal cell phone while on assignment.

• Employee Handbook Communications / Internet Usage

Avenue Home Care employees are provided Internet access only for business purposes. All computer, electronic, and telephonic data and documents composed, transmitted, or received via agency systems are considered part of our official records, and are subject to monitoring and disclosure to law enforcement and/or other third parties. Employees have no right or expectation of privacy with respect to use of the Internet through any computers or computer files provided by the agency. We reserve the right to randomly audit, inspect, or monitor employee’s use of agency equipment at any time to determine authorized business use.

Any information composed, transmitted, accessed, or retrieved via the Internet on agency equipment must not contain content that could be considered discriminatory, offensive, obscene, threatening, harassing, intimidating, or disruptive to any employee or other person. Examples of unacceptable content may include, but are not limited to, sexual comments or images, racial slurs, gender-specific comments or any other comments or images that could reasonably offend someone on the basis of race, age, gender, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by law.

Employees may use agency Internet resources on a limited basis as long as it does not interfere with job duties. You cannot disguise your identity when creating or transmitting messages or material on our computers or equipment and are not to transmit material in violation of any agency, federal, state, or local regulations. Employees are to use caution and take all reasonable care to protect the agency's computer equipment from viruses, damage, or theft. Periodically audits may be conducted of all software on computers in the workplace to identify any potential virus or security threats or unlicensed, illegal, or unauthorized software copies.

The abuse of Internet access provided by the agency in violation of law or this manual may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Employees may also be held personally liable for any violations of this policy. The following behaviors are examples of actions and activities that are prohibited and can result in disciplinary action:

• Sending or posting discriminatory, harassing, or threatening messages or images.

• Using agency time and resources for personal gain.

• Copying, pirating, or downloading software and Employee Handbook files without permission.

• Sending or posting confidential material, trade secrets, or proprietary information of the agency.

• Violating copyright law.

• Engaging in unauthorized transactions that may incur a cost to the agency or initiate unwanted Internet services and transmissions.

• Sending or posting messages or material that could damage the agency’s reputation.

• Participating in the viewing or exchange of pornography or obscene materials.

• Attempting to break into the computer system of another organization, company or person.

• Refusing to cooperate with a security or law enforcement investigation.

• Jeopardizing the security of the agency’s Employee Handbook communications or computer systems.

• Engaging in any illegal activities online.

  
  

• Workers Compensation/Unemployment Insurance

All Avenue Home Care employees are covered by state worker's compensation and unemployment insurance during their employment. If you need to file a claim, make sure to indicate Avenue Home Care as the employer, not the client you are working at the time.

• Nepotism, Employment of Relatives, and Personal Relationships

Avenue Home Care wants to ensure that situations such as conflict of interest or favoritism do not occur with employees. This includes situations regarding employee hiring, promotion, and transfer. Close relatives, partners, those in a dating relationship, or members of the same household are not permitted to be in positions that have a reporting responsibility to each other. Close relatives are defined as husband, wife, domestic partner, father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in law, grandfather, grandmother, son, son-in-law, daughter, daughter-in law, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, step relatives, cousins and domestic partner relatives.

If employees begin a dating relationship or become relatives, partners, or members of the same household and if one party is in a supervisory position, that person is required to inform their supervisor and/or administration of the relationship.

The agency reserves the right to apply this policy to situations where there is a conflict or the potential for conflict because of the relationship between employees, even if there is no direct-reporting relationship or authority involved.

• Emergency/Disaster Preparedness

Avenue Home Care has an established plan for the service of its clients in the event of inclement weather, natural disaster, terrorist attack, or other emergency. The emergency/disaster plan provides an orderly procedure to be implemented to ensure that the health care needs of clients continue to be met to the greatest extent possible. All personnel are oriented to the plan and their responsibilities in carrying out the plan. Possible emergency or risk factors will be identified for each patient and appropriate emergency plans discussed with the patient and/or the responsible person at the time of admission. The name and telephone number of an emergency contact is obtained at the time of admission so that the plan can be implemented to the benefit of all patients. Full details of the plan and procedures can be found in the agency’s policy and procedures manual.

• Emergency Closings Due to Inclement Weather

If Avenue Home Care needs to close prior to the opening of the office due to inclement weather, administration will advise the on-call employees as to whether the office will be open, delayed, or closed, at least one hour before the office normally opens if possible.

If the office is open, all personnel will be expected to report to work unless otherwise directed by their supervisor. If the employee chooses not to report to work, the employee must notify their supervisor so client service visits may be reassigned. The employee may utilize annual leave for the missed time. Absences without proper notice will not be paid.

If inclement weather develops during the workday, the agency will make a decision regarding closing early. Field employees should follow their assigned work schedule, but not put themselves at risk in getting to/from their assignment. If an employee is unable to get to their client’s residence, call the on-duty supervisor for further directions.