2025 EASTCONN_EMPLOYEE_HANDBOOK by EASTCONN

A NOTE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Welcome to EASTCONN!

Whether you ' re just joining our team or are a seasoned member community, this handbook has been thoughtfully created to sup journey with us. At EASTCONN, we believe that every individual unique value to our organization, and your contributions help cre we ' re proud to share.

This handbook reflects more than just policies and procedures – it embodies our commitment to fostering an environment where you can grow, thrive, and find fulfillment in your work. We're dedicated to supporting you while ensuring you have the resources and guidance needed to succeed in your role

A few important points to keep in mind:

● We regularly update this handbook to better serve our employees' needs You will receive notiﬁcations of signiﬁcant changes via your EASTCONN email address To stay informed, please check your email regularly and visit the Employee Intranet for the most current version of the handbook

● While comprehensive, this handbook doesn't override federal and state laws, agency regulations, or collective bargaining agreements. The most current versions of these documents remain the ofﬁcial basis for any interpretations.

● This handbook reﬂects and reinforces EASTCONN's commitment to a positive work culture. The policies and guidelines outlined here support our core values and promote a respectful, inclusive environment where all employees can thrive. Your understanding and implementation of these principles helps us achieve our organizational mission.

● Allow this handbook to serve as your comprehensive reference guide for EASTCONN policies and procedures From dress code and safety protocols to performance expectations, these guidelines ensure consistent understanding and fair application of our policies across all departments and roles

For additional resources, visit our Human Resources pages on the Employee Intranet Our HR team is here to support you, and is available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a m - 4:00 p m at our Central Ofﬁces in Hampton, by calling: 860-455-1630 or by email at humanresources@eastconn org

Remember, your success is integral to EASTCONN's ability to serve our communities, school districts, and students. We value your voice, welcome your ideas, and are committed to making your time with us both meaningful and rewarding. Our doors are always open for your questions, suggestions, and feedback as we work together to create an even better workplace.

Sincerely,

Eric S. Protulis, EASTCONN Executive Director

“Salaried” & “Hourly” Classifications

Open Enrollment/Benefit Changes

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Accounts (LPFSA)

Dependent Care Accounts (DCA)

Life Insurance

Retirement, Certified Staff; Eligible Non-Certified Staff

Tax-Sheltered Annuity (TSA) Plans

Attendance

Absence Reporting

Employee Self-Service Portal (ESS)

Vacation Days

Vacation Carry-Over

Personal Days

Professional Days

Sick Days/Leave of Absence

Workers’ Compensation

First Report of Injury / Incident Report

Jury Duty

Military Leave

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Family Violence Leave Act

Policies, Guidelines & Resources…………………………..…………..24

Notable Human Resource Policies Partial List

Connecticut Law Prohibiting Discrimination based on Ethnic Hairstyles

Animals in EASTCONN Buildings

Automobile Safety

Appropriate Work Attire

Employment Background Checks

Employment Verification

Building Emergencies Due to Utility Outages

Communications & Publications

Confidentiality of Information

Confidentiality of Student Records

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

EASTCONN Web Pages/Employee Area

Electronic Monitoring

Email Protocols

Emergency Preparedness & Response Plan

Employee Feedback System

Evaluations of Certified Staff

Evaluations of Non-Certified Staff

Green Environment Initiative

Receiving /Giving Gifts

Human Resources Department

Human Resources Staff

Identification Badges

Interoffice Mail

Job Postings

Mandated Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect

Media Guidelines

Off-Duty Conduct

Orientation & Mandated Trainings

Personnel Records

Photo/Video Recordings

Recording of Workplace Conversations

Severe Weather Conditions Closings; EASTCONN Schools; Adult Education sites

Smoke-Free Workplace

Social Media - Employee Guidelines & Rules

Rules Concerning Personal Online Accounts

Access to Personal Online Accounts

Disciplinary Consequences

Technology: Acceptable-Use Policy

Telephone Protocol, including Family Emergency Calls

Voicemail Protocol - Greetings and Messages

Termination

Travel Reimbursement

EASTCONN

Established in 1980, under Connecticut General Statute 10-66a, EASTCONN is one of Connecticut’s six, public, non-proﬁt, Regional Educational Service Centers (RESC). EASTCONN was formed when two small, eastern Connecticut public service agencies merged in order to more effectively provide regional, affordable education programs and services to the region’s smaller, often under-resourced, schools and communities Initially, EASTCONN started with a small staff, but quickly grew as it demonstrated its expertise across a range of programs and services, including K-12 professional learning, special education, adult education and early childhood

Today, EASTCONN employs more about 720 staff who work in specialties like early childhood, K-12 student programs (magnet high schools; autism; clinical, developmental and therapeutic programs; psychological-behavioral consultation; related services; transition programs), adult education, employment and training, leading and learning, organizational support services, technology solutions and student transportation.

Entrepreneurial by design, EASTCONN provides high-quality, competitively priced educational and related services to the 33 towns and 36 school districts in northeastern Connecticut that comprise the EASTCONN region. The agency is governed by a Board of Directors, who are also members of locally elected Boards of Education.

MISSION

VISION

CORE BELIEFS

EASTCONN Board & Leadership

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chair: Justin Phaiah, Brooklyn Public Schools

Vice-Chair: Sonia Greene, Woodstock School District

Secretary/Treasurer: Katherine Paulhus, Mansﬁeld Public Schools

Amy Blank, Union Public Schools

Jennifer Beausoleil, Coventry Public Schools

Terry Cote, Eastford Public Schools

Laura Dombrowski, Killingly Public Schools

Maryellen Donnelly, Hampton Public Schools

Sarah Haynes, Lebanon Public Schools

Sara Kelley, Stafford Public Schools

Jamie Kleinman, Canterbury Public Schools

Michael Morrill, Putnam Public Schools

Barbara Riley, Pomfret Public Schools

LEADERSHIP

Eric Protulis, Executive Director

Shawn Brodeur, Facilities

Kimberly Bush, Transportation

Larisa Carr, ECHIP

Andrew DePalma, CTO/Technology Solutions

Diane Gozemba, Early Childhood Initiatives

Brian Greenleaf, CFO/Finance

Kristin Hempel, Adult & Community Programs

Melanie Marcaccio, Human Resources

Amy Margelony, Schools & Programs

Dona Prindle, Marketing & Communications

Ravit Stein, Consultation and Professional Learning

EASTCONN LOCATIONS

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION

Eric S. Protulis, Executive Director, 860-455-0707

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES & CONFERENCE CENTER

376 Hartford Turnpike, Hampton, CT 06247, 860-455-0707; 860-455-8026 FAX

ACCESS, Adult Programs, Assistive Technology, Conference & Food Services, Early Childhood Initiatives, Facilities, Finance, Human Resources, K-12 Student Services, Marketing & Communications, Organizational Support Services, Technology Services

ADULT & COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Kristin Hempel, Director of Adult & Community Programs, 860-423-2591

● COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER

Tyler Square. 1320 Main Street, Suite #25, Willimantic, CT 06226

860-423-2591; 860-450-0853 FAX

● NORTHEAST LEARNING CENTER

562 Westcott Road, Danielson, CT 06239 860-779-3770; 860-779-3384 FAX

EARLY LEARNING INITIATIVES

Diane Gozemba, Director of Early Childhood Initiatives, 860-455-1518

● EARLY HEAD START & HEAD START AT MOOSUP

10B Gorman Street, Moosup, CT 06354, 860-564-7199; 860-564-2630 FAX

● KILLINGLY EARLY HEAD START & HEAD START

562 Westcott Road, Danielson, CT 06239, 860-779-0410; 860-779-1377 FAX

● KILLINGLY HEAD START AT KILLINGLY HIGH SCHOOL

226 Putnam Pike, Dayville, CT 06241, 860-779-6793; 860-774-0846 FAX

● PUTNAM HEAD START

33 Wicker Street, Putnam, CT 06260, 860-928-0004; 860-963-6922 FAX

● TOLLAND COUNTY HEAD START HOME-BASED, 860-455-1586; 860-455-1005 FAX

● WINDHAM EARLY HEAD START HOME-BASED 1320 Main Street, Willimantic, CT 06226, 860-455-1586; 860-455-1005 FAX

SCHOOLS & PROGRAMS

CLINICAL, DEVELOPMENTAL & THERAPEUTIC PROGRAMS (CDT)

Amy Margelony, Director of Schools & Programs, 860-377-7650

EASTCONN BRIDGES COMMUNITY SCHOOL

10 Commerce Drive, Columbia, CT 06237, 860-228-3240; 860-228-3206 FAX

Erin Crosby, Program Director

EASTCONN TRANSITION ACADEMY

1320 Main Street, Suite 27, Willimantic, CT 06226, 860-931-0250

Jessica Miglio, Program Director

EDUCATIONAL & VOCATIONAL CENTER (EVC)

14 Route 66, Columbia, CT 06237, 860-228-4317; 860-228-1147 FAX

Gregory Biggs, Principal

NORTHEAST REGIONAL PROGRAM (NRP)

79 Westﬁeld Avenue, Danielson, CT 06239, 860-779-6794; 860-774-0006 FAX

Kurt Mias, Principal

EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY, EMPLOYMENT AND LIFE SKILLS (EXCELS)

79 Westﬁeld Avenue, Danielson, CT 06239, 860-933-1257; 860-774-0006 FAX

Amy Margelony, Director of Schools & Programs, 860-377-7650

MAGNET SCHOOLS

Amy Margelony, Director of Schools & Programs, 860-377-7650

ARTS AT THE CAPITOL THEATER (ACT) PERFORMING ARTS MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL

896 Main Street, Willimantic, CT 06226, 860-465-5636; 860-465-8115 FAX

Sarah Mallory, Principal

QUINEBAUG MIDDLE COLLEGE (QMC) MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL

742 Upper Maple Street, Danielson, CT 06239, 860-932-4100; 860-932-4950 FAX

Ted Keleher, Principal

TRANSPORTATION/DISPATCH

109 Route 6, Columbia, CT 06237, 860-228-6751; 860-228-6756

Kimberly Bush, Director of Transportation

AGENCY COMMITTEES

EASTCONNmaintains a number ofdifferentagency-wide standing committees andworkgroups.

They include:

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE

The Compensation Committee consists of the Executive Director, the Chief Financial Ofﬁcer and the Director of Human Resources The primary focus of this committee is to ensure that employees are fairly compensated and to address special concerns, including attendance issues and unpaid sick leave

DATA USERS GROUP

This group consists of the Director of Technology, and employees from programs across the agency They meet on a regular basis to discuss and plan agency data utilization, system upgrades and proposals for new systems.

ECHIP WELLNESS COMMITTEE

The ECHIP Wellness Committee consists of the Director of Human Resources, the ECHIP Administrator and representatives from other ECHIP-member groups. They meet on a regular basis to ﬁnd ways to improve the mind, body, ﬁnancial and community wellness of employees.

HEALTH & SAFETY COMMITTEE

This Committee consists of the Director of Facilities, the Director of Human Resources, the Head Nurse, and other representatives of programs across the agency This committee’s focus is on the health and safety of EASTCONN employees through site monitoring and promotion of information, seminars and related activities It is responsible for recommending solutions to health and safety concerns and problems

If you have an EASTCONN health or safety issue or concern that you would like discussed at a Committee meeting, please contact the Human Resources Department at 860-455-1630.

LEADERSHIP TEAM

The Leadership Team consists of the Administrators listed on page 8. They meet once a month and are charged with assessing and communicating strategic direction across the agency, monitoring and implementing agency goals, and ensuring the programmatic and ﬁscal health of the agency.

In addition to those mentioned above, there are standing building-wide committees, as well as cross-functional work teams that come together for a deﬁned purpose and then disband when their tasks are completed

EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION

& PAYROLL INFORMATION

Employees receive benefits basedon theirjobclassification andterms ofemployment. For details on EASTCONNemployee benefits, please refer to the nextsection ofthis Handbook. You are welcome to reviewyour benefits witha member ofthe Human Resources Departmentatany time.

SALARY PLACEMENT

The Executive Director or designee approves each employee’s initial salary placement. Some EASTCONN staff are represented by the EASTCONN Federation of Teachers or the EASTCONN Federation of Education Personnel. Certain provisions regarding employment terms and conditions are governed by the respective collective bargaining agreement (union contract). These employees can refer to their union contracts for information regarding salary placement and advancement and other terms and conditions

SALARY AGREEMENTS

Human Resources issues every employee a Salary Agreement for the ﬁscal year that states basic information regarding their position and assignment with EASTCONN for the employment period noted such as job title, program, location, and rate of pay (including any gross wage increase) If you have questions about your salary agreement, contact the Human Resources Department at any time for clariﬁcation

“SALARIED” & “HOURLY” CLASSIFICATIONS

Certain job titles are “salaried” and employees in those titles are compensated based on an annual salary amount.Other employees are in job titles where the pay is based on an hourly rate of pay. At the time of hire into a job at EASTCONN, you are advised if your position is salaried or hourly. If you have questions about speciﬁcs of your position, contact the Human Resources Department at any time for clariﬁcation.

PAY STRUCTURE FOR NUMBER OF DAYS’ SALARIED EMPLOYEES: UNDERSTANDING YOUR SALARY STRUCTURE

At EASTCONN, we believe in providing our valued employees with a stable and predictable income. As a salaried employee, your compensation is structured to offer consistency and peace of mind throughout the ﬁscal year

Your annual salary is evenly distributed across the appropriate number of payrolls within your employment period for the ﬁscal year Your compensation is not tied to the number of workdays in each speciﬁc pay period This ensures that you receive a consistent and predictable income throughout that employment period, regardless of the varying number of days in each pay period It allows you to focus on your work without the need to calculate salary adjustments based on differing workdays within a month

We understand that you may have questions about this salary structure. Our Human Resources department is always ready to provide further clariﬁcation or address any concerns you may have. Please don't hesitate to reach out to them for support.

Please note: If you resign before the end of your employment period, you may have been overpaid, and payroll will contact you to arrange any required reimbursement.

PAYROLL OFFICE & PAYROLL CYCLE

The Payroll Office is a part of the Finance Office located at EASTCONN’s Central Administration and Conference Center in Hampton Paychecks and direct deposits are issued every two weeks on alternate Fridays, with the exception of early payrolls due to holidays To contact the Payroll Office call 860-455-1534

DIRECT DEPOSIT & PAPER CHECKS

EASTCONN electronically deposits your pay into a bank account(s) designated by you It generally takes 1-2 pay periods for direct deposit to take effect Therefore, you will receive a physical paycheck mailed to your home address until direct deposit occurs.

For those who receive a physical paycheck, your paycheck will be either delivered via interoffice mail to your office location or it will be mailed to your home address from the Finance Office the day prior to the scheduled pay date. Contact the Payroll Office to see if your worksite receives interoffice delivery of paychecks. Please note, your paycheck will not be released to another person without your written permission and their proof of identification. For more information, please contact the Payroll Office at 860-455-1534.

ELECTRONIC PAY ADVICES

We are pleased to offer employees the option to receive their pay advices electronically By signing up for this service, you will have your pay advices conveniently and securely sent directly to your work email address This is an efﬁcient and environmentally friendly way to access your payment information, and it ensures that you receive your pay details in a timely manner If you would like to opt-in or opt-out, please contact Human Resources to complete the necessary form or go online to forms on the Human Resources Intranet page

PAY DEDUCTIONS

Certain paycheck deductions are required by law, depending on your position. These deductions include Federal and State Income Taxes, Social Security, Medicare, and CT Teachers Retirement if applicable. The Payroll Ofﬁce will need your completed federal and state W-4 forms at the time of hire in order to issue a check. You may authorize voluntary deductions for other items such as supplemental insurance coverage, union dues and tax-sheltered annuities.

CREDIT UNIONS

Two credit unions are available to EASTCONN employees: The Northeast Family Credit Union and the CorePlus Credit Union (formally the Norwich Pequot Teachers Credit Union).

TIME SHEETS

ELECTRONIC TIMESHEETS

● All hourly employees are required to complete an electronic time sheet each week in a timely manner as directed in our online time and attendance system called Employee Self Service Portal (ESS) Your supervisor will provide you with instructions on how and when to complete your electronic timesheets All electronic timesheets must be submitted according to the deadlines listed with your instructions Failure to submit your hours as directed by the announced deadlines may result in a delay in payment.

PAPER TIMESHEETS

● All salaried employees whose positions are grant funded are required to ﬁll out a paper time sheet weekly Directions and a sample of the paper time sheet will be given out by your supervisor during your program orientation Paper time sheets are available at program sites or on the Payroll page of the EASTCONN Employee Intranet: https://intranet.eastconn.org/ .

EMPLOYEE INSURANCE AND RELATED BENEFITS

Eligibility for benefits is determined by your position and your full-time or part-time status and union affiliation (if applicable) In general, effective November 11, 2018, non-bargaining unit staff members who work 30 hours or more per week (hourly employees) or more than 156 days per year (salary employees) are eligible for medical insurance, life insurance, vacation, holidays, and personal days. (Note: Employees hired before November 11, 2018, remain eligible for benefits if they work 24 or more hours per week or more than 125 days per year.) Some benefits are effective after a defined waiting period. Those details are specified when employees complete their new hire paperwork during onboarding with Human Resources. Please contact the Human Resources Department with any questions regarding your benefit package.

DENTAL INSURANCE

Dental insurance for beneﬁts-eligible employees is provided by Cigna dental insurance A beneﬁts summary and other plan information is available on the Employee Area Intranet Human Resources page. You can also contact the Human Resources Department with any questions.

HEALTH INSURANCE

Beneﬁts-eligible employees may participate in EASTCONN’s Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) or EASTCONN’s Health Savings Account (HSA) based on hire date Non-Union employees and members of the Teacher union hired after 7/1/23 and members of the Education Personnel Union hired after 7/1/24 may participate in the HSA Plan only. HRA and HSA plan summaries and other

plan information are available on the Employee Intranet Human Resources page. You can also contact the Human Resources Department with any questions. Employee co-share premium contributions are made via payroll deduction.

COBRA

Under the federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) of 1986, you may be allowed to continue your health care coverage temporarily under EASTCONN’s employer-provided group health care plan, if your coverage would otherwise end - for example, if your employment with EASTCONN ended If you have any questions about COBRA, please contact the Human Resources Department for more information and rate details

VISION INSURANCE

Vision insurance for beneﬁts-eligible employees is provided by Cigna vision insurance A beneﬁts summary and other plan information is available on the Human Resources Intranet page You can also contact the Human Resources Department with any questions

OPEN ENROLLMENT/BENEFIT CHANGES

Once elections for beneﬁts are made, you may not add, change, or cancel any coverage during the year outside of our annual open enrollment unless you have a qualifying “life event” which includes but is not limited to:

● A change in marital status;

● A change in the number of dependents;

● A change in your or your dependent’s eligibility status because of a change in age, or marriage;

● Certain changes in employment status that affect beneﬁts eligibility for you or your dependents such as termination of employment, start of or return from an unpaid leave of absence or a change in work schedule (for example between part time and full-time work);

● Entitlements to Medicare or Medicaid;

● A change to comply with a State domestic relations order pertaining to coverage of your dependent;

● A change in your or your dependent’s eligibility for COBRA coverage; or

● A significant increase in the cost of coverage or a significant reduction in the benefit coverage of your current covered plan.

Please contact the Human Resources Department for assistance

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS (FSA)

Our Flexible Spending Account program allows you to use pre-tax dollars as a deduction from your paycheck to pay for medical copays or deductibles, dependent care, and/or unreimbursed medical expenses. The plan year is a ﬁscal year (July 1st - June 30th) and enrollment must be completed each year prior to June 30th or at the time a “qualifying event” takes place. This plan is administered by Progressive Beneﬁt Solutions (PBS). Information is available on the Human Resources Intranet web pages. You may also contact the Human Resources Department at 860-455-1630 for more information.

LIMITED PURPOSE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT (LPFSA)

Employees enrolled in the Health Savings Account (HSA) Health Plan have the option to enroll in a Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Account (LPFSA), which allows you to set aside pre-tax dollars as a deduction from your paycheck to cover eligible dental and vision expenses. This beneﬁt is designed to complement your HSA by covering out-of-pocket costs for qualifying dental and vision care. Employees can enroll in the LPFSA during the annual open enrollment period or following a qualifying life event. For more details on eligibility and enrollment, please contact the Human Resources Department

DEPENDENT CARE ACCOUNTS (DCA)

EASTCONN offers employees the option to enroll in a Dependent Care Assistance (DCA) program, which allows you to set aside pre-tax dollars as a deduction from your paycheck to cover eligible dependent care expenses This beneﬁt can help reduce the ﬁnancial burden of daycare, after-school care, or elder care for qualifying dependents Employees interested in enrolling in the DCA program can do so during the annual open enrollment period or after experiencing a qualifying life event For more information on eligibility and enrollment, please contact the Human Resources Department.

LIFE INSURANCE

Beneﬁt-eligible employees are provided with employer paid Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance. In addition, eligible employees may elect to purchase supplemental Life and AD&D insurance. Please contact Human Resources for questions and coverage details.

RETIREMENT

There are two retirement options for EASTCONN employees:

● CERTIFIED STAFF:

There is a mandatory deduction to the Connecticut Teachers Retirement System. Certiﬁed staff participate in this program beginning at the time of hire. Visit www.ct.gov/trb for more information.

● ELIGIBLE NON-CERTIFIED STAFF:

EASTCONN offers a tax-advantaged retirement savings 403(b) plan through TIAA/CREF and others. A list of companies is available on the HR Intranet web page. The money deducted for deposit is not subject to income tax until you withdraw it. Non-certiﬁed staff scheduled to work 1,000 hours or more per year are eligible at time of hire. There are some restrictions that apply.

After two years of employment, EASTCONN will match eligible employees’ contributions up to 5% of salary, if enrolled and contributing in TIAA. Howejver, employees must complete and submit required paperwork to elect the match Certiﬁed staff are eligible to elect the voluntary SRA contributions but are not eligible for the RA match

TAX-SHELTERED ANNUITY (TSA) PLANS

In addition to the above, you may elect to enroll in a TSA retirement plan and have money withdrawn from your salary to create a fund that you can draw upon after you retire. An employee may participate even if he/she is part of the Teachers’ Retirement System. The money deducted for the fund is not subject to income tax until you withdraw it after you retire. There are some early withdrawal restrictions and penalties that apply to these plans. A list of authorized TSA plan vendors is available on the Human Resources intranet web pages. You may contact them directly for more information about TSA plans and to enroll

ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS

EASTCONN employees must use any and all available, appropriate, paid-leave time before going on unpaid status. Sick days (for personal illness/injury) and personal days (for family illness and other personal business reasons) are to be used only when necessary. Employees are expected to maintain an acceptable attendance record to ensure that we deliver the quality services that our students, Boards of Education, and other customers require and have come to expect. Good attendance is an essential function and requirement of the job and is a necessary part of responsible and professional customer service. Any employee who is repeatedly absent from work without authorization and/or has exhausted all accrued beneﬁts, may be subject to discipline, up to and including discharge. Please direct questions and requests to the Human Resources Department.

AUTHORIZED ABSENCES FROM WORK

ABSENCE REPORTING

Each EASTCONN staff member is responsible for reporting his/her own absences from work in a timely fashion following EASTCONN program procedures Union members will also ﬁnd speciﬁc reporting requirements in their union contract

EMPLOYEE SELF SERVICE PORTAL (ESS)

Employees must use the Employee Self Service (ESS) online portal found on the ESS Login page of the EASTCONN Employee Intranet to request approval for the discharge of appropriate leave time accruals assigned such as Vacation, Personal, Sick Leave and Professional Days. Once submitted, your request is routed electronically to your supervisor for approval. ESS Guides can be found under the Employee Intranet Human Resources webpage. Employees may also check their accrued leave balances under the Time Off section in ESS.

Union members should refer to their union contract for additional details All requests for vacation, personal and/or professional days are subject to supervisor prior approval after consideration of work-related demands

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE

Please contact the Human Resources Department for information on specific eligibility for vacation, paid holidays and personal time. Entitlement varies based on job classification and terms of employment Benefits are prorated for part-time, benefits-eligible staff

EASTCONN ofﬁces and programs are closed on the following days:

● New Year’s Day

● Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

● Presidents’ Day

● Good Friday

● Memorial Day

● Juneteenth Holiday

● Independence Day

● Labor Day

● Indigenous Peoples’ Day

● Veterans’ Day

● Thanksgiving

● Day After Thanksgiving

● Winter Break (Christmas & Day After Christmas)

Your entitlement to holidays off is deﬁned by the position you hold If you have any questions regarding your paid holidays, please contact Human Resources

VACATION DAYS

Employee eligibility for vacation is determined by a number of factors Employees accrue or earn vacation days during each ﬁscal year (7/1 – 6/30) depending on their position held, full-time or part-time status, and length of service Those eligible employees are required to wait six months from their date of hire before using their accrued vacation time. Vacation requests for the current ﬁscal year should be submitted a minimum of two weeks in advance to your immediate supervisor. Summer vacation requests should be submitted no later than May 1st. Vacation requests must be approved by the employee’s supervisor in advance. Vacation requests are not guaranteed approval due to program needs and adequacy of staff coverage. However, an effort will be made to accommodate employee requests whenever possible.

VACATION CARRY-OVER

All vacation-eligible EASTCONN employees are expected to use all of their vacation days within one EASTCONN fiscal year However, EASTCONN recognizes that some employees may not be able to use all of their earned vacation in one fiscal year due to work-related scheduling demands and, therefore, employees (except for Directors) may carry over up to ten (10) unused vacation days from one fiscal year to the next but such carry-over days must be used by December 31st

PERSONAL DAYS

Eligibility for personal days is determined by your position. Personal days are available for family illness/injury and/or matters of pressing personal need that are of a serious or emergency nature. All appropriate reasons are specified in ESS as a dropdown list when requesting personal time off. The reason needs to be identified and discussed with your immediate supervisor. The availability and number of personal days will depend on your job classification

To request a Personal Day, submit your request in the Employee Self Service (ESS) online portal and give notice to your supervisor at least 48 hours in advance or as soon as possible The request will be routed electronically to your supervisor for approval ESS User Guides can be found under the employee section of the EASTCONN website (www eastconn org) Personal days do not accumulate and may not be carried over into the next ﬁscal year.

PROFESSIONAL DAYS

The EASTCONN Board of Directors each year commits a signiﬁcant number of resources to internally directed staff development programs. There are times, however, when training is provided outside the agency. Professional day(s) may be granted by an employee’s supervisor. Request forms for professional days are available from either your supervisor, program sites, from the Human Resources Department or on the Employee Intranet Human Resources webpage.

Forms must be submitted to your supervisor and such requests must be approved before such time is taken.

SICK DAYS/LEAVE PROCEDURES

Employee eligibility for sick leave is determined by your position and your full-time or part-time status and is provided in accordance with Connecticut General Statutes§§ 31-57r - 31-57w – Paid Sick Leave

Eligible employees receive accrued paid sick leave for their own illnesses or injuries with the understanding that an employee requesting paid sick leave for the employee’s own illness or injury must notify his/her supervisor prior to the start of each business day for which leave is requested in accordance with ofﬁce/program protocol. (See also “Attendance Expectations” in the Policies, Procedures & Employee Resources section of this Handbook.)

In addition to notifying your supervisor as referenced above, you must use the Employee Self Service (ESS) online portal to request and record sick leave for your absence due to illness/injury. ESS Guides can be found on the Employee Intranet Human Resources webpage.

Following an absence of three or more consecutive sick days, the employee will be required to supply proof of the employee’s illness or injury to his/her supervisor, who may require additional information if he/she determines that the proof provided by the employee is not satisfactory

The supervisor may require a doctor’s veriﬁcation of illness or injury The supervisor may require that the employee obtain such veriﬁcation from a doctor selected by EASTCONN’s medical advisor, in which case expenses for the medical examination would be covered by EASTCONN

The supervisor, with the approval of the Executive Director, may refuse to grant paid sick leave if the employee has failed to comply with the requirements of this procedure. Additionally, if the supervisor has evidence that an employee has used sick leave for reasons other than their own illness, injury or doctor’s appointment, discipline may result. Evidence of abuse of sick leave includes, but is not limited to, a pattern of absences such as repeated absences occurring before and after weekends or vacations, and failure to supply proof of illness or injury as provided under the terms of this policy

EASTCONN’s Compensation Committee may authorize additional unpaid leave for an employee who has exhausted paid sick leave due to extenuating circumstances, on a case by case basis

EASTCONN staff members must also take responsibility for calling their program site(s), coworkers or supervisors, as appropriate, or as requested when absence occurs Failure to do so may result in your being considered “Absent Without Authorization” (unpaid) and subject to disciplinary action Your safety is very important to us. If you fail to notify your supervisor of your absence due to illness or injury, we may contact local law enforcement to conduct a wellness check.

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

When an employee is absent from work as a result of personal injury or illness caused by an accident arising out of and in the course of employment, he/she will be paid his/her full salary (less the amount of any worker’s compensation award made for temporary disability due to that injury) for a period of ninety (90) days unless speciﬁed otherwise in the collective bargaining agreement applicable to your position. If eligible, no part of such absence shall be charged to his/her annual or accumulated sick leave during this ninety (90) day period

*1ST REPORT OF INJURY/INCIDENT REPORT

Whenever an employee is hurt on the job, the illness or injury must be immediately reported to your supervisor (or Human Resources if your supervisor is not available) The site coordinator, or designee, will then report the details of the incident electronically to CIRMA, EASTCONN’s Workers’ Compensation Insurance carrier This will ensure that you receive proper care and that your claim is handled promptly If you do not, your award of compensation may be reduced If you are unable to report the occurrence, inform your supervisor who will do so

You must ﬁrst go to one of our designated Initial Care Providers (ICP) for treatment. A list of those providers is available on the Employee Intranet Human Resources webpage. You may also call Human Resources for those locations. In a serious or life-threatening situation, call 911. Emergency medical assistance should be requested and an employee should be transported to the nearest emergency care center.

After leaving the hospital or ICP, seek treatment for the illness or injury from an in-network medical care provider You must select a doctor from the Preferred Provider Network (PPN)

Any medical bills pertaining to the accident must be submitted to Workers Compensation directly or to the Human Resources Department Bills must not be submitted to your regular medical insurance carrier

Help keep our workplaces safe. Your supervisor may conduct an accident investigation and/ or discuss accident prevention and safety procedures with you. It is the responsibility of all of us to report unsafe conditions or unsafe acts to a supervisor or Human Resources immediately. If you are involved with an accident or incident, your cooperation with our review will help us identify and eliminate accident causes and contributing factors.

JURY DUTY

If an employee receives notiﬁcation that he/she may be called for jury duty, he/she is required to immediately notify his/her direct supervisor and must also contact the Human Resources Department for information on jury duty procedures The employee’s regular EASTCONN pay will continue uninterrupted while he/she is serving on jury duty, subject to review after 30 days For EASTCONN employees serving on a State of Connecticut jury, starting on the sixth (6th) day, the court system will pay the employee $50 daily; for employees serving federal jury duty, the courts will compensate employees/jurors $50 per day, starting the ﬁrst day of jury service Whether serving on either a state or federal jury, every EASTCONN employee must remit his/ her jury compensation to EASTCONN, once the compensation has been received from either the federal or state court system.

MILITARY LEAVE

Salaried, 12-month staff members who are members of the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard shall be given up to thirty (30) work days leave per year to engage in ﬁeld training. During the leave, EASTCONN salary payments will be made less any compensation received from the military. All EASTCONN employees drafted or called up to active duty will be granted a military leave of absence from EASTCONN. Military leaves of absence will be granted in accordance with State and Federal law

FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT (FMLA)

The Federal FMLA, as may be amended from time to time, entitles an eligible employee to up to 12 weeks of leave during any rolling 12-month period Such FMLA Leave may be authorized for eligible employees in the following situations: the birth and care of a newborn child; the placement of an adopted or foster child; to care for a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition; a personal serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform their job functions; and any qualifying exigency arising from a spouse, child, or parent being on active military duty Additionally, FMLA may be granted to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness if the employee is the spouse, child, parent, or next of kin. For further information or to apply for FMLA, please contact the Human Resources Department.

As part of the application process, a “Certiﬁcation of Health Care Provider” form is required. Employees must use available, appropriate, paid leave time as part of the authorized FMLA period before being authorized unpaid leave time. Please contact the Human Resources Department for guidance, forms and information.

FAMILY VIOLENCE LEAVE ACT

State law entitles EASTCONN employees who are victims of family violence to take up to 12 days of leave during any calendar year. Family violence means an incident resulting in harm, bodily injury or assault or an act of threatened violence that constitutes fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury or assault between family and household members. Verbal abuse or argument shall not constitute family violence unless there is present danger and the likelihood that physical violence will occur.

Employees may take family violence leave during any calendar year when it is necessary to:

1 Seek medical care or psychological or other counseling for physical or psychological injury or disability;

2. Obtain services from a victim services organization;

3. Relocate due to such family violence; or

4 Participate in any civil or criminal proceeding related to or resulting from such family violence

Employees must use any available appropriate paid leave time as part of the 12-day period before using any unpaid time. Employees who take family violence leave shall provide a signed, written statement certifying that the leave is for one of the four purposes stated above. Please contact the Human Resources Department for forms and information.

POLICIES, GUIDELINES & RESOURCES

EASTCONN ofﬁcial policy statements and related regulations, plans and procedures are published on the Agency Policies page of the EASTCONN Website, www.eastconn.org, under Our Agency > EASTCONN Board > Agency Policies or you may contact Human Resources directly for copies This includes EASTCONN policies pertaining to the following: Community/Board Operation, Administration, Business, Personnel, Students, Instruction, Bylaws of the Board, etc

EASTCONN is committed to maintaining transparency and ensuring all employees have access to important information regarding their rights and responsibilities Agency policies that directly relate to your employment, such as Afﬁrmative Action, Sexual Harassment, Title IX, and other critical policies, are posted on the EASTCONN website for your review We strongly encourage all employees to familiarize themselves with these policies, as they mandate compliance with federal and state law, outline key guidelines and protections in the workplace and speak to the complaint investigation process where applicable. As policies are reviewed and approved by the EASTCONN Board of Directors, they are posted on this website so please review periodically. If you have any questions or need clariﬁcation regarding any of these policies, please contact the Human Resources Department.

Employees must be aware of several more notable Human Resources policies that are available for review on the EASTCONN website These include, but are not limited to:

● Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug-Free Workplace: Established to promote a safe, healthy, and productive work environment by prohibiting the use, possession, or distribution of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs on company premises This policy aims to reduce the risks associated with substance abuse, including accidents, health issues, and decreased job performance Further, in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (DFSCA), EASTCONN employees are hereby notiﬁed that the unlawful possession, manufacture, use or distribution of alcohol and illicit drugs is prohibited on all EASTCONN property, vehicles, and at EASTCONN sponsored activities. As a condition of employment, employees are required to abide by the terms of EASTCONN policy with regard to a drug-free workplace. Violations of the policy will result in disciplinary action in accordance with EASTCONN personnel policies and federal and state law, up to and including immediate dismissal and/or referral to law enforcement.

● Bloodborne Pathogens Administrative Regulations & Exposure Control Plan: A safety policy designed to protect employees from health risks associated with exposure to bloodborne pathogens, such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, in the workplace It outlines procedures to minimize or eliminate exposure to infectious materials, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), proper handling and disposal of contaminated items, and emergency response to exposure incidents. The plan also includes employee training, vaccination options, and procedures for reporting and documenting exposures.

● Code of Ethics Policy: Serves as a guideline for employees to follow ethical standards and professional conduct in the workplace It outlines EASTCONN’s expectations regarding

integrity, honesty, fairness, and respect for others. The policy helps ensure that all employees act responsibly, make ethical decisions, avoid conﬂicts of interest, and comply with legal and agency requirements, setting clear expectations for behavior, encouraging accountability within the organization and with external stakeholders.

● Technology Acceptable Use Policy: Sets guidelines for the proper and responsible use of EASTCONN’s technology resources, including computers, internet access, email, and software It outlines what is considered appropriate use, such as work-related tasks, and prohibits activities like unauthorized access, illegal downloads, or inappropriate content The policy is designed to protect EASTCONN’s digital assets, ensure compliance with legal and security standards, and maintain a productive and safe work environment. Employees are required to follow these guidelines to prevent misuse and safeguard data integrity.

● Reporting Suspected Abuse or Neglect of Children or Reports of Sexual Assault: Outlines the procedures and responsibilities for employees to report suspected cases of child abuse, neglect, or sexual assault The policy emphasizes the importance of promptly reporting any concerns to the appropriate authorities and the steps to do so, ensuring the safety and well-being of the affected individuals It provides guidance on how to recognize signs of abuse or neglect, the steps for reporting, and the protections in place for individuals who report in good faith The policy aims to foster a safe environment for children and uphold legal and ethical obligations to protect vulnerable individuals

● Emergencies and Disaster Preparedness: Outlines the protocols and procedures for responding to various emergencies and disasters that may affect EASTCONN programs. This includes natural disasters, ﬁres, medical emergencies, and other critical incidents. The policy emphasizes the importance of preparedness and speciﬁes roles and responsibilities for the development of an Emergency Preparedness Plan

● Use of EASTCONN Resources/Property: Establishes guidelines for the appropriate use of EASTCONN’s resources and property, including facilities, equipment, and technology The policy outlines the expectations for employees regarding the responsible and ethical use of these resources for work-related purposes. It emphasizes the importance of protecting and maintaining property, prohibiting unauthorized use, and ensuring that resources are not misused or damaged.

● Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Policy: Outlines the rights and responsibilities of employees under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) It specifies the eligibility criteria for taking leave, which includes personal or family health issues, the birth or adoption of a child, or other qualifying events The policy details the process for requesting leave, the duration of leave allowed, and any required documentation It also explains employee rights during their leave, such as job protection and continuation of health benefits The FMLA policy aims to ensure that employees can take necessary leave for family and medical reasons while maintaining their employment status and benefits.

● Nepotism Policy: Designed to address and manage situations where employees may have personal relationships with relatives or close friends within the workplace. The policy outlines guidelines for hiring, promoting, and supervising family members to prevent favoritism, conﬂicts of interest, and potential ethical concerns It typically speciﬁes which relationships are considered nepotism, establishes clear procedures for disclosing such relationships, and may

restrict or prohibit individuals from working in positions where they have direct reporting lines to relatives. The goal of the policy is to promote fairness, transparency, and integrity in the hiring and management processes while maintaining a professional work environment.

● Nondiscrimination Policy (Includes Administrative Regulations): Ensures that all employees and job applicants are treated fairly and without bias based on protected characteristics, such as race, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by law The policy outlines the EASTCONN’s prohibition of discrimination and harassment and includes procedures for reporting incidents and investigating complaints The goal of the nondiscrimination policy is to foster a respectful and inclusive work environment where all individuals have equal opportunities and can thrive without fear of discrimination or retaliation.

● Policy Regarding Employees and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act (Includes Administrative Regulations): Prohibits discrimination against individuals with a disability and speciﬁes the procedures for reporting complaints and requesting accommodations The goal of the policy is to create an inclusive work environment that respects the rights of employees with disabilities and ensures their full participation in the workplace

● Afﬁrmative Action/Equal Opportunity Policy: Outlines the organization's commitment to prohibiting discrimination and fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in its workforce in accordance with state and federal law and directs all EASTCONN programs demonstrate a commitment to non-discriminatory practices and afﬁrmative action. Further, EASTCONN will neither knowingly use the services of, nor otherwise deal with, any business, contractor, subcontractor, or agency that engages in unlawful discrimination.

● Prohibition of Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (Personnel) Policy (Includes Administrative Regulations/Complaint Procedure): States EASTCONN’s commitment to preventing and addressing sexual harassment in the workplace The policy deﬁnes what constitutes sexual harassment, including unwanted advances, inappropriate comments, and any behavior of a sexual nature that creates a hostile work environment. It establishes procedures for reporting incidents of harassment, conducting investigations, and enforcing disciplinary actions against those who violate the policy. The policy also emphasizes the protection of individuals who report harassment from retaliation. The goal of the sexual harassment policy is to create a safe and respectful work environment for all employees, promoting accountability and ensuring that all individuals can work free from harassment.

● Social Media: Addresses how employees may engage with social media platforms in relation to their work and their employment with EASTCONN It deﬁnes expectations for professional conduct when posting content, sharing information, or interacting with others online, whether on personal or ofﬁcial accounts Unauthorized websites or social media solicitations are prohibited EASTCONN staff members may NOT create or use any external, unsanctioned/unauthorized websites or social media sites (see pages 37-41) for the purpose of conducting EASTCONN business, sharing professional learning online sessions, soliciting on behalf of EASTCONN, or housing any agency related work or product, without the express permission of their supervisor and the Directors of both Marketing & Communications and Technology Solutions.

● Workplace Problem Resolution Policy: Provides that all employees may be assured of fair and equitable behavioral treatment in the workplace and provides that all EASTCONN employees resolve problems related to their job responsibilities at the level at which they occur with positive communication and focus on the issues not the individuals. Refers employees to the grievance procedure if not resolved.

● Violence in the Workplace Policy: Speaks to EASTCONN’s commitment to ensuring a safe and secure environment for all employees, customers, and visitors

● Outside Employment Policy: Outlines the guidelines and expectations regarding employees engaging in external work or business activities while employed by EASTCONN. This policy aims to prevent potential conﬂicts of interest, ensure that outside employment does not interfere with an employee’s primary job responsibilities, and protect EASTCONN’s proprietary information and resources.

● Grievance Policy: Speaks to the right of an employee to pursue a grievance/complaint and the procedures for reporting grievances, including the steps to be taken, the timeline for resolution, and the roles of involved parties It aims to provide employees with a clear and transparent process for addressing their concerns while ensuring that complaints are handled fairly and conﬁdentially. If you are a union member, check your union contract for details regarding the contractual grievance procedure applicable to you. Employees are encouraged to review these policies and others posted to ensure compliance and understanding of their rights and responsibilities For questions, please contact the Human Resources Department

CONNECTICUT LAW PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION BASED ON ETHNIC HAIRSTYLES

At EASTCONN, we are committed to fostering a workplace that values and respects the diversity of our employees. We embrace the principles of equality, inclusivity, and dignity, and we support the rights and protections provided by Connecticut law regarding discrimination based on ethnic hairstyles.

Connecticut’s law that prohibits discrimination based on ethnic hairstyles is known as the CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair). The CROWN Act is speciﬁcally aimed at preventing discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles associated with race and ethnicity. The CROWN Act amends the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act (CFEPA) to include traits historically associated with race, including hair textures and protective hairstyles, as protected characteristics against discrimination

1 Equal Treatment: Under Connecticut law, it is unlawful to discriminate against employees or applicants based on their ethnic hairstyles, textures, or traits historically associated with their racial or ethnic background This includes but is not limited to hairstyles such as braids, twists, locs, afros, and other natural or protective styles

2 Professionalism and Appearance: We encourage all employees to express their individuality through their appearance, including their hairstyles. Ethnic hairstyles are a reﬂection of cultural identity and should be treated with the same level of respect as any

other hairstyle choice.

3. Anti-Discrimination Policy: Our commitment to preventing discrimination extends to all areas of employment, including hiring, promotions, assignments, compensation, and any other terms and conditions of employment. Discrimination based on ethnic hairstyles is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated.

4 Reporting Discrimination: If any employee believes they have experienced or witnessed discrimination based on ethnic hairstyles, we urge them to report the incident to their supervisor, manager, or Human Resources Reports will be treated conﬁdentially, and appropriate actions will be taken to address the issue

5 Review and Updates: This language reflects our commitment to creating a workplace that respects and values ethnic diversity and individual expression It is subject to review and may be updated to reflect changes in laws, regulations, or organizational practices. All employees will be notified of any updates or changes.

By adhering to the Connecticut law and this policy, we contribute to creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace for all employees, regardless of their ethnic background or hairstyle choice.

ANIMALS IN EASTCONN BUILDINGS

EASTCONN strives to provide safe and healthy environments for all EASTCONN employees, program participants, and visitors In order to achieve our goal, it is necessary to prohibit animal access to EASTCONN buildings, except as part of an EASTCONN Program or for visitors, students or employees requiring the use of a service animal in accordance with EASTCONN policy

See also EASTCONN Policy #5003 9 1 – Service Dogs

AUTOMOBILE SAFETY

For the safety of both drivers and passengers, and in accordance with Connecticut state law, all EASTCONN employees traveling on agency business are required to have a valid proper license, wear seat belts at all times, and follow all laws, including those pertaining to cell phone usage. This requirement applies to both personal vehicles as well as agency vehicles used for EASTCONN business.

APPROPRIATE WORK ATTIRE: GENDER NEUTRAL BUSINESS CASUAL DRESS CODE

In accordance with EASTCONN policy, all employees shall dress in professional attire which is appropriate to their responsibilities and which will best allow them to carry out their speciﬁc job duties. The Executive Director shall determine what constitutes appropriate, professional dress and exceptions to this dress policy shall be made on an individual basis by the Executive Director.

At EASTCONN, we embrace diversity and value individual expression. Our gender-neutral business casual dress code is designed to create an inclusive and comfortable workplace environment for all employees. We encourage everyone to dress in a manner that aligns with their personal style while maintaining a professional appearance. Our dress code is not intended to restrict self-expression but

rather to ensure a respectful and cohesive workplace atmosphere. School/Program policies regarding clothing restrictions over-ride this dress code guidance.

For certain business-related events or meetings, there may be occasions where a more formal dress code is necessary. In such cases, employees should dress accordingly.

The dress code is applied consistently to all employees unless otherwise directed by school/program policy

General Guidelines:

1 Tops: Tops should be clean and modest, avoiding tight-ﬁtting styles Acceptable options include collared shirts, blouses, sweaters, and knitted tops

2. Bottoms: Bottoms should be clean, in good condition, and of appropriate length. Suitable choices include slacks, dress pants, khakis, skirts, and dresses.

3 Footwear: Appropriate footwear includes closed-toe shoes, loafers, dress shoes, and clean, well-maintained sneakers No ﬂip-ﬂops are allowed

4. Accessories: Feel free to enhance your outﬁt with accessories such as ties, scarves, belts, and jewelry.

5 Grooming: Maintain a polished appearance by keeping hair clean and well-kept, and ensure facial hair is neatly trimmed if applicable

Clothing featuring profanity or explicit, inappropriate, or offensive graphics is not permitted. Additionally, items that are tattered, tight, skimpy, or revealing, including short shorts, bathing suits, spaghetti strap tank tops, tube tops, halter tops, and midriff shirts, are not allowed.

Further, to maintain a neutral and professional work environment, clothing that displays political messages, symbols, or endorsements is not permitted in the workplace. This includes, but is not limited to, attire featuring slogans, logos, or graphics related to political parties, candidates, or political movements We encourage employees to focus on fostering a collaborative atmosphere and to respect diverse viewpoints in the workplace

In addition, some employees have perfume and chemical sensitivities so please do not wear deodorant, cologne and perfume in excess

Cultural and Religious Considerations:

We understand that clothing choices may also be inﬂuenced by cultural or religious factors

Employees are encouraged to communicate any speciﬁc needs or requests related to their attire to their supervisor or Human Resources.

EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND CHECKS

Employment at EASTCONN is subject to criminal history record information checks required by law, including but not limited to Public Act 16-67, as may be applicable. See also EASTCONN Policy #4010.2.1 - Policy Governing Fingerprint-Based Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) Checks Made for Non-Criminal Justice Purposes.

EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATION

You may need your employment and income information veriﬁed when applying for a mortgage, loan, leasing an apartment, applying for insurance, etc. You may direct all inquiries to the Human Resources Department at 860-455-1630. Written inquiries must be accompanied by an authorization signed by the employee that grants permission for the release of the requested information. All written inquiries must be directed to Human Resources.

BUILDING EMERGENCIES DUE TO UTILITY OUTAGES

HAMPTON:

In the event that a utility outage (no electricity, water, etc ) occurs during the workday, the Executive Director, or designee, will decide whether to close the facility The decision will be based upon the speciﬁc situation and the potential duration of the emergency (using approximately 90 minutes as a guideline) Essential personnel may be asked by their supervisor to stay, return, work remotely or move to another EASTCONN site, depending upon the nature of the emergency

ADULT EDUCATION SITES:

In the event that a utility outage (no electricity, water, etc.) occurs during the workday, the Director of Adult & Community Services, or his/her designee, will decide whether to close the facility. The decision will be based upon the speciﬁc situation and the potential duration of the emergency (using approximately 90 minutes as a guideline). Essential personnel may be asked by their supervisor to stay, return, work remotely or move to another EASTCONN site, depending upon the nature of the emergency.

ALL OTHER SITES:

Employees should follow their respective program procedures

COMMUNICATION & PUBLICATIONS

● The Employee Handbook provides basic information regarding your employment at EASTCONN including information about beneﬁts, policies, procedures and employee resources

● All ofﬁces have copies of the EASTCONN Programs and Services Catalog. This catalog describes all of the agency ’ s programs and services and provides information on program locations and contacts. It will give you an idea of the scope of services offered by EASTCONN.

● The EASTCONN Staff Directory, listing the names and contact information of EASTCONN employees, can be found under Our Agency at www eastconn org

● Employees receive several agency publications via EASTCONN email: eConnections, which is published 3 times a year, and the Employee Update, which is distributed monthly.

● Important information is sent to you via your EASTCONN email address or direct-mailed to your home address It is important, therefore, to check your email on a regular basis [See E-mail Protocols, in this Handbook ]

● The agency website at www.eastconn.org is a great source of information about EASTCONN. [See separate EASTCONN Web Pages section in this Handbook.]

CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION

EASTCONN requires that employees who have access to confidential information be aware at all times of the need to protect confidential information Employees must never discuss such confidential information with other employees or any other person, unless there is a specific professional purpose/business reason related to the program of an EASTCONN student or client See also EASTCONN Policy # 4025 1 1- Confidentiality of Information

CONFIDENTIALITY OF STUDENT RECORDS

EASTCONN employees are required to protect the confidentiality of the education records and personally identifiable information of students in accordance with the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA). See also EASTCONN Policy # 5026.1.1- Student Records – Confidentiality.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP)

EASTCONN offers a free Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with the ESI Employee Assistance Group for you and your family members. This EAP offers a broad array of tools and services to help with problems that might affect your personal or work life. Employees and family members get free and conﬁdential access to extensive resources.

To access your EAP, simply call the toll-free number (800) 252-4555 or (800) 225-2527 to talk with a counselor or coach who will work with you to address your issues You can also visit your EAP online at www theEAPcom or www EducatorsEAPcom (for educators) for thousands of problem-solving resources, on-line training courses and self-help tools For more information, contact the Human Resources Department

EASTCONN-ASSIGNED EQUIPMENT

Certain employees are issued EASTCONN equipment such as cell phones, laptops, tablets, GPS devices, etc Employees are reminded that this equipment is the property of EASTCONN and is to be properly maintained and used for EASTCONN related business only. Upon termination of employment, or at any time at the request of your supervisor, EASTCONN assigned equipment must be returned to your supervisor. Failure to do so will be reported as a case of theft to law enforcement. EASTCONN reserves the right to monitor all employee use of EASTCONN computers, cellular telephones, and other electronic devices, including employee texting, blogging, and social networking activity and there shall be no expectation of privacy in the use of EASTCONN assigned equipment.

EASTCONN WEB PAGES/EMPLOYEE AREA

EASTCONN has a wealth of information available on its Web pages at www.eastconn.org, including program descriptions and links, directions, directories, board information and policies, employment opportunities, contact information and more

We maintain a separate Employee Intranet just for employees where you can ﬁnd forms, links, policies and other important information

To access the Employee Intranet, follow the steps below:

● Go to EASTCONN’s home page at www.eastconn.org and scroll down the page.

● Click on “Employee Area” at the bottom of the page

● Next, click on the Employee Intranet button. The Employee Intranet requires a log in. If you are experiencing difﬁculties with your log in, contact your supervisor for assistance.

ELECTRONIC MONITORING

In accordance with Connecticut law, EASTCONN hereby gives notice to all employees of the potential use of electronic monitoring in its workplace While EASTCONN may not actually engage in the use of electronic monitoring, it reserves the right to do so as management deems appropriate in its discretion, consistent with the provisions set forth in this notice.

“Electronic monitoring” means the collection of information on EASTCONN premises concerning employees’ activities or communications, by any means other than direct observation of the employees. Electronic monitoring includes the use of a computer, telephone, wire, radio, camera, electromagnetic, photo electronic or photo-optical systems.

The following speciﬁc types of electronic monitoring may be used by EASTCONN in its workplaces:

● Monitoring of email, Internet usage and other components of EASTCONN’s computer resources for compliance with its policies, procedures and guidelines concerning use of such resources

● Video and/or audio surveillance within EASTCONN’s facilities (other than in rest rooms, locker rooms, lounges and other areas designed for the health or personal comfort of employees or for the safeguarding of their possessions).

● Monitoring of employee usage of EASTCONN’s telephone systems.

The law also provides that, where electronic monitoring may produce evidence of misconduct, EASTCONN may use electronic monitoring without any prior notice when it has reasonable grounds to believe employees are engaged in conduct that violates the law, violates the legal rights of EASTCONN or other employees, or creates a hostile work environment.

EMAIL PROTOCOLS

All staff members receive an EASTCONN email address at the time of hire. Please contact your supervisor for account set up. Employees should check their email on a regular basis and when appropriate, should leave an email reply message when they will be out of the ofﬁce for any length of time (e.g., vacation, conferences, etc.) with instructions on when they will be back and who can be contacted for assistance in their absence. Employees who need assistance accessing and using email should alert their supervisor to obtain appropriate support.

All employees should create an EASTCONN email signature that aligns with agency expectations that they add a professional, consistent signature to the bottom of their work emails Find instructions for setting up an EASTCONN email signature on the Employee Intranet Marketing & Communications page Contact Marketing & Communications or IT with any questions about your EASTCONN email signature

Employees are reminded that email is for EASTCONN related business. See also “Technology Acceptable Use Policy,” in this Handbook.

Employees should maintain, store and periodically delete email messages and ﬁle attachments in a manner consistent with law and EASTCONN policy. Please contact the Information Technology Department (IT) for more information

Technology reserves the right to restrict email forwarding to non-EASTCONN mail systems

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & RESPONSE & PLAN

The EASTCONN Emergency Preparedness & Response Plan is designed to ensure a coordinated response to emergencies of all types The Response Plan is intended to anticipate and adapt to a changing situation, and provides both a decision-making process and a communication strategy that keeps all stakeholders informed and returns the agency and program operations to normal as soon as possible. The agency ’ s central Emergency Preparedness & Response Plan is located in the main ofﬁce or at the main desk of every EASTCONN facility as well as on the Employee Intranet. In addition, a summarized, building-speciﬁc action plan is located at each site, and in every classroom.

EMPLOYEE FEEDBACK SYSTEM

EASTCONN’s Employee Feedback System is designed to open communication between manager and employee and to provide an opportunity for mutual performance feedback and goal-setting. The basic competencies required of every EASTCONN employee will be identiﬁed at these employee feedback meetings, as will the need for any further skill development. Each direct supervisor will meet with his or her staff member at least once a year

EVALUATIONS OF CERTIFIED STAFF

Staff evaluation is essential to personnel management with far reaching ramiﬁcations including but not limited to: personal and professional growth, program direction, adherence to policy and procedure, promotion, discipline and morale Therefore, EASTCONN maintains a strongly held belief/philosophy that staff evaluation is of the utmost importance to the employee, supervisor and Agency

It shall be the policy of EASTCONN that each employee shall be evaluated through an accurate, formal, consistent, and no less than annual process. The Division Directors shall review annually the evaluation process with all supervisors. Supervisors shall be trained in the principles and methods of employee performance evaluation. After review by appropriate division director, the documents are then forwarded to the Human Resources ofﬁce for inclusion in the employee’s personnel ﬁle. The Division Directors shall bring any unacceptable evaluations to the attention of the Executive Director.

See also EASTCONN Policy #4003.2.1 – Evaluation of Certiﬁed Personnel.

EVALUATIONS OF NON-CERTIFIED STAFF

Employees shall be evaluated by their designated supervisor at least once a year. Evaluation forms shall be initiated by the Human Resources Ofﬁce, which forwards them to the appropriate Division Director.

The Division Director designates the supervisor who is responsible for completion of the evaluation. The supervisor completes the evaluation, and gives it to the Division Director for his/her review and signature The supervisor then meets with the employee to review the evaluation The employee shall be given an opportunity to add a written statement to the evaluation if he/she desires to do so The documents are then forwarded to the Human Resources Ofﬁce for inclusion in the employee’s personnel ﬁle The Division Director shall bring any unacceptable evaluations to the attention of the Executive Director

See also EASTCONN Policy #4003 3 1 – Evaluation of Non-Certiﬁed Personnel

GREEN ENVIRONMENT INITIATIVE

EASTCONN is committed to sound environmental management and concern for the well-being of our common environment. Conservation of energy, recycling of raw materials and reduction of waste, along with the use of environmentally friendly cleaning agents, are important aspects of EASTCONN’s green initiative. EASTCONN employees are encouraged to support our commitment to a better environment. Contact Human Resources for more information and/or to share additional ideas.

RECEIVING/GIVING GIFTS

At EASTCONN, we value transparency, integrity, and ethical behavior in all aspects of our operations. These directives are designed to ensure that both employees and the organization uphold these values while maintaining professional relationships with clients, vendors, and partners.

1 Gifts to and from Employees: Exchange of gifts among employees is allowed during special occasions such as birthdays, holidays, and work-related celebrations However, the value of such gifts should remain modest and appropriate for the workplace environment

2. Gifts from Clients, Vendors, and Partners: Accepting gifts from clients, vendors, or partners can sometimes create conﬂicts of interest or compromise the integrity of our business relationships. To maintain transparency, employees are not to accept any gift with a value exceeding $25.00 from clients, vendors, or partners.

3 Gift Giving and Receiving from External Parties: Employees are expected to exercise discretion when giving or receiving gifts from external parties Accepting or giving gifts with the intention of inﬂuencing business decisions is strictly prohibited If a situation arises where refusing a gift could damage a business relationship, employees should consult their supervisor or Human Resources for guidance

4. EASTCONN Gifts: In certain circumstances, EASTCONN may choose to give company gifts to clients, vendors, or partners as a token of appreciation. These gifts should adhere to our company ’ s ethical guidelines and be of a modest nature. Approval from the Executive Director is required for company gifts exceeding $25.00.

5. Exceptions and Reporting: Any exceptions or unusual circumstances related to these directives should be reported to Human Resources for review and appropriate action. Violations may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination, depending on the severity and frequency of the infraction. It is the responsibility of each employee to familiarize themselves with and adhere to these directives, ensuring that their actions align with the ethical standards upheld by EASTCONN.

By adhering to these directives, we uphold the reputation and integrity of EASTCONN and demonstrate our commitment to maintaining ethical business practices

These directives are subject to periodic review and may be updated to reﬂect changes in regulations or company practices All employees will be notiﬁed of any updates or changes to these directives

See also EASTCONN Policy # 4006.1.1 – Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility for Personnel

HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT

The Human Resources (HR) department is dedicated to supporting our employees and enhancing the overall workplace experience. HR is responsible for a wide range of functions, including recruitment, onboarding, training, performance management, employee relations, beneﬁts administration, and compliance with labor laws. Our HR team serves as a resource for employees, offering guidance on policies, addressing workplace concerns, and promoting a positive organizational culture. We encourage all employees to reach out to HR with any questions, suggestions, or issues they may have, as we are committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for everyone

Feel free to pick up the phone and call us, or just stop by Location: EASTCONN Administrative Ofﬁces

376 Hartford Turnpike (Route 6), Hampton, CT

Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a m - 4:00 p m

Telephone: (860) 455-1630 Fax: (860) 455-8002

HUMAN RESOURCES STAFF:

● Melanie Marcaccio, Director of Human Resources

● Joni Cullan, Assistant to the Director of HR

● Cecily Iturrino, Data Specialist

● Chaisa Mendoza, Human Resources Associate

● Emily Waite, Human Resources Clerk

IDENTIFICATION BADGES

Identification badges improve security, customer service and community relations by identifying us as EASTCONN employees All EASTCONN employees will be issued an identification badge soon after your date of hire It is required that you wear your identification badge while on duty, and while

representing EASTCONN, whether at your primary job location or when meeting with customers off-site.

INTEROFFICE MAIL

Individual EASTCONN program office sites are connected by interoffice mail delivery on a regular basis. The interoffice mail bags can be used to send mail to other program sites or to EASTCONN’s Central Administrative Office in Hampton.

JOB POSTINGS

Job postings are announced on EASTCONN’s online application system To view available postings, visit our website at www eastconn org and go to Our Agency > EASTCONN Careers

MANDATED REPORTING OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

All EASTCONN employees are mandated reporters If in the course of your employment you have reasonable cause to suspect or believe that any child under the age of 18 or under twenty-one (21) years of age and in DCF care, has been abused, neglected, or placed in imminent risk of harm or has had non-accidental physical injuries or injuries which are at variance with the history of such injuries, you must immediately (and not later than 12 hours) make a report to DCF or the local law enforcement agency, followed by a written report within 48 hours. The oral report to DCF shall be made on the DCF 24-hour Careline at 1-800-842-2288. The written report shall be submitted on the DCF-136 or any form for that purpose. Also follow the protocol and procedures of your respective program/site in reporting these incidents to the Executive Director. Please ask your supervisor if you have any questions about EASTCONN’s mandated reporting policy.

See also EASTCONN Policy #4005.1.1 - Reports of Suspected Abuse or Neglect of Children or Reports of Sexual Assault of Students by School Employees and Policy #5005 1 1 - Child Sexual Abuse and Assault Response Policy and Reporting Procedure

MEDIA GUIDELINES

Any employee contacted by the media concerning EASTCONN business must immediately refer the matter to the Executive Director and/or the Director of EASTCONN’s Marketing & Communications Department The Executive Director will determine the appropriate spokesperson for the Agency This includes media/reporter requests for interviews or for any information about EASTCONN

If you are unable to reach the Executive Director or Marketing & Communications Director, refer reporters to your principal or program director, who is already apprised of the agency ’ s Media Guidelines. Your supervisor will contact the appropriate agency news media liaison.

If a reporter unexpectedly calls you about a sensitive topic related to EASTCONN, do not say “No Comment.” Instead, say that you are not authorized to act as an agency spokesperson and tell the reporter that you must refer them to EASTCONN’s Marketing & Communications Department Director. Before you call the department, ﬁnd out the reporter’s deadline and contact information, and promise to get them the information they need as soon as possible Pass that information along to the Marketing & Communications Director

No EASTCONN employee may speak to a reporter on behalf of the agency regarding an emergency situation, a controversial subject, a new or developing situation, or a serious incident, without the express permission of EASTCONN’s Executive Director. If you are approached for comment, please immediately redirect the reporter to the Director of EASTCONN’s Marketing & Communications Department (860-455-0707 or 860-455-1553, M-F, 8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.).

OFF-DUTY CONDUCT

At EASTCONN, we respect the individual rights and personal lives of our employees While we recognize your freedom to engage in activities and behaviors outside of work, it’s important to remember that your actions, even when off-duty, can still reﬂect on our agency ’ s reputation and values This is designed to provide guidelines for behaviors outside of work that may impact our workplace environment and professional relationships

1 Personal Responsibility: Employees are encouraged to engage in lawful and respectful activities outside of work However, if your off-duty conduct negatively affects your ability to perform your job effectively, disrupts our workplace, or brings discredit to EASTCONN, it may be subject to review and potential consequences.

2. Off-Duty Misconduct: If an employee’s off-duty conduct violates laws, regulations, or ethical standards, it may be subject to disciplinary action. Offenses such as harassment, discrimination, violent behavior, illegal drug use, or engaging in activities that undermine the EASTCONN’s values are unacceptable and may result in appropriate consequences, up to and including termination

3. Social Media and Online Behavior: While we respect your personal use of social media and online platforms, it’s important to remember that posts, comments, or interactions online can impact your professional reputation and adversely impact EASTCONN’s image. Avoid sharing or posting content that could be deemed offensive, discriminatory, or damaging to EASTCONN’s reputation.

4 Reporting Concerns: If you become aware of off- duty conduct by a colleague that may negatively impact EASTCONN’s values, reputation, or work environment, you are encouraged to report your concerns to your supervisor, manager, or Human Resources Reports will be treated conﬁdentially and will be investigated appropriately

5. Privacy Considerations: We respect your privacy and understand that personal matters are private. Our interest lies in behaviors that directly affect the workplace, our employees, and EASTCONN’s reputation.

6 Review and Updates: This guidance is subject to periodic review and may be updated to reﬂect changes in laws, regulations, or practices All employees will be notiﬁed of any updates or changes to this guidance

By adhering to this Off-Duty Conduct guidance, we collectively contribute to maintaining a positive workplace environment and upholding the values and mission of EASTCONN. Your understanding and cooperation in aligning your off-duty conduct with our principles are greatly appreciated.

It is the responsibility of every employee to read, understand, and comply with this guidance Ignorance of this guidance will not be considered an excuse for non-compliance EASTCONN

reserves the right to take appropriate action in response to violations, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

ORIENTATION & MANDATED TRAININGS

The Human Resources Department or your supervisor will contact you regarding your required completion of orientations and/or new hire training sessions. All employees are required to complete online training on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, Bloodborne Pathogens, Hazard Communication Awareness, Human Trafﬁcking and the Hazardous Communication Standards and DCF Mandated Reporter training as directed

These mandatory training sessions are provided to ensure that all employees understand how to maintain a safe and healthy workplace Additional orientation and required training may be provided at your work site or at the start of the school year, depending on the nature of your job

PERSONNEL RECORDS

Personnel records shall be maintained in individual employee personnel files in the Human Resources Department and shall include information required for personnel administration. Personnel files shall be considered confidential and shall not be made available to persons other than the employee, members of EASTCONN Leadership team staff and others as required by law.

Individually identifiable information contained in the personnel file or medical records of any employee shall not be disclosed by any member of EASTCONN without the written authorization of the employee except where the information is limited to a verification of dates of employment, the employee’s title or position and the employee’s wage or salary.

An employee may inspect his personnel ﬁle when the employee is off duty and at a time scheduled with the Human Resources Department

Personnel file inspections must be conducted in the presence of a designated employee from Human Resources Employees may not remove the contents of personnel files from EASTCONN premises Upon written request, the employee shall be provided with copies of documents contained in the personnel file, provided the employee pays the established per page copying charge

Personnel records retention shall be in accordance with the Connecticut State Library guidelines, where applicable.

PHOTO/VIDEO RECORDINGS

Photos and videos of EASTCONN-related events and programs are often used as part of EASTCONN’s marketing and/or community relations efforts. In connection with those efforts, photos/videos, which may include you, may be used in EASTCONN publications, advertisements, video productions, newspapers, television, on EASTCONN social media site(s), or on EASTCONN’s website Related to those same efforts, external media, such as newspapers and/or television, may post news items depicting EASTCONN-related events/programs on their websites

EASTCONN will use EASTCONN-related photos/videos that depict you in EASTCONN’s marketing and community relations efforts, both online and in print, in any manner or in any medium. All such images and videos in which you appear are property of EASTCONN. You will receive no compensation for the use of your image.

Unless you direct otherwise, by way of this notice, you waive the right to approve or inspect images or video of you that might be used in EASTCONN’s marketing and/ or community relations efforts Further, once your image is posted on an EASTCONN website or social media page, the image could possibly be downloaded by a third party and EASTCONN is not responsible for any invasion of privacy, defamation or any other cause of action that may arise from such unauthorized reproduction

To direct that EASTCONN not use your photo or any video in which you appear, you must indicate so by checking that election on EASTCONN’s Photo/Video Release Form This form may be obtained by contacting Marketing & Communications or by downloading it from the EASTCONN Employee Intranet Marketing & Communications page and submitting the completed form to the Director of Marketing & Communications.

RECORDING OF WORKPLACE CONVERSATIONS

At EASTCONN, we prioritize maintaining a respectful and conﬁdential work environment that fosters open communication and trust among employees. To uphold these values, the recording of workplace conversations, whether in person, via electronic devices, or any other means, is strictly prohibited unless explicitly authorized for business purposes.

1. Prohibition of Recording: Employees are prohibited from recording workplace conversations without the explicit consent of all parties involved This includes meetings, discussions, phone calls, and any other interactions that occur within the workplace premises or during work-related activities

2. Consent for Recording: If an employee believes that recording a conversation is necessary for legitimate business reasons, they must obtain the consent of all participants involved before proceeding. This applies to both formal meetings and casual interactions.

3 Confidentiality and Trust: Recording conversations without consent can erode the trust and confidentiality that are essential for effective collaboration and a positive workplace environment It may also lead to misunderstandings and conflicts among colleagues

4. Authorized Recordings: There may be situations where recording conversations is necessary for business purposes, such as recording customer service calls for quality assurance or training purposes. In such cases, recording should be conducted following EASTCONN Photo/Video Recordings guidelines, applicable laws and regulations.

5 Disciplinary Action: Violations may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination, depending on the severity and frequency of the infraction Unauthorized recording of conversations is considered a breach of trust and may harm the working relationships among employees

6. Reporting Violations: If an employee becomes aware of an unauthorized recording or believes their conversations are being recorded without consent, they should immediately report the situation to their supervisor, manager, or Human Resources.

7. Directive Review and Updates: These directives are subject to review and may be updated to reﬂect changes in laws, regulations, or company practices. All employees will be notiﬁed of any updates or changes.

By adhering to these directives, we collectively contribute to maintaining a respectful, transparent, and trustworthy work environment that supports the values and mission of EASTCONN

It is the responsibility of every employee to read, understand, and comply with these directives Ignorance of these directives will not be considered an excuse for non-compliance EASTCONN reserves the right to take appropriate action in response to violations of these directives, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS CLOSINGS

The Executive Director decides whether to close or delay operations if necessary, as well as calling appropriate TV stations. If the buildings remain open, non-instructional employees have until 10 a.m. to report to work without having to discharge any Vacation or Personal time. If any employee is unable to report for duty due to weather conditions, he/she must call their immediate supervisor by 10 a.m. and inform them as to whether he/she is using Vacation and/or Personal time. SICK TIME MAY NOT BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE.

SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS CLOSINGS FOR EASTCONN SCHOOLS:

Decisions are made by the Executive Director and the appropriate building administrator to cancel classes Under these circumstances, no staff should report to work, with the exception of 12-month employees who are expected to be at their work site unless the Executive Director decides to close all EASTCONN sites Should the decision be made to close all sites, you will be notiﬁed by your supervisor Cancellations and delays are also clearly listed on the EASTCONN website at www eastconn org

SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS CLOSINGS FOR ADULT EDUCATION SITES:

Decisions are made by the Director of Adult & Community Programs and the appropriate building administrator to cancel classes. Under these circumstances, no staff should report to work, with the exception of 12-month employees who are expected to be at their work site unless the Executive Director decides to close all EASTCONN sites. Should the decision be made to close all sites, you will be notiﬁed by your supervisor.

SMOKE-FREE WORKPLACE

To protect everyone ’ s health, all EASTCONN buildings and programs are smoke-free environments. Electronic nicotine delivery systems or vapor products are also prohibited from use in EASTCONN buildings and programs in accordance with state law

See also EASTCONN Policy #4002 1 1 – Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug-Free Workplace

SOCIAL MEDIA – EMPLOYEE GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

EASTCONN recognizes the importance and utility of social media and networks for its employees The laws regarding social media continue to evolve and change Nothing in these guidelines is

intended to limit an employee’s right to use social media or personal online accounts under applicable law, as it may evolve. EASTCONN acknowledges, for example, that its employees have the right under the First Amendment, in certain circumstances, to speak out on matters of public concern. EASTCONN will resolve any conﬂict between these guidelines and applicable law in favor of the law.

Ordinarily, the use of social media by employees, including employee’s use of personal online accounts, will not be a legal or policy issue While a policy or guideline cannot address every instance of inappropriate social media use, employees must refrain from social media use that:

1 interferes with, disrupts or undermines the effective operation of EASTCONN;

2. is used to engage in harassing, defamatory, obscene, abusive, discriminatory, threatening or similar communications;

3 creates a hostile work environment;

4 breaches conﬁdentiality obligations of EASTCONN employees; or

5. violates the law, EASTCONN guidelines, policies and/or other EASTCONN rules and regulations.

DEFINITIONS:

The rapid speed at which technology continuously evolves makes it difﬁcult, if not impossible, to identify all types of social media. Thus, the term Social Media includes a variety of online tools and services that allow users to publish content and interact with their audiences. By way of example, social media includes the following websites or applications, including an employee’s personal online account using such social media:

1 social-networking (e g Facebook, LinkedIn, Classmates com);

2 blogs and micro-blogs (e g Twitter/X, Tumblr);

3. content-sharing (e.g. Scribd, SlideShare, DropBox);

4 imagesharing, videosharing or livestreaming (e g Snapchat, Periscope, Flickr, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest);

5. other sharing sites or apps such as by sound, location, news, or messaging, etc. (e.g. Reddit, Kik, Yik Yak, SoundCloud, WhatsApp, Google Hangouts, Houseparty, TikTok).

EASTCONN includes all names, logos, buildings, images and entities under the authority of EASTCONN

Electronic communications device includes any electronic device that is capable of transmitting, accepting or processing data, including, but not limited to, a computer, computer network and computer system, and a cellular or wireless telephone

Personal online account includes any online account that is used by an employee exclusively for personal purposes and unrelated to any business purpose of EASTCONN, including, but not limited

to electronic mail, social media and retail-based Internet websites. Personal Online Account does not include any account created, maintained, used or accessed by an employee for a business, educational or instructional purpose of EASTCONN.

RULES CONCERNING EASTCONN-SPONSORED SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITY

Introduction: This section applies to socialnetworking andelectronic communications that employees are engaging in for any EASTCONN-relatedpurposes.

1 In order for an employee to use social media sites or applications as educational tools or in relation to extracurricular activities or programs of EASTCONN, the employee must seek and obtain the prior permission of his/her supervisor

2. Prior to using a website or application to publish information online on behalf of EASTCONN, the work must ﬁrst be approved for publication by the EASTCONN Marketing & Communications Department.

3 Employees may not use personal online accounts to access social media for classroom activities without express permission of the employee’s supervisor Where appropriate and with permission from the direct supervisor and the Marketing & Communications Department, EASTCONN- sponsored social media accounts should be used for such purposes

4. If an employee wishes to use social media sites or applications to communicate meetings, activities, games, responsibilities, announcements etc., for a school-based club or a school-based activity or an ofﬁcial school-based organization, the employee must also comply with the following rules:

○ The employee must receive the permission of his/ her immediate supervisor.

○ The employee must coordinate with the Marketing & Communications Department prior to using such social media sites or applications

○ The employee must not use his/her personal online account for such purpose, but shall use his/her EASTCONN-issued account.

○ The employee must ensure that such social media use is compliant with all EASTCONN policies, regulations, and applicable state and federal law, including the provision of required legal notices and permission slips to parents

○ The employee must set up the club, etc. as a group list which will be “closed” (e.g. membership in the group is limited to students, parents and appropriate school personnel), and “monitored” (e.g. the employee had the ability to access and supervise communications on the social media site).

○ Parents shall be permitted to access any page that their child has been invited to join

○ Access to the page may only be permitted for educational purposes related to the club, activity, organization or team.

○ The employee responsible for the page will monitor it regularly

○ The employee’s supervisor and the EASTCONN Technology department shall be granted administrator access to any page established by the employee for a school-related purpose.

○ Employees are required to maintain appropriate professional boundaries in the establishment and maintenance of all such EASTCONN-sponsored social media activity

5. Employees are prohibited from making harassing, defamatory, obscene, abusive, discriminatory or threatening or similar statements in their social media communications on EASTCONN-sponsored sites or accounts or through EASTCONN-issued electronic accounts.

6 Employees are required to comply with all EASTCONN guidelines, policies, rules, regulations and procedures and all applicable laws with respect to the use of electronic communications devices, networks, EASTCONN-issued accounts, or when accessing EASTCONN-sponsored social media sites or while using personal devices on EASTCONN’s wireless network or while accessing EASTCONN servers

7. EASTCONN reserves the right to monitor all employee use of EASTCONN computers and other electronic devices, including employee blogging and social media activity. An employee should have no expectation of personal privacy in any communication made through social media, including personal online accounts, while using EASTCONN electronic communications devices

8 All communications through EASTCONN-sponsored social media or EASTCONN-issued electronic accounts must comply with EASTCONN’s guidelines, policies and regulations concerning confidentiality, including the confidentiality of student information. If an employee is considering sharing information and is unsure about the confidential nature of the information, the employee shall consult with his/her supervisor or designee, prior to communicating such information.

9 Employees must follow copyright and fair use laws in the creation of online content

10 An employee may not use EASTCONN-sponsored social media or EASTCONN-issued electronic mail accounts in a manner that misrepresents an employee’s personal views as those of EASTCONN or its individual schools or programs, or in a manner that could be construed as such.

11 An employee may not use EASTCONN-sponsored social media or EASTCONN-issued electronic accounts for communications for private ﬁnancial gain, political, commercial, advertisement, proselytizing or solicitation purposes

12. Nothing in these guidelines should be construed as implicit permission to represent EASTCONN using social media, websites, or personal online accounts. No EASTCONN employee has the authority to represent or speak on behalf of EASTCONN unless such employee has explicit permission to do so. The establishment of websites, applications, or other social media activities on behalf of EASTCONN or any EASTCONN school, class, or extracurricular activity must ﬁrst be approved by an employee’s program director in coordination with the EASTCONN Marketing & Communications Department, described in Sections 3 and 4, above. Once approved, employees will manage the content of their online

sites in accordance with all EASTCONN guidelines, policies, rules, regulations, procedures and applicable law.

13 An employee may not post ofﬁcial EASTCONN material on behalf of EASTCONN without express permission to do so from the employee’s supervisor and the approval of the Marketing & Communications Department However, an employee may share ofﬁcial posts created by EASTCONN or EASTCONN’s Marketing & Communications Department

RULES CONCERNING PERSONAL ONLINE ACCOUNTS

Introduction: This section applies to socialnetworking andelectronic communications that employees are engaging in for anypersonal, non-work-relatedpurposes.

1. EASTCONN understands that employees utilize social media and the web for personal matters in the workplace. EASTCONN reserves the right to monitor all employee use of EASTCONN electronic communication devices, including a review of employee blogging and personal social media activity An employee should have no expectation of personal privacy in any personal communication made through social media while using EASTCONN computers, cellular telephones, or other electronic communication devices While EASTCONN reserves the right to monitor use of its electronic communications devices, employees may engage in incidental personal use of social media in the workplace so long as such use does not interfere with operations and productivity, and does not violate any other EASTCONN policies, regulations or guidelines, policies, rules, regulations

2. An employee may not mention, discuss or reference EASTCONN or its individual schools or programs using personal online accounts or other sites or applications in a manner that could reasonably be construed as an ofﬁcial EASTCONN communication, unless the employee also states within the communication that such communication is the personal view of the employee and that the views expressed are the employee’s alone and do not represent the views of EASTCONN An example of such disclaimer is: “the opinions and views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the position or opinion of EASTCONN ” For example, except as may be permitted by EASTCONN policy, regulations or guidelines, employees may not provide job references for other individuals on social media that indicate such references are made in an ofﬁcial capacity on behalf of EASTCONN

3. Employees are required to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with students, parents, and colleagues. For example, absent an unrelated online relationship (e.g., relative, family friend, or personal friendship unrelated to school), it is not appropriate for a teacher or administrator to “friend” a student or his/her parent or guardian or otherwise establish special relationships with selected students through personal online accounts, and it is not appropriate for an employee to give students or parents access to personal postings unrelated to EASTCONN

4 In accordance with the public trust doctrine, employees are advised to refrain from engaging in harassing, defamatory, obscene, abusive, discriminatory or threatening or similar communications through personal online accounts. Such communications reﬂect poorly on EASTCONN’s reputation, can affect the educational process and may substantially and materially interfere with an employee’s ability to fulﬁll his/ her professional responsibilities.

5. Employees are individually responsible for their personal communications through social media and personal online accounts. Employees may be sued by other employees, parents or others, and any individual that views an employee’s communication through social media and personal online accounts as defamatory, pornographic, proprietary, harassing, libelous or creating a hostile work environment.

In addition, employees should consider refraining from posting anything that belongs to another person or entity, such as copyrighted publications or trademarked images As all of these activities are outside the scope of employment, employees may be personally liable for such claims

6. Employees are required to comply with all EASTCONN guidelines, policies, regulations, and procedures with respect to the use of electronic communications devices when accessing personal online accounts and/or social media through EASTCONN computer systems. Any access to personal online accounts and/or personal social media activities while on EASTCONN property or using EASTCONN equipment must comply with those guidelines, policies, regulations and/or procedures and may not interfere with an employee’s duties at work.

7 All communications through personal online accounts and/or social media must comply with EASTCONN guidelines, policies, regulations and/or procedures concerning confidentiality, including the confidentiality of student information If an employee is considering sharing information and is unsure about the confidential nature of the information, the employee shall consult with his/her supervisor, prior to communicating such information.

8. Refrain from designating any assigned EASTCONN account as a backup or secondary account for personal on-line accounts.

9 An employee may not link a personal online account or social media activity to EASTCONN’s website or the websites of individual EASTCONN schools, programs, products or services; or post ofﬁcial EASTCONN material using a personal online account without written permission of his/her supervisor and the approval of the Marketing & Communications Department, prior to posting. Additionally, unless given written consent, employees may not use EASTCONN’s logo on their personal online accounts or through posting to any social media site or application. Please note that this prohibition extends to the use of logos or trademarks associated with individual schools, programs, products or services of EASTCONN.

10 All EASTCONN guidelines and policies apply to employee use of personal online accounts in the same way that they apply to conduct that occurs in the workplace and off duty conduct

ACCESS TO PERSONAL ONLINE ACCOUNTS

1. An employee may not be required by his/her supervisor to provide his/her username, password, or other means of authentication of a personal online account.

2 An employee may not be required to authenticate or access a personal online account in the presence of his/her supervisor

3 An employee may not be required to invite or accept an invitation from his/her supervisor or required to join a group with the employee’s personal online account.

DISCIPLINARY CONSEQUENCES

Violation of these EASTCONN guidelines, which includes social media and/or other personal accounts, may lead to discipline up to and including the termination of employment consistent with state and federal law.

An employee may face disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment if an employee transfers, without EASTCONN’s permission, conﬁdential information to or from the employee’s personal online account

An employee may not be disciplined for failing to provide his/her username, password, or other authentication means for accessing a personal online account, failing to authenticate or access a personal online account in the presence of his/her supervisor or failing to invite his/her supervisor or refusing to accept an invitation sent by his/ her supervisor to join a group afﬁliated with a personal online account

Notwithstanding, EASTCONN may require that an employee provide his/her username, password or other means of accessing or authenticating a personal online account for purposes of accessing any account or service provided by EASTCONN for business purposes or any electronic communications device supplied by or paid for, in whole or in part, by EASTCONN.

Nothing in these guidelines shall prevent EASTCONN from conducting an investigation for the purpose of ensuring compliance with applicable state or federal laws, regulatory requirements or prohibitions against work- related employee misconduct based on the receipt of specific information about an activity on an employee’s personal online account or based on specific information about the transfer of confidential information to or from an employee’s personal online account During the course of such investigation, EASTCONN may require an employee to allow EASTCONN to access his or her personal online account for the purpose of conducting such investigation However, the employee will not be required to provide his/her username and/or password or other authentication means in order for EASTCONN to access the personal online account

Legal References:

U S Constitution, Amend I

Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510 through 2522

Conn. Constitution, Article I, Sections 3, 4, 14 Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-40x

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-48d

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-51q

Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53a-182; 53a-183; 53a-250 Guidelines reviewed, Shipman & Goodwin, August 2018 and August 2021

TECHNOLOGY: ACCEPTABLE-USE POLICY

1. PROHIBITED USE

Acceptable use of computer resources and e-mail at EASTCONN requires that all e-mail be business related and respect professional boundaries

Non-EASTCONN-related e-mail communications by staff, students or customers is prohibited

Similarly, EASTCONN’s Internet system shall not be used for non-EASTCONN-related purposes or to access inappropriate websites, such as pornographic, gambling, video games, or personal on-line business sites etc. Employees that misuse and/or abuse EASTCONN’s technology resources may be subject to the agency ’ s progressive discipline policy, up to and including termination and/or referral to law enforcement.

Users are not permitted to use EASTCONN computer resources to:

● Create, use, access, upload, download, transmit or distribute profane, pornographic, obscene, sexually explicit, harassing, discriminatory, threatening or illegal material or communications;

● Harass, cyber bully or intentionally offend others; EASTCONN computer resources shall not to be used for the creation or distribution of any disruptive or offensive messages, including offensive comments about race, gender, disabilities, age, sexual orientation, pornography, religious beliefs and practice, political beliefs, or national origin.

● Vandalize, damage, or disable the property of another individual or organization including destroying data by creating or spreading viruses or by other means;

● Intentionally disrupt or degrade network activity;

● Share passwords with others, circumvent the menu/ password and/or Internet ﬁltering software installed on District computers;

● “Hack into,” “ snoop, ” monitor any network trafﬁc or otherwise access data not intended for the user including, but not limited to, other users ’ ﬁles and administrative data;

● Violate copyright or otherwise use the intellectual property of another individual or organization without permission;

● Plagiarize (to take material created by others and presenting it as if it were one ’ s own) or cheat (to deceive by trickery, mislead or fool);

● Send, transmit, or otherwise disseminate proprietary data, personal information about minors or other conﬁdential information; Violate any local, state, or federal law or school policy. Employees may not do any of the following without prior written authorization from a supervisor:

● Access EASTCONN networks with privately owned laptop computers, cell phones, or any other personal electronic devices;

● Copy software for use on their home computers;

● Provide copies of software to any independent contractors;

● Install software on any of EASTCONN’s workstations or servers;

● Download any software from the Internet or other on-line service to any of EASTCONN’s work stations or servers;

● Modify, revise, transform, recast, or adapt any software;

● Reverse engineer, disassemble or decompile any EASTCONN software.

1 INTERNAL, AGENCY GROUP MAILINGS

Group e-mails should be used only for EASTCONN business purposes Use group mailings only when all members of a list need to be informed or need to take action Respect

everyone ’ s time by avoiding unnecessary mailing. For all group mailings, employees should use the subject line to summarize the content of the e-mail.

2 EFFECTIVENESS

EASTCONN employees are encouraged to use EASTCONN Email Tips to make the most of their e-mail communications resources Copies are available from the Communications Department section in the EASTCONN employee pages at www eastconn org

3. MONITORING

EASTCONN employees shall have no expectation of personal privacy in anything they store, send or receive on the agency ’ s e-mail and/or Internet system. EASTCONN reserves the right to monitor messages and Internet sites without prior notice.

See also EASTCONN Policy #4009 1 1 – Technology: Acceptable-Use Policy

TELEPHONE PROTOCOL, INCLUDING FAMILY EMERGENCY CALLS

Each staff member should provide his or her direct phone number or a main program number (where appropriate) when giving out contact information

FAMILY EMERGENCY CALLS

When unable to contact you in the event of an emergency, family members may dial the EASTCONN main phone line at 860-455-0707 or 860-455-1630 to reach the Human Resources Department for assistance.

VOICE MAIL PROTOCOL - GREETINGS AND MESSAGES

All staff members with assigned voice mail must take responsibility for leaving appropriate voice mail greetings and/or messages. All staff members should record a temporary voicemail message when they will be out of the ofﬁce for any length of time (e.g., vacation, out at schools, meetings, conferences, etc.) with instructions on whom to call for immediate assistance (e.g., their support person if appropriate, or another staff member)

TERMINATION

Employees who wish to resign or retire from their position must provide written notice to their supervisor of their intent at least two (2) weeks before their anticipated separation date, unless otherwise required in your collective bargaining agreement Supervisors will then promptly notify Human Resources Any vacation eligible employee who terminates his/her employment shall be entitled to a prorated share of the employee’s vacation entitlement for the year less any used vacation days

Employees will not be compensated for any unused, accrued sick leave, personal leave or holidays upon termination. You may access ESS to enter your hours and print your pay advice until the Monday after your last paycheck.

Teachers are required to provide a minimum of 30 days written notice of resignation.

TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT

Employees are encouraged to utilize EASTCONN vehicles when available before using your own vehicle. Employees who use their automobiles for EASTCONN purposes shall be reimbursed at the IRS rate in effect at the time of such use. Travel reimbursement forms should be submitted on a monthly basis. Failure to submit requests for reimbursement in a timely manner, within 3 months, will result in a denial of the request.