Employee Handbook
2021-2022
A message from the Office of Human Resources…
Working together to make learning come to life! DEAR EASTCONN COLLEAGUE, This handbook is reviewed and updated yearly to provide you with information relevant to your employment with EASTCONN, and to help support you in your role. It is with your success that EASTCONN can accomplish its mission as an organization and provide the services to the districts we support. The information in this Handbook provides you with a basic understanding of the organization’s mission and policies, as well as your responsibilities as an employee. We provide you with information you need to know and with answers to the most frequently asked employment-related topics. The content of this Handbook was created with you in mind in order to assist you as an employee of EASTCONN. When you read this Handbook, please keep the following in mind: This Handbook contains important information that every EASTCONN employee needs to know. EASTCONN reserves the right to revise its policies, guidelines and the Handbook as needed, and the Handbook is subject to change without notice. The procedures, practices and benefits described herein may be periodically revised or changed. While we will try to inform you of any changes as they occur, we cannot guarantee immediate advance notice of all changes. You may also receive email communications on topic areas that are beneficial and necessary for you as an employee. It is important that you check your EASTCONN email regularly to stay informed. Language in this Handbook is not intended to substitute, replace, override or modify any existing federal and state laws, agency rules, regulations or policies or express terms of a collective bargaining agreement, nor be inclusive of every policy (together “laws, policies and agreements”) that might apply to your employment. Such laws, policies and agreements are subject to change and revision and the most current version of those laws, policies and agreements shall always be the official documents upon which a ruling will be based or interpretation made. This Handbook does not guarantee employment, nor does it create any contractual right to remain employed by EASTCONN. Employment with EASTCONN is at-will and may be terminated by EASTCONN at any time for any reason not specifically prohibited by law with or without cause, unless covered by an authorized collective bargaining agreement. If you are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement, your employment is on a voluntary basis for no stated term. If you have any questions regarding any of this information, please feel free to go to our HR Intranet Web pages where employees can find forms, links, policies and other important information. To access these web pages, go to EASTCONN’s home page at www.eastconn.org, scroll down and click on “Employee Area” at the bottom of EASTCONN’s home page. You may also contact our Human Resources Department for assistance. We are located at EASTCONN’s Central Administrative Offices and Conference Center in Hampton and are open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. You can reach us by phone at 860-455-1630 or by e-mail (email addresses for all HR staff are published on our main HR Intranet Web page). EASTCONN is committed to providing every employee with the tools they need to succeed at EASTCONN. The Human Resources Department is here to assist you in your role and contribute to your success. We welcome your comments, suggestions and ideas for improving our employee services.
Sincerely, Melanie Marcaccio, Director Human Resources Department
HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Phone: 860-455-1630 • Fax: 860-455-8002 e-mail: mmarcaccio@eastconn.org • www.humanresources@eastconn.org
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EASTCONN Employee Handbook
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Payroll Office & Payroll Cycle......................................... 13
Direct Deposit and Paper Checks.................................. 13
A MESSAGE FROM THE OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES…........................................................ 2
Pay Deductions.............................................................. 13
Credit Unions................................................................. 13
TABLE OF CONTENTS........................................................ 3-4
Time Sheets................................................................... 13
ABOUT EASTCONN.............................................................5
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS......................................................... 14
LEADERSHIP TEAM..............................................................5
Dental Insurance............................................................ 14
EASTCONN AT A GLANCE................................................. 6
Health Insurance............................................................ 14
VISION................................................................................. 6
COBRA........................................................................... 14
MISSION.............................................................................. 6
Vision Insurance............................................................. 14
ABOUT EASTCONN............................................................ 6
Open Enrollment/Benefit Changes................................ 15
EASTCONN ORGANIZATIONAL CHART........................... 7
Flexible Spending Accounts.......................................... 15
EASTCONN PROGRAM LOCATIONS................................ 8,9
Life Insurance................................................................. 15
EASTCONN’S SIX DIVISIONS............................................. 10
Retirement...................................................................... 15
EASTCONN PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS.............................11
AGENCY COMMITTEES...................................................... 12
ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS.......................................... 16
Compensation Committee............................................. 12
Absence Reporting........................................................ 16
Health & Safety Committee........................................... 12
Employee Self Service Portal (ESS)................................ 16
Leadership Team............................................................ 12
Holiday Schedule........................................................... 16
Intra-Agency Group....................................................... 12
Vacation Days................................................................. 17
Data Users Group........................................................... 12
Vacation Carry-Over....................................................... 17
ECHIP Wellness Committee........................................... 12
Personal Days................................................................. 17
EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION & PAYROLL INFORMATION..................................................... 13
Professional Days........................................................... 17
Sick Days/Leave Procedures.......................................... 18
Workers’ Compensation................................................. 18
1st Report of Injury/Incident Report.............................. 18
Jury Duty........................................................................ 19
Military Leave................................................................. 19
Overview........................................................................ 13
Salary Placement............................................................ 13
Salary Agreements......................................................... 13
“Salaried” and “Hourly” Classifications......................... 13
Tax Sheltered Annuity (TSA) Plans................................. 15
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EASTCONN Employee Handbook
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).................................. 19
Personnel Records......................................................... 29
Family Violence Leave Act............................................. 19
Photo/Video Recordings................................................ 29
Reasonable Accommodations....................................... 30
Severe Weather Conditions Closings............................. 30
Smoke-Free Workplace.................................................. 31
Employee Guidelines for the Use of Social Media................................................................... 31-35
Technology: Acceptable-Use Policy............................... 35
Telephone Protocol, Including Family Emergency Calls................................................. 36
POLICIES, GUIDELINES & RESOURCES............................. 20
Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Policy......................................................... 20
Sexual Harassment Policy & Complaint Procedure....................................................................... 20-21
Discrimination Complaint Procedure............................. 21-22
Animals in EASTCONN Buildings.................................. 23
Automobile Safety......................................................... 23
Appropriate Work Attire................................................ 23
Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act...................... 23
Employment Background Checks.................................. 23
Employment Verification................................................ 23
Building Emergencies Due to Utility Outages............... 23
Communication & Publications...................................... 24
Confidentiality of Information........................................ 24
Confidentiality of Student Records................................ 24
Employment of Relatives............................................... 24
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)............................. 24
EASTCONN-Assigned Equipment................................. 24
EASTCONN Web Pages................................................ 25
Unauthorized Websites Or Social Media Solicitations Prohibited.................................................. 25
Electronic Monitoring..................................................... 25
E-Mail Protocols............................................................. 25
Emergency Preparedness & Response Plan................... 26
Employee Feedback System.......................................... 26
Evaluations of Certified Staff.......................................... 26
Evaluations of Non-Certified Staff.................................. 26
Green Environment Initiative......................................... 26
Grievance Policy............................................................. 26-28
Human Resources Department...................................... 28
Human Resources Staff.................................................. 28
Identification Badges..................................................... 28
Interoffice Mail............................................................... 28
Job Postings................................................................... 28
Mandated Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect................................................................... 28
Media Guidelines........................................................... 29
Orientation Program...................................................... 29
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Termination.................................................................... 37
Travel Reimbursement................................................... 37
Violence in the Workplace............................................. 37
Workplace Problem Resolution...................................... 37
NOTES.................................................................................. 39
About EASTCONN
ABOUT EASTCONN
ABOUT EASTCONN Created in 1980 under Connecticut Generl Statute 10-66a, EASTCONN is a public, non-profit Regional Educational Service Center (RESC), one of six in the state. EASTCONN exists to provide high-quality, competitively priced educational and related services to 36 member Boards of Education and the 33 communitiesthey serve in northeastern Connecticut. EASTCONN is governed by a Board of Directors, who are members of locally elected Boards of Education. Agency funding comes from the fees EASTCONN charges for its programs, schools and services, supplemented by competitively awarded grants and contracts.
EASTCONN LEADERSHIP
Gary S. Mala, Executive Director gmala@eastconn.org Shawn Brodeur, Facilities sbrodeur@eastconn.org Kimberly Bush, Transportation Services kbush@eastconn.org Larisa Carr, ECHIP Administrator lcarr@eastconn.org Katrina Cote, Nursing Facilitator kcote@eastconn.org Andrew DePalma, Technology Solutions adepalma@eastconn.org Diane Dugas, K-12 Student Services, Leading & Learning Services
ddugas@eastconn.org
Diane Gozemba, Early Childhood Initiatives dgozemba@eastconn.org Melanie Marcaccio, Human Resources mmarcaccio@eastconn.org Amy Margelony, K-12 Special Education Services amargelony@eastconn.org Edward Martin, Business Office emartin@eastconn.org Heather Plourde, Food & Hospitality Services hplourde@eastconn.org Dona Prindle, Marketing & Communications dprindle@eastconn.org Rich Tariff, Adult & Community Programs rtariff@eastconn.org Joni Weglein, Finance jweiglein@eastconn.org
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EASTCONN Agency Overview
AGENCY OVERVIEW
EASTCONN AT A GLANCE*
127 Programs & Services About 670+ Employees 15 Locations 180+ Student Transportation Vehicles. And In The EASTCONN Region: 33 Communities 36 School Systems 83 Schools 260 Administrators 2,800+ Teachers 38,800 Prek-12 Students 261,400+ Residents
EASTCONN’s Mission EASTCONN will initiate, support and facilitate partnerships, collaborations and regional solutions that are responsive to the needs of all learners through exemplary programs, products and services.
EASTCONN’s Vision When the vision of EASTCONN is realized, schools and communities will collaborate effectively to provide opportunities for learners of all ages. All community members will have expanded life choices as a result of higher levels of learning and training. EASTCONN employees will consistently anticipate and meet the changing needs of schools and communities. As lifelong learners ourselves, we will continually increase our skills, particularly those that contribute to greater teamwork and problem solving. Open communication and the inclusion of diverse perspectives will drive decision-making, which will be based on the broadest available data. We will be valued for the originality of our leadership and the quality of our service.
* Please note: Data points are approximate & based on the most recent data available.
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EASTCONN Organizational Chart
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
ADULT & COMMUNITY PROGRAMS • • • • •
Adult Education & High School Completion Community Education Employment & Training Programs English Learner Services & Citizenship Parent & Family Programs
EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVES • • • • • • •
Birth to Three General Program Early Childhood Coaching & Consultation Early Childhood Materials & Products Head Start/Early Head Start Programs for Young Children & Families School Readiness Support to Districts & Region Development & Coordination of Statewide Professional Learning Services
SCHOOL & COMMUNITIES
K-12 STUDENT SERVICES • • • • • • • • • •
EASTCONN EXECUTIVE BOARD EASTCONN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Academic Enrichment Programs Clinical Day Treatment Programs Magnet & Alternative High Schools Programs for Students with Developmental Disabilities Psychological & Behavioral Consultation Services Related Services (AT, OT, PT, SLP) School-to-Career Programs Schools for Non-Traditional Learners Summer, Vacation & After-School Programs Transportation
LEADING & LEARNING SERVICES • • • • •
Center for Educational Leadership Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment Professional Learning EASTCONN Regional Groups & Councils School Improvement Strategies
ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES • • • • • • • • • • •
Business Office & Employer Services Conference & Hospitality Services Cooperative Purchasing Facilities Services Finance Office Support Human Resources & Staffing Solutions Marketing & Communication & Website Research, Development & Innovation Security & Investigations Student Food Services Transportation Services for Students
TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS • • • • • • •
Data Solutions, Support & Training Educational Technology Integration Student Information Systems Support & Training Technology Infrastructure Support Technology Products & Services Video Production Services Web Application Development
2021
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EASTCONN Program Locations
PROGRAM LOCATIONS
EASTCONN PROGRAM LOCATIONS
EASTCONN EASTCONN LOCATIONS LOCATIONS Columbia • Hampton • Killingly • Plainfield • Putnam • Windham Columbia • Hampton • Killingly • Plainfield • Putnam • Windham
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EASTCONN Program Locations ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
Putnam Head Start 33 Wicker Street, Putnam, CT 06260 860-928-0004; Fax: 860-963-6922
Central Administration & Conference Center 376 Hartford Tpke., Hampton, CT 06247 860-455-0707; Fax: 860-455-8026 Adult Programs, Assistive Technology, Conference & Food Services, Early Childhood Initiatives, Facilities, Finance, Human Resources, K-12 Student Services, Leading & Learning Services, Marketing & Communications, Organizational Support Services, Technology Solutions
ADULT AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
Community Learning Center Tyler Square, 1320 Main St., Willimantic, CT 06226 860-423-2591; Fax: 860-450-0853 Hampton, Central Administration 376 Hartford Turnpike, Hampton, CT 06247 860-455-0707; Fax: 860-455-8026 Northeast Learning Center 562 Westcott Rd., Danielson, CT 06239 860-779-3770; Fax: 860-779-3384
EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVES Early Head Start Home Visiting & Head Start at Moosup Gardens 10B Gorman Street, Moosup, CT 06354 860-564-7199; Fax: 860-564-2630
Killingly Early Head Start & Head Start 562 Westcott Road, Danielson, CT 06239 860-779-0410; Fax: 860-779-1377 Killingly Head Start at Killingly High School 226 Putnam Pike, Dayville, CT 06241 860-779-6793; Fax: 860-774-0846 Plainfield Early Head Start & Head Start 482 Norwich Road, Plainfield, CT 06374 860-933-3694
Tolland County Head Start Home-Based 860-455-1586; Fax: 860-455-1005 Windham Early Head Start 729 Main Street, Willimantic, CT 06226 860-455-1586; Fax: 860-455-1005
K-12 STUDENT SERVICES SCHOOLS & PROGRAMS Arts At The Capitol Theater (ACT) 896 Main St., Willimantic, CT 06226 860-465-5636; Fax: 860-465-8115 Clinical, Developmental, and Therapeutic Programs (CDT) Program Director, 860-786-2253 • Educational & Vocational Center (EVC) 14 Route 66, Columbia, CT 06237 860-228-4317; Fax: 860-228-1147 • Northeast Regional Program (NRP) • Excellence in Community, Employment, and Life Skills (EXCELS) 79 Westfield Ave., Danielson, CT 06239 860-779-6794 EASTCONN Educational Services (Autism Program, Psych. & Behavioral, Related Services)
10 Commerce Drive, Columbia, CT 06237 860-228-3240; Fax: 860-228-3206
Quinebaug Middle College (QMC) 742 Upper Maple St., Danielson, CT 06239 860-932-4100; Fax: 860-932-4950 Transportation 109 Route 6, Columbia, CT 06237 860-228-6751; Fax: 860-228-6756
Please check the EASTCONN website for map links. eastconn.org/about/locations www.eastconn.org 9.
EASTCONN Six Divisions
SIX DIVISIONS AGENCY SERVICE AREAS
EASTCONN provides a wide variety of products, programs and services to a customer base that range from young children to senior citizens. There are six (6) service divisions:
ADULT & COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVES
K-12 STUDENT SERVICES
LEADING & LEARNING
ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT
TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
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EASTCONN Program Descriptions
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS Adult and Community Programs includes 3 divisions: Adult Education; Workplace Education; and Employment and Training. We offer a range of free adult education classes to residents, ages 17+, from our 21 Adult Education Consortium-member towns. Classes include high school completion, English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL), American Citizenship, life and basic skills, and college transition support. Community Education offers certificate training and workplace education. Employment and Training manages 2 regional American Job Centers, provides free employment assistance and training for job-seekers, oversees the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and administers job-training programs for the region’s youth. Early Childhood Initiatives (ECI) focuses on children from birth to grade 3, offering a wide array of consultation, professional development (PD), technical assistance, coaching and direct services to the region’s early-care and education programs, school districts and communities. Our agency leads the early childhood RESC Alliance in developing professional learning initiatives statewide. PD includes support for strategic planning, special education, program development, accreditation and professional learning on standards, curriculum, assessment and instruction. Parent education is also provided to the communities we serve. ECI administers and provides direct services to children and their families as the grantee for the state-funded Birth to Three program and the federally-funded Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Windham and Tolland counties. K-12 Student Services offers a comprehensive continuum of services for students with a wide range of challenging learning needs and/or academic interests. From magnet and alternative high school options to services for students with socialemotional, behavioral issues or those on the autism spectrum, the focus is on serving each individual student. We strive to achieve success by building our capacity, running programs that are financially sound and producing outstanding educational results that satisfy parents, students, teachers, administrators and our regional partner school districts. Leading & Learning Our vision is to integrate learning opportunities for educators so that professional learning is embedded in district culture and is no longer limited to events that occur periodically each year. We create opportunities for administrators and teachers to participate in regional professional learning communities, and have expanded our capacity to provide coaching to districts that are engaged in personalized, competency-based learning. We support the implementation of systems and structures to provide deep and impactful learning. Organizational Support services are delivered by agency departments that support not only day-to-day EASTCONN operations, but also supply assistance wherever needed to member school districts and other external partners, including governmental, non-profit and select organizations. Organizational Support includes: • Conference Services • Cooperative Purchasing • Facilities • Finance • Food & Hospitality Services • Human Resources • Marketing & Communications • Research, Development & Innovation • Security & Investigations Technology Solutions provides member districts with a comprehensive array of services that support and enhance the effective implementation of technology in teaching and learning. Technology Solutions also provides infrastructure and network support and develops customized, cloud-based software solutions for efficient data collection and analysis.
Transportation Services provides school districts and agencies with a safe, cost-effective means of transporting their students and clients. Transportation is available for students with special needs, other public school students and adult clients traveling to job training sites. Transportation focuses on individualized and specialized transport solutions.
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EASTCONN Agency Committees
AGENCY COMMITTEES
EASTCONN maintains a number of different agency-wide standing committees and work groups. 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 employee requests for leaves of absence.
HEALTH & SAFETY COMMITTEE
This Committee consists of the Director of Facilities, the Director of Human Resources, the Nurse Educator, and other representatives of our 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 5. 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.
INTRA-AGENCY GROUP
The Intra-Agency Team consists of representatives from the various EASTCONN programs. They meet as needed and are charged with ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness
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of day-to-day agency operations.
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. 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.
EASTCONN Compensation & Payroll Information
EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION & PAYROLL INFORMATION Employees receive benefits appropriate to their employee classification. See the next section of this Handbook detailing EASTCONN employee benefits. You may review your benefits with a member of the Human Resources Department at any time. SALARY PLACEMENT
The Executive Director approves each employee’s initial salary placement. EASTCONN certified teachers, instructors and instructional assistants are covered by separate collective bargaining agreements (union contracts). These employees can refer to their union contracts for information regarding salary placement and advancement.
SALARY AGREEMENTS
the Finance Office the day prior to the scheduled pay date. Contact the Payroll Office to see if your work site 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.
PAY DEDUCTIONS
Human Resources issues every employee a Salary Agreement for the fiscal year that states basic information regarding his/her position and assignment with EASTCONN for the term 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.
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 dependent insurance coverage, United Way, union dues and tax-sheltered annuities.
“SALARIED” & “HOURLY” CLASSIFICATIONS
CREDIT UNIONS
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.
Two credit unions are available to EASTCONN employees: The Northeast Family Credit Union and the Norwich Pequot Teachers Federal Credit Union.
TIME SHEETS • ELECTRONIC TIME SHEETS
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.
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 - 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.
DIRECT DEPOSIT & PAPER CHECKS
• PAPER TIME SHEETS
PAYROLL OFFICE & PAYROLL CYCLE
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
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 at the Employee Area Intranet Payroll page under the employee section of the EASTCONN Web site (www.eastconn.org).
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EASTCONN Employee Benefits
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Eligibility for benefits is determined by your position and your full-time or part-time status. 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 with Human Resources. Please contact the Human Resources Department for information on specific eligibility for vacation, holidays and personal time. (Benefits are prorated for part-time, benefits-eligible staff.) 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 participate in EASTCONN’s Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) or EASTCONN’s Health Savings Account (HSA). 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 premium contributions are made via payroll deduction.
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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.
EASTCONN Employee Benefits 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 for tax purposes; • 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
Our Flexible Spending Account program allows you to use pre-tax dollars 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.
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 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. However, employees must complete required paperwork to elect the match. Certified staff are eligible to elect the voluntary SRA contributions but are not eligible for the RA match. Inquiries about availability and required paperwork must be directed to the Human Resources Department.
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.
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EASTCONN Authorized Absences From Work
ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS
EASTCONN employees must use any and all available, appropriate, paid-leave time before going on unpaid status. Sick days and personal days 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 continues to be absent from work, whether from sickness or other causes, and 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. ABSENCE REPORTING
Each EASTCONN staff member is responsible for reporting his/her own absences from work in a timely fashion following EASTCONN procedures. Union members will find specific reporting requirements in their union contract.
EMPLOYEE SELF SERVICE PORTAL (ESS)
Employees must use the Employee Self Service (ESS) online portal at https://ess.eastconn.org/mss to request approval for the discharge of paid leave 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. Instructional staff requesting a leave day and requiring a substitute must contact Kelly Services and follow the procedures distributed within the program.
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All requests for vacation, personal and/or professional days are subject to supervisor approval after consideration of work related demands.
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
EASTCONN offices and programs are closed on the following days: • New Year’s Day • Martin Luther King Day • Presidents’ Day • Good Friday • Memorial Day • Juneteenth Holiday • Independence Day • Labor Day • Indigenous Peoples’ Day • Veterans’ Day • Thanksgiving • Day after Thanksgiving • Christmas • Day after Christmas
EASTCONN Authorized Absences From Work 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 another. All unused vacation carry-over days must be used by December 31st of the fiscal year into which these days are being carried.
PERSONAL DAYS
Eligibility for personal days is determined by your position. Personal days are available for matters of pressing personal need that are of a serious or emergency nature. All appropriate reasons are specified in ESS as a drop down 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 under the “Employees” section of the EASTCONN website (www.eastconn.org). Forms must be submitted to your supervisor and such requests must be approved before such time is taken. Instructional staff requesting a leave day and requiring substitute coverage must also contact and advise the Human Resources Department when the professional day is approved.
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EASTCONN Authorized Absences From Work 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. 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. (See also “Attendance Expectations” in the Policies, Procedures & Employee Resources section on page 16 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 a Sick Day. ESS Guides can be found under the employee section of the EASTCONN website (www.eastconn.org). 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 personal business not related to 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 grant additional non-paid sick leave for an employee who has exhausted paid sick leave due to extenuating circumstances, on a case by case basis. For absences due to sickness/emergency…
• Student Programs Instructional Staff: Follow your school’s absence reporting procedures. For schools
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covered by Kelly Staffing, contact Kelly Educational Staffing and follow procedures distributed within that program. • Non-Instructional Staff: Notify your immediate supervisor in accordance with your reporting procedures and submit your leave request in ESS. • Early Head Start/Head Start Staff: Follow procedures outlined in Head Start employee packets. 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 notify your program sites or the Human Resources Department when you are absent may result in your being considered “Absent Without Leave” and subject to disciplinary action.
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
When an employee is absent from work as a result of personal injury 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, that responsibility belongs to the nearest co-worker or witness. 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 the 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).
EASTCONN Authorized Absences From Work 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 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 $40 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 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. The leave may be used for: • the birth of a child and to care for the newborn child within one year of birth; • the placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed child within one year of placement;
• to care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition; • a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her job In addition, eligible employees with a spouse, son, daughter, or parent on active duty or call to active duty status in the National Guard, or Reserves in support of a contingency operation, may use their up to 12 week entitlement to address certain qualifying exigencies. FMLA also includes a special leave entitlement that permits eligible employees to take up to 26 weeks of leave to care for a covered service member during a single 12 month period. A “Certification of Health Care Provider” form is required as part of the application process. Employees must use available, appropriate, paid leave time as part of the authorized FMLA period before being authorized any unpaid time. Please contact the Human Resources Department for 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.
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EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources
POLICIES, GUIDELINES & RESOURCES
EASTCONN policies are addressed in this handbook. In addition, you can view the official policy statements on the EASTCONN Website under About, EASTCONN Board, EASTCONN Board Policies page or contact Human Resources directly for copies. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY POLICY EASTCONN is committed to the promotion of affirmative action and equal employment opportunity. In furtherance of these objectives, EASTCONN is committed to the promotion of nondiscrimination and an environment free of harassment. Therefore, it is the policy of EASTCONN that no person shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise discriminated against under any service or program, including employment, because of race, color, religious creed, age, marital or civil union status, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ancestry, residence, present or past history of mental disorder, mental retardation, learning disability or physical disability, including, but not limited to blindness, or pregnancy. Such actions shall include, but not be limited to, the following: hiring, employment upgrading or promotion, demotion or transfer; recruitment or recruitment advertising; layoff or termination; rates of pay or other forms of compensation; selection for training, including apprenticeship and other terms, conditions or privileges of employment. EASTCONN emphasizes this policy to assure compliance to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, Presidential Executive Orders #11246 and #11375, the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act, The Equal Pay Act of 1963; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act 1973, Veteran’s Readjustment Act of 1974, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and all other laws which pertain to Equal Employment Opportunity. The Executive Director will develop administrative regulations to insure that EASTCONN recruit, employ, promote, and implement the hiring of qualified staff of diversity at all levels. The Executive Director, or his/her designee, will communicate the contents of this policy and its regulations to employees and all applicants for employment. EASTCONN will additionally assert its leadership within the community to achieve full employment and effective utilization of the capabilities and productivity of all persons without regard for race, color, religious creed, sex, age,
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marital or civil union status, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ancestry, residence, present or past history of mental disorder, mental retardation, learning disability or physical disability, including, but not limited to blindness, or pregnancy. All of EASTCONN programs shall 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. If you have any questions about EASTCONN’s policy of nondiscrimination, please contact: Melanie Marcaccio, Compliance Coordinator, EASTCONN Human Resources Department, 376 Hartford Turnpike, Hampton, CT 06247, 860-455-1630.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY & COMPLAINT PROCEDURE It is the policy of the Board of Directors of EASTCONN that any form of sexual harassment is forbidden in the workplace, whether by supervisory or non-supervisory personnel, by individuals under contract, or volunteers subject to the control of the Board. Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, whether verbal or physical, including, but not limited to, insulting or degrading sexual remarks or conduct; threats or suggestions that an employee’s submission to or rejection of unwelcome conduct will in any way influence employment regarding that employee, or conduct of a sexual nature which substantially interferes with an employee’s work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, such as the display in the workplace of sexually suggestive objects or pictures. Sexual harassment is illegal and prohibited by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 46a-60 of the General Statutes of Connecticut and EASTCONN Policy. It is the intention of EASTCONN to take whatever appropriate action may
EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources be needed to prevent, correct and if necessary, discipline behavior that violates this policy. Sexual harassment also means any unwelcomed sexual advances or requests for sexual favors or any conduct of a sexual nature when: 1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment; 2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by any individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual; or 3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment. Harassment situations may occur staff to staff, staff to supervisor, supervisor to staff, student to staff and staff to student. Timely reporting of incidents of harassment enables EASTCONN to properly investigate and resolve such complaints. Complaints will be investigated promptly and corrective action will be taken when warranted. Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent practical. All reports of conduct that violate this policy shall be reviewed regardless of whether the report has been made in writing. Sexual harassment in the workplace, whether by supervisory or non-supervisory employees, will result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.
REPORTING SEXUAL HARASSMENT: An individual with a complaint concerning sexual harassment has a right to be heard. By means of these procedures, EASTCONN provides an opportunity for an individual (Complainant), without fear of retaliation, to express a complaint and to seek a prompt and equitable resolution while protecting the rights of the person against whom the complaint has been filed (Respondent). These procedures shall be available to any person who, at the time of the act complained of, was an employee, individual under contract or volunteer subject to the control of the Board. 1. If an employee feels that sexual harassment has occurred, it should be immediately reported to the Compliance Coordinator, who is the Director of Human Resources. 2. The Director of Human Resources will have, within five (5) days, a meeting with the complainant upon being notified of such an incident to discuss the claim. 3. If, after his/her discussion with the complainant, the Director of Human Resources has probable cause to believe that sexual harassment has occurred, he/she shall, notify the offending employee and have, within five (5) days, a meeting with such employee to diiscuss the matter. 4. Within 10 days of this meeting, the Director of Human
Resources shall make a determination regarding whether, in his/her judgment, the incident constitutes sexual harassment. Swift and appropriate action will be taken against any employee or volunteer of EASTCONN who is found to have retaliated against any employee or volunteer of EASTCONN because he/she reported sexual harassment, assisted in the investigation of a sexual harassment complaint, or testified or otherwise participated in a proceeding or hearing relating to an allegation of sexual harassment.
DISCIPLINE: 1. If the Director of Human Resources determines that sexual harassment has occurred, he/she shall notify the Executive Director and appropriate disciplinary action (up to and including dismissal) will be taken against the offending employee. In the case of certified employees, the Executive Director shall recommend such discipline to the Board of Directors for their action in accordance with the law. 2. In cases of sexual harassment involving assault, the Executive Director may impose appropriate disciplinary action (up to and including dismissal) or, in the case of certified employees, recommend such action in accordance with the law. Sexual harassment complaints involving assault will be also be referred to law enforcement. Nothing contained in the Policy or Procedure is intended to deny any individual the right to pursue other avenues of recourse in the event he/she believes that he/she has experienced sexual harassment. Such recourse may include filing charges with a state or federal enforcement agency, or initiating civil or criminal action under state and federal law. For more information and to pursue other legal remedies, you may contact the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, 450 Columbus Blvd., Suite 2, Hartford, CT 06103; (860) 541-3400, (Toll-free 800477-5737) or online at www.ct.gov/CHRO; the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 475 Government Center, Boston, MA, 02203; (800) 669-4000, or the Boston Office, Office of Civil Rights, U. S Dept. of Education, 8th Floor, 5 Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109-3921; (617) 289-0111.
DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT PROCEDURE
In accordance with Titles VI and IX; Section 504, and other state and federal civil rights laws, EASTCONN will investigate all complaints of discrimination as follows:
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EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources I.INFORMAL PROCEDURE A. Any staff member, student, parent/guardian or applicant to a program who feels that he/she has been discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, or disability should contact Director of Human Resources Melanie Marcaccio, Compliance Coordinator, within 30 days of the alleged occurrence to discuss the nature of the complaint. The Compliance Coordinator shall maintain a written record which shall contain the following: 1. Full name and address of complainant. 2. Full name and position of person(s) who allegedly discriminated against the complainant. 3. A concise statement of the facts constituting the alleged discrimination. 4. Dates of the alleged discrimination. B. At the time the alleged discrimination complaint is filed, the Compliance Coordinator shall review and explain the grievance procedures with the complainant and answer any questions. The Compliance Coordinator shall begin investigating the complaint promptly, but in no case, more than 10 working days from the time the complaint was received. Within this time limit, the Compliance Coordinator shall meet informally with the complainant and the individual(s) against whom the complaint was lodged, and shall provide confidential counseling, where advisable, and shall finally seek an informal agreement between the parties concerned. Every attempt shall be made to seek a solution and resolve the alleged discrimination complaint at this level. C. If the complainant is not satisfied with these initial informal procedures and within 20 days from the date of the original discussion with the Compliance Coordinator, more formal procedures may be initiated by the complainant to further explore and resolve the problem internally.
II.FORMAL PROCEDURE A. LEVEL ONE 1. The complainant may file a written formal complaint with the immediate supervisor specifying the alleged discrimination. 2. Within five (5) days after the receipt of this formal complaint, the immediate supervisor will hold a meeting with the complainant. 3. The immediate supervisor shall, within four (4) days after the meeting, render his/her decision and reasons in writing to the complainant.
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4. The complainant may also file a complaint with the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, 450 Columbus Blvd., Suite 2, Hartford, CT 06103; (860) 541-3400 (Toll-free 800-477-5737) or online at www.ct.gov/CHRO and/ or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, John F. Kennedy Federal Building, 475 Government Center, Boston, MA 02203 (1-800-669-4000).
B. LEVEL TWO – HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR 1. If the complainant is not satisfied with the disposition of the complaint at Level One, he/she may, within five (5) days after the decision or seven (7) days after the Level One meeting, file the complaint with the Human Resources Director. 2. The Human Resources Director shall, within five (5) days after the receipt of the grievance, meet with the complainant. 3. The Human Resources Director shall, within five (5) days after such meeting, render his/her decision and the reasons in writing to the complainant.
C. LEVEL THREE - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
1. If the complainant is not satisfied with the disposition of his/her complaint at Level Two, he/she may, within five (5) days after the receipt of the decision or eight (8) Days after the meeting with the Human Resources Director, file the complaint with the EASTCONN Executive Director. 2. The EASTCONN Executive Director shall, within 10 days after receipt of the complaint, meet with the complainant for the purpose of resolving the complaint. 3. The EASTCONN Executive Director shall, within five (5) days after such meeting, render its decision and the reasons in writing to the complainant. Melanie Marcaccio, Compliance Coordinator EASTCONN Human Resources Department 376 Hartford Turnpike, Hampton, CT 06247 860-455-1630
EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources 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.
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 EASTCONN requires all employees to dress appropriately in the workplace for that day’s work. In the conduct of our business, you interact with customers, clients, children, and/or the public as a representative of EASTCONN. Thus, appropriate attire is essential for our professional reputation and to make those we serve confident that they can trust our judgment and recommendations. Employees are expected to demonstrate good judgment and wear appropriate clothing. Clothing with profanity or explicit, inappropriate or offensive graphics, clothing that is tattered, tight, skimpy or revealing, including short shorts, bathing suits, spaghetti strap tank tops, tube tops, halter-tops, and midriff shirts are not allowed. In addition, some of our employees have perfume and chemical sensitivities so please do not wear deodorant, cologne and perfume in excess. Any questions about attire should be discussed directly with Human Resources. EASTCONN reserves the right to address employees on an individual basis when attire is deemed inappropriate in the workplace and issue discipline if necessary and when appropriate.
DRUG-FREE SCHOOLS & COMMUNITIES ACT 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.
EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND CHECKS Employment at EASTCONN is subject to those employment background checks required by law, including but not limited to Public Act 16-67, as may be applicable.
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.
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EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources 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 Directory. This directory describes all of the agency’s programs and services and provides information on program locations and contact people. This booklet will give you some idea of the variety of things EASTCONN does. • The EASTCONN Employee Telephone Directory, listing the names and contact information of EASTCONN employees, can be found online at www. eastconn.org. • Employees receive three agency publications: Connections, our quarterly newsletter, which is mailed to your home; eConnections, sent to your EASTCONN e-mail; and the Employee Update, which is sent to your email and posted at all work sites. • Important information is sent to you via email or direct-mailed to your home address. It is important, therefore, to check your email on a regular basis. [See E-mail Protocols, page 25 in this Handbook.] • The agency website at www.eastconn.org is a great source of information about EASTCONN. [See separate EASTCONN Web Pages section on page 25 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.
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).
EMPLOYMENT OF RELATIVES
EASTCONN does not permit the hiring or promotion of a member of an employee’s immediate family into any position that would be directly supervised by said employee. Hiring a member of an employee’s immediate family into positions other than those supervised by said employee is permitted. “Immediate family” shall mean
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persons related by blood or marriage including but not limited to spouse, minor child or dependent. No member of the Board of Directors or member of his/her immediate family shall have an interest in any contract with the agency, unless such interest is specifically permitted by statute. “Interest” shall mean financial or material benefit accruing to a Board of Directors member or his/her relatives resulting from a contractual relationship with the agency. No member of the Board of Directors may be employed for compensation by the agency. If a Board of Directors member is employed by the agency, the office to which he or she was appointed shall become vacant.
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 1-800252-4555 or 1-800-225-2527 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.theEAP.com or www.EducatorsEAP.com (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 belongs to 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. 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 can be no expectation of privacy in the use of EASTCONN assigned equipment.
EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources 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 Web area just for employees where you can find forms, links, policies and other important information. To access the employee pages, 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.
UNAUTHORIZED WEBSITES OR SOCIAL MEDIA SOLICITATIONS PROHIBITED EASTCONN staff members may NOT create or use any external, unsanctioned/unauthorized websites or social media sites (see pages 31-35) for the purpose of conducting EASTCONN business, sharing professionallearning 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.
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.
E-MAIL 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 by visiting the Employee Intranet page. Click on the Staff/ Departments tab, and click on Communications in the vertical menu. Under Communications Documents, find instructions that can be easily downloaded. Contact Marketing & Communications or IT with any questions about your EASTCONN email signature. Employees are reminded that email is for EASTCONNrelated business. See also “Technology Acceptable Use Policy,” page 35, 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.
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EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources 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. 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 the 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.
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.
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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.
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.
GRIEVANCE POLICY The EASTCONN Grievance Policy is established to secure, at the lowest possible administration level, equitable solutions to employee grievances and complaints. If you are a union member, check your union contract for details regarding the contractual grievance procedure applicable to you. However, any employee has the right to appeal to be heard by the Board of Directors Executive Committee if his or her grievance has not been satisfactorily resolved at a lower level. The confidentiality of these proceedings shall be maintained wherever possible in accordance with State Freedom of Information laws. The Executive Director is authorized to develop appropriate procedures for implementation of this policy.
DEFINITIONS
1. A “grievance” is an employee complaint alleging a violation of EASTCONN policies and procedures. 2. A “grievant” is the aggrieved employee or employees. 3. “Days” shall mean scheduled work days. 4. “Supervisor” shall mean the grievant’s immediate supervisor or the person whose decision or action gave rise to the grievance.
EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources STEP 1 – IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR
STEP 3 – HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR
In an effort to resolve the issues, the grievant shall discuss the grievance informally with the immediate supervisor. Such discussion shall take place within ten (10) days of when the grievant knew or should have known of the act or acts or circumstances upon which the grievance is based; otherwise, such grievance shall be deemed to have been waived. No formal written record shall be maintained at this step of the procedure with the exception of a record of the discussion. The grievant should attempt to resolve the grievance with the supervisor before initiating the formal proceeding.
If the Division Director’s response at Step 2 has failed to resolve the grievance, the grievant may submit a copy of the grievance and the Step 2 response to the Human Resources Director within three (3) days of receipt of the Step 2 response.
STEP 2 – DIVISION DIRECTOR
If the grievance has not been resolved at Step 1, the grievant shall submit the grievance and requested remedy in writing to his Division Director with a copy to the Human Resources Office. Such written grievance shall be submitted within five (5) days of the informal discussion with the supervisor. The written statement shall include the following: 1. A statement of the nature of the dispute. 2. A citation of the specific policy or procedure alleged to have been violated. 3. A concise statement of what action has given rise to the grievance. 4. A statement of what remedy the grievant is seeking. The Division Director shall schedule a hearing to consider the grievance. Said hearing shall take place within ten (10) days of receipt of the grievance. Effort will be made at the grievance hearing to resolve the differences between the parties to the dispute. If the grievant and the Division Director agree, the hearing may be waived. If the Grievance is not resolved, the Division Director will issue a written decision on the matter within five (5) days of the meeting or within ten (10) days of receipt of the grievance if no hearing is held.
The Human Resources Director shall schedule a hearing to consider the grievance. Said hearing shall take place within ten (10) days of receipt of the grievance. Effort will be made at the grievance hearing to resolve the differences between the parties to the dispute. If the grievant and the Human Resources Director agree, the hearing may be waived. If the Grievance is not resolved, the Human Resources Director will issue a written decision on the matter within five (5) days of the hearing or within ten (10) days of receipt of the grievance if no hearing is held. STEP 4 – EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
If the Human Resources Director’s response at step 3 has failed to resolve the grievance, the grievant may submit a copy of the grievance and the Step 3 response to the Executive Director within three (3) days of receipt of the step 3 response. The Executive Director shall schedule a hearing with the grievant to consider the grievance. Said hearing shall take place within ten (10) days after receipt of the grievance. Effort will be made at the grievance hearing to resolve the differences between the parties to the dispute. If the grievant and the Executive Director agree, the hearing may be waived. If the Grievance is not resolved, the Executive Director will issue a written decision on the matter within five (5) days of the hearing or within ten (10) days of receipt of the grievance if no hearing is held. The decision of the Executive Director shall be final and binding.
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EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources ALTERNATE PROCEDURE FOR DIVISION DIRECTORS
HUMAN RESOURCES STAFF:
When the grievant is a Division Director, the grievance shall be initiated at step 3. The respondent at step 3 shall be the Human Resources Director, and the respondent at step 4 shall be the Executive Director.
• • • • •
TIME LIMITS
Time limits applicable to the processing of grievances may be waived or extended by mutual agreement of the parties. NON-RETALIATION
No grievant or any other employee participating in a grievance procedure shall be subjected to retaliation or reprisal because of participation in the processing of any grievance.
HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT The Human Resources Department is a resource available to all EASTCONN employees. The Human Resources staff can assist you by providing information and forms and by answering questions and solving problems relating to personnel procedures and policies. They enjoy meeting and speaking with EASTCONN employees and welcome the opportunity to serve you. Their job is to help EASTCONN staff in all our programs throughout northeastern Connecticut. If they are unable to answer a question, they will do some quick research or refer you to someone who will be able to help. So please, when in doubt, 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
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Melanie Marcaccio, Director of Human Resources Joni Cullan, Assistant to the Director of HR Cecily Iturrino, Data Specialist Kristen Wood, Human Resources Associate Chaisa Mendoza, 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 offsite.
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 (www.eastconn.org) and click on the “Employment” link.
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
EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources 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. You should 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.
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.).
ORIENTATION & MANDATED TRAININGS The Human Resources Department or your supervisor will contact you regarding your required completion of orientations or new hire training sessions. All employees are required to complete online training on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, Bloodbourne Pathogens, Global SDS 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 accord 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 include you, may be used in EASTCONN publications, advertisements, video
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EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources
productions, newspapers, television, on EASTCONN social media site(s), or on EASTCONN’s Web page. 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 Communications page. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS EASTCONN complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations to assist employees where possible. If you have an ongoing condition which affects your ability to perform the essential functions of your job and you believe you are in need of an accommodation, please contact the Human Resources Department.
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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
EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources 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. 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 an 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, but is not limited to, 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, Tumblr, Medium);
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 AND USE OF EASTCONN DEVICES AND NETWORKS Introduction: This section applies to social networking and electronic communications that employees are engaging in for any EASTCONN-related purposes. 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. An employee 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 may be used for such purposes.
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EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources 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, or an official sports team, the employee must also comply with the following rules: o The employee must receive the permission of his or her immediate supervisor. o The employee must coordinate with the Marketing & Communications Department prior to using such social media sites or applications. o The employee must not use his/her personal online account for such purpose, but shall use the employee’s EASTCONN-issued account. o
The employee must ensure that such social media use is compliant with all EASTCONN guidelines, policies, rules, regulations, procedures and applicable state and federal law, including the provision of required legal notices and permission slips to parents.
o 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 has the ability to access and supervise communications on the social media site). o Parents shall be permitted to access any page that their child has been invited to join. o Access to the page may only be permitted for educational purposes related to the club, activity, organization or team.
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o The employee responsible for the page will monitor it regularly. o The employee’s supervisor shall be granted administrator access to any page established by the employee for a school-related purpose. o
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, 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 or networks.
EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources 8. All communications through EASTCONN-sponsored social media or EASTCONN-issued electronic accounts must comply with EASTCONN’s guidelines, policies, rules, regulations, procedures and applicable law 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 mail 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.
and electronic communications that employees are engaging in for any personal, non-work-related purposes. 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 guidelines, policies, rules, regulations or procedures. 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 guidelines, policies, rules, regulations or procedures, 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.
RULES CONCERNING PERSONAL ONLINE ACCOUNTS Introduction: This section applies to social networking
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EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources 4. In accordance with the public trust doctrine, employees are advised to refrain from engaging in harassing, defamatory, obscene, abusive, discriminatory, 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, rules, 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, rules 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, rules, 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.Refrain from designating any assigned EASTCONN account as a backup or secondary account for personal on-line accounts.
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8. Employees may not designate 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.} However, an employee may share official posts created by EASTCONN or EASTCONN’s Marketing & Communications Department, using the employee’s personal online account. 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.
EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources
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.
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
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.
TECHNOLOGY: ACCEPTABLE-USE POLICY
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 workrelated 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
1. PROHIBITED USE Acceptable use of computer resources and e-mail at EASTCONN requires that all email 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
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EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources
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;
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• Download any software from the Internet or other on-line service to any of EASTCONN’s workstations or servers; • Modify, revise, transform, recast, or adapt any software; • Reverse engineer, disassemble or decompile any EASTCONN software. 1. INTERNAL, AGENCY GROUP MAILINGS Group emails 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 email 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. 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
EASTCONN Policies, Guidelines & Resources FAMILY EMERGENCY CALLS
VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE
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.
EASTCONN is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all employees. To that end, it is the policy of EASTCONN that workplace violence in any form is unacceptable. Any form of violence by an employee against another employee, student, vendor, or visitor to EASTCONN, including but not limited to physical attack, intimidation, threats or property damage, will be cause for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal as unacceptable personal conduct and/ or referral to law enforcement.
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.
WORKPLACE PROBLEM RESOLUTION It is the policy of EASTCONN that all employees be assured of fair and equitable behavioral treatment in the workplace. To ensure a positive and productive environment, it is expected that all EASTCONN employees will 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. Employees not able to resolve problems at this level may employ the grievance procedures of the Grievance Policy 3.003.
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. 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.
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Notes
EXECUTIVE BOARD OFFICERS
Chairman, Ms. Joan Trivella, Woodstock Academy Vice-Chairman, Ms. Valerie May, Pomfret Public Schools Secretary/Treasurer, Ms. Katherine Paulhus, Mansfield Public Schools
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS Mr. Herb Arico, Willington Public Schools
Dr. Judy Benson Clarke, Regional District #8 Ms. Amy Blank, Union Public Schools Ms. Terry Cote, Eastford Public Schools Ms. Mary Ellen Donnelly, Hampton Public Schools Mr. Michael Morrill, Putnam Public Schools Mr. Rod Perry, Scotland Public Schools Ms. Lydia Rivera-Abrams, Killingly Public Schools Mr. Matthew Smith, Lebanon Public Schools
BOARD MEMBERS
Ms. Sonia Greene, Woodstock School District Ms. Laurie Marquis, Canterbury Public Schools
LEADERSHIP
Gary S. Mala, Executive Director Shawn Brodeur, Facilities Kimberly Bush, Transportation Services Larisa Carr, ECHIP Administrator Katrina Cote, Nursing Facilitator Andrew DePalma, Technology Solutions Diane Dugas, K-12 Student Services, Leading & Learning Services Diane Gozemba, Early Childhood Initiatives Melanie Marcaccio, Human Resources Amy Margelony, K-12 Special Education Services Edward Martin, Business Office Heather Plourde, Food & Hospitality Services Dona Prindle, Marketing & Communications Rich Tariff, Adult & Community Programs Joni Weglein, Finance
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Notes
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➤ www.eastconn.org 376 Hartford Turnpike, Hampton, CT 06247 ✆ 860-455-0707 inforequest@eastconn.org /wherelearningcomestolife www.instagram.com/eastconn_resc/ EOE H/V/M/F
9/2021
