TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome to the Genesee Community Charter School 5
Equal Employment Opportunity 7
Non-Harassment Policy 7
Employment Practices 9
Work Schedules 9
Pay Period 9
Employment Classifications 10
Professional Activities 10
Attendance and Punctuality 10
Telephones & E-mail 11
Personal Appearance 11
Smoking 11
Drug Free Workplace 12
Personnel Records 12
Professional Development 12
Severe Weather or Emergency Closings 12
Secondary Employment 13
Separation of Employment 13
Grievance Policy 13
Whistleblower Protection Policy 13
Benefits 14
Health Insurance 14
Dental Insurance 14
Life Insurance 15
Short Term Disability 15
Long Term Disability 15
Family Leave 15
Retirement Plan 16
Workers’ Compensation 16
Employee Assistance Program 16
Jury Duty 16
Bereavement Leave 16
Military Leave 17
Family Military Leave 17
Voting Leave 17
Code of Ethics 17
General Employment 18
Professional Conduct 18
General Principles 18
Confidentiality 18
Conflict of Interest 19
Interpersonal Relationships 19
Relationship to Suppliers of Goods or Services 19
Use of Social Media 19
Use of GCCS Property and Services 19
Expectations for Employee Conduct 18
Disciplinary Procedures 18
Annual Performance Evaluation 19
Appendices 22
Acknowledgement of Receipt of Staff Handbook 25
WELCOME TO THE GENESEE COMMUNITY CHARTER SCHOOL
Welcome to the Genesee Community Charter School (GCCS). The Board of Trustees is pleased that you have made this important decision to be a member of the GCCS team.
This handbook has been prepared to inform you of the policies, procedures and practices of GCCS concerning employment matters. The ultimate objective of these policies is to foster a satisfying and productive work experience so that we can achieve the goals and vision set forth in the GCCS Charter. You should familiarize yourself with its contents at your earliest opportunity and keep it handy for periodic reference.
GCCS is a not-for-profit, tuition-free public school for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. The school was chartered by the New York State Board of Regents in July, 2000. Our mission states:
The Genesee Community Charter School provides a rich educational experience that values intellectual rigor, respect for diversity, and community responsibility. Our local history-based and globally-connected program immerses children in investigation and discovery, extensively using the cultural and natural resources of our community. We nurture children’s natural abilities to be reflective questioners, articulate communicators, critical thinkers, and skilled problem solvers, enabling them to reach exemplary standards.
Sustaining an exceptional school requires our staff to reach the highest standards of commitment, initiative, and teamwork, in addition to being outstanding practitioners. A critical aspect of our ability to help children learn and grow is the establishment of our own professional learning community. It is the intention of the Board of Trustees to help create a supportive working and learning environment for adults as well as for children. GCCS provides opportunities for staff to be actively involved in curriculum development, school governance, professional growth, and national networking. The participation of staff in the formulation of policies and procedures is integral to our success.
This handbook does not represent an employment contract between GCCS and its staff or a guarantee of continued employment. The Board of Trustees and GCCS staff are engaged in an “at-will” employment relationship. This means that the employment relationship may be terminated at any time by either you or GCCS for any reason not expressly prohibited by law.
The material contained in this manual applies to all staff members, unless otherwise specified. The guidelines described in it are for information purposes only and may be changed by the Board of Trustees without notice and at its sole discretion.
This handbook is not intended to be all-inclusive, and you should feel free to speak to the School Leader or the Board of Trustees if you have any questions about employment policies and practices. As changes are made to this handbook, you will receive replacement pages so that your copy can be kept current.
Maintaining strong communication will help us address and resolve issues regarding working conditions and procedures as they arise. Please bring any concerns you have to the attention of the School Leader. Discussing issues directly with one another will enable us to maintain a productive working environment and will contribute to a positive school culture for staff, students, and their families.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
GCCS is an equal-employment-opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, marital status, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, predisposing genetic characteristics or other genetic information, domestic violence victim status, or any other legally protected status. In all matters relating to staffing practices, the standard will be ability in the relevant discipline. This policy provides for equality in terms and conditions of employment for all positions. It applies to all personnel actions including hirings, transfers, promotions, demotions, compensation and benefits administration, participation in Schoolsponsored training, education and social programs, layoffs, recalls and termination of employment. GCCS prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities. GCCS will make reasonable accommodations to persons with disabilities unless to do so would pose an undue hardship on the school.
NON-HARASSMENT POLICY
General
GCCS is committed to maintaining a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment based on a person’s race, creed, color, sex, age, marital status, disability, religion, national origin, citizenship, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, predisposing genetic characteristics or other genetic information, domestic violence victim status, or any other legally protected status, consistent with applicable laws.
All staff members should respect the rights, opinions, and beliefs of others. Harassment of any person because of any protected status is strictly prohibited, whether directed at a staff member, student, parent or vendor. Any such harassment is prohibited by this policy whether or not it also violates the equal employment opportunity laws. This policy applies to all staff members of the school.
Sexual Harassment
No one may threaten or imply that a staff member’s submission to or rejection of sexual advances will in any way influence any decision about that staff member’s employment, advancement, duties, compensation or other terms or conditions of employment. No one may take any personnel action based on a staff member’s submission to or rejection of sexual advances.
No one may subject another staff member to any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. This includes both unwelcome physical contact, such as touching, blocking, staring, making sexual gestures, and making or displaying sexual drawings or photographs, and unwelcome verbal conduct, such as sexual propositions, slurs, insults, jokes and other sexual comments. A staff member’s conduct will be considered unwelcome and in violation of this policy when the staff member knows or should have known it is unwelcome to the person subjected to it.
Other Harassment
No one may harass anyone because of that person’s race, creed, color, sex, age, marital status, disability, religion, national origin, citizenship, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, predisposing genetic characteristics or other genetic information, domestic violence victim status, or any other legally protected status. Examples of conduct prohibited by this policy include using racial and ethnic slurs or offensive stereotypes and making jokes about these characteristics.
Making Complaints and Reporting Violations
If you are a victim of harassment, you are requested and encouraged to make a complaint to the School Leader. You are not required to complain first to the person who is harassing you. Similarly, if you observe harassment of another staff member, you are requested and encouraged to report this to the School Leader. No reprisal, retaliation, or other adverse action will be taken against any staff member for making a good faith complaint or report of harassment, or for assisting in good faith in the investigation of any such complaint or report. Any suspected retaliation or intimidation should be reported immediately to the School Leader. If the complaint involves the School Leader, you are requested and encouraged to contact the President of the Board of Trustees. Contact information may be found on the School’s website.
Investigation of Complaints and Reports
Any complaint or report of a violation of this policy will promptly and thoroughly be investigated. A thorough investigation can take several weeks in some cases. You may, at any time, ask about the status of the investigation.
Penalties for Violations
Prompt disciplinary and remedial action will be taken if the investigation shows a violation of this policy. Depending on the circumstances, the disciplinary action may range from a warning to a discharge.
A complaint or report that this policy has been violated is a serious matter. Dishonest complaints or reports are also against our policy, and the school will take appropriate disciplinary action if its investigation shows that deliberately dishonest and bad faith accusations have been made.
If you have any questions about this policy, or if you have other questions or concerns about discrimination or harassment, please discuss them with the School Leader or the President of the Board of Trustees.
EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES
Work Schedules
Teachers are expected to be in the building at least 15 minutes before the start of each school day. Teachers are also expected to be available for student and/or parent consultation as well as for other professional activities and responsibilities beyond the instructional day. This includes required occasional evening and weekend responsibilities, e.g. overnight fieldwork, Family Association activities, professional development, or community presentations.
Teaching assistants generally work from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Compensatory time will be provided for teaching assistants who are required to work beyond their scheduled hours, e.g. Exhibition Night or overnight fieldwork, provided that compensatory time must be taken (1) later in the same workweek; or (2) the following workweek, if it is in the same pay period, provided that the employee is entitled to take one and one half time in the second workweek for any time worked over 40 hours in the first work week.
Teachers and teaching assistants are expected to be in the building until 5:00 p.m. every Wednesday in order to participate in faculty and professional development meetings. Teachers and teaching assistants also work an additional three weeks in August with compensation beyond their annual salary. Faculty and professional development meetings are critical to the school’s operation, and staff members are expected to refrain from scheduling appointments, attending to personal matters, or planning personal travel during those times.
Pay Period
All staff members are paid on a bi-weekly basis. Direct deposit is available for all staff members with the bank of their choice. Pay can be spread over twelve months.
Employment Classifications
Full-time staff members normally work at least 40 hours per week, for the length of the school year. Extended part-time staff members normally work 24-39 hours per week. Part-time staff members normally work less than 24 hours per week, for the length of the school year.
Long-term substitutes work in the same position for at least three continuous weeks, and will receive pay beyond the per-diem rate after two continuous weeks in the same position. Long-term substitutes are eligible for health and dental benefits after five months of service.
GCCS complies with federal and state wage and hour laws concerning the payment of wages and overtime. Exempt employees include administrators, teachers, and the Coordinator of School Operations. Non-exempt employees include teaching assistants and clerical staff. Non-exempt employees who work over forty (40) hours in a work week will receive overtime pay for all hours worked in excess of forty (40) hours. For non-exempt employees, all overtime hours must be approved in advance by the employee’s supervisor. Actual hours worked on the job are used when calculating overtime pay. Paid absences, including bereavement leave and jury duty, are not counted as hours worked when calculating overtime pay.
Professional Activities
Staff members may not receive payment for professional activities for time they are scheduled to be in school. In the event that a stipend or payment is provided for participating in or facilitating professional development, if the time required exceeds the time off from regular responsibilities, the School Leader will consult with the Board Personnel Committee and make a determination about the portion of payment that the staff member is eligible to retain. This policy does not apply to stipends received for mentoring student teachers.
Attendance and Punctuality
GCCS’s staff attendance policy is designed to ensure that students receive instruction from their teachers in a continuous and consistent manner. It is also designed to protect staff members from loss of pay during particularly difficult years.
Each staff member has the responsibility to be on the job at the scheduled time each day. Teachers are expected to be in classrooms, ready to begin work, by 7:45 a.m. Teaching assistants report to work at 7:30 a.m. Start times for clerical staff vary according to schedule and number of hours worked.
Absences may occur due to illness or other causes. Staff members need to be aware that every absence disrupts the educational process for children and impacts their colleagues.
If you are ill and/or are unable to report to work at your scheduled time, call the Coordinator of School Operations at home before 9:00 p.m. the night before or between 6:00 and 6:45 a.m. on the day of absence. You should phone in each day of absence.
Each classroom teacher is also expected to prepare emergency substitute plans that will be available in the classroom in the event of an unexpected absence. If you think you are going to be absent the next day, be sure that your lesson plans and instructional materials are completed at least for that day.
It is your responsibility to request in writing planned absences for all or part of a school day, and to specify whether a substitute is needed. In all cases, requests should be submitted to the School Leader at least a week in advance except in cases of emergency, in which case a request should be made as soon as possible. The School Leader or designee will approve or deny your request within two working days. In cases where requests are denied, failure to report to work on that day may result in loss of pay and disciplinary action. Staff members are expected to plan personal travel and appointments for days school is closed and for after-school hours.