ONBOARDING

Background Checks and Fingerprinting

All offers of employment and continued employment are contingent on the outcome of all appropriate background checks and fingerprinting. The type and frequency of such checks are based on state licensing requirements and state law requirements. Payment for the background check and fingerprinting is covered by COA. If you leave for any reason within 90 days of the background check or fingerprinting being run, a payroll deduction is made from your last check to cover the cost (except in New Jersey).

Any arrests or convictions for crimes that affect your suitability to care for children will result in termination of employment. Background checks are required on all rehires gone for 30 days or more.

Use of Arrest, Conviction and Misdemeanor Information

Children of America (or any of its related companies), maintains a policy that all applicants (even those who are applying for rehiring status) are required to disclose on the employment application if they have been convicted of or served time for a felony or misdemeanor. If they have, they are required to describe the situation on the application and/or in writing at the time of application. The application states that this information will be reviewed for job relatedness and time since conviction in accordance with childcare, federal and state regulations.

Consequently, your application will be rejected if you disclose or if a criminal history report reveals that you have:

1. Any felony convictions in the last seven years. However, exceptions may be considered in truly unusual cases where the conviction does not reflect upon your suitability for employment.
2. Any misdemeanor convictions in the last seven years involving violence, theft, drugs (use or selling), or sexual misconduct including but not limited to sexual abuse, prostitution, etc. Again, exceptional cases may be considered.
3. In all states in which the company operates (except Illinois and Massachusetts [unless superseded by childcare laws and regulations]), if you have been arrested (but not convicted) in the last seven years for any crime that would have made you unacceptable for employment by Children of America had you been convicted.

Criminal records that have been expunged or sealed will not be used against you and are not required to be disclosed in your employment application. Other exceptions and questionable cases may be referred to the Vice President of Human Resources for assistance. If you purposely withhold any criminal information mentioned above during any part of the application or hiring process and it is later discovered by a background check or any other credible means, you will be investigated and immediately terminated from employment if proven that you have misled the company and misrepresented yourself.

Career Opportunities

COA practices a policy of hiring from within the company whenever there are appropriate opportunities. Reflection of job performance, educational levels and other pertinent qualifications will be reviewed and considered as career opportunities arise. There also will be observation by and conferencing with your direct supervisor at least every two months.

Professional Development Records (PDR)

In Pennsylvania, all staff members are required to create and maintain their PDR. Annual Professional Development Hours for DHS (six hours) and specific STAR level (12-24 hours depending on STAR level) are required annually. School directors can provide guidance on number of hours and what qualifies for the required hours.

Continuing Education Requirements

The center director is responsible for the supervision of the continuing education for the staff. Types of training acceptable to meet continuing education requirements are limited to:

1. Formal courses resulting in credits or continuing education units
2. Workshops, conferences, seminars, lectures, correspondence courses and home study courses

3. Training offered by the childcare center through the use of guest or staff trainers

4. Documented observation time in other early childhood programs

Employees in all states (excluding Wisconsin) Employees should check with their supervisor to ensure they are aware of their state guidelines and that they stay current with their continuing education requirements, because they are a condition of continued employment.

Classification of Employees

The Fair Labor Standards Act has provided rules for determining if you are eligible to receive overtime. Employees are classified as either exempt or non-exempt for the purposes of paying overtime. An exempt employee is not paid overtime and/or does not earn an hourly minimum wage, or both. Non-exempt employees are eligible for overtime for all hours worked over 40 hours per week and must be paid the hourly minimum wage set by state law.

Employees are classified as either exempt or non-exempt based on the standards set forth by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Eligibility for benefits is based on your employment classification

— exempt or non-exempt — and, when applicable, your hours worked during an eligibility review. Please see Benefits + Pay-Related Information for more details. Your employment classification is determined and communicated to you t the time of hire or job transfer within COA.

Disclosure of Information

COA may find it necessary to share employment information with Home Office management. All such information is kept in the strictest of confidence.

Hire Date and Adjusted Seniority Date

Your hire date is the date you began working for COA. This date is used for the calculation of the benefits listed in this handbook. If you leave and return, an adjusted seniority date (ASD) may be assigned reflecting the return. ASD is calculated when you are officially rehired.

In-service Training Requirements and Provisions

COA is a certified IACET training provider. Our Education Department has developed a vast array of trainings that correlate to our curriculum and other developmentally appropriate practices. Our educational specialists are available to provide training throughout the year. We subscribe to Better State Better Kid Care for all centers at no cost to you and encourage you to search for other training opportunities such as local workshops, seminars and conferences.

Monthly staff-training modifications are uploaded to the STAR curriculum folder. These 30- minute trainings cover pertinent topics and feature information that are current and topical.

Other in-service opportunities are posted in the staff lounge. These may include local workshops, seminars and school-sponsored training events.

Introductory Period and Orientation

The first three months of your employment is an introductory period. This is an opportunity for Children of America to evaluate your performance. It also is an opportunity for you to decide whether you are happy being employed by Children of America. During this introductory period, we encourage you to speak with your manager about any questions or concerns. Children of America may extend the introductory period if it desires. Completion of the introductory

period does not alter your at-will status.

COA provides orientation and training and may periodically review progress. A formal performance evaluation may be conducted at the end of 90 days to determine if requirements for the position are being met. Some of the areas covered may include:

For Home Office:

• Home Office policies
• Confidentiality
• Job responsibilities

For Schools:

• Center policies
• Confidentiality
• Child abuse and neglect (recognition/reporting)
• Staff orientation
• Schedule of activities at school
• Licensing rules
• Health (observations/precautions, medication, universal precautions)
• Infectious disease (control/recognition)
• Emergency training (first aid, CPR, fire, tornado)
• Supervision
• Sharing information (child-specific healthcare needs)
• Child management techniques
• Job responsibilities

Ongoing Supervision and Regular Work Evaluation

Types of ongoing supervision and regular work evaluations implemented at COA include classroom observations, where a member of management uses our classroom observation tools to monitor staff interactions, and Always Close By, which has closed circuit live-feed cameras in each classroom that can be viewed from the director’s office as well as the Home Office.

Annual Performance Reviews

COA’s policy is to review your performance once a year. A performance appraisal has the following main objectives:

1. To evaluate how the job has been performed, to discuss this performance with you, and whenever possible, determine how performance can be improved.
2. To evaluate short- and long-term potential, set goals that support COA and your objectives and determine a monitoring process for these goals

You are encouraged to discuss thoughts about the job and career goals. At the time of the performance evaluation, you are asked to update your employee profile, write a self-evaluation, and review and sign the evaluation form completed by your supervisor. A signature does not necessarily indicate agreement with the contents of the form but merely indicates that you have reviewed and understand the contents of the appraisal.

Personnel Records

All COA locations maintain an employee file for every employee to document employment information and meet the licensing and government regulations for each state. The Home Office also maintains files on all management staff in the company.

Reference Checking

Once the interview process is completed, and it has been determined that the prospective candidate meets all required qualifications, the next step at COA is to check references. This can be accomplished on the telephone or in writing. If by telephone, follow these guidelines:

Identify yourself as a representative of COA. Explain that we are in the decision-making phase of hiring an applicant and would appreciate any feedback. Give the name of the person for whom you are seeking a reference.

Questions you might ask may include:

1. Can you verify dates of employment, starting and last salary?
2. Was this employee punctual, dependable and responsible?
3. Would you re-hire this person?
4. Can you tell me his job title and job description?
5. Why did she leave?
6. Do you see this person as a team player or an individual worker?
7. Did this employee interact well with the children in his care?

Similar questions are asked when checking references for Home Office candidates. Some companies have strict policies governing what questions may be answered so many of your questions may go unanswered. This is not a reflection of the candidate and should not be construed as such.

If the former employer will only respond in written format, use the following form. This form can also be used to document a telephone reference check.

Staff Development

COA strongly believes in professional development for every employee. We are approved as an authorized provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, VA 22102.

All Home Office and management staff may be required to attend training for compliance or to help improve their job skills.

School employees: Are required to complete the clock hours of in-service training per year that are required by the state in which they work. For the first year of employment, this will include how to recognize and report suspected child abuse and neglect, how to make a child abuse

or neglect report, rules governing the operation of the facility, and the legal protection afforded to persons who report violations of licensing standards. CPR and First Aid training, specific for all age groups served, is also required. Subsequent in-service training may include, but not be limited to, child development, symptoms of common childhood illnesses, hygiene, guidance and discipline, and communication with parents. A record of these in-service trainings are be maintained on-site.

Staff Meetings

To ensure that staff members have the opportunity to receive pertinent information and clarification of problems and issues, each center or Home Office department shall conduct staff meetings. The center director or department head is responsible for the planning and implementation of staff meetings.