Welcome to Hospice & Palliative CareCenter

This is your Employee Handbook. It has been prepared to introduce you to our agency and the many programs and services offered in our 13 county service area.

  • Hospice Care
  • Supportive Care Partners (Palliative Care)
  • Grief Counseling Center
  • Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home
  • Rowan Hospice & Palliative Care, LLC
  • Rowan Hospice House

A version of the Employee Handbook is available to you on the Employee Intranet - “Hospice Hub” at

If you have any questions about policies, procedures, or benefit programs please contact Human Resources.

EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Subject
Our Mission, Vision, & Values / 1
Introduction to your Handbook / 2

Hospice Concept & History

/ 2
Hospice & Palliative CareCenter and Rowan Hospice & Palliative Care / 3
Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home and Rowan Hospice House / 4
Board of Directors / 4
Employment
Types of Employment / 5
Employee Orientation / 6
Probationary Period / 6
Job Descriptions / 7
Job Postings and Promotions / 7
Employee Referral Bonus Program / 7
Employment of Family Members / 8
Resignations / 9
Separation of Employment / 9
Personnel Administration
Personnel Records / 11
Performance Assessments & Merit Increases / 11
Employee Satisfaction Survey / 11
Inclement Weather Policy / 12
Personnel Support / 13
Regulations
Equal Opportunity Employment / 14
Americans with Disabilities Act / 14
Unlawful Harassment / 14
Policy on Communicable Diseases / 16
Employment Regulatory Agency Audits / 16
HR Policy Guidelines
Meal Periods / 17
Rest Periods / 17
Attendance Policy / 18
Dress Code / 19
Solicitation, Distribution and Access / 20
Confidentiality / 21
Professional Boundaries / 21
Gifts and Gratuities / 23
Conflict of Interest / 23
Employee Protection (Whistleblower) / 24
Referral of Business / 25
Wills / 25
Patient/Family Legal Matters / 25
Smoking & Tobacco Free / 26
Progressive Discipline / 26
Supervisory and Managerial Employees / 29
Pay
Paychecks / 30
Office Hours and Work Schedules / 30
On Call / 31
Payroll Deductions / 32
Pay Rates / 32
Use of Personal Vehicles and Mileage Reimbursement / 32
Travel and Other Expenses / 33
Communication
Service Awards / 33
Electronic Communication / 33
Laptop Use / 34
Social Media / 35
Grievance Procedure / 36
Safety & Health
Safety, First Aid, and Medical Services / 37
Substance, Drug and Alcohol Abuse / 37
Background Investigations / 41
Employees Charged with Criminal Misconduct / 43
Benefits
Holidays / 45
Holiday Overtime / 45
Paid Time Off (PTO) / 46
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) / 50
Family Medical Leave / 50
Other Leaves of Absence / 55
Educational Assistance Plan / 57
Benefits Summary / 58
Direct Deposit / 60
Credit Union / 60
Social Security / 60
Unemployment Compensation / 61
Retirement Recognition / 61

Hospice & Palliative CareCenter Employee Handbook :Revised 12/14

An Introduction to Your Employee Handbook

The Hospice & Palliative CareCenter “HPCC” Employee Handbook has been prepared to introduce you to our agency. The Employee Handbook represents guidelines for policies, procedures and benefit programs. For more information, you should consult with your supervisor or Human Resources.

All new employees will receive a copy of the HPCC Employee Handbook. Each employee shall sign the Employee Handbook Acknowledgement. The Employee Handbook Acknowledgement will be maintained in the employee’s personnel file. Please read this handbook carefully and keep it for future reference. It is your responsibility to be familiar with its contents.

HPCC has the right to modify, amend, or terminate any policies, procedures or employee benefit programs at any time. Future changes in policies and procedures will supersede or eliminate those found in this guide, and employees will be notified of such changes through normal communication channels. Information contained in these materials does not constitute an employment contract between HPCC and you, and that either you or HPCC may terminate our employment relationship at any time, with or without cause. No manager, supervisor, or representative of HPCC, other than the President/CEO of HPCC, has any authority to enter into any agreement for employment for any specified period of time, or make any agreement contrary to the foregoing.

An electronic version of the HPCC Employee Handbook is located on the Employee Intranet called the “HospiceHub” ( Hard copies are available at reception desks, work rooms and nurses stations. Human Resources Policiesare available electronically for all employees. These policies are also located on the HospiceHub. If requested, hard copies are available to anyone through the Human Resources Department. The Human Resources Policies contain specific, detailed information regarding all of the Human Resources Policies & Procedures of HPCC. Where there appears to be a discrepancy between the Employee Handbook and the Human Resources Policy & Procedure Manual, the Policy Manual will supersede the Handbook.

The Hospice Concept and History

Both HPCC and RHPC provide support and compassionate care for people facing serious illness and their families. We believe that every patient deserves the best possible quality of life during the final months, weeks and days. The hospice philosophy is both life affirming and recognizes death as a normal process.

Our staff provides compassionate care to patients, and their caregivers, facing the challenges of life-limiting illness. Hospice aims to control pain and support the patient to ensure the best possible quality of life. Services are provided by a medically supervised interdisciplinary team who address important psycho-social, emotional and spiritual issues, as well as bereavement services. We accept patients of all ages with any life limiting condition.

The hospice concept was originally conceived by religious orders of the Middle Ages. Hospice, an English word, means "a shelter or way station for travelers on their journey." Dr. Ceciley Saunders in London, England founded the first Hospice in the modern sense. That Hospice, called St. Christopher's, was begun in 1967.

In 1974, the Reverend Edward Dobihal, Jr. was so impressed with St. Christopher's that he set up a Home Care program for patients with limited life expectancy in New Haven, Connecticut, utilizing the expertise of a doctor affiliated with the London Hospice.

This concept of home care for terminal patients spread across the United States and, in 1976, North Carolina became the first State to organize on a statewide level. The Carolinas Center for Hospice and End of Life Care, located in Cary, NC, continues to serve as a trade organization for community hospices throughout North and South Carolina. In 1978, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization was formed to produce standards for hospice care. Currently, there are over 1,900 hospices operating in the United States.

Hospice & Palliative CareCenterand Rowan Hospice & Palliative Care

In 1979, Hospice & Palliative CareCenter (HPCC) became the first hospice in the state to provide hospice care. There are currently hospices organizations serving patients in all 100 counties. HPCC is an independent, non-profit agency serving persons with serious illnesses and their families.HPCC has an inpatient facility with 40 private patient rooms called the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home.

Rowan Hospice & Palliative Care (RHPC) was officially formed in the fall of 2011, representing a collaboration between HPCC and Rowan Regional Medical Center. RHPC is a separate, not-for-profit 501(c)3 company and is an equal partnership between HPCC and Rowan Regional Medical Center. RHPC contracts HPCC to manage the entire operation. All RHPC staff are employees of HPCC. RHPC is scheduled to open an inpatient facility with 14 private patient rooms in December of 2012 and will be called the Rowan Hospice House.

We currently serve 13 counties from 4 offices

Winston-Salem, Walnut Cove, Mocksville and Salisbury.


Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home and Rowan Hospice House

The Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home (opened in January of 1998) and the Rowan Hospice House (opened in December 2012) are alternatives for hospice patients who cannot remain at home. Both are places where patients receive acute medical care in personal, homelike surroundings where family members are assured that their loved ones are being cared for around the clock. Although hospice care is most often provided at home, these facilities are used in cases when a patient’s symptoms cannot be managed at home. In other instances the patient’s caregiver may desperately need respite care, and need a break from caregiving. Beds at both inpatient facilities are also utilized for this process.

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is the governing body of HPCC. Every employee must work within the framework of policies established by the Board, but employees work for the President/CEO, or other employees to whom he/she has delegated supervisory authority. No individual Board member, officer, or committee has authority to give instructions to an employee unless so authorized by the President/CEO. The authority of the Board of Directors is vested in its group action and committees. It is charged with setting general policies and employing a President/CEO. The President/CEO is charged with the total responsibility for administration and operation of the Corporation within these policies. The Board’s line of authority is to the President/CEO, not to the individual employees. Of course, effective work relationships require cooperation and cordiality between the Board of Directors and the employees. Board members, both individually and collectively, have the right to seek information about effectiveness of any and all projects and employees for the purpose of evaluation, planning, and policy making.
The President/CEO is an employee of the Board of Directors and derives his/her authority from the Board and is responsible to it for his/her performance. The President/CEO is the Chief Executive Officer and is responsible for its administrative leadership and day-to-day operations. The President/CEO reports to the Chair of the Board.
The Board of Directors has a standing Personnel Committee, as prescribed herein, with the primary responsibility to recommend Personnel Policies and Procedures, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.

Hospice & Palliative CareCenter is a member of the Carolinas Center for Hospice and End of Life Care (TCC), Association for Home & Hospice Care (AHHC), Hospice Providers Network (HPN), and the National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). Hospice & Palliative CareCenter is a member agency of the United Way, as well as the North CarolinaCenter for Non-Profits, the North Carolina Association of Home Care, and the National Association of Home Care (NAHC).

Employment

Types of Employment

Employment at HPCC is governed by the "employment-at-will" doctrine that holds that either the employer or the employee can terminate the employment relationship at any time. No employee is hired for any specified term or duration of employment. Each employee has the right to end his/her employment relationship with HPCC at any time and for any reason. Similarly, the employment of any employee can be terminated at any time by HPCC at its discretion, for any reason, consistent with applicable state and federal laws, rules, or regulations.

All employees are classified into one of the following categories of employment:

  • Full-Time – An employee who is regularly scheduled to work an average of thirty (30) hours or more per week.
  • Part-Time – An employee who is regularly scheduled to work an average of less than thirty (30) hours per week.
  • PRN – An employee who does not have a regular schedule and who works as needed and has the flexibility to accept or decline an assignment regardless of the number of hours worked each week. The employee must complete the assignment once he/she accepts and is expected to work within current agency PRN guidelines. PRN staff is used to supplement to existing regular part-time and full-time staff.

Non-Exempt Employee

Employees classified as non-exempt are covered by the minimum wage, overtime pay and record-keeping requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and applicable state regulations covering non-exempt personnel. A non-exempt employee is one who is paid overtime for any hours worked over 40 in a 7-day workweek (Sunday a.m. to Saturday p.m.).

Overtime pay is one and one-half times an employee’s regular rate of pay. Regular pay includes shift pay and some other pay. Non-exempt employees do not receive compensatory time-off for full days off. PTO must be used for the entire day. If a non-exempt employee comes in late or leaves early, employee may make up some or all hours missed at the discretion and with prior approval of the supervisor. Hours cannot be carried over from one week to the next. It is the responsibility of the immediate supervisor to approve overtime in advance of it being incurred and to ensure the accuracy of the employees’ time record. If time worked is not scheduled or has not been approved by the immediate supervisor, the employee must be paid, but may be disciplined for not obtaining prior approval for unscheduled time worked.

A workweek is seven consecutive 24-hour days beginning at 12:00am Sunday and ending at 11:59pm the next Saturday. A Pay Period is 14 consecutive days, beginning at 12:00am Sunday and ending 11:59pm 14 days later. Pay Day is the fifth day following the end of the pay period.

Exempt Employee - Positions must meet the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) criteria for exempt status. This status makes employees exempt from minimum wage, some record keeping and overtime pay requirements of the FLSA. Exempt employees are paid a salary regardless of the hours worked. Exempt employees do not receive overtime pay.

Employee Orientation

A general orientation program is provided for all new employees. New employees also receive orientation to agency benefits and policies and procedures. The purpose of these sessions is to acquaint new employees with all of the programs and departments at HPCC and RHPC. Topics are presented by the individuals who are most involved in each area. Some of the general topics covered in the general employee orientation program include:

1.Review of Employee Handbook and agency policies and procedures, including history and philosophy;

2.Introduction to staff members and general orientation to office procedures;

3.Review of job description and work related processes, including safety issues and emergency measures;

  1. Review and completion of appropriate paperwork for payroll and benefits.
  1. Each supervisor has the responsibility for conducting orientation pertinent to their department and the new employee’s job duties. In addition, clinical employees will receive clinical discipline specific training by the clinical education department.
  1. An orientation checklist shall be maintained in the employee’s personnel file showing that both general and clinical discipline specific (if applicable) orientation have been completed.

All clinical staff must obtain twelve (12) hours of continuing education per year. Non-Clinical employees must obtain eight (8) hours of continuing education per year.

Probationary Period

The agency provides a probationary period during which both the employee and the agency have time to determine if a proper fit has been made. The probationary period will be for 90 days from the day of hire. The 90-day probationary period is calculated by calendar days and begins on the day of hire. Employees may resign without notice during this time period and the agency may discharge the employee without using the progressive disciplinary procedure during this period.

All employees will be evaluated prior to the end of their probationary period, as to their continued employment based on their ability to perform their job and related core behaviors.

Job Descriptions

All positions shall have a current job description that complies with agency standards and is approved by Human Resources. The employee’s current signed and dated job description shall be maintained in the employee’s personnel file.

Job Postings and Promotions

Full and part-time job openings will be posted to give current employees the opportunity to apply. Management discretion may be used in deciding not to post certain job openings such as executive positions, or positions that require skills and/or experience which are not possessed by current employees.

Job openings will be posted in all locations for a minimum of five (5) business days to provide internal candidates with the opportunity to be considered. Outside candidates may be recruited simultaneously. No posting is required of positions that are a result of a formal re-structure.

A current employee may be promoted to a higher level of responsibility with a new job title within the same department without creating an open position.

To be eligible for a transfer to a posted position, employees must be in good standing with supervisor approval.

A new employee must work for the agency for at least six (6) months prior to applying for transfer. However, at management’s discretion based on business needs, an employee may transfer to another position prior to the completion of six (6) months provided they are in good standing with the agency and meeting and/or exceeding performance expectations.

Internal applicants must complete the Internal Application form when applying for any job opening. The immediate supervisor must sign the form acknowledging the employee’s intent to request consideration for the open position.

Factors to be considered in awarding a job are:

  • Education, certification or license, if job related
  • Relevant job experience, skills, performance record
  • Seniority when all else is equal

All qualified internal applicants will be notified by Human Resources of the outcome of the selection process.

Employee Referral Bonus Program

We recognize that our employees are the best source of quality applicants. This program is designed to reward employees for their dedication and commitment to continued long-term success. This program is for referral of regular full-time and part-time employees.

After an offer has been made to the candidate, Human Resources will check the candidate’s application as well as ask the candidate if anyone referred them. Human Resources will contact the referring employee then complete the employee referral bonus program form.