Universal Psychiatric MedicalCenter
3250 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 933
Los Angeles, CA90010
Phone: (213) 739-0019
Fax: (213) 739-0091
Dear Staff Members:
Please review the enclosed employee handbook and fax back the signed acknowledgement form to 213-739-0091 attention Linda Sherfield.
Thank You,
Linda Sherfield
Administrator
Universal Psychiatric Medical Center
Revised December 7, 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Introduction
- Personal Policies
- Employee Policies
- Employee Status
- Hours of Work
- Overtime
- Employee Classifications and Definitions
- Exempt/Non-exempt Employees
- Per-Diem Employees
- Probationary Period
- Personnel Data Changes
- 1099 Employees
- Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
- Harassment
- Non-Disclosure/Confidentiality
- Conflict of Interest
- Anniversary Date
- Attendance
- Wage and Salary Information
- Personnel Records
- Pay Checks
- Rest Periods
- Meal Break
- Wage and Performance Review
- Insurance on Personal Effects
- Supplies
- Expense Reimbursement
- Benefits
- Eligibility
- Holidays
- Paid Time Off
- Leave of Absence
- Bereavement Leave
- Jury Duty
- Pregnancy Disability Leave
- Family and Medical Care Leave
- Certification of Health Care Provider
- Personal Leave Q & A’s
- On The Job Conduct
- Personal Appearance/Dress Code
- Standards of Conduct
- Drug and Alcohol Use
- Solicitation
- Employee Communications
- Employee Suggestions
- Staff Meetings
- Suggestion Box
- Procedure for Handling Complaints
- Termination of Employment
- Probationary Employees
- Non-Probationary Employees
- Voluntary Termination
- The Organization’s Emphasis Upon Safety
- General Safety Rules
- Workers’ Compensation
Employee Handbook
I.DISCUSSION OF HANDBOOK AND GENERAL PERSONNEL POLICIES
This handbook contains important information on the general personnel policies of UniversalPsychiatricMedicalCenter. Employees should familiarize themselves with the material in the handbook and understand that they are governed by its contents. The Organization may change, add, delete, or revise any policies, benefits, or practices described in this handbook from time to time in its sole and absolute discretion with or without prior notice. In any instance where this handbook conflicts with any previous written or oral representation, the provisions of this handbook shall govern.
The employment application, the handbook and any other documents are not contracts of employment for continued employment for any period of time or termination only for cause. The employment relationship is at the mutual consent of the Organization and the employee. Either the employee or the Organization has the right to terminate the employment relationship at will in accordance with Section 2922 of the California Labor Code. Any oral or written statements to the contrary are expressly disavowed and should not be relied upon by any prospective or existing employee.
Note that “Management” refers to the UniversalPsychiatricMedicalCenter.
Employment Policy
The Organization believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity and does not discriminate against its employees or applicants because of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability medical condition as defined under California employment laws, or status as a Vietnam era veteran or qualified disabled veteran.
Equal employment opportunity will be extended to all persons in all aspects of the employer-employee relationship including recruitment, hiring, upgrading, training, promotion, transfer, discipline, layoff, recall, and termination.
Any employee who believes he/she has been unlawfully discriminated against by a supervisor or agent of the group, co-worker, or non-employee in a work-related situation must promptly report the facts to management. The Organization will promptly investigate all such claims and take appropriate action to resolve the problem.
II.EMPLOYEE STATUS
Hours of Work
The office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Each employee will be assigned specific hours of work. The Organization reserves the right to alter the hours and days at anytime without prior notice.
Overtime
UniversalPsychiatricMedicalCenter is open for business 40 hours per week. All overtime work performed by an hourly employee must receive the supervisor’s prior authorization. Overtime worked without prior authorization from the supervisor may result in disciplinary action. The supervisor’s signature on a timesheet authorizes pay for overtime hours worked.
Employee Classifications and Definitions
Your job is classified on the basis of duties and responsibilities according to applicable federal and state laws. At the time of hire, and at the time of any change in your employment status, your classification and eligibility for overtime pay will be discussed. The following employment classifications are used throughout this Handbook and are relevant to determining your eligibility for company-provided benefits and overtime pay.
Exempt Employees: There are a variety of exempt employees under state and federal law, but, generally, exempt employees are those whose responsibilities are considered to be primarily of an “executive,” “administrative,” or “professional” nature, or those who are employed as outside salespersons. Exempt employees are not eligible for overtime pay.
Non-exempt Employees: Employees who are not exempt are entitled to overtime pay under the provisions of the applicable wage laws. For these employees, an accurate record of actual hours must be maintained.
Per-Diem Employees: A per-diem employee is scheduled on an “as needed” basis, with no guaranteed hours of work per week.
Probationary Period
The Organization seeks employees who can perform their assigned job independently and efficiently.
Each new employee is required to serve a 120-day probationary period. This will give the Organization and the employee the opportunity to determine if it is desirable to continue the relationship.
An Employee is considered to be probationary until completion of the probationary period. Employees are encouraged to discuss their progress and any questions with management during this probationary period.
During the probationary period, the Organization reserves the right to terminate the employee with or without cause, without notice, or without pay in lieu of notice. The Organization has the sole discretion to extend the probationary period of an employee, when such an extension is deemed to be necessary or appropriate.
(California Labor Code 2922)
Personnel Data Changes
It is the responsibility of each employee to promptly notify their supervisor or UniversalPsychiatricMedicalCenter’s Human Resources Department of any changes in personnel data such as:
-Mailing address
-Telephone numbers
-Name and number of dependents, and
-Individuals to be contacted in the event of an emergency.
An employee’s personnel data should be accurate and current at all times.
1099 EMPLOYEES
Employees who work on a contractual basis
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
It is the policy of the Organization to treat all applicants and employees in a non-discriminatory manner without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, as defined under California employment laws, marital status, or status as a Vietnam era veteran or qualified disabled veteran. This applies to the recruiting, hiring, training, compensation and promotion of all persons in very job classification.
The manager is the equal employment officer and is available to deal with any problems you may have with regard to our Equal Employment Opportunity Policy.
In furtherance of this policy, the Organization will not permit the use of racial, religious, age-related, sexual or ethnic epithets, innuendos, slurs or jokes within the office. Epithets, innuendos, slurs or jokes related to membership of a protected class are totally prohibited. All employees (including supervisory personnel) shall conduct themselves in a totally professional manner and shall refrain from sexual advances, verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, or requests for sexual favors. Any employee who violates the above policy and our commitment to equal opportunity shall be subject to immediate termination.
An employee who has any questions regarding the Organization’s equal employment policy or who feels that the policy has been violated or who feels that he/she has been discriminated against, harassed or treated unfairly as a result of being in any of the categories enumerated above, is invited to bring the matter directly to the attention of management.
An employee who has a complaint of sexual harassment, or harassment based on membership in a protected class, at work by anyone, including supervisors, co-workers, customers, or visitors, must immediately bring the problem to the attention of management. All complaints will be promptly handled.
The Organization will retain documentation of all allegations made during investigations and will take appropriate corrective action, including disciplinary measures when justified, to remedy violation of this policy.
Harassment
A manager is a Personnel Officer, and is available to deal with any problems or questions you may have with regard to the Organization’s harassment policy.
The Practice is fully committed to providing a work environment that is free of unlawful discrimination. In keeping with this commitment, the Practice maintains a strict policy prohibiting unlawful harassment, including sexual harassment. This policy applies to all employees, including supervisory employees. Thus, personnel at all levels have an obligation to avoid any act or actions that may suggest harassment.
The Practice will not permit the use of sexual, racial, religious, age-related, or ethnic epithets, derogatory comment, innuendos, slurs or jokes; visual conduct which includes the following: leering, staring, making sexual gestures, displaying of sexually suggestive objects or pictures, cartoons or posters; verbal abuse of a sexual nature such as risqué jokes and off-color remarks, graphic verbal commentaries about an individual’s body, sexually degrading words used to describe an individual; or physical conduct such as assault, blocking normal movement, or interference with work directed at an employee because of the employee’s gender or other protected basis, as described in the Practice’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy.
Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to making unwanted sexual advances and requests for sexual favors where (1) submission to such conduct is made an explicit or implicit term or condition of employment; (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an 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 work environment. Any employee who violates this policy is subject to discipline, up to and including warnings, reprimands, suspensions, and/or termination of employment.
Any employee who has any questions regarding the Practice’s harassment policy, or who feels that the policy has been violated, or who feels that he or she has been discriminated against, harassed, or treated unfairly by a co-employee, supervisor, manager, vendor or outside third party, as a result of being in any of the categories enumerated above in the Practice’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, or treated in a way that violates this policy, is required to report the matter immediately and directly to the attention of their manager. Facts of the incident or incidents and the names of the individuals involved should be in writing, if possible. The Practice will undertake an immediate and objective investigation of all such claims. Where the Practice has determined that conduct in violation of this policy has occurred, the Practice will take appropriate action, including disciplinary action. Such actions will be made known to the employee reporting the complaint.
If at all possible, the Organization encourages the employee reporting the complaint of harassment to speak directly with the person who is reported to have engaged in the harassment and try to persuade him or her to stop the offending conduct.
The Organization prohibits retaliation against any employee for reporting conduct in violation of this policy or for assisting or participating in any investigation of any complaint pursuant to this policy.
Confidentiality
The Organization has an obligation to its patients to keep all information regarding their medical condition strictly confidential. All information obtained in the course of your employment including information related to the Organization, its operations, business, employees and patients, is to be used for conduction of the Organization business only. Never discuss or disclose such information with or in the presence of persons outside the Organization. Documents, medications, supplies, equipment and other materials pertinent to the Organization or its patients may not be removed from the office without the advance permission of management. Employees may be required to sign non-disclosure of confidential information agreements.
This same level of confidentiality must be maintained regarding co-workers, employee relations’ matters and partnership operations.
Violation of this policy may result in immediate termination. If you discover a violation of this policy, you must notify management immediately.
Non-Disclosure/Confidentiality
The protection of confidential business information and trade secrets is vital to the interests and success of UniversalPsychiatricMedicalCenter. Such confidential information includes, but is not limited to, the
Following examples:
-Compensation data
-Financial information
-Marketing strategies
-Pending projects and proposals
-Proprietary production processes
-Personnel/Payroll records, and
-Conversations between any persons associated with the company.
All employees are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement as a condition of employment.
Employees who improperly use or disclose trade secrets or confidential business information will be subject to disciplinary action, including termination of employment and legal action, even if they do not actually benefit from the disclosed information.
Conflict of Interest
Employees must avoid any business, activity or other situation, which may possibly constitute a conflict of interest. Examples of conflict of interest situations include, but are not limited to, (a) accepting employment with, acting for or rendering services to any business or endeavor, with or without compensation, which competes or conducts business with the Organization, (b) disclosing or utilizing confidential customer or company information or trade secrets, (c) soliciting or diverting Psychiatric business or customers away from the Organization, or (d) soliciting co-employees both during and after employment to work for another company.
Anniversary Date
A service year begins with the employee’s most recent date of hire; hence, all subsequent service years start on the anniversary of that date of hire.
Time spent by an employee during a leave of absence shall not be considered as service time. In this event, the service year will be extended by the number of days on leave of absence and an adjusted anniversary date will be established to reflect the revised service year.
Attendance
Each employee is required to be prompt and regular in attendance on assigned workdays. Dependability is essential for a smoothly running operation and is a factor, which is considered during an employee’s probationary period and performance evaluations. If you are unable to be at work at the assigned work time, you must notify your office manager within one (1) hour of your scheduled start time of the time you will be in and the reason for your tardiness.
If you find that you must be out due to illness or other personal reasons, you must notify your office manager within one (1) hour of your scheduled working time on that day, and the reason for such absence. In addition, you must notify management within the allotted time of your absence every day you are scheduled to work unless you are on an approved leave of absence.
If you are unable to notify management, you are responsible for arranging for someone else to notify the office manager as required, and to explain the reasons you are unable to contact the office manager personally.
If you become ill while at work, report to the office manager. Never leave work or go home before the end of your schedule without first securing approval from the office manager.
An employee who does not report to work on a scheduled working day or who does not report the absence to management as required will be considered to have voluntarily terminated his/her employment after twenty-four (24) hours/one (1) day of such absence.
III.WAGE AND SALARY INFORMATION
Employees are to use the designated vehicle to record their work time in order to allow proper calculation of their pay, and in order to comply with the Wage and Hour Law.
Each employee is responsible for “clocking in” with the time clock upon beginning work and ending work, and to stamp in and out during the meal period.
Any person stamping another employee’s time card, or asking another person to stamp his/her card, is subject to immediate termination.
Personnel Records
The Organization maintains a personnel file for each employee. All employees are required to immediately advise the Organization, in writing, of any changes in home address, telephone number, name, and tax withholding exemption information. Contact management for the appropriate forms to use.
All applicants for employment and employees hired after November 6, 1986 are required to present and permit copying of documentation, which verifies identity and authorization to work, as required under federal law.
Pay Checks
There are 26 pay periods a year. Paychecks are dispensed every other week.
Rest Periods
Employees who work a minimum of four (4) hours per day are authorized to receive one (1) paid ten (10) minute rest period. Employees who work six (6) hours or more per day are authorized to receive two (2) paid ten (10) minute rest periods, one (1) in the morning before the meal break and one (1) in the afternoon.
A rest period also includes time at your workstation when you make or receive a personal telephone call, attend to personal business or otherwise “relax”. Thus, it has been our observation that most of our employees take their breaks without actually leaving their work stations, provided a professional atmosphere is maintained in the office at all times, and appropriate coverage for the employees duties are maintained, in the interest of good patient care, there are times that rest periods cannot be taken.
Meal Break
Employees working over six (6) hours in any workday qualify for at least (1/2) one-half hour, unpaid, off-duty meal break during that work day. But, the meal period may be waived by mutual consent of the Practice and employee if the employee’s work period of less than six (6) hours completes the employee’s workday.