2020

EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

2020EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

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Approved By Board of Directors – November 2019 Approved By Policy Council – January 2020

EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT-CEO.....……………………………..1

INTRODUCTION..……………………………...…....…………………………..2

ABOUT CHILD CARE ASSOCIATES………...……………………….………3 Company Policy……………..……………………………………….……………………………3

Charitable Giving..…………………..………………………………….…………………………3

Funding Entity Requirements……………………………………………………………………..3

Serving Our Customers……………………………………………………………………………3

Communication of Personnel Policies…………………………..………………………………...3

Training and Development………………………………………………………………………..3

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT…………………………...4 At-Will Employment……………………………………………………………………………...4

Modification of Terms and Conditions……..……………………………………………………..4

Handbook is Not a Contract……………………………………………………………………….4

Misrepresentations………………………………………………………………………………...4

Enforcement and Interpretations of Policies………..……………………………………………..4

Reporting of Policy Violations……………………………………………………………………5

Whistleblower Policy……………………………………………………………………………...5

EMPLOYMENT…………………………………………………………………..5 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)…………………………………………………………...5

Diversity…………………………………………………………………………………………...6

Disability Accommodations……………………………………………………………………….6

Religious Accommodations……………………………………………………………………….7

Probationary Period……………………………………………………………………………….7

Vaccine Preventable Diseases...…………………………………………………………………...7

HIRING PROCESS……………………………………………………………….7 Hiring Policy Statement…………………………………………………………………………...7

Recruitment…………………………………………………………………………………..........8

Job Vacancies...……………………………………………………………………………………8

Criminal Convictions/Background Checks……………………………………………………….9

Rehires…………………………………………………………………………………………….9

New Hire Orientation…………………………………………………………………………….10

Transfers…………………………………………………………………………………………10

Promotions/Internal Applicants………………………………………………………………….10

Job Descriptions………………………………………………………………………………….10

Employment Categories………………………………………………………………………….11

Hours of Work…………………………………………………………………………………...12

Employee Classifications………………………………………………………………………...12

ABOUT EMPLOYMENT………………………………………………………12 Time and Attendance System……………………………………………………………………12

Pay Information………………………………………………………………………………….13

Exempt Salary Basis……………………………………………………………………………..13

Confidentiality Policy……………………………………………………………………………14

Personnel Files…………………………………………………………………………………...15

OPERATING GUIDELINES…………………………………………………...15 Employment Eligibility…………………………………………………………………………..15

Nepotism………………………………………………………………………………………....15

Gifts and Gratuities………………………………………………………………………………15

Conflicts of Interest………………………………………………………………………………15

Safe Working Environment……………………………………………………………………...16

Political Activity…………………………………………………………………………………16

Mandatory Reporting…………………………………………………………………………….16

Harassment……………………………………………………………………………………….16

Ethics Hotline…………………………………………………………………………………….17

Workplace Bullying…………………………………..………………………………………….18

Drug Free Work Environment…………..……………………………………………………….18

Code of Conduct…………………………………………………………………………………20

Disciplinary Guidelines………………………………………………………………………….21

Attendance……………………………………………………………………………………….22

Non-Pay Absences……………………………………………………………………………….22

DRESS CODE POLICIES…………………………………...………………………………...22

Break Periods…………………………………………………………………………………….25

Smoking Policy…………………………………………………………………………………..26

Computer, Internet and Acceptable Use Policy………………………………………………….26

Social Media Policy……………………………………………………………………………...28

Media Policy……………………………………………………………………………………..28

Travel Policy……………………………………………………………………………………..29

Safe Driver and Vehicle Safety Policy…………………………………………………………..29

Mobile Phone Use (& other portable electronic devices) Policy………………………………...32

Inclement Weather……………………………………………………………………………….33

Employee Security Access……………………………………………………………………….34

Performance Evaluations………………………………………………………………………...34

Surveillance System Policies…………………………………………………………………….34

Weapons Policy………………………………………………………………………………….35

BENEFITS……………………………………………………………………….36 Eligibility………………………………………………………………………………………...36

Health and Dental Insurance…………………………………………………………………......36

Life and AD&D Insurance……………………………………………………………………….36

Voluntary/Optional Insurance Benefits………………………………………………………….36 Pre-Tax Premium Plan…………………………………………………………………………………….37

COBRA……………………………………………………………………………………………………37

403(b) Retirement Plan……………………………………………………………………………………37

Employee Wellness………………………………………………………………………………………..37

Professional Development Plan…………………………………………………………………………...37

Tuition Assistance Program……………………………………………………………………………….38

Incentive Pay Plan…………………………………………………………………………………………40

Employee Amenities………………………………………………………………………………………41

Holiday/Floating Holiday…………………………………………………………………………………42

PAID LEAVE…………………………………………………………………….42 Paid Time Off (PTO)……………………………………………………………………………………...42

New Hires…………………………………………………………………………………………………43

Parental Leave……………………………………………………………………………………………..45

Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)………………………………………………………………………45

Non-FMLA Leave…………………………………………………………………………………………49

Bereavement Leave………………………………………………………………………………………..50

Jury Duty…………………………………………………………………………………………………..51

Voting Leave………………………………………………………………………………………………51

Worker’s Compensation (On-the-Job Injuries)……………………………………………………………51

Military Leave……………………………………………………………………………………………..52

EMPLOYEE COMPLAINTS…………………………………………………..52 Grievance Policy and Procedures…………………………………………………………………………52

Separation of Employment………………………………………………………………………………...53

Voluntary Resignation…………………………………………………………………………………….53

Involuntary Resignation…………………………………………………………………………………...53

Immediate Involuntary Termination………………………………………………………………………54

Reduction-in-Force or Layoff……………………………………………………………………………..54

Job Abandonment…………………………………………………………………………………………54

Final Payment at Termination……………………………………………………………………………..54

Exit Interviews…………………………………………………………………………………………….54

OUR MISSION……………………………………………………………………………………………55

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A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Welcome to Child Care Associates! As a member of the CCA team, you join hundreds of others who share the vision of providing high quality early learning for at-risk children and providing key parental supports for low-income families. It is important for us to build a strong system of support for each child, for each family… and our employees play a key role in that responsibility. CCA is not just a place to work; it is a place where you can make a difference in the lives of those whom we serve.

Our Employee Handbook is designed to assist you in navigating through policies, programs, responsibilities, and benefits that relate to your employment. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with the contents of this handbook and feel free to ask questions if you need additional information. When questions arise, contact Human Resources at 817-838-0055, Ext. 3338.

CCA employees make a lasting contribution to the impact of our nonprofit in the communities we serve. We know you have a choice in your employment, and we appreciate your investing your time and talent with CCA!

Warmly,

Kara Waddell President-CEO

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INTRODUCTION Child Care Associates is a non-profit company whose mission is to assist family successes through excellence in comprehensive early education and development services. The provision of child care is labor intensive and highly regulated. The services must be affordable and accessible to the families we serve. Most importantly, the Company deals with a sensitive commodity - young children during their formative years-requiring a high standard of service and care. Successful achievement of this mission requires that employees be selected with care, that they be dependable, and that every effort be made to provide support and compensation at the highest possible level within budgetary limitations and industry standards. It is incumbent on every employee to put forth their best effort to achieve the Company’s mission by exhibiting a high standard of conduct, daily presence, and consistent attention to duties. Our work provides the unique opportunity to have a positive impact on the future of our children. That is why we take our work so seriously. There continues to be a high demand for child care services and we strive to provide our services in ways that best accommodate the challenging lifestyles of today’s families. The vision is to serve as the leader in quality child care and development services, with the capability of providing a turnkey business model to other child development organizations.

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ABOUT CHILD CARE ASSOCIATES Company Policy It is Child Care Associates’ policy to conform to all laws, regulations, and practices:

• Consistent with its mission • Applicable to services for children and families; • Consistent with industry standards among for-profit and non-profit providers; and, • As required by funding entities.

It is our goal to establish and maintain clearly defined personnel policies and procedures. This handbook provides an overview of internal operations at Child Care Associates. Policies and guidelines are subject to change with or without notice, but only with the approval of the Board of Directors. Charitable Giving Child Care Associates serves families of limited income and at-risk children. Child Care Associates supports the community and partnering agencies in Tarrant County. The Company encourages employees to participate in charitable giving campaigns. Incentives may be offered to employees for participation in charitable campaigns. Funding Entity Requirements Funding entities mandate specific requirements affecting personnel in grants, contracts, and funding arrangements. These personnel requirements are incorporated into the Company’s Employee Handbook and are duly noted as applicable to employees who work in designated programs. Serving Our Customers We exist because we perform a necessary service in the community. Therefore, courtesy and service are vitally important to the continued success of the company. It takes little effort to be friendly, respectful and helpful to our customers. Child Care Associates expects all employees to understand that exceptional customer service is a minimum expectation. Communication of Personnel Policies Each employee is provided direct access to the on-line Employee Handbook and is required to sign a statement acknowledging receipt of direct access to the handbook. By signing the acknowledgement the employee acknowledges they have read the handbook and will comply fully with all requirements contained therein. Training and Development Child Care Associates offers training and development opportunities geared toward the development of early child care education professionals and administrators. Master training records are maintained electronically and certification documents are retained at each employee’s work site (see Professional Development Plan for details).

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

At-Will Employment Employment with Child Care Associates is on an at-will basis. This means that you and the company are each free to terminate the relationship at any time, with or without cause or advance notice. The company has no employment contracts, assurances, or guarantee of continued employment by the employee. Likewise, employees have no employment contract, assurances, or guarantee of continued employment with the company. No verbal communication or written document will provide such a contract, assurance, or guarantee unless specified in writing and signed by the President-CEO. Modification of Terms and Conditions Your compensation, hours of employment, work location, and all other terms and conditions of employment are subject to modification by the company at management’s discretion. In addition, management may determine that a transfer or other reassignment of any employee is necessary in order to fulfill business needs and requirements. Handbook Is Not a Contract The policies and procedures presented within this handbook are for information and illustrative purposes and are in no way meant to be a contract of employment or guarantee of continued employment for any specific period of time. The work rules contained in the policies and procedures are for illustrative purposes and are not considered to be all inclusive. Company management reserves the right to unilaterally amend or withdraw any policy, procedure, or benefit at any time with or without notice, for any reason it deems appropriate. Amendments or modifications are effective upon announcement. In the event that any contradiction arises between the policies and information contained in this handbook and specific federal, state, or local laws or requirements, the latter will govern in all cases. Nothing in this handbook or any company policy is intended to interfere with employees’ rights to discuss their terms and conditions of employment including, but not limited to compensation, benefits, work hours and working conditions, etc. Misrepresentations Any misrepresentation made or falsification of information provided by an individual when completing the employment application or at any time during the employment process and/or during his/her employment will be considered grounds for dismissal without advance notice.

Enforcement and Interpretation of Policies Violation of any policies and procedures, or reasonable suspicion of any such violations, may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Additionally, acts that violate policies may also violate civil or criminal laws and may result in possible prosecution and/or assessment of civil and/or criminal penalties. If company management decides to make an exception to a policy or practice in a certain instance, this does not restrict management’s right to adhere to the policy or practice in the future.

No provision of any policy contained within this document will be interpreted to interfere with or chill employees’ rights to engage in concerted activity for their mutual aid and protection.

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Reporting Of Policy Violations You are required to immediately report any observed or known violations of any policy or law, including incidents of discrimination or harassment. Reports should immediately be made to the supervisor, Chief Human Resources Officer, or the President-CEO. Complaints of policy violations will be promptly and carefully investigated, including interviews with all relevant persons. Investigators will conduct an objective investigation that strikes a balance between the need to conduct a thorough investigation and an employee’s desire for privacy; no employee is guaranteed complete confidentiality and/or anonymity during an investigation. An employee may be placed on Administrative Leave for compelling reasons and in the best interest of the company with the approval of Human Resources. Employees who utilize this procedure in good faith are assured that they will be free from any and all reprisal or retaliation from reporting such violations or cooperating in an investigation. The company will not tolerate complaints that are abusive or made in bad faith. You are expected to fully cooperate in any investigation involving issues relating to the company’s policies, procedures, property, or any other aspect of the company’s business affairs. Whistleblower Policy If any employee believes that some policy, practice or activity of CCA is in violation of the law, a written complaint may be filed by that employee with the Chief Human Resources Officer. It is the intent of CCA to adhere to all laws and regulations that apply to the organization, and the underlying purpose of this Policy is to support the organization’s goal of legal compliance. The support of all employees is necessary to achieving compliance with various laws and regulations. An employee is protected from retaliation only if the employee brings the alleged unlawful activity, policy or practice to the attention of CCA and provides CCA reasonable opportunity to investigate and correct the alleged unlawful activity. The protection described below is only available to employees that comply with this requirement. CCA will not retaliate against an employee, who in good faith, has made a protest or raised a complaint against some practice of CCA, or of another individual or entity with whom CCA had a business relationship, on the basis of reasonable belief that the practice is in violation of law or a clear mandate of public policy.

CCA will not retaliate against an employee who discloses or threatens to disclose to a supervisor or a public body any activity, policy or practice of CCA that the employee reasonably believes is in violation of a law, or a rule, or regulation mandated pursuant to law or is in violation of a clear mandate or public policy concerning health, safety, welfare or protection of the environment.

EMPLOYMENT Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) The company is an equal opportunity employer that maintains a policy of non-discrimination and non-retaliation with respect to all employees and applicants for employment. All employment decisions will be made without regard to race, color, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law. Employment decisions are based solely on employees’ qualifications, merit, and performance, subject to the business requirements of the company. Requests for accommodations will be reviewed for qualified individuals. Reasonable accommodations will be made in accordance with applicable law. In addition to compliance with federal EEO statutes, the company complies with applicable state and local

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laws, including non-discrimination based on sexual orientation. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to the following:

• Recruitment, hiring, placement, transfer, promotion, and demotion • Training, development, and educational assistance programs • Compensation and benefits • Social and recreational programs • Discipline • Termination of employment

The company also maintains a policy prohibiting discrimination and retaliation for those who are a past or present member of the uniformed service, have applied for membership in the uniformed service; or are obligated to serve in the uniformed service. This policy applies to initial employment, reemployment, retention in employment, promotion, and any benefit of employment.

1. Your cooperation and support are expected in order to maintain a working environment free from discrimination. If you feel as though you have been subjected to any type of prohibited discrimination including retaliation, you are to report the incident verbally or in writing to the supervisor, Chief Human Resources Officer, or the President-CEO immediately. To enable the company to conduct its investigation, a complaint must include the specific nature of the incident and the date(s) and place(s) such alleged discrimination took place, as well as the name(s) of any individual(s) known to be involved. If the company receives a report of prohibited discrimination, it is the company’s practice to investigate.

Diversity Our company is committed to acknowledging and valuing employee differences and to creating an environment in which every individual's unique strengths and abilities are developed and valued. All employees share in the responsibility for creating this environment, and are expected to demonstrate mutual respect and acceptance in the work place. We believe that utilizing our employees' uniqueness enhances communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills, thereby improving our company’s productivity and performance. We also believe that if our employees mirror the diverse make-up of our communities and our customers, we will be able to better understand, and more effectively respond to, market changes. We strive for excellence in our ability to create an inclusive, respectful, and equitable environment for our employees through leadership, policies, and practices. Disability Accommodations The company will consider all requests for disability accommodations to individuals who are otherwise qualified to perform the essential functions of a job. When an employee has a need for an accommodation, the employee must let Human Resources know that an adjustment or a change at work is needed for a reason related to a medical condition. A request for reasonable accommodation is the first step in an informal, interactive process between the employee and the company. The company will balance workplace needs with all reasonable accommodation requests. Before addressing the merits of the accommodation request, the company will determine if the employee’s medical condition meets the definition of a disability, a prerequisite for the employee to be entitled to a reasonable accommodation. A covered disability includes impairments that substantially limit one or more major life activities. Major life activities can include, for example, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, sitting, standing, lifting, reaching, speaking, concentrating, learning, and working. The company may require medical or other documentation showing that the employee has a covered disability and stating any functional limitations. The documentation must

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be sufficient to substantiate that the employee has a covered disability and needs the reasonable accommodation requested. Reasonable accommodations will be made for an employee’s disability, unless such an accommodation results in an undue hardship for the company or creates an unsafe working condition. An undue hardship will be based upon an individualized assessment of current circumstances. Religious Accommodations The company will consider all requests for religious accommodations. Such requests may include time off for attendance at religious services, an absence for observance of a religious holiday, or an employee’s attire. The company recognizes that some employees may desire to make religious expression in the workplace while other employees may desire a workplace that is free of religious expression. The company will make an attempt to balance employees’ rights regarding religious expression with the company’s need to maintain an efficient, productive workplace. Reasonable accommodations will be made for an employee’s religious beliefs, unless such an accommodation results in an undue hardship for the company or creates an unsafe working condition. Probationary Period The first ninety (90) days of employment of all employees, in all employment categories, are considered an initial probationary period. During this probationary period of employment at Child Care Associates an employee's performance and adherence to company policies and procedures will be closely monitored. The employee will be counseled and corrective action will be taken when necessary as an ongoing part of this new employment period. Supervisors will document good performance as well as unsatisfactory performance. During this time the employee will be able to learn about his or her job duties and will be able to determine whether he or she is satisfied with the position. If an employee decides that he or she is unhappy with the position or cannot adjust properly to the work assignment, the employee may resign at any time during the probationary period and anytime during the employment relationship. The employee's supervisor will also have the opportunity during the initial ninety (90) days of employment to determine the employee's ability to perform the job duties and continue their employment. If the employee's performance is not satisfactory, his or her employment may be terminated at any time during the ninety (90) day probationary period. After completion of the probationary period, CCA will continue to monitor employees and provide counseling and feedback as necessary as an ongoing part of employment. Nothing in this policy serves to change the “at-will” nature of employment with CCA. Vaccine Preventable Diseases Child Care Associates is required to abide by the policy for protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases. Caregivers in direct contact with children will be required to have immunizations as required by Child Care Licensing to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. An exemption from a health care professional may be allowed based on medical conditions or an exemption based on reasons of conscience which includes religious belief. HIRING PROCESS Hiring Policy Statement The Hiring Policy at Child Care Associates consists of three major components:

1. Recruitment

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2. Comprehensive Hiring Process 3. Retention

Our objective is to attract and retain quality individuals by providing challenging jobs, competitive pay, excellent benefits, and other employee incentives. Recruitment Child Care Associates’ plan for recruiting quality employees consists of:

• Internet Job Postings - Our recruitment methods may change to reach potential applicants with the defined skill sets needed by our organization.

• Staffing Agencies - This as-needed arrangement is preferable to direct placements through agencies, because it provides an opportunity to evaluate the job applicant prior to offering regular employment.

• Employee Referral Program - Employees who refer qualified applicants may be eligible to receive a monetary award of $150, if the referral is hired and successfully completes 3 months of employment. Employment Applications must specifically indicate the referring employee’s name, and both employees must be actively employed to receive referral award. Employees who have the authority to make hiring recommendations for a department are not eligible to receive referrals for hires within their department.

• College Placement Programs - Relationships with local colleges and involvement in Career Placement Programs allows Child Care Associates the opportunity to post job vacancies on local campuses thereby reaching qualified college students.

• Succession Planning - Active employees who meets the minimum requirements and who demonstrate mastery of core competencies for posted job vacancies within the company, or who are tagged for succession may apply or be nominated for promotional opportunities at Child Care Associates.

• Local Job Fairs - Participation in local job fairs, as well as developing CCA job fairs as necessary produces a substantial number of qualified applicants.

Job Vacancies All vacant positions are posted on the Child Care Associates’ Employment Opportunities Listing and on the Child Care Associates website: www.childcareassociates.org. Generally, job postings will include basic information about the job (i.e., job title, location of the position, contact person and phone number). The internal job posting is distributed electronically to all locations at least bi-weekly. However distribution may be more frequent based on urgency of need and quantity of job openings. Each location should print and post a paper copy of the job posting and place it in an open area easily accessible by all employees. All active employees have open access to Child Care Associates Employment Opportunities Listing. The vacant positions may be simultaneously posted internally and externally but our employees will be considered before any external candidates. Internal applicants who meet the minimum requirements are referred to the hiring department for priority consideration.

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Criminal Convictions/Background Checks It is the policy of the Company to follow all legal requirements in connection with the employment of individuals. The Company reserves the right not to employ or retain in employment anyone who has been convicted of any felony or misdemeanor involving dishonesty or breach of trust, child abuse, child neglect, or otherwise related to the duties and responsibilities of the position. The Company will consider such convictions on a case by case basis before making related employment decisions. All employees of the Company will be required to complete a form authorizing the Company to perform security background checks and reference checks. Such background checks will be made at the time of hire and every five years during on-going employment, and anytime required by law or position dictates. Individuals found to have committed a criminal offense as defined in the Company’s Declaration of Criminal Background under the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse policy will not be employed by the Company. Conviction of other types of crimes is not an absolute bar to employment and will not automatically eliminate an individual from consideration for or continuation of employment. All relevant circumstances, such as how long ago the conviction occurred and the crime involved, will be considered in relation to specific job requirements. If an employee is arrested for any felony or any offense involving moral turpitude (crime involving fraud or dishonesty), the arrest must be reported to the immediate supervisor and Chief Human Resources Officer within three days of arrest. An employee must report any conviction occurring during the course of his/her employment to Human Resources immediately. The Company will comply with the provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act and all applicable amendments when conducting any type of background investigation (e.g., criminal, credit, motor vehicle record, etc.). Particularly, Human Resources will ensure the correct disclosure of rights has been made; authorization has been received before a background investigation is conducted, appropriate adverse action notices have been provided in instances in which an adverse action is taken due to the results of a background investigation, and the safeguarding of personally identifiable financial information has been maintained. Also, the Company will comply with laws governing the proper disposal of any documents (paper, electronic, or other format) that contain consumer information derived from a credit report. Reasonable measures will be taken to protect against unauthorized access to or use of sensitive consumer-related information. Also, the Company will comply with laws governing the proper disposal of any documents (paper, electronic, or other format) that contain consumer information derived from a credit report. Reasonable measures will be taken to protect against unauthorized access to or use of sensitive consumer-related information. If an employee violates this policy, including while off-duty, in such a way that it damages the company’s reputation, goodwill, or business standing in the community, or causes its work to suffer (i.e. absences due to answering the charge), the employee will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Rehires Applicants who have previously been employed by Child Care Associates may be eligible for rehire if separation of employment was the result of a voluntary resignation not related to misconduct, and if six months of continuous service was completed. Each case is reviewed on its own merit. Employees who are involuntarily terminated for cause, no call /no show, or gross misconduct are not eligible for rehire. Employees who provide less than the required two weeks of notice before voluntary resignation are not eligible for rehire.

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Former employees who leave the Company in good standing may be considered for re-employment. For 403(b) purposes and adjusted date of hire is used for 403(b) vesting and employees will not lose credit for years of service earned before any break in service of less than five years. The length of the break in service will determine how the adjusted date of hire is calculated as follows: Break in Service Less Than One Year - A break in service less than one year will result in an adjusted date of hire same as original hire date. Break in Service Greater Than One Year - For a break in service greater than one year but less than 5 years, the adjusted date of hire will be calculated by adding total time away to original hire date. Break in Service Greater than Five Years - For a break in service greater than five years, the adjusted date of hire will be the same as the rehire date. Credit for years of service is not applied to any break in service greater than five years. Rehired employees will have to meet the eligibility requirements for medical, dental, and life insurance plans. New Hire Orientation The orientation process is designed to acquaint new employees with the policies and practices at Child Care Associates. Employees will learn the purpose, function, and objectives of the company and receive benefits enrollment instructions along with other pertinent employment information. All employees are required to attend New Hire Orientation. Transfers CCA seeks to provide employees an opportunity to indicate their interest in open positions within the organization, according to their skills and experience. In general, notices of all job openings are posted. Management may arrange transfers from time to time to accommodate staffing needs, but employees will be notified of the change, in advance, so as not to bring undue hardship on the employee. However, transfers should not be used as a means of disciplinary action. Due to the number of employees and work locations, we are unable to consider transfers of basic convenience or preference. In order to support continuity of care and education for the children and families we serve, an employee wanting to transfer his/her employment between Partial-Year and Full-Year for campus based locations will be processed one time per year. Transfer requests are not guaranteed. Promotions/Internal Applicants Active employees successfully completing their ninety (90) day probationary period and who meet the minimum requirements of a vacant position listed on the Child Care Associates’ Employment Opportunities posting is eligible to apply for jobs as an Internal Applicant. The employee must contact the Talent Recruiter in the Human Resources Department to initiate the Internal Applicant process. New and existing job vacancies will be posted internally and externally simultaneously. Consideration will first be given to current employees. All promotions must occur through the Internal Applicant process.

Job Descriptions It is the policy of this Company to maintain a job description for every position, which includes the essential functions of the position, the minimum skill and education requirements, salary range and preferred qualifications. Job descriptions are maintained in Human Resources and posted on the CCA

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Intranet. Employment Categories The company has established the following employment categories:

• Regular Full-Time - Regular employees work at least 40 hours per week on a regularly scheduled basis and are eligible for company provided benefits.

• Full-Year Office Employee Positions (Belknap, Tarrant County CCMS and Abilene CCS) All employees in the full-year category will work based on a full calendar year schedule. A Paid Time off (PTO) category has been established by tenure and will be available for use upon hire on a prorated basis and/or the beginning of every calendar year. All employee are considered regular full-time employees and required to work 40 hours per week unless hired on a part-time or temporary basis. Exempt and non-exempt status are determined by job title and indicated at the time of hire and noted on all job descriptions.

• Full-Year Campus Employee (CCA Campuses with extended hours and Early Head Start Employee) All employees in the full-year category will work based on a full calendar year schedule. A PTO category has been established by tenure and will be available for use upon hire on a prorated basis and/or the beginning of every calendar year. All employees are considered regular full-time employees and required to work 40 hours per week. Employees in this category will have a PTO schedule and additional assigned time-off. Full-Year Campus Employee will be paid at a higher level based on the number of assigned work days. All regular full-time employees in this category will be classified as salaried non-exempt. Furthermore, in the event an employee changes employment positions resulting in a change in employment categories, from a Full-Year to a Partial-Year status, then the employee’s base salary will be adjusted.

• Partial-Year Campus Employee (Head Start CCA campus without extended hours of operation) All employee in the Partial-Year category will work based on a partial calendar year schedule that mirrors a traditional school year calendar. A PTO category has been established by tenure and will be available for use upon hire on a prorated basis and/or the beginning of every calendar year. All employees are considered partial year/full-time employees and required to work 40 hours per week during assigned work weeks. Employees in this category will have a reduced PTO schedule but will have additional assigned time-off, including multiple weeks in summer. All regular full-time employees in this category will be classified as salaried nonexempt.

• Partial-Year Campus Employee Provisional Teacher and Teacher II is another “at will” employee category at CCA. CCA supplements certain Teaching positions with a contract to stipulate specific duties and obligations to occupy these roles and fulfill CCA’s obligations. These positions are under the Partial-Year category and will work based on a partial calendar year schedule that mirrors a traditional school year calendar. A PTO category has been established by tenure and will be available for use upon hire on a prorated basis and/or the beginning of every calendar year. All employees are considered partial year/full-time employees and required to work 40 hours per week during assigned work weeks. Employees in this category will have a reduced PTO schedule but will have additional assigned time-off, including multiple weeks in summer. All

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regular full-time employees in this category will be classified as salaried exempt.

• Regular Part-Time – Part-time employees are regularly scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week, but less than 40 hours. Part-time regular employees are eligible for benefits, if they work 30 or more hours per week.

• Substitute Part-Time – Substitute Part-Time are employees assigned on an as needed basis. There

is no guarantee of hours within any given week and the maximum number of hours that any substitute could work in a given week will not exceed 30 hours. Part-time substitute employees are not eligible for benefits based upon the hours of work in a week.

• Temporary – Temporary employees are not considered as regular employees. Temporary employees work only for a temporary period that should not extend beyond a six-month period and are not eligible for benefits unless otherwise required by law.

• Voluntary - An individual who volunteers their service on an occasional basis without receiving pay in limited circumstances, typically involving the performance of charitable activities. Regular volunteers who donate more than 16 hours per month are required to submit to TB testing and fingerprinting for criminal background search results in order to continue offering services in a capacity having direct contact with children. All volunteers are required to have a criminal background check.

Hours of Work All regular full-time employees generally work 8 hours per day (Monday through Friday), five days a week. An employee’s hours are scheduled by the immediate supervisor and are based on a 40-hour workweek with an appropriate unpaid lunch period. (Mealtime with children for campus-based employees is not considered a lunch break.) Employee Classifications The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) contains regulations regarding the minimum wage, eligibility for overtime payment, and recordkeeping requirements. Positions are classified as exempt or nonexempt from the minimum wage, overtime, and recordkeeping provisions of FLSA based on factors such as the duties and responsibilities of the job. Exempt and nonexempt classifications are defined as:

• Exempt – There are multiple exemptions. The most common are salaried employees engaged in a bona fide executive, administrative, professional, computer, or outside sales capacity. These employees are exempt from the minimum wage, overtime, and recordkeeping provisions of FLSA. The exempt status of a position is determined by analyzing the job’s entire set of responsibilities against exemption tests set by the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.

• Non-exempt - Any salaried or hourly employee whose compensation (with respect to minimum

wage and overtime payment) and hours of work must be administered in accordance with FLSA. These employees must be paid at least the current minimum wage, have records maintained of their hours worked, and receive overtime pay for any hours worked over 40 hours in a workweek.

ABOUT EMPLOYMENT

Time & Attendance System Prompt arrival to work is expected and appreciated. All employees are required to clock in at the beginning

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of the day and clock out at the end of each day. The lunch break must also be clocked out and in each day. Clocking out late to lunch or clocking in early from lunch can result in overtime that has not been authorized in advance. Time clock punches should be as accurate as possible. Also all paid time off of work (e.g., PTO, etc.) must be noted on the time record and signed by your supervisor. You are not authorized to record time in or out for other employees. Non-exempt employees will be paid for any time worked, however, they will be subject to discipline action including termination if performing unauthorized work. If an employee leaves CCA property during their break-time (other than lunch), they will be required to clock-out and clock back in upon return. Pay Information It is the policy of Child Care Associates to pay employees by direct deposit on a bi-weekly basis and in a manner so that the amount, method and timing of wage payments comply with applicable laws or regulations. Employees are normally paid on every other Friday in a bi-weekly pay cycle. On each payday employees will have access to payroll advice (pay stub), a statement showing gross pay, deductions, and net pay. The normal workweek runs from 12:00 a.m. Saturday through 11:59 p.m. Friday and pay periods run two full weeks preceding payday. Federal income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes will be deducted automatically. No other deductions will be made unless elected by the employee or required by law. Employees may elect to have additional voluntary deductions withheld from their pay, if the deductions are authorized in writing. Employees who discover a mistake in their paycheck should promptly notify their immediate supervisor. In the case of a mistake, the error will be corrected promptly. In the case of loss or theft, we will attempt to stop payment and reissue a new check. However, the employee is solely responsible for the monetary loss, and the company will not be responsible for the loss or theft of a check if payment of the check cannot be stopped. Non-exempt employees will be paid overtime compensation at the rate of one and one-half times their regular rate for actual hours worked in excess of 40 hours during the work week. This applies to both hourly and salaried non-exempt employees. You are expected to work overtime only as a result of an actual necessity to complete work and should have the prior approval of your supervisor before working overtime. If you are required by management to attend a company meeting or to perform work outside of normal working hours, that time is considered time worked for purposes of calculating overtime. Employees are encouraged to direct questions or concerns to their department head or Human Resources. Exempt Salary Basis It is our policy to comply with the salary basis requirements of the FLSA. Therefore, the company prohibits making any improper deductions from the salaries of exempt employees. The company wants employees to be aware of this policy and that the company does not allow deductions that violate the FLSA. If you believe that an improper deduction has been made to your salary, you should immediately report this information to your supervisor, or to Human Resources. Reports of improper deductions will be promptly investigated. If it is determined that an improper deduction has occurred, you will be promptly reimbursed for any improper deduction made. Exempt employees receive full salary for any workweek in which work is performed, regardless of the number of days or hours worked, subject to certain exceptions. If the employee is ready, willing, and able to work, deductions may not be made for time when work is not available. If an exempt employee believes

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that an improper deduction from salary has been made in violation of company policy, such occurrence should be reported immediately to Human Resources so that proper reimbursement can be made if appropriate. Confidentiality Policy Security and confidentiality of Child Care Associates’ information are matters of utmost concern to both customers and employees. Individuals who have access to company information are in positions of trust relative to this information and must recognize the responsibilities entrusted to them. It is very important to maintain the confidentiality of employees and customers and the integrity of Child Care Associates. Similarly, individuals with access to company equipment and technology are also entrusted with the appropriate use of these resources. This policy establishes standards to govern the collection, distribution, maintenance, and use of Child Care Associates’ information and to ensure that customer and proprietary information will be used only as appropriate to accomplish the organization’s mission. This Confidentiality Policy, however, is not meant to prohibit employees from discussing their own personal and confidential information, such as wage and salary information, but instead limits what Child Care Associates may reveal about employees and customers to third party employees and customers.

• Confidential employee information: includes all information of a private or personal nature directly or indirectly related to employees of the company, such as salary information, health care/medical records, and any other personal background information given by or obtained about the employees with the expectation of privacy. Confidential employee information may be freely discussed at any time by the individual employee himself/herself, but a supervisor of Child Care Associates may only discuss or release employee confidential information upon the employee’s request with express written consent or as required by law.

• Customer information: includes all information that tends to directly or indirectly identify a

customer, any and all health care records, any and all financial information, and any other personal background information obtained from or about a customer in which the customer has an expectation of privacy.

• Information which tends to directly identify a customer: includes, but is not limited to, name, social security number, address, telephone number, age, date of birth, race/ethnic status, and any other identifying characteristics.

• Proprietary information: means any information that is used in the Child Care Associates’ business, which, if disclosed, would be detrimental to the organization, its employees, or customers. This includes Child Care Associates’ personnel and financial and customer records.

• Equipment and electronic information: means any equipment or technology within the possession, care, custody, or control of the company, or that is purchased with or created by the use of company funds.

This policy applies to all employees, contractors, subcontractors, volunteers, students, or other persons who have access to the company’s information, equipment, or technology. Each such person must read and sign a confidentiality policy agreement, in which he or she agrees to follow the terms and conditions of this policy. All information within the company’s possession regardless of the format in which it is obtained, maintained or transmitted is covered by this policy. This includes, but is not limited to, the following formats: hard copy documents, any and all electronically stored or transmitted information including email, verbal information conveyed by telephone, facsimile machines and voice mail.

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Personnel Files Personnel files are maintained for each CCA employee. The file includes such information as the employee’s job application, resume, records of training, performance reviews, compensation adjustments, and other employment documents. Personnel files are the property of Child Care Associates and access to such files is restricted. In general, only supervisors and management personnel are authorized to review personnel files. Any request for information contained in the personnel files must be directed to Human Resources. Only Human Resources is authorized to release information about current or former employees. Disclosure of personnel information to outside sources will be limited as provided by law. An employee must provide forty-eight (48) notice to HR to review their own personnel files in CCA’s designated offices and in the presence of HR personnel. OPERATING GUIDELINES Employment Eligibility Verification The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986 requires that Child Care Associates ensure that employees are authorized for employment in the United States. We must collect and review specific documentation for the I-9 Form to verify that all employees present documentation indicating that they are lawfully authorized for employment. Nepotism No employee at Child Care Associates shall be hired by, supervised by, or report directly to a member of their immediate family. (Immediate family is defined as spouse, son, daughter, mother, father, brother, sister, or relatives by marriage of a comparable degree.) Gifts and Gratuities Employees of Child Care Associates are prohibited from accepting favors, gifts, and gratuities from contractors, potential contractors, contractor’s employees or vendors. Gifts and gratuities include any item of greater than nominal value. Conflicts of Interest You should recognize your responsibility to avoid any conflict between your personal interest and those of the Company’s business interests. A conflict of interest exists when you, knowingly or unknowingly, engage in any activity that may compromise you, another employee, or the company in its relationship with a contractor, potential contractor, contractor’s employees, families served by the Company, or vendor. Also, a conflict of interest occurs when an employee’s interests interfere with, or appear to interview with, the employee’s abilities to make sound business decisions on behalf of the Company. Nothing in this policy is to be interpreted as applying to concerted activity for mutual aid and protection under the National Labor Relations Act. You are prohibited from engaging in any activity, practice, or act which conflicts with, or appears to conflict with, the interests of the Company, the families served by the Company, or vendors. Employees of Child Care Associates are prohibited from holding positions where there is a perceived or real conflict of interest. This includes business transactions where an employee is engaged in a business that does or may do business with Child Care Associates or a competitive of Child Care Associates. All activities of the Company must be conducted in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Management should be informed regarding all matters pertinent to the Company’s position regarding such

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laws and regulations. All employees are expected to cooperate fully with the company’s internal and outside auditors, attorneys, and regulatory examiners. Full disclosure to your supervisor of any potential conflict of interest before it occurs is required. If you believe that unusual circumstances justify your participation in an activity that may result in a conflict of interest, you may request in writing that the Chief Human Resources Officer or designee review the situation and grant an exception. Safe Working Environment We strive to ensure a safe workplace and expect employees to follow the company’s safety standards.

• Work according to good safety practices as posted, instructed and discussed • Refrain from any unsafe practice that might endanger your- self or others • Report any hazardous or unsafe situations or acts immediately to a supervisor • Keep current Emergency Procedures posted in all locations • Keep current Hazardous Communication Program in place for all locations

Political Activity Employees of Child Care Associates are prohibited from practicing partisan political activities during the working hours or using Company resources to support any partisan political activity. Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Child Care Associates takes the obligation to report child abuse seriously and wants to ensure that all employees understand their obligation to adhere to all state laws and licensing requirements regarding the reporting of suspected child abuse, neglect or exploitation. Employees are required to immediately report any observed or suspected child abuse, neglect or exploitation to Texas Department of Family and Protective Services:

• By Phone: 1-800-252-5400 • Online: https://www.txabusehotline.org

Employees are also required to report any observed or suspected child abuse, neglect or exploitation to their immediate supervisor or to anyone in their chain of command. Supervisors who receive a report of child abuse are required to immediately notify the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services as well as the President-CEO. Anti-Harassment & Discrimination The company will not permit, tolerate, or condone harassment or discrimination against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law. Comments, conduct, or innuendoes that might be perceived by others as offensive or harassing are wholly inappropriate and are prohibited in the workplace. This policy applies to company employees, customers, vendors, and visitors to the premises. All employees must avoid offensive or inappropriate behavior in employment related relationships and are responsible for ensuring that employment-related relationships remain professional and free from harassment and discrimination at all times. Harassment can include, but is not limited to, the following actions.

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• Inappropriate Communication - Involves any language that degrades or berates others,including, but not limited to, racial, religious, or sexual comments or jokes, sexual innuendoes, orthreats of any kind, whether communicated verbally, in writing, or electronically. Also involvesoffensive or inappropriate written materials including, but not limited to, pictures, letters, emailmessages, texts, graffiti, etc.

• Physical Contact - Includes, but is not limited to, inappropriate touching, hitting, kicking, orthreatening another person, including restraining by force or blocking the path of another.

• Sexual Harassment - Includes, but is not limited to, unwelcome sexual advances, requests forsexual acts or favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:a) submission to such conduct is made, either explicitly or implicitly, a term or condition of an

individual’s employment;b) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment

decisions affecting such individual; orc) such conduct is severe and pervasive and has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering

with the individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive workenvironment.

It is important that employees clearly understand the serious effects of harassment. If you engage in harassment, your behavior may result in personal liability, as well as liability to the company.

If you feel you have been harassed or discriminated against, you are encouraged to immediately inform the alleged harasser that the behavior is unwelcomed. In many instances, the person is unaware that their conduct is offensive and when so advised, can easily and willingly correct the conduct so that it does not reoccur. If this informal discussion with the alleged harasser is unsuccessful in remedying the problem, or if you do not feel comfortable with such an approach, you must report the incident verbally or in writing to the supervisor, Human Resources, any other member of management, or the President-CEO immediately. A complaint should include the specific nature of the incident and the date(s) and place(s) such alleged harassment took place, as well as the name(s) of any individual(s) known to be involved, including witnesses.

Complaints of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation will be promptly and carefully investigated, including interviews with all relevant persons. Investigators will conduct an objective investigation that strikes a balance between the company’s need to conduct a full investigation and an employee’s desire for privacy. Employees who utilize this procedure are assured that they will be free from reprisal or retaliation for reporting such violations or cooperating in an investigation.

If an investigator concludes that conduct in violation of this policy has occurred, the offending individual(s) will be subject to corrective action, including formal discipline, up to and including termination of employment. Please note that CCA Sexual Harassment Policy may be construed to be more protective of employees than the law required. Regardless, CCA will discipline any individual who violates this policy even if such conduct does not rise to the level of a violation of law.

Ethics HotlineEmployees can access an anonymous third-party hotline from Lighthouse Services which provides another option to report loss prevention, ethics and integrity violations, HR related concerns, workplace safety, and other serious manners. Employees can contact the toll-free hotline at 844-540-0001 (English) or 800-216-1288 (Spanish).

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Workplace Bullying CCA prohibits bullying on CCA property, at a CCA sponsored event, at CCA-related activity, while on work time for CCA, or while off duty from work with CCA if such bullying substantially interferes with one or more employee’s working environment or substantially disrupts CCA operations. For purposes of this policy, “bullying” means any unwanted aggressive written or verbal expression or physical conduct that:

1) Has the effect or will have the effect of physically harming a fellow employee; 2) Damages a fellow employee’s property; 3) Intimidates a fellow employee through physical or verbal threats; 4) Places a fellow employee in reasonable fear of harm to his or her person or property; or 5) Constitutes a deliberate effort to hurt a co-worker mentally or physically.

Employees who believe they have experienced bullying or witness the bullying of a fellow employee have an obligation to promptly report it to Human Resources. Employees who have reported bullying may do so without fear of reprisal. Employees who violate CCA’s Anti-Bullying Policy will be subject to discipline up to and including termination. Drug Free Work Environment Child Care Associates supports a drug-free work environment. As a result, we are vitally concerned with the well-being of our employees and the chi ldren we care for . We are equally concerned that our company’s reputation and positive image not be compromised in any way. Drug and alcohol abuse have an adverse effect on job performance, create dangerous situations and serve to undermine the community’s confidence in our company. It is the policy of Child Care Associates to maintain a workplace that is free from the effects of drug and alcohol use and abuse. Our policy on Drug, Inhalant, and Alcohol Use and Abuse is:

1. The company requires a pre-employment drug test and will not hire anyone who is known to currently use/abuse substances. All applicants for employment receive advance written notification and must sign a consent form authorizing the test. Tests that are paid for by Child Care Associates are the property of the company, and the records will be treated as confidential.

2. The company will provide periodic educational information to employees about drug and alcohol abuse.

3. The company may require a drug test be performed: a) “For cause” if an employee has been observed us ing a prohib i ted subs tance

on the job b) For “reasonable suspicion” if an employee is exhibiting bizarre or unusual behavior that

disrupts the workplace or his/her work performance or if a valid complaint of unusual behavior is observed and reported or management has other reasonable suspicion as grounds for testing.

c) For “work-related accidents” if an employee is involved in an on-the-job accident that requires medical treatment and or gives reason to believe related to substance abuse.

d) Random Drug Testing - Employees may be selected at random for drug and/or alcohol testing at any time determined by the Company.

4. Employees must report to work in a fit condition to perform their duties. Being under the influence or in possession of drugs or alcohol is not acceptable and will be considered a violation of this policy subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. Employees believed to be

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under the influence of drugs, narcotics or alcohol will be required to leave the premises by means of safe transit.

5. Any employee on company business, on or off company premises, is prohibited from manufacturing, distributing, purchasing, selling, dispensing, using or possessing illicit drugs, or using alcohol, inhalants, or other controlled substances or use of prescription drugs in any way that is improper or illegal.

6. Improper use of legal drugs refers to the use of prescription medication not prescribed for current personal treatment by a licensed medical professional, or the use of prescription or non-prescription medication to an extent or in a manner that impairs the performance of an employee’s job duties. No prescription drug is to be brought on company property by any employee other than the employee for whom it is prescribed. Such drug must be used by said employee only in the manner, combination, and quantity prescribed.

7. Employees on physician-prescribed medication must notify a supervisor or department head if there is likelihood that such medication could affect or impair their ability to perform their job safely and effectively however, employee should not disclose personal health information (PHI).

8. Employees will not be terminated for voluntarily seeking rehabilitation treatment for a substance abuse problem, providing the employer receives satisfactory notification of the intent to seek treatment. If eligible, they may be granted a leave of absence, however, the employee will not be permitted to return to work until satisfactory completion of treatment and certification to return to full duty is presented to Human Resources. Upon return to work, continued performance, attendance, or behavioral problems may result in the loss of a job. Employees may have follow-up testing as part of the reinstatement to be determined by the health care provider and the Company.

9. Where available evidence warrants, the company will bring matters of illegal drug, inhalants, or alcohol use to the attention of the appropriate law enforcement authorities.

The scheduling, content, scope, and use of the test results will be solely at the discretion of company management. Any employee who refuses to submit to testing or who tests positive to alcohol, illegal drugs, inhalants, or other controlled substances will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Likewise, an applicant who refuses to consent to testing or who tests positive to alcohol, illegal drugs, inhalants, or other controlled substances will not be eligible for employment with the company. Any required testing will be administered by qualified testing personnel. The collection of specimens for testing will be conducted with due regard for the individual’s privacy but consistent with appropriate practices and procedures in order to ensure the integrity of the collection process. Prior to testing, the individual must disclose to the testing facility any medications recently taken, or any other relevant information that could potentially affect the test results. The results of the tests will be confidential and will be communicated only to representatives of the company who have a need to know the information, to officials involved in the counseling and/or rehabilitation process, or to law enforcement and other governmental agencies as may be appropriate or required by law. Any employee convicted of a criminal drug statute violation must notify Human Resources immediately, and no later than five days after such conviction. The company will notify in writing within ten days after receiving notice of such conviction, any and all appropriate government contracting or granting agencies with which the company conducts business of any employee who has been convicted of workplace drug abuse. An employee granted a leave of absence to participate in an approved substance abuse treatment or rehabilitation program must successfully complete the program, including all follow-up requirements, as well as any return-to-work agreements. The employee may be reinstated upon presenting evidence of successful completion of such a program and a release to return to work if he/she is released to return to work within the job-holding time constraints specified in the company’s Leave of Absence/Family and

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Medical Leave of Absence policy. Reinstatement will be conditioned on the employee’s successful completion of required return-to-work testing; however, reinstatement may not be guaranteed. As a condition of employment, all employees must abide by all the terms of the Company’s Drug Free Workplace Environment policy at all times while performing company business, whether on or off of company property. Employees violating any provision of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Code of Conduct It is the policy of Child Care Associates that certain rules and regulations regarding employee behavior are necessary for effective business operations and for the benefit and safety of all employees, children and customers. The Code of Conduct Policy outlines behavior that Child Care Associates expects of employees and the types of conduct that are prohibited. Conduct that interferes with operations, discredits the company, or is offensive to coworkers or customers will not be tolerated. The behaviors described below, are not intended to be an all-inclusive list. At management’s discretion, any violation of the company’s policies or any conduct considered inappropriate or unsatisfactory, may subject an employee to disciplinary action. Questions regarding the Code of Conduct should be directed to Human Resources. 1. Employees are expected at all times to conduct themselves in a positive and professional manner

in order to promote the best interests of the company. Appropriate employee conduct includes: a) Treating all customers, visitors, and coworkers in a courteous and professional manner; b) Refraining from behavior or conduct that is offensive or undesirable, or which is contrary to the

Company’s best interests; c) Reporting suspicious, unethical, or illegal conduct by coworkers, supervisors, customers, or vendors

to management; d) Reporting any threatening or potentially violent behavior by coworkers or customers to

management; e) Cooperating with company investigations; f) Complying with all company safety and security regulations; g) Wearing clothing appropriate for the work being performed (see Personal Appearance policy); h) Performing assigned tasks efficiently and in accordance with established quality standards; i) Reporting to work punctually as scheduled and being at the proper work station, ready for work at

the assigned starting time; j) Giving proper advance notice to a supervisor whenever unable to report to work or report on time; k) Smoking only at times and in places not prohibited by Company rules or local ordinances; l) Eating meals only during meal periods in designated areas; m) Maintaining cleanliness and order in the workplace and work areas.

2. The following conduct is prohibited, and individuals engaging in such conduct will be subject to

disciplinary action, up to and including termination: (also see Disciplinary Guidelines) a) Engaging in acts of workplace violence, including but not limited to:

• Possessing firearms or other weapons on company property; • Fighting or assaulting (verbally or physically) a coworker, subordinate, supervisor, customer

or guest; • Threatening, antagonizing or intimidating a coworker, supervisor, customer, or guest;

b) Engaging in any form of sexual, verbal, physical or other harassment; c) Reporting to work under the influence of alcohol, inhalants, illegal drugs, or narcotics OR using,

selling, dispensing, or possessing alcohol, inhalants, illegal drugs, or narcotics on company premises;

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d) Falsifying, altering or misuse of any company record or report, such as an employment application, medical reports or statements, time records, production records, confidential personnel information, absentee reports, expense accounts, or pay records;

e) Stealing, destroying, defacing, or misus ing company property or another employee’s or customer’s property;

f) Misusing company communications systems, including electronic mail, computers, laptops, Internet access, cell phones and telephones;

g) Refusing to follow appropriate management instruction concerning a job-related matter or being insubordinate;

h) Smoking where prohibited by Company rules or local ordinance; i) Participating in activities of a sexual nature or involving sexual content on company premises; j) Using profanity or abusive, aggressive language that is uncivil, insulting, contemptuous, vicious, or

malicious with a coworker, supervisor, customer or guest; k) Sleeping on the job l) Gambling on company property; m) Having unauthorized or excessive absences; n) Wearing improper attire, having an inappropriate personal appearance or offensive personal

hygiene; (see Personal Appearance policy) o) Attempting to defraud the company by theft, receiving kickbacks, selling company property,

falsifying expense reports, time records or other official work documents, drawing pay for time not worked, or any unauthorized payments.

Disciplinary Guidelines This disciplinary policy applies to all (exempt and nonexempt) employees. When appropriate, employees may be counseled in attempts to correct any performance or behavioral problems. Generally, progressive disciplinary actions as described below will be followed. However, in certain circumstances and in consultation with Human Resources, the company may determine that termination of employment is appropriate, without prior notice or counseling and without progressing through each stage of the disciplinary guidelines.

• Verbal Counseling - The supervisor will discuss unacceptable performance or behavior with the employee. The discussion will indicate the nature of the problem and the action necessary to correct it.

• Written Warning - The supervisor will prepare a written warning regarding an employee’s

unacceptable performance or behavior, which will be discussed with the employee. Some infractions may warrant a written warning without prior verbal counseling.

• Probation Period/Suspension - A probation period may be utilized to address an employee’s

unacceptable performance or behavior. There may be circumstances when employees will be placed on a paid or unpaid disciplinary suspension. Deductions from pay of exempt employees may be made for unpaid disciplinary suspensions of one or more full days imposed for infractions of workplace conduct rules. Some infractions may warrant a probation and/or suspension without prior disciplinary action. In situations in which an investigation is necessary in order to determine appropriate disciplinary action in response to a performance or behavioral issue, the employee may be placed on suspension pending the results of the investigation.

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• Termination of Employment – Unacceptable performance or misconduct may result in termination of employment. Certain infractions may warrant immediate termination of employment without prior disciplinary action.

Attendance All employees are expected to be at work on a consistent, predictable basis as scheduled, unless on approved leave. Good attendance is a condition of continued employment. Absence and tardiness not only disrupt the smooth functioning of the employee’s job but also inconvenience and interfere with other jobs and functions of the department and company. All employees must notify their immediate supervisor or department head on each day that an unexpected lateness or absence occurs, and provide a reason prior to the beginning of the employee’s workday. Subsequent written documentation supporting the reason for lateness or absence may be required. “Calling in” without a satisfactory reason will not be an automatic excused absence. Calls to non-designated personnel will not be considered appropriate notification. Notice must be given as to the nature of the illness or other reason for the absence or tardiness. Calls from individuals other than you will not be accepted as appropriate notice unless approved by your supervisor. In the event you must leave work unexpectedly, you are to notify your supervisor or appropriate designee as soon as the need arises. Non-Pay Absences A non-pay absence is any single or partial day absence from the workplace without available paid leave benefits at the expense of the company. This expense comes in multiple forms, including: 1) Continuation of employer-paid health, dental and life insurance benefits; 2) Job retention in the same position without loss of status; and 3) Substitution of alternative staffing, or coverage of job responsibilities by coworkers. These expenses require the redirection of company resources (personnel and fiscal). It is the supervisor’s responsibility to notify employees that non-pay absences are “unexcused absences,” and repeated occurrences constitute excessive absenteeism which may result in termination of employment. Whether or not the employee provides the supervisor with advance notice of the absence, if paid leave is not available, the absence will still be considered a s an unexcused, unpaid absence. After 3 consecutive days of absence without pay and without daily notification, the employee will be considered to have abandoned the job and termination of employment will be processed as a voluntary quit. After 5 consecutive days of absence, with or without daily notification, termination of employment may be recommended due to excessive absenteeism without available paid leave benefits and without FMLA benefits. The Non-Pay Absence Policy operates on a calendar year basis. DRESS CODE POLICIES It is the policy of Child Care Associates that each employee’s dress, grooming, and personal hygiene should be professional, appropriate and well-maintained to their particular work situation. As professionals, we realize and value the public perception of our roles as educators and mentors for children and families.

CCA may provide certain employees with name tags which shall be worn as per the guidance of one’s immediate supervisor. The first name tag is provided at no cost to the employee. Lost or misplaced or

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additional name tags must be replaced by the employee. There is a $10.00 replacement fee each time a new name tag is replaced. Upon termination of employment with CCA, the name tag should be return to Human Resources to avoid having a $10.00 fee deducted from your final paycheck.

Employees who have primary contact with children:

The following guidance on attire will apply to all CCA campus-based employee. It is to be applied for all days that the students are present, for parent-teacher conferences and home visits.

PARTNER-BASED CAMPUSES:

Employees (Teachers, Teacher Assistants and Family Service Advocates) who work in school buildings operated by an Independent School District (ISD), Charter School or other Community Partner should comply with all dress code requirements of Child Care Associates unless specified campus policy adheres to a stricter guideline. Clothing should maintain a professional and appropriate appearance.

CCA CAMPUS BASED:

Acceptable Attire for Campus Directors, Assistant Campus Directors and Family Service Advocates includes:

• Pants, dresses and skirts (non-denim); • CCA smocks/vests and/or CCA collared shirts (CCA-provided), and • Attire that is neat, clean and in good condition.

Acceptable Attire for Teachers & Teacher Assistants:

• Solid colored or child-friendly (non-holiday) scrubs with CCA provided smocks; • CCA provided uniforms; • Pants, dresses and skirts (non-denim); • CCA smocks/vests and/or CCA collared shirts (CCA-provided), and • Attire that is neat, clean and in good condition.

Acceptable Attire for Cooks & Housekeepers:

• CCA purchased uniforms and • Attire that is neat, clean and in good condition.

Acceptable Attire for Maintenance Techs:

• Pants or jeans; • CCA collared shirts or other CCA-provided attire, and • Attire that is neat, clean and in good condition.

Acceptable Attire for CCA Office-Based Employees: Employees who work in CCA office should maintain a professional and appropriate appearance. If CCA is using space allocated by another organization or entity, you must comply with their stated dress

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requirements. CCA office employees are encouraged to dress for their work day. There are occasions when as office employee you will not be meeting the public and will be working on specific desk duties. On these days you are invited to participate in the CCA Casual Attire policy. When attending meetings and greeting the public it is the expectation for office employees to represent CCA in professional attire. Office employees should confirm workplace attire expectations with their supervisor to ensure that attire is appropriate for the business, event and location. Office Casual Dress Attire:

• Denim jeans that are neat, clean and professional. This does not include torn, frayed, slit, heavily adorned, low-cut or tight-fitting jeans;

• Athletic shoes and casual shoes in good condition (this does not include beach flip-flops); • Business appropriate shirts in good condition, professional and do not include messages or logos

other than CCA; • Business attire that is neat, clean and in good condition and appropriate for the job duties being

performed for the day, and Office Business Dress Attire:

• Formal Business Attire; • Casual pants, capris, dresses and skirts of appropriate length for the workplace; • Business appropriate shirts, polo shirts, sweaters, tops and blouses (which may include CCA logo); • Dress shoes and dress sandals, and • Denim and colored jeans with exceptions expressed by your supervisor.

Unacceptable Attire for All Employees:

• No denim jeans (with the exceptions noted above and on Casual Fridays and/or for specific job-related projects and activities as approved by management).

• No slits in skirts or dresses that are more than two (2) inches above the knee. (Please do not wear

dresses and skirts that interfere with your ability to complete job duties such as getting down on the floor with the children or that could be a trip hazard. Shorts should be worn under dresses and skirts as a precaution).

• No leggings without appropriate layering, sweats, shorts (anything above the knee) or jogging

suits. (Capris are acceptable).

• No revealing or low cut blouses/shirts.

• No spaghetti straps.

• No graphic T-shirts (no written words, slang or political messages; CCA-provided attire allowed).

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• No head wear or hoods should be worn inside during work hours unless for religious purposes.

• No visible undergarments (undergarments must be worn at all times).

• No revealing clothing (clothing that reveals too much skin including when bending, leaning, or

sitting cross- legged on the floor are considered inappropriate for employees).

• All footwear must be appropriate for the job duties performed and meet the safety requirements for the work situation. Shoes with laces must be laced and tied during work hours. No beach flip-flops are allowed.

• Inappropriate jewelry or adornment may not be worn; jewelry should be appropriate to job duties. Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and watches should be of a conservative nature and not b e a distraction to the children. Fingernails must be neat, clean and maintained with a sport-length cut. Nails that are long and extend beyond the fingertip may cause injury when working with young children.

Acceptable and Unacceptable Appearance for All Employees:

• Tattoos with inappropriate or offensive images or language should be covered. Body piercings (other than earrings) should be covered or removed during work hours.

• Hair must be maintained in a neat appearance.

An employee’s immediate supervisor will be responsible for ensuring that employees adhere to the appropriate appearance standards during work hours. Any employee who does not meet the standards of this policy will be required to take corrective measures, which may include leaving the premises. Nonexempt employees will not be compensated for any work time missed because of failure to comply with this policy. Employees that do not comply with the personal appearance policy could result in disciplinary action up to and including termination. Break Periods Full-time non-exempt employee may receive two work breaks during the workday (one break per each four hour period worked). The work breaks are limited to not more than 15 minutes each. Employees who are not full-time may be allowed breaks based on their work schedule hours. Specific times for taking work breaks by employees will be contingent on the workload at the discretion of the supervisor. If for any reason an employee is unable to take a work break during the workday, the break time is not carried forward and does not accumulate to be taken at a later time. Should an employee be on a work break and be asked to return to his or her workstation due to an emergency or for any other valid reason, failure to do so will be justification for appropriate disciplinary action.

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Work breaks may not be used at the beginning of the workday to start work late, or at the end of the workday to leave work early. If an employee leaves CCA property during their break-time, they will be required to clock-out and clock back in upon return. Smoking Policy It is the policy of Child Care Associates to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations regarding smoking in the workplace and to provide a work environment that promotes productivity and the well-being of its employees. The company recognizes that smoking in the workplace can adversely affect children, families and employees. Therefore, smoking, e-cigarettes and tobacco use is prohibited inside all Child Care Associates’ facilities and in company vehicles. The following requirements and provisions apply:

1. No smoking or other use of tobacco products (including, but not limited to, cigarettes, pipes, cigars, snuff, vaping or chewing tobacco is permitted in any part of the buildings or in vehicles owned, leased, or rented by CCA;

2. Only locations where areas are designated with smoking receptacles may be used for smoking (at locations not directly serving children);

3. The company does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of their use of legal tobacco products.

No employee, visitor, tenant or contractor is allowed to smoke on the premises, grounds or entrances at any time where prohibited. It is the duty of all employees to ensure that any visitor or contractor under their care is aware of this policy. Disciplinary action will be taken against any employee smoking on Company premises or in Company vehicles,

Computer, Internet and Acceptable Use Policy Information Resources are strategic assets of Child Care Associates (CCA) and must be treated and managed as valuable resources. CCA provides various computer resources to its employees for the purpose of assisting them in the performance of their job-related duties. This policy clearly documents expectations for appropriate use of CCA assets. Ownership Employees are given access to the computer network to assist in performing the required job functions. These systems are the property of Child Care Associates, and are to be used for business purposes. Users (authorized or unauthorized) have no explicit or implicit expectation of privacy. Electronic files created, sent, received, or stored on Information Resources owned, leased, administered, or otherwise under the custody and control of CCA are the property of CCA and employee use of these such files is neither personal nor private. Authorized CCA Information Technology employees may access all such files at any time without knowledge of the Information Resources user or owner. CCA management reserves the right to monitor and/or log all employee use of CCA Information Resources with or without prior notice. You must respect the laws regarding copyrights, trademarks, rights of publicity, and other third party rights. Acceptable Use Requirements

1. Users must report any weaknesses or unusual problems in CCA computer security to the appropriate IT employee. Weaknesses in computer security include unexpected software or system behavior, which may result in unintentional disclosure of information or exposure to security threats.

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2. Users must report any incidents of possible misuse or violation of this Computer, Internet and Acceptable Use Policy by contacting IT management or employee.

3. Users must not attempt to access any data, documents, email correspondence, and programs contained on CCA systems for which they do not have authorization.

4. Systems administrators and authorized users must not divulge remote connection modem phone numbers or other access points to CCA computer resources to anyone without proper authorization.

5. Users must not share their account(s), passwords, Personal Identification Numbers (PIN), Security Tokens (i.e. Smartcard), or similar information or devices used for identification and authorization purposes.

6. Users must not make unauthorized copies of copyrighted or CCA owned software. 7. Users must not install, access or use non-standard shareware or freeware software without the

appropriate approval from the IT Department. 8. Users must not purposely engage in activity that may harass, threaten or abuse others or

intentionally access, create, store or transmit material that is violent, discriminatory, coercive, intimidating or that is illegal according to local, state or federal law, or that otherwise interferes with the job performance of fellow employees or visitors.

9. Existing company policies also apply to conduct on the Internet, especially (but not exclusively) those that deal with intellectual property protection, privacy, misuse of company resources, discrimination, harassment, information and data security, and confidentiality of all information contained therein. No threatening, violent, coercive, intimidating or maliciously false language or pictures may be transmitted by employees. Internet sites that contain offensive material may not be visited under any circumstances. Offensive material includes, but is not limited to, child pornography, other pornography, or anything racist or hate-based.

10. Users must not engage in activity that may degrade the performance of Information Resources; deprive an authorized user access to CCA resources; obtain extra resources beyond those allocated; or circumvent CCA computer security measures.

11. Users must not download, install or run security programs or utilities such as password cracking programs, packet sniffers, or port scanners that reveal or exploit weaknesses in the security of a CCA computer resource unless approved by CCA’s IT Director.

12. CCA’s Information Resources must not be used for personal benefit, political activity, unsolicited advertising, unauthorized fund raising, or for the solicitation of performance of any activity that is prohibited by any local, state or federal law.

13. Access to the Internet from CCA owned, home based, computers must adhere to all the policies. In order to protect CCA resources and its confidential and proprietary information, employees must not allow family members or other non-employees to access nonpublic accessible CCA computer systems.

14. Any security issues discovered will be reported to the IT Director or his designee for follow-up investigation. Additional Reporting requirements can be located within the Policy Enforcement, Auditing and Reporting section of this policy.

15. To minimize the risk of a copyright violation, you should provide references to the source(s) of information you use and accurately cite copyrighted works you identify in your online communications. Do not infringe on company logos, brand names, taglines, slogans, or other trademarks.

Incidental Use

1. Incidental personal use of electronic mail, Internet access, fax machines, printers, and copiers is restricted to CCA approved users only and does not include family members or others not affiliated with CCA.

2. Incidental use must not result in direct costs to CCA, cause legal action against, or cause embarrassment to our organization.

3. Incidental use must not interfere with the normal performance of an employee’s work duties.

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4. Storage of personal email messages, voice messages, files and documents within CCA’s computer resources must be nominal.

CCA management will resolve incidental use questions and issues using these guidelines in collaboration with CCA’s IT Department, HR and Administrators. Enforcement, Auditing, Reporting

1. Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action that may include termination for employees and temporary employees; termination of employment relations in the case of contractors or consultants; dismissal for interns and volunteers. Additionally, individuals are subject to loss of CCA Information Resources access privileges, civil, and criminal prosecution.

2. CCA management is responsible for the periodic auditing and reporting of compliance with this policy. CCA Executives will be responsible for defining the format and frequency of the reporting requirements and communicating those requirements, in writing, to CCA management.

3. Exceptions to this policy will be considered only when the requested exception is documented using the Exception Handling Process and Form and submitted to the CCAs IT Director and CCA Policy Review Committee.

4. Any employee may, at any time, anonymously report policy violations via CCA’s email to IT@childcareassociates.org or by telephone at 817-838-0055 x2500.

Social Media Policy The Company respects the rights of employees to use social media as a medium of self-expression on non-working time. Employees must not disclose trade secrets or any information that is proprietary to the Company (non-public business methods and know-how, systems, training material and instructions for carrying out the company’s business, financial and marketing strategies, and plans) in any discussions or postings that take place in this format. You are prohibited from posting or displaying comments about employees, customers, guests, affiliates and competitors that are vulgar, obscene, maliciously false, threatening, intimidating, harassing or that are in violation of the company’s workplace policies against discrimination, harassment, or hostility based on race, color, sex (including pregnancy), religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, veteran and uniformed services status, or any other status protected by law. Accordingly, harassing comments, obscenities or similar conduct that would violate Company policies is discouraged in general and is never allowed while using Company equipment or during your working time. All employees are expected to know and follow this policy. Nothing in this policy is designed to interfere with, restrain, or prevent employee communication regarding wages, hours, or other terms and conditions of employment, as employees have the right to engage in or refrain from such activities. If you have any questions regarding this policy, it is recommended that you ask Human Resources before acting. Because this is a constantly evolving area, this policy applies to all current and future social media platforms. Child Care Associates reserves the right to use photographs/videos of employees at work as well as at company related events for the purpose of its training, publicity, articles, newsletters, website, social media, television, video and/or other promotional and informational situations with community partners.

Employees are required to sign release allowing or disallowing CCA the right to use photographs/videos. Media Policy This policy exists to assure that information disclosed by CCA is timely, accurate, comprehensive, authoritative and relevant to all aspects of CCA. Adherence to this policy is intended to provide an effective and efficient framework to facilitate the timely dissemination of information.

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The media policy applies to all employees of CCA, as well as members of its Board of Directors. This policy covers all external news media including broadcast, electronic and print.

The President/CEO is designated as CCA’s principal media contact and spokesperson. Depending upon the situation, individuals may be asked by the President/CEO to be a spokesperson on a particular issue due to t their knowledge, experience and expertise.

As an employee, if you are approached by the media refer them immediately to the President/CEO in a courteous and professional manner. If you have been approached or contacted by the media, make contact with the corporate office to advise of the potential call from the media. No employee should speak on behalf of CCA other than the President-CEO and/or designee.

Travel Policy Periodically, employees will travel on Company related business or activities away from the office. Such travel must receive prior approval from your supervisor. Appropriate reasons for travel include, but are not limited to meetings, training, conferences, and visitation to other programs. Additional considerations by management regarding the approval of travel include, but are not restricted to the following:

• Projected expenses are within budgetary constraints. • Employees may be required to use their own vehicle for company-related business. Mileage will be

reimbursed at the prevailing company rate. • Cost (meals, lodging, transportation, etc.). • The travel is pertinent to the mission of the Company. • Time required away from daily responsibilities.

Employees using their own vehicle must be insured at least to the minimum amounts of liability insurance required by the Texas Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act. It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure that reconciliation of receipts and expenses are submitted upon return. All money owed to Child Care Associates should be repaid within fifteen (15) days after reconciliation. If an employee resigns or terminates and money is owed to Child Care Associates, it will be deducted from your final pay check. If CCA owes money to the employee this should be reimbursed within fifteen days after reconciliation. Safe Driver and Vehicle Safety Policy The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines and direction for the safe operation of motor vehicles.

It is CCA’s desire that employees operate motor vehicles in a safe and reliable manner to avoid accidents and injury to themselves and others.

The following guidelines will regulate the practices, standards and expectations of CCA for its employees that drive personal, and/or rental vehicles within the course and scope of employment for CCA.

Employment Guidelines

• All existing employees who drive on CCA business must possess and file with CCA a copy of a current valid driver’s license.

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• All employees who drive personal vehicles on CCA business must possess and file with CCA a current certificate of automobile liability insurance with liability limits of at least $100,000/$300,000/$50,000.

• All potential employees who are being considered for positions that involve driving on CCA

business will have drivers records checked through state motor vehicle records (MVR). MVRs will be evaluated according to the “Driver Eligibility" section of this policy.

Responsibilities

Employee

• All traffic violations are to be reported to the immediate supervisor as soon as possible. Failure to report any traffic violation could lead to disciplinary action up to and possibly including termination.

Employer

• Perform audits of past driving and accident records

• Enforce the conditions outlined in this policy

Regulations

1. The driver must not operate the vehicle at any time when his/her ability to do so is impaired or influenced by alcohol, illegal drugs, prescribed or over-the-counter medication, illness, fatigue or injury

2. The driver must have a valid driver’s license

3. Only authorized employees are allowed to operate company vehicles (spouses, children, relatives,

friends, etc. are prohibited)

4. Safety belts are to be worn by the driver and passengers at all times

5. All vehicle accidents in the course and scope of employment are to be reported by the involved driver using the vehicle incident report form (contact Human Resources).

6. Traffic violations that indicate a disregard for public safety shall be grounds for disciplinary

action up to and possibly including termination.

7. License suspension or revocation of driving privileges must be reported the next business day to your supervisor. Employees with a suspended or revoked license are prohibited from driving on company business or operating a company car.

8. Texting, eating, reading maps/directions or any other activity which may distract or take your

attention away from the road is not permitted while driving.

9. GPS devices or cell phones used for GPS navigation must be mounted and secured.

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10. Employees may use hands-free equipment to make or answer calls while driving without violating this policy. However, safety must always be your first priority. We expect you to keep these calls brief. If, because of weather, traffic conditions, or any other reason, you are unable to concentrate fully on the road, you must either end the conversation or pull over and safely park your vehicle before resuming your call.

Vehicle Accidents In the event of an accident/incident, management will conduct a full review of the circumstances in an effort to determine if the accident/incident could have been avoided. When it has been determined that the accident/incident involving a company vehicle or business could have been avoided, the employee will be held responsible for some part or all of the cost of damages or losses associated with the accident/incident, not to exceed $250. The cost of the damages will be collected through payroll deduction and will be taken out over a period not to exceed six (6) pay periods. The procedure detailed below should be followed when an accident/incident occurs involving a CCA Company vehicle or equipment, or an employee's personal vehicle, which is being used for business purposes:

1. Take necessary precautions to protect the scene of the accident/incident to avoid further accidents, damage or injury.

2. If an employee or other individual at the scene is injured, request medical assistance on their behalf. 3. Contact your immediate supervisor. 4. If contacting your supervisor is not possible, contact a local law enforcement agency by dialing

911. 5. Complete the Vehicle Incident Report form in its entirety; exchange information with the other

party to complete the form. 6. Do not make any statements to other parties involved in the accident. Never apologize or admit that

the accident was in any way your fault. Never speculate about anything you are not sure of (for example, your speed at the time of the accident).

7. Obtain the following information: • Name and contact information of vehicle owner - insurance information • Name and contact information of other driver • Name of any injured • Names and contact information of any witnesses • Names and badge numbers of the investigating officers • Accident report number

8. Take pictures of the entire accident/incident scene. 9. Submit the completed Vehicle Incident Report form and camera to management or Human

Resources as soon as possible, but no later than the close of the following business day. Defensive driver training will be required of employees involved in an at-fault accident/incident. If training is required, it must be completed at the employee’s expense and documented to Human Resources within 45 days of the accident. Also, if a driver is involved in an at-fault accident that driver will be subject to a post-accident drug and alcohol test as soon as possible after the accident. Drug testing will conducted according to ABC Company Substance Abuse Policy. An employee who refuses testing or is unavailable for testing may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including discharge. Please be courteous and cooperative, as you are representing CCA by your actions. Employees should not

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express opinions of fault or liability or sign any statements other than those required by the investigating officers. Employees are not authorized to agree to any settlement on behalf of CCA. Should further litigation occur in connection with the accident/incident, employees involved are expected to cooperate with management and CCA’s Legal Counsel.

Child Care Associates

DRIVER ELIGIBILITY

1. Driving records will be evaluated on the number of incidents within a 36 month period. 2. Incident is defined as an "at fault" accident or a moving violation. 3. The maximum number of incidents allowed in a 36 month period is three. However, no more

than two "at fault" accidents will be allowed in a 36 month period. (If the driving record does not indicate whether you were "at fault", the burden of proof is upon the applicant or employee to show proof via a police report).

4. No major violations are allowed. A major violation is defined as:

a. DWI, DUI, or other alcohol/drug related violation b. Hit and run c. Leaving the scene of an accident d. Reckless, negligent, or careless driving e. Any felony, homicide, manslaughter, or assault involving the use of a motor vehicle. f. Driving under suspension or revoked license.

5. An "Unacceptable Driver" is one who has:

a. Four or more incidents in a 36 month period b. More than two "at fault" accidents in a 36 month period c. Any major violation d. A suspended or revoked license e. Been ticketed or charged with any major violation but not yet convicted (for example, a

driver charged with DWI and awaiting trial) 6. Driving records will be checked by CCA during the hiring process, annually, and are subject to

more frequent evaluation at our discretion. All applicants for positions that require operation of a motor vehicle must meet the above criteria for job consideration. Employees who become "unacceptable" will be subject to termination for cause, removal of driving privileges or job reassignment depending upon the availability of substitute work. CCA assumes no obligation to offer substitute work. An employee may be eligible to drive once the driving record meets the criteria for eligibility.

Mobile Phone Use (& other portable electronic devices) Policy Child Care Associates’ mobile phone use policy both limits the liability and improves safety for our employees. This policy prohibits any work-related mobile phone activity (making or receiving calls, leaving messages, reading or sending text messages, surfing the internet, reading or responding to emails) while driving for company business. We require that all employees use a hands-free device while driving for Child Care Associates. If an employee is involved in an accident where the mobile phone is considered a contributing factor, any costs, fees and fines will be solely the responsibility of the driver.

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We recognize the need for business-related communication when traveling or conducting job responsibilities in the field. As such, the company provides a cell phone to those employees identified by management as requiring a cell phone to conduct day-to-day company business. The cost for cell phones and phone service shall be allocated to the appropriate cost center for which the employee conducts company business. Improper, negligent or careless use or operation of company-provided cell phones is considered misuse or abuse of company property. Child Care Associates is aware that employees utilize their company-provided or personal cell phones for business purposes. Cell phone use can create an increased distraction in the workplace. Personal calls, whether made on a cell phone or not, can also be distracting and should be limited during work hours. Personal text messaging takes away from an employee’s productivity and should be kept to a minimum during work hours. Text messaging for business purposes is acceptable but should not exceed the usage plans provided by the company. Personal cell phones should be turned off or silenced during working hours, unless the employee uses it for business purposes during the work day. To ensure the effectiveness of meetings, employees are asked to leave cell phones at their desk or silence them and limit cell phone activities to a minimum when company business is being conducted. Employees are prohibited from utilizing camera and video features on cell phones or other devices to photograph or record business documents or confidential records that are proprietary to Child Care Associates. Employees are also prohibited from using video and imaging features of cell phones or other devices to photograph or record other employees, clients or children in our care without their knowledge and/or written consent. An exception to this policy concerning the use of camera and video features or audio devices would be to engage in activity protected by law including, for example, taking pictures of health, safety and/or working condition concerns or of strike, protest and work-related issues and/or other protected concerted activities. Inclement Weather Whenever there are weather conditions that make travel difficult and hazardous, Child Care Associates will make a determination regarding hours of operation. The decision is often made on short notice, but supervisors will always be notified so that employee can be contacted. Child Care Associates’ child care CCA campus will typically close for service consistent with the decision made by the Fort Worth Independent School District for full days; however, the President-CEO or designee may make office closing announcements or changes to the business’ normal opening or closing times as needed. Employees will be notified by text alerts when CCA closes our offices due to weather emergencies and a message will be recorded on the phone greeting of the corporate office. You should report to work unless the weather proves to be an actual safety threat or an office closing has been announced. You should use appropriate discretion in determining whether to attempt to come to work and must notify your supervisor as soon as possible if you will be late or absent from work due to severe weather. If you are scheduled to work on a day on which the company is officially closed, opens late, or closes early, you will receive your normal pay for the day, unless you arrive after or leave prior to the time the closing was effective. If you previously scheduled PTO or called in with an excused absence, you will be charged with the time off as originally scheduled. If the office is not officially closed, employees will not be paid for time missed due to severe weather unless they use available PTO or other arrangements have been made. Based upon individual circumstances, the supervisor may allow a non-exempt employee to make up any missed time due to severe weather if the time is made up within the same workweek.

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Employee Security Access Child Care Associates’ security access system is operational at all work facilities. This system is designed to provide the highest level of security for our employees and customers. Access to our facilities must now be gained through the use of a personalized security access card. All Child Care Associates’ employees will receive an access card to gain entry into our facilities, as well as areas designated within facilities for employee use. The first access card is provided at no cost to the employee. Lost, misplaced or stolen cards must be reported to Human Resources immediately and replaced by the employee. There is a $10.00 replacement fee each time a new card is assigned. Upon termination of employment with CCA, the personalized cards should be returned to Human Resources to avoid having the $10.00 security card fee deducted from your final paycheck. Performance Evaluations Performance Evaluations are conducted annually. Evaluations should review and assess job performance over the past year, highlight strengths, discuss opportunities for growth, and compile individual developmental plans with long and short term goals based on performance and according to Child Care Associates’ professional development requirements. All performance evaluations are maintained in the employee personnel files in Human Resources. Surveillance System Policies The purpose of this policy is to protect employees, customers, the public, and private property, as well as to improve the services CCA provides and ensure compliance with all applicable laws and CCA policies by all individuals on CCA’s premises.

In furtherance of this purpose, video cameras will be continuously recording in appropriate places within and around CCA. CCA reserves the right to conduct video surveillance of any portion of its premises at any time, the only exception being restrooms, changing rooms, and other similar private areas.

It is the policy of CCA to manage the use of video recording so that safety and security is enhanced while respecting the privacy rights of CCA’s employees and the public and maintaining compliance with all applicable laws and policies.

Video surveillance will capture audio and visual recordings. Consent to CCA’s video surveillance policy, including audio recordings, is a condition of employment.

CCA does not make surveillance videos directly available to CCA employees, customers, or the general public. These videos are for internal purposes only and may be used to identify safety concerns, improve protocols, educate and train employees, and ensure compliance with all applicable laws and policies. Classroom video surveillance may be reviewed and used on an ongoing basis by management personnel for training purposes.

Any unlawful interference or obstruction of the view of recording devices placed in each classroom is prohibited. Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

In the event that an incident occurs, employees should report the incident to the Regional Director. If the incident occurred in an area where video surveillance coverage is available, the Administrative Management Team will review the recorded video and make a determination if any video relevant to the incident is available and will be used to investigate and resolve the reported incident. While videos may be viewed by employees in conjunction with training, coaching or discipline, at the discretion of CCA, employees will not be entitled to view the video without management supervision or obtain a copy of the

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video.

Requests to provide video recordings directly to non-employees will generally not be accommodated. However, CCA will grant access to the videos to authorities and other individuals in accordance with applicable law or court order.

If a crime has been committed and it is believed that recorded video from CCA would assist in the investigation, the investigating authorities should contact the organization’s Administrative Management Team, and permission to access the useful recordings may be granted at CCA’s discretion, in accordance with applicable law.

It is CCA’s policy to retain surveillance videos for a period of thirty (30) days. Videos associated with a specific incident may be maintained for more than thirty days, depending on the nature of the incident and surrounding circumstances.

Video surveillance will not be reviewed or used in any manner that would interfere with or hinder employees’ ability to exercise rights protected under local, state or federal law, including but not limited to employees’ Section 7 rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

Anyone who has questions or concerns about this policy should contact the Head Start Program Director.

Weapons Policy Child Care Associates is committed to providing a safe environment for employees, the people we serve and the general public. For this reason, CCA prohibits possession or use of explosive or incendiary devices, fake or toy weapons, knives, chemical dispensing devices, toxic chemicals, night sticks, brass knuckles, or tasers on CCA’s premises, in a CCA vehicle, at any CCA-sponsored event, at any event you are attending in your capacity as a CCA employee, or while conducting CCA business. Employees are prohibited from bringing or carrying a firearm on CCA’s premises, in a CCA vehicle, at any CCA-sponsored event, at any event that you are attending in your capacity as a CCA employee, or while conducting CCA business, subject to and in accordance with Chapter 46 of the Texas Penal Code or other applicable law. Employees found to have violated any portion of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. All employees have an obligation to immediately notify Human Resources or senior management if they see anyone acting in violation of this policy. If an employee violates a weapons law, even while off-duty, in such a way that it damages the company's reputation, goodwill, or business standing in the community, or causes his work to suffer (i.e. absences due to answering the charge), the employee will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

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BENEFITS Eligibility All regular employees who work at least an average of 30 hours per week are eligible to receive company-provided benefits. Eligibility for participation in the company’s benefit programs is described in the following benefits summaries, as well as in the summary plan descriptions. Individuals performing services for the company as independent contractors or through another company or agency and who are not on the company’s payroll are not considered employees of the company and are not eligible for participation in the company’s benefit programs. In the event that any contradiction arises between the information contained in this handbook and the official plan documentation and/or master insurance contracts, the latter will govern in all cases. Employees should contact Human Resources for copies of official plan documents, summary plan descriptions, etc. The company is not responsible or liable to any person for the acts or omissions of any insurance company or for the payment or non-payment by any such company of amounts due or claimed to be due under any insurance policy obtained by the company for the benefit of its employees. Health and Dental Insurance Child Care Associates provides Health and Dental insurance that covers medical and dental services. Upon eligibility and election, employees will be enrolled in the Health and Dental plans and will receive plan summaries explaining the coverage. (Refer to Plan Summaries for detailed explanations of the benefits provided.) Dependent coverage is available at the employee’s expense. CCA may require employees to contribute towards personal health insurance costs. The amount of the contribution is not fixed and may change from year to year. CCA may incent participation in wellness and other health-related events and activities and may consider on a year-to-year basis if it will offer a discounted employee contribution amount to those employees who meet the participation requirements. Determination as to whom has met the determination requirements will be made by CCA's Human Resources team. Life and AD&D Insurance The Company provides group life insurance coverage for all eligible employees. The policy provides coverage in the amount of two times the employee’s annual base salary. Employees must enroll and complete beneficiary information. Each participant receives a Life Insurance certificate that explains the details of the plan. The Company also provides AD&D (Accidental Death and Dismemberment) insurance. This coverage is also provided in the amount of two times the annual base salary of the employee. Life/AD&D insurance is reduced to 65% of coverage at age 65, and reduced to 50% of coverage at age 70. Voluntary/Optional Insurance Benefits The Company also offers several voluntary benefit plans to eligible employees. Voluntary/Optional means employees can choose any or all of the benefits that meet their personal needs and pay the premium by payroll deduction.

• Short Term Disability Insurance: Employee can purchase replacement income up to 60% of base weekly earnings. If the employee should become ill or injured and unable to work, disability benefits would be paid subject to the underwriting approval process.

• Additional Life Insurance: Employee can purchase additional life insurance to supplement

the basic life insurance provided by Child Care Associates. Life insurance may also be purchased for a spouse and/or children.

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• Vision Insurance: Employee can purchase a vision plan that provides coverage for exams,

glasses, contacts and other vision related charges. Vision insurance is also available for dependents.

Pre-Tax Premium Plan Child Care Associates provides a voluntary Pre-Tax Premium Only Plan that allows employees to elect to have insurance premiums deducted from their paycheck before taxes are with- held, which may reduce taxable compensation. COBRA The Company provides each benefits-eligible employee with a written description of COBRA Rights under the Health and Dental insurance plan. Under COBRA, the employee or the eligible dependent(s) is responsible for paying the full cost of coverage plus a minimal administrative fee if they choose to continue benefits. COBRA Notification and Election forms are sent by certified mail to the last known home address of all eligible participants when a qualifying event occurs. 403(b) Retirement Plan Child Care Associates offers a 403(b) Retirement Plan that provides eligible employees the opportunity to accumulate long term savings for retirement. Employees may contribute on a pre-tax basis. All regular employees are eligible to make (pre-tax) contributions. Every plan participant receives a 403(b) Summary Plan Description and quarterly statements thereafter. Eligibility Requirements: Must be at least 21 years of age; m ust complete at least one year of employment (employer contributions). Once eligibility requirements are met, Child Care Associates contributes 4 percent of compensation (taxable earnings), whether or not the employee makes a contribution. All contributions begin the first pay period of the month following attainment of eligibility. If the employee elects to make a contribution, the company will make a discretionary match of 50% up to 4% of the employee contribution amount. Employee contribution amounts may be changed any time during the year by contacting Human Resources. Employees must complete 3 years of service in order to become 100 percent vested in employer contributions. Vesting means that an employee is entitled to the entire value of their individual retirement account, including the employer contributions, upon retirement or termination of employment. Upon termination, employees who are not vested are only eligible to retain his/her personal contributions to the plan. Employee Wellness Child Care Associates recognizes the importance of employee wellness. The company will provide resources and programs to promote and encourage wellness among employees. The program will address physical, emotional and the psychological well-being of Child Care Associates’ employees, including educational awareness, behavioral and lifestyle changes and supportive environments. Professional Development Plan Child Care Associates Professional Development Plan is designed to continually improve and enhance the skill sets and knowledge management of all employees, as well as the level of quality and competency of services delivered to the children and families we serve.

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In order to continue to meet and/or exceed the expectations and requirements of Federal Head Start Standards and other state and local requirements, our professional development plan is progressive, goal oriented, evaluative and ongoing. It also serves a dual purpose for our employees: first, to adequately equip them to perform and master the essential functions of their current job and second, to define a career path that automatically directs them to the next higher level of achievement. Therefore, it is the policy of Child Care Associates to ensure that the knowledge, skills and practices offered through professional development are not only taught through training and classroom settings, but also applied in day-to-day activities and normal job responsibilities. A key element of the professional development plan involves observation and assessment to determine the level of competency or mastery with which an employee is able to demonstrate t h e knowledge and skills learned. Employees continue to receive additional training/education in the area(s) needed for three cycles until the required knowledge and skill levels are mastered. Employee professional development plans are based solely on individual ability, personal commitment, effort and achievement. Annual Performance Evaluations are the documents of record to reflect the individual assessment results for each employee’s professional development plan. When additional academic credentials are needed to meet the minimum requirements of a specific job, our Tuition Assistance Program will be utilized to assist eligible employees in attaining an Associate or Bachelor Degree. The criteria to qualify for t uition assistance are outlined in the Child Care Associates Employee Handbook. Employees who may be at risk for retaining their current position due to an increase in the minimum requirements of the job and who either fail to or choose not to satisfy the competency and skill levels set forth in their Professional Development Plan, may apply for a vacant position within the company for which they are qualified or transition into an alternate position outside of the Company. Advance notification will be provided to all employees whose positions may be at risk. This Professional Development Policy allows Child Care Associates to integrate our vast array of resources with a performance management approach that supports our employee with increased knowledge, management support and ownership, and appropriate change management activities; resulting in satisfying federal, state and other child care requirements. Tuition Assistance Program Tuition assistance is a benefit provided to assist eligible employees who are working to improve their professional/educational skills and abilities and to meet the minimum requirements of a currently occupied position through the completion of an Associate’s degree or a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or a field of study directly-related to their job. Child Care Associates has established the following criteria for employees to qualify for available tuition assistance funds.

• CCA reserves the right to identify the types of programs and college/universities that it will cover vial tuition assistance.

• CCA may require documentation of employee’s Pell Grants and other Tuition Assistance Programs

prior to using CCA’s Tuition Assistance funding.

• CCA may also choose to offer the T.E.A.C.H. assistance program to give employees access to certifications.

Criteria for Eligibility, Priority, Continuation, and Completion:

1. Eligibility. Only full-time employees who have successfully completed six months of employment and have a satisfactory Performance Evaluation on file will be eligible to apply for tuition assistance.

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2. Priority and Percentage of Tuition Covered. Where the availability of funds is limited, tuition

assistance for those employees working towards the completion of degrees will be given the following priority order. a) Associate’s Degree (100% tuition assistance, not to exceed the state public university rate for

12 credit hours per semester) b) Bachelor’s Degree (50% tuition assistance, not to exceed the state public university rate for 12

credit hours per semester) c) Master’s Degree – (50% tuition assistance, not to exceed the state public university rate for 12

credit hours per semester) for qualifying employee.

3. Position Priority. Employees in the position titles listed below will be given priority in the following order. a) Campus Directors, Teachers b) Assistant Directors, Content Area Employee c) Other Affected Employee at Child Care Associates

4. Timeliness

a) Tuition assistance Applications must be submitted no later than the 15th of the month preceding the month that, classes begin for each semester or summer session.

b) Applications submitted after the due date may receive consideration on a “first come, first served” basis if funds are available. If applications are not able to be considered, they will be returned unprocessed.

5. Elective Courses. Only tuition assistance requests for recommended courses for an early childhood

education or related degree (as indicated in the submitted Degree Plan) will be honored. Unrelated coursework to the major field of study will not be eligible for tuition assistance.

6. Available Funds. Prior to each contract period, Child Care Associates will determine the amount of

funds available for tuition assistance for the upcoming contract period. Once determined, those funds will be allocated between the Spring, Summer and Fall semesters according to historical tuition assistance expenditures. Allocation of funds will then be approved for disbursement according to: 1) final grades from previous semester, 2) degree being sought (AA or BA), 3) employee position and 4) timeliness of application.

7. Reimbursement for Books. Reimbursement for the cost of books for approved coursework will vary

from semester to semester based on the availability of funds and the number of employee approved for tuition assistance. The cost of approved books, not to exceed $300 per semester, may be covered. (Used textbooks should be selected first.)

8. Employee Responsibility. It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure that all required paperwork

(official degree plan from an accredited college, tuition assistance applications/book requests, and grade reports) are submitted to Child Care Associates by the established deadlines each semester. Employees must also ensure that enrollment in college courses does not conflict with or adversely affect their work schedules or assigned job responsibilities. Employees must also agree to satisfactorily complete the course(s) and to provide proof of completion at the end of each semester. Failure to successfully complete a class paid for with tuition assistance funds will

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result in the employee being ineligible for tuition assistance the following semester. An employee may once again become eligible for tuition assistance upon proof of successful completion of at least one class during the interim semester.

In consideration of receiving tuition assistance under this policy, employees agree to commit to six (6) months of continued employment with Child Care Associates for every 12 hours of completed course work paid by tuition assistance funds from Child Care Associates. Should a voluntary resignation or involuntary termination for cause occur before the agreed upon employment is satisfied, the employee will be required to repay to Child Care Associates the applicable amount of tuition assistance received. Repayment may be withheld from final pay and/or through a repayment plan established with the Finance Department at Child Care Associates.

9. Coursework. Courses must be taken for credit at an in-state regionally accredited, degree-granting

college or university. Tuition assistance for coursework taken at private institutions shall be limited to the in-state rate of an equivalent course at a public university.

10. Other Financial Assistance. Child Care Associates requests employees who are seeking tuition

assistance to first pursue financial aid through other means, including but not limited to Pell grants and scholarships, by completing the FAFSA process. Based upon timing, the FAFSA process may not always be completed prior to requesting tuition assistance from Child Care Associates, but should be completed as soon after deciding to seek a degree as possible. Evidence and/or documentation of approval or denial of financial assistance must be presented to Child Care Associates when received to assist in the review of tuition assistance eligibility.

11. Educational Progress. Employees who receive tuition assistance are required to submit proof

of successful completion of coursework with a cumulative grade of “C” (70.0) or better from the previous semester in order to verify continued eligibility for tuition assistance. All employees should submit documentation of completed coursework to Child Care Associates Administrative Office for monitoring our employees’ educational progress and maintaining the company’s ongoing education initiative.

12. Taxability. Tuition assistance is subject to the existing provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.

Employees should obtain advice from their tax counsel or advisor as to the reporting and taxability of educational assistance or deductibility of tuition expenses. It is each employee’s responsibility to review the current tax code as it may relate to each individual’s personal financial situation.

CCA will continue to review the Tuition Assistance Program. Addendums to this section will be distributed upon completion.

Incentive Pay Plan Many organizations have a compensation system that works to incent and reward high performance. CCA intends to use both monetary and non-monetary approaches to rewarding high performance. Performance is recognized as “team performance” as well as “individual performance.” Team Performance: The President -C EO may nominate a team of individuals to be considered for a team-based, single incentive pay payment. The intent of the Team Incentive Pay is to reward teams of employees who have successfully achieved specific organizational, departmental, or program goals or who have responded to meet anticipated or unanticipated demanding organizational or program needs.

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Individual Performance: The President-CEO and/or Employee Supervisor may nominate an individual to be considered for a single incentive payment or performance may be rewarded by recommending an increase in base compensation (so as not to exceed the Pay Grade or the most recent Wage and Salary Compensation Study. The intent of the Individual Incentive Pay is to reward an individual with outstanding individual performance as demonstrated in their annual performance review and in successfully achieving specific organizational, departmental, or program goals or who have responded to meet anticipated or unanticipated demanding organizational or program needs. Incentive Pay Information: Incentive pay will be awarded as a single payment and is not added to the base pay. Availability of funds, grant funding and grant policy guidelines will shape the ability of CCA to offer Incentive Pay. It is not guaranteed that Incentive Pay can be offered each year. Availability of funds will determine the amount or percentage of Incentive Pay to be offered. Eligibility: To be eligible for Incentive Pay, an employee must be employed with at least nine months of continuous service before the merit award date. Factors in Determining Incentive Pay:

• The employee’s individual performance as reported in the annual performance review, or the employee team performance with detailed goals achieved and obstacles overcome;

• The appropriate pay level within the range for the employee considering the employee’s performance and performance of others in the range;

• Incentive Pay increase funds available; • Recommendations of supervisors with approval by HR and/or CEO; • Board and/or Board Personnel Committee approval; and • For Head Start and Early Head Start and key personnel defined by Head Start, Policy Council must

review and approve incentive pay increases.

Review of Incentive Increase: Merit increases require the recommendation of the employee’s immediate supervisor and the approval of the Chief Human Resources Officer. Employees are to be notified of their merit increase as soon as possible after all employee Incentive increases for the year have been approved by the CEO or the HR designee. Timeline: Recommendations should be made forty-five (45) days prior to the appropriate contract start date. CCA does not warrant that all programs and employee can be considered for Incentive Pay on a regular basis and some grants-based programs may have more opportunities for consideration than others. Employee Amenities Child Care Associates provides reasonable amenities to employees, such as coffee and hot chocolate. The Board of Directors may further authorize other tokens of appreciation on special occasions in the interest of employee morale.

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Holidays/Floating Holiday Regular employees receive nine paid holidays annually. Holidays occurring during an employee’s p a i d t i m e o f f will not be counted as PTO. The Company will follow the general community observances of a holiday if it falls on a weekend. Child Care Associates observes the following holidays with pay:

• New Year’s Day • Memorial Day • Independence Day • Labor Day • Thanksgiving Day • Friday following Thanksgiving Day • Christmas Eve Day • Christmas Day • Floating Holiday - For use as a religious holiday, a birthday or other day of personal choice.

Human Resources will publish the holiday schedule at the beginning of each calendar year. Full-time employees are eligible to receive their regular rate of pay for each observed holiday. Temporary employees and employees on leaves of absence are not eligible to receive holiday pay. To receive holiday pay, an eligible employee must be at work or taking an approved absence on the workdays immediately preceding and immediately following the day on which the holiday is observed. An approved absence is a day of paid time off. If an employee is absent on one or both of these days because of an illness or injury, the Company may require verification of the reason for the absence before approving holiday pay. A holiday that occurs on a Saturday or Sunday generally will be observed by the Company on either the preceding Friday or following Monday. PAID LEAVE Paid Time Off (PTO) Child Care Associates understands the importance of time off for the general well-being of the individual and the continued productivity of our employees. We recognize that employees have diverse needs for time off from work, and we have established this Paid Time Off (PTO) Policy to meet those needs. This policy promotes a flexible approach, and gives employees the ability to use their time off from work however they wish. This policy covers vacation, illness, care of dependents, and any other reason to take time off from work. This is in addition to time off for holidays, jury duty, or bereavement leave. All employees requesting any amount of paid leave must submit a paid leave request for approval prior to the leave occurrence. Paid Time Off requests must be submitted in advance with reasonable notice. Every consideration will be given to accommodate appropriate PTO requests. However, the needs of the company are paramount and approval may be determined based on position, seniority, and job requirements/ responsibilities. In the event that two (2) or more employees have requested time off covering the same period and who may

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not be absent simultaneously, preference will ordinarily be given to the employee with the greater length of service. PTO is not allowed during blackout days for certain positions (mainly campus based employees). Blackout days include:

• Professional Development Days • Fridays before major holidays • Mondays after major holidays

Request for time off on these days may require special approval by senior management. Employees are accountable and responsible for managing their own PTO hours so as to allow for adequate reserves to cover all needs that require time off from work. New Hires: New employees, in their first ninety days of hire will be eligible to receive a prorated amount of PTO equivalent to ¼ of their annual PTO benefit. Upon successful completion of their 90 days of probation, new employees will be eligible for the remainder of the annual PTO benefit, prorated for the calendar year. PTO Eligibility After January 1, Following Date of Hire: Starting January 1 after the date of hire, the rate at which an employee receives PTO time is based on the individual’s length of service. PTO time for employees who work at least thirty (30) hours will be eligible to receive the annual allotment of PTO in accordance with the schedule below. On the 1st of the month when the 4th and 8th anniversary occurs, the additional PTO time will be prorated through the end of the calendar year. On the following January 1st, the employee will receive the full annual PTO allotment based on their years of service.

Full-Year Office Employees

Years of Service Yearly PTO Benefit, Effective January 1:

New Hire – 3 Years 144 hours (18 days)

4 – 7 Years 200 hours (25 days)

8 Years and Above 240 hours (30 days)

Paid Time Off (PTO) for Campus-Based Employees: Employees that fall in this category should follow the Head Start & Early Head Start program calendar for that specific program year. In addition to paid holidays and breaks, employees will be eligible to receive PTO days.

Full Year Employees 8 days

Partial Year Employees 5 days

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Paid Time Off (PTO) for Child Care Employees: Employees that fall in this category will receive the standard paid holidays and six (6) PTO days for January –June and another six (6) PTO days for July – December. Paid Time Off and Leaves of Absence:

a) When an employee is on sick leave due to an approved medical situation, PTO will be used. After all available PTO is used, employees can access their “Bank” with a doctor’s note. Employees may not opt for unpaid leave when paid leave time is available.

b) For approved Family Medical Leave (FML) or intermittent FML, the Leave “Bank” can be accessed immediately without exhausting PTO. When an employee receives disability benefits, the first 7 days for the “elimination period” will be taken from PTO or from the Leave “Bank.”

Carry Over Paid Time Off (The Leave “Bank”): On December 31st of each year, any unused annual PTO leave, up to the maximum 80 hours (10 days), may carry over to the next year and apply toward an employee’s leave balance for the new calendar year (the Leave “Bank”). Any unused PTO time greater than the 80 hours (10 days) maximum number of “carryover” days allowed will be lost. Employees may accumulate a maximum of 60 days (480 hours) in the Leave “Bank.”

Years of Service

# of PTO Days Carry Over Per Year That will Go Into the Leave

“Bank”

Maximum Hours that Can Be Accumulated in the

Leave “Bank”

All Years of Service

10 Days (80 Hours)

60 Days (480 Hours)

How to Use PTO (The Leave “Bank”): The Leave “Bank” can only be used for sick leave, documented with a Doctor’s note and after all PTO time has been exhausted, or it can be immediately accessed with an approved Family Medical Leave. The only exception is when the employee is on approved Short Term Disability, PTO will be used for the first 7 days of absence.

Payment at Termination: Employees who voluntarily leave employment, and have been employed by CCA for at least one year, will be paid 50% of any unused annual PTO in their final paycheck, provided they terminate with proper two week working notice. If termination is due to gross misconduct or is terminated for cause, annual PTO may not be paid.

Years of Service PTO Payment on Proper Two Week Working

Termination Notice: New hire - 1 year No Payout

1 + years 50% payout of remaining annual PTO allotment after

subtracting PTO already used

Each employee is responsible for directly notifying his or her supervisor at the beginning of each workday when illness prevents attendance at work. When an extended absence (three days or more) due to serious illness is required, the employee must notify his or her supervisor to request time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act, if eligible.

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Parental Leave Policy Child Care Associates promotes strong families both in our mission and among our employees and is making available to qualifying employees a period of Parental Leave to build strong ties and provide parental care with a new child. Parental Leave applies to maternity, paternity or adoption. Parental Leave under this policy is a paid leave associated with the birth of an employee’s own child or the placement of a child with the employee in connection with adoption. The paid Parental Leave period is up to six weeks (up to 42 consecutive days that includes weekends and holidays). This Parental Leave will not be charged against the employee’s other Paid Time Off or any sick leave bank. The following guidelines apply to Parental leave:

• To qualify for Parental Leave, the employee must be full-time with continuous employment for at least 1 year (from date of hire) before the birth/adoption of a child. • Leave may begin upon date of birth (or date of adoption in the event of adoption). • Health insurance benefits will continue to be provided during parental leave. • Parental Leave should be applied for in advance. Employee applies for Parental Leave by filling out the FMLA request form as detailed in the requirements set forth in the FMLA policy. • An employee electing to use Parental Leave can only utilize voluntary short-term disability, if purchased, prior to being able to access Parental Leave. • Upon supervisory approval, PTO and/or sick bank leave time may be taken in addition to any period of Parental Leave and/or short-term disability leave (if purchased). All other policies related to short-term disabilities, PTO and sick bank leave time still apply. However, FMLA leave will run concurrently to the combination of Parental Leave, short-term disability, PTO and/or sick leave bank.

(For example, an employee utilizing 6 weeks of short-term disability followed by 6 weeks of Parental Leave will have already exhausted the 12-week FMLA leave option.)

Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) You may be entitled for up to 12 weeks of family and medical leave for the following reasons:

• For the birth of a son or daughter of an employee and to care for the newborn. • For placement with the employee of a son or daughter for adoption or foster child. Leave for such

purposes must be taken in one consecutive period and must be completed within twelve months following the birth or the placement. However, this leave does not have to be taken immediately following the birth or placement of the child.

• To care for your spouse, son, daughter, or parent with a serious health condition. • For your own serious health condition that prevents you from performing your job duties and

responsibilities. • For a qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that your spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a

covered military member defined as: 1. National Guard or Reserves or retired member of the Regular Armed Forces or Reserves on

federal active duty in a foreign country or is called to federal active duty in a foreign country, provided that such duty is in support of a contingent operation; or

2. Regular Armed Forces deployed to a foreign country or international waters regardless of the nature of the service performed in that foreign country or international waters and regardless of whether it is in support of a contingent operation.

Absences due to a work related injury or illness, whether paid or unpaid, which qualify as a serious health condition will be considered absences under this policy, and time off will be deducted from the maximum annual 12-week leave entitlement period.

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Use of Military Caregiver Leave: You may be entitled for up to 26 weeks of leave in a “single 12-month period” to care for the service member if you are the spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin (nearest blood relative) of a covered service member who has a serious illness or injury incurred in the line of duty on active duty for which he or she is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, is in outpatient status, or is on the temporary disability retired list. Coverage also includes a service member’s serious illness or injury that existed before the beginning of the service member’s active duty which was aggravated by service in the line of duty on active duty. A covered service member includes a member of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserves or a member of the Armed Forces, the National Guard or Reserves who is on the temporary disability retired list. Covered service member also includes a veteran discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable, who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation or therapy for a serious injury or illness and who was a member of the Armed Forces within the five years prior to the time the employee’s military caregiver leave begins. An eligible employee using Military Caregiver Leave will be entitled to a combined total of 26 weeks of all types of FMLA leave. The “single 12-month period” referenced above begins on the first day the eligible employee takes FMLA leave to care for a covered service member and ends 12 months after that date, regardless of the method used by the company to determine the employee’s 12 workweeks of leave entitlement for other FMLA qualifying reasons. Husband and Wife both Employed Company: If a husband and wife are both employed by the company, a combined total of 12 weeks is available for the birth of a son or daughter or to care for the child after birth, placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care, or to care for the employee’s parent with a serious health condition. A husband and wife employed by the company are limited to a combined total of 26 weeks of leave during the relevant 12-month period if the leave taken is to care for a covered service member and for the birth or placement of a healthy child or to care for a parent with a serious health condition. The military caregiver leave does not alter the 12-week limitation that applies to leave taken by a husband and wife employed by the same employer for leave for the birth or placement of a healthy child or to care for a parent with a serious health condition even if the husband and wife combined took fewer than 14 weeks of leave to care for a covered service member. Intermittent or Reduced Schedule Leave: Leave taken because of the serious health condition of either you or your eligible family member may be taken on an intermittent or reduced work schedule basis if such an arrangement is certified by the health care provider to be medically necessary, or if you must provide care or psychological comfort to a covered family member with a serious health condition, as certified by the health care provider. Intermittent or reduced schedule leave may also be taken for a qualifying exigency or for military caregiver leave of absence. During a period in which you are on an intermittent or reduced work schedule, the company may, in certain circumstances and at its discretion, temporarily transfer you to an alternative position with equivalent pay and benefits that better accommodates the recurring leave. Requesting Leave: Employees in need of a leave of absence are required to provide sufficient information to Human Resources to make the company aware that the employee needs FMLA-qualifying leave or so that the company can reasonably determine whether the FMLA may apply to the leave request. Employees are responsible for following through with all company requirements in order for FMLA qualifying leaves to be approved. Calling in sick is not sufficient to make the company aware that you are in need of FMLA leave. In the event of foreseeable leaves, you must provide at least 30 days’ advance notice by completing a leave of absence request form or by contacting Human Resources orally or in writing). If 30 days is not

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practicable, you must provide notice as soon as practicable such as the same day or the next business day after you become aware of the need for leave. For foreseeable leave due to a qualifying exigency, notice must be provided as soon as practicable regardless of how far in advance such leave is foreseeable. In the event of unforeseeable leaves, you must give notice as soon as practicable under the facts and circumstances of the particular case. Employees are required to provide sufficient information and answer applicable questions designed to determine whether an absence is potentially FMLA-qualifying. Failure to respond to reasonable company inquiries may result in delay or denial of FMLA leave. When planning medical treatment, you must make a reasonable effort to schedule medical leave, including intermittent and reduced schedule leave, so as not to unduly disrupt the company’s operations. Once the company has acquired knowledge that a leave is being taken for a FMLA reason, within five business days Human Resources will provide notice to the employee requesting leave as to the rights and responsibilities of the employee as provided under FMLA. Additionally, Human Resources will provide notice of the requirements for certification and the applicable certification form. Medical Certification: When leave is taken due to the serious health condition of either you or a covered family member, you must provide the certification form completed by a health care provider within 15 days of the request. If the certification is incomplete or insufficient, Human Resources will notify you and allow you up to seven days to cure the certification deficiency. If necessary, Human Resources may seek clarification from your health care provider regarding the information contained on the certification form. The company reserves the right to request a second opinion from a health care provider chosen by the company, at the company’s expense. In the event of a disagreement between the opinions of your health care provider and the company’s, a third and binding medical opinion may be sought, also at the company’s expense. The company may request that you submit recertification from your health care provider, at your expense, to support a continuing medical leave every 30 days or at the expiration of the minimum duration of the condition, whichever is later. Such recertification can be requested at any reasonable interval but not less than every 30 days unless:

• You request an extension of leave; • Circumstances described by the previous certification have changed significantly; or • Company management receives information that casts doubt on the continuing validity of the most

recent certification.

In the event that appropriate certification or recertification is not provided, the leave of absence will not be granted or continued, and you will be subject to the company’s policies regarding unexcused absences. Fitness-for-duty certification may be required in order to verify that an employee is able to return to work after leave for the employee’s own serious health condition. If a Fitness-for-duty certification will be required upon return to work, the employee will be notified of this requirement at the time the leave is approved. Certification of fitness to return to duty for absences taken on an intermittent or reduced schedule leave may be required once every 30 days if reasonable safety concerns exist regarding the employee’s ability to perform his or her duties. No second or third opinions will apply for fitness-for-duty certifications. Qualifying Exigency Certification: When leave is taken due to a qualifying exigency (e.g., short-notice deployment, military events, financial

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and legal arrangements, military member’s parental care, etc.) related to active duty or a call to active duty for the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent, the employee should provide a copy of the covered military member’s active duty orders or other documentation issued by the appropriate military branch. Human Resources may contact the appropriate military unit to request verification that a covered military member is on active duty or call to active duty status. No recertification requirements will apply to qualifying exigency leaves. Military Caregiver Certification: When leave is taken due to a service member with a serious illness or injury sustained in the line of duty on active duty who is your spouse, son, daughter, parent or next of kin, the employee should provide certification completed by an authorized health care provider of the covered service member or the travel orders issued to the employee on behalf of the service member. No recertification requirements will apply to military caregiver leaves. Designation of Leave: Once the company has acquired enough information to determine whether the leave is being taken for a FMLA-qualifying reason (e.g., after receiving complete and sufficient certification), Human Resources will provide a designation notice within five business days to the employee stating whether or not FMLA leave has been approved. Additionally, the designation notice will include applicable information regarding amount of leave entitlement, paid/unpaid time off, fitness for duty certification requirements, certification deficiencies, etc. If a FMLA-qualifying reason is determined by the Company to exist, Human Resources may designate leave as FMLA whether the employee specifically requests FMLA designation or not. Employees cannot request that the Company waive an FMLA leave designation if the leave qualifies as a bona-fide FMLA leave. Return from Leave: When the reason for a family or medical leave ends (for example, a serious health condition no longer exists), you are expected to return to work promptly. When leave is taken due to your own serious health condition, a fitness-for-duty certification from the health care provider may be required prior to your return to work, certifying that you are able to return to work and can perform the essential functions of the job as described in the job description, with or without reasonable accommodation. If a fitness-for-duty certification is required, you will not be allowed to return to work until it has been provided to the Company. You are expected to return to work immediately following the health care provider’s release. If you fail to return to work on the next workday following the expiration of an approved leave or release by the health care provider, absent extenuating circumstances, you will be deemed to have resigned employment. If you decide to resign your employment, you should notify Human Resources as soon as possible. The employment relationship will be terminated, and your entitlement to reinstatement, continued leave, and health insurance benefits will cease. Reinstatement: After the leave period has ended, you generally will be restored to your former position, or to an equivalent position with equivalent employment benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions of employment, if you return to work within the annual 12-week or 26-week entitlement. Reinstatement to the same or an equivalent position is contingent upon your continued ability to perform all essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation.

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If you do not return to work when the reason for the leave ends or at the end of the 12-week or 26-week period, whichever occurs first, you may not be reinstated. Reasonable accommodations requested by the employee will be considered on a case-by-case basis when determining reinstatement. In the event of termination, the effective date of termination will be the last day of the authorized leave period. You must then follow the normal job application procedures required of external candidates if you desire to be re-employed by the company. If an employee fraudulently obtains leave, the employee will not be entitled to benefits under this policy, and employment may be terminated. Insurance Continuation: During the leave, you will be permitted to retain your current health, dental, life, etc. insurance coverage as specified in the provisions of the company’s policy. The company will continue to contribute its portion of the premiums. During any paid leave, your portion of premiums will continue to be taken as a regular payroll deduction. You will be responsible for repayment of any insurance premium costs borne by the company for continuation of insurance during the leave. Benefits Eligibility: A family or medical leave of absence cannot be counted as a break in service for purposes of vesting or eligibility for participation in a pension or other retirement plan. Family and Medical Leave Pay: All available PTO must be taken at the commencement of any leave period. Short-Term Disability benefits will commence on the 8th day of the FMLA leave for employees covered by the STD benefit plan. The maximum amount of leave time available will be 12 weeks (for those employees who qualify for protection under FMLA), or 26 weeks (for those employees who qualify for military caregiver leave), including both paid and unpaid leave. If you incur a work related injury or illness, you cannot substitute PTO for workers’ compensation benefits. However, workers’ compensation benefits may be supplemented with available PTO, up to your regular salary or wages. You are required to accept any workers’ compensation benefits provided. Non-FMLA Leave If you do not qualify for leave under the FMLA, you may be granted an unpaid leave of absence under certain circumstances. You must follow the same guidelines as described within the FMLA policy for requesting Non-FMLA leave. The company will attempt to restore you to your position or a similar position if you return from the leave within 6 weeks of the time the leave began. However, reinstatement is not guaranteed and leave under this policy does not carry with it the protections provided by the FMLA. If you do not return to work when the reason for the leave ends or at the end of the 6-week period, whichever occurs first, you may not be reinstated. Reasonable accommodations requested by the employee will be considered on a case-by-case basis when determining reinstatement provisions. In the event of termination, the effective date of termination will be the last day of the authorized leave period. If you are terminated because you do not return at the end of the Non-FMLA leave period, in order to be considered for reinstatement thereafter you must follow the normal job application procedures required of external candidates. If an employee fraudulently obtains leave, the employee will not be entitled to benefits under this policy,

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and employment may be terminated. Granting Approval for NON-FMLA Leave Request: You may be granted an unpaid leave of absence of up to 6 weeks upon successful completion of your 90 day probation period. This policy covers continuous leaves of absence and is not intended for intermittent purposes. All circumstances will be taken into consideration before granting an approval for an unpaid leave of absence. If the leave will cause an undue hardship or have a financial impact to the company and/or department it will be denied. Each request will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

The following criteria must be met before an approval can be considered:

• Successful completion of 90 day probation period. • Employee does not have a documented history of performance issues. Must not have

documented excessive absences prior to the request. • Proper documentation for the leave must be provided to Human Resources.

Reasons for Use of Non-FMLA Leave: Non-FMLA leave may be granted for the following reasons:

• For the birth of a child. • To care for your spouse or child with a serious health condition. • For your own serious health condition that prevents you from performing your job duties and

responsibilities. Insurance Continuation: During the leave, you will be permitted to retain your current health, dental, life, etc. insurance coverage as specified in the provisions of the company’s policy. The company will continue to contribute its portion of the premiums. During any Non-FMLA leave, your portion of premiums will continue to be taken as a regular payroll deduction. If you do not have sufficient pay to cover your premiums during leave, you will be required to cover your portion of the premiums by making payment directly to the Company. If the Company covers any portion of your premiums during the leave period, you will be required to re-pay the Company for your portion of the premiums. Leave Pay: All available PTO must be taken at the commencement of any Non-FMLA leave period. Short-Term Disability benefits will commence on the 8th day of the Non-FMLA leave for employees covered by the STD benefit plan. The maximum amount of leave time available will be 6 weeks, including both paid and unpaid leave for Non-FMLA approved absences Bereavement Leave An employee may be granted up to three days of b e r e a v e m e n t leave with pay for a death in the immediate family. Immediate family is defined as the employee‘s spouse, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, and corresponding in-law relationships. Use of PTO and/or time off without pay may be approved at the discretion of your supervisor for additional time off or for attendance at funerals of others with special relationships to you. Approval for use of funeral leave will be at the discretion of your supervisor.

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You must be in paid status to be eligible for funeral leave. Funeral leave will not be granted to an employee who is on unpaid status (e.g., military leave, medical leave of absence, etc.). If a family death occurs during your scheduled PTO, the remaining PTO time may be rescheduled with the approval of your supervisor. The company reserves the right to require verification of the need for funeral leave and/or the relationship of the deceased family member. The employee may be required to provide a copy of the obituary notice, and/or the company may contact the funeral home. Jury Duty Full-time employees will receive leave with pay and without loss of accumulated leave for jury duty. The employee will be required to provide documentation of jury duty service. Employees will be granted paid leave to comply with a valid subpoena to appear in a civil, criminal, legislative, or administrative proceeding. Absences for court appearances related to an employee’s personal business must be taken as personal leave or unpaid (if no personal leave is available). In cases other than jury duty, employees may be required to submit documentation (copy of subpoena) of their need for leave for court appearances.

Voting Leave

CCA encourages its employees to fulfill their civic responsibilities by participating in elections. Generally, employees are able to find time to vote either before or after their regular work schedule or voting by mail. If employees are unable to vote in an election during non-working hours, the company will grant up to two hours paid time off so that employees may vote. Employees should request time off to vote from their supervisor at least two working days prior to the Election Day. Advance notice is required so that the necessary time off can be scheduled at the beginning or end of the work day, whichever provides the least disruption to the normal work schedule. Workers’ Compensation (On-the-Job Injuries) Workers’ compensation insurance is maintained by the Company to provide compensation to all employees (including full-time, part-time, and temporary employees) for loss of wages due to injury or illness that occurs in or as a result of employment and also pays necessary related medical expenses, according to applicable state law. You may elect to decline such coverage if, no later than five days after beginning employment, you notify Human Resources in writing that you wish to retain your common law right of action. In such an instance, you would not be covered by the insurance plan and would not be able to obtain workers’ compensation income or medical benefits in the event of a job related injury or accident. If you decline workers’ compensation insurance coverage, your employment may be terminated immediately, as coverage under workers’ compensation insurance is a condition of employment with the company. All job related injuries and accidents, regardless of the need for medical attention or severity of the injury or illness, must be reported immediately to Human Resources. If you require medical attention, you will be sent to a health care provider or hospital for appropriate medical treatment. If necessary, your designated emergency contact will be notified of the illness or injury. Following the provision of appropriate medical care, Human Resources will ensure completion of the appropriate injury report forms. If you are injured and require medical attention, you will be required to clock-out and use PTO time to cover the time away from work for appointments and/or ongoing treatment. You will also be required to complete a drug test at

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the treating facility. If you incur a work related injury or illness, you cannot substitute paid time off benefits for workers’ compensation benefits. However, workers’ compensation benefits may be supplemented with available PTO, up to your regular salary or wages. You must provide a copy of your workers’ compensation payments to Human Resources in order to utilize available PTO benefits when supplementing workers’ compensation payments. You are required to accept workers’ compensation benefits if provided. If you are off of work due to a work related injury or illness, you are expected to return to work immediately following release by your health care provider. Leaves of absence due to work-related injuries and illnesses will be administered as other medical leaves under the company's Family and Medical Leave of Absence policy. Employees on leave due to a work related injury or illness who qualify for 12 weeks of leave under the policy will be allowed to return to the same or an equivalent position if released to return to work within the employee’s available 12-week leave entitlement. Any employee who does not qualify for 12 weeks of leave under the policy may be permitted to return to the same or an equivalent position if released to return to work within 6 weeks of the time the leave began; however, reinstatement is not guaranteed. Reasonable accommodations requested by the employee will be considered on a case-by-case basis when determining reinstatement provisions. If you do not return to work within the specified time period, you may be replaced. However, when medically and fully released by a health care provider, you may reapply for available positions for which you are qualified and will be given the same consideration as external candidates. Military Leave Employees who are members of a uniformed service or who apply for membership in a uniformed service will be given the required time off for the performance of duty, including active duty, active duty for training, initial active duty for training, inactive duty training, full-time National Guard duty, and the time necessary to be absent from employment for an examination to determine fitness to perform any of these duties. Uniformed services generally include the Armed Forces, the Army National Guard, and the Air National Guard. You or an officer of the service must give the company advance notice, either written or verbal, of your need for military leave, unless advance notice is precluded by military necessity (as determined by the Secretary of Defense) or is otherwise not within your control. You should give notice and provide a copy of any official papers as soon as possible after receipt of military orders so that any necessary scheduling arrangements can be made. Failure to provide adequate notice may result in a denial of reinstatement. Upon notification of your need for leave or upon your request to Human Resources, you will be provided with information regarding your rights and responsibilities for military leave. EMPLOYEE COMPLAINTS Grievance Policy and Procedures Child Care Associates expects that every employee will be treated fairly and within the boundaries of the company’s approved policies. The Grievance Policy serves to provide employees with a non-threatening environment for addressing complaints within the company. The grievance process also allows employees to report a violation of policy, procedure or law. Our written procedures help to ensure a prompt, orderly and fair response to an employee’s grievance or complaint. Any employee who has a cause for grievance shall first discuss the complaint with his/her immediate supervisor to seek resolution. If the complaint is not resolved by speaking to the employee’s immediate supervisor, then the employee shall discuss the complaint with the next level of management, unless the complaint involves the immediate supervisor. If the complaint is not resolved to the satisfaction of all parties

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involved, the employee should contact Human Resources. Procedures: If an employee’s complaint is not satisfactorily resolved by meeting with the supervisor and/or the next level of management, the grievance process should be initiated by following the steps listed below:

1. Contact Human Resources immediately or no longer than 15 days following the event. 2. Prepare a written Grievance Statement, which should include the date, the employee’s name,

mailing address, daytime phone number and email address. 3. Include the date the grievance occurred, provide a summary regarding the grievance, the names(s)

of the person or people who are involved or who witnessed the event, and if you have made any attempt to resolve the complaint. Add any important details or facts that support your claim.

4. Write the reason(s) the incident or situation violates workplace policy, procedures or the law. Provide any documentation you have that supports your claim.

5. State the resolution you are seeking to address the violation, or what you expect to happen at the end of the grievance process.

6. Sign and date the Grievance Statement. Copies of the Grievance will be distributed by Human Resources to the direct line management employee, if appropriate, and the President and an investigation will be conducted. Upon completion of the investigation, a conference will be scheduled with the employee, the appropriate supervisor and Human Resources to discuss the findings and the proposed resolution. If the proposed resolution is acceptable to the employee, the necessary steps will be taken by Human Resources to initiate and complete the resolution process. If the conference does not resolve the grievance to the employee’s satisfaction, he/she shall have the right of appeal to the President-CEO. An appeal to the President-CEO also requires a written request to initiate the appeal process (including the reason that the initial grievance resolution was not acceptable). If a satisfactory resolution is not reached at the appeal level, the employee can request a hearing with the Personnel Committee of the Board of Directors by submitting a written request to the President-CEO’s office. The employee’s hearing will be arranged with the Personnel Committee, and the employee’s complaint will be heard and reviewed by the committee. The decision of the Board of Directors’ Personnel Committee will be final. Performance evaluations, voluntary resignations and terminations are not appropriate for the Grievance Procedure. Any grievances filed involving these issues will be immediately dismissed and no investigation will be undertaken. Separation of Employment

Both the Company and employee retain the right to terminate employment at will. Voluntary Resignation A voluntary resignation requires at least two weeks written notice. Lack of notice may result in the forfeiture of accrued PTO and/or eligibility for re-employment. If the company opts for the employee to discontinue working before the two week notice is completed, the employee may be entitled to two weeks’ pay in lieu of notice. Your notice period may not include any paid time off benefits. Any absences during your notice period will be unpaid. Your date of termination will be the last day you actually worked. Any unused PTO will be paid to you upon termination at 50% value if you have been employed for at least one year, provide proper notice of resignation, and work through the notice period with no absences. Involuntary Termination An involuntary termination is initiated by the employer as a measure to ensure compliance with conduct, ethics, and other employment standards. Appropriate approval must be obtained by Human Resources and

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the Head Start Policy Council (if applicable). No payment for available PTO time will be made when an employee is involuntarily terminated. Immediate Involuntary Termination An immediate involuntary termination will occur if an employee commits an act of gross misconduct (such as theft, use or sale of drugs/alcohol on work premises, the act of or threat of physical violence, willful destruction of company property, or any other endangering or improper behavior or illegal acts) and will result in immediate (on-the-spot) involuntary termination. Reduction-in-Force or Layoff A reduction-in-force or layoff may result when there is a reduction of funding or changes in the company’s structure or contract requirements. This is considered an involuntary termination, but requires two weeks written notice from the employer, and/or two weeks’ pay in lieu of notice. Job Abandonment Job abandonment occurs if you are absent from work without notice to your supervisor for three working days of absence. You may be considered to have abandoned your job and resigned from employment with the company for job abandonment after three working days of absence with no proper notification. The effective date of termination will be the last day on which you were at work. If you abandon your job, you will be paid only for each day actually worked. No payment for available PTO will be made to an employee who abandons the job. Final Payment at Termination All compensation that is due and payable at separation of employment will be processed promptly. If an employee is discharged, laid off, fired or involuntarily separates from employment, the final pay is due within six calendar days of termination. If the employee quits, retires, resigns or leaves employment voluntarily, the final pay is due on the next regularly scheduled payday. Employees who have pre-employment tests ( physical, drug screen and TB test), criminal background/fingerprint checks, and who fail to maintain employment with Child Care Associates for at least one full year will have the costs for these items deducted from the final pay as authorized by The Final Pay Agreement. Employees who terminate employment and have outstanding tuition assistance agreements will be responsible for making satisfactory arrangements with the employer to settle the agreement. All equipment or electronic devices belonging to Child Care Associates that are assigned to an employee should be returned immediately upon termination of employment.

Exit Interviews Child Care Associates is committed to promoting retention and providing all employees with positive and productive work environments. The purpose of this policy is to identify workplace factors that have contributed to an employee’s decision to leave the company. This process will allow the company the ability to identify workplace issues; respond to areas that need attention; create professional development training plans; improve recruitment and retention efforts. This policy applies to all full-time employees that voluntarily resign from the organization. The information obtained during the exit interview process will be used to create strategies for workplace improvement.

OUR MISSION

To assist family successes through

excellence in comprehensive early

education and development services.