All of us at Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. (HEC) extend a sincere welcome to you and are very pleased to have you with us.
This manual has been prepared to serve as a general guide to help you understand important agency and personnel policies and practices in our daily operation. Included is an outline of your employment benefits. We ask that you become familiar with its contents since a basic understanding of these policies is essential to a successful work performance as well as the success of our combined efforts.
Our goal is to provide the highest standard of care for those entrusted to us. The efforts of the staff toward this goal are indispensable.
The person primarily responsible for your work, activities and progress is your immediate supervisor. Feel free to discuss with your supervisor any problem, which may be affecting your work. A good relationship is important to you and the facility, and all of us stand to gain from discussion in the spirit of cooperation.
We value your ideas, suggestions and comments on any matter pertaining to your employment. We hope that your association with Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. will be rewarding.
Gerard E. Burke
President/CEO
ABOUT THIS MANUAL
We feel it is important that all employees understand our philosophies, policies and procedures. This manual will familiarize you with the various aspects of working with us at HEC and provide a general overview of useful information. We encourage you to use it as a reference document. Nothing herein should be interpreted as interfering with the rights of employees under the National Labor Relations Act or any other applicable laws.
It is also important to understand that this manual and any of the policies, benefits, procedures and practices contained herein may be changed, amended, modified or terminated by Hillcrest Educational Centers at any time, with or with out notice. All employee benefits discussed herein are subject to the specific terms, provisions and requirements set forth in applicable plan documents, which are available for your review. Hillcrest Educational Centers also reserves the right to decide whether, and to what extent, a policy or practice applies to any particular situation, and to interpret the manual provisions. This personnel policy manual supersedes any and all past editions.
Hillcrest reserves the right to alter, change or modify this manual at any time.
EMPLOYMENT AT-WILL
Your employment with Hillcrest Educational Centers is a voluntary at-will relationship, and nothing in this manual constitutes an expressed or implied contract of any kind, including but not limited to a contract of employment, nor shall be construed as providing you with any expressed or implied promises to you whatsoever. You have the right to terminate your employment relationship at will for any reason you wish, at any time, with or without notice. Hillcrest Educational Centers has the same right to terminate your employment at any time and for any reason, with or without notice.
MISSION STATEMENT:
Our mission at Hillcrest Educational Centers is to facilitate the social, emotional, intellectual, and physical growth of our students through the development of new skills that will enable them to succeed in their home community.
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPALS:
• Every student has the potential to succeed in life.
• Every member of the Hillcrest community (students, families, and employees) is entitled to unconditional respect.
• Every student is entitled to individualized treatment and education.
• Students need our services because they have lacked the skills, resources, or support required to cope with their environments.
• Families are an integral part of our students’ success.
• We are committed to assuring that our students reach their full academic potential.
• We are committed to continuous improvement and learning.
• We are committed to fiscal responsibility.
• We are committed to teamwork.
• We are committed to excellence.
CODE OF ETHICS
HEC has established this statement of organizational ethics in recognition of the agency’s responsibilities to our students, staff and the community we serve. It is the responsibility of every member of the Hillcrest team – governing Board Members, Administration, Staff Members, Interns, and Volunteers — to act in a manner that is consistent with this organizational statement and its supporting policies. The following principals will guide our behavior:
• A dedication to the principle that all Students, Employees, Interns, and Volunteers deserve to be treated with dignity, respect and courtesy.
• We will fairly and accurately represent our capabilities and ourselves.
• We will provide high quality services to meet the identified needs of our students.
• We will adhere to a uniform standard of treatment throughout the agency.
• We will provide a safe environment for both staff and students.
• We will ensure the privacy rights of our students are respected and confidentiality is maintained.
• We will maintain staff and students’ records as confidential.
• We will constantly seek to understand and respect the students’ goals as reflected in their
Clinical Treatment Plans.
• We will adhere to mandated reporting laws.
• We will diligently avoid and/or report any conflict of interest.
• We will bill for services rendered based on tuition rates set by our Massachusetts regulatory agency (Massachusetts Department of Purchased Services).
• We will adhere to admission procedures based on our ability to provide safe and appropriate treatment to students within our population descriptors on an unbiased basis.
The students, or their families and agencies, will be involved in decisions regarding the treatment that we deliver to the extent that such is practical and possible.
In addition to serving the students, we remind staff that they have a commitment to each other to act in a manner that treats every co-worker in a professional manner, with dignity, respect and courtesy. This includes such actions as not engaging in gossip, harassment, or any other behavior that is inconsistent with our mission or ethics.
• We will never discuss personal business or activities in front of, or within earshot of, students.
• We will never discuss students, or students’ issues, in a non-therapeutic way.
• We will never discuss staff or agency issues or concerns in front of,, or within earshot of students.
• We will report abuse or neglect immediately.
• We will maintain professional boundaries with students at all times.
• We will maintain professionalism and act professionally at all times.
• We will not discuss personal life issues (e.g., relationships or what we do for recreation when we’re not working) in front of, or within earshot of, students.
• We will maintain confidentiality of students at all times.
• We will take care of and respect all Hillcrest equipment and property as if it were our own.
By word, deed and example, we will teach our students to take pride in and demonstrate respect for all equipment and property, regardless of the ownership of that property.
We all have a responsibility to follow these ethical guidelines and to report any infractions by other staff to the supervisor immediately. Our mission is achievable only if each and every one of us makes this commitment.
BRIEF HISTORY OF HILLCREST EDUCATIONAL CENTERS
In the spring of 1985, under the leadership of Judge John A. Barry, the Board of Trustees of the Hillcrest Foundation assumed responsibility for the Avalon School; a private residential school servicing a population of 100 developmentally disabled students in five locations in Berkshire County. The Hillcrest Foundation appointed a Board of Directors and William J. Goggins, Jr. as the first Executive Director of HEC
Through experienced leadership, Hillcrest Educational Centers responded to the needs of a changing mental health market, shifting its treatment focus from a population of students with Developmental Disabilities to students experiencing severe Behavior Disorders and significant adjustment problems. HEC has since implemented a comprehensive continuum of care including an Intensive Treatment/Diagnostic Unit, Residential Treatment Facilities, a program for adolescent male sexual abusers, a therapeutic Day Treatment Program, and Hillcrest Psychological Services.
Hillcrest Educational Centers continues to expand the breadth of its services to facilitate the growth and development of students.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY POLICY STATEMENT
It is the policy of HEC to provide equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without unlawful discrimination as to race, creed, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, ancestry, genetic information, military status, status as a disabled or Vietnam Era veteran of the United States Armed Forces, being a member of the Reserves or National Guard or status in any other group protected by federal, state or local law. Equal opportunity applies to all employment-related decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring/selection, job assignment, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, recall, transfer, layoff, leaves of absence, supervision, compensation, discipline, termination, access to benefits and training
and all other terms and conditions of employment. No preference is given to the hiring of
relatives or friends but the referrals are welcome.
HARASSMENT
It is the policy of HEC to maintain a working environment free from all forms of harassment, discrimination and/or intimidation. HEC does not tolerate unlawful discrimination or harassment based on race, creed, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, ancestry, genetic information, military status, status as a disabled or
Vietnam Era veteran of the United States Armed Forces, being a member of the Reserves or National Guard or status in any other group protected by federal, state or local law. Harassment of our employees is prohibited, whether it is committed by a manager, coworker, subordinate or non-employee (such as a vendor or customer). Examples of prohibited harassment include, but are not limited to, unwelcome physical contact, comments, jokes, or epithets, threats, insults, name-calling, offensive gestures, negative stereotyping, possession or display of derogatory pictures or other graphic materials, and any other words or conduct that demean, stigmatize, intimidate or single-out a person because of his/her membership in a protected category. Hillcrest takes all complaints of harassment seriously, and each will be investigated promptly and thoroughly. Therefore, HEC has instituted the following policy preventing harassment.
Introduction
It is the goal of HEC to promote a workplace that is free of harassment. Harassment of employees occurring in the workplace or in other settings in which employees may find themselves in connection with their employment is unlawful and will not be tolerated by this organization. Further, any retaliation against individuals for cooperating with an investigation of a harassment complaint is similarly unlawful and will not be tolerated. To achieve our goal of providing a workplace free from harassment, the inappropriate conduct that is described in this policy will not be tolerated and we have provided a procedure by which inappropriate conduct will be dealt with, if encountered by employees.
Because HEC takes allegations of harassment seriously, we will respond promptly to complaints of sexual or other forms of harassment and where it is determined that such inappropriate conduct has occurred, we will act promptly to eliminate the conduct and impose such corrective action as is necessary, including disciplinary action where appropriate.
This policy applies equally to all individuals working at HEC, male and female. This policy applies to all employment relationships including, but not limited to, superior/subordinate relationships, peer employee relationships and relationships between employees and non- employees (such as delivery people and visitors).
All employees are responsible for ensuring that their behavior is free of any form of harassment. No individual working at HEC should engage in, encourage, or tolerate harassing behavior. Managers are responsible for being pro-active and ensuring the workplace is free of harassment and for reporting to Human Resources any claims of harassment reported to them. The Human Resources Department is responsible for investigating each claim and assisting in the resolution of claims of harassment.
Please note that while this policy sets forth our goals of promoting a workplace that is free of harassment, the policy is not designed or intended to limit our authority to discipline or take remedial action for workplace conduct which we deem unacceptable, regardless of whether that conduct satisfies the legal definition of harassment.
Definition of Sexual Harassment
In Massachusetts, the legal definition for sexual harassment is:
“Sexual Harassment” means sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
A. Submission to, or rejection of, such advances, requests or conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment or as a basis for employment decisions;
Or
B. Such advances, requests or conduct have the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance by creating an intimidating, hostile, humiliating or sexually offense work environment.
Under these definitions, direct or implied requests by a supervisor for sexual favors in exchange for actual or promised job benefits such as favorable reviews, salary increases, promotions, increased benefits, or continued employment may constitute sexual harassment.
The legal definition of sexual harassment is broad and in addition to the above examples, other sexually oriented conduct, whether it is intended or not, that is unwelcome and has the effect of creating a workplace environment that is hostile, offensive, intimidating, or humiliating to male or female workers may also constitute sexual harassment.
While it is not possible to list all those additional circumstances that may constitute sexual harassment, the following are some examples of conduct, which, if unwelcome, may constitute sexual harassment depending upon the totality of the circumstances, including the severity of the conduct and its pervasiveness:
• Unwelcome sexual advances – whether they involve physical touching or not;
• Sexual epithets, jokes, written or oral references to sexual conduct, gossip regarding one’s sex life; comment on an individual’s body, comment about an individual’s sexual activity, deficiencies or prowess;
• Displaying sexually suggestive objects, webpages, emails, text messages, pictures, and cartoons
• Unwelcome leering, whistling, brushing against the body, sexual gestures, suggestive or insulting comments
• Inquiries into one’s sexual experiences
• Discussion of one’s sexual activities
All employees should take special note that, as stated above, retaliation against an individual who has complained about sexual or other forms of harassment, and retaliation against individuals for cooperating with an investigation of a harassment complaint is unlawful and will not be tolerated by this organization.
Complaints of Harassment
If one of our employees believes that he or she has been subjected to harassment, the employee
has the right to file a complaint with our organization. This may be done in writing or verbally.
If you would like to file a complaint you may do so by contacting your supervisor or the Director
of Human Resources at HEC, 788 South St., Pittsfield, MA 01201; phone 499-7924 extension
126. The staff in Human Resources is also available to discuss any concerns you may have and
to provide information to you about our policy on harassment and our complaint process.
Harassment Investigation
When we receive the complaint we will promptly investigate the allegation in a fair and
expeditious manner. The investigation will be conducted in such a way as to maintain confidentiality to the extent practicable under the circumstances. Our investigation will ordinarily include a private interview with the person filing the complaint and with witnesses. We will also interview the person alleged to have committed harassment. When we have completed our investigation we will, to the extent appropriate, inform the person filing the complaint and the person alleged to have committed the conduct, of the results of that investigation.
If it is determined that inappropriate conduct has occurred, we will act promptly to eliminate the offending conduct and, where it is appropriate, we will also impose disciplinary action.
Disciplinary Action
If it is determined that inappropriate conduct has been committed by one of our employees, we will take such action as is appropriate under the circumstances. Such action may range from counseling to termination from employment, and may include such other forms of disciplinary action, as we deem appropriate under the circumstances.
State and Federal Remedies
In addition to the above, if you believe you have been subjected to harassment, you may file a formal complaint with either or both of the government agencies set forth below. Using our complaint process does not prohibit you from also filing a complaint with these agencies. Each of the agencies has a short time period for filing a claim (EEOC – 300 days; MCAD – 300 days).
The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) John F. Kennedy Building
475 Government Center
Boston, MA 02203 (800) 669-4000
The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD)
Boston Office: Springfield Office:
One Ashburton Place, Rm. 601 436 Dwight Street, Rm. 220
Boston, MA 02108 Springfield, MA 01103
(617) 994-6000 (413) 739-2145
Filing with these agencies is not a substitute for bringing a complaint to our attention. Be assured, HEC wants to hear your complaints.
COMPLAINTS
HEC encourages all employees to promptly report any incidents of harassment, discrimination, intimidating behaviors or other concerns. While we encourage staff to use the chain of command to report these kinds of incidents, we also understand that reporting such information to your direct supervisor is sometimes inappropriate or uncomfortable, and may discourage employees from promptly reporting such information. It is our hope that this additional reporting
mechanism will provide staff with an option when these situations occur.
Staff who hear or see harassing, discriminating or intimidating behavior are encouraged to verbally report this immediately to a supervisor, member of the Campus Administration or another HEC Administrator so the event can be investigated immediately.
The Program Director/Manager may designate a member of the Campus Administration or ask another HEC Administrator to conduct the investigation, but upon completion of the investigation, the staff who made the complaint will meet with the Program Director/Manager to discuss the investigation and resolution of the complaint.
Every attempt will be made to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the staff who registered the complaint, as well as the privacy and confidentiality of the staff who is the subject of the complaint to the degree reasonably practical under the circumstances. However, we cannot guarantee absolute confidentiality, as it may be necessary to disclose names and statements of staff where the safety of the students and/or staff is potentially compromised, or where such disclosures are necessary to otherwise effectively complete an investigation depending upon the facts of a particular case.