Employee Policies and Procedures

It would be impractical to set forth a list of all activities that are considered to be illegal or contrary to good business practices and good employee-employer relations. This section is intended only as a guideline.


1) Commitment

Compati Home Care provides needed services to a vulnerable population. Our clients depend upon our caregivers. It is extremely important that you keep your commitment once you have accepted the job. You will need to schedule your own personal commitments around your schedule with your client. It is not well-received by our clients; the office will bear the burden of sending a fill-in caregiver. Applicants planning unpaid time off MUST give the office at least TWO WEEKS notice prior to the day(s) requested. Vacation requests not received two weeks in advance will not be approved.


2) Notifying the Office

It is important that the office is notified immediately of the following:

  • Requests from clients for a change in the type of services we provide
  • Significant changes in client’s condition (i.e. admittance to the hospital)
  • Schedule or shift changes (i.e. if the client calls you to cancel an appointment)
  • New appointments for service that clients make directly with you

3) New Hire 90 Day Probationary Period

Upon hiring, the employee is on a 90-day probationary period during which no calls-offs are permitted unless pre-approved by your manager. Any call-offs during this period will result in immediate termination. If you leave voluntarily or you are dismissed with cause during the 90-day probationary period, $50 will be deducted from your final check due to administrative and hiring costs.


4) Sick Time Off

Caregivers who are calling off sick must call (texting or e-mail is not acceptable) their manager at least 24 hours before their scheduled shift to notify the manager that they will not be able to work. Texting a call-off is not acceptable and is considered a no call/no show. Failure to call your manager may result in immediate termination.


5) No Call, No Show

A caregiver who does not show up to work and does not call his or her manager and/or the office can be subject to immediate termination.


6) Arrive On Time To Scheduled Shifts

Caregivers should always arrive on time to their client’s residence. Caregivers who arrive late to their scheduled shift will be given a warning which will be recorded in their personnel file. The second offense may result in termination from Compati Home Care.

If you have an emergency and will be more than 60 minutes late to the client, you must call both your manager and our Office Manager as soon as possible before your shift starts and explain the emergency situation and how late you will be.


7) Employment Termination

Employees must give two weeks’ written notice before terminating their employment withCompati Home Care.


8) Flexibility and Willingness

Successful caregivers are those who can be flexible with our clients. We provide a service that cannot always be completely spelled out at the start of a job. We want our caregivers to have the flexibility to “go with the flow” and have the willingness to meet reasonable client requests.


9) Workload

The number of clients served byCompati Home Care changes constantly. There may be gaps in time during which one of your clients ends service and before we have new jobs to assign to you. We try to give personnel as many hours of service as they desire, but we cannot guarantee this on a consistent basis.


10) Dress Code

Clothing

  • Scrubs are recommended.
  • Neat, clean street clothes are acceptable. This means:
    • No tears, rips, or stains
    • No pajamas
    • No offensive language on clothing
    • Nothing revealing or low cut
    • No tank tops
    • No shorts
  • Pants must fit around the waist; no sagging pants.
  • Jeans and a tee shirt are acceptable, as are well-fitting sweat or track pants.
  • Look nice and presentable. Make a good impression and look professional.

Shoes

  • Closed-toe shoes such as sneakers are the only acceptable shoe
  • No heels, open-toe shoes, sandals, or flip flops

Jewelry, Piercings, and Tattoos

Jewelry must not interfere with patient care or present a hazard to the employee.

  • Earrings are permitted with the following criteria:
    • Should not be dangling
    • Only two earrings per lobe
  • A single plain necklace of neck length may be worn.
  • Bracelets or armbands are not permitted unless they are Medical Alert Bracelets.
  • Only one ring or ring set per hand is allowed.
  • No excessive visible facial piercings, clear retainer studs are okay, as are small discreet studs as long as they are not excessive.
  • Visible tattoos must not contain offensive images or language. Visible tattoos must be kept to a minimum or covered up with long sleeves.
  • No facial tattoos.

Nails and Hair

  • Hair should be pulled back so as not to get contaminated during patient care.
  • Nails must be trimmed and cannot be excessively long. Nails must be kept neat and clean to support the functional use of hands and fingers.

11) Requirements

As a representative of the company, how you present yourself in the community is very important to us. We have the following expectations that we ask you to follow:

  • Keep cars clean and well-maintained.
  • Cell phone use is prohibited while working with clients unless an emergency situation presented itself. Never answer your phone or make a call while driving with a client
  • No personal calls or texts except for emergencies. Never make calls with the client’s phone.
  • No friends, pets, or family members can accompany you when you're with a client
  • You are prohibited from asking to borrow things, buy things, or accept gifts from the client.
  • Should a misunderstanding or a problem arise between the client and yourself, please call your manager or the office immediately.
  • Do not introduce new activities to the patient unless authorized by the patient's doctor.
  • No sleeping while on duty unless the shift specifies a designated time of rest.
  • You are not allowed to entertain personal visits or guests while on duty.
  • Do not report to work if you are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. You are not allowed to bring alcohol or any illegal drugs during to your shift.
  • Smoking is not allowed inside the client's home.
  • Carrying of unauthorized or concealed weapons is not allowed.
  • Do not disclose any confidential information about our company, clients, or any information obtained in the course of duty/employment (such as salary, other clients’ names, etc).
  • We do not administer medications (topical or oral); MEDICATION REMINDERS ONLY! All patient medications should be known to the caregiver. All medications should be listed on a medication sheet, including the names of the medications, dosage, timing, and form of the medication. Clients should be properly observed and guarded while taking medications.
  • Caregivers are allowed to assist in the administering of oral inhalation and topical medications to the patient.
  • Requests for time off must be submitted one month in advance. Failure to do so will lead to disapproval of the request.
  • A caregiver who wishes to exchange duties with another caregiver should contact his or her manager for approval prior to any schedule changes.
  • Caregivers should NOT leave their clients until the relieving caregiver arrives. If the relieving caregiver is 30 minutes late, the manager should be notified by the outgoing caregiver.
  • Any form of criminal offense committed by the caregiver during work hours may be prosecuted to the utmost degree of the law and can result in termination fromCompati Home Care.

Important Reminder: Our clients may have viewpoints on people, places, and things with what we do not agree. It is important that you do not express your opposition to their views or try to “educate” them. Please don't initiate conversations about religious and/or political topics. Some of our clients enjoy talking about these subjects and may bring them up. Please use your discretion about getting involved in these conversations.

12) Termination Procedures

Your employment is at the mutual consent of you and Compati Home Care. As a result, either you or Compati Home Care may terminate the employment relationship at any time and for any reason, with or without cause.


13) Disciplinary Action

Any employee whose actions, behavior, or job performance violates or conflicts with Compati Home Care's policies may be terminated immediately and without warning. The following are some instances of immediate justification for dismissal of an employee:

  • Breach of trust or dishonesty, insubordination
  • Non-performance of work
  • Lying or falsification of records
  • Conviction of a felony
  • Willful infringement of an established policy or rule
  • Gross negligence
  • Theft or unauthorized possession or use of property belonging to Compati Home Care
  • Destruction of company and/or associate property
  • Fighting or serious breach of acceptable behavior
  • Violation of the Drug and Alcohol Policy

This list is intended to be a depiction of the types of activities that may result in corrective action. It should not be considered an inclusive list, nor does it change the employment-at-will relationship between the employee and Compati Home Care. In the event that an employee is dismissed for any reason, all benefits will end at the conclusion of the month in which the termination date falls.

Additionally, please reference the previously stated 90-day new hire probationary period description.