The primary responsibility of TLC employees is to help students take full advantage of the resources offered by TLC. The following sections provide the expectations you will need to follow as an employee of TLC.

Basics of Employment

Punctuality

Store your personal items before your shift begins. To be on time, check in with the Coach on Duty (COD, also known as a lead coach) at the start of your shift time. 

Any changes to the start or end of your scheduled shift time require advanced approval from a member of the Leadership Team. All changes to shifts will be documented in SARS and you will need to include a Workday comment when entering your time worked. To request time off in advance, please provide at-least-7 days notice and make your request using the "Request A Day Off" link in the Employee HUB in Canvas.  

Consequences for Missed Shifts or Tardiness

Unexcused absences (i.e. missing your shift without prior approval) or repeated tardiness will initiate a meeting with a member of the Leadership Team to discuss one or more of the following: adjusting your work schedule, a reduction of scheduled hours, or a removal from the schedule. Action will vary depending on the severity.

Professionalism

You are expected to behave professionally with your actions and words when working as an employee of TLC. Rude comments or behavior, cursing or use of profanity, outbursts of anger, or other unprofessional displays will not be tolerated. If there is a problem with a student or fellow coworker, immediately inform a member of the Leadership Team so that it can be handled.

• Personal homework: MiraCosta board policy states that staff may not be paid to do personal work, which restricts tutors being able to work on homework. To honor this, the Learning Centers staff will focus more on professional growth and teambuilding opportunities during their shifts, particularly during tutoring downtime. 

• Personal life concerns: Consider asking for time off if personal life issues feel too overwhelming and begin affecting your work. Please handle personal concerns discreetly, off-the-clock, and outside the Centers. 

• MiraCosta student priority: MiraCosta students in ASIC-focused courses, STEM courses, and writing courses are our first priority for tutoring assistance. We often have community members and students from other colleges or high schools that may drop by for some assistance. Please communicate clearly that MiraCosta students are first priority.  

Private Tutoring

While employed as a tutor at MCC, it is a violation of Board Policy to be paid by MiraCosta students for private tutoring. If a student asks you about tutoring “on the side,” please inform them that such a matter is a conflict of interest and direct them to free tutoring in TLC or to other tutoring services, such as WeTC. Also, no private tutor can hold a tutoring session in TLC at any time.

• NOTE: Tutoring students from other schools is not a conflict of interest and individuals may decide to tutor privately at their own discretion.

Sexual Harassment and other Harassment

Be constantly aware of the prevalence and seriousness of all forms of harassment. Of acute concern is sexual harassment, which is “unwanted verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.” Be sure that your own conduct is above reproach and be sensitive to the messages of others (which may be subtle or disguised by smiles, giggles, and other signs of embarrassment). Recognize that your actions, however innocent of intention, can be misunderstood by others. If you need guidance on a particularly sensitive matter, contact the your Operations Supervisor. Harassment is grounds for dismissal; the expectation is that you conduct yourselves appropriately.

Personal Relationships with Students and Other Employees

It is not illegal for an employee to date another employee or even a student when there is consent, but it becomes an issue when your personal life begins to affect your work performance in TLC.

• Do not use TLC as a dating resource - do not ask others on dates, do not make any advances, and restrain yourself from flirting with others while working. Responses to these types of issues may include schedule changes, reduction in hours, suspension, or dismissal.

  • There are some relationships where a power differential prevents consent in the relationship. On a college campus, those relationships include: (1) teacher/student, (2) supervisor/subordinate, (3) Learning Coach/Tutor, etc. When one person has power over grades, work schedules, hours, discipline, or any other area that could impact another, the subordinate cannot give true consent. There will always be a part of the perceived consent that hinges on favorable treatment from the supervisor (quid-pro-quo), thus MiraCosta College prohibits these relationships to avoid all such conflicts and issues regarding consent.

• If you are experiencing unwanted attention from an employee or a student, you can talk to an Operations Supervisor who will work to resolve this issue. Students have a right to feel safe while in TLC, and so do you as an employee.

End of Employment

When the time comes for you to leave TLC on good terms (not dismissed/terminated), please adhere to the following guidelines:

• We expect that you will commit to working at TLC until the end of the current semester. At the end of each semester we will survey all staff to determine their desire to continue working for the following semester. This information helps us to determine our needs for hiring new staff.

• Should a situation arise where you feel you can no longer work through the end of the current semester, you will need to send an email to your Operations Supervisor stating your decision. This email should include a two weeks notice to allow your supervisor necessary time to find someone to cover your shifts. Following these guidelines will allow your supervisor to provide a positive reference for future employment and other requested recommendations.