Baby Yale Academy strives to provide additional benefits to employees whenever possible, based on funding.
Benefits’ eligibility is generally determined by an employee’s classification. Employees are classified as either full-time or part-time for determining applicable benefits.
Employees will generally be classified upon hiring; reclassification may be done at the Director’s discretion, based on changes to an employee’s overall hours worked or other appropriate circumstances. Each employee will be advised at the time of hire of the benefits for which they are eligible. Employees will be notified of additional benefits and their eligibility during employment.
BYA does not guarantee any benefits to any employee. BYA reserves the right to change, cancel, and/or deny benefits at its sole discretion to maintain the fiscal soundness of the Center.
We currently offer the following to regular employees. Some are immediately available when an employee starts work; others depend on the length of employment at the Center.
Vacation Time and Sick Days
Full-time employees shall be eligible for vacation time, calculated as follows:
Full-time:
Upon completing 1.5 years of employment, the full-time employee shall earn one (1) week of paid vacation during the Christmas Break while the Center is closed. Employees are discouraged from paying for or scheduling vacations until they have received written approval.
Part-time:
There are no vacation or holiday (school closer days) available for part time employees. Part time employees may accumulate comp time when it is available to be used for time off.
Sick Leave
Baby Yale Academy provides 2 days of sick leave to all regular employees who have successfully completed their probation period. The usage of sick leave (other than the 3 protected days) are still subject to disciplinary action if an employee is continually unavailable for work. Employees will be subjected to coaching and counselling up to and including termination for abuse of sick leave. Doctor notes are required for sick leave usage.
Training
Baby Yale Academy will not cover the cost for new employees who do not have first aid or CPR certifications to receive such training. BYA will also not pay for annual recertification as needed or required for licensure. In addition, other required training (Universal Precautions, Safe Sleep policy, etc.) will be offered to employees free of charge.
Education Assistance/Career Development
For employees who lack full credentials, or for those who wish to pursue additional education opportunities which may benefit themselves and the Center, Baby Yale Academy will work with the employees to ensure that they can attend school. Including, allowing your children (if they are enrolled and regularly attends BYA to attend the school while you take classes during our hours of operation at no additional charge to you. We are however a participant in the QRIS program which provides stipends for continuous education and aids in obtaining permits.
After 6 months of employment at the Center, staff are required to begin work to obtain a Child Development permit (if not already earned). While there is no specific time limit to earn this credential, the Director shall make the final determination as to whether an employee will be considered as actively working toward the CDA. We are committed to helping our staff develop into increasingly more capable teachers, and thus better able to serve themselves, the children at the Center, and the Center’s overall goals.
Child Care
Baby Yale Academy allows employees to enroll their minor children in the program at the employee (discounted) rate, as noted on our childcare fees schedule. Employees seeking to enroll their child(Ren) in the program must discuss placement and tuition benefits with the Director. BYA reserves the right to limit the number of employee’s children receiving reduced childcare at the Center at any time.
Under most circumstances, an employee who has a child enrolled in the Center will be prohibited from providing direct care to her or his child.
Employees who fail to pay tuition per the Fee Agreement will have their childcare services terminated/suspended, just as any other parent would.
Baby Yale Academy further reserves the right to disenroll an employee’s child(Ren) if the employee’s performance is affected by having his or her child(Ren) at the Center. Employees must remember they are employed to perform a specific job and not allow themselves to be distracted by having their child(Ren) enrolled in the program. Employees are prohibited from interfering with the supervision or authority of their child(Ren)’s classroom teacher.
Non-enrolled minor children of employees are generally prohibited from being on Center property without an accompanying adult while the employee is on the clock, except with the prior written approval of the Director or when the employee’s family is invited to participate in Center activities.
OTHER POLICIES
Meals and Breaks
Employees can eat the meals served in their classrooms with their classes. The Center does not charge employees for those meals. Employees lunch period are generally scheduled and can be ½ hour or 1 hour in length. This must be determined and maintained until changed by the Center. Changes in breaks, lunch, start and end time must have prior authorization by the Center Directors.
Employees may take a break of up to 15 minutes for every full 4 hours worked, ratios and staffing requirements permitting. Breaks of this sort are considered paid time. Employees cannot leave children unattended during a break, and ratios must be maintained always. It is your duty to promptly notify a Director if you are out of ratio or have just become out of ratio. You must ensure that another teacher or teacher’s aide is dispatched to your classroom. You must notify us promptly if the person providing you a break has not shown to release you.
Required Staff Meetings
Because communication between the staff and the Center Director is crucial to good practices within the Center, mandatory staff meetings will be scheduled monthly. All employees are expected to attend these meetings; exceptions must be approved in writing by the Director, in advance of the meeting.
All staff meetings will be announced in advance and generally will occur after the Center has closed for the day. Employees will be compensated at their normal hourly pay rate for the meeting or can choose compensation time.
Required Training and Education
As mentioned in the Benefits section, Baby Yale Academy offers a variety of training and educational opportunities to its employees. Many of these are required; others may be optional. Workshops, conferences, and other training not approved in advance will not be paid for.
CONDUCT AND ETHICS
The reputation of Baby Yale Academy is built upon the ethical conduct of our employees, and the overall success of the business is tied to this as well. Our reputation for integrity and excellence requires careful observance of the spirit and letter of applicable laws and regulations, as well as a scrupulous regard for the highest professional standards of conduct and personal integrity.
Baby Yale Academy is dependent upon our families’ trust and we are dedicated to preserving that trust. Employees have a duty to BYA and its families to act in a way that will merit the continued trust and confidence of the public.
Baby Yale Academy will comply with all applicable laws and regulations and expects its directors and employees to conduct business in accordance with the letter, spirit, and intent of all relevant laws, statutes, ordinances, and regulations and to refrain from any illegal, dishonest, or unethical conduct.
In general, the use of good judgment, based on high ethical principles, will guide employees with respect to acceptable conduct. When a situation arises where it is difficult to determine
the proper course of action, the employee should discuss the matter with the Center Director.
Compliance with these principles of conduct and ethics is the responsibility of every Baby Yale Academy employee. Disregarding or failing to meet any of the following standards may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
21 Hours of Professional Development
All staff are required to have 21 hours of professional development each year. It is your responsibility to enroll and/or attend various trainings, webinars, seminars to ensure that you have the required 21 hours of training. You are responsible for all fees/costs associated with obtaining this requirement. Failure to meet this requirement can result in disciplinary actions, up to and including termination.
Permits
All teaching staff are required to have permits. You must ensure that your permit is current and that you have obtained the correct permit based on your schooling level, experience etc. Failure to maintain a current permit, can result in disciplinary actions, up to and including termination. You are responsible for all fees associated with these permits.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
A conflict of interest can be a conflict between a person’s private interest and their public obligation. You have a duty to act in the best interests of Baby Yale Academy and must not use your position for your own personal benefit. If you believe you may have a conflict of interest, you are obligated to immediately disclose the conflict/potential conflict. Conflicts can be but not limited to:
Outside Interest – where a contract or transaction between Baby Yale Academy and an entity in which a responsible person or family member has a material financial interest or of which such person is a director, officer, agent, partner, associate, trustee, personal representative or other legal representative. A responsible person competing with Baby Yale Academy in the rendering of services or in any other contract or transaction with a third party.
Gifts, Gratuities and Entertainment – You are prohibited from accepting gifts over $100.00, entertainment or other favors from any individual or entity that does or is seeking business with or is a competitor of Baby Yale Academy.
Personal Appearance
All employees are expected to present a neat and clean appearance and to dress appropriately for their position and duties. An employee’s appearance and dress should reflect the professional nature of the position as well as be functional within the expectations and responsibilities of the job. Please note that Baby Yale Academy is not responsible for damage to or loss of an employee’s articles of clothing, jewelry and/or accessories.
Dress Code
Radical departure from conventional dress or personal grooming is not permitted, as it may serve as a distraction or worse to the children at the Center, parents, and other employees. The following items constitute the basic dress code for employees of the Center. Final determination of the dress code acceptability of an employee’s attire shall be determined by the Director.
Our dress code is black long pants or capris and the appropriate color BYA shirt for the day of the week. If you do not have the shirt(s) for that day, you are to wear a white-collar shirt. Failure to comply with these dress codes will result in you being sent home to change your clothing at your own expense.
Unacceptable dress includes, but is not limited to:
- Short shorts (defined as shorts that come up higher than the tip of your middle finger when your arms are straight at your sides)
- Short dresses or skirts (dresses and skirts radically above the knee are not acceptable. Do not wear dresses and skirts if it will interfere with your ability to get down on the floor with the children.
- Low scoop neck shirts or blouses (at no time should undergarments be visible)
- Clothes that expose the stomach.
- Clothing with logos and pictures that are inappropriate for children (profanity, sexual innuendoes, violence, drugs, and similar content) or other logos of other companies.
- Jewelry which may present a safety hazard (long necklaces/earrings, etc.).
Employees who are found to be in violation of the dress code may be asked to go home and change; the time required to do so is unpaid. A verbal warning will also be given and documented. Second and subsequent violations will result in a written warning, documentation of the incident, and may be subject to other disciplinary action, up to and including loss of employment.
