Hello BIS Community,
Happy Wednesday! Since it’s a holiday week, we’re getting the Spotlight a little early. November is National Gratitude month. Gratitude is more than simply saying “thank you.” Gratitude’s amazing powers have the ability to shift us from focusing on the negative to appreciating what is positive in our lives. Practicing daily gratitude gives us a deeper connection to ourselves and the world around us. Everything in our lives has the ability to improve when we are grateful. Research has shown that gratitude can enhance our moods, decrease stress, and drastically improve our overall level of health and wellbeing. While this week is a great reminder to stop and acknowledge what we’re most grateful for; implementing daily gratitude is just as important. At BIS we are SO thankful for all the work each employee does, we’re also thankful to our families who’ve selected and trusted us with their loved ones treatment, and we’re thankful for our clients who give us the opportunity to thrive and grow alongside them every day!
Office Spotlight: The office will be closed tomorrow, Thursday (11/23/22). Friday, 11/24/23, Berly, Financial Manager will be there to answer phones and assist with appointments. There are a lot of people out of the office this due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, so please be sure to call ahead or confirm an appointment time with your supervisor to ensure we can provide the assistance you need!
Adopt A Family: Hog Raffle It’s that time of year again! We are raising money for Adopt-A-Family to give our supported individuals a special holiday. Win a 1/2 Hog from Schubert’s!
· Prices: $10 for one ticket or three for $25! You can bring cash, check, or payroll deduction by written requests to pdobbins@bis-stl.com
· Tickets will be at the front office or we can bring them to you! You can email Lauren Phillips, at lphillips@bis-stlc.om or call the office during normal business hours at 314-395-9375 with any questions
· All tickets and money due by 12/4/23! Sell! Sell! Sell!
Holiday Hustle Spotlight: BIS is going to be holding a drawing to give away a CAR!
That’s right, we have a 2016 Ford Escape that will be going to one lucky employee on January 8th, 2024! Car is in good condition and runs well. It has 151,000 miles and the value is approximately $10,000. There are no guarantees or warranties that come with the car and it is being given away without any additional guarantees about its future performance. An additional $150.00 stipend will also be provided to the winner to assist with the cost coverage of the first couple of months insurance on this vehicle. How can you enter into this drawing? Every EMPLOYEE is eligible for the raffle. You can earn entries in three different ways, which include:
- Picking up open shifts! This includes ISL, Grow Day Program and Sprout (if available).
- For every open shift you pick up Monday through Friday, you will receive one entry
- For every shift you pick up from Friday at 3pm to Monday at 8:00am, you will receive two entries.
- Shifts covered by an ISL Manager, Assistant Director, or Director.
i. If there is an absence at any point on the week that you pick up a shift(s), you will not be able to earn any entries for that week.
- For any person you refer to work at BIS!
- For every person you refer to BIS who starts training (completes first full day), you will receive one entry.
- Once that person completes training, you will receive a second entry.
- Help us promote BIS! You can earn entries for positive reviews of BIS online! You don’t even have to leave your couch to earn entries in this category!
- For very five star review you give BIS on Google, Indeed, or GlassDoor, you will receive one entry.
- You will receive a second entry if you expand on your five star review to say a few nice things about BIS!
- Max of 6 entries per person
- Once you’ve completed the review, please take a screen shot of the review or copy your review and email it to jklamert@bis-stl.com . This way we’ll know it’s your review.
- Recruit for BIS! Earn 1 entry for a new idea on recruitment. For more information email Lisa Arnett, Hiring Manager at larnett@bis-stl.com
- If you have a great idea of a board, group, or avenue to get our job posting out to let me know. If it’s an idea we haven’t used= an entry
- Currently we are using college boards, Indeed, LinkedIn, Snag a Job and social media to get the word out that we are hiring. We have tried ZipRecruiter and Monster in the past as well. Got a new idea? Send it Lisa’s way!
Entries are happening NOW! We will have a live drawing on January 8th, at BIS headquarters located at 2644Metro Blvd.. Staff are welcome to come attend the drawing and have lunch with us on January 8th. Feel free to bring your client up for lunch as well if you are on shift.
Entries Totals So Far…
| 11/6/2023 | 11/13/2023 | Grand Total | |
| Alexis Cross | 2 | 2 | |
| Alyson Benz | 9 | 11 | 20 |
| Andre Randle | 8 | 7 | 15 |
| Ariel Williams | 0 | 0 | |
| Breanna Wilkerson | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| Camille Meriwether | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Charo Stovall | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Dede Jackson | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Dejah Adams | 9 | 4 | 13 |
| Dejia Kelly | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Denzel McNeely | 1 | 1 | |
| Dezzarae Westbrook | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Donesha Bowden | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| Donetta Watson | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| Dorothy Woods | 5 | 7 | 12 |
| Dyante Love | 3 | 3 | |
| Ememine Uviesherhe | 6 | 8 | 14 |
| Eulisa Roberts | 10 | 8 | 18 |
| Ieisha Paine | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| Isola Mims | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| Jamie Williams | 6 | 3 | 9 |
| Jamonika Walls | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Jennie Freeman | 8 | 6 | 14 |
| Jeraldine Williams | 8 | 11 | 19 |
| Johnathan Morgan | 1 | 1 | |
| Jonathan Sholar | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| Jordan Howell | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Kandilyn Coleman | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Kim Martin | 10 | 11 | 21 |
| Kina Johnson | 7 | 6 | 13 |
| Makaya Johnson | 7 | 7 | |
| Mary Beth Choate | 1 | 1 | |
| Maurice Brown | 4 | 4 | |
| Michael Cundiff | 11 | 10 | 21 |
| Michelle Pelate | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| Pam Williams | 11 | 10 | 21 |
| Phillip Hyslop | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Renese Jones | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| Roxanne Cooper | 6 | 6 | 12 |
| Ruth Allen | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Samuel Young | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Sara McCoy | 1 | 1 | |
| Sarah Ramsey | 6 | 4 | 10 |
| Senobia Cross | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| Shakita Blakely | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Shane Wille | 3 | 3 | |
| Shantae Ogunbanke | 13 | 9 | 22 |
| Shantania Banks | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Sharren Baynes | 3 | 3 | |
| Shasta Gaston | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| Shemiko Lee | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Sierra Eason | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| Sophia Borrowman | 2 | 2 | |
| Surlander Scott | 6 | 6 | |
| Sydney Bayless | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Teasia Lee | 0 | 0 | |
| Tieairrah Moore | 2 | 2 | |
| Tisshay Townsend | 2 | 2 | |
| Trissel McNeil | 9 | 7 | 16 |
| Tyler Jackson-Joyner | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Tyra Newby | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Whittney Lee | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Grand Total | 229 | 241 | 470 |
Tax Forms Spotlight: The end of the year is coming and due and that means tax season is just around the corner! As a reminder, W-2s are distributed electronically free of charge and paper copies have a $5.00 processing fee. Make sure you’ve “Opted In” on Paycor to receive your W-2 as quickly as possible. Paperless W-2s and 1095-C forms are highly encouraged. If you elect to receive electronic forms, you must opt-in no later than Friday, December 15, 2023. Scan the QR code or view the attachment in this email for instructions on how to receive your tax documents electronically. If you have already opted into paperless, you can disregard this message.
· Please make sure we have your most recent address on file to process your W-2 as accurately as possible.
· Anyone that has recently moved or would like to update their tax forms should do so by completing the forms below or attached. Forms can be printed for pick up at BIS office with appointments only.
- Federal W4 2023 and State W4 2023 are attached to this email.
- Completed W-4 Forms must be completed and submitted in person in order to update your information. Forms will not be accepted through email, mail, or fax.
- Be sure to watch for more information about W-2s and tax forms in the next coming weeks.
***Should any employee have a question on how to fill these out forms, they should seek the guidance of a knowledgeable tax professional***
Procedure Spotlight:
783 Financial Responsibility
Effective Date: 11/16/2017
Revision Date: 11/22/2017
As an employee and thereby, agent or representative of BIS, any unauthorized use of an agency credit cards, client monies or general funds will be the employee’s responsibility to pay back in full.
All staff members with a company card in their name are responsible for the receipts for all charges and returns made on their company card. All company/client services require a receipt for the transaction, listing the date, time and total amount of transaction.
Hand written receipts are only accepted for charges occurring at places that do not provide official receipts. All hand written receipts must receive prior written approval from a Director.
· Acceptable examples: flea market, garage sale, vending machine, special event/fair
· Not acceptable examples: Walmart, Wendy’s, Schnuck’s, Dollar Tree, etc.
· All non-approved hand receipts will be considered a lost receipt, followed by a payroll deduction.
Staff members who have company cards are responsible for staying within the allowed expenses for a given month and not exceeding what is budgeted for their client(s). Furthermore, allowed expenses have no correlation to any limit on the credit card. Allowed expenses are solely determined by a client’s budget and EBT allotment.
· Personal charges are not permitted on your company credit card and will be subject to payroll deduction.
· Lost or stolen credit cards must be reported via email to the Financial Director in addition to your immediate supervisor within 24 hours. Any charges that result in a loss or stolen card that is not reported within the 24 hour window may be subject to a payroll deduction on your next available check.
· Failure to provide receipts by assigned deadlines or upon resignation or termination will result in a payroll deduction on the next available paycheck. If earnings are not present to deduct from, further legal collective actions will be pursued, if necessary.
Employee use of their own money for purchases for a client are strictly prohibited without the consent and approval of that clients’ Department Director. While we recognize that an employee may want to gift or provide a certain item to a client, we prohibit these practices for several reasons:
· It may set up an unrealistic expectation by the client that all staff will do this
· could be seen as an attempt to gain favor or bribe the client
· clients have their own funds and finances which are to be used for things the client needs
· it is not the staff’s responsibility to provide monetary support to the client
Any monetary charges from property damages that may occur during the support of a client during which it was found that the employee was not implementing the correct plan of support will be passed on to the employee.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving,