Hello BIS Team,

Happy Fri~YAY! Weather outside is fully winterized, so be sure to give yourself plenty of time if getting to work and drive slow to arrive & leave safely! Be sure to check with your supervisors if you have any questions about outings. If needing assistance getting to work, please reach out to your scheduling supervisor.  Did you know today is National Caregiver Day? Around the nation, dedicated healthcare professionals serve those who require long-term or hospice care. They provide vital services, reassuring patients and the families who care about them. Often loved ones require care we are unable to provide due to our inability physically or not having the skills or means to provide the care. Expert caregivers are trained to provide round-the-clock services in safe environments. Their care enables the family to focus on their loved one’s healing process. In hospice care, a caregiver allows the family to spend time with their loved one without worrying about medical responsibilities. ~https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-caregivers-day-third-friday-in-february/

 

Winter Weather Spotlight: With December brings impending winter weather! Driving during winter weather can be very unpredictable. Therefore, it is essential to keep your vehicle stocked for worst-case scenarios. Whether your car breaks down or you get stuck in the snow, a little preparation can make a bad situation bearable and may save your life. Below are some tips to winterize your vehicle. Also see the attached Auto-Winter Driver flyer to learn more about how to keep yourself (and your clients) safe when driving this winter.

WINTERIZE YOUR VEHICLE

·     Have a mechanic check the following at the start of the winter season

·     Antifreeze levels – make sure to keep levels full

·     Battery and ignition system

·     Brakes

·     Exhaust system – leaks in your exhaust system can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning

·     Fuel and air filters

·     Heater and defroster

·     Oil

·     Thermostat

·     Windshield wiper equipment and washer fluid

·     Install good winter tires

·     Always maintain at least a half tank of gas

 

Employee Handbook Acknowledgment Forms (in Setworks): Thanks to everyone so far who’s completed the Employee Handbook Acknowledgement on Setworks! There are some forms being completed incorrectly – if you received a separate email earlier today, please go back and ensure you sign-off correctly. If you’re struggling with Setworks, you can also send an Employee Handbook Acknowledgment through the BIS website under Annual Trainings. This will also go directly to me. Anyone who’s still missing an acknowledgement will receive a separate email or message on Setworks. The Employee Handbook on the BIS website under the “Employee Handbook” tab. Eventually, it will be moving to the “Employee Resources” tab, so if you can’t find it one day, be sure to check there. Here is the link to access the updated Handbookà https://behaviorinterventionservices.com/employee-handbook/

Black History Spotlight:  William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, (2/23/1868- 8/27/1963) was an American sociologist, historian, author, editor, and activist who was the one of the most important Black protest leaders in the United States during the first half of the 20th century. He one of the first black men to receive his Ph. D from Harvard University. Du Bois shared in the creation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909 and edited The Crisis, magazine, from 1910 to 1934. His collection of essays The Souls of Black Folk (1903) is a landmark of African American literature. For more than a decade he devoted himself to sociological investigations of Blacks in America, producing 16 research monographs published between 1897 and 1914 at Atlanta University in Georgia, where he was a professor.

• For more information, resources, and activities https://blackhistorymonth.gov/about/ 
• For Black history events around St. Louis visit: https://www.slcl.org/events/black-history-celebration and https://www.stltoday.com/life-entertainment/local/st-louis-black-history-month-activities-aim-for-education-inspiration-and-fun/article_f9e35b36-b590-11ee-982b-6350ef8e1d20.html

St. Louis Black History Month activities aim for education, inspiration and fun Tour Bellefontaine Cemetery, listen to Billy Dee Williams from Star Wars and more at these events. www.stltoday.com

 

President’s Day Spotlight: Every third Monday of February (2/19/24) we celebrate Presidents’ Day in all its patriotic glory. Many people relish their day off of work, but they might be surprised to know that that was the point! Washington’s Birthday didn’t officially become Presidents’ Day until the late 1960s. In 1971, Richard M. Nixon made the executive order to pass the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which shifted Washington’s Birthday, Columbus Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans’ Day to Monday. With the date landing in the middle of Lincoln’s and Washington’s birthday, it became known as Presidents’ Day. The hope was that it would increase productivity and decrease employee absenteeism.

• George Washington was the only president unanimously elected. …
• John Adams died on the same day as Thomas Jefferson, July 4th, 1826. …
• Thomas Jefferson was also an accomplished architect. …
• James Madison and George Washington are the only presidents who signed the Constitution.

Attendance Spotlight: January 2024

We had some stellar attendance for last month! I’m happy to announce that our Perfect Attendance Winner for the month of January 2024 Tacy Betz! Trazcy is a Crisis RBT who works at Grow DayHab. She’s been with BIS since April 2021 and we are so lucky to have her! Thanks so much for your great attendance last month! In order to show our appreciation you will be a receiving a $50.00 gift card. Also, you are eligible to spin the prize wheel up at the BIS office! Look out for a separate email from me on how to claim your prize.  Congratulations Tracy!

 

BIS Website Spotlight: Sick time has now been added to the BIS Website under the PTO Request Tab. Sick time is a new benefit this year for Full-Time employees. To send request for PTO, Wellness Time, or Sick Time. You can visit https://behaviorinterventionservices.com/pto-request/

 

Policy Spotlight: *New Policy Update*

303 Sick Days

                                                                                                                Effective Date: 1/1/2024 Revision Date: 1/9/2024

 

After 90 days of hire, all full-time staff will begin accruing sick days. Time accrued can be used as soon as it is earned. If sick leave used exceeds sick leave available, vacation time will be utilized for the absences(s). Any special circumstance that results in a negative leave balance of 10 or more hours MUST have the prior approval of the Executive Director.

 

Accrued sick leave may be used to care for an employee’s family member (parent/stepparent, spouse/significant other (defined as a person of significant importance to the employee on a daily basis as the employee’s family member of choice), or child/stepchild) or for any family member who permanently resides in the employee’s home. BIS recognizes that there may be occasions when an employee wishes to discuss utilizing sick leave for individuals who are not specifically covered under this policy. These special circumstances should be discussed with, and receive approval by, the Executive Director.

 

When an employee is ill, they are encouraged to use sick days to recover and to prevent the passage of germs. As a general guideline, employees are requested to be free from a fever for twenty-four.

(24) hours without fever reducing medication before returning to work.

 

Employees will notify their immediate supervisor before or at the beginning of the workday when illness prevents attendance at work.

If an illness exceeds three (3) days in length consecutively (and is not pre-approved as FMLA), or a distinct pattern of illness is evidenced by time off requests, the employee will be required to submit a statement from their Health Care Practitioner (HCP) stating that they have been under the HCP’s care for the duration and that they are released to return to duty. BIS may request and obtain verification of the circumstances surrounding any sick leave at any time.

 

Employees will accrue sick leave at the following rates.

·         After 90 days accrual will be .08 per paycheck (8 hours total will be accrued between 3- and 6-months employment)

·         After 1 year of employment 1.23.

The maximum accrual allowed is 2 weeks. Any time in excess of the carry over amount will be considered forfeited.

 

Accrued but unused sick leave will not be paid to an employee who separates from the BIS, nor will it be re-instated should a former employee return to employment with the BIS. Any used sick time during a final 14 days of employment will be recouped on employee’s final paycheck.