NGOZI PLACE
Employee Guidelines
Last Updated: 03/18/2022
Contents
Introduction to our Company!
Goals for Ngozi Place Team!
Ngozi Place Offers:
Terms of Employment
Drug Free Workplace
Nondisclosure
Confidentiality
Anti – Discriminatory Policy
At Will Employment
Inclement Weather Policy
Appearance / Dress Code
Technology / Phone Use
ABSENCES / TARDIES
Progressive Discipline Policy
Compensation
Job Titles / Duties
Welcome!
Introduction
The Sonya Golden dba Ngozi Place team welcomes you to the world of Home & Community based Services! Sonya Golden dba Ngozi Place pronounced (N – Go – zi) is African in origin from the word Blessing, or to be a blessing. We deliver effective and superior care for our clients with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities.
Our company values employees who are qualified, service driven, and those who will maintain the standards & goals of Ngozi Place!
Goals for Ngozi Place Team:
To provide a clean, comfortable, and safe environment in which our clients can grow, and lead a happy life in which their needs are met.
To maintain courteous and professional interaction with the individuals served, team members, families and all related individuals or agencies that Ngozi Place maintains relationships with.
The individuals that we serve have choices for who delivers services to them. Our goal is to exceed the expectations of standard care and provide a true quality of living for all Ngozi participants and remain the first choice!
We seek to maintain our quality of care, we hope you’re a blessing too!
Ngozi Place Offers:
Ngozi Place; A Home and Community Services (HCS) provider offers the following services.
Residential Support Services (Group Homes)
Host Home / Companion Care
ISS (Individualized Skills & Socialization, formerly known as Day Habilitation)
CFC / Respite
Nursing RN/LVN
Adaptive Aids
Specialized Therapies to include:
Behavioral Support
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Speech / Language Pathology
Dietary
Audiology
Terms of Employment
Drug - Free Workplace
Sonya Golden dba Ngozi Place workplace is drug free, or without drugs. Neither staff, nor client should abuse, misuse, or use drugs for recreation in our workplace. Please note that Ngozi Place HCS program reserves the right to test staff for illicit drugs. Tests can be done at random, and will be mandatory upon any accidents, incidents, or any other action that has caused harm or injury to our clients, and or damage to Ngozi Place property.
Nondisclosure
By accepting a position with the SONYA GOLDEN DBA NGOZI PLACE team, you are agreeing to waive your rights for use of any depictions of you within photographs to be taken and utilized for promotional purposes within the program. The NGOZI team agrees to use these photos/videos ONLY and for the express purpose of promoting our activities and services.
Confidentiality
This is a notice about our confidentiality policy. In no capacity is it acceptable to divulge or disseminate company trade secrets, nor client information, unless given express written permission by the director of the program. There are few instances in which aforementioned information should arise, and as such will be handled with diligence.
Anti – Discriminatory Policy
Sonya Golden dba NGOZI PLACE strives to maintain equal employment opportunities in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. We believe that every individual has the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal opportunities, and prohibits unlawful discriminatory practices including harassment of any kind. Therefore, Ngozi Place expects its team members to create work-based relationships that are free of bias, prejudice, and harassment.
Ngozi Place has developed this policy to ensure all its employees can work in an environment free from any kind of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
We ensure with reasonable effort that all employees will be made familiar with this policy during the interview process and will be in this guidebook as a reminder.
At Will Employment
Ngozi Place is an AT WILL EMPLOYER. This means that we reserve the right to fire any employee/contractor at will. Although we maintain this right, Ngozi Place utilizes a progressive disciplinary policy and will ensure that all employees/contractors be made aware of their removal from our team.
Instances that involve suspicion of abuse, neglect and exploitation and present immediate compromise of the health, safety, and welfare of the individuals that the company serves; may cause termination without the use of progressive discipline.
Inclement Weather
We want to ensure that all parties involved are safe at all times. While not every weather pattern warrants restricted travel, please be mindful of the clients and staff. This means that if you are unable to travel safely to your destination or scheduled shift, that you communicate with your home manager so that proper arrangements can be made. That said, if you choose to not attend your scheduled shift without communicating you will be subject to disciplinary action including, but not limited to your shifts being reduced and depending on the severity, termination. See ABSENCES / TARDIES for more information.
Appearance / Dress Code
As an employee/contractor of Sonya Golden dba Ngozi Place, you are a representation of the company and we expect that you present the company in a positive manner. Furthermore, your appearance is important as it distinguishes yourself from the individuals that we serve.
All employees are required to wear a shirt/top that covers the person's torso i.e. no shirts without sleeves. No logos that are offensive in nature or represent additional or former employment. Pants must be at waist level, with closed toe shoes.
This environment is not one of glamour, so functionality of our employees' clothing is a requirement of the job.
We want our employees to be comfortable, while at the same time to be mindful of the work they are performing.
When participating in service planning meetings or appointments in the community, employees/contractors are expected to dress in a business casual manner that is representative of the company.
Technology / Phone Use
We demand that our team members' phone usage be limited to providing services for our clients, emergency situations, and business purposes only. Excessive use of technology/phones can prove to be a distraction, and as such working distracted is not only a hazard to our team members but is NEGLIGENT to our clients. We always want to remain alert, and not only react, but act in the most positive manners. Finally, we ask that our employees only take photos for the express purpose of demonstrating our events/ programs for later promotional purposes of said program.
ABSENCES / TARDIES
UNEXCUSED ABSENCES / LATE ARRIVALS ARE UNACCEPTABLE FOR OUR TEAM MEMBERS. If you must be absent to attend appointments, give your supervisor acknowledgement of need 3 days prior to the planned absence. If a team member does not give adequate time to have their shift covered, they are endangering future shifts. We are always open. We require reliable, consistent, and responsible employees as it is what our clients deserve. This includes adequately communicating if you are late. If you need time off, we request that you let us know to cater our schedule to cover your absence.
DUE TO THE NATURE OF OUR WORK, UNEXCUSED ABSENCES / CONSISTENT LATE ARRIVAL WILL LEAD TO THE FOLLOWING:
YOUR SHIFTS/HOURS BEING REDUCED.
TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT
Progressive Discipline Policy
Ngozi Place attests to our growing company! We show faith in our team members by utilizing a Progressive Discipline Policy. We’re fully aware that mistakes are made, but we know that bumps and bruises can produce greatness. That is why we’re committed to teaching our team members how to improve their behaviors to curve harsh and unjust disciplinary actions! We will, within reason, always give a team member the opportunity to better themselves and improve their work before seeking alternate solutions. The typical progression of disciplinary action is as follows;
Staff will have the opportunity to address circumstance/s that lead to discussion about discipline.
Staff will be informed of desired changes to improve their performance.
If staff performance does not improve, disciplinary action will be taken including but not limited to retraining or termination depending on the severity of the actions taken by the staff member.
Please be aware that withholding knowledge of issues such as abuse, neglect, and exploitation, or stealing time on the clock, and not reporting these issues makes you complicit in the wrongdoings of those committing the acts themselves. You can, and will be held accountable for not reporting this behavior as a co-conspirator. You may also have your hours reduced or be taken off the schedule until a thorough investigation has been completed by our management team.
Compensation
Ngozi Place is a HCS Program funded majorly through the state of Texas, Medicaid, and partially through other programs. Our records, services, and invoices must be accurate, and completed within a timely fashion as to be paid for our business. This means that lacking diligence and not handling our responsibilities will HINDER OUR ABILITY to provide service and receive payment. If a team member hinders our ability to provide service, they will be disciplined accordingly, and can delay payment from the set schedule. Please note, that remaining on the clock past your scheduled time without prior approval, or proper reason, you may be removed from the schedule as this act is considered stealing time, and will be handled as Medicaid Fraud.
Job Titles / Duties
Ngozi Place is a sole proprietorship. That means the final responsibility and consequences fall on our Director, Sonya Golden. Ngozi Place values its team members, as if they were cogs in a fine clock. One cog loses its place, and the clock will be out of order, much like our business. It takes a team of dedicated members to help maintain the fluidity of our work to improve the lives of our consumers.
We have a director, operations manager, nurses, case coordinator, day hab. associates, and direct care staff. All these positions are important, as they keep our clock running smoothly. Since we are a small company, it is imperative that we all play our roles in maintaining our level of service. Due to the size of our company, several roles overlap, especially for administration. Everyone has a role to assist in functions of the company. This means covering fine details, as small as emptying trash of the facility at the end of the day. This is everyone’s responsibility. Maintaining our individual responsibility is a HUGE factor in keeping our level of service at its peak. As we grow, additional positions may be added to accommodate our growth. Diapers, soiled gloves, and other waste products should never be left loose, and without proper disposal in the trash bins of the home. At no time is it acceptable to leave trash of any kind, nor any other object near entrances. Not only is this an unsanitary practice, you can jeopardize an exit in case of emergency.
Welcome!
Now that we’ve established all the ground rules, and regulations, and even compensation. We hope that you stay and help us continue to be a Ngozi Place!
By filling this form out below and submitting confirms you have received this documentation. Thank you.