DCW Job Description
💼 Job Summary:
The Direct Care Worker will assist the elderly, convalescents, or persons with disabilities with daily living activities in the patient’s home. Duties performed may include keeping house (making beds, doing laundry, washing dishes) and preparing meals. In addition the Personal Care Aide assists patient’s with Personal care tasks such as bathing, dressing, grooming and home exercises.
🏠 Environment:
Work may also be performed primarily indoors in a patient’s home, throughout all areas, walking on uneven surfaces, wet sidewalks, and on carpeted and/or tiled floors. Work will be performed there routinely around other co-workers, patient’s, and guests. Due to the nature of the business, worker may be exposed to occasional slippery floors, object on floors, chemicals, sharp objects, hazardous materials and waste (including human), blood borne pathogens, and communicable diseases, as well as high-stress medical and/or life-threatening situations.
📋 Duties/Responsibilities:
• Administers bedside and personal care such as ambulation and personal hygiene assistance.
• Prepares and maintains records of client progress and services performed, reporting changes in client condition to manager or supervisor.
• Performs housekeeping duties such as cooking, cleaning, washing clothes and dishes, and running errands.
• Cares for individuals and families during periods of incapacitation, family disruption, and convalescence; providing companionship, personal care, and help in adjusting to new lifestyles.
• Performs health care-related tasks such as monitoring vital signs and medication under the direction of registered nurses or physiotherapists.
• Plans, shops for, and prepares nutritious meals, and assists families in planning, shopping for, or preparing nutritious meals.
• Transports clients to locations outside the home such as to physicians’ offices or on outings, using a motor vehicle.
• Trains family members to provide bedside care.
• Instructs or advises clients on issues such as household cleanliness, utilities, hygiene, nutrition, or infant care.
• Participates in case reviews, consulting with the team caring for the client, to evaluate the client’s needs and plan for continuing services.
🧠 Required Skills/Abilities:
• Must have an empathetic attitude toward the sick, elderly, handicapped, terminal, dependent or disabled patient in the home setting.
• Basic understanding of medical terminology.
✅ Hire Requirements:
• Must have a negative TB test within the past 6 months
• Must be fully vaccinated against COVID 19
• Must produce a clear state background check
• Must be a resident of PA for the past 2 years or undergo a FBI fingerprint check
• Must Pass an initial competency exam
💪 Physical Requirements:
• Prolonged periods of standing, bending and lifting.
• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds at times.
HHA Job Description
💼 Job Summary:
The Home Health Aide will assist the elderly, Pediatric patients, or persons with disabilities with daily living activities in the patient’s home. Duties performed may include keeping house (making beds, doing laundry, washing dishes) and preparing meals. In addition the Home Health Aide assists patient’s with Personal care tasks such as bathing, dressing, grooming and home exercises.
🏠 Environment:
Work may also be performed primarily indoors in a patient’s home, throughout all areas, walking on uneven surfaces, wet sidewalks, and on carpeted and/or tiled floors. Work will be performed there routinely around other co-workers, patient’s, and guests. Due to the nature of the business, worker may be exposed to occasional slippery floors, object on floors, chemicals, sharp objects, hazardous materials and waste (including human), blood borne pathogens, and communicable diseases, as well as high-stress medical and/or life-threatening situations.
📋 Duties/Responsibilities:
• Administers bedside and personal care such as ambulation and personal hygiene assistance.
• Prepares and maintains records of client progress and services performed, reporting changes in client condition to manager or supervisor.
• Performs housekeeping duties such as cooking, cleaning, washing clothes and dishes, and running errands.
• Cares for individuals and families during periods of incapacitation, family disruption, and convalescence; providing companionship, personal care, and help in adjusting to new lifestyles.
• Performs health care-related tasks such as monitoring vital signs and medication under the direction of registered nurses or physiotherapists.
• Plans, shops for, and prepares nutritious meals, and assists families in planning, shopping for, or preparing nutritious meals.
• Transports clients to locations outside the home such as to physicians’ offices or on outings, using a motor vehicle.
• Trains family members to provide bedside care.
• Providing basic personal care, such as bathing, dressing, and grooming.
• Instructs or advises clients on issues such as household cleanliness, utilities, hygiene, nutrition, or infant care.
• Participates in case reviews, consulting with the team caring for the client, to evaluate the client’s needs and plan for continuing services.
🧠 Required Skills/Abilities:
• Must have an empathetic attitude toward the sick, elderly, handicapped, terminal, dependent or disabled patient in the home setting.
• Basic understanding of medical terminology.
✅ Hire Requirements:
• Must have a negative TB test within the past 6 months
• Must be fully vaccinated against COVID 19
• Must produce a clear state background check
• Must undergo a FBI Fingerprint check
• Must submit a clear child abuse screening
• Must Pass an initial competency exam
💪 Physical Requirements:
• Prolonged periods of standing, bending and lifting.
• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds at times.
LPN Job Description
💼 Job Summary:
The Licensed Practical Nurse work with patients who need modest oversight, including children with chronic illnesses or developmental problems, and seniors with mild to moderate health issues. During their scheduled visits, they record their patients' vital signs, check that they're taking their medications correctly, and sometimes perform other duties such as cooking or light housekeeping. They observe the patient and the patient's home for any signs that might indicate ill health or advancing dementia.
🏠 Environment:
Work may also be performed primarily indoors in a patient’s home, throughout all areas, walking on uneven surfaces, wet sidewalks, and on carpeted and/or tiled floors. Work will be performed there routinely around other co-workers, patient’s, and guests. Due to the nature of the business, worker may be exposed to occasional slippery floors, object on floors, chemicals, sharp objects, hazardous materials and waste (including human), blood borne pathogens, and communicable diseases, as well as high-stress medical and/or life-threatening situations.
📋 Duties/Responsibilities:
• Helping patients bathe, get dressed, go to the bathroom, and eat
• Administers medications or starts intravenous fluids, noting times and amounts on patients charts.
• Observes patients, charting and reporting changes in conditions such as adverse reactions to medication or treatment and takes necessary actions.
• Answers patients calls and determines how to assist them.
• Measures and records patients vital signs such as height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiration.
• Provides basic patient care or treatments such as taking temperatures or blood pressures, dressing wounds, treating bedsores, giving enemas or douches, rubbing with alcohol, massaging, or performing catheterizations.
• Works as part of a health care team to assess patient needs, plans and modifies care, and implements interventions.
• Evaluates nursing intervention outcomes, conferring with other health care team members.
• Assembles and uses equipment such as catheters, tracheotomy tubes, or oxygen suppliers.
• Records food and fluid intake and output.
🧠 Required Skills/Abilities:
• Must have an empathetic attitude toward the sick, elderly, handicapped, terminal, dependent or disabled patient in the home setting.
• Knowledge of nursing and health care terminology
✅ Hire Requirements:
• Must have a valid PA LPN License
• Must have a negative TB test within the past 6 months
• Must be fully vaccinated against COVID 19
• Must produce a clear state background check
• Must be a resident of PA for the past 2 years or undergo a FBI fingerprint check
• Must Pass an initial competency exam
💪 Physical Requirements:
• Prolonged periods of standing, bending and lifting.
• Must be able to lift up to 75 pounds at times.
HIPAA
🔒 HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
It is a federal law whose purpose is to protect the privacy of personal medical information that is shared with doctors, nurses, hospitals, insurance companies and other health care providers.
HIPAA’s Privacy Rule puts new limits on how personal medical information is used and shared, gives client the right to access their medical records and puts greater protection on those medical records.
In the past personal health information was sold or shared to make decisions regarding employment, for marketing purposes, to coordinate care for disease management and to help determine drug costs. This was done without notice to or consent of the client.
The Privacy Rule applies to all forms of personal health information – written, electronic or oral.
❓ Who has to follow the HIPAA Rules?
All health care providers – doctors, nurses, aides, insurance companies, health care agencies, hospitals, laboratories and business associates of these persons must follow the HIPAA rules.
❓ What is personal health information?
Personal Health information includes any information regarding the past, present or future physical or mental health or condition of a person that is used for treatment or payment of healthcare.
The HIPAA rules include additional information that is protected by the privacy rule – any information that can be used to identify individuals. This might be the name, social security number, address, health insurance numbers, doctor’s name, diagnosis, etc.
This information can connect a person to specific health information.
Protected Health Information (PHI) is that personal health information that is transmitted or stored electronically or in any form other than hard copy.
❓ What does The Agency have to do to meet the new regulations?
The Agency must do several things in order to fulfill its legal obligations.
• We must provide client and employee education about the privacy rights and how client information can be used.
• Policies and procedures must be developed for the client and employee to follow.
• All employees must be trained about the policies and procedures.
Most important of all, employees must be aware of the way that they contribute to the maintenance of client confidentiality – not discussing cases with people who are not involved in the client’s care, keeping records secure and out of the sight of people who do not work for the agency, properly destroying client documents that are no longer needed or pieces of paper that have client information written on them, disclosing only the minimum amount of information that is needed, taking other measures to protect client confidentiality such as learning about practices.
❓ What information does the client need to know?
Clients will be informed of the new privacy rule and their rights under this rule, through a “Notice of Privacy Rights”.
The nurse will give this document to the client at the time of the first nursing visit and will ask the client to sign a consent form to use and share the PHI for treatment, payment and health care operations.
This consent form must be kept on file for six years.
❓ How can PHI be used and disclosed legally?
In order for client to receive treatment, have the treatment paid for by their insurance company and for the health care agency to operate, protected health information (PHI) must be used and disclosed by the people involved in the care of the client.
PHI is used when it is shared, examined, applied and analyzed.
PHI is disclosed when it is released, transferred or accessed in any way by outside the health care agency.
PHI maybe used or disclosed in the following instances:
• For treatment, payment or health care operations
• With authorization or agreement from the client
• For disclosure to the client
• For incidental uses such as doctors talking to clients in a hospital room or on the phone or a nurse who is taking care of the client
For other uses or disclosures, the client must sign a special authorization form.
❓ What requirements are related to the special authorization form?
This form must be signed by the client when information must be used or shared with a third party for purpose not related to treatment, payment or health care operations.
The authorization may be revoked by the client at any time.
Each authorization must give:
• A specific description of the information to be used or shared
• The name of the person who is getting the information
• The purpose of the disclosure
• Date of expiration of authorization
• Must be written in plain English
The information that is share must be minimum necessary.
❓ Are there other times when PHI can be disclosed without obtaining a special authorization?
Yes, PHI may be legally disclosed without obtaining a special authorization from the client for the purpose of audits, civil and criminal investigations, law enforcement, judicial and administrative proceedings, reporting public health and safety and suspected/known cases of abuse, neglect or domestic violence and other legal requirements.
In emergency circumstances PHI may be disclosed.
PHI may also be shared with relatives, coroners and medical examiners.
❓ Can I tell if the client says I can?
Disclosure may be made to family members, friends or other people that clients indicate is involved in their care or payment of health care unless the client objects in whole or part.
In any other situation not described previously, you need to get the client’s written authorization to disclose any PHI.
❓ What if “they” are listening?
An incidental use or disclosure is a secondary use of disclosure that cannot reasonably be prevented, is limited in nature and occurs as a result of an otherwise permitted use or disclose.
They are permitted only to the extent that reasonable safeguards have been applied and do not disclose any more of the PHI than is necessary to accomplish the permitted use or disclosure – this is known as the Minimum Necessary Standard.
An example might be the disclosure about a client by a home health aide in the client’s home that might be overheard by the other family members not involved in the client’s care.
❓ What is “minimum necessary rule”?
Use or disclosure of PHI must be limited to the smallest amount that is needed to get a job done.
This means that not all employees may have the same amount of formation about a client.
Each employee should have only the information that is necessary for them to carry out their job.
This rule does not apply to use or disclosure of medical records for treatment purposes since the health care provider needs access to the entire record to provide quality care.
❓ What happens if an individual or agency fails to follow these laws?
Failure to comply may result in civil and/or criminal penalties.
❓ Does HIPAA take precedence over other existing confidentiality laws?
In cases where state laws are stricter than the HIPAA rules, the state laws take precedence.
An example is the HIV confidentiality laws.
❓ Does HIPAA have any other part beside the Privacy Rule?
Yes, there are three parts to the HIPAA regulations.
You have already heard about the Privacy Rule.
HIPAA also sets standards for the electronic transmission of PHI if order to standardize how this is done throughout the country.
There will also be a Security Rule which will create standards governing the security of protected health information (PHI); these regulations have not been written yet.
Emergency Preparedness
⚠️ Occurrence/Situation can impact our ability to provide services and care to our clients. Examples of an emergency may be a snowstorm, power failure, hurricane and transit strike.
In the event of an emergency, employee cooperation and understanding is needed.
We may need to change your case assignment (re-assign you to a case closer to your residence location or to a case of greater risk status- based on the classification system defined in the policy).
We may need to ask you to work more hours for which you will be paid or to ask you to work different days, etc.
We expect that all our employees will understand the strong need to be available during an emergency.
📞 We request that all employees call in to their HR Specialist to offer help even if you are not scheduled to work.
🚨 Emergency plan:
In the event of certain kinds of emergencies, the following instructions must be followed:
• If you are unable, for any reason, to work all of your assigned hours, you must submit a time off request form as soon as possible.
• If there is a natural disaster (hurricane, flood, snowstorm, etc..) you should make every effort to get to work.
• Once you are working a shift, listen to instructions from a local emergency radio or television station.
• You must notify the agency if you are unable to reach the worksite.
🌨️ Inclement weather:
The Agency provides client services even in the event of inclement weather.
In the event employees have difficulty with transportation due to the weather, you must submit a time off request form as soon as possible before the beginning of their shift.
🔥 Fire:
If you are with a client and a fire occurs, you should, at the first sign of smoke, go immediately to the safest exit with the client.
Once away from danger, call the fire department.
If the client cannot be moved, close the door of the client’s room and go to the nearest safe telephone.
Dial 911 give them the exact address and name of yourself and the client.
Do not attempt to put out the fire yourself.
Do not return to the house until the fire department has given you permission to do so.
Notify the client's Coordinator as soon as you and your client are out of danger.
🔌 Power failure:
If you are with a client and there is a power failure, try to keep the client as warm and comfortable as possible.
Inform the agency as soon as possible.
If the client is on life-support equipment be certain to switch to the generator back up.
Notify the utility company and contact the agency as soon as possible.
If your client is in a life-threatening situation, call 911 immediately.
🚑 Medical emergency:
If a medical emergency occurs while you are with a client, these are the general rules which you should follow.
• Seek emergency help by dialing the number provided as the client's emergency contact on the HHAeXchange app.
• Keep the client as comfortable as possible.
• Observe the client and report all symptoms to emergency personnel.
• Notify the agency of situation and outcome.
💙 You are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of your client during the assigned hours.
If for any reason you cannot provide all the hours of service required, you must notify the agency at once.
Employment Records
📂 All employees hired by CareSphere have provided personal information pre hire. It is the employees responsibility to ensure their personnel file is up to date at all time.
👤 Demographics:
The following personal information is collected pre-hire. It is the employees responsibility to inform CareSphere of any changes.
• Name Change
• Address Change
• Emergency Contact
• Change in phone number
• Marital status
• Citizenship status
Employees should keep their personnel file up to date by informing CareSphere of any changes.
Employees should also inform CareSphere of any specialized training or skills they acquire, as well as any changes to any required visas.
Unreported changes of address, marital status, etc can affect withholding tax and benefit coverage.
Further, an "out of date" emergency contact or an inability to reach employees in a crisis could cause a sever health or safety risk or other significan problem.
📞 Employees must always have an active phone number on file with CareSphere.
If an employees phone number was disconnected and an alternate phone number was not provided we will consider it as job abandonment due to the inability to contact you.
📋 Paperwork Compliance
During the application process
False Claims Review
⚖️ CareSphere has a longstanding practice of fair and truthful dealing with its participants, their families, the government, health professionals and others.
No individual associated with CareSphere shall engage in any act of fraud, abuse or waste, such as knowingly making false statements of material fact, in the preparation or submission of any claim for reimbursement under the Medicaid program.
This policy applies to all CareSphere employees, contractors or other agents.
Compliance with this Policy is a condition of employment or business relationship with CareSphere.
Violation of this policy is grounds for immediate termination of employment or agency relationship.
🚫 A. Definitions of Fraud, Abuse and Waste
Fraud is an intentional misrepresentation that, when relied on by a payer or other person, deceives that person to his or her detriment.
Abusive tactics are broader than fraud and may include submitting deceptive or misleading claims to a government program like Medicaid, or using a false statement to support a claim.
Waste may include other deceptive tactics, such as over-utilization of otherwise necessary services.
Types of fraud, abuse, or waste which may lead to liability are:
• Knowingly filing a false or fraudulent claim for payments to Medicaid or another governmentally funded health care program, such as billing for services not actually provided;
• Knowingly making or using a false record or statement to obtain payment on a false or fraudulent claim from Medicaid or other governmental program, such as documenting clinical care not actually provided;
• Conspiring to defraud Medicaid or other governmentally funded health care program by attempting to have a false or fraudulent claim paid; or
• Knowingly making or using, or causing to be made or used, a false record to statement to conceal, avoid or decrease an obligation to pay or transmit money or property to the government.
• Clocking in for another agency during the same time period as being clocked in for this agency, thereby causing duplicate billing to Medicaid or another government-funded healthcare program. This constitutes fraud by seeking payment for the same hours from multiple sources.
📌 Examples of the above include but are not limited to:
• Completing timesheets for services not actually provided;
• Paying an invoice known to be false;
• Accepting or soliciting kickbacks or illegal inducements from vendors of services, or offering or paying kickbacks or illegal inducements to vendors of services;
• Paying, offering gifts, money, remuneration or free services to entice a Medicaid recipient to use CareSphere services;
• Using Medicaid reimbursement to pay a personal expense;
• Embezzling;
• Ordering and charging for medical services not necessary for the participant.
📢 B. Mandatory Reporting Requirement
If any individual subject to this policy has reason to believe that anyone associated with CareSphere has engaged in any fraud, abuse or waste, the individual has a duty to report any such observations and concerns immediately to Malky Neiman.
CareSphere shall not retaliate against anyone submitting a timely report pursuant to this policy.
All reports shall be investigated under the supervision of Malky Neiman.
All employees and contractors have a duty to cooperate with any investigation conducted by CareSphere.
🔍 CareSphere will take any necessary action to respond appropriately to any substantiated offense and to prevent any further offenses, including but not limited to terminating employees or contractors.
Offenses will be evaluated for voluntary self-disclosure under applicable laws, and when warranted, they will be referred to federal and state authorities.
CareSphere will cooperate with government officials investigating or prosecuting any individual referred by CareSphere.
EEO and Non-Harrasment
⚖️ Equal Employment Opportunity
CareSphere is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, Ethnicity, gender, age, hair, physical or mental disability or handicap (including pregnancy), sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, arrest record, past-current-or prospective service in the uniformed services, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
Our management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment.
♿ Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities:
CareSphere will make reasonable accommodations, as required by law, for the known physical or mental disabilities of an otherwise qualified applicant or employee, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship upon CareSphere's business operations.
An accommodation is not reasonable if, even with the accommodation, the employee is unable to perform essential job duties in a manner that would not endanger the employee's health or safety of the employee or others.
Any applicant or employee who believes they require an accommodation in order to perform the essential functions of the job should contact the Director of Human Resources to request such an accommodation.
Employees should specify what accommodation they need to perform the job and submit supporting medical documentation explaining the underlying physical or mental disability and the basis for the requested accommodation.
CareSphere then will review and analyze the request, including engaging in an interactive process with the employee or applicant, to identify if such an accommodation can be made.
CareSphere will evaluate requested accommodations, and as appropriate identify other possible accommodations, if any.
The employee will be notified of CareSphere's decision regarding the request within a reasonable period.
CareSphere treats all medical information submitted as part of the accommodation process in a confidential manner.
🙏 CareSphere will endeavor to accommodate the sincere religious beliefs of its employees to the extent such accommodation does not pose an undue hardship on CareSphere's operations.
If employees wish to request such an accommodation, they should contact the Director of Human Resources.
📢 Any employees with questions or concerns about equal employment opportunities in the workplace are encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of the Director of Human Resources.
CareSphere will not allow any form of retaliation against individuals who raise issues of equal employment opportunity.
If employees feel they have been subjected to any such retaliation, they should contact the Director of Human Resources.
To ensure our workplace is free of artificial barriers, violation of this policy including any improper retaliatory conduct will lead to discipline, up to and including discharge.
All employees must cooperate with all investigations.
🚫 Non-Harassment
It is CareSphere’s policy to prohibit intentional and unintentional harassment of any individual by another person on the basis of any protected classification including, but not limited to, race, color, national origin, disability, religion, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation or age.
The purpose of this policy is not to regulate our employees' personal morality, but to ensure that in the workplace, no one harasses another individual.
If the employee feels that he or she has been subjected to conduct which violates this policy, he or she should immediately report the matter to the HR Generalist.
If the employee is unable for any reason to contact this person, or if the employee has not received a satisfactory response within five (5) business days after reporting any incident of what the employee perceives to be harassment, the employee should contact the Director of Human Resources.
If the person toward whom the complaint is directed is one of the individuals indicated above, the employee should contact any higher-level manager in his or her reporting hierarchy.
🔍 Every report of perceived harassment will be fully investigated, and corrective action will be taken where appropriate.
All complaints will be kept confidential to the extent possible, but confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.
In addition, CareSphere will not allow any form of retaliation against individuals who report unwelcome conduct to management or who cooperate in the investigations of such reports in accordance with this policy.
If the employee feels he or she has been subjected to any such retaliation, he or she should report it in the same manner in which the employee would report a claim of perceived harassment under this policy.
⚠️ Violation of this policy including any improper retaliatory conduct will result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.
All employees must cooperate with all investigations.
Sexual Harrassment
🚫 Sexual Harassment Policy
CareSphere is committed to providing a work environment free from sexual harassment and all forms of unlawful harassment and discrimination. Sexual harassment is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
This policy applies to all employees, applicants, contractors, patients, family members, vendors, visitors, and any other individuals with whom employees interact while performing their job duties.
Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, visual, physical, or electronic conduct of a sexual nature when:
• Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly as a term or condition of employment;
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions;
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance; or
• Such conduct creates an intimidating, hostile, offensive, or uncomfortable work environment.
📌 Examples of prohibited conduct include, but are not limited to:
• Unwelcome sexual advances or propositions;
• Requests for sexual favors;
• Sexual jokes, comments, or innuendos;
• Comments about a person's body, appearance, or clothing;
• Displaying, sending, or sharing sexually suggestive pictures, videos, messages, or other materials;
• Unwanted touching, hugging, kissing, patting, rubbing, or other physical contact;
• Repeated requests for dates after being declined;
• Staring, leering, or making inappropriate gestures;
• Sending sexually explicit text messages, emails, social media messages, or other electronic communications;
• Any conduct of a sexual nature that creates an offensive, intimidating, or hostile work environment.
🏠 Home Care Environment
Because CareSphere employees provide services in clients' homes, employees may occasionally encounter inappropriate behavior from patients, family members, visitors, or others present in the home.
Employees are not expected to tolerate sexual harassment from any individual, regardless of their relationship to CareSphere.
Examples may include:
• Sexual comments or jokes made by a patient or family member;
• Requests for personal relationships or dates;
• Unwanted touching or physical contact;
• Exposure to sexually explicit materials or behavior;
• Repeated comments regarding an employee's appearance or body.
🗣️ Employee Response Expectations
If an employee experiences inappropriate sexual comments, advances, or behavior from a patient, family member, visitor, or any other individual, the employee should, when safe and appropriate to do so, establish clear and professional boundaries immediately.
Employees should calmly and respectfully communicate that the relationship is strictly professional and work-related and that such comments, requests, or behaviors are inappropriate and must stop.
Examples of appropriate responses may include:
• "I am here as your caregiver, and our relationship must remain professional."
• "That comment makes me uncomfortable. Please keep our interactions work-related."
• "I am not permitted to engage in personal or romantic relationships with patients or family members."
If the behavior continues, becomes threatening, or causes the employee to feel unsafe, the employee should remove themselves from the situation when possible and immediately notify their Coordinator.
CareSphere will review the situation and take appropriate action to protect the employee and ensure a safe working environment.
📢 Reporting Harassment
Any employee who believes they have been subjected to sexual harassment, has witnessed sexual harassment, or becomes aware of possible sexual harassment should report the matter immediately.
Reports may be made to:
• The employee's Supervisor or Coordinator;
• The HR Generalist;
• The Director of Human Resources; or
• Any member of management.
Employees are encouraged to report concerns as soon as possible so that the matter can be promptly investigated.
🔍 Investigation Process
CareSphere will promptly and thoroughly investigate all reports of sexual harassment.
Investigations will be conducted as confidentially as possible while allowing for a complete review of the allegations.
All employees are expected to cooperate fully with any investigation.
If CareSphere determines that sexual harassment has occurred, appropriate corrective action will be taken, up to and including termination of employment, removal from an assignment, termination of contracts, or other appropriate measures.
🛡️ Protection Against Retaliation
CareSphere strictly prohibits retaliation against any individual who reports sexual harassment, participates in an investigation, or opposes conduct believed to violate this policy.
Retaliation is a serious violation of this policy and will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
Any employee who believes they have experienced retaliation should immediately report the matter through the same reporting procedures outlined above.
CareSphere is committed to maintaining a respectful, professional, and safe environment for employees and those we serve.
Workplace Progressive Discipline
⚠️ Any employee conduct that violates company rules described in CareSphere's knowledge base or that, in the opinion of the company, interferes with or adversely affects our business is sufficient ground for disciplinary action.
Disciplinary action can range from coaching to immediate discharge, depending on the severity of the offense.
Our general policy is to take disciplinary steps in the following order:
🗣️ Offense #1 = Discussion/Training
The first time discipline is needed, an HR Specialist will reach out to you to discuss it.
You will receive a full outline and any training needed for the policy.
📝 Offense #2 = Written Warning
If after you were provided with training and still fail to follow company policy, the HR Specialist will reach out to you to figure out a way to avoid it happening again in the future.
At this time, a written warning will be given to you which you will be required to acknowledge.
We provide you with a synopsis of the conversation between you and the HR Specialist to ensure that you and the HR Specialist are clear what exactly is expected of you.
🚨 Offense #3 = Final Warning
If after you received a written warning you still failed to follow the company policy, we are forced to then put you on a final warning.
You will be placed on a 28 day probationary period.
If during the 28 days you fail to follow that policy you will be automatically terminated.
❌ Termination
We work hard on resolving all issues and training you on our policies and procedures.
If you fail your 28 day probationary period, you will be terminated.
However, this is not a guarantee of any particular treatment in a given circumstance.
We reserve the right to alter the order described above, to skip disciplinary steps, to eliminate disciplinary steps, or to create new disciplinary steps.
📋 In choosing the appropriate disciplinary measure, we may consider any number of factors, including:
• the seriousness of the offense
• any history of misconduct
• your employment records
• the strength of the evidence against you
• your length of employment
• your ability and willingness to correct the behavior
• your attitude about the behavior
• actions taken by the company in the past for similar behavior by other employees
• how the behavior affects the company, its customers, and your coworkers
⚖️ We will give these considerations whatever weight we deem appropriate.
Worker’s Compensation
🏥 Workers' compensation provides medical expenses, lost wages, and rehabilitation costs to employees who are injured or become ill “in the course and scope” of their job.
Following an on-the-job injury or work-related illness, there’s a limited amount of time to report the injury and file a claim.
Therefore it is important for caregivers to report it to their HR Specialist immediately.
These requirements apply no matter how slight or minor the injury might seem.
📞 If you have questions about whether the injury is reportable, still call your HR Specialist and ask – do not make these decisions on your own.
You will then be asked to sign authorization forms which will allow us to start the process of reporting it to the workers comp insurance company.
📋 Once reported, in order to ensure that your medical treatment will be paid for by CareSphere you must select from one of the following health care providers:
.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-07-22T21%3A48%3A29Z&se=2026-07-22T22%3A30%3A29Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=dWQ2NhM6uIijVIAORBmuI6fF8p9oI2ZmOjL3Lx3Xrcw%3D)
🩺 You must continue to visit one of the physicians listed above, if you need treatment, for ninety (90) days from the date of your first visit.
If one of the persons below refers you to another licensed specialist, your employer or their insurer will pay the bill for these services.
After this 90 day period, if you still need treatment and CareSphere has provided a list as set forth below, you may choose to go to another health care provider for treatment.
You should notify CareSphere of this action within five days of your visit to said provider.
⚕️ If a physician on this list prescribes invasive surgery, you may obtain a second opinion from any physician of your choice.
If the second opinion is different than the listed physician's opinion, you may determine which course of treatment to follow; however, the second opinion must contain a specific and detailed treatment plan.
If you choose the second opinion, the procedures in that opinion must be performed by one of the physicians on the list for the first 90 days.
Therefore, in this situation, the employee may be required to treat with an employer-designated provider for up to 180 days.
🚑 If you are faced with a medical emergency, you may secure assistance from a hospital, physician, or health care provider of your choice for your work related injury.
However, when the emergency is resolved, you must seek treatment from a provider listed above.
⚠️ Your failure to follow this procedure may result in the appropriate workers’ compensation report not being filed in accordance with the law, which may consequently jeopardize your right to benefits.
Photo Waiver
📸 All employees sign the following photo waiver when signing for the handbook:
I Herby consent ot and authorize CareSphere to (a) take at any time, in CareSphere’s discretion, my photograph, whether alone or with other people, (b) using and re-using each such photograph in print, electronic or other media, or copies of same for CareSphere’s publications, advertising, marketing (including social media marketing), publicity, promotions, public relations, and news media business activities, including, but not limited to, CareSphere’s website and in CareSphere’s business development or other promotional materials, including print, broadcast, and electronic media, including social media.
I can withdraw this consent at any time by notifying the corporate office.
By accepting employment with CareSphere, I, and my successors and assigns, release and discharge CareSphere from each claim or cause of action arising out of or in connection with its use of my photograph or name pursuant to this consent.
Use of Social Media
🌐 CareSphere respects the right of any employee to maintain a blog, web page or to participate in social networking, (Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin etc).
However, to protect CareSphere interests and ensure employees focus on their job duties, employees must adhere to the following rules:
📱 • Employees may not post on blog or web page or participate on a social networking platform during work time or any time with CareSphere or patient equipment or property.
🔒 • All rules regarding confidential and proprietary business information apply in full to blogs, web pages and other social networking platforms. Any information that cannot be disclosed thru a conversation, a note or an email cannot be disclosed in a blog, web page or social networking site.
⚖️ • If CareSphere is mentioned in a post which also mentions either a political opinion or an opinion regarding CareSphere's actions that could pose an actual or potential conflict of interest with CareSphere, the poster must include a disclaimer. The poster should specifically state that the opinion expressed is his/her personal opinion and not CareSphere's position. This is necessary to preserve CareSphere's good will in the marketplace.
💭 • CareSphere encourages all employees to keep in mind the speed and manner in which information posted online is received and often misunderstood by readers.
Employees must use their best judgement.
Failure to follow the above guidelines will result in discipline, up to and including termination.
📰 Publicity/Statements to the Media:
All media inquiries regarding the position of CareSphere as to any issues must be referred to your HR Specialist.
Only your HR Specialist is authorized to make or approve public statements on behalf of CareSphere.
No employees, unless specifically designated by your HR Specialist, are authorized to make those statements on behalf of CareSphere.
✍️ Any employee wishing to write and/or publish an article, paper, or other publication on behalf of CareSphere must first obtain approval from Human Resources.
Termination
🚪 To ensure fair and consistent termination practices CareSphere has an established termination policy.
📝 Voluntary Termination
Employees who resign from CareSphere are required to give at least 7 days written notice of intended resignation / termination via submitting a time off request form.
The notice should include the anticipated date of departure, the reason for resignation, the employee’s signature and other pertinent data.
Failure to provide sufficient written notice may result in your ineligibility for rehire, may cause loss of accrued vacation pay, and all compensation owed to the employee may be paid at the current legal minimum wage.
Accumulated Time off benefits will not be paid upon termination.
⚠️ Involuntary Termination
Termination may occur at any time for a reason other than discrimination based upon sex, race, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation or other types of discrimination.
🤝 Exit Interview
An exit interview may be requested by the employee terminating employment or by a management team member receiving the notice of termination.
Exit interviews will be conducted by the HR Specialist.