2.10 Hours of Work

2.10.1 Workweek and Hours of Employees

The workweek commences at 7:30 a.m. on Monday and continues until 5:30 p.m. the following Friday. A work schedule will be organized in a manner that assures that the Center will be properly staffed throughout the period that the Center is open for business. All staff will be expected to arrive and be ready to begin the day’s activities at the appointed hour.

2.10.2 Lunch Breaks

Break times should be taken away from the classroom and children.  Personal business and personal telephone calls should be conducted only at a break time.  An employee may not leave the classroom for a break unless there is adequate coverage by other staff.

To maintain staff to child ratios, if a teacher needs a temporary break from the classroom the teacher can call the front office. One of the administrative staff will help assist with coverage for the teacher. This is for a teacher that needs to go to the bathroom, becomes over whelmed, or stressed, or who may need to make a quick personal phone call.

Employees are scheduled for a nine hour day with one hour being for their break and lunch time. The one hour for their break and lunch is unpaid time. For those employees who choose to work a compressed schedule they will receive a 15 minute paid break in the middle of their 8 hour shift.

When you have a scheduled meal break (lunch) during your shift, you may leave the Center.  If you remain in the Center, you are requested to stay in a non-working area. The staff lounge is provided for staff break times or lunch breaks.  Once you have closed out or clocked out, you are off duty and not authorized to perform any work for the Center.  If you are requested to help in the Center, you must clock back in.

2.11 Expenses

With prior approval from your supervisor, the Center will reimburse individual staff members for equipment or classroom material purchased. For tax reimbursement reasons, FEELC tries to limit employee purchases to $25. The employee must submit an itemized list of material to be purchased to his or her supervisor for approval. The supervisor will decide which items on the list the employee will be authorized to purchase. Should the employee purchase items not previously approved by the supervisor, there is no guarantee that reimbursement for unauthorized items will be made. In order to be reimbursed for approved purchased items, the employee must submit to the supervisor an original receipt from the place of purchase.

2.11.1 Staff Training or Instructional Expenses

In order to provide maximum opportunity for professional development of teaching staff members, the Center shall provide opportunities for attendance at conferences, institutes, and workshops, within budgetary limits. All employees must meet required training hours each licensing year as dictated by North Carolina law. Any staff member who does not attain the required training will be dismissed. All staff are required to be CPR and First Aid certified and maintain that status as required by the state. CPR and First Aid will be offered twice during a year. Employees that do not attend will be expected to pay for certification.Expenses eligible for reimbursement are defined within certain limits. Most payment for training will be at the discretion of the Executive Director. The Executive Director may elect to pay for training in advance of completion. In that case, the employee will be required to repay the Center for the cost of the training if the employee does not attain a passing grade or if she/he leaves the Center within 3 months of the training (i.e., community college or university course). If a staff member does not attend a workshop/conference for which the Center has paid part or all of the expenses, she or he is responsible for reimbursing the Center for that amount. Failure to do so will be cause for termination of employment.

Staff members will be responsible for receiving written credit notations about their participation in staff development activities and turning in the documentation to the Center for their personnel file.

In Summary, First Environments Early Learning Center recognizes the importance of continued education and professional development opportunities to keep all staff abreast of current trends in Early Childhood Education. FEELC offers staff opportunities to participate as both presenters at area conferences and as attendees. FEELC covers the cost of tuition and travel. For more information on conference opportunities please contact the Director at blake@firstenviroments.org

Individual professional development plans are created and reviewed during each staff member’s performance evaluation.
FEELC gives employees a salary increase on completion of an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education or Related Field. Please contact our Human Resource Coordinator at sberkowitz@firstenvironments.org

All infant staff, rotating staff and administrative staff must have SIDS training. SIDS training must be renewed every three years. Please read over the FEELC Infant Safe Sleep Policy.

Last updated: 12/14/2019