Every employee.
Every department.
Every policy that applies to all of us.

Abilities, LLC is a Missouri DMH Division of Developmental Disabilities Tiered Provider. This is not just a license classification. It is the operating framework that shapes how we deliver services, how we support the people we serve, how we support our staff, and how we respond when things need to change.

Tiered Supports comes from the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) model, which Missouri DMH has adopted as the standard for DD providers. The framework is built on one core belief: most people do well when they have the right environment and the right supports in place. When someone is struggling, the first question is not what is wrong with this person — it is what does this person need that they aren't getting? That shift in thinking is the foundation of everything we do here.

The tiers are not a ranking of value. A person receiving Tier 3 supports is not worth less than a person who only needs Tier 1. And reaching Tier 3 — whether you are an individual we serve or an employee — does not mean we have given up. It means we are putting the most intensive support we have into a situation that requires it.

Every individual Abilities, LLC supports receives Tier 1 supports by default, on every shift, from every staff member. Tier 1 for individuals means:

• Consistent routines, clear structure, and predictable environments
• Staff who know the person, respect their preferences, and follow their plan
• Proactive communication that prevents problems rather than reacting to them
• Full access to the rights and community participation guaranteed under HCBS
• Honest, complete documentation that tracks what is working and what isn't

When a Tier 2 or Tier 3 support is added for an individual, it is because the team has determined that Tier 1 is not enough for that specific situation. It is always specific, always documented, always reviewed, and always aimed at getting the person to a place where they need less support — not more.

• Tier 1 for employees means universal training, clear expectations, regular feedback, recognition, and a workplace culture that makes it easy to do the right thing. Every employee gets this, regardless of how long they have been here or what position they hold.
• Tier 2 for employees means additional support when a concern arises — a documented coaching conversation, a targeted performance goal, extra training, or check-ins. The goal is always to help you succeed. Tier 2 is not a warning. It is support.
• Tier 3 for employees means formal employment action when Tier 2 has not produced change, or when conduct is serious enough to require immediate action. Tier 3 is not where we start. We begin with the least restrictive effective response and escalate only when we must.

Everything Abilities, LLC does — every policy, every training requirement, every expectation in this handbook — is grounded in a shared set of beliefs about who we serve and what our role is. This section is not a set of rules. It is an invitation to understand why what we do matters.

Abilities, LLC partners with individuals, families, and the community to provide safe, respectful, and high-quality supports that promote independence, dignity, and an improved quality of life for people with developmental disabilities. Our mission is not simply to provide services. It is to support people in living meaningful lives within their communities.

Abilities, LLC operates according to three core values. They are operational expectations that guide all employee conduct — in how we support the individuals we serve and in how we treat one another.

The individuals Abilities, LLC supports are whole people. They are people with personalities, preferences, relationships, histories, and futures. Our job is to understand who they are and support them in living lives that are genuinely their own.

Abilities, LLC supports individuals as autonomous people. We are not here to protect individuals from every difficult, uncomfortable, or disappointing experience. We are here to support them through life as it naturally occurs. The individuals we support are entitled to experience joy, pride, excitement, frustration, disappointment, sadness, conflict, growth, and resilience.

We believe independence, confidence, and a meaningful life are built through experience, not through protection from it. Our job is to walk alongside individuals, provide support when needed, and step back when it is not. The goal is always greater independence, not greater dependence on staff.

As an Abilities, LLC employee, you are expected to:

• Respect individuality, identity, personality, and preferences
• Support choice, even when outcomes are uncertain or imperfect
• Allow individuals to experience natural consequences in a supported and ethical manner
• Teach coping skills, problem-solving, and emotional regulation
• Avoid fear-based or overly restrictive practices
• Distinguish between necessary safety measures and unnecessary control

This Code of Conduct sets the professional and ethical standards expected of all Abilities, LLC employees. It ensures a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment by setting clear expectations for behavior, communication, and decision-making across all roles and settings. This policy applies to all Abilities, LLC employees regardless of role, department, or classification.

• Always act honestly and ethically in all work-related activities
• Follow all agency policies and procedures, including PCSPs, BSPs, and HCBS rules
• Maintain confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA and internal privacy protocols
• Avoid conflicts of interest and report any perceived or actual conflict to a supervisor

• Treat individuals with dignity, empathy, and respect at all times
• Support the rights of individuals, including their right to privacy, autonomy, and community participation
• Do not impose personal beliefs or make arbitrary decisions that restrict individual rights
• Never engage in, condone, or ignore abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Report suspected incidents immediately.

• Maintain a clean, safe, and inclusive environment for all individuals and staff
• Use appropriate language, tone, and physical behavior
• Casual attire is permitted. Clothing must not interfere with safety or dignity.
• General self-hygiene and being free of offensive odors is expected of all employees as a condition of employment

AuthorityTitle VII (42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq.); ADA (42 U.S.C. § 12101); ADEA (29 U.S.C. § 621); GINA (42 U.S.C. § 2000ff); Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 2000gg et seq.); USERRA (38 U.S.C. § 4301); Missouri Human Rights Act (RSMo Ch. 213). eeoc.gov/laws/statutes

Abilities, LLC is committed to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment. Discrimination based on any of the following characteristics is strictly prohibited:

• Race, color, creed, or religion
• Sexual orientation, gender or sex, gender identity or expression
• Pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions
• Military or veteran status
• Disability
• Age
• Genetic information
• National origin or ancestry

This policy applies to all workplace activities, including hiring, training, promotion, and the corrective action process. Abilities, LLC also provides reasonable accommodation for disability, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions as required by law (see Policy 2.5).

Discrimination does not have to be obvious to be real. Examples of prohibited conduct include:

• Refusing to schedule an employee for shifts because of their race
• Making comments about a coworker's accent or national origin
• Excluding someone from team conversations because of their gender identity
• Consistently assigning the hardest tasks to one person because of their age
• Treating someone differently after learning about a disability

If you are not sure whether something crosses the line, report it and let Human Resources decide.

AuthorityTitle VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2); EEOC enforcement guidance on harassment. eeoc.gov/harassment

Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors, or other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature. It applies to interactions between staff, as well as toward individuals served, visitors, or anyone associated with Abilities, LLC.

Any employee who feels they have been subjected to sexual harassment should report the behavior immediately to Human Resources. Reports will be investigated under Policy 5.6. No retaliation will be tolerated for making a report in good faith. Substantiated violations may result in immediate termination.

• Personal cell phone use during shifts should be limited. Phones should be kept out of sight and silent or vibrate.
• Personal video calls, FaceTiming, or live streaming for your own use are not permitted during shifts
• Supporting individuals in making video calls through agency-approved platforms is a staff responsibility and is expected (see Policy 7.2)
• Only use agency-approved platforms for documentation and communication
• Personal laptops, computers, and gaming systems may not be brought into agency ISLs
• You bring your phone to the ISL at your own risk. If an individual damages, destroys, or disposes of your phone, replacement is your responsibility, not the agency's.
• Employees may not do homework or personal work during any shift

• Do not possess, use, or be under the influence of drugs or alcohol during work hours
• Zero-tolerance policy for weapons on any agency premises or during work shifts
• Smoking and vaping are strictly prohibited inside all agency homes, vehicles, or offices
• Some homes are designated non-smoking due to medical equipment such as oxygen. Employees must know and follow the designation of each home they work in.

• Follow all safety protocols and infection control practices
• Complete incident and event reports within the required timeframe
• Report injuries, misconduct, or safety issues to supervisors or Human Resources promptly
• Participate in ongoing training
• Follow all traffic laws, wear seatbelts, and never use a phone while driving
• Report any vehicle accident immediately, no matter how minor

• Report to work as scheduled and on time
• Follow proper call-in procedures for absences
• Use PTO responsibly and in accordance with the attendance policy

AuthorityNational Labor Relations Act § 7 (29 U.S.C. § 157). nlrb.gov

Nothing in this Code of Conduct, this handbook, or any other Abilities, LLC policy restricts the rights of employees to discuss wages, hours, working conditions, or other terms and conditions of employment with each other or with third parties. Employees have the right to engage in protected concerted activity under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act, including the right to discuss working conditions, raise concerns, and act collectively for mutual aid and protection. Civility, professionalism, and respect for individuals served are workplace expectations and are not restrictions on these protected rights.

Abilities, LLC believes in coaching and feedback first. Most issues are resolved before they become formal concerns, because we address things early, clearly, and with a genuine investment in the employee's success.

Abilities, LLC requires comprehensive and regular background checks for all prospective and current employees. These checks are conducted through the Missouri Family Care Safety Registry and include screening against the Missouri Department of Mental Health Employee Disqualification Registry. No employee may have direct contact with individuals served until required screenings are complete and results are reviewed and approved.

This policy applies to all prospective hires, current full-time, part-time, PRN, and salaried employees, and volunteers.

Abilities, LLC uses the Missouri Family Care Safety Registry to conduct all required background screenings. The Registry provides consolidated results including the DHSS Employee Disqualification List, the DMH Employee Disqualification Registry, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol Criminal Background Check. Human Resources submits all screening requests through the Registry. Individual system checks are not conducted separately.

All applicants must sign a consent form and disclose their full criminal history, including any suspended sentence. Any disqualifying offense listed under Missouri law (RSMo 630.170) makes a person ineligible for employment.

AuthorityRSMo 630.170 (disqualifying offenses); RSMo 210.900 et seq. (Family Care Safety Registry); 9 CSR 45-5.010. health.mo.gov/safety/fcsr

Background checks are conducted annually for all current employees. HR initiates the check and reviews results. Employees are required to cooperate fully.

Abilities, LLC maintains a defined succession of authority to ensure continuity of agency operations and decision-making when the Executive Director is unable to perform their duties due to a major event. Succession is triggered by circumstances such as incapacitation, a medical emergency, sudden and extended unplanned absence, or a formal transition of authority. Routine unavailability, such as being in a meeting, traveling, or not immediately reachable, does not activate succession. Everyone should know who holds decision-making authority at all times.

The next available individual in the succession order assumes full authority of the Executive Director, including all regulatory, operational, financial, and personnel decisions, until the Executive Director is available again or a formal transition of authority is established.

When succession of authority is activated, the acting authority will notify department heads and relevant staff as soon as practicable. All regulatory agencies, funders, or partners that require notification of a leadership change will be notified in accordance with their respective requirements.

Abilities, LLC relies on a suite of cloud-hosted software systems to manage human resources, scheduling, clinical documentation, billing, and financial operations. These systems are maintained by the vendor, not by Abilities, and they occasionally go down for maintenance or unplanned outages. The agency does not have an internal protocol for fixing those outages, because the fix lives with the vendor. What we do have is a clear set of expectations for staff when a system is unavailable. This policy applies to all staff and department heads.

• Contact your supervisor first. Your supervisor can confirm whether the issue is isolated to your device or login, or whether the system is down for everyone.
• Document manually in the meantime. Keep accurate paper or written records of anything that would normally go into the system, then enter it once the system is restored.
• Your data is safe. All agency systems are cloud-hosted, so data is protected by the vendor's infrastructure. Outages do not result in data loss under normal circumstances.

This policy establishes the steps Human Resources must complete from the time a conditional offer is extended through an employee's first day of work. The hire date recorded in BambooHR is the official start date and is the clock that starts all training timelines, benefit eligibility, and E-Verify deadlines.

Human Resources is responsible for completing all steps in this policy for every new hire. This policy applies to all full-time, part-time, PRN, and salaried positions across all departments.

AuthorityImmigration Reform and Control Act (8 U.S.C. § 1324a); 8 C.F.R. Part 274a (Form I-9 and E-Verify). uscis.gov/i-9-central

The following steps must be completed in order for every new hire. No step may be skipped, and orientation may not be scheduled until the background check is cleared.

Orientation covers at minimum: handbook review and signed acknowledgment, abuse and neglect and mandated reporting requirements, confidentiality and HIPAA and individual rights, review of job requirements and performance expectations, introduction to supervisors and key agency staff, office and facility tour, and agency systems walkthrough including hands-on setup of BambooHR, SetWorks (where applicable), WhenToWork, and Google Workspace.

The following system setup tasks must be completed by HR before the employee's first day:

• BambooHR profile created with hire date, role, department, supervisor, work location, contact information, and all applicable onboarding tasks assigned
• WhenToWork account created with correct role and position (DSP, ISL Management, RBT, CSP, and other shift-based roles)
• SetWorks profile created for all clinical and direct care roles
• Google Workspace account and agency email created for all employees. Employee is added to the appropriate Google Chats for their role.
• WorkTango account created for employee recognition, peer kudos, and engagement surveys
• WEX Fleet user access provisioned for employees authorized to use agency-owned vehicles. The Finance Director administers.

When an employee separates from the agency, HR must revoke access to all agency systems within two business days of the separation date. This includes:

• BambooHR · SetWorks · WhenToWork · Google Workspace · WorkTango · Monday.com
• The private Abilities, LLC Employee Facebook group
• Any other system to which the employee had access

For roles with CIMOR or EMOMED access, see Policy 7.1 for the security officer revocation process. Access revocation also applies when an employee changes roles and no longer requires access to a particular system.

HR owns the steps above. You own the rest:

• Arrive at orientation on time and prepared
• Complete all pre-employment paperwork by the deadlines HR gives you
• Provide the documents listed in Policy 7.1 before your first shift
• Complete all required training within the timelines set by DMH and the agency
• Keep your contact info, emergency contacts, banking information, and tax withholding current in BambooHR
• Ask HR when you don't understand something

Employment with Abilities, LLC is at-will. You may end your employment at any time, for any reason, with or without notice. The agency may do the same, subject only to applicable law.

Nothing in this handbook, in any agency document, or in anything a supervisor or manager says creates a contract of employment or a guarantee of continued employment. No one other than the Executive Director has authority to alter the at-will nature of your employment, and any such agreement must be in writing and signed by the Executive Director to be valid.

The agency may update, revise, or replace any policy in this handbook at any time. Continued employment after a policy change is your acceptance of the change.

Abilities, LLC maintains personnel records for every employee in BambooHR. These records include hiring documents, training records, certifications, performance evaluations, corrective action documentation, accommodation files, medical files maintained separately under Policy 2.5, and other employment-related records.

You may request a copy of your training records and certifications at any time during or after your employment. Requests must be submitted in writing to Human Resources. Training records and certifications are provided by email. Abilities, LLC does not provide printed copies of personnel records.

Other contents of your personnel file (performance evaluations, corrective action records, internal HR notes, investigation records) are agency property and are not provided to current or former employees outside of legal process.

Personnel records are confidential. HR has access to all personnel records. Other employees may access records only when there is a legitimate need to know in order to perform their job responsibilities. Access outside of those purposes is not permitted.

You are responsible for keeping your contact information, emergency contacts, tax information, direct deposit, and other personal records current in BambooHR. Changes to legal name, address, marital status, or dependents must be reported to HR within fourteen days of the change.

AuthorityRSMo 290.140 (Missouri Service Letter Statute). revisor.mo.gov

Under RSMo 290.140, a former employee with at least ninety days of service at Abilities, LLC may request a service letter from HR. The request must be in writing and must include the employee's name, dates of employment, and a return address.

Abilities, LLC will respond to a valid service letter request within forty-five days of receipt. The service letter will state the nature and length of employment and, if applicable, the reason employment ended. Service letter responses are issued by HR only.

AuthorityRSMo 290.152 (Missouri job reference immunity). revisor.mo.gov

Reference checks for current and former employees are handled by HR only. No other employee is authorized to respond to reference inquiries about a current or former employee, whether the inquiry is from a prospective employer, a credit agency, a landlord, a government agency, or any other party. Employees who receive reference inquiries must direct the inquiry to HR. If HR is unavailable, the inquiry goes to the Director of Culture & Experience, and then to the Executive Director.

When HR responds to a reference inquiry, the information provided is limited to:

• Dates of employment
• Position held
• Reason employment ended
• Any documented performance or conduct issues from the employee's personnel file

Abilities, LLC shares only what is documented. Nothing subjective, nothing from memory, nothing from hearsay. Missouri's job reference immunity statute (RSMo 290.152) protects employers who share truthful, documented information about a former employee's job performance in good faith.

Abilities, LLC does not prohibit employees from holding outside employment. Most outside jobs (retail, restaurants, gig work, office work, anything outside the care field) do not require disclosure to the agency. The agency only requires disclosure and a signed Disclosure Statement when the outside employment is at another provider-type agency in the same field.

You must disclose outside employment to HR, and sign a Disclosure Statement, only when the outside employer is one of the following:

• Another DMH-funded provider (developmental disabilities, behavioral health, residential, day program, ISL, or similar)
• A home health, hospice, or skilled nursing provider serving overlapping populations
• A behavior services or BCBA practice
• Any other organization serving the same population Abilities serves

For these provider-type employers, disclose in writing to HR at the time of hire if the outside employment exists, or within fourteen days of starting the second job if it begins after your Abilities hire date. The disclosure includes the name of the outside employer, the role, and the typical schedule.

Outside jobs that are not in the provider field do not require disclosure under this policy. The agency does not need to know that you wait tables, drive for a rideshare, or work weekends at a retail store.

When disclosure is required, you complete and sign a written Disclosure Statement covering the following commitments:

• You will not share confidential information about Abilities individuals, families, operations, finances, staff, or any other internal matter with the outside employer
• You will not solicit Abilities individuals or their families to receive services from the outside employer
• You will not solicit Abilities staff to leave Abilities for the outside employer
• You will keep schedules separate so that work hours at one employer do not interfere with work hours at the other
• You will not perform Abilities work while on the clock for the outside employer or perform outside employer work while on the clock for Abilities

The Disclosure Statement is signed at the time of disclosure and is filed in your BambooHR record.

Outside employment that creates a conflict of interest with the individuals Abilities serves is prohibited regardless of where the outside work is. The full list of prohibited conflicts, including guardianship, household status, and private paid care for an individual served, is governed by Policy 1.10. Those conflicts result in immediate termination regardless of how they arise.

Outside employment does not excuse failure to meet Abilities, LLC's performance, attendance, or safety expectations. Fatigue, scheduling conflicts, or reduced availability resulting from outside employment do not relieve you of the obligation to meet job requirements at Abilities.

Abilities, LLC welcomes the personal connections that develop in our workplace. People meet at work, fall in love, build families, and stay. We have employees who started as coworkers and went on to marry and raise children together. That is something we honor, not something we try to engineer out of existence.

What this policy regulates is conflict of interest. Personal relationships between employees become an agency concern when they create or could create unfair influence over scheduling, evaluation, training, promotion, or assignment decisions. The agency's job is to ensure that supervisory authority is exercised based on work, not on personal relationships. This policy sets out the disclosure rules and the prohibited supervisory relationships that protect that fairness.

• Supervisory Employee: Any employee with authority to hire, schedule, evaluate, discipline, train, or assign work to another employee
• Subordinate: Any employee who reports to a supervisory employee, directly or indirectly, or whose schedule, evaluation, discipline, training, or work assignment can be influenced by that supervisory employee
• Family Member: Spouse, domestic partner, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, in-law, step-relative, or any person treated as family
• Household Relationship: Any shared residence, regardless of romantic or familial connection. Includes married and unmarried partners, family members living together, roommates sharing rent or expenses, and any other arrangement involving shared residence

Some relationships at Abilities, LLC require us to make adjustments so the relationship can continue while remaining fair to everyone involved. A small number are absolute prohibitions, meaning the relationship itself cannot exist alongside continued employment. Both categories are below, with the reasoning for each.

Disclosure is required only for relationships that fall under one of the categories above. You are not required to disclose romantic or personal relationships that do not create a conflict under this policy.

If you are in or enter a relationship that is covered by a prohibition above, disclose to HR within five business days. This includes:

• A romantic or supervisory conflict that exists at the time of hire
• A relationship that develops after hire and creates a prohibited supervisory conflict
• A household arrangement that begins after hire and creates a prohibited work-location conflict
• A promotion or transfer that would create a prohibited supervisory relationship with an existing partner or family member
• A romantic relationship with an individual's family member or guardian

Early disclosure protects you. It allows the agency to address the conflict before it becomes a problem, rather than discovering it after harm has occurred.

When a disclosure is received, HR reviews the situation and writes a written recommendation. That recommendation is sent to the Director of Culture and Experience and the Executive Director. ED and DCE then agree and implement, ask questions, or deny.

Possible outcomes include:

• No action required because no conflict exists
• Schedule, work location, or supervisory assignment changes for one or both parties
• A formal acknowledgment plan documenting how the conflict is managed going forward

When reassignment is required, the agency considers operational needs, role availability, the impact on each employee's career, and the preferences of the parties. Reassignment is not based on gender or seniority. Determinations are documented in notes and on the disclosure document, which is filed in the employee's personnel file.

• Failure to disclose a known prohibited relationship is grounds for corrective action up to and including termination
• Failure by a supervisory employee to disclose a known prohibited relationship is grounds for immediate termination. Supervisors are held to a higher standard.
• Failure to comply with the agency's determination after disclosure (refusing reassignment, continuing the prohibited supervisory relationship) is grounds for termination
• Engaging in a romantic or sexual relationship with an individual served, becoming the legal guardian of an individual served, or moving an individual served into your home are absolute grounds for immediate termination

Disclosures and the agency's response are handled discreetly. Information is shared only with HR personnel and the Executive Director, and with department leadership on a need-to-know basis. Abilities, LLC does not retaliate against employees who disclose relationships in good faith. Retaliation against any employee for making a good-faith disclosure is itself a Tier 3 violation.

If you disagree with the Executive Director's determination, you may appeal in writing to the Executive Director within ten business days. The appeal will be reviewed using the same process as Policy 2.5 appeals.

Most issues at work get solved through coaching, not discipline. The agency's Staff Accountability Tier Reference gives the at-a-glance framework. This policy explains how coaching actually works and the path between coaching and termination when that path is needed.

Before deciding what response a situation needs, leadership looks at how widely the issue is showing up.

This is a diagnostic step that tells leadership what kind of response is needed before any conversation happens.

Coaching is not a write-up. It's a working conversation between the employee and their supervisor that includes:

• A clear, specific example of what the employee did that needs to change
• A clear, specific example of what doing it right looks like
• A defined timeline for the change to take hold — short for black-and-white things (clocking in on time), longer for skills that take practice

Not every issue at work is a missed task or a procedural mistake. Some issues are about how a person shows up. An employee who is rude to coworkers, antagonistic with their team, mean to the people we support, unwilling to take coaching, or unable to receive honest feedback creates a different kind of problem than someone who simply forgot to clock in. This kind of conduct harms the agency's culture even when no specific rule has been broken.

Culture is not decoration here. Kindness, coaching, and honest conversation are how the work gets done. When someone consistently undermines that — by being cruel, by refusing to grow, by treating coaching as an attack, or by acting in ways that pull the team apart — we treat it as a serious issue regardless of whether the behavior fits neatly into a list of violations.

Leadership will name what is happening directly and give the employee a real chance to change. If the pattern continues, the employee is on the same corrective action path as anyone else. We will not allow people to harm the team simply because what they are doing is not explicitly "against the rules."

When the timeline passes and the employee has not made the change, or when the issue keeps repeating, coaching becomes formal corrective action:

Uncontrolled emotional outbursts directed at a coworker or an individual served are taken seriously regardless of where the employee is in the corrective action path.

Coaching conversations are tracked in coaching notes. Written warnings, final warnings, and terminations are documented in BambooHR as formal employment records. Every employee has access to their own records and can see what is on file.

Abilities, LLC provides Paid Time Off to support employee wellness, flexibility, and fair access to time away from work. PTO is a single, unified bank of paid hours that you may use for any personal need, including vacation, illness, bereavement, or emergencies. Accrual rates vary by role and employment status, but the rules governing how PTO is used, approved, banked, cashed out, and paid at separation apply equally to all eligible employees.

This policy applies to all full-time, part-time, and salaried employees. PRN employees are not eligible for PTO or benefits regardless of department, role, or hours worked.

AuthorityFamily and Medical Leave Act (29 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq.); 29 C.F.R. Part 825. dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla

• All full-time and part-time employees begin accruing PTO immediately upon hire, prorated to their start date
• PTO becomes available for use starting on Day 61
• PRN employees are not eligible for paid time off and do not earn it

Your accrual rate is set by your role and department and is documented in your department handbook. The rules below govern how PTO works for everyone regardless of accrual rate.

• Maximum bank: Accrual pauses at 250 hours and resumes once the balance drops below 250
• All hourly employees accrue on a flat monthly basis, prorated to their date of hire
• Salaried employees receive a flat annual PTO grant on January 1 each year, prorated to date of hire in their first year

• PTO covers vacation and personal time, illness or emergency absences, bereavement, and FMLA or other protected leave
• All PTO requests must be submitted and approved through BambooHR. You may not request more PTO than what is currently banked. Requests must specify the hours being requested.
• For overnight shifts: requesting PTO that covers an overnight shift requires two separate BambooHR submissions, one for each calendar date affected, with a comment on each explaining the split
• Canceling a PTO request. If you submit a PTO request and later change your mind, you are responsible for canceling it. Log into BambooHR, go to the Time Off tab, and cancel the request. Emailing payroll to cancel a request is not acceptable.

PTO will automatically apply to cover unplanned absences. Negative PTO balances are not allowed.

Once the maximum number of staff are approved off for a given day, no additional requests will be accepted.

PTO is a benefit meant to support work-life balance and health. Repeated misuse or suspicious patterns of absence will be reviewed and addressed through coaching, even when PTO is available to cover them. Examples of patterns that may be reviewed include:

• Calling in on the same day of the week repeatedly (every Monday, every Friday)
• Regular absences immediately before or after a weekend or holiday
• Calling in the same day or the day after a PTO request is denied
• Calling in the shift before or the shift after pre-approved time off
• Calling in repeatedly on shifts you signed up for as overtime or as a pick-up

Patterns may be addressed through coaching, a documented conversation, or other Tier 2 supports under the Code of Conduct, even when each individual absence was permitted under this policy.

When an attendance entry is made on your record, BambooHR automatically sends you an email notification to your agency email address. If you believe an entry in your attendance record is incorrect, bring the dispute to HR within 30 calendar days of receiving that notification.

You may request to cash out up to 40 hours of PTO per calendar year if you have been employed by Abilities, LLC for at least 12 consecutive months and are in good standing with no active performance concerns or attendance warnings.

You may receive a payout of up to 40 PTO hours upon separation if you provide 2 weeks' notice, have no call-ins during your final 2 weeks, submit all required documentation if applicable, and return all company property.

Abilities, LLC recognizes ten paid holidays each year.

Holiday pay rates and how holiday pay is calculated for each department are located in your department handbook.

Abilities, LLC is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and ensuring that employees who experience work-related injuries or occupational illnesses receive appropriate medical care and support. This policy applies to all employees of Abilities, LLC, including full-time, part-time, and PRN staff, for all work-related incidents resulting in injury or illness occurring during the course and scope of employment.

AuthorityRSMo Chapter 287 (Missouri Workers' Compensation Law). labor.mo.gov/DLS/WorkersComp

Under Missouri law, workers' compensation benefits may apply in the case of:

• Physical injuries or accidents occurring during the course and scope of employment
• Occupational diseases or illnesses resulting from job-related exposure
• Aggravation of pre-existing conditions due to work activities
• Repetitive use injuries

Injuries incurred off the clock or due to horseplay, substance use, or policy violations may not be covered.

Once the claim is filed, the assigned adjuster at Missouri Employers Mutual manages your case from there, much like a case manager. HR is your point of contact at Abilities throughout. Benefit amounts, treatment decisions, and care determinations are set by Missouri state law and the insurer, not by Abilities, LLC.

Abilities, LLC offers light duty when an assignment is available within the employee's restrictions. Light duty placement is determined through the accommodation process described in Policy 2.5. Some restrictions cannot be accommodated through light duty, in which case other accommodations or leave will be considered. HR, not your supervisor, makes the determination.

If an authorized physician determines you cannot work due to a work-related injury, you may be eligible for Temporary Total Disability benefits after three calendar days of missed work. If your time off exceeds 14 days, compensation for the initial 3-day waiting period will be retroactively applied. The benefit is generally two-thirds of your average weekly wage, subject to a maximum weekly cap set by the Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation.

A written release from the authorized treating physician is required before you may resume any duties. If you are released with restrictions, HR will work with you and your supervisor to coordinate your return, including light duty placement. If a permanent injury prevents you from returning to your original position, the accommodation process under Policy 2.5 will apply.

The Family and Medical Leave Act is a federal law that gives eligible employees the right to take unpaid, job-protected leave for certain family and medical reasons. Abilities, LLC complies fully with FMLA and will protect your rights throughout the process.

AuthorityFamily and Medical Leave Act (29 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq.); 29 C.F.R. Part 825. dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla

You are eligible for FMLA leave if you have:

• Worked for Abilities, LLC for at least 12 total months (does not need to be consecutive)
• Worked at least 1,250 hours in the 12 months before the leave

• Standard Leave: Up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period for the birth and care of a newborn child, placement of a child for adoption or foster care, care for a spouse/child/parent with a serious health condition, your own serious health condition, or a qualifying exigency related to a family member's military active duty
• Military Caregiver Leave: Up to 26 workweeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period to care for a covered service member with a serious illness or injury incurred in the line of duty

FMLA may be taken intermittently or on a reduced schedule when medically necessary — meaning in separate blocks of time rather than one continuous absence.

• What qualifies: Periodic treatment, recurring flare-ups of a chronic condition, ongoing therapy, or post-operative follow-up visits
• Certification required: Must be certified by a healthcare provider, specifying expected frequency and duration. The agency may require recertification at reasonable intervals.
• Counts against entitlement: Intermittent absences count against the 12-workweek entitlement hour-for-hour. Available PTO runs concurrently.
• Foreseeable absences: Schedule to minimize coverage disruption when possible. Provide as much advance notice as practicable.
• Unforeseeable absences: Follow the standard call-in procedure under Policy 2.1
• Temporary transfer: The agency may temporarily reassign you to an equivalent-pay position that better accommodates recurring absences. The reassignment ends when the leave period ends.

• PTO runs at the same time. If you have PTO when your leave starts, you must use it during FMLA. It counts toward your FMLA time — not on top of it.
• Your health insurance stays active. Abilities keeps your health coverage going while you're on leave, the same as if you were still working.
• You still owe your premium share. You're still responsible for your portion of benefit costs during unpaid leave. Any missed payments will come out of your paycheck when you return.
• Your job is protected. When you come back, you get your job back — or one that's equal in pay and benefits.
• FMLA and accommodations are separate. You can have both running at the same time. FMLA covers your time off. An accommodation (Policy 2.5) covers changes to how or where you work.

FMLA leave is unpaid. Abilities, LLC does not provide paid leave during FMLA. If you have PTO at the time your leave begins, you are required to use it concurrently with FMLA, which gives you partial wage replacement until your PTO bank is exhausted. Once PTO is exhausted, the remainder of your FMLA leave is unpaid. If you do not have PTO at the time leave begins, your entire FMLA leave is unpaid.

Workers' Compensation wage replacement under Policy 2.3 is separate from FMLA and is governed by Missouri law.

You must provide at least 30 days' advance notice when the need for leave is foreseeable, and as much notice as practicable when it is not. You will be required to provide medical certification from a healthcare provider within 15 calendar days of the request. Abilities, LLC reserves the right to require a second opinion at the company's expense.

Report all FMLA-related absences to the Attendance Line at 660-225-1489 at least two hours before your scheduled shift when possible.

Contact HR for FMLA request packets, certification forms, benefit premium arrangements, and help coordinating PTO with FMLA leave. Additional information is available at www.dol.gov/whd/fmla.

Abilities, LLC complies with all federal and state laws that require reasonable accommodation for employees with medical conditions, disabilities, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions. This policy applies to every employee in every department regardless of role, classification, or work location. The same process and the same standards apply across the agency.

This policy is governed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) (effective June 27, 2023), the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, the PUMP Act, and the Missouri Human Rights Act (RSMo Chapter 213). Where these laws differ, Abilities, LLC follows whichever provides the greater protection to the employee.

AuthorityADA (42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.; 29 C.F.R. Part 1630); Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 2000gg et seq.); Pregnancy Discrimination Act (42 U.S.C. § 2000e(k)); PUMP Act (29 U.S.C. § 207(r)); Missouri Human Rights Act (RSMo Ch. 213). eeoc.gov/disability-discrimination | dol.gov/agencies/whd/pump-act

If you are a supervisor or manager in any department, you must notify HR the same business day if an employee gives you any of the following:

• A work restriction note from a healthcare provider
• An accommodation request in writing
• Medical documentation
• A verbal mention of a current or future accommodation need

A verbal mention to a supervisor counts as notice to the agency. Statements like "I'm going to need some changes when I come back from leave," "my doctor said I shouldn't be lifting," or "I might need accommodations during my pregnancy" all count as notice. The supervisor's job is to route the notice to HR immediately, not to evaluate it.

• Reasonable Accommodation: A change to the job, schedule, work environment, or way work is performed that allows a qualified employee with a covered medical condition to perform the essential functions of their role, unless the accommodation would create undue hardship
• Undue Hardship: Significant difficulty or expense for the agency, considering cost, operational impact, agency size, nature of work, and effect on other employees and the individuals we serve
• Essential Functions: The core duties of a position that must be performed, with or without accommodation, for the employee to do the job. Essential functions vary by role and by location.
• Interactive Process: The good-faith back-and-forth conversation between HR and the employee to identify possible accommodations and select one that is effective
• Qualified Individual: An employee who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of their position
• Work Restriction: A medical limitation issued by a licensed healthcare provider that affects the employee's ability to perform some part of their job
• Medical Documentation: Written information from a licensed healthcare provider that identifies the restriction, its expected duration, and clinical context. Documentation does not require disclosure of a diagnosis.

This policy applies in any of the following situations:

• You have a disability covered by the ADA and need an accommodation to perform your job
• You are pregnant, recently gave birth, are recovering from childbirth, or have a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, and you have a limitation that affects your work
• You have a temporary medical condition that requires work restrictions
• You are returning to work from leave with restrictions of any kind
• You are nursing and need lactation accommodation under the PUMP Act

This policy applies whether the underlying condition is permanent, temporary, episodic, or expected to resolve.

You can start the accommodation process in any of the following ways:

• Email Hannah Cox, HR Manager, at hcox@abilitiesllc.com
• Call the agency office and ask to speak with HR
• Send Hannah Cox a Google Chat message

You do not need to use any specific words. You do not need to name the law. You do not need to disclose your diagnosis to start the process. Saying that you have a medical condition affecting your work is enough to begin.

Documentation must come from a licensed healthcare provider and must include:

• The nature of the restriction (what you cannot do or what must be modified)
• The expected duration of the restriction
• Any specific limitations on lifting, standing, sitting, driving, exposure to chemicals, working alone, working with specific populations, working specific hours, or any other relevant function

Documentation does not need to include a diagnosis. The agency cannot require you to disclose your diagnosis. The agency can ask follow-up questions of the healthcare provider, with your written authorization, if the documentation is unclear. The agency reserves the right to require periodic recertification at reasonable intervals, and at its expense, a second opinion when the original documentation is in doubt.

Essential functions are not the same for every position at Abilities, LLC. A role's essential functions depend on what the job actually requires. Each employee's specific physical and functional requirements are written into their job description, and additional role-specific and location-specific requirements are documented in each department handbook. HR considers the job description and the relevant department handbook when determining what accommodations are reasonable for any specific role.

Essential functions can include physical requirements (lifting, transferring, driving), cognitive requirements (medication administration, documentation), behavioral requirements (de-escalation, supervision), schedule requirements (overnight coverage, weekend availability), and location requirements (specific homes or sites). What is essential in one role may not be essential in another, and what is essential at one location may not be essential at another.

• Modified duties or restructured assignments
• Light duty, where the agency has identified a position within the employee's restrictions
• Schedule modifications, including shift changes, modified hours, or reduced schedules
• Equipment, tools, or workspace modifications
• Temporary reassignment to a different role for which the employee is qualified, when an opening already exists
• Temporary reassignment to a different work location, when an opening already exists
• Lactation accommodations as described below
• Unpaid leave, when no other accommodation is reasonable or no accommodation has been identified that allows the employee to perform essential functions
• Any other accommodation the interactive process identifies as effective and reasonable

This list is not exhaustive. The agency will consider any accommodation raised in good faith.

A reasonable accommodation is one that allows you to perform the essential functions of your role without imposing undue hardship on the agency. It is not the accommodation you most prefer. When more than one accommodation would be effective, the agency selects which one to implement. The agency considers cost, operational fit, impact on coworkers, impact on the individuals we serve, and consistency with how the agency has handled similar situations. You may share your preference and HR will consider it, but the choice belongs to the agency.

The agency is not required to:

• Eliminate an essential function of your job
• Lower a performance or production standard
• Provide personal-use items such as eyeglasses, hearing aids, or wheelchairs
• Create a new position that does not otherwise exist
• Bump or displace another employee from their position to create an opening
• Provide an accommodation that imposes undue hardship
• Provide an accommodation that would require violating the rights of the individuals we serve, including HCBS Final Rule rights
• Provide indefinite leave without a return-to-work date

In addition to the rights above, Abilities, LLC reserves the right to:

• Require fitness-for-duty certification from a licensed healthcare provider before allowing an employee to return from a restriction or accommodation period to full duty
• Require updated medical documentation when restrictions are extended or modified
• Decline an accommodation that would compromise the safety of the employee, coworkers, or the individuals we serve
• Decline an accommodation that would shift the workload onto coworkers in ways that compromise the work being done
• End an accommodation when the underlying restriction is no longer in place
• Engage outside counsel or compliance resources to support the determination

Under the PUMP Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, nursing employees have the right to reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space to express breast milk for one year after the birth of the child. Abilities, LLC complies with both laws within the following operational realities:

• The work happens in private homes that belong to the individuals we support. Federal HCBS rules guarantee each individual the right to access their community on their own schedule. The agency cannot violate those rights to create coverage for a lactation break.
• The agency does not maintain a float DSP pool
• ISLs are private residences. They do not have lockable private spaces other than bathrooms (not permitted as lactation spaces) and bedrooms (which belong to the individuals).
• The agency does not have temporary office or non-billable roles available for reassignment

Start the conversation early. If you are pregnant and intend to express milk after returning to work, contact HR during your pregnancy. The earlier the planning starts, the better.

Pumping method is your decision. How you pump, what equipment you use, how often, and for how long are personal medical decisions between you and your healthcare provider. The agency does not advise on pumping methods.

• Shorter shifts that end before the employee's required pumping interval (hourly rate unchanged; total hours/gross pay may be reduced)
• Adjusted start and end times that align the shift with the employee's pumping schedule
• Temporary reassignment to a different home or shift, but only when an opening already exists

• Adding a second DSP to a shift authorized for single coverage
• Leaving an individual unsupervised during a pump break, or restricting any individual's HCBS rights
• Pulling a DSP from another ISL to cover a pump break
• Removing or displacing another employee to make room for an accommodation

Effect on benefits. Accommodations that reduce hours may affect benefit eligibility. Benefit eligibility runs by the existing benefit policy. The agency does not maintain benefits artificially during the lactation period. HR will explain how the accommodation may affect your benefits before any decision is finalized.

Pay. Pump breaks are unpaid. The employee clocks out and is fully relieved of duty. The agency does not schedule nursing employees onto shifts where they cannot be relieved.

Private space at the office. HR designates a private lactation space at the office that is not a bathroom, is shielded from view, and is free from intrusion during use. This space is available to nursing employees during scheduled office time for training, supervision, paperwork, or other work-related reasons.

Storage. Where a refrigerator is available at the work location, the agency will provide access. Where one is not, the agency will assist in arranging cooler storage. Containers, bags, and pumping equipment are the employee's responsibility.

Duration. PUMP Act protections apply for one year after the birth of the child. PWFA protections continue as long as the related medical limitation exists.

If the accommodation is not working. If the planned accommodation is not working in practice, contact HR. The plan can be adjusted within the operational constraints described in this policy.

Accommodation under this policy and leave under other agency policies are different processes. They can run in parallel. Leave under FMLA, Workers' Compensation, or any other agency-provided leave does not replace the accommodation process. The accommodation process does not replace leave entitlements.

For example: A pregnant employee may use FMLA for prenatal appointments and recovery from childbirth and at the same time receive a PWFA accommodation for lifting restrictions during the pregnancy. An employee with a workplace injury may have Workers' Compensation benefits, light duty, and an ADA accommodation evaluation running together. If you are eligible for both leave and accommodation, HR will help you understand how the two interact.

The role of supervisors and managers in the accommodation process is the same in every department. Supervisors and managers:

• Notify HR the same business day of any work restriction notes, accommodation requests, medical documentation, or verbal mentions of current or future accommodation needs
• Do not evaluate medical documentation
• Do not grant, deny, or modify accommodations
• Do not promise an employee any specific placement, schedule, or assignment during a restriction period
• Do not tell an employee what accommodation they will receive
• Implement the accommodation HR has approved as written
• Maintain the confidentiality of any medical information they receive
• Contact HR if implementation is creating operational issues, rather than modifying the accommodation on their own

All medical documentation is confidential and stored in a separate, secure medical file maintained by HR. It is not part of your personnel file. Your medical information is shared only with HR personnel responsible for the determination, department leadership on a need-to-know basis (your restriction, not your diagnosis), and outside counsel/insurance/government agencies when required by law. Your coworkers will not be told your diagnosis, your specific restrictions, or that you have requested an accommodation.

Abilities, LLC does not retaliate against employees who request accommodation, provide medical documentation, participate in the interactive process, or appeal a determination. Retaliation is prohibited regardless of whether the original request was granted or denied. Retaliation includes formal action such as termination, demotion, or schedule reduction, and informal action such as exclusion, hostile communication, or assigning undesirable shifts in response to the request.

If you disagree with HR's determination, you may appeal in writing to the Executive Director within ten business days of receiving it. The Executive Director may uphold the determination, modify it, or send it back to HR. A written response will be issued within fifteen business days. While the appeal is pending, the original determination remains in effect.

If you are not satisfied after the agency's internal appeal, you have the right to file a charge with the EEOC, the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, or both. Filing a charge with an outside agency does not require you to complete the internal appeal first.

AuthorityTitle VII (42 U.S.C. § 2000e(j)); Groff v. DeJoy, 600 U.S. 447 (2023); Missouri Human Rights Act (RSMo Ch. 213). eeoc.gov/religious-discrimination

Abilities, LLC complies with all federal and state laws that require reasonable accommodation for employees' sincerely held religious beliefs, observances, and practices. This policy applies to every employee in every department regardless of role, classification, or work location.

HR is the agency's religious accommodation decision-maker. No supervisor, manager, director, RPM, or department leader has authority to grant or deny a request, evaluate the basis of the request, promise a specific schedule, or tell an employee what accommodation they will receive. A verbal mention to a supervisor counts as notice — the supervisor's job is to route it to HR immediately.

• Sincere Religious Belief: A religious belief, observance, or practice held with sincerity, regardless of whether it is part of a recognized organized religion. Includes traditional religions, less-common religions, and personal religious convictions. Does not include personal preferences, political beliefs, secular ethical views, or scheduling preferences without religious basis.
• Reasonable Accommodation: A change to the schedule, dress code, work environment, or way work is performed that allows an employee to practice or observe a sincere religious belief, unless the accommodation would create substantial increased cost or operational hardship
• Substantial Increased Cost: The undue hardship standard articulated by the Supreme Court in Groff v. DeJoy (2023). More than minor inconvenience — must result in substantial increased cost in relation to the conduct of the agency's business.

• Religious schedule observance (Sabbath, prayer times, holy days)
• Religious dress, grooming, or appearance
• Religious holiday observance
• Prayer or devotional practices during the workday
• Other workplace accommodation needs based on sincere religious belief

Email Hannah Cox at hcox@abilitiesllc.com, submit a written request to HR directly, or tell your supervisor (who will notify HR the same business day). A verbal mention to your supervisor about a current or future religious accommodation need is enough to start the process.

Once HR receives notice, HR will contact you to schedule an initial meeting. The initial scheduling can happen verbally. All substantive communication after that is in writing or in person, and every meeting is documented in your Notes tab in BambooHR by HR. The interactive process follows the same six-step process as Policy 2.5, including HR acknowledgment within two business days, review of the request, identification of possible accommodations within the operational realities described below, an in-person meeting with the employee, a written determination, and communication with the supervisor of only what the supervisor needs to know to implement the accommodation.

Abilities, LLC requires a written statement from the employee describing the religious belief, observance, or practice; why it conflicts with the work requirement; and the accommodation being requested. The agency does not require proof of religious affiliation, membership in an organized religion, or any third-party verification of the belief. HR may ask follow-up questions if the connection between the belief and the accommodation is not clear, or if there is an objective reason to question sincerity.

• The agency operates 24/7 care for the individuals we support. Coverage cannot pause for weekends, holidays, evenings, or overnights.
• The work happens in private homes. Federal HCBS rules guarantee individuals the right to their community on their own schedule. The agency cannot restrict individual rights to accommodate staff observance.
• The agency does not maintain a float DSP pool
• The agency does not have non-billable office or administrative roles available for reassignment

The agency accommodates religious dress, head coverings, jewelry, beards, hair length, and other appearance practices within safety, hygiene, and infection control standards. Where a religious dress practice conflicts with required PPE, infection control protocols, or safety equipment, HR will work with the employee to find a workable accommodation. Where no workable accommodation exists for a specific role due to safety requirements, alternative accommodations including reassignment to a role where the dress practice does not conflict may be considered, when an opening exists.

Brief prayer or devotional practices that do not require leaving direct support duties may be coordinated through HR. Stepping away from direct support during a single-coverage shift to pray or perform devotion is not a workable accommodation in ISL settings, for the same reasons described in the lactation accommodation provisions of Policy 2.5. Office-based employees may take brief prayer or devotional breaks during their workday in the same manner as other personal breaks are managed.

Religious accommodation under this policy and accommodation under Policy 2.5 are different processes that may apply at the same time. Religious accommodation does not replace PTO entitlements or other leave policies. The agency does not provide paid religious holiday leave separate from PTO.

The role of supervisors and managers in the religious accommodation process is the same in every department and follows the framework in Policy 2.5: route requests to HR the same business day, do not evaluate the basis of the request, do not grant or deny accommodations, do not promise specific placements, implement what HR has approved, and maintain confidentiality.

Religious accommodation information is confidential. It is stored in your BambooHR Notes tab and the confidential HR file maintained by HR. Information is shared only with HR personnel responsible for the determination, department leadership on a need-to-know basis (the schedule modification, not the religious basis), and outside counsel or government agencies when required by law. Coworkers will not be told the religious basis of any accommodation you receive.

Abilities, LLC does not retaliate against employees who request religious accommodation, participate in the interactive process, appeal a determination, or assert their rights under any of the laws this policy is governed by. The appeal process follows the same process as Policy 2.5: written appeal to the Executive Director within ten business days, written response within fifteen business days, original determination remains in effect during appeal, and the right to file with the EEOC or Missouri Commission on Human Rights is preserved.

Abilities, LLC recognizes that the loss of a loved one affects every employee differently. Some losses require a few hours away from work. Others require weeks. The agency does not impose a fixed bereavement leave schedule because no fixed schedule does justice to the range of human experience around death.

When you experience the death of a family member, close friend, or other significant person in your life, contact HR or the Executive Director as soon as you are able. Bereavement requests are reviewed case-by-case by the Executive Director. The ED considers the relationship to the deceased, the circumstances of the death, the employee's role and operational coverage needs, and available PTO.

PTO may be used for bereavement leave. When PTO is exhausted or insufficient, unpaid leave may be approved at the Executive Director's discretion. The agency does not maintain a separate paid bereavement leave bank.

Documentation of the death is required. Acceptable forms include an obituary, funeral program, memorial service notice, or written statement from the funeral home. HR may accept other reasonable proof on a case-by-case basis. Bereavement leave may be approved before documentation arrives, but the time will be reclassified (to PTO or unpaid leave) if documentation is not provided within a reasonable timeframe.

Employees returning from bereavement leave who need additional support, schedule flexibility, or accommodation in the weeks following a loss are encouraged to talk with HR. Grief and acute mental health concerns may qualify for accommodation under Policy 2.5 or for FMLA leave under Policy 2.4.

AuthorityRSMo 494.460 (jury duty leave protection). revisor.mo.gov

Under RSMo 494.460, no Missouri employer may discharge, threaten, or take adverse action against an employee for serving as a juror or for being subpoenaed as a witness. Abilities, LLC complies fully with this law.

Provide a copy of your jury summons or witness subpoena to HR as soon as you receive it. Forward any updates, postponements, or release dates promptly so coverage can be planned.

Jury duty leave and witness leave are unpaid at Abilities, LLC. You may use available PTO for jury duty or witness service if you choose. Any compensation paid by the court is yours to keep.

When jury duty or witness service ends earlier than a full workday, you are expected to return to work for the remainder of the day if your schedule and the timing reasonably allow. If you are released too late in the day to make your scheduled shift workable, contact your supervisor and HR to coordinate.

The agency does not retaliate against any employee for serving on a jury or honoring a witness subpoena. Retaliation is a Tier 3 violation.

AuthorityRSMo 115.639 (employee voting leave). revisor.mo.gov

Under RSMo 115.639, Missouri employees are entitled to up to three hours of unpaid leave to vote in any public election when their schedule does not provide three consecutive non-work hours during the time the polls are open.

Request voting leave from your supervisor before election day. The agency may specify which three hours of your shift are used for voting leave to maintain coverage and operations.

Voting leave is unpaid. You may use available PTO if you choose. Voting leave is not available if your work schedule already provides three consecutive non-work hours during the time the polls are open. Polls in Missouri are typically open from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM on election day.

AuthorityUniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (38 U.S.C. §§ 4301–4335). dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/userra

Abilities, LLC complies fully with USERRA and Missouri military leave protections. Employees called to active duty, training, or other service in the uniformed services are entitled to unpaid leave, reemployment rights upon return, continuation of certain benefits, and protection from discrimination based on military service.

Provide written or verbal notice to HR as far in advance as possible. Provide a copy of your military orders to HR when issued.

Military leave is unpaid at Abilities, LLC. You may use available PTO during military leave at your option.

Health benefits and other applicable benefits will be continued or restored in accordance with USERRA and the agency's benefit plans. Contact HR to discuss your benefit options before leaving.

Upon completion of qualifying military service, you are entitled to reemployment rights as defined by USERRA. Provide notice of your intent to return to work within the timeframes USERRA requires (which depend on the length of your service). HR will assist with reemployment, role restoration, and benefit reinstatement.

Abilities, LLC does not discriminate against any employee based on military or veteran status. Discrimination on this basis is prohibited under Policy 1.1 and under USERRA.

AuthorityIRS standard mileage rate guidance (Rev. Proc. 2023-34). irs.gov/tax-professionals/standard-mileage-rates

Abilities, LLC will reimburse employees for the authorized use of their personal vehicles when such use is required for official agency business and when no agency-owned vehicle is reasonably available. Mileage is reimbursed at the agency rate of $0.72 per mile, effective June 1, 2026. The agency rate is reviewed annually and adjusted as needed.

Most staff are expected to use company-owned vehicles. Certain departments may be authorized to use personal vehicles and claim reimbursement when required for business purposes.

• Behavior Services: RBTs and Behavior Analysts traveling to/from sessions, ISLs, or community locations, or responding to a behavioral crisis
• Community Services: CSPs and the Community Program Manager when traveling to service locations, community outings, or other agency-directed destinations
• Office and Administrative Staff: RPMs, Director's Office, and other administrative staff driving to ISLs for oversight, attending trainings or meetings, or performing agency-directed errands
• Maintenance: Traveling between ISL job sites, obtaining supplies, or completing maintenance-related errands. Employees assigned an agency-owned maintenance vehicle are not eligible while using that vehicle.
• Nursing: Traveling to ISLs for health assessments, picking up prescriptions, or attending medical appointments with individuals

• Routine commute mileage between home and your assigned work location
• Mileage incurred by DSPs in ISLs where a company-owned vehicle is provided
• Travel conducted for personal errands or voluntary activities
• Mileage driven in an agency-owned vehicle

Record mileage using the agency-approved reimbursement form or a downloaded report from a mileage-tracking app, as long as the report includes the date, starting point, destination, and total mileage for each trip. Submit by emailing payroll@abilitiesllc.com or delivering to the Finance Director. All departments except Maintenance must record each trip individually. Maintenance employees may record mileage as a single daily total.

AuthorityFair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.); 29 C.F.R. Part 516 (recordkeeping); RSMo 290.110 (final paycheck timeline). dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa

Abilities, LLC is committed to ensuring that employees are paid accurately, on time, and in compliance with applicable laws and agency procedures. This policy applies to all employees of Abilities, LLC.

• Pay period: Sunday at 12:00 a.m. through Saturday at 11:59 p.m.
• Payday: Weekly on Fridays, covering the prior Sunday through Saturday pay period
• Time entry deadline: Monday at 10:00 a.m. Entries submitted after the deadline will be processed with the following payroll.
• Overnight shifts: Shifts that cross two pay periods are split according to actual hours worked in each period

Hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek are paid at 1.5 times your regular hourly rate. Salaried exempt employees are not eligible for overtime. Holiday pay does not stack with overtime pay. If holiday hours place an employee above 40 hours in a week, those hours will be paid at the higher of the two rates, not both.

Employees with payroll issues must email payroll@abilitiesllc.com and allow 2 business days for a response. All emailed correction requests must include your name, pay period, description of the error, and any supporting documentation.

Employees are responsible for entering and maintaining their own banking information and tax withholding elections in their BambooHR profile. Banking information and tax withholding is managed under the Pay Info tab. It is your responsibility to keep this information current. The agency is not liable for misdirected payments or incorrect withholding resulting from outdated information.

Under Missouri law (RSMo 290.110), an employee who is discharged is paid all wages owed immediately upon request. If no request is made, the agency pays all wages owed no later than seven days after the date of discharge. Employees who voluntarily quit or resign are paid all wages owed on the next regular payday following separation. The final paycheck includes all wages earned through the time of separation and any PTO payout owed under Policy 2.1.

Abilities, LLC complies with all valid wage garnishments, child support orders, tax levies, and other court-ordered withholdings served on the agency. HR processes garnishment orders, enters them into BambooHR, and confirms accurate withholding. BambooHR collects the funds and transmits them to the appropriate creditor or court. Federal and Missouri law limit the amount that may be withheld from your wages. The agency does not retaliate against any employee whose wages are garnished.

Abilities, LLC supports the health and financial wellbeing of employees by providing flexible, affordable, and accessible benefits. Beginning January 1, 2026, Abilities, LLC offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical coverage through an Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA), Direct Primary Care (DPC) through both Vitable Direct Primary Care and Midwest Healthcare & Wellness, dental and vision insurance, and life and supplemental insurance through AFLAC.

This policy applies to all full-time employees who work an average of 30 or more hours per week. New full-time employees become eligible after completing a 60-day waiting period from their official hire date. Coverage begins on the first day of the month following completion of that waiting period.

Health insurance is confusing for all of us. The whole system is complicated and can be frustrating. Since we all have to deal with it, our goal is to give you real information in real words so you can make the best choice for yourself and your family without needing a translator.

Here are the basics, explained the way normal people talk:

• Premium: What you pay every month just to have health insurance. Like a membership fee. You pay whether you use it or not. Stop paying and you lose coverage.
• Deductible: What you pay before insurance starts helping with most things. If your deductible is $5,000, you pay the first $5,000 of medical bills on your own. After that, insurance starts sharing the cost.
• Co-insurance: After you meet your deductible, you and the insurance company split the bill. 20% coinsurance means you pay 20%, they pay 80%. 40% means you pay 40%, they pay 60%.
• Individual out-of-pocket max (OOP): The most you personally can be charged in one year for covered services. Once you hit it, insurance pays 100% for the rest of the year on covered services. This is your personal worst-case ceiling.
• Family out-of-pocket max (OOP): The combined ceiling for everyone on your plan. Once your whole family hits that amount together, insurance pays 100% for everyone, even if individual members haven't reached their own max.
• In-network: Doctors and hospitals that have agreed to lower prices with your insurance company. You pay much less in-network.
• Out-of-network: Doctors and hospitals without a contract with your insurance. Higher prices, less coverage, sometimes none at all. Avoid unless it's an emergency.
• Employer contribution: The amount Abilities, LLC pays toward your health insurance.

Health insurance companies sort their plans into metal levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. These levels do NOT mean good, medium, or best. They describe how the costs are split between you and the insurance company.

• Bronze is the “I don't go to the doctor much” plan. Lowest monthly payment, highest deductible and out-of-pocket costs. Insurance doesn't help much until something big happens.
• Silver is the balance plan. Medium monthly cost, medium deductible, medium out-of-pocket. Good middle option, especially with kids or moderate medical needs.
• Gold is the “I go to the doctor a lot” plan. High monthly premium, low deductible, lower co-pays. More predictable spending. Best if you have ongoing or chronic medical needs, expensive medications, or see specialists regularly.

The simplest way to choose: do you want to pay more every month, or only when something actually happens? Bronze means pay less monthly, more when you use it. Silver is balanced. Gold means pay more monthly, less when you use it.

Employer contribution amounts are reviewed annually and may change based on the cost of coverage, the agency's budget, and projected expenses.

Abilities, LLC offers Direct Primary Care as a benefit in addition to health, vision, and dental insurance. Employees can access DPC through either of our two providers:

• Vitable Direct Primary Care (virtual primary care)
• Midwest Healthcare & Wellness, 625 E Russell Ave D, Warrensburg, MO 64093 (in-person primary care)

DPC is a monthly membership that gives you fast, direct access to a primary care provider without using your insurance. It covers most everyday healthcare needs with no copays, no deductibles, and no surprise bills.

Open enrollment takes place each year in December for the benefit year beginning the following January 1. Employees must complete enrollment during the designated window. Failure to enroll results in no coverage for the upcoming plan year unless a qualifying life event occurs. The contribution structure above is set for the current plan year and is reviewed at each year's open enrollment.

When a new full-time employee becomes eligible for benefits, HR notifies the employee directly by email. It is the employee's responsibility to complete enrollment before the deadline.

Employees with a qualifying life event must notify HR within 60 days. Qualifying life events are: marriage, divorce, or legal separation; birth or adoption of a child; death of a spouse or dependent; loss of other health coverage (employee or dependent); a dependent aging out at 26 or otherwise losing eligibility; a court order requiring coverage of a dependent; and becoming eligible for or losing Medicare or Medicaid.

Pregnancy itself is not a qualifying life event. Eligibility to make a mid-year change begins at the birth or adoption of the child.

Abilities, LLC recognizes the dedication and outstanding performance of its employees through various forms of rewards and recognition, including gift cards, event tickets, merchandise, and trips. This policy outlines how those items are handled in compliance with IRS guidelines and proper tax reporting.

All taxable awards and gifts will be reported through payroll and included in your gross wages for tax purposes.

• Cash and Gift Cards: All cash-based rewards, including cash, check, Venmo, or gift cards, regardless of the dollar amount or vendor, are considered cash equivalents and are fully taxable. These will be recorded in payroll under Non-Payable Taxable Wages in BambooHR.
• Event Tickets, Merchandise, Trips, and Prizes: Event tickets, physical items valued at $75 or more, and travel awards are taxable. Non-cash gifts or prizes will be reported on W-2 year-end adjustments.

The following may qualify as non-taxable fringe benefits, depending on value and frequency:

• Logo-branded items under $25 in value
• Occasional refreshments
• One-time holiday treats or small appreciation items

Note: gift cards are never considered small regardless of amount.

Employees are responsible for any payroll tax liability incurred from receiving prizes, tickets, trips, or other non-cash compensation. The agency does not provide additional pay to offset tax amounts. Employees who do not wish to receive a prize or taxable award may decline by notifying payroll in writing prior to receiving the item.

Abilities, LLC is committed to paying employees fairly, consistently, and transparently. Effective June 1, 2026, all positions at Abilities will be assigned to a wage band: a defined pay range with a minimum, midpoint, and maximum rate. PRN staff rates are negotiated individually and are not governed by this wage band structure.

• #1 Annual Merit Increases. Once a year, within 30 days of your hire anniversary, your supervisor and HR conduct a Performance Evaluation. Based on your performance, you may receive a raise of 0% to 5% of your current pay rate.
• #2 Certification Bump (Direct-Care Roles Only). Earning your professional certification earns an automatic 6% pay increase, effective immediately. Applies to DSP, Lead DSP, AHM, and HM certification paths.
• #3 Promotions. When promoted, your starting pay in the new band is set at either the new band's minimum or your current rate plus 5%, whichever is greater.
• #4 Above Band Maximum. If your current pay is above the maximum for your band, your base pay stays where it is. Future merit increases will be paid as a lump sum bonus rather than a base rate increase.

Abilities will review all wage band ranges at least once per year, considering current market rates in Missouri's DD services field, changes in DMH contract reimbursement rates, and the organization's financial position. No employee will experience a pay decrease due to a band adjustment.

AuthorityHIPAA Privacy Rule (45 C.F.R. Parts 160 and 164); RSMo 630.140 (Missouri confidentiality of DMH records). hhs.gov/hipaa

All employees of Abilities, LLC must maintain the confidentiality, privacy, and integrity of Protected Health Information (PHI) concerning individuals we serve. This policy applies to all employees, contractors, interns, volunteers, and other personnel affiliated with Abilities, LLC who have access to protected health information in any format — verbal, written, and electronic.

Protected Health Information (PHI) is any information about health status, provision of healthcare, or payment for healthcare that can be linked to a specific individual.

• PHI is accessible only to authorized employees. Do not access, use, or disclose PHI unless it is necessary for your job duties.
• PHI may only be used and disclosed as permitted by HIPAA regulations. Obtain appropriate authorization before disclosing PHI to external entities.
• Discuss PHI only in private, secure locations. Documentation containing PHI must be secured and stored appropriately.
• All electronic documentation must be completed and stored using agency-approved, encrypted systems. Virtual meetings involving PHI will only occur using secure platforms (Zoom, WebEx, or Google Meet).
• Report any suspected breach of confidentiality or privacy immediately to your supervisor or HR.

In addition to federal HIPAA rules, Abilities, LLC also follows Missouri law RSMo 630.140. This law protects the confidentiality of records created or kept as part of providing services through programs funded by the Missouri Department of Mental Health. All employees must keep individual records, service plans, and related information strictly confidential.

HIPAA compliance is a condition of employment. Violations, particularly those involving deliberate or reckless disclosure of PHI, may result in corrective action, employment action, or referral to appropriate authorities.

Abilities, LLC supports the responsible use of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and reduce administrative burden. However, all AI use must comply with federal and state confidentiality requirements, including HIPAA and Missouri law RSMo 630.140. No AI tool may ever be used to process, store, or transmit Protected Health Information.

We chose Claude because of the safety and ethics standards built into how it operates. Claude does not generate images of real people, refuses to produce harmful or exploitative content, holds strict protections around child safety and vulnerable populations, and is designed to handle sensitive topics with care. For an agency that serves people with developmental disabilities, those guardrails matter.

• Drafting or improving professional communications such as emails, memos, and announcements
• Summarizing general regulatory guidance or publicly available policies
• Creating templates for training materials, checklists, or forms
• Brainstorming ideas for team meetings, events, or process improvements
• Reviewing grammar, tone, or formatting of written documents
• Researching best practices in developmental disability services

Employees are personally responsible for any information they enter into AI tools. If you are unsure whether a specific use is appropriate, contact your supervisor before proceeding.

Accurate, timely, and complete documentation is a core job responsibility for every Abilities, LLC employee. Documentation protects individuals served, supports funding compliance, provides legal accountability, and ensures continuity of care. Regardless of department or role, all employees are expected to follow these universal standards. Department-specific documentation requirements, systems, timelines, and formats are located in your department handbook.

• Document in the approved system for your role. Use only the authorized platform. If you are unsure which system to use, ask your supervisor before proceeding.
• Document in a timely manner. Documentation must be completed within the timeframe required by your department's policy and any applicable regulatory requirements.
• Be accurate and complete. Every entry must reflect what actually happened. Do not omit relevant information, generalize, or leave required fields blank.
• Never falsify records. Falsification of any record, including service logs, time entries, incident reports, or billing documentation, is a serious violation that may result in immediate termination, loss of professional licensure, civil liability, and referral to law enforcement. This includes copying and pasting prior entries without meaningful updates.
• Never document on behalf of another employee. Each employee must submit their own documentation using their own credentials.
• Correct errors promptly and transparently. If you discover an error, correct it as soon as possible using the approved correction process for your department.
• Protect the privacy of individuals served. All documentation must comply with HIPAA and Missouri RSMo 630.140.

Abilities, LLC is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity in the delivery of Medicaid-funded services. In accordance with federal and Missouri law, including Section 6032 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, this policy establishes the agency's expectations and procedures for preventing, detecting, and reporting fraud, waste, and abuse. This policy applies to all employees, contractors, subcontractors, agents, consultants, and business partners acting on behalf of Abilities, LLC.

The Federal False Claims Act makes it illegal to knowingly submit false claims to the government. Missouri law (RSMo 191.900 through 191.910) additionally criminalizes fraudulent billing and documentation falsification. Employees are protected from retaliation when reporting fraud in good faith. Retaliation includes termination, demotion, harassment, or reduction in hours.

All Abilities, LLC employees are mandatory reporters under Missouri law. If you have reason to believe that an individual served by Abilities, LLC has experienced abuse, neglect, or exploitation, you are legally required to report it. This is not optional. You do not need proof before reporting. You report when you have reason to believe something may have happened. This policy applies to every employee of Abilities, LLC without exception.

• Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse by any person, including staff, family members, or other individuals served
• Neglect of essential care needs, including missed medications, inadequate supervision, or failure to follow a care plan
• Financial exploitation or misuse of their personal property or funds
• Use of a prohibited practice, including any restraint, seclusion, or aversive intervention not authorized under a DMH-approved Behavior Support Plan

As a Missouri DMH Division of Developmental Disabilities Tiered Provider and Medicaid-enrolled agency, Abilities, LLC is required to maintain its legal and financial standing as a condition of continued licensure, provider enrollment, and program participation. The Finance Director and Executive Director hold the responsibilities described in this policy.

Abilities, LLC maintains active insurance coverage at all times as required by Missouri DMH, applicable law, and sound business practice. Required coverage includes general liability, professional liability, workers' compensation, commercial auto, and rental or property coverage as applicable. The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring all policies are current and maintained at coverage levels consistent with DMH provider requirements.

Abilities, LLC pays all Missouri state taxes and federal payroll taxes on time. All required tax withholdings and employer contributions are calculated and remitted automatically through BambooHR with each payroll run. The Finance Director is responsible for verifying that tax remittances were processed correctly.

Abilities, LLC complies with the Fair Labor Standards Act in all aspects of employee compensation and scheduling. This includes accurate classification of exempt and non-exempt employees, payment of overtime for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek for non-exempt employees, and maintenance of required payroll records. Employees who believe they have experienced a wage or labor concern should email payroll@abilitiesllc.com.

Abilities, LLC maintains its registration as an active Missouri corporation with the Missouri Secretary of State and holds a current Certificate of Good Standing. The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring that annual registration renewals are filed on time. A lapse in good standing can affect the agency's ability to hold contracts, maintain DMH licensure, and participate in Medicaid as an enrolled provider.

Every document you create for or about Abilities, LLC is an agency record. That includes anything about the individuals we support, staff, operations, finances, training, scheduling, billing, communication with families or guardians, internal notes, drafts, and anything in between. Agency records must live on agency systems. They cannot live in your personal accounts.

Agency records are created and stored only in agency-provided systems:

• BambooHR (HR and personnel records)
• SetWorks (individual records, eMAR, clinical documentation, incident reports)
• The agency Google Drive (shared drives owned by Abilities, LLC)
• Your agency Google Workspace email (the @abilitiesllc.com account assigned to you)
• WhenToWork (scheduling)
• Monday.com (workflow and project tracking)
• WorkTango (employee recognition)
• BoldSign (electronic signature)
• QuickBooks (financial management)
• CIMOR, EMOMED, and MMAC (Missouri DMH documentation and Medicaid billing)
• Sandata / EAS (EVV)
• Any other system the agency has authorized for a specific business purpose

If you are not sure whether a system is agency-authorized, ask the Executive Director before storing anything in it.

This rule applies whether the record is about an individual served, a staff matter, a financial matter, or any other agency business. It applies regardless of whether the record contains PHI, names, identifying information, or appears to be "internal-only" or "just a draft." A draft is still an agency record.

If you discover that you have created or stored agency records in a personal account or on a personal device, you must migrate the records to the appropriate agency system and permanently delete the records from the personal location immediately. Notify the Executive Director once migration and deletion are complete.

When you create a shared drive, shared folder, or shared workspace for agency work in any agency-authorized system, the Executive Director must be added as Owner or Manager at the time of creation. This applies to every shared drive, every shared folder, and every shared workspace that contains agency work.

Agency records belong to the agency, not to the person who created them. When records live in personal accounts, the agency cannot retrieve them when needed, cannot retain them as required by DMH and Medicaid rules, cannot produce them in response to audits or legal inquiries, and cannot recover them when an employee separates. Personal accounts also create real privacy and compliance risk for the individuals we serve and for the agency, including HIPAA and Missouri DMH confidentiality violations.

If you keep agency records on your personal devices, personal cloud accounts, personal email accounts, or printed at home, those personal items can be pulled into a DMH investigation, audit, or legal matter the agency is involved in. Subpoenas can reach personal devices, personal cloud accounts, and personal email when there is reason to believe agency records are stored there. Keeping work on agency systems is the cleanest way to keep your personal devices, accounts, and email out of any of that. We are not telling you this to scare you; we are telling you so you can protect yourself.

Authority9 CSR 45-5.010 (Missouri DMH grievance requirements for DD providers). dmh.mo.gov/dd/progs/dd-providers

Anyone connected to Abilities, LLC has the right to speak up about a concern or complaint. This includes the people we support, their families and guardians, and all employees. No one will face punishment for speaking up.

A grievance is a concern or complaint. It can be about abuse, neglect, or exploitation; a violation of someone's rights; how a staff member acted; workplace safety; dissatisfaction with services; or anything else that needs to be looked into and resolved.

• Pick up a grievance form from any home, the agency office, or by asking HR
• Submit a grievance by email directly to HR
• Drop off a completed form in person at the agency office
• Submit a grievance online and anonymously using the secure link on the BambooHR Dashboard. It goes directly to HR.
• If a person you support wants help filling out the form, you must help them. Keep what they share private.

All grievances are confidential. Only HR and the people who need to know will have access.

Every year, the people we support are given information about how to file a grievance with Abilities, LLC and how to contact DMH. This must be given in writing or in a way the person can understand.

The people we support have the right to share how they feel about their services and supports at any time. Their feedback matters and helps us improve. No one will be punished for sharing honest feedback.

• Individuals have the right to share how they feel, good or bad, freely
• We collect feedback in ways that are easy to understand and respectful
• No one will face negative consequences for giving feedback
• The people we support are partners in evaluating the quality of their own services

Once a year, every individual and their guardian receives a satisfaction survey. The Executive Director owns the annual satisfaction survey — designs it, oversees its administration, reviews the results, and uses what comes back to inform agency-wide improvements. Staff should regularly check in with the people they support to ask how things are going. If someone has a specific complaint, they can use the grievance process in Policy 5.1.

Every person we support has rights. These rights belong to them. As a staff member, your job is to protect these rights and support the person in using them. You do not get to decide which rights a person gets to exercise. This policy applies to all individuals receiving services from Abilities, LLC and to every employee.

AuthorityHCBS Final Rule (42 C.F.R. § 441.301(c)(1)–(4)); RSMo 630.110–167 (Missouri Rights of Patients and Residents); 9 CSR 10-7.020 (DMH Rights of Individuals); 9 CSR 45-2.017 (Person-Centered Strategies); 9 CSR 45-3.040 (Behavioral Supports). cms.gov/medicaid/home-community-based-services · dmh.mo.gov

Every individual receiving services from Abilities, LLC has rights protected by federal law, Missouri state law, and Missouri DMH regulation. These rights apply at all times, in every setting, with every staff member. They are not granted by Abilities, LLC and they cannot be removed by Abilities, LLC.

• The right to be treated with dignity and respect at all times
• The right to humane care and the least restrictive treatment necessary
• The right to be free from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and unnecessary medication or restraint
• The right to be informed of these rights in a format and language they can understand

• The right to privacy in their personal life, communications, and relationships
• The right to privacy in their sleeping and living space, including the right to a lockable door where applicable
• The right to choose roommates in shared living units
• The right to decorate and furnish their own living space
• The right to mail, phone, and electronic communication with anyone they choose
• The right to have visitors at any time of their choosing

• The right to make their own choices, including choices staff may not agree with
• The right to control their own schedule, activities, and access to food at any time
• The right to access their community freely
• The right to choose their services, providers, and settings
• The right to physical accessibility in their home and in services

• The right to practice their religion or choose not to
• The right to vote
• The right to manage their own money, unless a restriction has been formally approved through due process

• The right to participate fully in their person-centered planning, including who is at the table and what goes into the plan
• The right to refuse treatment or services, with limited exceptions defined by law
• The right to access their own records
• The right to consult with and have representation by an advocate, attorney, or trusted person of their choice

• The right to file a grievance under Policy 5.1 without fear of punishment or retaliation
• The right to report concerns directly to Missouri DMH, the Regional Office, or any outside advocate or agency without going through Abilities first

A right can only be limited if a formal due process has been completed. Staff cannot create their own rules that limit what a person can do. These informal rules are called house rules and they are never acceptable without due process approval. Rights restrictions must never be used for staff convenience, as discipline, as retaliation, or to save money.

Under Missouri regulation 9 CSR 45-2.017 and 9 CSR 45-3.040, no individual's rights can be restricted without due process. The individual must be told about the restriction, given a chance to speak up, offered outside help if they disagree, and told how to get their rights back.

Your job is to protect these rights and support the person in using them. You do not get to decide which rights a person gets to exercise. If you are not sure whether something you are being asked to do, or something you see another staff member doing, is a rights restriction, contact your supervisor or the Due Process Manager before acting.

Authority9 CSR 45-3.030(3) (Missouri DMH — due process required for rights restrictions); 42 C.F.R. § 441.301 (HCBS Final Rule). dmh.mo.gov/dd/progs/dd-providers

Every person we support has full rights. No one can limit those rights without going through a formal process called due process. This universal policy establishes the core protections that apply to all individuals and all employees. Full due process procedures, including the role of the Due Process Manager and implementation requirements, are located in the Residential Services Department Handbook.

Due process submissions are reviewed by the Columbus Group through Missouri DMH. The Columbus Group is the external review body responsible for evaluating proposed rights restrictions submitted through the DMH due process system.

• No single person can decide to restrict an individual's rights. It takes a full team discussion that includes the individual, their support team, and relevant professionals.
• An individual's rights may not be restricted by provider policy, staff practices, or house rules
• Rights may not be limited without formal due process
• Rights restrictions must never be used for staff convenience, as discipline, as retaliation, or to save money
• Positive supports must be tried and documented before any rights restriction is considered, unless the risk of harm is immediate and extreme

• A specific, individualized reason for the restriction, written in the person's PCSP or a PCSP amendment
• Evidence that less restrictive approaches were used before the restriction
• A teaching plan focused on building independence
• Set dates for review and clear, measurable goals for ending the restriction
• Regular monitoring and data collection in SetWorks
• Review by the due process committee before the restriction starts and at least annually thereafter

An emergency restriction can only be used when a person is in clear and immediate danger to themselves, others, or property, and no less restrictive option is available. It must be made jointly by the provider and the DMH Regional Office. It is temporary. The full planning team must meet within five business days. This must comply with 9 CSR 45-5.010(4)(A)1.

AuthorityTitle VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964; Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973; ADA (42 U.S.C. § 12101); 42 C.F.R. Part 438. hhs.gov/civil-rights

Abilities, LLC serves every individual fairly and equally. No one will be treated differently, given worse services, or denied services because of who they are. This policy applies to all individuals receiving services from Abilities, LLC and every employee delivering those services. This is separate from the employment non-discrimination policy in Policy 1.1, which covers staff.

• Refusing to provide services to an individual based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic
• Treating an individual in a demeaning or disrespectful way based on who they are
• Applying different standards of care or support based on an individual's identity
• Making service decisions based on assumptions about an individual's background or beliefs
• Punishing an individual for asserting their rights under this policy

If an individual communicates in a language other than English, or needs a different communication format, they have the right to receive information and services in a way they can understand. No one may be turned away or left out because of a language or communication barrier.

If you believe discrimination in services has occurred, file a grievance through Policy 5.1. You can also contact Missouri DMH Constituent Services at 800-364-9687 or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights at 800-368-1019.

When a complaint is filed alleging harassment, discrimination, retaliation, threats, or workplace violence under Policy 1.1, Policy 5.5, or Policy 6.4, Abilities, LLC investigates. This policy describes how that investigation works, who runs it, and what to expect from start to finish. Complaints involving the people we serve are handled under the grievance process in Policy 5.1.

Complaints are filed the same way grievances are filed: by emailing HR, dropping off a written complaint at the agency office, or submitting the anonymous form on the BambooHR Dashboard. You may also tell your supervisor, who is required to route the complaint to HR the same business day. You do not need to use the words "harassment" or "discrimination" to file. Describing what happened is enough. HR will determine which policy applies.

While an investigation is open, HR may put interim measures in place to protect everyone involved: separating the parties on the schedule, removing one or both parties from a specific work location, placing the respondent on administrative leave (paid or unpaid depending on the situation), or restricting contact between the parties. Interim measures are not findings. They are not discipline. Either party may ask HR to revisit interim measures if they are not working.

HR runs the investigation. The Executive Director may be involved when the complaint is serious enough to warrant it, when HR is itself a party, or when the respondent is in agency leadership. HR interviews the complainant first, the respondent next, and any witnesses. Each interview is documented in writing.

The respondent will be told that a complaint has been filed and given enough detail about the allegations to respond meaningfully. The complainant's identity may be shared with the respondent when the nature of the complaint makes anonymity impossible. Anonymous complaints submitted through the BambooHR form are investigated to the extent possible, but the agency may not be able to reach a finding when there is no way to follow up with the complainant.

Investigations are kept as confidential as the process allows. Both parties are expected to keep the investigation confidential. Discussing an open investigation with coworkers, on social media, or with anyone not involved in the investigation is grounds for corrective action.

Confidentiality does not mean silence. Either party may discuss the underlying conduct with a lawyer, a therapist, a partner, or a family member. Either party may file a charge with the EEOC, the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, or any other government agency at any time. Filing a charge with an outside agency does not require completing the internal investigation first.

At the end of the investigation, HR issues a written finding to both parties. The finding will be one of the following:

• Substantiated — the agency found the conduct occurred
• Not substantiated — the agency did not find sufficient information to conclude the conduct occurred
• Inconclusive — the agency could not reach a determination either way

A substantiated finding results in corrective action under the Code of Conduct and the Tiered Supports framework. Substantiated conduct involving harm to individuals served, falsification, threats of violence, or sexual harassment may result in immediate termination. A not substantiated or inconclusive finding does not mean the complainant lied or acted in bad faith.

Either party may appeal a finding by emailing HR within 7 calendar days of receiving it. The Executive Director personally reviews the file, the finding, and the appeal, and issues a final written response within 7 calendar days. That response is final inside the agency.

The people we support sometimes want to give staff gifts. The intent is usually generous. Our job is to receive that kindness in a way that protects the relationship, protects the individual financially, and keeps the boundary between staff and client clear.

Soliciting, suggesting, or accepting expensive purchased gifts from an individual we support is financial exploitation, not generosity. The same applies if the individual offers and you accept knowing the value or knowing they cannot afford it.

If you are unsure whether something crosses the line, ask your supervisor before accepting.

All employees are required to promptly and accurately report any incident or event that may affect an individual's wellbeing, safety, or rights. This is not optional. Timely and accurate reporting is a core job requirement and a condition of continued employment. This policy applies to all employees, volunteers, interns, and contractors. The terms Event Report, Incident Report (IR), and EMT (Event Management Tool) are used interchangeably.

Immediate DMH Notification means contacting DMH by phone as soon as possible after the event occurs.

Immediately report incidents or suspicions of abuse, neglect, or misconduct to your supervisor. Your supervisor will direct next steps.

Late or missing Event Reports are addressed through coaching and follow-up. Timeliness of Event Reports is considered during employee performance evaluations. All reportable events are submitted to DMH as required by Missouri regulation 9 CSR 10-5.206.

Abilities, LLC prohibits all forms of abuse, neglect, or exploitation against individuals we support. All employees, contractors, and volunteers are mandatory reporters under Missouri law and must immediately report any observed or suspected incident. This is a legal requirement, not a choice.

Mandated reporting means that if you have reason to believe abuse, neglect, exploitation, or a prohibited practice has occurred or is occurring, you are legally required to report it. This is not optional, and it is not a judgment call about whether something is serious enough. You report when you have reason to believe. Do not wait for confirmation. Do not discuss it with coworkers first. Report.

Immediately report incidents or suspicions to your supervisor. Anonymous reporting is also available through the grievance form link on the BambooHR Dashboard.

Upon receiving a report, the employee alleged to have perpetrated abuse or misconduct will be immediately removed from contact with individuals served pending investigation. Abilities, LLC strictly prohibits retaliation against any employee who reports in good faith.

AuthorityOSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 C.F.R. § 1910.1030); 9 CSR 40-1.060 (Missouri infection control); 19 CSR 20-20. osha.gov/bloodborne-pathogens · cdc.gov/infectioncontrol

Abilities, LLC maintains infection control practices in accordance with OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens standards, CDC guidelines, and Missouri DMH requirements. All employees are responsible for following infection control practices at all times.

• Employees must not report to work when experiencing symptoms of a contagious illness, including fever, active cough, vomiting, or diarrhea. Follow the standard call-in procedure in Policy 2.1.
• Employees may return to work when fever-free for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medication and symptoms have substantially improved
• Employees with potential exposure to blood or bodily fluids will be offered the Hepatitis B vaccination series at no cost. Contact HR.
• Follow CDC hand hygiene guidelines and use appropriate PPE as directed
• When Nursing directs masking, isolation precautions, or outbreak protocols in a specific home, comply immediately. Do not improvise. Follow Nursing direction.

Employees are expected to manage their PTO to ensure they are able to call out when ill.

Abilities, LLC supports individuals with developmental disabilities, including individuals with significant behavioral needs. Some of those needs include aggression, self-injury, property destruction, and crisis behaviors that escalate quickly. This is the work. It is not unusual, it is not optional, and it is not a basis for refusing an assignment.

What you can do, and should do, is raise clinical and safety concerns through the established escalation chain: House Manager, RPM, BCBA, and Executive Director. The agency maintains a full clinical and behavioral framework for individuals whose needs are significant or whose behavior creates safety risk, including Behavior Support Plans, Safety Crisis Plans, BCBA consultation, BSRC involvement, individual-specific training, and tiered staff support. That framework exists to be used. Raising a concern is appropriate and expected. Refusing to work with an individual is not.

Threats, intimidation, harassment, or acts of violence are prohibited at Abilities, LLC, whether they occur between employees or are directed at staff by family members of individuals served, visitors, community members, or any other outside party. Threats include verbal, written, and electronic threats, and any gestures or actions that a reasonable person would interpret as threatening. Acts of violence include any unwanted physical contact intended to intimidate or harm.

Threats and violence are reported immediately to a supervisor and to HR. If HR is unavailable, the report goes to the Director of Culture & Experience, and then to the Executive Director. The agency's response can include investigation under Policy 5.6, immediate termination, no-trespass orders, no-contact restrictions, modifications to staffing or visit arrangements, and law enforcement involvement.

AuthorityDrug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 (41 U.S.C. § 8101 et seq.); federal Medicaid conditions of participation (42 C.F.R. Part 441). samhsa.gov/workplace

Abilities, LLC maintains a drug-free work environment. All employees are subject to pre-employment screening and may be tested during employment. Testing is conducted using a 14-Panel Saliva Cube oral swab administered by the Nursing Department.

• Pre-Employment: Required before the first day of work. Employment is contingent on a negative result.
• Random: Two employees selected at random each quarter by HR. Employees are notified upon arrival and tested immediately.
• Reasonable Suspicion: Required when a supervisor observes objective signs of impairment (slurred speech, unsteady gait, smell of alcohol or marijuana, behavior significantly out of character). The employee is removed from direct care immediately and suspended pending results.
• Post-Accident: Required after any accident in an agency vehicle or any work-related incident where impairment is reasonably suspected. Refusal is grounds for immediate termination.

• HR notifies the employee confidentially as soon as results are received
• The employee may request a second screen within 24 hours. If the second screen is negative, the original result is void.
• If the positive result is due to a legally prescribed medication, the employee must provide documentation from a licensed provider to HR within 48 hours
• A verified positive result without medical justification is grounds for termination. Employees terminated for a positive test are not eligible for rehire for 12 months.

All results are confidential and stored in the employee's medical file, separate from the personnel file.

Abilities, LLC employees drive agency vehicles and personal vehicles in the course of their work. Safe driving protects employees, the individuals we serve, and the public. This policy establishes the agency's driving safety standards.

This policy applies to any employee whose role includes driving on agency business, including driving an agency vehicle, transporting individuals served, or driving a personal vehicle for agency business. Specific operational provisions for residential driving (agency vehicle assignments, vehicle inspections, ISL vehicle custody, fuel cards) are governed by the Residential Services Department Handbook.

• Valid driver's license
• Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) review completed by HR
• No DUI or DWI conviction within the previous three years
• No current driver's license suspension or revocation

The Executive Director may grant exceptions to these standards in writing, with documented justification.

Office employees who use personal vehicles for agency business must keep current personal auto insurance on file with HR. Mileage reimbursement under Policy 3.1 requires current insurance documentation. DSPs and ISL staff do not use personal vehicles to transport individuals served. Transportation of individuals is provided in agency vehicles only.

Other accidents and moving violations are reviewed case-by-case by HR in consultation with the Executive Director. Driving privileges may be suspended, restricted, or revoked based on the circumstances. Loss of driving privileges may make certain roles unworkable, in which case HR will evaluate options under Policy 2.5 or determine that the role can no longer be performed.

HR pulls annual MVRs for all employees whose role includes driving. New issues identified through annual review are addressed under the same standards used at hire.

Employees whose role includes driving must report to HR within five business days any off-duty event that affects their driving eligibility, including DUI or DWI charges or convictions, license suspensions or revocations, or accumulated moving violations. Failure to report is grounds for corrective action up to and including termination.

Abilities, LLC requires all employees to complete all training mandated by the Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH), Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), as well as all required internal agency training. Employees must complete orientation and ongoing training within the required timelines, and all renewals must be kept current.

These requirements apply to all employees. Department and role-specific training requirements beyond these universals are found in your department handbook and job description.

All employees must provide the following documentation before beginning work. No employee may start their first shift until required documents are on file with HR.

• Social Security card
• Proof of education: high school diploma or GED
• Valid driver's license, which must be held at all times as a condition of employment. A lapsed or suspended license is grounds for immediate removal from the schedule until reinstated.

Training timelines and refresher schedules are regulated by DMH and Missouri state law, not by Abilities, LLC. The agency cannot grant exceptions to these timelines.

• Employees must attend all scheduled training courses in full
• Employees who arrive more than 15 minutes late will be sent home and rescheduled. This counts as a call-in under the Attendance Policy.
• Employees who leave training early or are absent will be subject to the Attendance Policy
• Calling in to a scheduled training that causes a required certification to expire or lapse will result in the employee being removed from the schedule until the certification is reinstated

• Do not contact instructors. Employees may not contact instructors directly about rescheduling, calling in, arriving late, or any other training-related question. All training call-ins go through the Attendance Line. All other training-related questions go to HR. If HR is unavailable, the question goes to the Director of Culture & Experience, and then to the Executive Director.
• Maintaining current certification status is a condition of employment
• Training records are tracked in BambooHR for 7 years
• All training scheduling requests must go through HR. Do not contact trainers directly.

Abilities, LLC will support and facilitate the use of virtual technologies to connect individuals with guardians, family, friends, and community members; participate in remote or hybrid medical and mental health appointments; attend virtual Person-Centered Service Plan (PCSP) meetings; access educational, vocational, or recreational opportunities online; and stay connected during times of restricted in-person contact.

• Support individuals in using tablets, phones, computers, or other virtual devices
• Ensure devices are charged, accessible, and in working order
• Provide support without infringing on privacy, dignity, or the individual's right to confidential communication
• Assist individuals with navigating video call platforms when requested. Supporting individuals in making video calls is a staff responsibility. For the distinction between this and personal staff use of video platforms, see Policy 4.1.

Only non-public-facing platforms should be used for telehealth, professional meetings, or private conversations. Approved platforms include:

• Zoom · Google Meet · Skype · FaceTime · Microsoft Teams · WebEx

Public-facing platforms such as TikTok or Facebook Live are not permitted for service delivery or professional interactions.

• Devices used for virtual communication must be password protected
• Individuals must be supported in choosing private locations for confidential or sensitive conversations
• Staff must not record or take screenshots of virtual communications unless explicitly directed in the individual's PCSP and with guardian consent
• Any suspected misuse of technology or breach of HIPAA must be reported via a SetWorks incident report

Abilities, LLC is committed to evaluating every employee's job performance annually using a structured, documented, and fair process. Performance evaluations provide clear written feedback, determine annual merit increases based on documented evidence, and set development goals for the year ahead. PRN employees are excluded from annual performance evaluations as stated in the Wage Band Policy.

• Gives you clear, written feedback on how you are doing in your job. You will know exactly what you are doing well and exactly where you need to improve.
• Determines your annual raise. Raises are based on how well you perform your job, not on how long you have worked here or on personal relationships.
• Sets goals for your growth. Every employee receives two specific development goals to work toward during the next year.

• Review Period: The twelve months preceding your hire anniversary date. All evaluation scores must be based solely on documented evidence from within this window.
• Task Area: A section of the evaluation form corresponding to a core responsibility from the employee's job description
• Criterion: An individual, scorable item within a task area describing a specific expected behavior or outcome
• Standard Criterion: A criterion scored by the rating team based on documented evidence
• Data-Driven Criterion: A criterion scored objectively by a number pulled from agency systems, not by human judgment
• Rating Team: The group of individuals who complete the evaluation form together. No single person may complete an evaluation alone.
• Self-Assessment Bonus: Three bonus points added to an employee's total score when the employee completes the BambooHR self-assessment before their evaluation meeting

Every employee receives exactly two development goals as part of their evaluation, regardless of how well they scored. Goals must be specific enough that you and your supervisors can tell whether you are making progress during the next year. Vague goals like "keep doing a good job" or "try harder" are not valid goals.

• Complete your self-assessment. BambooHR will automatically send you a self-assessment to fill out. Complete it before the meeting to earn 3 bonus points.
• Respond to feedback requests. BambooHR will send you anonymous feedback requests about coworkers and your supervisor.
• Attend your evaluation meeting. If you do not attend, it will be recorded as a call-in and the evaluation will not be rescheduled.
• Sign the evaluation form. Your signature confirms you received the evaluation, not that you agree with every score. If you disagree, write your perspective in the Employee Comments section.

If you believe your evaluation contains a factual error, you may request a review. Put your concern in writing and submit it to HR within 14 calendar days of your evaluation meeting. HR will review the concern with the rating team and respond in writing within 14 calendar days. An appeal must identify the specific criterion being disputed and explain the factual basis for the dispute.

Your performance evaluation is a confidential record stored in BambooHR under your employee file. Only you, your direct supervisors, HR, and the Executive Director can see it.

This policy tells you how your performance is measured. The Wage Band Policy (Policy 3.5) tells you what happens to your pay after your performance is measured. Questions about pay after your evaluation should go to HR.

Clear communication is how we keep individuals safe, support each other, and run the agency well. Abilities, LLC uses a defined set of communication channels so information stays organized, accountable, and accessible to everyone who needs it.

Every conversation about an individual, a shift, a schedule change, or an agency update has to land somewhere it can be found again. When information lives in personal texts or private threads, it disappears the moment a staff member leaves or a phone breaks. Our system protects continuity of care, supports accountability, and gives every team member access to the same information.

• Work email, issued by Abilities, LLC and accessed through Google Workspace. Used for formal and external communication, documentation, and anything that needs a written record outside of a chat thread.
• Google Chat, used for team and home-based conversations, day-to-day coordination, and individual-related updates that belong in the record.
• BambooHR Announcements, used for agency-wide communications from leadership.

• Check your work email while on shift
• Use your work email, not a personal account, for any agency-related communication
• Treat your work email as a written record. Anything you send can be retrieved during an audit, investigation, or review.

• Monitor your assigned chats during your shift
• Respond during your shift to direct messages or chat tags that involve your work
• The specific chats you belong to, who is in each chat, and what each chat is used for is set by your department. See your department handbook for the chat structure that applies to your role.

Leadership uses BambooHR Announcements to reach the whole agency at once. You are responsible for reading these. New announcements appear on your BambooHR dashboard when you log in.

Abilities, LLC also has a private Employee Facebook Group used for giveaways, trivia, agency culture, and fun. This is an informal channel and is not used for official agency communication. Participation is optional.

You are not expected to respond to email or chat outside your scheduled shift. If your role requires after-hours availability, that expectation is written into your job description.

Any conversation about an individual, including medications, behavioral changes, health concerns, care updates, or anything else related to the people we support, must go in the appropriate house or team chat. This applies to all employees regardless of role or department.

All communication on agency systems, including work email and Google Chat, is the property of Abilities, LLC. The Executive Director can retrieve and review any email or chat message, including messages that have been deleted. All Google emails and chat messages are legal records of employment and are retained for seven years. Do not use agency systems for anything you would not want reviewed.

When something goes wrong at work, leadership uses a tiered framework to decide how to respond. This page exists so that every employee can see the same framework leadership uses. Knowing it removes guesswork. It also makes clear that not every issue ends in discipline. Most do not.

The examples are examples, not rules. Every situation has its own context — two situations that look the same on paper can land in different tiers because of the circumstances around them. Leadership uses judgment, not a checklist. The framework gives the response structure; it does not replace judgment.

Most issues start at Tier 1 and move up only if the pattern continues or the behavior does not change. Some issues skip tiers because of the severity of what happened. Rights violations, abuse, neglect, theft, and falsification of records are examples of issues that start at Tier 3 regardless of whether the employee has any prior history.

Tier 1 conversations are tracked in coaching notes. Tier 2 and Tier 3 actions are documented in BambooHR as formal employment records. Every employee has access to their own records and can see what is on file.

Caregiving is emotionally and physically demanding in ways most other jobs are not. Burnout is a real, common, and treatable consequence of doing this work over time. Recognizing it early, whether in yourself or in someone on your team, is one of the most important skills in this field. While burnout shows up most in direct care, it can affect anyone in the agency, and the signs and supports below apply across every role.

Burnout is not a single feeling — it builds over time, with subtle signs at first and obvious ones later. Common signs across the cycle:

• Emotional exhaustion. Feeling drained at the start of your shift, not just the end. Dreading work in a way that goes beyond "I don't want to go in today."
• Depersonalization. Becoming detached or cynical about the people you support, talking about them as tasks rather than people, and losing the warmth that brought you into this work.
• Reduced sense of accomplishment. Feeling like nothing you do matters, even when the work is being done.
• Physical signs. Headaches, stomach issues, frequent illness, trouble sleeping, exhaustion that does not lift with time off.
• Withdrawal. Pulling back from coworkers, missing more shifts, being less present at work even when you are there.
• Irritability. Shorter fuse with coworkers, supervisors, or the people you support, with small things prompting big reactions.

The hardest part of burnout is that you usually feel it before you can name it. A few questions worth asking honestly:

• Do I feel different about the people I support, or about my work, than I did six months ago?
• Am I dreading work in a way I did not used to?
• Am I sleeping, eating, and resting in ways that take care of me?
• Am I talking about work outside of work in ways that feel heavy or angry?
• Am I withdrawing from the parts of life that usually fill me back up?

You will often see burnout in a coworker before they see it in themselves. Things to watch for:

• A coworker who used to be warm with the individuals they support, or with their team, is now flat or short
• A coworker who used to engage with the team is now quiet, withdrawn, or skipping interactions they used to be part of
• A coworker is starting to call in more, arrive late, or leave early
• A coworker is talking about the work with bitterness or cynicism that is new for them
• A coworker is making more mistakes than usual on tasks they used to handle without issue

Burnout is not solved by toughing it out. People who push through it without addressing it tend to either leave the field entirely or become the kind of employee who hurts the people they support and the people they work with — both outcomes are preventable.

This work is not done alone. The agency exists to support the team, the team exists to support each other, and burnout is one of the things we watch for together.