Employee Handbook
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Scroll to: Equal Employment Opportunity | Domestic Partner Policy | Sexual and Other Harassment | Whistleblower Policy | Personnel Records | Personal Information
Employee Relations
Equal Employment Opportunity
SIBCR is an equal opportunity employer. Every employee has the right to work in surroundings that are free from all forms of unlawful discrimination. SIBCR will not engage in nor tolerate unlawful discrimination on any basis prohibited by local, state or federal law. Specifically, SIBCR does not discriminate against any person in any matter of employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military or veteran status or status as a disabled veteran or a veteran of the Vietnam era.
This policy applies to staff of all levels within the organization and includes (but is not limited to) the following: (1) recruiting and soliciting for employment; (2) hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, and demotion; (3) employment training or selection for training; (4) pay rates, compensation, and benefits; and (5) termination. All selection methods and criteria shall be based on job-related criteria and individual merit.
SIBCR encourages men and women of minority status to apply for positions at all scientific and administrative levels.
Employees should speak to either the Executive Director or Human Resources if he or she has any related questions, complaints or comments on this policy.
SIBCR recognizes that employees with physical or mental conditions which significantly limit their major life activities may need reasonable accommodations to enable them to perform their essential job functions. Any employee who believes he or she needs reasonable accommodation should notify Human Resources. Although the need for accommodations is determined on a case-by-case basis, generally SIBCR and the employee engage in an interactive process with the employee’s healthcare provider(s). The employee has an obligation to cooperate with SIBCR in this process, which may include authorizing SIBCR to communicate with the employee’s healthcare providers concerning the employee’s condition, its limitations, and possible reasonable accommodations.
Domestic Partner Statement and Policy
SIBCR seeks to promote acceptance of diversity in all its dimensions. In light of this goal, the benefits provided to domestic partners, as much as possible, are the same benefits as provided to spouses of legally married employees.
Registration of a domestic partnership is not required in order for the employee to be able to take advantage of this policy’s provisions, with the exception of insurance benefits, including medical, dental and vision.
Domestic partners are persons who:
- Are at least 18 years of age.
- Are competent to contract at the time the domestic partnership statement is completed.
- Are not legally married to or legally separated from any person.
- Are not related in any way that would prohibit marriage in Washington State.
- Have been each other’s sole domestic partner for the past six months and intend to remain so indefinitely.
- Are engaged in a committed relationship of mutual caring and support and are jointly responsible for their common welfare and living expenses.
- Share permanent residence.
Completion of an Affidavit of Domestic Partnership (ADP) will be required for coverage under the group medical, dental, and vision insurance benefits. Please see Human Resources for information and the ADP form.
Upon receipt of a properly completed ADP form, SIBCR will consider the partnership registered as of the date on the signature on the form. Children of domestic partners are eligible for benefits under the same conditions as are the children of employees’ legal spouses.
Enrollment of domestic partners and eligible dependent children is subject to the same rules as enrollment of other dependents.
Under the current medical, dental, and vision plans, domestic partners and their enrolled dependents receive the same or equivalent benefits as spouses and their enrolled dependents receive for group continuation health coverage through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) and/or individual conversion.
An employee may terminate a domestic partnership by notifying Human Resources in writing of the termination of the domestic partnership within 30 days of its termination. (The same guideline exists for married couples that divorce.) The employee must then wait six months from the date of the notice before registering another domestic partnership, except in either of the following cases:
- The employee is registering the same domestic partnership within 30 days of notification of the termination of that domestic partnership, or
- The employee’s former domestic partnership was dissolved through the death of the employee’s domestic partner.
The tax consequences of a domestic partnership are the responsibility of the employee, not the company. Under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), an employee is not taxed on the value of benefits provided by an employer to an employee’s spouse or dependent. However, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has ruled that a domestic partner does not qualify as a spouse. The value of benefits provided to an employee’s domestic partner (and the domestic partner’s eligible children, if any) is therefore considered part of the employee’s taxable income, unless the employee’s domestic partner qualifies as a dependent under Section 152 of the IRC.
SIBCR will treat the value of the benefits provided to the employee’s domestic partner (and the domestic partner’s eligible children, if any) as part of the employee’s income and will withhold the taxes on the value of those benefits from the employee’s paychecks. If the employee’s domestic partner qualifies as a dependent under Section 125 of the IRC, the employee may file the proper documentation with the IRS and seek a refund for taxes withheld.
Some courts have recognized non-marriage relationships as the equivalent of marriage for the purpose of establishing and dividing community property. A declaration of common welfare, such as the registration of a domestic partnership, may therefore have legal implications.
Questions regarding this policy should be directed to Human Resources.
Sexual and Other Harassment
SIBCR expects all employees to accomplish their work in a professional and businesslike manner. Harassment of employees by fellow employees, supervisors or non-employees in the workplace is a form of unlawful discriminatory behavior and is not permitted regardless of working relationship. Specifically forbidden is harassment based on gender, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or engagement in protected activities, i.e., opposition to prohibited discrimination.
Harassment includes unsolicited remarks, gestures, or physical contact; display or circulation of written materials, e-mail or pictures derogatory to either gender or to racial, ethnic, or religious groups; or basing personnel decisions on an employee’s response to sexually-oriented requests.
Sexual harassment is generally defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other visual, verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
- Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment;
- Submission to or rejection of such conduct affects employment opportunities, term or conditions; or
- The conduct interferes with an employee’s work or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.
Sexual harassment includes harassment based on another person’s gender or harassment based upon pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. It also includes harassment of another employee of the same gender as the harasser.
Engaging in any act that discriminates against another employee because of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, creed, marital or veteran’s status, age, the presence of a disability or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal laws will not be tolerated. Harassment and all other forms of discrimination are improper and illegal and are grounds for disciplinary action up to and including immediate dismissal.
Every employee is responsible for supporting and adhering to this policy. Employees should never tolerate inappropriate behavior, toward themselves or others. Reports of offending behavior must be made to one’s supervisor, manager or to Human Resources. Employees are not to wait for the harassment to become severe or pervasive before making a report.
All employees’ concerns will be investigated promptly and employees will not suffer retaliation for reporting them. SIBCR will protect the confidentiality of any complainant to the extent possible. It is important to SIBCR that all claims of discrimination or harassment be thoroughly reviewed and investigated so appropriate steps are taken. If an SIBCR employee is found to have committed harassment, discipline, up to and including termination, may be imposed. The severity of the punishment will depend on the nature of the situation and the number of occurrences.
No action will be taken against any employee who in good faith files a complaint of harassment or assists in the investigation of such complaint. Employees who believe they have been retaliated against for having reported incidents of harassment or for having participated in an investigation must promptly notify any manager, Human Resources or the Executive Director so their concerns can be investigated. Appropriate corrective measures will be taken if allegations of retaliation are substantiated.
An SIBCR employee working as a WOC (Without Compensation) at VAPSHCS will receive Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO) and Prevention of Sexual Harassment training during VAPSHCS new employee orientation and every year after in the required MARS training.
Whistleblowers Policy & Guidelines for Reporting Improper Activity
SIBCR does not condone any activity that is illegal or improper, whether by a Board Member, the Executive Director, any SIBCR member or employee. SIBCR encourages its employees to report any suspected or actual illegal or improper activity.
Behavior that falls into the category of illegal or improper conduct includes: fraud, theft, safety violations, improper use of authority, gross waste of funds, harassment, or retaliation. If an employee in good faith believes that an improper or illegal action or event has occurred, he or she should report the incident to Human Resources. If Human Resources is involved, the employee should report the incident to the Executive Director or President of the Board of Directors. If an employee is unsure who the current President is he or she may refer to information about the Board of Directors here.
SIBCR will strive to keep a whistleblower’s identity confidential, but this cannot be guaranteed. An employee may be called as a witness in any criminal investigation. SIBCR will seek to protect the employee from any retaliation. Any employee who feels that adverse action has been taken toward him or her due to a report of improper activity should report it as soon as possible in writing to the Executive Director or the President of the Board.
SIBCR supports the conscientious reporting of improper activity. If it is determined that a report was made maliciously or for personal gain, the offending employee may be subject to discipline, up to and including termination from employment.
Personnel Records
Personnel records, including medical information about an employee, are confidential. Access will be limited only to those who have a justified need to access the information. Although SIBCR will maintain personnel records as confidential, employees may discuss their wages, benefits, or other terms and conditions of employment with other employees or third parties at their choosing. Under some circumstances, SIBCR may be required to provide personnel records under federal or state law, or in response to a court order.
Employees may review their personnel records at a mutually convenient time during business hours and may add additional items to the file. Any concerns regarding the completeness or accuracy of the information contained in an employee’s personnel file should be discussed with his or her supervisor or Human Resources.
When a current employee needs SIBCR to verify employment (such as for a loan approval), the employee should advise Human Resources of the need at the earliest opportunity so that Human Resources can verify the authorization to release employment information.
SIBCR also reserves the right to provide references regarding former employees.
Personal Information
Employees are responsible to notify Human Resources of any personal changes, including but not limited to addresses, telephone numbers, number of dependents, change in marital status or other personal information so that SIBCR may keep personnel records accurate and up-to-date and so that we can communicate with employees as needed.