• • Student assistants should provide their supervisor with available work hours as soon as possible since existing work shifts sometimes fill quickly. 

      c. Probationary Period¹⁰¹ 

All permanent employees serve at least a six-month probationary period. New academic staff may be assigned a staff mentor from a different classroom during their probationary period. The role of the mentor is to assist the new staff in becoming acclimated to the school, to answer questions, and provide support to the new staff member through the transition into the program. 

      d. Salary Information 

• • Salary range information can be found here: Salary Structure | Human Resources | UW–Madison (wisc.edu) 
  • Pay adjustment information can be found here: https://kb.wisc.edu/ohr/policies/page.php?id=53379 

      e. Criminal Record & Background Checks 

• • All staff and in-ratio volunteers having contact with children are screened for records of criminal activity that is “substantially related” to the care of children and center operations using the procedures [PE14] required by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) to complete a fingerprinted caregiver background check.102 
  • Preliminary background check results are received before staff work in the licensed area of the CDL. Staff who pass the preliminary check may work alone with children under direct observation of another staff person who has passed the background check until the final results are received. Direct observation includes at least one check in with the teacher in the classroom/space with children during each shift. Once final results are received with clearance, the teacher may work with less direct observation. 
  • All students who are not employees receive a non-fingerprinted background check from DCF. 
  • All volunteers who are not in ratio and not volunteering for credit receive a non-fingerprinted background check. 
  • All researchers are background checked by the University of Wisconsin Madison. The Student and Research Coordinator or designee accompanies all children participating in research and so children are never left alone with researchers. 
  • Criminal activity notification requirements. 
    • All staff are required to notify their supervisor of any incident they are involved in with law enforcement, changes in their background report and criminal activity, within 24 hours of the occurrence. 
    • All employees must also report if they are being investigated by a government agency, have a substantial governmental finding or have a professional license denied, revoked, restricted or otherwise limited within 24 hours of the occurrence. 
    • Any known convictions, pending charges or other offenses of the licensee, CDL employee, or other person subject to a caregiver background check must be reported to the appropriate Licensing specialist. 

      f. Payroll 

• • The financial specialist of the School of Human Ecology business office, in room 2130 Human Ecology Building, 1300 Linden Drive, handles all matters related to payroll. New employees need to complete forms: W-4, I-9, and Direct Deposit (prior to working). Personal identification for completing the I-9 employment form (driver’s license and original social security card OR original birth certificate OR passport) is required. New academic staff hires will also need to schedule a benefits training, get building keys, and sign up for parking (if applicable). 
  • Salaried employees are paid on completion of each month. Student hourly and University staff employees complete a Web based timesheet. Time is entered and approved for every two week pay period. 
  • Payroll deductions are made for state and federal taxes, social security taxes, and other required or elective benefits. 

      g. Staff Files 

• • Lead teacher-Academic Staff files include: resume, transcripts, a Registry certificate, a Background Information Disclosure (BID) form, results of the Criminal Background check (CBC), completed staff records form, [PE15] documentation of program orientation, report of a health examination (including TB skin test) within 12 months prior to beginning work or within 30 days after beginning work, documentation of current First Aid and CPR/AED certification (within 3 months after beginning to work with children), documentation of Shaken Baby training (completed prior to working with children), SIDS post-test, yearly performance reviews and record of yearly in-service and continuing education training, 
  • Assistant teacher files include: application of employment, transcript, a Background Information Disclosure (BID) form, results of the criminal background check (CBC) completed staff records form[PE16] , documentation of program orientation, a report of a health examination (including TB skin test) within 12 months prior to beginning work or within 30 days after beginning work, documentation of current First Aid and CPR/AED certification within 6 months of employment, documentation of Shaken Baby training (completed prior to working with children) and SIDS post-test and continuing education. 
  • Unpaid staff (students & volunteers) files include: documentation of program orientation, completed staff records form, and Background Information Disclosure (BID) form [PE17] . 

      h. Staff Orientation¹⁰³ 

• • Within the first week at the center, all new staff, student teachers, and volunteers receive a program orientation.¹⁰⁴ 
  • Most of the orientation is completed on Canvas and documented by the grades which are stored in the staff file. Anything required in person is completed and documented with a worksheet added to the staff file. 
  • Staff are responsible for getting clarification if unclear on any policy or procedure. 
  • The orientation provides information about: 

• • • Review of relevant childcare licensing rules (DCF 251) 
    • Review of center policies and procedures 
    • Training in emergency procedures, including response to food and allergic reactions, fire and tornado evacuation plans¹⁰⁵ 
    • First Aid procedures¹⁰⁶ 
    • Administration of medications 
    • Training in Sudden Infant Death prevention for all staff (must be complete prior to providing care for children)¹⁰⁷ 
    • Training in Abusive Head Trauma prevention for all staff that is counted in the staff-to-child ratios. 
    • Job responsibilities in relation to the job description¹⁰⁸ 
    • Training in the recognition of childhood illnesses and infectious disease control including hand washing procedures and universal precautions for handling body fluids 
    • Schedule of activities of the center¹⁰⁹ 
    • Review of child abuse and neglect laws and reporting procedures¹¹⁰ 
    • The procedure for ensuring that all childcare workers know the children assigned to their care and their whereabouts at all times¹¹¹ 
    • Child guidance techniques¹¹² 
    • Procedure to take attendance of children and tracking
    • Handling and storage of hazardous materials and the appropriate disposal of bio-contaminants
    • Information on any special needs of child enrolled and the plan for how these needs will be met^112.5
    • Building and physical premises safety^112.6
    • Procedures for knowing a child’s special health requirements including any physical, emotional, social or cognitive disabilities.¹¹³ 

      i. Benefits 

• • Lead teachers and Directors are members of the academic staff and are covered under established personnel policies and procedures of the University of WI for this category of employee. Academic staff members receive full benefits of the University of Wisconsin. The benefits available include a variety of health and life insurance plans, income continuation insurance, membership in the Wisconsin Retirement System, tax-sheltered annuities/investments, deferred compensation plans, worker’s compensation, sick leave, paid holidays, maternity leave, liability protection, family leave, and tuition reimbursement for certain types of job-related training. The complete academic staff policies and procedures (ASPP) document is given to each academic staff member at the time of their initial appointment and is available on the web: Resources – Office of the Secretary of the Academic Staff – UW–Madison (wisc.edu). 
  • Hourly assistants and University Staff are covered under the “Classified System” Policies | Human Resources | UW–Madison (wisc.edu) University rules apply but generally these categories of employees do not receive paid leave time. 

      j. Work Schedule¹¹⁴ 

• • Each classroom teacher has a set work schedule depending on the needs of the program and required teacher-to-child ratios. The float teachers are assigned a weekly schedule but are expected to be able to flex this schedule daily (to come in earlier or stay late as necessary) when substitute teaching for an absent staff. Schedules for students and trainees are determined by their supervisor in conjunction with the Director based on class requirements. 
  • Academic staff work schedules account for direct contact time with children, planning, preparation, and professional development time. Since academic staff are salaried rather than hourly employees, they are expected to fully participate in all functions that are job-related. Hourly employee schedules include only direct contact with children, unless additional duties are assigned. 
  • Requests for a temporary/occasional adjustment to a work schedule (i.e. make up time missed) will be considered on a case-by-case basis when requested in advance. 
  • Group childcare workers may care for children up to 12 hours a day. 

      k. Attendance Policy 

• • A high level of work attendance by employees is essential to the operations of the program. All employees are expected to begin and end the workday based on their established work schedule. 
  • Assistant teachers receive the attendance policy and procedure [PE19] at orientation and sign off that they understand they must find their own substitute coverage. 
  • Academic staff are expected to notify the Student & Research Coordinator and the Administrator or designee(s) in a timely manner whenever they are unable to report for work or will be late. This is important so that adjustments in staffing can be made. 
    • If the Director or designee is not available, the academic staff must leave a message for the Director or designee AND call at least one other staff member so that someone knows that a staffing adjustment must be made. 
  • Excessive unexcused absenteeism or tardiness (regardless of whether the employee has leave time remaining to cover the absence) is grounds for discipline. 
  • Doctor’s appointments should be scheduled outside of work time, whenever possible. 
  • Inclement weather attendance. 

• • • If the school is closed for inclement weather (see section on school closing for inclement weather in Program Policies & Procedures Handbook), employees may or may not be granted the option of working on school related projects from home. School closings for inclement weather are considered workdays for staff. 
    • If the school is not closed for inclement weather, employees are expected to report to work as scheduled. An employee who reasonably determines that travel would not be safe must notify the Director or designee if they cannot report to work or will report late. Employees who are absent from work when the school is open must use available leave time or make up the time missed in ways that are beneficial to the program (prior supervisor approval is required for the make-up plan). 

      l. Vacation Time¹¹⁵ 

• • Twelve-month pay basis academic staff receive 176 hours of vacation per year (prorated for part-time employees). No more than one week of vacation can be carried over to the next fiscal year and is subject to supervisor approval. Academic staff receive the procedure [PE20] for requesting time off notification twice per year. 
  • Nine-month academic staff do not earn vacation and are expected to work during the appointment period except for days specifically listed as paid holiday. 

      m. Legal Holidays¹¹⁶ 

• • The university is closed on the following legal holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve. 
  • When January 1, July 4, or December 25 fall on a Sunday, the following Monday will be considered a holiday. When January 1, July 4, December 24, December 25, or December 31 fall on a Saturday, or when December 24 or December 31 fall on a Sunday, the employee will receive a floating holiday (Academic staff employees with 9-month appointments are not eligible) that can be used like vacation. The floating holiday must be used in the fiscal year in which it is earned. 

      n. Personal Holidays 

• • 12-month academic staff are granted 36 hours of personal holiday time every July 1 (prorated for part-time). 
  • The allotment must be used within the fiscal year it is granted. Any unused leave will be lost on June 30th of every year 

      o. Sick leave¹¹⁷ 

• • Academic staff receive a generous sick leave allotment, depending on their appointment. 
  • University Staff may receive leave time per University staff rules 
  • Student hourly employees receive no paid sick time. 
  • Sick leave may be used for personal or immediate family illness: Sick Leave - UW-Madison Policy Library (wisc.edu) 

      p. Requesting Leave (vacation, personal holiday, sick leave) 

• • A calendar of scheduled absences is maintained so that staff may see who is off on any given day. 
  • All staff are encouraged to plan their leave request so that time off is coordinated with other staff and is spread out over the course of the entire year. 
  • Scheduled absences (i.e. vacation and doctor’s appointments) must be approved in advance. Staff must first check the calendar before requesting time off, to determine how their absence will affect operations. 
  • Teachers should coordinate with Float or person covering their shift to help ensure duties are covered. 
  • Academic staff vacation request must be in ½ day or full day increments (i.e. 4 hours or 8 hours) 
  • Since staff-to-child ratios must be maintained at all times, approval of leave requests will depend on having adequate coverage during the planned absence and the operational needs of the program. Exceptions may be made for emergency situations. 

      q. Academic Staff Leave Reporting (vacation, personal holiday, sick leave) 

• • Requirement for 12-month employees is as follows: absent from work less than 2 hours- report 0 hour; absent from work 2-6 hours- report 4 hours; absent from work > 6 hours-report 8 hours. 
  • Requirements for 9-month employees and employees with less than a 100%-time appointment is as follows: report actual time absent from work. 

      r. Paid Breaks¹¹⁸ 

• • Breaks are not a required benefit for an Academic staff or student hourly; however, efforts are made in staffing to allow for a 15-minute break for every 4-hour period of work. Rather than scheduling staff for a ½ hour unpaid lunch break in the middle of the day, staff are scheduled to eat lunch with children. 

      s. Planning, Meeting, and Professional Development time. 

• • Lead teachers are given approximately 8.5 hours per week paid time to meet, plan, prepare, set up program activities, and participate in center opening or closing activities. 
  • Staff meetings are scheduled for 1 to 1.5 hours per week. Hourly employees participate in staff meetings only if assigned associated responsibilities. 
  • The school is closed one day in the fall semester and one day in the spring to allow teachers to prepare for parent/teacher conferences. 
  • Six of the days closed during the winter break are designated for program/curriculum development, staff meetings and continuing education time. 

      t. Staff Wellness¹¹⁹ 

The UW Child Development Lab promotes a healthy workplace, acknowledges that the nature of work with children and families can be stressful, and encourages staff to take advantage of the health and wellness resources made available to employees. Resources include: 

The Employee Assistance Office: The University of Wisconsin established the EAO to assist faculty and staff with maintaining and enhancing both their personal and professional lives. Services offered promote emotional well-being, as well as respectful and productive work environments. To set up a confidential appointment or explore online resources, visit http://eao.wisc.edu/ 

Periodically training may be available through various resources such as the School of Human Ecology’s EcoWell program, the Office of Child Care and Family Resources or local conferences. Contact your supervisor for more information. 

      u. Liability Program 

• • The State’s Self-funded liability protection is afforded under Wisconsin Statute 895.46 (1) and extends to all employees in the course and scope of their duties. It also extends to agents or volunteers, including students completing required clinical experiences. 
  • This liability program provides coverage against claims made as the result of the negligent acts. Negligence may be defined as the failure to act as a reasonable person would have under the same or similar circumstances. Note, this liability protection is not for injuries to UW personnel, but for injury to others, or damage to their property, caused by the negligent acts of our employees and agents. 
  • If a staff member becomes aware of a potential claim, immediately notify the Director so that a report can be filed with the Office of Risk Management. 

      v. Staff Ethics and Behaviors 

• • There will be no smoking in the building or play yard area. No alcohol or drugs (other than medical prescription drugs) shall be consumed on the premises, prior to coming to work or returning to work from lunch, and none shall be consumed in the presence of the children. Cans of soda, candy or gum may not be consumed in front of children. 
  • No weapons of any kind may be on the premises. 
  • Providing a safe and supportive atmosphere for children requires cooperation and open communication among staff members. Staff are expected to work together as a team, respecting each other as individuals with differing talents and viewpoints. 
  • Confidentiality.[PE22] 
• All staff must adhere to the following DCF rules related to confidentiality of records; violation of these policies could result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment: 

• • • Persons having access to children’s records may not discuss or disclose information regarding children and facts learned about children and their relatives. This does not apply to the parent/guardian or a person authorized in writing by the parent/guardian to receive such information or any agency assisting in planning for the child when informed written parent/guardian consent has been given. 
    • The center shall make accessible to the family, upon request, all records and reports maintained on their child. 
    • All records required by the Department of Children and Families for licensing purposes are to be available to licensing representatives upon request. 
  • Paper work 
• All staff are expected to complete paperwork associated with their position in a timely manner, including: 
  • • Documentation of days and hours worked when the person was included in the staff-to-child ratio. Staff are required to sign work time in and out on the required sheet each day and/or in the When to Work online system. 
    • Staff files: Staff are required to regularly update their staff files including continuing education records, emergency contact information, and other relevant records. 
    • Classroom documentation: Staff are required to keep a record of classroom activities for children and complete all classroom associated paperwork such as portfolios, conference forms, required safety forms, and so on. 
  • Dress code 
• Staff are required to dress in a manner that allows comfort, flexibility and ensures safety while on the job. Clothing should be clean, in good repair, comfortable, washable, and present a professional impression to families, visitors and other clients of the University. 

• • NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct. All staff are expected to follow NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct. See Appendix A or http://www.naeyc.org/positionstatements/ethical_conduct 

• • Extracurricular employment policy. 

• • • Private Care Arrangements: The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct states, “We shall not use our relationship with a family for private advantage or personal gain or enter into a relationship with family members that might impair our effectiveness in working with children.” Often families ask if UW Child Development Lab staff members are available to provide evening or weekend childcare in their home. The UW- Child Development Lab does not endorse or recommend staff to families or families to staff. Staff members who provide such childcare or drive children to or from the UW-Child Development Lab are doing so outside the scope of their UW-Child Development Lab employment as such, the UW- Child Development Lab and the University of Wisconsin are not liable for any conduct within a private arrangement of this nature. The University will not defend and indemnify you for any liability you might incur as part of such an arrangement, nor are UW-Child Development Lab staff members entitled to the University’s worker’s compensation coverage for these activities. Arrangements of this sort should not be made while the staff member is at the UW-Child Development Lab. Any such arrangement is considered a private arrangement and must not interfere with any of the CDL operations, including job performance of CDL staff. Families and staff members may arrange contacts with each other through the CDL PTO Coordinator. For the most part, these arrangements have worked well for CDL staff and families, and confidentiality and boundary issues have not been a problem. Our families particularly appreciate having student staff as familiar babysitters. 
    • Other Employment: All outside employment (private childcare or otherwise) may not occur during the staff member’s scheduled work hours at the CDL and may not interfere with job performance at the CDL, including but not limited to, work attendance and carrying out of job duties. 

      w. Building/Materials Usage Rules 

• • Normal building hours are 7:30-5:30, Monday-Friday (there may be times when classrooms are used for other purposes outside of normal operating hours). 
  • Wallets, purses and other valuables should always be stored securely, as petty theft occasionally occurs. 
  • The use of duct tape or masking tape to hang pictures or posters on the walls and/or woodwork is prohibited. These products remove the paint from the wall and/or leave an unsightly residue. 
  • Teachers are expected to sweep floors after each meal or messy activity. 
  • Spills and dirt on carpets must be blotted dry and treated with carpet cleaner as soon as they occur. 
  • Rooms and storage areas must be kept organized and tidy. 
  • Laminator. 
    • The CDL owns a laminating machine. Teachers employed at the CDL may use the laminator free-of-charge. Student teachers may have materials laminated free-of- charge, up to 10 yards per person. After that there is a charge of $1.00 per additional yard. Student teachers should give their materials to be laminated to their cooperating teachers for laminating and allow reasonable time (one week). If there is a problem with the laminator notify the Director, as soon as possible! 
  • Copy machine. 
    • The CDL has small volume copiers on site. These machines are for limited copying of 5 single sheets or less. Larger volume copying is done in SoHE. Someone is assigned to do copying only 1-2 times per week so staff must plan ahead with their copying needs. Materials to be copied should be placed in the “copy basket” along with a note designating the quantity needed and the person making the request. 
  • Library books. 
    • CDL staff occasionally check out books from the public library and from the UW-IMC. Care should be taken to ensure that loss or damage of borrowed materials is kept to a minimum. If a book is lost, then the borrower should do a thorough search of the room and school. The title of the lost book should be posted for families and staff to make sure that it wasn’t accidentally removed. Loss or damage to books should be reported to the Director. If the book has been lost, stolen or damaged through no negligence of the borrower, then the CDL will reimburse the borrower for the replacement/repair costs. The borrower must provide documentation from the library detailing the actual costs. Contact the administrator for reimbursement procedures. 
  • Telephone usage. 
    • Staff are not allowed to make or receive personal calls when they are directly responsible for children. The CDL’s field trip cell phone may only be used for necessary communications with center staff that can’t wait until the trip is over or emergencies. 
  • Social media policy. [PE23] 
    • The early education and care centers of the University of Wisconsin and their affiliates recognize the benefits and challenges of using technology (e.g. tablets, computers, digital cameras and camcorders). The following guidelines seek to ensure appropriate use of these tools and related applications (including but not limited to cell phones, digital cameras, web pages, blogs, and social media such as Facebook, etc.) to protect the integrity and best practices of each center. 
    • Photography and Images: Photograph and video images are a standard and routine occurrence within campus programs, especially in those that utilize photographs in authentic assessment. The centers take photographs and video images for use within the classroom setting to enhance learning, share experiences with peers, assist with authentic assessment of the child’s development through play and activities (versus testing) and contribute to the sense of community that the children build with one another. Familial permission will be obtained at the time of enrollment. Centers will also seek additional authorizations to utilize photographic or videotape images for educational and or publicity purposes for the center. (See below). Except for the image, the child’s name and other identifying information will not be used in any publication or educational use of the image. The child’s name will only be used in the creation of the portfolio for the child’s family. The centers will not use the images for commercial purposes. 
    • Statement of Commitment to Confidentiality: Adults working, observing, conducting research, and/or regularly volunteering within campus centers may become privy to confidential information regarding children and families. Therefore, adults in the center will read and sign the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and will abide by all State of Wisconsin child care licensing rules regarding confidentiality. 
    • Social Media Use In the Classroom: 
      • Each center will have a technology statement in its Family and Staff Handbook that outlines the goals and objectives of the use of social media and screen time in the classroom as it pertains to the curriculum with the children 
      • The statement will also outline the reasons for using social media (family communication, internet presence to attract new families, a learning tool for children, etc.) and describe when and how social media may be used. 
      • Adults within the classroom should use technology to communicate with families only during planning times and not as a part of their ongoing time in the classroom to prevent distraction from interactions with the children. “ 
      • Staff will be trained on how to create and maintain different types of social media for the centers, including use of social media in a respectful manner that does not disparage the university, the centers, the staff, families, or children. 
      • All staff, student teachers and volunteers will abide by their center’s policies regarding confidentiality and will be responsible for content they create. Content should be brief, professional and focus on the educational goals and objectives that the center has established. 
      • Volunteers, staff and families will not be allowed to store pictures, video or sound on their personal devices. Student teachers will be required by the terms of their participation to immediately delete at the conclusion of the class any pictures, sound or video information collected for class requirements. 
      • Technology may be used to enhance the classroom curriculum, (e.g. researching a topic on the internet with a small group, using a handwriting or math app. to provide for individual learning needs, communicating with friends in different parts of the world on education-related topics). 
      • All staff involved in the use of social media, whether for personal use or use within the center as a part of their learning experience, will be aware and respectful of the policy, views and opinions of families, the center, and the UW. 
      • The centers acknowledge that content created and posted by the centers may be shared with extended family, coworkers, and families and staff from other classrooms within the center. Accordingly, information disseminated will be consistent with the professional standards of the UW early education and care as expressed within this social media policy and the center handbook. 

• • • Staff will use digital technology and social media in accordance with any existing policies of the UW. Violation of applicable laws or UW policies may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination. Any communication or content published that causes damage to the setting or any of its employees, children or families may be considered misconduct and could lead to termination. 

• • CDL computer acceptable use policy [PE24]. 

• • • While SoHE’s network administration desires to provide a reasonable level of privacy, users should be aware that the data they create on the corporate systems remains the property of SoHE. Because of the need to protect SoHE’s network, management cannot guarantee the confidentiality of information stored on any network device belonging to Human Ecology. For security and network maintenance purposes, authorized individuals within SoHE may monitor equipment, systems and network traffic at any time, per Info Sec’s Audit Policy. SoHE reserves the right to audit networks and systems on a periodic basis to ensure compliance with this policy. 
    • Employees are responsible for exercising good judgment regarding the reasonableness of personal use. 
    • If during normal (non-web) use, pop up ads appear on the computer, or inappropriate material appears on the computers, the computer should be shut down immediately and the SoHE computer techs contacted to solve the problem. 
    • Employees must use caution when opening attachments or clicking on web links received in email. These may contain viruses, malware, or an attempt to steal information or passwords using sites that may look convincing. If you think an email is suspicious, it is safest to contact the company involved directly, and not use any of the links or information in the email. Contact computer support if you are uncertain. 
    • The lists below are by no means exhaustive but attempt to provide a framework for activities which fall into the category of unacceptable use. 

• • • • Violations of the rights of any person or school protected by copyright, trade secret, patent or other intellectual property, or similar laws or regulations, including, but not limited to, the installation or distribution of “pirated” or other software products that are not appropriately licensed for use by SoHE. 
      • Unauthorized copying of copyrighted material including, but not limited to, digitization and distribution of photographs from magazines, books or other copyrighted sources, copyrighted music, and the installation of any copyrighted software for which SoHE or the end user does not have an active license is strictly prohibited. 
      • Using the equipment for personal business purposes or for political campaign activities. 
      • Revealing your account password to others or allowing use of your account by others. This includes family and other household members when work is being done at home. 
      • Using a SoHE computing asset to actively engage in procuring or transmitting material that is not appropriate for children. 
      • Sending unsolicited email messages, including the sending of “junk mail” or other advertising material to individuals who did not specifically request such material (email spam). 

• • • Enforcement: Any employee found to have violated this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. 

      x. Staff Communication 

• • Mailboxes 

• • • Each staff member is provided with an individual mailbox. Personal messages, mail, and other important information may be added regularly, so mailboxes should be checked each day. 

• • E-mail 

• • • Academic staff and UW students are entitled to a “MyUW” email account. Since this is an easy way to communicate, academic staff are expected to activate their account and check their email daily for important messages. 

• • Logbook and/or white board 

• • • A staff notebook or white board is kept for center wide communication for all staff. It contains all the information to keep staff informed of a variety of topics, schedule changes, child information/absence, continuing education opportunities, meeting schedules, upcoming fire evacuations, and so on. 

• • Staff meetings 
    • To ensure that lead staff have the opportunity to receive pertinent information and clarification of problems and issues, staff meetings are scheduled weekly or at least 9 times per calendar year. Staff may add items to the meeting agenda at any time. 
  • Open Door Policy¹²⁰ 
    • To ensure that staff feel supported in their ideas and problem solving, the administration team has an open-door policy and works hard to create time and space for staff when needed. 
  • Dealing with conflict-ground rules. 
    • Ground rules create a safe, respectful, and affirming environment for all parties to express ideas and deal with potential differences. The following ground rules are important to consider when communicating with another person, particularly if there is conflict: 
      • Talk directly to the person with whom there are concerns, and do not seek to involve others in gossip or alliance building. 
      • Listen to one another. Try to understand the other person’s point of view before responding. 
      • Unless there is an explicit agreement regarding who needs to know further information, keep what is discussed in confidence. 
      • Agree to try your hardest, and trust that others are doing the same. 
      • Attack issues not the people with whom you disagree. Support the expression of dissent in a harassment-free workplace. 

      y. Grievance Procedures¹²¹ 

• • A staff member who has an employment related problem is encouraged to initially seek resolution of the matter informally. 
  • In some cases an academic staff member may want to file an official grievance. The grievance procedure outlined in the Academic Staff Policies & Procedures should be used to resolve employment matters that remain after informal efforts have been exhausted. 

      z. Breastfeeding Policy 

• • Breastfeeding has been shown to be the superior form of infant nutrition, providing a multitude of health benefits to both infant and mother. Families, including Child Development Lab staff, need ongoing support to provide their milk for their babies. The Child Development Lab supports breastfeeding practices as outlined in the Program Policy. 

      aa. Other University of Wisconsin Policies 

• • All staff are expected to comply with other UW Policies and Procedures. Examples of some policies include Sexual Harassment/Assault, Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity, Disability, Health and Safety (including OSHA) [PE25] and more. See the full list at www.wisc.edu/policies. 
  • Each year, the Director or Designee reviews the campus policy on records retention and ensures that the Child Development Lab is in compliance with the schedule for our unit. Campus units are required to follow the retention and disposition recommendations set out in these schedules for similar records. Alternatively, we may submit our own RDA proposal for review and approval. See http://www.library.wisc.edu/archives/records-management/retention- disposition/for more information.