QR4 Staff Policies & Handbook Instructions

Quality Rating 4: Staff Handbook and Statement

Instructions

To meet the requirements for Administrative Policies and Practices: Staff Policies and Handbook: ADM 10.4, you will upload:

  • A copy of your program’s Staff Handbook that includes policies and practices related to:
    • Health
    • Safety
    • Child Development
    • Inclusion of children with disabilities or special health care needs
    • Training
    • Positive behavior practices
    • Staff roles and responsibilities
    • Benefits
  • A statement explaining that all new staff members are provided a Staff Handbook at the time of hire.

The Policy or Statement Builder provides a step-by-step guide for creating policies for your staff handbook.

Staff Handbook

Staff policies help everyone to better understand and meet the expectations a program has of its employees. A Staff Handbook is a resource for your staff to find information that helps them fulfill their roles and responsibilities. Quality programs develop a comprehensive set of policies and procedures that guide their practices. A handbook can be a helpful reference when questions arise.

Staff Policies Scenarios

Try this interactive and review the two scenarios. The Scenarios provide you with situations where a staff person is unsure of their program’s policies. The Questions to Think About will give you guiding questions as you review or develop your program’s staff policies.

A staff member registers for and attends training, per the licensing requirement for continued training hours. When she returns from training, she asks how soon she can expect to be reimbursed for her registration and travel expenses.

You indicate to her that because this is a licensing requirement, there is no reimbursement. The staff member tells you that this was never communicated to her, and expects to be reimbursed.

  • Do your staff policies include information regarding holidays and time off?
  • Do your staff policies specify which holidays are considered “paid holidays” and which require the use of leave time?
  • Do your staff policies clearly explain the process for taking time off?
  • How do you handle situations where two teachers in a classroom request off the same day?

The Program Director schedules a performance evaluation with an assistant teacher. The Assistant Teacher is anxious.

She was never told she would be evaluated and doesn’t understand the purpose of the evaluation.

  • Does your program have a written policy that describes performance evaluations?
  • Is the purpose of evaluations clear?
  • Does your policy explain any expectations around goal-setting and improvement plans for staff members?

It is a sound business practice to maintain a record of written receipts from your staff documenting that they received a copy of your handbook when they were hired. When you upload a copy of your program’s Staff Handbook, you will include a statement that explains that new staff receive a copy at the time of hire.

What does the documentation look like?

To meet the requirements for ADM 10.4, your program’s staff handbook includes written policies and procedures related to:

  • Health
  • Safety
  • Child Development
  • Inclusion of Children with Disabilities or Special Health Care Needs
  • Positive Behavior Practices
  • Staff Roles and Responsibilities
  • Training
  • Staff Benefits

Your handbook may also include additional policies and procedures that are relevant to your program, such as emergency evacuation procedures, inclement weather policies, and illness/sickness policies.

Policy or Statement Builder

Develop a handbook that helps staff understand the program’s expectations and to stay informed. The Reflection Questions below will help you think about the policies to include. Once you have spent time reflecting on the questions below, you’re ready to write your staff handbook.

  1. What policies do you share with staff about health?
  2. What policies do you share with staff about safety?
  3. What information is shared with staff about child development?
  4. What policies are shared with staff regarding the inclusion of children with disabilities and children with special health care needs?
  5. What kind of training is provided for staff?
  6. What are your program’s positive behavior practices?
  7. How would you describe the roles and responsibilities of you staff? Think about different staff roles and how the responsibilities might be different.
  8. What benefits do you offer your staff?

Once you have spent time reflecting on the questions, you have the option to download and save the Staff Policies template to create your statement.

Technology Tips

Download the PDF.

Save the PDF.

Print the PDF.

Edit the PDF.

Do you need more time to think about writing your policies? Use Writers Tips and Prompts to find examples and get more guidance.

Where can you learn more?

  • Staff Handbook Template Use this outline to guide you as you are developing your staff handbook.
  • Professional Support Find the contact information for your Quality Assurance Specialist and Technical Assistance Specialist.