Commencing Employment with Queens Law Associates - Law Assignment Help

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Introduction
For those of you who are commencing employment with Queens Law Associates (“QLA”), on behalf of all our staff, we extend a warm and sincere welcome. We hope you will enjoy your work here.
For those of you who have been with us, thank you for your past and continued service.
We extend to you our personal wishes for a rewarding career here at Queens Law Associates. We understand that it is our employees who provide the services upon which our clients rely, and who enable us to maintain an organization that provides excellent legal representation to indigent peopleand a devotion to community services.
About This Manual
This manual was prepared to assist you in finding the answers to many questions that you may have regarding your employment with Queens Law Associates. Please take the necessary time to read it.
We do not expect this manual to answer all your questions. Your Supervisors and our Human Resources Manager will also be a major source of information.
Queens Law Associates adheres to the policy of employment at will, which permits QLA or the employee to terminate the employment relationship at any time, for any reason, with or without cause or notice. This manual and any other verbal or written communication by a management representative is not, and should not be considered to be, an agreement or contract of employment, express or implied, or a promise of treatment in any particular manner in any given situation. No one is authorized to provide any employee with an employment contract or special arrangement concerning terms or conditions of employment unless the contract or agreement is in writing and signed by the Executive Director.
Many matters covered by this manual, such as benefit plan descriptions, are also described in separate QLA documents. These QLA documents are always controlling over any statement made in this manual or by any member of management.
This manual states only general QLA guidelines. QLA may, at any time and in its sole discretion, modify or vary from anything stated in this manual, with or without notice, except that QLA management shall strive to give notice in writing, in advance when possible, by e mail or written Memo, of any change in policy and/or procedure set forth in this manual. 
EQUAL EMPLOYMENTANDNON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
Equal Employment Opportunity
Queens Law Associates is an Equal Opportunity Employer which does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity or national origin, disability or handicap, sex, gender (including gender identity, gender expression and transgender status), pregnancy, or pregnancy related conditions, familial, marital or partnership status, sexual orientation, political belief, military or veteran status, alienage or citizenship status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, unemployment status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sex offenses or stalking,  or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. This policy applies with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, and all other terms and conditions of employment.
WORKPLACE CONDUCT - POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Non-Discrimination and Non-Harassment Policy and Procedure, Including Sexual Harassment
It is the policy of Queens Law Associates to prohibit discrimination or harassment of any employee by anyone, including but not limited to any supervisor, manager, employee, client or vendor, on the basis of any protected classification including, but not limited to, age, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity or national origin, disability or handicap, sex, gender (including gender identity, gender expression and transgender status), pregnancy or pregnancy related conditions, familial, marital or partnership status, sexual orientation, political belief, military or veteran status, alienage or citizenship status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, unemployment status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sex offenses or stalking or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. While it is not easy to define what harassment is, examples include verbal (including improper joking or teasing) or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion towards an individual because of a protected characteristic, and that (1) has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment as defined by law; or (2) has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance; or (3) otherwise adversely affect an individual’s employment opportunities. The purpose of this policy is not to regulate our employees’ personal morality, but to ensure that in the workplace, no one discriminates against or harasses another individual.
Sexual Harassment. One form of harassment is sexual harassment. Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to, any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favor or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature where:
• Agreeing to such conduct is directly or indirectly a condition of employment;
• Agreeing to or refusing such conduct is used as the basis for an employment decision affecting that employee;
• Such conduct interferes with an employee’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.
The following are examples of types of conduct that may constitute sexual harassment:
• Slurs, jokes or degrading comments or unwanted attention of a sexual nature
• Unwelcome sexual advances or flirtations
• Physical assaults of a sexual nature
• Unwelcome hugging, touching or kissing
• Suggestive or lewd remarks
• Requests for sexual favors / propositions
• The display of sexually suggestive pictures or objects
• Intentional physical contact or touching such as patting, pinching or brushing against another’s body
• Using sexually degrading words to describe an individual
• Repeated and unwelcome requests to date another employee
If you feel that you have been subjected to, or witnessed others being subjected to, any conduct which violates this policy, you should immediately report the matter to a member of management. Complaints of discrimination and/or harassment should be brought to the attention of your immediate supervisor. If the alleged harasser is your supervisor, you should feel free to bypass the supervisor and take the complaint directly to the Human Resources Manager or another member of management. QLA will promptly and thoroughly investigate the facts and circumstances of any claim of discrimination and/or harassment. Every report of discrimination or harassment will be fully investigated and corrective action will be taken where appropriate.
If you have not received a satisfactory response within five (5) business days after reporting any incident which you perceive to be discrimination or harassment, please contact the Executive Director or Managing Director.
All complaints will be kept confidential to the extent possible, but confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. In addition, QLA prohibits and will not allow any form of discipline or retaliation against individuals who report in good faith to management incidents of discrimination or harassment or who cooperate in the investigations of such reports in accordance with this policy. Employees who make complaints in bad faith may be subject to disciplinary action. 
In addition to the above statement on Sexual Harassment, QLA maintains a more detailed policy on Sexual Harassment.  This policy is distributed to all QLA employees.  All full-time, part time, non-paid interns and externs are required to undergo Diversity and Sexual Harassment training.
Violation of this policy by any employee will result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.
Drug, Tobacco, Vaping, and Alcohol-Free Workplace Policy
To help ensure a safe, healthy and productive work environment for our employees and others, to protect QLA property, and to ensure efficient operations, QLA has adopted a policy of maintaining a workplace free of drugs, tobacco, vaping, and alcohol. This policy applies to all employees, and to other individuals who perform work for QLA while so engaged within QLA offices.
The unlawful or unauthorized use, possession, purchase, transfer, sale or distribution of controlled substances, drug paraphernalia or alcohol by an individual anywhere on QLA premises, or while on QLA business (whether or not on QLA premises), or while representing QLA, is strictly prohibited. Use of tobacco or vaping is strictly prohibited on our work premises. Employees and other individuals who work for QLA are also prohibited from reporting to work or working while they are using or under the influence of alcohol or any controlled substances, except when the use is lawful and is pursuant to a licensed medical practitioner’s instructions and the licensed medical practitioner has authorized the person to report to work.
Violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.
Abuse/Addiction Rehabilitation and Reasonable Accommodation
QLA maintains a policy of non-discrimination and will, consistent with the requirements of federal, state and local laws, endeavor to make reasonable accommodations to assist those recovering from alcohol and/or other substance dependencies. We encourage employees to seek assistance before their alcohol or other substance abuse or misuse renders them unable to perform the essential functions of their jobs or jeopardizes the health and safety of any QLA employee, including themselves. 
Safe Workplace Environment
Queens Law Associates is strongly committed to providing a safe workplace. The purpose of this policy is to minimize the risk of personal injury to employees and damage to QLA and personal property.
We do not expect you to become an expert in psychology or to physically subdue a threatening or violent individual. Indeed, we specifically discourage you from engaging in any physical confrontation with a violent or potentially violent individual. However, we do expect and encourage you to exercise reasonable judgment in identifying potentially dangerous situations, and to report such situations to a member of management as promptly as possible. 
Prohibited Conduct
Threats, threatening language or any other acts of aggression or violence made toward or by any QLA employee will not be tolerated. For purposes of this policy, a threat includes any verbal, written or physical harassment or abuse, any attempt at intimidating or instilling fear in others, menacing gestures, flashing of weapons, stalking or any other hostile, aggressive, injurious or destructive action undertaken for the purpose of domination or intimidation. To the extent permitted by law, employees and visitors are prohibited from carrying weapons onto QLA premises. 
Violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge. 
All potentially dangerous situations, including threats by co-workers, should be reported immediately to any member of management with whom you feel comfortable. Reports of threats will be maintained confidential to the extent maintaining confidentiality does not impede our ability to investigate and respond to the complaints. All threats will be promptly investigated. No employee will be subjected to retaliation, intimidation or disciplinary action as a result of reporting a threat in good faith under this policy. If QLA determines, after an appropriate good faith investigation, that someone has violated this policy, QLA will take swift and appropriate corrective action.
If you are the recipient of a threat made by an outside party, please follow the steps detailed in this section. It is important for us to be aware of any potential danger in our offices. Indeed, we want to take effective measures to protect everyone from the threat of a violent act by an employee or by anyone else. 
No Unauthorized Personnel or Equipment
Due to liability and confidentiality issues,the following require advance approval from the Executive or ManagingDirector:
• inviting non-employeesto be part of the office for any period of time (e.g. students, “volunteers,”“interns” etc.);
• bringing children to the office for the day, even when the parent or guardian will be in the office; 

• Unauthorized visitors present in the office, including any of the above referred to individuals, will be asked to leave, and equipment of the above-noted nature brought in without authorization will be removed.
Electronic Communications Policy
Employees should not have an expectation of privacy in the use of QLA’s telephones, data storage, e-mail and computer systems. QLA has a right to monitor, tape and disclose employees’ electronic communications, which include but are not limited to telephone conversations and computer e mails, in order to protect QLA’s proprietary and confidential information, to promote efficiency and proper service to clients, to prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing, to comply with legal or regulatory requests for information and to assure that QLA’s electronic systems are not being used contrary to this policy. QLA may also access, review, audit and disclose voice mail, telephone messages and e-mail stored in its electronic systems in order to carry out these objectives. All employees should understand that their use of QLA’s electronic systems constitutes their consent to this monitoring, taping, access, review, audit and disclosure. In furtherance of these objectives, QLA also reserves the right to access, review, and audit, and disclose all other material stored on its electronic systems, including without limitation, all e-mail messages or other data sent to or from or stored on servers, PC hard drive, discs and tapes. 
Social Media Policy
QLA acknowledges that our employees, independently and on their own time, may be using internet-based social media such as social networking websites, web blogs, and on-line multi-user virtual worlds. With this in mind, employees are expected to carefully read these guidelines to ensure your postings are consistent with this policy. The same principles found in QLA’s policies in this handbook apply to your activities online. 
Keep in mind that any of your conduct that adversely affects your job performance or otherwise adversely affects clients, suppliers, people who work on behalf of QLA or QLA’s legitimate business interests may result in discipline. Inappropriate postings that include discriminatory remarks, harassment, and threats of violence or similar inappropriate or unlawful conduct will not be tolerated.
You are also expected to maintain the confidentiality of QLA’s trade secrets and other business-related confidential information. Trade secrets may include information regarding QLA’s systems, processes, strategy, know-how and technology. Do not post internal business related reports, policies,procedures or other internal business-related confidential communications. 
Refrain from using social media while on work time or on equipment we provide, unless for specified and approved business purposes. You should not use agency e-mail addresses to register for social media sites.
Violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.
Personal Identifying Information and Disposal of Records
QLA is committed to safeguarding the confidentiality of all employees’ personal identifying information. Personal identifying information includes but is not limited to the following:
• Social Security numbers
• Home address or telephone numbers 
• Personal e-mail addresses 
• Internet user IDs and passwords 
• Driver’s license numbers or non-driver identification card number
• Parents’ last names prior to marriage 
• Financial services, savings or checking account numbers or codes
• Electronic serial numbers or personal identification numbers
To that end, access to any files or records containing employee social security numbers or other personal identifying information shall be limited to human resources and management personnel on a “need to know” basis. Such access shall be solely for legitimate and necessary purposes related to the conduct of QLA business. 
Employees who receive or become aware of personal identifying information may not publicly disclose that information about any other employee to the general public except as required by State or Federal law or regulations. Such disclosure is prohibited whether done orally or in writing and by any medium including, for example, the internet. Personal identifying information may not be posted, displayed, or otherwise communicated to the general public. 
Specifically, QLA prohibits: 
• the public posting or displaying of employees’ Social Security numbers;
• the printing of Social Security numbers on employees’ badges or identification cards;
• the dissemination of its employees’ personal identifying information to the public, including Social Security numbers, home addresses and telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, internet usernames or passwords and parents’ surnames or driver’s license numbers, except that the latter may be used as individual identifying numbers on employee identification cards; 
• using employees’ Social Security numbers as identification numbers for occupational licensing purposes;
• encoding or embedding a Social Security number in a record or document by using a bar code, magnetic strip or other technology;
• filing publicly a document with any state agency or political subdivision or in any court that contains a social security number unless by consent or as required by other federal or state law.
With regard to disposal of records, QLA requires that certain precautions be taken at all times by QLA employees when disposing of documents which contain personal identifying information, by doing one of the following:
• Shred the record before disposal; 
• Destroy personal information contained in the record; 
• Modify the record to make the personal information unreadable; 
• Take action consistent with common industry practices to ensure no unauthorized person will have access to personal information contained in such records.
Violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.
No Solicitation or Distribution
The solicitation by an employee of another employee is prohibited while either person is on working time within or outside the workplace. Distribution of literature or printed materials of any kind is also prohibited in work areas at any time. Non employees are not permitted to solicit, distribute literature, or trespass on QLA’s premises at any time.
Private Practice Rules
Rules regarding the private practice of law are set forth in a separate document entitled “Private Practice Principals andRules” which is attached to this Manual and is being distributed to each attorney, who acknowledges receipt thereof.
QUEENS LAW ASSOCIATES EMPLOYEE MANUAL RECEIPT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I have received a copy of the Queens Law Associates’ Employee Manual. I understand that I am responsible for knowing all policies and procedures set forth in the manual, including the non-harassment and non-discrimination policy and procedures, and I agree to read and abide by all policies and procedures set forth therein.
I understand that these policies and procedures are intended to serve solely as a guide for employees, and that they may be modified, amended or terminated at any time in the Company’s sole discretion. I also understand that Queens Law Associates may take actions that vary from its written policy.
I further understand that I am an employee at-will, and that this means that Queens Law Associates or I may terminate the employment relationship at any time, for any reason not prohibited by law, or for no reason at all, with or without cause or notice. I acknowledge that nothing in this manual will be construed to alter my employment-at-will status. 
 

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