Code of Ethical

Conduct
 Summary
• It is the policy of the Life Enrichment Center to encourage all
staff and volunteers to conduct all activities in an ethical
manner at all times.
• “Ethical” will be defined as being in accordance with
acceptable principles of right and wrong that govern the
conduct of a profession.
 General Conduct
• Employees are expected to comply with all statues and rules of
the Federal, State, and Local Governments.
• It is not the intent of the Center as an employer to be concerned
with the off-duty time of employees. However, when off-duty
conduct has a bearing on the Center operations or brings
discredit upon the Center, then such conduct does legitimately
become a concern and could result in appropriate disciplinary
action against the employee. This also applies to the use of social
media.
• Employees should carry out their duties and responsibilities in a
diligent and cooperative manner.
• All persons served will be under staff supervision at all times
during the work day.
 Coverage of Duties
• When you can’t come in to work, you should call in before
8:30. You should talk to your manager or the Front Office.
• Annual Leave should be requested by completing a Requested
Leave Form. Turn it into your direct supervisor at least 5 days
before the first day you would like to be off.
• If you are out sick for longer than 5 days, you will need to
bring a doctor’s excuse to your Supervisor.
• Stick to your schedules. If changes need to be made, contact
you Supervisor.
• Employees should not take more than two 15 minute breaks
each day.
• Abandonment of Position: If you don’t show up for work 3 or
more consecutive days and you don’t call in, it may be
determined that you have voluntarily resigned.
 Relationships with Fellow
Employees
• Treat each other respectfully and professionally.
• The following behaviors are not allowed:
• Threatening, abusive, or profane language
• Argumentative behavior
• Sexual-related conversations or inappropriate touching
• If you begin dating a co-worker, the Director should be
notified. If there is a conflict of duties, you will be reassigned
within the company. (Example: Managers can’t date their
subordinates.)
 Service Delivery
• Service delivery should make sure that ISP Goals are worked.
• Work done for goals should be done in a way that should help
the individual reach their goals.
• You may not physically, verbally, or financially abuse
Supported Individuals or neglect them.
• Staff cannot enter into financial transactions with Supported
Individuals, including lending, borrowing, or trading.
• You should not try to make Supported Individuals do
something beyond their capabilities. If a person has a heart
condition, you should not try to make them walk for long
periods of time. Also, if a person is prone to seizures in loud or
crowded settings, you should make sure to avoid those
activities.
 Record Keeping
• Documentation protects people and meets our legal and
funding requirements.
• You are not allowed to falsify records or documents prepared
during the course of business.
• You should work on your documentation every day so that you
don’t fall behind. Late turn ins are noted and reported to
management.
Confidentiality and Privileged
Information
• All staff are to follow the guidelines of HIPAA . Private
information should only be shared on an as needed basis
within the Center.
• No information should be shared with any person outside of
the Center.
• Do not use the computers to gain information about
Supported Individuals, Co-workers, or Stake Holders for non-
work related reasons.
 Respect
• Employees shall treat each other with dignity and respect.
• Persons served must be treated with kindness and concern at
all times.
• Talk to Supported Individuals in a way that you would like to
be talked to.
• Do not get frustrated with an individual because of their
disability.
• Be consistent when working with Supported Individuals.
 Community Inclusion
• All community activities should be coordinated with the
Center Director and the Coordinator of the program area.
• Each Supported Individual has the right to live and participate
in the Community, regardless of ability.
 Appreciation of Diversity
• The Life Enrichment Center values that every person is unique
and promotes diversity in the workplace.
• The Life Enrichment Center does not discriminate against
employees, persons served or any other stakeholder based on
their culture, age, gender, sexual orientation, spiritual beliefs,
socioeconomic status or language.
 Empowerment
• Employees will do their best to build the capacity of persons
served to make choices and to reach desired goals.
• Staff will advocate on the behalf of persons served and teach
them how to be self-advocates.
 Collaborative Relationships
• The Life Enrichment Center recognizes the need for
employees to work effectively with each other within work
areas to ensure service delivery.
• Staff shall be mindful that interactions with one another often
occur in front of persons served. Therefore staff shall model
respectful verbal and non-verbal communications.
 Safety
• No weapons are allowed at the Center or in staff vehicles
while they are parked on Center property.
• Follow all safety policies and procedures.
• You are responsible for identifying hazards and taking
immediate action to minimize or remove the risk of harm or
injury.
• Saws and power tools are not to be used by Supported
Individuals.
 Quality
• In-Service Training
• The In-Service training programs conducted by the LEC are an
integral and vitally important part of the overall program at the
Center.
• Employees are expected to attend whenever In-Service training is
offered.
• Employees are expected to continually increase their knowledge
and competence in job performance.
• Meetings
• The following meetings are held on a regular basis.
• Management Team meetings
• Staff meetings (All available staff are expected to attend.)
• Monday Morning meetings for persons served
 Business Guidelines
• Conflict of Interest
• When personal interests get in the way of duties and
responsibilities as an employee of LEC.
• Examples of a Conflict of Interest:
• Making money (profiting) by doing something for a Supported
Individual.
• An outside job or activity that interferes with duties while
working for LEC.
• Political Activities – should be conducted on your own time, there
must be no use of Center facilities, and you must not pretend to
act on behalf of the Center

• When a situation arises that makes it difficult to do your job to

the best of your ability, notify your Manager or the Director.
 Business Guidelines (con’t.)
• Contractual Relationships
• The Life Enrichment Center may maintain written contracts with
public and/or private affiliates.
• These contracts are subject to the specific stipulations outlined in
the Contracts and Agreements Policy.
• Corporate Citizenship
• The Life Enrichment Center is dedicated to protecting human
rights and advocating for people with developmental disabilities.
Some ways that we achieve this is by
• Providing I/DD awareness training for our partners
• Educating Georgia College students to become advocates and
leaders in the field of I/DD
• Establishing a local community network that embraces individuals
with DD for their commonalities, not their differences
• Providing on-going communication about volunteer opportunities
 Proper use of LEC Property and
Other’s Personal Property
• Employees should not use LEC or State property of any kind
other than for official activities.
• Personal phone calls should be infrequent and of a short
duration.
• Damages to property should be reported to the Director and
the Front Office staff.
• Offices, work stations, and office furniture are to be used for
work-related activities.
• You can post quotes or inspirational sayings in your work
station, but if they are offensive to others you may be asked to
take them down.
 Marketing and Fundraising
• Organizational Fundraising
• Occasionally, the LEC may engage in fundraising for business
purposes. Staff will ensure that marketing and fundraising is
carried out with respect, dignity, and consideration of the privacy
rights of persons served.
• Marketing and Organizational fundraising activities will highlight
the vision, mission, and goals of the Center.
• Personal Fundraising
• Employees shall not conduct personal fundraising on the work
premises for personal profit or for an organization unless
specifically authorized.
• Managers and supervisors may not solicit subordinates or put
undue pressure on employees to purchase a product.
• Persons served and their families may not be solicited for
fundraising purposes.
 Buying and Selling
• No employee should engage in any business other than their
LEC work duties during working hours, including such things as
selling items to fellow employees or lending of money for
profit.
• Supervisors should not cosign on loans with fellow employees.
 Gifts and Gratuities
• You must be careful when you receive a gift that no favors are
expected in return.
• You cannot ask for a gift in return for a favor. That’ bribery and
can lead to dismissal and even criminal charges in extreme
cases.
• Flower and gift funds are allowed. Make sure that no pressure
is put on anybody to participate.
• Employees should not accept a gift of any kind valued more
than $25 from a Supported Individual, family member of a
person served, or subordinate employee.
• Bottom Line: Just be careful that no wrong doing or the
appearance of wrong doing is attached to the acceptance or
giving of a gift.
 Witnessing Legal Documents
• Legal documents can be witnessed by the Administrative
Assistant (Debbie) or Managerial staff.
• Examples of such documents are power of attorney,
guardianship, and advance directives.
• No financial documents will be signed.
• The person that witnesses the documents should have no
personal, financial, or other interests in an agreement (a
neutral third party).
 Media and Public Relations
• The Director and the Board President are the only
spokespersons for the Center
• If an employee receives a media inquiry, it must be referred to
the Director.
• Employees must represent the Center in accordance with the
highest standards of professional integrity while engaging in
community interactions.
• Off-duty conduct, including the use of your social media,
reflects on the Center. While there will be no attempt to
interfere in your personal life, you are expected to conduct
yourself in a fashion which will reflect credit on the Center.
Waste, Fraud, Theft, and Abuse
• Direct Care Staff and/or Management are not to make
purchases for themselves using money belonging to persons
served.
• Frequent calls from creditors, garnishment proceedings, and
harassment on the job because of financial mismanagement
on your part may lead to disciplinary action. This is considered
a waste of company time and resources.
• If you’re found to be engaging in wasteful or fraudulent
activities, theft, or abuse of company resources will be subject
to disciplinary actions.
 Duty to Report
• If an employee observes or becomes aware of waste, fraud,
theft, abuse of company resources, abuse of Supported
Individuals, or neglect he or she must report it to
Management of the Center Director.
• Remember that you are a Mandatory Reporter. If you suspect
abuse, you are to report it immediately to the Consumer
Rights Coordinator.
• Any violations of the Code of Ethical Conduct must be
reported to the Director and/or Management.
• There will be no retaliation of any sort placed upon a person
reporting a potential loss, hazard, abusive situation, or any
other wrongdoings.
 Violations of the Code of Ethical
Conduct
• Violations will be reviewed on an individual basis, but the
general guidelines for discipline regarding violations are as
follows
• First offense – verbal warning
• Second offense – written warning with a probationary period
• Any other offenses during the probationary period may result in
termination.
• Third offense – Adverse action will be taken
• The Director may use his/her discretion while determining the
proper disciplinary actions warranted.
• All reports, allegations or suspicions of violations of this Code will
be investigated immediately.