Accurate employee evaluations are crucial to all employees not only for improving performance, but also because wages are tied to performance. All evaluation materials can be accessed on this page.

NEW EMPLOYEE EVALUATIONS

3 MONTH TRAINING EVALUATION: This evaluation looks primarily at whether or not the new employee has completed all of their training requirements. There are however some evaluative questions at the end of the evaluation. These questions are designed to be a preliminary step in the initial evaluation process. Accompanying the 3 Month Training Evaluation is the 3 Month Orientation Feedback. This important document is completed by the new employee and asks information seeking questions regarding the orientation process. Supervisors can utilize this tool to help clarify roles and responsibilities for the new employee as well as clarifying employee policies, benefits, and other information. BOTH THE 3 MONTH TRAINING EVALUATION AND THE 3 MONTH ORIENTATION FEEDBACK NEED TO BE COMPLETED AND RETURNED.

• Supervisors will be notified of who needs to be evaluated approximately one month in advance by the SDC via Outlook Calendar Entry. For PM's and Dept. heads the notification will include the Data Entry Sheet. This form will need to be completed, printed, and signed and dated.
• DSS's will return the evaluation and feedback to the PM.
• PM's and Dept. heads will return the evaluation and feedback to the SDC along with the Data Entry Sheet. Click on the links below to access the 3 Month Evaluation and the 3 Month Orientation Feedback. 
• If training is completed the employee will receive a .50 raise. 
• If training is not complete the employee may jeopardize the raise and possibly their eemployment in some circumstances.

        3 MONTH TRAINING EVALUATION (Please fill out as completely as possible)

        3 MONTH ORIENTATION FEEDBACK

6 MONTH EVALUATION: This marks the end of the new employee's 6 month probation period. This evaluation is more standard and looks at typical performance areas.

• Supervisors will be notified of who needs to be evaluated approximately one month in advance by the SDC via Outlook Calendar Entry. For PM's and Dept. heads the notification will include the Data Entry Sheet. This form will need to be completed, printed, and signed and dated.
• DSS's will need to return the evaluation to the PM when completed.
• PM's and Dept. heads will return the evaluation to the SDC along with the Data Entry Sheet. Click on the link below to access the 6 Month Evaluation.
• Raise maximum is .25

        6 MONTH EVALUATION

ANNUAL EMPLOYEE EVALUATIONS:Occurs annually around the employee's hire date aniveranniversary. Maximum raise percentage is determined by the CEO annually. The evaluation is scored and raise amounts are determined by the supervisor based on the overall score of the evaluation. The employee being evaluated will also need to complete the Position Self Assessment. The Position Self Assessment is a tool that the employee and the supervisor can use to assist in the evaluation process. You can access the evaluation and assessment by clicking on the links below. BOTH THE EVALUATION AND THE ASSESSMENT WILL NEED TO BE COMPLETED AND RETURNED.

• Supervisors will be notified of who needs to be evaluated approximately one month in advance by the SDC via Outlook Calendar Entry. For PM's and Dept. heads the notification will include the Data Entry Sheet. This form will need to be completed, printed, and signed and dated.
• DSS's will return the evaluation and assessment to the PM.
• PM's and Dept. heads will return the evaluation and the assessment to the SDC along with the Data Entry Sheet.
• Raise amount will depend on the percentage set by the CEO for the fiscal year, and the overall score of the evaluation.

        POSITION SELF ASSESSMENT

        ANNUAL EVALUATION

Recommendations:

• Evaluations can sometimes be difficult to complete. It is recommended that supervisors provide the employee with a blank evaluation as an employee self evaluation. Doing this provides a bridge in discussing issues that are more sensitive in nature as well as providing a more analytical view of the evaluation.
• Make every effort to be as accurate as possible with all evaluations. There are two primary reasons for the evaluation: one is to measure performance and two is to use the evaluation process as a learning tool for both the employee and the supervisor. Think of the evaluation process as an opportunity to grasp a better understanding of the employee's work behaviors and how to help them improve their work.
• If an employee is having significant performance issues you may need to consider a Corrective Action Plan. These plans are not intended to be punishment but rather a constructive plan to eliminate poor work performance. It is very important that the employee know and understand this. If you decide to implement a Corrective Action Plan please follow the correct procedure and format and always consult with either the SDC or the Quality Management Coordinator with construction of the plan.
• One of the best ways to ensure that an evaluation is as accurate as possible is to journal employee performance throughout the year. Format of the journal is at the discretion of the supervisor and is highly recommended. Perhaps the best way to accomplish this is to practice "rounding." This is a method of gathering information from and about your employees that not only maximizes your knowledge of employees, but also helps to build a strong connection with that employee. It can be done on a quarterly basis or as often as the supervisor feels is necessary. It shouldn't take longer than 15 minutes for each round and can consist of 4 to 5 questions. The questions can be general in nature but should address any concerns they might have, any questions related to tasks (this can help address issues before they become critical), recognition of good work, and finally address concerns that can be taken care of immediately and discuss concerns that may take time to address. Keep a journal of the discussion and then use it when the evaluation comes around. The main idea of this is to be proactive. On the other hand, the latent affects of this practice is building strong connections with your employees which in-turn raises your credibility and overall leadership within the program area.
• If an employee refuses to sign the evaluation and disagrees with the results don't panic. They are not required to sign the document. The best thing to do in this situation is to inform the employee that there is a grievance procedure and if they wish to do so they can. This procedure is in the NHTC Employee Handbook. They should have a copy, but if they don't it can be accessed on the NHTC website.
• Remember that there is two kinds of conflict: conflict that's constructive and conflict that is not. The skill is being able to identify when conflict is of a personal nature or related to work/systems, or work performance. Being able to identify between the two will help you resolve issues quicker and also help to build a stronger work relationship.

NHTC is required by law to hold workmans' compensation insurance. The cost of this insurance is a major overhead cost that the organization incurs. The premiums alone cost several thousands of dollars each year. Because of this we have to be diligent in making sure our employees understand how to address and recognize safety hazards on the job. The bottom line is that the less injuries we have the less in premium costs for the agency. The only way to reduce workmans' compensation claims is to work together to make our environments safer. Below is the process to follow is an employee has a work related injury:

1. If it's an emergency please utilize emergency services.
2. The employee will need to meet with the SDC as soon as possible following the incident for an interview. The employee will complete the incident report with the SDC. Witnesses will be contacted by the SDC to complete the Witness Report Form.
3. The supervisor will need to complete the Supervisor's First Report of Accident form. This is located in the work comp packets in your program area. If you do not have one the SDC will route one to you.
4. Please make note of any witnesses to the incident on the Supervisor's First Report of Accident form.
5. If there are doctor's orders the supervisor will need to put in place the proper measures to ensure the employee's safety. We will always honor light duty orders.

If an employee injures themselves during non-business hours please do the following:

1. Have them complete an agency witness report form (obviously if the situation is an emergency this can be done at a later time.) All witnesses will need to complete the witness form.
2. Contact the SDC to give a heads up and make any necessary arrangements.
3. Always ask if they feel their injury warrants a doctor visit. Many times injuries do not require a doctor visit. It’s also important to know that because a person chose not to see a doctor does not mean they lose any workman’s’ compensation benefits. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. If an employee chooses not to report an injury within the allotted 3 business day time frame the insurance company has the right to deny the claim.
4. If the employee chooses to see a doctor they will need to bring the following forms with them to the doctor: Provider Letter, Provider Notification form x2 (one for the doctor and one for the Rx if necessary), and the Physical Assessment Form. It is very important that all of these forms go with the person and are given to the doctor. Please note that the provider letter and physical assessment forms have areas that need to be completed i.e. person’s name, date of injury, etc. do not send these blank.
5. Complete the supervisors report of injury and return to the SDC. The employee is responsible for returning the other paperwork.

WORKMANS' COMPENSATION FORMS

INCIDENT REPORT FORM

WITNESS REPORT FORM

SUPERVISOR'S FIRST REPORT

PROVIDER LETTER

PROVIDER NOTIFICATION FORM

PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT FORM

The SDC will fully investigate all workmans' compensation claims. The purpose of the investigation is to prevent future incidents and make the necessary recommendations to the supervisor to prevent further accidents. All additional insurance paperwork will be completed by the SDC.  

PROGRAM AREA RECOMMENDATIONS

NHTC GENERAL SAFETY RULES

• Types of injuries differ from year to year, but for the most part the most common injuries are back injuries, bites, and other types of exposure situations. The most common causes are slips and falls, lifting people, and challenging behaviors. Please be aware of the different hazards in your area and make addressing them a routine.
• During staff meetings safety should always be an agenda item and should ask if there are current safety issues with the common tasks associated in your work area. If challenging behaviors is one of them than frequent review of Positive Support Plans should take place. If lifting individuals or other heavy items is one of them then discussion needs to take place in making sure these tasks are completed safely.
• We need to be focused not only on safety for the individuals we support, but also on the people we employ. With this in mind environmental audits need to focus on people as well as compliance with regulating entities.
• If you are unsure about safety procedures please discuss them with the your immediate supervisor or the SDC.
• If there is an issue regarding CPI training Dan Cross, SDC or Ryan Aalbu, PM can be contacted for consultation.

If you have any questions regarding workmans' compensation issues please contact Dan Cross, SDC cross@nhtc.org or Linda Williams, COO williams@nhtc.org SCOMM or call the administrative offices at NHTC.

NEW EMPLOYEE TRAINING

New employee training consists of a mixture of College of Direct Support online lessons, PowerPoint classes accessible through the NHTC website, and traditional classroom setting classes offered at the NHTC administrative building. Details about these classes are below.

All new employees are hired on a probationary basis for a six month period. During this six month period the new employee will be evaluated twice, once at 90 days or 3 months, and once at the end of their probationary period at six months. There are training requirements for both the 90 day evaluation and the six month evaluation. One of the primary focuses for all supervisors is to make sure that new employees meet the 90 day training requirements. The training requirements for this period are required by the Administrative Rules of South Dakota (ARSD). If an employee does not meet these requirements disciplinary action will be taken and possible termination under certain circumstances. These actions will be determined by the supervisor, Residential Program Manager, and the Human Resources Dept. The following training are required for the 90 day review:

90 DAY TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

One way of ensuring that the 90 day training is completed in a timely manner is to incorporate the training into the new employee's initial schedule. For example, the first couple hours of the employee's first shifts are dedicated to training until it's complete. Understanding that resources may be tight at times this may not always work, however it is the most practical way. Supervisors are encouraged to use their discretion with this, but remember that certain training requirements have slated time frames according to ARSD. It's also worth mentioning that people learn best in the environments they will be working in.

SIX MONTH TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

As mentioned in the training class details the employee has six months to complete the above lessons. However, if the employee is completing the CDS lessons required under the 90 day evaluation in a timely manner it's best to have them continue completing the six month requirements. We are also currently in a transition period regarding Person Centered Thinking meaning that if the employee doesn't complete this class within the six month time frame it will not jeopardize any potential raise at the six month evaluation.

ANNUAL TRAINING REQUIRMENTS

All NHTC employees are required to complete annual refresher/review training regarding certain topics. All medical reviews are coordinated by the Nursing Dept. and are announced via e-mail, SCOMM, or flyers. This is also true regarding CPI refreshers. Otherwise the following annualk review trainings can be accessed through the NHTC webiste in the staff area under "Education/Annual Review Trainings" The SDC will announce when these annual review trainings are due. All tests are accessible through the website in the same area as well, simply click on the link, print out the test, have the employee complete and route to the CDS's office. the classes are listed below:

• Positive Behavioral Supports (PowerPoint completed in April)
• Abuse & Neglect (PowerPoint completed in June)
• Individual Rights (PowerPoint completed in June)
• CPI Reviews (Traditional Classroom Setting completed TBA)

If you have any questions about the training process please contact Dan Cross, SDC cross@nhtc.org , SCOMM, or call 642-2785 ext. 228.

CURRENTLY UNDER CONSRUCTION

The exposure procedure is very similar to the worker's compensation procedure in that supervisors must do the following:

1. Have the employee complete the NHTC Exposure Report Form
2. Give the employee a Provider Notification Form to take with them to the doctor. This form must be left with the health care provider for billing purposes.
3. Complete the Supervisor's Report of Accident form with the employee.
4. The employee will need to contact and meet with the SDC. If the SDC is not available you may contact the COO. At this time a South Dakota First Report of Injury will be completed.