Big Brothers Big Sisters
Standards Of Practice For Independent Agencies

Human Resources

Preamble

The requirements in Standard 6 are based on federal employment laws, as well as on best practices that are expected of best-in-class nonprofit organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters. Agencies must ensure that they remain familiar with and are following state and local laws and requirements, developments in federal laws and best practices, and any employment-related provisions required by grants (e.g., a prohibition on distracted driving, seatbelt use).

• Skip Ahead
• Standard 6.1 | Board-Approved Employee Handbook
• Standard 6.2 | Recruitment and Hiring Standards
• Standard 6.3 | Compensation and Benefits Standards
• Standard 6.4 | Performance Management and Training

Required Documents

Standard 6 provides more detail on the required HR documents. There are sample documents available on BBBS Connect. To summarize, Standard 6 requires the following documents:

• Board-approved employee handbook (Standard 6.1)

• Written diversity and inclusion recruitment plan (Standard 6.2.2)

• Job descriptions (Standard 6.2.3)

• Onboarding schedule (Standard 6.2.5)

• Written compensation and benefits philosophy statement (Standard 6.3.1)

Each agency must develop policies and processes, as set forth in this Standard, that support attracting, training, assessing, and retaining agency staff.

1. Board-approved employee handbook:
2. [Sample Employee Handbook]
3. Each agency must have a board-approved employee handbook that is reviewed by the board at least every three years or as the handbook is revised. The employee handbook must include, at a minimum, each of the following policies and procedures, as customized for the agency:

1. Commitment to diversity and inclusion statement

   • A statement of your agency’s strong commitment to valuing diversity and inclusiveness in your workplace, including with respect to the agency board, staff, volunteers, youth, and families.

2. ADA compliance policy

   • This includes a reasonable accommodations procedure and interactive process (discussion with the affected employee) if accommodation is requested

3. Non-discrimination policy

   • A declaration that the agency will not engage in or tolerate unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, pregnancy, or any other federal, state, or local protected class, which may include gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, and/or genetic information

   • The policy must apply to decisions including recruitment, screening and hiring, compensation and administration of benefits, training, development, promotions, terminations, layoffs, and all other terms and conditions of employment or board membership

4. Non-harassment policy (including sexual harassment)

   • A prohibition on harassment, including sexual harassment; examples of harassment; and an explanation of how to report policy violations

5. Policy prohibiting retaliation

   • A policy that prohibits unlawful retaliation against any person who makes a complaint of unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation; raises a work-related concern or complaint of illegal or unethical conduct; or serves as a witness or participates in an investigatory process

6. Safe and secure workplace

   • Provisions that outline the agency’s procedures for protecting the safety of the workplace

7. Nepotism policy

   • Policy that covers: (1) whether family members may simultaneously work for the agency, and if so, whether one family member may supervise another; and (2) whether a family member may serve on the board while another family member works for the agency at the same time

8. Social media and communications policy

   • An internal social media and communications policy that addresses the following: a policy on the use of agency electronic communications systems, including computer and other electronic devices, the Internet, and e-mail systems; the handling of confidential information on electronic communications systems; and social networking guidelines

9. Confidentiality policy

   • Must address staff members’ responsibility to maintain confidential agency, client, donor, employee, volunteer, financial, or business information. Should reference the data privacy, confidentiality, and security risk management policy (S.4.4.1)

   • Must specifically provide that employees are required to maintain confidentiality of such data after their employment ends

10. Criminal background screening policy

    • An explanation of your agency’s background check process for pre- and post-employment checks, including whether you will perform layered checks

11. Record retention and destruction policy

    • A document retention policy that incorporates the record integrity, retention, and destruction governance policy (S4.1.5)

    • Must outline an employee’s obligation to maintain documents in accordance with the agency’s document retention schedule

12. Optional sections.

    You may wish to include some or all of the following provisions in the employee handbook, as well as other provisions and policies not listed below; however, these are not required:

    • Introduction: BBBS history, mission and vision, and governance structure

    • Training: The Learning Exchange

    • Job performance and reviews

    • Workplace attendance and hours

    • Remote work

    • Time off

    • Leaves of absence

    • Pay

    • Benefits and insurance (if applicable to your agency)

    • Frequency used acronyms

    • Handbook/policy attestation section

4. Recruitment and hiring standards

1. Personnel records and Form I-9

   • Agencies must maintain all employee personnel files in a confidential, secured location, including the following:

     • Personnel files include all pre- and post-employment related paperwork and information. This paperwork must be maintained in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

     • Form I-9 must be maintained in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws; kept separate and secure from personnel files; and the information therein kept confidential. Agencies must abide by retention and destruction rules specific to Form I-9.

     • Employee medical information (including records related to FMLA, ADA, HIPAA requests, etc.) must be maintained separately from the personnel file and Form I-9.

2. Diversity and inclusion recruitment plan

   • A written plan to address and document your recruitment strategy and outreach process to ensure that, whenever possible, you are reaching and hiring qualified, diverse candidates (including for the CEO/ED and board)

3. Job descriptions

   • Job descriptions that clearly state employees’ duties, qualifications, essential job functions, physical requirements, competencies, and Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) status and include the following requirements:

     • As set forth in Standard 2..4.1, the CEO/ED must have, at least, a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university (unless the requirements of Standard 2.4-01 are met)

     • Staff members who are taking on roles in enrollment/matching and/or match support (“professional program agency staff”) must have a high school diploma/GED equivalent and meet one of the following criteria:

       • A documented bachelor’s degree, from an accredited college or university, in a field that is determined by the agency to be appropriate for the position(s), or candidates shall be within six months of degree completion;

       • A documented associate degree or two years of higher education experience, from an accredited college or university in a field that is determined by the agency to be appropriate for the position(s) and two years of relevant work experience in related fields, such as social work, counseling, social services, child development, or other related fields as defined by the agency; or

       • Four years of relevant work experience in related fields, such as social work, counseling, social services, child development, or other related fields as defined by the agency.

4. Background checks

   • A criminal history record check is required of all agency staff and board members. The policy should include, at minimum:

     • All applicable federal, state, and local laws regulating the use of criminal history records should be followed

     • Agencies must assess whether a layered check is necessary for board members and agency staff

     • The background check will be repeated at least every three years during the staff or board member’s tenure

     • Agency staff and board members will be disqualified for:

       • Failure to complete the application and screening process;

       • History of sexual abuse of children;

       • Conviction for any crime in which children were involved;

       • History of any sexually exploitative behavior;

       • Termination from a paid or volunteer position caused by misconduct with a child; or

       • Conviction of a crime including fraud or financial misconduct

5. Onboarding schedule

   • All agency staff must have a written employee onboarding schedule that must be maintained in the employee personnel file and that must include, at minimum:

     • Overview of the employee handbook

     • Training schedule

     • Local agency policies and procedures upon hire [Sample Onboarding Checklist]

5. Compensation and benefits standards

1. A written compensation and benefits philosophy statement

   • This commitment statement summarizes the way your agency compensates staff monetarily and through agency benefits

2. Competitive salary ranges

   • Competitive salary ranges for all paid agency staff. Ranges should be based on regional/local and industry ranges for compensation and benefits of comparable positions.

   • It is a best practice that, at least once every three years, the CEO/ED review salary data for all other agency staff in comparison to the regional/local market

3. Salary information for CEOs/EDs and key employees (Form 990)

   • Annually, pursuant to IRS Form 990 Section B-15, agencies must compile and review salary data from similar nonprofits in their service area for the CEO/ED and any other officers or key employees of the agency

   • CEO/ED: The board must conduct an annual review and approval of the CEO/ED’s salary. To satisfy the Form 990 requirements, this must include a review of the market salary data, consideration by the board, and a vote by that board that is captured in the board minutes.

   • Key employees: The board must conduct an annual review of key employees’ compensation and review of market data, although the CEO/ED, rather than the board, may approve that compensation

6. Performance management and training

1. Performance reviews

   • All paid agency staff must have an annual, written evaluation of their job performance that includes one or more of the following metrics: goals, objectives, and/or core competencies
     [Sample Document for Exempt Positions]
     [Sample Document for Non-Exempt Positions]
     [Sample Goal-Setting Document]

2. Staff training

   • All required training completions must be documented in the personnel file either electronically or with hard copies.

   • All agency staff, both paid and unpaid, including interns, must successfully complete any required, assigned training including, but not limited to:

     • BBBSA’s online cultural humility training, or a course with the same objectives, within 30 days of hire or placement with the agency.

     • The youth protection training requirements outlined in Standard 9.

   • All agency staff responsible for managing the program function, supervising program staff, and/or conducting quality assurance reviews must complete all BBBS’ Program Manager Certification online courses within 90 days of hire/placement.