General Employment Policies
Equal Employment Opportunity
The District does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion or creed, national origin, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), age, marital status, physical or mental disability, veteran status, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.
The District does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion or creed, national origin, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), age, marital status, physical or mental disability, veteran status, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.
It is also the policy of the District not to discriminate in its employment practices as required by Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The Age Discrimination in Education Act of 1975, as amended (ADEA); Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as amended (ADA); Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act in Education of 2008 (GINA); and any other legally protected classification or status protected by applicable law. In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at Southwest Preparatory School will be based on merit, performance, qualifications, and/or abilities. This policy covers all personnel practices, including but not limited to hiring, promotion, demotion or transfer, recruitment or recruitment advertising, layoff or termination, rate of pay or other forms of compensation, selection for training, and employee benefits.
To implement this policy, the District will continue to:
• Recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job classifications without regard to any protected characteristics, and provide equal employment opportunities to disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam Era;
• Base decisions on employment so as to further the principle of equal employment opportunity;
• Base decisions on employment so as to further the principle of equal employment opportunity;
• Ensure that promotion decisions are in accord with principles of Equal Employment Opportunity by imposing only valid business requirements for promotional opportunities; and
• Ensure that all personnel actions (including but not limited to compensation, benefits, transfers, layoffs, and District-sponsored training, education, social, and recreation programs) will be administered without regard to any legally protected characteristics.
• Ensure that all personnel actions (including but not limited to compensation, benefits, transfers, layoffs, and District-sponsored training, education, social, and recreation programs) will be administered without regard to any legally protected characteristics.
Equal Employment Opportunity is not only the law, but also it is a principle of the District’s operations. It is the responsibility of every employee to ensure this policy's continued success and immediately report any violations to a member of management.
Employees can raise concerns and make reports without fear of reprisal. Any employees with questions or concerns are encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of the Superintendent or the Title IX, Section 504, or Title II Coordinator, as may be appropriate.
Southwest Preparatory School has designated the following person as the Title IX, Section 504, and Title II Coordinator:
Name: Ms. Christinn Jean
Address: 1258 Austin Highway, San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone: (210) 829-8017
Email: [email protected]
Address: 1258 Austin Highway, San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone: (210) 829-8017
Email: [email protected]
“At-Will” Employment
All employment with the District is “At Will,” which means that your employment can be terminated with or without cause, and with or without notice, at any time, at the option of either the District or yourself, except as otherwise provided by law. Only the District Superintendent or the District Superintendent authorized representative has the authority to alter the at-will policy and then only in writing, signed by the District Superintendent or the District Superintendent‘s authorized representative.
All employment with the District is “At Will,” which means that your employment can be terminated with or without cause, and with or without notice, at any time, at the option of either the District or yourself, except as otherwise provided by law. Only the District Superintendent or the District Superintendent authorized representative has the authority to alter the at-will policy and then only in writing, signed by the District Superintendent or the District Superintendent‘s authorized representative.
Criminal Background Checks and Fingerprinting
Southwest Preparatory School will obtain a criminal history background (CBC) report and require fingerprinting on all prospective employees after receiving a job offer and prior to employment. Failure of an employee to disclose a conviction of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude prior to or during employment shall be grounds for discharge. Disclosure applies to felonies and misdemeanors involving probation and deferred adjudication.
Southwest Preparatory School will obtain a criminal history background (CBC) report and require fingerprinting on all prospective employees after receiving a job offer and prior to employment. Failure of an employee to disclose a conviction of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude prior to or during employment shall be grounds for discharge. Disclosure applies to felonies and misdemeanors involving probation and deferred adjudication.
Disability Accommodation
To comply with applicable laws ensuring equal employment opportunities to individuals with disabilities, the District will make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability who is an applicant or an employee unless undue hardship and/or a direct threat to the health and/or safety of the individual or others would result. Any applicant or employee who requires a reasonable accommodation should contact his/her supervisor and request such an accommodation. The individual with the disability should specify in writing what barriers or limitations make it difficult for him or her to perform the job. The District will conduct an investigation regarding these barriers or limitations and will then identify possible accommodations, if any, that will help to eliminate the barrier(s) or limitation(s). If the accommodation is reasonable and will not impose an undue hardship on the District and/or a direct threat to the health and/or safety of the individual or others, the District will make the accommodation. The District may propose an alternative to the requested accommodation or substitute one reasonable accommodation for another, but the District retains the ultimate discretion to choose among reasonable accommodations.
To comply with applicable laws ensuring equal employment opportunities to individuals with disabilities, the District will make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability who is an applicant or an employee unless undue hardship and/or a direct threat to the health and/or safety of the individual or others would result. Any applicant or employee who requires a reasonable accommodation should contact his/her supervisor and request such an accommodation. The individual with the disability should specify in writing what barriers or limitations make it difficult for him or her to perform the job. The District will conduct an investigation regarding these barriers or limitations and will then identify possible accommodations, if any, that will help to eliminate the barrier(s) or limitation(s). If the accommodation is reasonable and will not impose an undue hardship on the District and/or a direct threat to the health and/or safety of the individual or others, the District will make the accommodation. The District may propose an alternative to the requested accommodation or substitute one reasonable accommodation for another, but the District retains the ultimate discretion to choose among reasonable accommodations.
Employees are expected to fully cooperate in the accommodation process. The District will also consider requests for reasonable accommodations for medical conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth supported by medical documentation.
Employees who wish to request unpaid time away from work because of a qualifying disability should speak to their Human Resources Representative regarding a proposed accommodation.
An employee with a disability who believes he or she has been discriminated against should first contact the Title IX Coordinator For Southwest Preparatory School:
Employees may also utilize the regular grievance procedure or contact the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Employee Involvement
As part of the District’s decision-making process and site-based management philosophy, employees may be asked or elected to serve on District or campus level advisory committees and/or elected as a Southwest Preparatory School board member.
As part of the District’s decision-making process and site-based management philosophy, employees may be asked or elected to serve on District or campus level advisory committees and/or elected as a Southwest Preparatory School board member.
Employment Classification
At the time you are hired, you are classified as a full-time, part-time, or temporary employee and are told whether your current job duties qualify you for overtime pay. Your employment classification does not alter your at-will employment relationship with the District.
At the time you are hired, you are classified as a full-time, part-time, or temporary employee and are told whether your current job duties qualify you for overtime pay. Your employment classification does not alter your at-will employment relationship with the District.
Full-time employees are those who are generally regularly assigned to work at least 40 hours each week. Part-time employees are those who are generally regularly assigned to work less than full-time. While part-time employees may occasionally work 40 or more hours in a particular workweek or in a series of workweeks, that alone will not change their regular schedule or employment classification. However, the District reserves the right to change the regular schedules of employees at any time. In such a case, the District will give affected employees as much advance notice as possible of their new regular schedules and will advise employees of the effect of such changes on their eligibility for District benefits. Unless otherwise specified or required by applicable law, the benefits described in this Handbook apply only to full-time employees. All other policies described in this Handbook and communicated by the District apply to all employees unless otherwise noted (for example, certain wage, salary, and time off limitations apply only to “non-exempt,” see the definition that follows).
If you are unsure of which job classification your position fits into, please ask your Supervisor.
If you are a part-time employee, please understand that you are not eligible for benefits described in this Handbook, except as granted on occasion, or to the extent required by a provision of State or Federal Law.
Temporary Employees – From time to time, Southwest Preparatory School may hire employees for specific periods of time or for the completion of a specific project. An employee hired under these conditions will be considered a temporary employee. In the event of an offer of employment, Southwest Preparatory School will offer additional employment in writing.
The job assignment, work schedule, and duration of the position will be determined on an individual basis. Normally, a temporary position will not exceed six (6) months in duration unless specifically extended by a written agreement. Summer employees are considered temporary employees.
“Non-Exempt” and “Exempt” Employees – At the time of hire, all employees are classified as either “exempt” or “non-exempt” based on the nature of their job duties. This is necessary because, by law, employees in certain types of jobs are entitled to overtime pay for hours worked in excess of forty (40) hours per workweek or as otherwise required by applicable state law. These employees are referred to as “non-exempt” in this Handbook. This means that they are not exempt from (and therefore should receive) overtime pay.
All no“Exempt” employees are those employees whose job duties and responsibilities allow them to be exempt from overtime pay provisions as provided by the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and any applicable state laws. If you are an “exempt” employee, you will be advised that you are in this classification at the time you are hired, transferred, or promoted.
Employment References
All official employment verification or reference requests regarding current or former employees are to be referred to SWPREP HR Department. SWPREP will normally only release the last title and dates of employment. Salary information will be provided with written authorization from the employee. No other official reference information will be provided. All employment verification or reference requests should be forwarded to the Human Resources Department, [email protected], or 210-829-8017.
Employee Personnel Files
Personnel files are maintained for all employees. These files are kept in a secure and confidential manner in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, including electronically.
Personnel files are maintained for all employees. These files are kept in a secure and confidential manner in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, including electronically.
Employees should keep their Supervisor, or Human Resources Director apprised of any personal status changes such as legal name, name and number of dependents, home address, home telephone number, person to contact in case of emergency, emergency telephone number, exemptions on the W-4 form, changes of the beneficiary, changes in driving record is directly related to the performance of the employee’s job, military or draft status, membership in professional societies relevant to the employee’s job, additional outside education, or certifications, etc. Changes in personal information can be updated through your Websmart Portal.
Most District records, including personnel records, are public information and must be released upon request. A limited amount of p personal information may be withheld. Southwest Preparatory School considers this personal information confidential and it will not be released without a signed statement authorizing the release of the information. This information is limited to:
• Address
• Phone Number
• Social Security Number
• Information that reveals whether they have family members
• Address
• Phone Number
• Social Security Number
• Information that reveals whether they have family members
Personnel files are open to employees and may be viewed at any time during the year. If you require copies, contact [email protected].
In accordance with provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 and subsequent amendments, all medical information of an Employee will be safeguarded and confidentiality will be maintained. Any information provided to us by the Employee or any other entity that we are required to maintain will be kept in a file separate from the employee’s personnel record, with access limited to the Human Resource Department. The Human Resource Department will ascertain whether other individuals have a legitimate need to know. Further, the Act provides for penalties when confidentiality is breached. Any individual who breaches the confidentiality of an employee's or student's medical record will be disciplined up to and including termination.
The Human Resources Office maintains an open door policy. You may contact can be made either in person, by phone, or by e-mail. Human Resource office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, or by appointment after this time.
Membership Dues: Membership dues will be paid for SALT members and employees who have an assignment requiring a specific area of expertise, such as special education. These will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. SWP will not pay membership fees for anti-charter organizations.
Nepotism
Southwest Preparatory School does not hire immediate family members to work for or in the same department as the relative. Nor can one family member have supervisor authority over the other family member. Immediate family members are defined as spouse, child, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandparent-in-law, granddaughter, grandson, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, step-parent, a domestic partner (a person with whom the employee’s life is interdependent and with whom the Employee shares a mutual residence), brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, daughter or son of the employee’s spouse or domestic partner, and any relative living in the household of the Employee or domestic partner. Southwest Preparatory School requires full disclosure of any vendor who is an immediate family member (as defined above) of any Employee. Family vendors must bid on all work competitively and be determined as the vendor offering the best price or value for the District before selection.
Southwest Preparatory School does not hire immediate family members to work for or in the same department as the relative. Nor can one family member have supervisor authority over the other family member. Immediate family members are defined as spouse, child, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandparent-in-law, granddaughter, grandson, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, step-parent, a domestic partner (a person with whom the employee’s life is interdependent and with whom the Employee shares a mutual residence), brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, daughter or son of the employee’s spouse or domestic partner, and any relative living in the household of the Employee or domestic partner. Southwest Preparatory School requires full disclosure of any vendor who is an immediate family member (as defined above) of any Employee. Family vendors must bid on all work competitively and be determined as the vendor offering the best price or value for the District before selection.
The exception to nepotism applies to existing charter holders partly grandfathered.
Immigration Compliance
The District is committed to employing only United States citizens and individuals who are legally authorized to work in the United States and comply with applicable immigration and employment law. As a condition of employment, every individual must provide satisfactory evidence of his or her identity and legal authority to work in the United States.
The District is committed to employing only United States citizens and individuals who are legally authorized to work in the United States and comply with applicable immigration and employment law. As a condition of employment, every individual must provide satisfactory evidence of his or her identity and legal authority to work in the United States.
Job Vacancy Announcements/Transfers
Southwest Preparatory School believes in promoting from within when possible and encourages employees to take advantage of any promotional opportunities that may arise. All vacancies will be announced on the Web site at www.swprep.org under Human Resources.
Southwest Preparatory School believes in promoting from within when possible and encourages employees to take advantage of any promotional opportunities that may arise. All vacancies will be announced on the Web site at www.swprep.org under Human Resources.
Southwest Preparatory School recruitment announcements will be posted either for internal applicants only or applicants from either internal and/or external to the organization.
• Internal applicants will submit a letter of interest and an updated resume requesting consideration for the vacant position to [email protected]. Although not required, the internal applicant requesting the transfer/promotion should advise their Principal/Supervisor as a matter of courtesy.
• Selecting officials should coordinate with the employee’s Principal/Supervisor. Human Resources will provide the selecting official with applicants who have been screened and meet the Minimum Qualifications as outlined in the Job Posting.
Upon receiving a list of applicants, the selecting official will schedule interviews with applicants. Human Resources will verify references of external applicants and speak to Principals and Supervisors for internal applicants.
It is required that all applications be received by Human Resources before 5:00 p.m. on the closing day of the Job Posting if a closing day has been specified. Applicants who do not provide the requested information or do not meet the deadline may not be considered. Applications for any position that is not in accordance with instructions outlined in the Job Postings, or are incomplete, may not be considered.
Outside Employment and Tutoring
Employees who wish to accept outside employment or engage in other activities for profit must submit a written request to their supervisor. Approval for outside employment will be determined by the Superintendent, who will evaluate whether outside employment interferes with the employee’s assigned work duties. Teachers are not allowed to privately tutor students from Southwest Preparatory School.
Employees who wish to accept outside employment or engage in other activities for profit must submit a written request to their supervisor. Approval for outside employment will be determined by the Superintendent, who will evaluate whether outside employment interferes with the employee’s assigned work duties. Teachers are not allowed to privately tutor students from Southwest Preparatory School.
Reassignments and Transfers
All personnel is subject to assignment and reassignment by the Superintendent. When reassignments are due to enrollment shifts or program changes, the Superintendent has final placement authority. Extracurricular or supplemental duty assignments may be reassigned at any time. Employees with the required qualifications for a position may request a transfer to another campus or department. A written request for transfer must be completed and signed by the Employee and the employee’s Principal/Supervisor and forwarded to Human Resources. All transfer requests will be coordinated by the Superintendent and must be approved by the receiving Principal/Supervisor.
All personnel is subject to assignment and reassignment by the Superintendent. When reassignments are due to enrollment shifts or program changes, the Superintendent has final placement authority. Extracurricular or supplemental duty assignments may be reassigned at any time. Employees with the required qualifications for a position may request a transfer to another campus or department. A written request for transfer must be completed and signed by the Employee and the employee’s Principal/Supervisor and forwarded to Human Resources. All transfer requests will be coordinated by the Superintendent and must be approved by the receiving Principal/Supervisor.
Rehire of Former Employees
The District does not guarantee that former employees who are rehired will retain their original hire date or be given credit for the previous service unless specifically required by law. Please consult with your supervisor for specific information as it pertains to you.
Religious Accommodation
The District will make reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable law for employee observance of religious holidays and sincerely held religious beliefs, including providing time off for observation of official holidays or providing exceptions to dress and grooming standards, unless doing so would cause an undue hardship on District operations. If the employee desires a religious accommodation, the employee is required to make the request in writing to his or her supervisor as far in advance as possible. If a leave is granted, such leave shall be unpaid unless other paid leave is available under school policy and is requested by the employee.
The District will make reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable law for employee observance of religious holidays and sincerely held religious beliefs, including providing time off for observation of official holidays or providing exceptions to dress and grooming standards, unless doing so would cause an undue hardship on District operations. If the employee desires a religious accommodation, the employee is required to make the request in writing to his or her supervisor as far in advance as possible. If a leave is granted, such leave shall be unpaid unless other paid leave is available under school policy and is requested by the employee.