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1. Introduction

Welcome

Welcome to Brilliantly Clean Services. We hope that you will find working here a new kind of work experience. We take pride in our open culture and the work we do for our clients. We look forward to teaching you some new life skills and learning from you as well. Good luck!

About this handbook

This handbook describes the policies and terms of your employment with Brilliantly Clean Services.

How you clean is a separate document. The House Cleaner Training Guide covers every cleaning procedure, product, tool, and standard, and is the authority on that work. Where this handbook and the Training Guide appear to disagree about how a task is performed, the Training Guide is correct.

Employment at Brilliantly Clean Services is at-will. Either you or the company may end the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice, and with or without cause, subject to applicable law. Nothing in this handbook, or in any other company document or statement, creates a contract of employment or a guarantee of continued employment. No manager or supervisor has authority to alter the at-will relationship except in a written agreement signed by the owner.

This handbook may be changed at any time. Employees will be notified of material changes and may be asked to acknowledge them.

What Makes Us Great

Initiative · Integrity · Customer Oriented · Community · Transparency

2. Equal Opportunity

Equal Opportunity is BCSLLC policy. It is our policy to select the best-qualified person for each position in the organization.

No manager will discriminate against an applicant or employee because of race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. 

This policy applies to all employment practices and personnel actions including advertising, recruitment, testing, screening, hiring, selection for training, upgrading, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay, and other forms of compensation or overtime.

BCSLLC will not pay wages to any employee at a rate less than employees of the opposite sex for work that is substantially equivalent and requires comparable skills. This policy is to be construed in accordance with applicable federal and state laws and regulations.

Reasonable accommodation. BCSLLC provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities, for pregnancy and related conditions, and for sincerely held religious beliefs and practices, in accordance with applicable law. Employees who need an accommodation should contact the office.

3. Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment

This policy covers vendors, customers, and others who enter the workplace, as well as all employees regardless of position.

Harassment

Harassment on the basis of any protected characteristic is strictly prohibited. Under this policy, harassment is verbal or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law, and that:

  • has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment;

  • has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance; or

  • otherwise adversely affects an individual’s employment opportunities.

Harassing and bullying conduct

Harassing conduct includes, but is not limited to, epithets, slurs, or negative stereotyping; threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts; denigrating jokes; bullying; and the display or circulation in the workplace of written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility toward an individual or group, including via electronic communication.

This applies inside client homes. A client’s home is your workplace. Slurs of any kind — including words that target disability, race, sexuality, or gender — are prohibited there as they are anywhere else, whether or not a client is present. “I did not know it was offensive” is not a defense. See the Training Guide, page C-1.

Sexual harassment

BCSLLC will not allow any form of sexual harassment within the work environment.

Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to, sexual advances, verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, visual forms of a sexual or offensive nature such as signs and posters, and requests for sexual favors.

Sexual harassment interferes with work performance and creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. It influences or tends to affect the career, salary, working conditions, responsibilities, duties, or other aspects of career development of an employee or prospective employee, or creates an explicit or implicit term or condition of an individual’s employment. It will not be tolerated.

Reporting

An individual who believes they have been harassed may directly inform the harasser that the conduct is unwelcome and must stop.

BCSLLC requires the reporting of all incidents of harassment and discrimination, regardless of the offender’s identity or position. Individuals who believe they have experienced discrimination or harassment, or who have concerns about such matters, must report the situation to their manager or the owner.

Early intervention and reporting have proven to be the most effective method of resolving actual or perceived complaints.

BCSLLC will not tolerate retaliation against any individual who reports a good faith complaint of unlawful harassment or discrimination.

Discipline

Harassment, discrimination, and retaliation are forms of misconduct. Disciplinary action, up to and including termination, will be taken against any employee determined to have engaged in these behaviors. Any employee who has knowledge of such behavior and takes no action to report or end it is also subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

4. Substance Abuse

BCSLLC recognizes that individuals use substances such as alcohol and legal or illegal drugs, sometimes to the extent that their abilities and senses are impaired. Our position regarding substance abuse is the same whether alcohol, marijuana, illegal drugs, prescription drugs, or controlled substances are involved.

This policy exists because impairment of any employee is likely to result in risk of injury to other employees, the impaired employee, or third parties such as clients. Substance abuse also adversely affects morale and productivity.

“Impairment” means that an employee’s normal physical or mental abilities or faculties, while at work, have been detrimentally affected by the use of substances.

An employee who begins work while impaired, or who becomes impaired while at work, commits a major violation of company rules and is subject to severe disciplinary action, which may include suspension, dismissal, or any other penalty appropriate under the circumstances. Likewise, the use, possession, transfer, or sale of any substance in any BCSLLC parking lot, storage area, vehicle, or job site is prohibited.

Employees taking prescription drugs should report this to the office. This protects the employee, allows for safety planning in case of an adverse reaction at work, and prevents the employee from being falsely accused of taking an illegal substance.

When an employee is involved in the use, possession, transfer, or sale of a substance in violation of this policy, the company may notify appropriate authorities after the incident has been investigated and reviewed.

BCSLLC recognizes that substance abuse is a complex health problem with physical and emotional impact on the employee, their family, and their social relationships. Any employee who suspects a substance abuse situation should discuss it with the office immediately. Because each case is different, handling and referral must be coordinated by management.

Impairment and Testing

The focus of this policy is impairment at work, not off-duty conduct. BCSLLC does not conduct random drug testing.

BCSLLC may request that an employee submit to a drug or alcohol test:

  • upon reasonable suspicion that the employee is impaired while working, based on specific, articulable observations of the employee’s appearance, behavior, speech, or performance; or

  • following a workplace accident that caused a reportable injury or property damage, where testing is permitted by law; or

  • where required by federal law for a particular role or circumstance.

An employee may be subject to discipline, up to and including termination, for:

  • being impaired by alcohol or any substance while working;

  • refusing to submit to a lawful test requested under this policy; or

  • the use, possession, transfer, or sale of alcohol or an illegal substance in any BCSLLC parking area, storage area, vehicle, or job site.

Cannabis. Cannabis is legal for adults in Washington. Consistent with Washington law, BCSLLC does not take adverse action against an employee solely because of off-duty cannabis use, or solely because a test detects non-psychoactive cannabis metabolites. This does not permit an employee to be impaired by cannabis while working, which is prohibited the same as impairment by any other substance.

If a test is administered and the result is positive, the employee has 24 hours to explain the result and to obtain a retest. If the retest is negative, BCSLLC pays for the retest; if positive, the employee pays.

Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages shall not be served or used on BCSLLC premises at any time, and have no part in and shall not be used in conjunction with any company function.

Confidentiality

BCSLLC is concerned with employees’ privacy, including matters involving medical and personal information. As long as the information is not needed for police or security purposes, BCSLLC will maintain employee medical and personal information in confidence and release it to authorized company personnel on a need-to-know basis. An exception applies when the employee signs a release for transfer of such information to designated persons or agencies.

5. Smoking and Vaping

Employees are encouraged not to smoke, but BCSLLC recognizes that the decision to smoke is a personal one.

During working hours, smoking and vaping must take place outside of job sites and out of view of clients. Employees must use designated receptacles for disposal of all smoking-related items. Tossing cigarette butts out of a car window will not be tolerated.

Employees will not be seen wearing the company name or logo while smoking, and must take action to remove any odor from themselves.

6. Employee Safety

BCSLLC strives to provide employees with a safe and healthful workplace. Both management and employees must diligently undertake efforts to promote safety.

BCSLLC develops and implements safety rules through the Safety and Accident Prevention Program, which is a separate document and part of your terms of employment. Day-to-day safe work practices are also in the House Cleaner Training Guide, pages S-1 and S-2.

Employees shall devote their skill and attention to the performance of their job responsibilities using the highest standard of care and good judgment, and will follow all safety rules including the use of protective clothing, devices, and equipment.

Employees are expected to attend all staff meetings, which include updated safety information, or to obtain the minutes of any meeting missed.

All job-related injuries, illnesses, and near misses must be reported to the office immediately, regardless of severity. In the case of serious injury, the reporting obligation is deferred until circumstances reasonably permit a report. The office completes and files the Injury/Near-Miss Report — employees do not complete a form. Failure to report an injury or illness may preclude or delay payment of benefits and could subject BCSLLC to fines and penalties.

Safety procedures and regulations may be issued or modified from time to time and are effective immediately. Updates will be posted and distributed to employees.

Staff Meetings

BCSLLC believes employees can most effectively do their jobs when they have current information. All staff meetings are mandatory. An employee arriving late must be present at least 45 minutes for it to count as attendance; anything less is considered an absence. Employees may miss no more than two meetings in a row or three meetings per year.

7. Return to Work After Serious Injury or Illness

As a protection to both the employee and BCSLLC, employees absent from work for three or more consecutive days because of serious illness or injury may be required to obtain a doctor’s release specifically stating they are capable of performing their normal duties, if permitted by applicable law. .

BCSLLC will ensure that employees returning after a serious injury or illness are physically capable of performing their duties without risk of re-injury or relapse.

If the cause of the illness or injury was job-related, management will make every reasonable effort to assign the returning employee to work consistent with the instructions of the employee’s doctor until fully recovered. A written release is required before recovery can be assumed.

8. Compensation

Definitions

  • Full time — 30 or more hours per work week

  • Part time — less than 30 hours per work week

Workday

A workday for residential cleaning generally begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m., though some cleans start at 8:00 a.m. We aim to have everyone finished by 4:30 p.m., but the nature of the work means cleans sometimes run later. Each workweek generally consists of 30–40 hours, Monday through Friday.

Employees are expected to be available for work between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on days they are scheduled, even if their scheduled houses end before 4:30 p.m. Part-time employees may request different start or end times and may be exempt from this expectation depending on their agreed schedule.

Time worked and the clock

You clock in at your first house and remain clocked in until you finish your last house.

Driving between cleans is paid time at your normal wage. The only thing that stops the clock during your workday is if you choose to take your unpaid 30-minute meal period.

Employees must not perform work at any time without recording that time.

Check In and Check Out in the booking app is how your time is recorded at each clean. Mark it every time. If you forget to check in or out, post your correct times in the time-tracking-errors channel in Slack and the office will enter them.

The weekly equipment hour

Employees add one paid hour per week to their time card in Gusto for washing towels, mop pads, and vacuum filters, and for vacuum care. This hour is your responsibility to enter each week. See the Training Guide, page V-1.

Payday

Employees are paid every Friday by direct deposit, for the previous week’s work. Tips from that pay period are included on the same check.

Payroll is processed Monday morning. Your weekly employee survey must be submitted by 8:00 a.m. Monday so that mileage reimbursement can be included.

9. Meal and Rest Periods

Meal period

The meal period for all employees is 30 minutes, unpaid.

Employees may give up their meal period if they prefer to work through it and the employer agrees. BCSLLC expects employees either to take the meal period in a single block of up to 30 minutes, or to record on their weekly employee survey that they chose not to take it.

Rest periods

Paid rest breaks are provided according to hours worked:

  • A paid rest break of at least 10 minutes for each 4 hours worked

  • The rest break must be allowed no later than the end of the third hour of the shift

If an employee feels the need for additional breaks, they may take them with approval from the office. Additional break time is unpaid.

Where breaks are taken

Meal breaks are not taken inside a client’s home. Lunch is taken between houses, or outside or in your car if a clean runs long. See Break Etiquette under Miscellaneous Policies.

10. Mileage Reimbursement

Employees who use their personal vehicles for BCSLLC purposes are paid a mileage stipend. The employee assumes liability for their personal vehicle in work-related travel. Employees must sign a statement confirming they hold a valid driver’s license and sufficient vehicle liability insurance. Proof may be required.

Valid mileage includes:

  • all mileage between cleans

  • anything over 12 miles on the way to the first clean of the day

  • anything over 12 miles on the way home after the last clean of the day

Employees are entirely responsible for tracking their own mileage and submitting it on the weekly employee survey, due by 8:00 a.m. Monday. If mileage is not submitted, it is not reimbursed.

11. Performance and Conduct

BCSLLC expects every employee to meet the standards described in this handbook, in the House Cleaner Training Guide, and in the Safety and Accident Prevention Program.

Employment at BCSLLC is at-will. Either the employee or the company may end the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice, and with or without cause, subject to applicable law. Nothing in this handbook or any other company document creates a contract of employment or a guarantee of continued employment. No manager or supervisor has authority to alter the at-will relationship except in a written agreement signed by the owner.

Addressing performance and conduct concerns

When a concern arises, the company may address it through any of the following, in any order and in any combination:

  • an informal conversation

  • a documented conversation

  • a verbal warning

  • a written warning

  • suspension

  • termination of employment

The company selects the response it considers appropriate to the circumstances, including the seriousness of the issue, its effect on clients or coworkers, and any prior history. The company is not required to use any particular step, to use these measures in any particular order, or to use any of them before ending employment. Some conduct may result in immediate termination without prior warning.

Documentation

Conversations about performance or conduct may be documented, including the date, what was discussed, and what is expected going forward. Employees may be asked to sign an acknowledgment that they received or discussed the documentation. Signing acknowledges receipt, not agreement. A refusal to sign does not invalidate the documentation.

Misconduct

The following are examples of conduct that may result in immediate termination without prior warning. This list is illustrative and not exhaustive:

  • theft from a client, a coworker, or the company

  • harassment or discrimination of any kind

  • threats or acts of violence, including threats toward any person, pet, or family member connected to BCSLLC

  • possession of firearms or illegal drugs while working

  • falsifying time, work, or job records

  • misrepresenting reasons for time off

  • willful destruction of company or client property

  • failure to report damage or breakage

  • failure to follow legitimate instruction from management or a trainer

  • dangerous horseplay

  • soliciting or attempting to divert company clients for personal benefit, or for another business, while employed by BCSLLC

  • distributing or posting literature without the consent of management

Nothing in this section limits an employee’s rights under federal, state, or local law, or the company’s obligation to comply with applicable employment laws.

12. Performance Reviews and the Performance Dashboard

The Performance Dashboard

Every employee has a Performance Dashboard and can view it at any time. It records attendance, client survey results, quality issues, and productivity, shown alongside the company average.

Employees are encouraged to review their own dashboard. If something on it appears inaccurate, tell the office and it will be reviewed.

The dashboard is a tool for conversation and review. Nothing recorded on it results in disciplinary action automatically.

Productivity compares the time taken against the labor hours the client paid for, on solo cleans. Both directions matter: consistently taking longer than the client paid for is a loss to the company, and consistently finishing well under can mean scope is being missed. See Training Guide pages T-1, T-2, and W-2.

Performance reviews

BCSLLC evaluates each employee regularly. Reviews are intended to be positive and focused on future potential rather than past failings.

Reviews occur at:

  • 3 months after start date — check-in

  • 6 months after start date — includes consideration for a pay increase

  • 9 months after start date — check-in

  • 12 months after start date — includes consideration for a pay increase

Reviews continue after the first year, alternating between check-in and pay-increase-eligible reviews. Additional periodic evaluations may be required.

Pay increases are discretionary and are based on performance, business needs, and other relevant factors. A performance review does not guarantee a wage increase.

Employees will also be asked to complete an Employee Check-In form during each review.

13. Attendance

Punctual and regular attendance is an essential responsibility of every employee. Employees are expected to report to work as scheduled, on time, and prepared to start working, and to remain at work for their entire schedule.

This policy does not apply to absences covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Washington Paid Sick Leave, or any other protected leave.

Absence

“Absence” means the failure of an employee to report for work when scheduled.

An absence is excused when:

  • the employee submitted a Time-off Request at least 7 days in advance and it was approved; or

  • the absence is covered by the employee’s accrued paid sick leave AND is for one of the authorized purposes listed in the Paid Sick Leave section of this handbook.

An absence is unexcused when neither applies — for example, where the employee has no accrued sick leave available, or where the reason for the absence is not an authorized use of sick leave. A doctor’s note does not by itself make an absence excused.

Requesting time off inside 7 days

If something comes up with less than 7 days notice, tell the office. We will try to accommodate it, but cannot always do so. Whether it can be approved depends on whether the schedule can be covered. If it cannot be covered and the absence is not sick-leave eligible, it is unexcused.

Calling out

Message Chantel and the office in your Slack group chat. A phone call is not required.

  • Check in with the office by the end of the day to let them know whether you plan to be in on your next scheduled workday

  • Enter a sick leave request in Gusto for the hours you are using, during the week of the absence

The office direct line, (253) 367-4868, is for emergencies and for situations where you do not have enough service to use Slack.

Extended illness

Employees with three or more consecutive days of absence because of illness or injury must provide proof of physician’s care and a fitness-for-duty release before returning to work.

Late arrival

Employees are expected to arrive within the client’s arrival window. If you will be more than 15 minutes late to your first clean, or late to any subsequent clean outside its arrival window, tell the office so the client can be notified. See Training Guide page C-2.

14. Time-off Requests

BCSLLC is dedicated to the reliability we provide our clients along with the health and welfare of all employees.

  • Except for approved time off or protected leave, employees are expected to work all scheduled days 

  • All time off is approved on a first-come, first-served basis and depends on schedule availability

  • Time-off Requests must be submitted at least 7 days in advance to be considered for approval

  • Requests are posted in the request-time-off channel in Slack

  • Submitting a request does not guarantee approval. A thumbs-up response means approved, and the change will appear in the scheduling app

  • A previously denied request may be approved if schedule availability changes

  • Managers and trainers will not be approved for overlapping days off

Exception: an exception may be made if a member of an employee’s immediate family — mother, father, grandparent, sibling, spouse, or child — has been hospitalized.

Black-out dates

Time-off requests are automatically denied for:

  • Thanksgiving week

  • December 17 through January 5

Partial black-out days — requests automatically denied, work day ends at 1:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve when it falls mid-week:

  • Christmas Eve (half day)

  • Labor Day

  • Memorial Day

  • Veteran’s Day

  • Halloween

15. Employee Benefits — Holidays and Holiday Pay

Holidays

BCSLLC is closed on:

  • New Year’s Day (January 1)

  • July 4th

  • Thanksgiving Day

  • Christmas Eve (half day)

  • Christmas Day (December 25)

Holiday pay

BCSLLC offers holiday pay so employees can take time off with friends and family without financial burden, while meeting the needs of our clients. Eligibility:

  • Employees must have worked one full year prior to the holiday

  • Employees must work the day directly before and directly after the holiday, regardless of individual schedules, unless the absence is protected by applicable law. 

  • Holidays are paid at 8 hours at the normal hourly rate

  • Holidays falling on Saturday or Sunday are not paid

  • Employees may take religious holidays not designated as a BCSLLC holiday without pay, following standard time-off request procedures

16. Paid Sick Leave

This section reflects Washington State law. Accrual rules, authorized uses, and eligible reasons are set by statute.

In accordance with state law, all employees are eligible for paid sick leave.

Accrual

  • Employees accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked, starting on their first day

  • Employees do not accrue paid sick leave for hours paid while not working, such as paid holidays or while using paid sick leave

Availability

Employees may use accrued, unused paid sick leave beginning on the 90th calendar day after the start of employment.

Authorized uses

Employees may use accrued, unused paid sick leave to care for themselves or a family member for:

  • mental or physical illnesses, injuries, or health conditions

  • the need for medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of mental or physical illnesses, injuries, or health conditions

  • the need for preventive medical care

“Family member” means a child (biological, adopted, foster, stepchild, or a child for whom the employee stands in loco parentis, is a legal guardian, or is a de facto parent, regardless of age or dependency status); a parent (biological, adoptive, de facto, foster, stepparent, or legal guardian of the employee or the employee’s spouse or registered domestic partner, or a person who stood in loco parentis when the employee was a minor); a spouse; a registered domestic partner; a grandparent; a grandchild; or a sibling.

Closure of the company, or of a child’s school or place of care

Employees may use accrued, unused paid sick leave when BCSLLC has been closed by order of a public official for any health-related reason, or when an employee’s child’s school or place of care has been closed by order of a public official for any health-related reason.

Domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking

Employees may use accrued, unused paid sick leave to:

  • seek legal or law enforcement assistance or remedies to ensure the health and safety of the employee and their family members, including preparing for or participating in any civil or criminal legal proceeding related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking

  • seek treatment by a health care provider for physical or mental injuries caused by domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking

  • attend health care treatment for a victim who is the employee’s family member

  • obtain, or assist a family member in obtaining, services from a domestic violence shelter, a rape crisis center, or a social services program

  • obtain, or assist a family member in obtaining, mental health counseling related to an incident of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking

  • participate in safety planning, temporary or permanent relocation, or other actions to increase safety from future incidents

For leave related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, “family member” includes a child, spouse, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, or person with whom the employee has a dating relationship.

Requesting sick pay

  • Employees are responsible for entering Sick Leave Requests in Gusto when their absence falls under an authorized use

  • Employees must request the amount of sick leave they want to redeem, in hours, during the week they were absent

  • Sick leave will be included on the employee’s next paycheck

  • Paid sick leave is used in increments of 1 hour

Rate of pay

Employees are paid their normal hourly compensation for each hour of paid sick leave used — the hourly rate the employee would have earned for that time. Normal hourly compensation does not include tips, gratuities, service charges, holiday pay, or other premium rates. For sick leave used during hours that would have been overtime if worked, overtime standards are not applied.

Paid sick leave is paid no later than the payday for the pay period in which it was used.

Carryover

  • Accrued, unused balances of 40 hours or less carry over to the following year

  • Carried-over leave is in addition to leave accrued in the subsequent year

  • Balances in excess of 40 hours at year end are forfeited

  • The accrual year is January 1 – December 31

Separation and reinstatement

  • There is no financial or other reimbursement for accrued, unused paid sick leave at separation

  • If an employee is rehired within 12 months of separation, previously accrued unused paid sick leave is reinstated, and the employee will be notified of the amount available

  • An employee rehired within 12 months who already satisfied the 90-day requirement does not have to wait again; if they had not, prior service counts toward the 90 days

Retaliation prohibited

Discrimination or retaliation against an employee for the lawful exercise of paid sick leave rights is prohibited. BCSLLC will not discriminate or retaliate against an employee for the lawful exercise of Minimum Wage Act rights.

BCSLLC will not require, as a condition of taking paid sick leave, that an employee find a replacement worker.

An employee who believes they are being discriminated or retaliated against may contact management. If not satisfied with the response, the employee may contact the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries:

Notification

At the start of employment, BCSLLC provides employees with notice of their paid sick leave rights, including entitlement, accrual rate, authorized purposes, and the prohibition on retaliation.

Monthly, BCSLLC notifies employees of sick leave accrued, sick leave used, and total unused sick leave available. This information appears on pay stubs.

Employees with questions about this policy may contact the office.

17. Leave of Absence and Military Leave

A leave of absence is time off in a non-pay status. Upon receipt of a formal written request from a full-time or part-time employee, management will determine whether a leave will be granted.

Personal Leave – The company may, in its discretion, grant an unpaid personal leave of absence based on the reason for the request, business needs, and the employee's work history.

Educational Leave – The company may, in its discretion, grant an unpaid educational leave of absence to support an employee's academic or professional development.

Public Service Leave – The company may, in its discretion, grant an unpaid leave of absence for certain public service activities.

Military Leave – Military leave is provided in accordance with applicable federal and state law.

 

Return to work

Following a discretionary leave of absence, BCSLLC will make reasonable efforts, consistent with business needs, to return the employee to the same or a similar position. Reinstatement is not guaranteed unless required by applicable law. If the same or a similar position is unavailable, BCSLLC may offer another available position at the appropriate rate of pay. 

Employees who do not return to work at the end of an approved leave of absence, and who are not entitled to additional leave under applicable law, will be considered to have voluntarily resigned effective the last day of work or paid leave, whichever is later. 

18. Paid Family and Medical Leave

An employee may apply for Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave directly through the state if they believe they qualify.

Employees must give BCSLLC written 30-day notice for a planned leave. If the leave is unexpected, employees must give notice as soon as they are able. The written notice should explain the need for the absence and how long they expect to be out. Emails, text messages, Slack messages, and handwritten notes all count as written notice.

The state will notify BCSLLC of an approved claim. Visit https://paidleave.wa.gov/ for more information.

19. Bereavement Leave

BCSLLC provides time off for employees to attend the funerals of family members and friends. We will approve whatever period of time is necessary and appropriate under the circumstances.

20. Jury Duty

BCSLLC grants employees time off for mandatory jury duty or court appearances as a witness when the employee must serve or is required to appear as a result of a court order or subpoena. A copy of the court order or subpoena must be supplied to the office when requesting the time off. BCSLLC does not pay for time lost because of jury duty.

21. Termination

Terminations are handled in a confidential, professional manner. Management assures this through consistent and evenhanded termination procedures. This policy is administered in accordance with the BCSLLC equal opportunity statement.

Terminated employees are entitled to receive all earned pay.

Employment normally ends through one of the following:

Resignation — voluntary termination by the employee.

Dismissal — involuntary termination.

Layoff — termination due to reduction of the workforce or elimination of a position.

Resignation

An employee who wants to end their employment is expected to give as much advance notice as possible, with a minimum of 2 weeks.

An employee will also be considered to have resigned if they:

  1. leave the job site without approval from management (safety issues excepted)

  2. do not call or show up for work on a regularly scheduled day

  3. fail to return to work upon the expiration of a leave of absence

Layoff

When a reduction in force is necessary or one or more positions are eliminated, employees will be identified for layoff after evaluating:

  1. company work requirements

  2. the employee’s dependability to date

  3. the employee’s abilities, experience, and skill

  4. the employee’s ability to work well with coworkers

  5. the employee’s potential for reassignment within the organization

Termination processing

  1. On the final day of employment, employees must meet with management to return all company supplies, tools, equipment, and uniforms

  2. Final wages will be paid as required by Washington law, generally on the next regularly scheduled payday, and will include all earned pay and any expense reimbursements due

  3. If two weeks’ notice was given and worked out completely and without incident, the employee may request a letter of recommendation

22. Miscellaneous Policies

Client Etiquette

It is BCSLLC policy to provide our clients with the best possible service in a courteous and thoughtful manner at all times. Clients are to be treated respectfully. All employees will greet clients on arrival and say goodbye when leaving.

Complete behavioral standards are in the House Cleaner Training Guide, pages C-1 and FD-2.

Break Etiquette

Eating in a client’s home is not allowed. Meal breaks are taken between houses, or outside or in your vehicle if a clean runs long.

Employees may not use a client’s microwave, television, radio, or any other belonging for personal use, with the exception of toilet tissue and soap for handwashing. Employees may accept food or drink offered by a client, but must never take anything that has not been offered, and must never ask.

If you have additional needs, talk to the office.

Telephones

No personal calls in a client’s home. Exceptions are made for true emergencies only. Keep your phone on vibrate in your pocket and answer only for the office. If you must take a call, step outside the home first.

Employees may not use a client’s phone.

Employees must never call or message a client directly, including through the booking app. All client contact goes through the office. See Training Guide page RB-2.

Dress Code

Employees are expected to present themselves in a clean and professional manner.

Shirts — must be long enough to cover your entire stomach and backside when you raise your arms, and free of rips, holes, or stains.

  • During training, wear your own shirts following the rules in this section. Allowed: t-shirts, tank tops, long sleeve shirts, sweatshirts.

  • After training is complete, a company shirt is required. Company t-shirts and tank tops are available in the storage unit — take what you need. In colder weather you may layer your own long sleeve shirt or sweatshirt with it, following the same rules.

Pants — must be flexible enough to bend and crouch in without the back opening up, and free of rips, holes, or stains. Allowed: yoga pants and leggings, capris, shorts of a decent length, loose jeans you can bend in.

Shoes — must be closed-toe, comfortable, and free of holes. Allowed: tennis shoes and slip-resistant clogs with a back. Shoes must be worn at all times in a client’s home.

Not allowed: spaghetti strap tank tops, any top showing your stomach or backside, tight jeans, short shorts, open-toed shoes including sandals and flip-flops, and any clothing with potentially offensive material — political, religious, curse words, drug references, and the like.

Privacy

BCSLLC recognizes employees’ rights to privacy and adopts these principles:

  1. Collection of employee information is limited to what BCSLLC needs for business and legal purposes

  2. The confidentiality of all personal information in our records is protected

  3. All employees involved in record keeping must adhere to these practices; violations result in disciplinary action

  4. Internal access to employee records is limited to those with an authorized, business-related need to know. Access may be given to third parties, including government agencies, pursuant to court order or subpoena

  5. BCSLLC will refuse to release personal information to outside sources without the employee’s written approval unless legally required

  6. Employees may see the personal information maintained about them and may submit corrections for inaccurate factual information, or written comments in disagreement with material in their records

Client Privacy

Who our clients are and what happens in their homes is confidential. Employees must not discuss clients with other clients, must not share client information outside the company, and must not share photographs of client homes with anyone. Photographs taken for before-and-after documentation are posted in the designated Slack channel and then deleted from the employee’s phone. See Training Guide page PIC-1.

Friends, Family, and Personal Visitors

  • Friends, family, and personal visitors are welcome at some BCSLLC functions. If unsure, ask

  • They are not allowed at any job site without prior approval from management — this includes driveways

  • They are allowed at meetings with approval, but this is highly discouraged

Emergency Closings

Except for scheduled holidays, BCSLLC is open Monday through Friday. BCSLLC recognizes that circumstances beyond its control — inclement weather, national crisis, or other emergencies — do occur, and may close for all or part of a regularly scheduled workday. Employees will be notified via Slack.

Vehicles

Under no circumstances is BCSLLC responsible or liable for property damage to employee-owned cars while parked. Keep cars locked, keys secured, and valuables out of the car or hidden.

Employees must carry insurance and hold a valid driver’s license to remain employed with BCSLLC.

Company Supplies

Use only the supplies provided by BCSLLC. Do not bring your own cleaning products to a job site.

Supplies are available at the company storage unit. Employees must log cleaning supplies taken from the unit using the Inventory Form, found in the Supply Storage Management channel in Slack. Personal-care extras provided at the unit do not need to be logged. See Training Guide page ST-1.

23. Related Documents

These documents form part of your terms of employment and should be read alongside this handbook.

House Cleaner Training Guide — every cleaning procedure, product, tool, and standard. Also covers day-to-day pay, time, and attendance questions. Provided in print; available on the employee website.

Safety and Accident Prevention Program — safety rules, PPE, hazard control, and injury reporting. Available on the employee website and in Slack.

Safety Data Sheets — chemical safety information. Available in the Safety-Data-Sheets channel in Slack.

Performance Dashboard — your individual performance record. Provided to each employee.

Where this handbook and the House Cleaner Training Guide appear to disagree about how a cleaning task is performed, the Training Guide is correct.

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