Homecare Worker Orientation

1. Welcome! Homecare Worker Orientation 1

2. What You’ll Learn Today • What HCWs are and what they do • How to become a HCW • The employment relationship • Professionalism: Roles and Expectations • What a Task List is • How HCWs get paid • The travel time policy 2

3. What You’ll Learn Today • Oregon Home Care Commission (OHCC) • OHCC Registry and Trainings • Confidentiality • Mandatory Reporting & Types of abuse • Safety and Universal Precautions 3

4. Why Being a HCW is Important Aging and People with Disabilities’ In-Home services are designed to protect a person’s independence, dignity and choice and enables people to stay at home. YOU are an important part of making that happen! 4

5. What Does aHomecare Worker Do? 5

6. Types of Homecare Workers Restricted HCWs Can work on an hourly basis for only one specific consumer. Career HCWs Can work for anyone on an hourly basis who qualifies for Medicaid in-home services. All HCWs are professionals 6

7. What do I need to know to get started? 7

8. To enroll, you must:Attend this Orientation and Be at least 18 years old Fill out an application Prove you can legally work in the U.S. (I-9) Have a legal name that matches your SSN Have an approved background check Sign a Provider Enrollment Agreement Have the skills, knowledge and ability to work Fill out a W-4 for tax withholding 8

9. HCW Provider Number • A 6 digit number assigned just to you. • You cannot be paid as a HCW without having a current, valid provider number. • It is YOUR responsibility as a HCW to know when your provider number expires and to renew it on time (look on the Registry). • You must begin the renewal process a minimum of 70 days before your credential expires by contacting the local office. • If not, there is no guarantee your paperwork will be completed in time and you cannot work and can’t be paid.

10. Medicaid Provider • As a HCW, you are a Medicaid Provider and must follow Medicaid rules. • If you do not, you could: • Not get paid • Lose your provider number • And for fraud and abuse, go to jail • KNOW THE RULES

11. Committing abuse; Taking or borrowing money or items belonging to your employer. Neglecting your employer’s service needs. Verbally abusing your employer Committing fraud Claiming hours not worked. Forging a signature or falsifying payment records. Working unauthorized overtime. Common Rule ViolationsYou can lose your provider number for: 11

12. Sharing something that is confidential, even with someone you think you can trust. Don’t give someone else your voucher to turn in Do not use your voucher for employment verification Being intoxicated in the workplace or while working. Repeatedly being late or absent from work. You can lose your provider number for: 12

13. Employment Relationship 13

14. HCWs have a unique employment relationship 14 • Your application and payment records are processed and approved by the local APD/AAA office. • You are employed by the person receiving services (consumer). You are not a state employee. • Your payment is processed and mailed by the State of Oregon. • To get paid, you must keep your address up-to-date with the local office.

15. Who is your employer? 15 • Your EMPLOYER is the consumer who hires you to work. You may have several employers at one time. • Your employer is NOT your “client.” • Having a client implies you provide direction. • Having an employer means that he or she directs you. • The people receiving services in the in-home program have free choice in managing their lives and making decisions about the services that they receive and who provides them. • Your employer makes decisions on hiring and firing homecare workers.

16. Your Relationship with Your Employer Your employer defines their expectations including; • Your work schedule, time off, and if you’ll be late for work; • Your Task List; • How and when he or she would like a task done; • House rules; • Whether you need training on how to do a specific task; • Any work-related concerns or questions you have; • Signing your voucher AFTER you have worked all your hours; • What do to in an emergency; • Whom you can talk to (i.e. employer’s family; physician; pharmacy, etc.).

17. When to Contact the Case Manager • Changes in your employer’s condition; • Questions about the Task List; • Concerns about your employer’s well-being; • Work concerns you can’t resolve with your employer; • Safety issues; • Working more hours than authorized due to an emergency; • Issues related to travel time or mileage; • Using paid time off; • When you are no longer working for your employer.

18. Reasons to contact the local office • Changes in your address or telephone number; • To provide an updated copy of your CPR/First Aid card; • Questions about your provider number, credential, or background check status; • Questions about your voucher or payments;

19. Professionalism

20. Be a professional by: • Respecting your employer’s wishes, preferences, beliefs, customs, and routines. • Not assuming you know what’s best for your employer. • Setting and maintaining professional boundaries. • Not oversharing about your personal life. It is NOT professional if you are: • Taking over or being overly involved in your employer’s life. • Making decision for your employer.

21. Be a professional by: • Refusing to break the law or bend the rules. • Not doing special favors, giving gifts, or accepting gifts or money from your employer. • Not borrowing anything from your employer or accepting loans. • Doing what’s right even when no one is looking. • Communicating in a respectful and appropriate manner. • Treating others the way they want to be treated (Platinum Rule).

22. Be a professional by: • Being positive. • Being an adult. • Demonstrating “grace under pressure.” • Showing up. • Looking like a professional • Wear clean, work appropriate clothing • Have good personal hygiene and grooming habits

23. The Service Plan and Task List • When you are hired by a consumer, you will receive a Task List from the case manager. It shows: • How many hours you are hired to work each month. • What types of support you will provide. • Any other specific information needed to do the job. Your employer determines how and when tasks are done. The Task List does NOT authorize you to provide help in the hospital. 23

24. Unauthorized Services 24 You cannot help with some things because Medicaid will not pay you to do it. This includes, but is not limited to: • Yard work • Pet care • Moving or relocating the consumer/employer • Caring for the employer’s children or grandchildren • Services that benefit the entire household (e.g. making family meals, everyone’s laundry, etc.)

25. What You Can Say….. 25 If asked by your employer to help with something not on your Task List: “I am paid by the state to do certain tasks and I could lose my provider number if I don’t do them or do something that’s not on my Task List. Maybe we should talk to your case manager about this.” “I’m concerned that I could be injured doing this activity and I’m not covered under my Workers’ Compensation plan if it’s not on my Task List.” “I’m not sure that is something I can do under the state rules. Let me talk to your CM before I say yes.”

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28. Payment for Services 28

29. Important Note:Before you start working with a consumer Confirm that your credential (e.g. background check) and provider # are active and valid AND You are authorized to work OR You may not get paid! DO NOT WORK UNTIL YOU HAVE THE PROVIDER NUMBER AND THE VOUCHER.

30. Registry – Credential Information

31. Payment Information Work week = 12:00 AM Sunday through 11:59 PM Saturday 31

32. Payment Information You may NEVER sign as the Employer 32

33. Payment Information Use the following steps to make sure that you receive your correct paycheck in a timely manner: • Once your employer has hired you and notified the case manager, you will receive a payment voucher. • Know how many hours you have for the pay period and schedule your work to stay within the authorized hours. • Make sure all the fields are completed (date; a.m.; p.m.; time in/out. • Write legibly (if it can’t be read, it will be returned to you to fix which will delay your pay). • DO NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE PRE-PRINTED FIELDS 33

34. Payment Information • Verify that the days and time worked are accurate. • After you have completed all service hours for the pay period, have your employer sign it. Do not ask the employer to sign a blank or incomplete voucher. • Then you sign it and mail it or drop it off at the local APD/AAA office. • Make sure you have provided the most current mailing address. • Any errors on the voucher may result in delays in being paid. 34

35. Payment Information 10. HCWs are not allowed to provide group services (claiming hours for doing the same task for multiple consumers at the same time). Examples: taking all your consumers’ laundry home to launder at the same time; shopping for all your consumers’ groceries during the same shopping trip. All tasks for different consumer-employers should be completed separately. 11. If you are an HCW and PSW – you can’t claim hours on your voucher you worked as a PSW and vice versa. Example: As a HCW, you wrote on your voucher you worked Monday from 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. and then entered the same date and time in eXPRS as a PSW. This is Medicaid fraud.

36. Payment Information • If an emergency comes up or you end up substituting for another worker, you must let the CM know within two business days or you will not get paid. • You can only be paid for prior authorized hours 36

37. Common Voucher Errors • Claiming more hours than you are authorized for payment; • Incomplete information; • Not having the payment voucher signed by you and your employer; • Using a pencil to fill out or sign the payment voucher (ink is required); 37

38. Common Voucher Errors • Covering mistakes with correction fluid — instead, cross out any mistakes with one line and have your employer initial all corrections; • Entering time incorrectly. Document the actual time you start working and stop working. Do not just write in a standard time; • Mailing or submitting your payment voucher before the last day you worked in the pay period — the payment voucher should be mailed after completion of the service hours for the payment period; 38

39. Common Voucher Errors • The numbers or writing cannot be read — be sure to write clearly; • Claiming more mileage than you are authorized; • Mailing the payment voucher late. 39

40. Important Notes Overtime: IF you repeatedly work more than 40 hours per week and have not been approved to do so, you provider enrollment can be terminated. Working Extra Hours: IF you work more hours than authorized due to an emergency, you MUST contact the consumer’s case manager within 2 business days. IF you repeatedly turn in vouchers with more hours than authorized, your provider enrollment can be terminated. 40

41. Vouchers 41 As of 10/1/17, vouchers are issued for a fourteen (14) day pay period. It starts on a Sunday and ends 14 days later on a Saturday. Follow the Payroll Calendar for: Voucher submission deadlines - if you miss it, your voucher won’t be paid until the next Pay Day Pay processing dates

42. Payment Timelines 42 You must turn in your voucher to the local office no later than close of business on the Wednesday following the end of the two week pay cycle (remember, it ends on a Sunday). This is called the HCW voucher submission deadline. The pay processing date is eight (8) business days after the HCW voucher submission deadline. If this falls on a holiday or agreed upon office closure, this date will be moved to the next business day.

43. Payment Timelines 43 Paper paychecks will be issued and mailed no later than eight (8) business days after the HCW submission deadline. Direct deposits will be sent to the HCW’s financial institution on the pay processing date. If pay processing dates have to be extended because of an unexpected office closure, we will let you know by posting the information on OHCC’s Facebook page.

44. If there is a problem with how you reported your hours on your voucher: 44 The local office will let you know within 24 hours that you need to fix it – Make sure your contact information is up-to-date. You will be given the opportunity to correct the voucher before it is processed for payment. Take action as soon as you hear from the local office. Otherwise, your payment may be late.

45. When you get paid: 45 You will receive a Remittance Advice. Put it somewhere you can easily find it. Check the remittance advice carefully to make sure it is accurate. Always read any messages at the bottom of the remittance. They contain important information.

46. More payment issues 46 • Mileage • Tax withholding • Direct deposit • Unemployment • For purposes of unemployment, the State of Oregon represents the employer.

47. 47 If you no longer want to be a HCW: Notify the local APD/AAA office in writing: • The last day you will be providing or had provided services for all consumers. • That you intend to not work with additional consumers in the future. You will be paid on the next regularly scheduled pay date if you turn in a valid voucher.

48. Travel Time

49. Travel Time Policy • You can only be paid for travel time if you provide authorized services for more than one employer on the same day. • You must be going directly from one job to the next. You do not get paid for traveling to/from your home (even if you and an employer live together). • You will be paid for the most direct and reasonable route. • If the time took longer than expected, document why it took so long. 49

50. Travel Time Policy • If your mode of transportation is not a personal vehicle, write in the mode of transportation next to “from address.” • Travel must take less than one hour. • Travel time can take up to no more than 10% of the total authorized hours you worked during each pay period. 50