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This manual sets forth the Center for Open Science’s policies and procedures for daily operations. The Center for Open Science (COS) complies with the United States Federal and State of Virginia employment laws and regulations. Details about these can be found on the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry website. A Virginia Labor Law poster is accessible and visible in the COS office. This manual is subject to change to maintain compliance with these laws and regulations. This manual will be reviewed and updated periodically as a means of continuous improvement to the COS’s standard practices and operations. COS maintains full discretion to add to, modify, or delete provisions of this manual at any time. COS staff are advised to retain a bookmark to the manual to check for revisions and to stay up-to-date on COS policies.
Information contacts: Briana Wade, Assistant Director of Human Resources, email: [email protected]
COS operates on the principle of openness. It provides a 24/7 accessible working environment to staff in addition to remote working options. COS is a highly collaborative environment and there is no assigned seating when in the home office. Everyone operates out of the main bullpen area. Each workstation in our offices will have everything you will need to get started excluding a laptop (do not remove keyboards, mice, or dongles from workstations when moving seats).
While there is an emphasis on collaboration, this model also increases the need to be sensitive to noise so that all staff can be productive in the space. Staff are encouraged to retreat to a private office to hold meetings or to have phone and video calls.
COS will host a variety of community events during normal business hours, in the evenings, and on weekends. During these events, one COS staff member must be present at minimum. This staff member is responsible for ensuring responsible use of the space, properly disposing of any trash following the event, and properly closing up.
The COS kitchen is a shared space for COS staff and visitors. Everyone is responsible for its cleanliness. Each Friday, COS staff clean out of the fridge by either taking home their perishable items or throwing them away.
COS is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace and to promoting the health and wellbeing of its employees and visitors. We ask that our staff and visitors do not come to work smelling of smoke or bring their pets to work. Under Title 1 of the Americans with Disabilities Act, service animals may be permitted, upon approval of a special accommodation request.
At COS, our team is the most valuable asset we have. COS recognizes the importance of individual differences, life experiences, self-expression and unique capabilities and therefore strives to recruit and retain a diverse workforce.
COS is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to maintain a work environment that is free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation because of age, race or traits historically associated with race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex (including transgender status, gender identity or expression), sexual orientation, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), veteran or military status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws.
COS believes that hiring qualified individuals to fill positions contributes to the overall success of the company. Each employee is hired to make significant contributions to COS. COS may use either an internal or external hiring process to identify the most qualified candidates for positions.
COS will endeavor to make a reasonable accommodation of an otherwise qualified applicant or employee related to an individual’s physical or mental disability, sincerely held religious beliefs and practices, and/or any other reason required by applicable law, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship upon COS’s business operations.
The Center for Open Science seeks to build a qualified, inclusive, high performing, dedicated staff to help us fulfill our mission to increase openness, integrity, and reproducibility of research. An employee referral program asks existing employees to recommend candidates for open positions. If we hire someone you referred, you will receive a bonus. These incentive programs allow us to augment our existing recruitment channels, and find strong candidates. Plus, employees that are referred to a position are more likely to stay longer with a company than those who find the job in a posting. See a copy of the full policy here.
All offers of employment at COS are contingent upon clear results of a thorough background check. Background checks will be conducted on all new hires.
Once a conditional offer of employment has been accepted a background check will be performed. Background checks will include:
- Social Security Verification: validates the applicant's Social Security number, date of birth and former addresses.
- Criminal History: includes review of criminal convictions. The following factors will be considered for applicants with a criminal history:
- The nature of the crime and its relationship to the position.
- The time since the conviction.
- The number (if more than one) of convictions.
- Whether hiring the applicant would pose an unreasonable risk to the business, its employees or its customers and vendors.
A copy of the full policy can be found here. Any questions should be directed to Human Resources.
It is the policy of COS that the company may employ, or make employment offers to, foreign nationals only when U.S. citizens or permanent residents of equal training, experience, and competence for the position are unavailable. Such a determination can only be made following a completely documented search and evaluation process. Employment of foreign nationals with be authorized only under the provisions of this policy and only when conditions and visa requirements established by federal law and ensured and documented. Under circumstances may any employee of COS knowingly employ, or contract employment with, an unauthorized alien.
Any offer of employment to a foreign national under a nonimmigrant program is considered temporary and is subject to the terms and conditions of the specific program’s work authorization.
Petitions from COS supporting H1-B visa classification will be reserved for individuals who have been offered positions requiring similar credentials. Holders of H1-B visas may be appointed only for the time period permitted under the indivudual’s visa.
COS is committed to the fair and equal employment of individuals with disabilities under the ADA. It is COS’s policy to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the company.
In accordance with the ADA, reasonable accommodations will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of their jobs or to enjoy the equal benefits and privileges of employment. Any employee with a disability who believes they need a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential functions of their job should contact Human Resources. Disability refers to a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of an individual. A qualified person with a disability means an individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of their employment position. If an accommodation is requested, the employee is responsible for providing medical documentation regarding the disability and possible accommodations. All information obtained concerning the medical condition or history of an applicant or employee will be treated as confidential information, maintained in separate medical files, and disclosed only as permitted by law.
It is the policy of COS to prohibit harassment or discrimination based on disability or because an employee has requested a reasonable accommodation. COS prohibits retaliation against employees for exercising their rights under the ADA or other applicable civil rights laws.
A copy of the Accommodations Request Form can be found here.
COS respects the religious beliefs and practices of all employees and will make, on request, an accommodation for such observances when a reasonable accommodation is available that does not create an undue hardship on the company’s business. A copy of the Religious Accommodations Policy can be found here.
COS is committed to supporting our staff and our community members holistically. We understand that the language we use to describe ourselves is changing all the time, and we want you to feel confident letting us know if the language you use has shifted. In order to make this process easier, individuals can share this information via a form which can be found here
In order to determine eligibility for benefits and overtime status and to ensure compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, COS classifies its employees as shown below. COS may review or change employee classifications at any time.
Full-Time: Employees who are not in a temporary status and who are regularly scheduled to work a minimum of 30 hours weekly and maintain continuous employment status. Generally, these employees are eligible for the COS benefits package (health and dental insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) program) and are subject to the terms, conditions, and limitations of each benefit program.
Part-Time: Employees who are not in a temporary status and who are regularly scheduled to work less than 30 hours per week but at least 20 hours weekly and who maintain continuous employment status. Part-time employees are eligible to participate in the 401(k) program but are not eligible for other benefits (unless required by state or federal law).
Independent Contractors: COS has the right to control or direct only the result of the work and not what will be done and how it will be done. For all independent contractors, there shall be a contract detailing the responsibilities, deliverables, time frame, fee and method of payment. Both the independent contractor and an authorized representative of the COS shall sign the contract and follow policies and guidelines prescribed by law or the written contract. All independent contractors will submit a W-9 form for tax purposes.
Employees are classified as exempt and non-exempt in accordance with the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”):
Exempt employees are typically paid on a salary basis and are not eligible to receive overtime pay.
Non-exempt employees are paid on an hourly basis and are eligible to receive overtime pay for overtime hours worked.
Deductions from Pay/Safe Harbor Exempt Employees:
COS does not make improper deductions from the salaries of exempt employees and complies with the salary basis requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Employees classified as exempt from the overtime pay requirements of the FLSA will be notified of this classification at the time of hire or change in position.
Each new employee will be given a general orientation by Human Resources. This orientation will include a review of the personnel policies and procedures, employee benefits, and any other materials necessary for the individual to begin work at COS.
Employee files are maintained by the HR department and are considered confidential. Managers and supervisors may only have access to personnel file information on a need-to-know basis. Employees may inspect their own personnel files and may copy them but may not remove documents from their file. Inspections by employees must be requested in writing to the HR department and will be scheduled at a mutually convenient time or as required under state law.
Information pertaining to personnel related aspects of the individual’s employment (e.g. letters of reprimand, letters of commendation, unemployment compensation requests, etc.) shall be contained within the file.
Distribution of staff information will occur only in the following circumstances: A)Federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies during the investigation of a violation or potential violation of the law, B) Human Resources and management, to the extent that employees are under their direct supervision, C) The content of an employee’s personnel file may be viewed for business purposes by the Board, D) Others when so personally authorized by COS such as contracted auditors and benefits administrators.
Communication between employees and managers is very important. Discussions regarding job performance are ongoing and often informal. Employees should initiate conversations with their manager if they feel additional ongoing feedback is needed.
The aim of the COS feedback and review process is to provide staff with guidance to help them achieve their job and career goals, to recognize their achievements, and to facilitate achievement of COS’s strategic and business goals. You will have the opportunity to participate in planning your work and setting your goals in conjunction with your management team on an ongoing basis and formally during your annual meetings. The feedback and review process is an opportunity for open, honest communication and feedback about your work and your future at COS.
Pay dates for COS staff are on the 15th and the 30th/31st of each month (or last business day preceding the 15th or the last day of the month). When a pay day falls on a holiday, the pay date will be on the last business day prior to the holiday.
On each payday, employees can access their paycheck showing gross pay, deductions, and net pay, through Rippling. COS withholds federal and state income taxes, social security and medicare taxes, and amounts stated in garnishment and child support orders as required by applicable law. Employees may elect to have additional voluntary deductions taken from their wages, such as for employee-paid benefits. To make changes to your voluntary deductions contact Human Resources.
COS encourages all employees to have their pay directly deposited into their checking and/or savings account. Direct deposit information must be set up in Rippling.
It is the policy of Center for Open Science (COS) to reimburse staff for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in connection with approved travel on behalf of the organization. All COS travel will be booked through the Business Support Specialist. Any staff member who will be traveling will need to complete a Traveler Profile.
Team members seeking reimbursement should incur the lowest reasonable travel expenses and exercise care to avoid impropriety or the appearance of impropriety. Reimbursement must be pre-approved and is allowed only when reimbursement has not been, and will not be, received from other sources. If a circumstance arises that is not specifically covered in this travel policy, then the most conservative course of action should be taken.
Business travel policies are aligned with the organization’s reimbursement rules. All business-related travel paid with COS funds must comply with these organizational policies. See a copy of the full travel policy here, including expense reimbursements.
All COS staff contribute to meeting its mission, but only a subset of staff represent COS in speaking engagements and other public appearances. Honoraria or other payments for engagements on behalf of COS acknowledge the contributions of the whole team. That is, the role of publicly representing COS is just one aspect of the commitment, service, and contribution that makes COS speaking engagements possible and successful.
Full time COS employees who, give workshops, or speak on behalf of COS may be offered honoraria or speaking fees from the sponsoring organization. COS compensation is defined as compensation received for a speaking engagement, participation on a panel, consulting or review services, or other activities that are conducted on behalf of COS. Honorarium payments received under these circumstances will be submitted to COS. Some institutions will not allow other institutions to receive honoraria on behalf of an individual, and will instead require that individuals personally accept honoraria or other payments. If an individual must receive the sponsorship payments directly, they will likely have personal tax liability. To cover the personal tax liability, they should retain 50% of the payment to cover tax expenses, and contribute the remainder to COS.
If COS employees have doubts about whether more general speaking engagement invitations are subject to this policy, they should submit information about the invitation to the COS Community and Marketing teams for further evaluation.
Exceptions:
- This policy does not apply to interns or guests
- Speaking engagements or other consulting payments for work done that is not related to COS, open science, or open source or is not done on behalf of COS is not subject to this policy
- This policy may not anticipate all possible scenarios for assessing the types and occasions for receiving payment. When there is any uncertainty about applicability of the rule, COS staff should present the scenario to the Director of Finance and Operations to discuss, resolve, and refine the policy accordingly
All staff will receive a COS email address. Use of personal equipment for COS projects is not encouraged as COS is not liable for covering any damages to personal property. If your COS technology needs are not being met, please discuss them with Human Resources.
COS is committed to establishing an appropriate Acceptable Use Policy and guidelines to reduce the risks, threats and impacts from the misuse of technology systems and Internet. These risks can include virus attacks, compromise of networks and systems, data loss and legal issues.
COS staff will be granted access to private Open Science Framework (OSF) user data. To ensure the privacy of user data, it is understood that;
- Private user data is sensitive and confidential. It is our responsibility to treat it as such.
- Private user data should never be released to any person without explicit permission from COS management.
- Private user data should be handled responsibly, only being stored on COS hardware or hardware leased by COS (i.e. cloud platforms).
- COS hardware storing private user data should be handled responsibly in regards to both physical and computer security (i.e., secure login passwords, machine not left unattended). Ensure that the private user data would remain secure if the computer were to be lost or stolen.
- Data should be stored on encrypted devices. On Apple computers, FileVault disk encryption is the easiest solution. Otherwise, Apple encrypted disk images or TrueCrypt volumes can be used.
- Private user data is only accessed and managed for professional purposes of supporting users. Private user data should never be accessed for personal purposes, or purposes other than directly supporting users.
COS has an inclement weather policy to avoid having staff take risks associated with travel during hazardous road conditions. Inclement weather is defined as adverse weather conditions that have the potential of making travel to and/or from work hazardous for employees. COS management team will examine current and pending weather conditions and determine the appropriate hours of operations. If weather conditions are deemed hazardous, the office will open late, close early, or close for the day. Employees who decide not to drive into the office based upon personal judgment regarding inclement weather and road conditions are allowed to work from home. If this is not possible due to power outage or other issues, the employee must use PTO.
COS is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace and to promoting the health and wellbeing of its employees and visitors. Some members of the COS staff have significant smoke and pet allergies. Exposure to smoke or pets can cause a reaction that would prevent them from working and require that they leave the office. As such, these common allergens should not be present in the COS offices or indoor company sponsored events. Staff and visitors should not bring pets or come to work smelling of smoke.
Controlled substances, and firearms are prohibited on COS premises.
In compliance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act, the unlawful manufacture, distribution, possession or use of a controlled substance on COS premises or while conducting COS business at another location is prohibited.
COS team members are required to be in appropriate mental and physical condition in order to carry out their role and responsibilities to the highest level of excellence. If there is reasonable suspicion an employee has violated this policy, they may be sent home without pay, put on probation, or terminated. These terms are subject to change at any time, in any circumstance, for any reason, deemed necessary to ensure a safe work environment. Alcohol may be included in COS special events, but is not permitted during ordinary working circumstances.
Additionally, employees must report any convictions of criminal drug violations in the workplace in writing to COS Human Resources within five calendar days.
Unmarked items in the refrigerator will be thrown away after three days if they have not been marked with a name and date.
Do not leave dirty dishes in the sink. If the dishwasher contains dirty dishes, put your dirty dish in the washer. If the dishwasher is running, place your rinsed dish in the sink or to the side of the sink. If the dishes in the dishwasher are clean, empty the dishwasher.
Use the disposal in the kitchen sink for all disposal safe food items; under the cabinet on the right. We have 2 undercounter, pull out, trash receptacles in the kitchen as well as smaller trash cans at desk stations. Do not dispose of food in the small trash cans.
There is overflow trash in the storage room. Use this trash can for large boxes and when the other trash cans are filled to maximum capacity. Trash is single-source, so we don’t sort recycling - they do. Make sure that minimal food items go into the trash and to remove the coffee filters from the k-cups.
The course of action to take in the event of an emergency will vary depending on the circumstances. There are, however, some general rules that will usually apply:
- Remain calm
- Find a phone to call for Emergency Services (dial 911)
- Calmly relay the problem to the operator. Remember to include all necessary information such as the nature of the emergency, location, persons involved, and the type of emergency services required (fire department, ambulance, police, etc.)
- Render whatever help you can without further endangering yourself or others
- Yield to the instruction of firefighters, police, or other emergency response personnel
- Make a report of the details of the incident for the COS’s records
Additional information can be found in the Emergency Action Plan.
In the event that a fire/emergency alarm is sounded or instructions for evacuation are given, all employees are to exit the building and meet in the guest parking spaces outside the Downtown Business Center of the Omni. There are three exit strategies based on your location and the location of the emergency:
- Exit the office using the front door, walk down the hallway, and turn right to exit through the glass double doors for the Downtown Business Center and wait in the guest parking spots. NOTE: This exit does require going down stairs.
- If the glass double doors are blocked, or not accessible, exit through the Omni hotel. In this scenario, turn left after the hallway, walk through 2 double doors and exit the building using the nearest doors in the Omni hotel (located to your right), then walk to meet your team at the guest parking spots outside the Downtown Business Center exit.
- Exit the office using the back door, walk down the stairwell and out of the garage to meet in the guest parking spaces outside the Downtown Business Center.
A grievance is a formal written or verbal expression of dissatisfaction about a work situation by an individual or group. The COS grievance procedure is a formal procedure that COS and its staff members will follow to deal with or resolve workplace problems. The policy is:
Easy to use: The COS's grievance procedure is regularly updated to take into account other best practice models. As a result, the grievance procedure should be clear and easy to use.
Confidential: Only the staff members directly involved in the grievance, or its resolution, have access to information about the grievance. Information will go onto a staff member’s personnel file if a formal action is taken arising from the grievance.
Impartial: All parties have opportunity to communicate their perspective on the situation. No assumptions are made or actions taken until all parties contribute information for consideration.
Sensitive: All grievances will be dealt with sensitively and professionally by staff experienced in these matters.
Free of retaliation or victimization:Staff involved in a grievance shall not victimize anyone for coming forward with the grievance or for assisting in its resolution. Any victimization or retaliation may result in a disciplinary action by, Human Resources with input from the relevant manager(s). The disciplinary action may include termination of the transgressor.
Timely: Grievances are addressed promptly.
Informal stage: If an employee has a complaint that involves another COS staff member, they should try to resolve the matter by directly approaching the employee(s) involved, with their manager available to assist and support as needed.
If the complaint involves one’s manager, employees should try to resolve the matter by directly approaching their manager, with Human Resources available to assist and support as needed.
Formal stage: If the matter remains unresolved, employees are to report the incident to Human Resources as soon as possible after their initial attempt to resolve ‘informally’ has been unsuccessful. Human Resources will investigate the issue, and address the concern raised which may include a formal meeting between the parties to agree upon appropriate next steps or other corrective actions. If any disciplinary action is required, Human Resources will determine appropriate next steps, and the COO and Managing Director will make the final decision. If the case involves Human Resources or the COO and Managing Director directly, employees should raise the concern with the Executive Director who will work to resolve the issue with the assistance of an external third party.
COS does not prohibit romantic relationships between employees, however, any manager or team lead who is in a romantic relationship with an employee on their team, must disclose the relationship using the relationship disclosure form. Interactions while at work and attending work functions should remain professional.
All staff shall endeavor to maintain a workplace characterized by mutual respect to maintain a productive and pleasant work environment. Accordingly, any form of harassment, intimidation, and discrimination in the workplace will not be tolerated.
Sexual harassment is defined as a form of sex discrimination, consisting of unwanted sexual advances. Sexual harassment refers to behavior that is not welcome, that is personally offensive, and that fails to respect the rights of others. Examples of sexual harassment include:
- Verbal: Sexual innuendoes, suggestive comments, jokes of a sexual nature, sexual propositions, threats.
- Nonverbal: Sexually suggestive objects or pictures, graphic commentaries, suggestive or insulting sounds, leering, whistling, obscene gestures.
- Physical: Unwanted physical contact, including touching, pinching, brushing against the body, or assault.
Other discriminatory harassment is defined as verbal or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of their age, race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, veteran status, national origin, ancestry or disability.
Anyone who believes they have been the subject of sexual harassment, or any other type of discrimination, should report all of the facts and circumstances immediately, either to Human Resources or the Management Team. An investigation of all complaints will be undertaken immediately. Any employee who has been found to have harassed another individual will be subject to appropriate sanctions, including immediate termination.
Staff may also utilize the Incident Report form here.
The Commonwealth of Virginia is an "At-Will" employment state. Therefore, by law, COS is an “At-Will” place of business. Virginia’s “At-Will” law means that either you or COS may terminate your employment for any reason at anytime.
Separation is any action that ends the employee-employer relationship between an individual and the COS. Involuntary separation may be initiated when disciplinary action does not produce required workplace behavior. Disciplinary action may be initiated in response to performance of duties and personal misconduct. The directorship will be responsible for initiation of disciplinary action in consultation with the employee’s immediate supervisor. The procedures for disciplinary action are the following:
Performance of Duties: These include violation of the personnel policies or violation of an employee's position requirements. Specific examples include inefficiency or incompetence in performance of duties, tardiness, absenteeism, improper use of property or equipment, failure to maintain professional interpersonal relationships, and abusive or obscene language. These examples are not exhaustive of the category. COS is an at will employer and does not have to follow these three steps if not deemed necessary.
- Warning: The supervisor shall advise the employee of the specific infraction or breach of duty and the date of the incident. The employee has the opportunity to explain the reason for the conduct. Human Resources will prepare a memorandum for the personnel file documenting the infraction and employee’s response. The directorship shall monitor progress and review with the employee. Progress and review will be documented in the employee’s personnel file.
- Probation: Repetition of an infraction may result in probation. Repeated incidents will be documented as described in step one. Probation shall be for at least 3 weeks. During this period, a review process will determine if the required corrective actions are implemented and effective. No salary increases or bonuses will be given while an employee is on probation.
- Termination: Continued repetition by an employee, of an infraction which has been specified in a written warning, will result in the termination of the employee. This is the final disciplinary step for infractions under the performance of duties category.
Personal Misconduct: Disciplinary action under this category results from employee misconduct that is contrary to the best interests of the COS and is more serious than performance of duty infractions. Specific examples of serious personal misconduct actions include being convicted of a felony, misusing funds, fighting or attempting bodily injury to another COS staff member or visitor, using abusive or threatening language, sexual harassment, divulging confidential information, theft or dishonesty, intoxication or possession of illegal substances, possession of weapons on COS premises, soliciting tips from clients, and falsifying documents. These examples are not exhaustive of the category. Any employee may be terminated immediately for a serious offense. The following process applies:
- Suspension: Should a serious personal misconduct occur, the employee shall be suspended immediately without pay while the case is investigated. A memorandum delineating the basis for the suspension shall be placed in the employee's personnel file.
- Investigation: The activity that resulted in the suspension will be investigated by Human Resources. All facts and related information will be considered. A memorandum summarizing the investigation and the decision shall be forwarded to the suspended employee and placed in their personnel file within ten (10) working days.
- Dismissal/Reinstatement: Human Resources, based on the outcome of the investigation, shall terminate or reinstate the employee. If the employee is reinstated, Human Resouces shall also elect whether to consider this suspension as disciplinary time-off without pay, or to compensate the employee for the period of suspension.
A reduction in force (RIF) occurs when budgetary constraints, lack of work, changing priorities, or other business conditions require COS to eliminate one or more positions. This policy does not apply to temporary or contract positions. Managers are expected to address performance issues through the use of appropriate disciplinary action and not utilize the RIF policy for this purpose. See Reduction in Force Policy.
Resignation is a separation from COS initiated by the employee. Employees, with the exception of contract employees, may terminate their employment voluntarily at any time and shall give COS at least two weeks written notice prior to the effective date. Contracts employees will be required to give sufficient notice, as outlined in their employment agreement. Employees who resign may be accompanied by an exit interview. Employees are required to work during their two-week resignation period. No pre-scheduled vacation or sick leave may be taken during this time.
Any employee terminating employment for any reason will be scheduled for an exit interview with Human Resources prior to departure. All information will be shared with the employee’s leadership team. The purpose of this interview is to establish a reason for the termination, and obtain from the employee information and observations that might be helpful to the COS for improving its policies and practices.