Hello Everyone,
We are getting closer to our Annual Disability Film Festival which will be held on November 8, 2024! We are also still looking for films or any other support you can provide for the event. If you would like to volunteer please contact me ASAP.
This year, the Imagine Disability Film Festival will be held at the 418 Project, a theater in downtown Santa Cruz. The 418 Project is a nonprofit organization that supports emerging artists and diverse communities to create a more inclusive world. We are happy to begin our relationship with them, as they allow us to use their space to help further Imagine’s mission. Go check out their website and support their mission as well! https://the418project.org
Another thing approaching is the end of the year! Believe it or not, the holidays are just around the corner. We want to remind all Imagine employees that you must submit a Leave Request Form to your Facilitator as soon as possible if you plan to take time off for the holidays. As much as we would like to accommodate every person’s request for time off, that becomes really difficult in our industry. That said, we will be approving Leave Requests based on submission date, seniority, and whether you worked last year’s holiday. For example, if you worked last Christmas, and you submit a Leave Request ahead of your teammates, you will have a higher chance of having that time off approved.
This year, we will also be introducing blackout dates for callouts. The dates on the blackout list are 11/28 and 11/29, Thanksgiving Holiday and Native American Heritage Day; December 25th, Christmas Day, December 31st, New Year’s Eve, and January 1st, New Year’s Day. This means that if you call out of your shift on one of those days, we expect you to provide a doctor’s note or other documentation to account for your callout. If you cannot provide acceptable documentation, you will receive a Disciplinary Action Notice.
This protocol is being introduced to support employees who are taking time away from their families to be with their clients and to ensure that there is enough support available for folks who truly need to miss their shift due to illness or an emergency. We hope this is read and understood with a tone of support and not in any way as a punishment.
As always, I am here if you would like to talk about this more or if you have any questions or concerns.
Best Regards,
Patty Lopez
Assistant Director of Human Resources
Imagine Supported Living Services
Office: 831-464-8355 ext. 112
Cell: (831) 325-7760