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Policies & standards

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Attendance policy

City Year’s attendance and time-off policies are in place to ensure we are fulfilling our commitments to the community, AmeriCorps members meet the 1,700 hours necessary for graduation and AmeriCorps members have time off to attend to personal and professional matters.

  • AmeriCorps member time off varies by site and is driven by each school district’s schedule.
  • Corps members can anticipate having an additional break of approximately two weeks around late December to early January.
  • Days off are typically when schools are closed, but not all school holidays are days off for the corps (see below).
  • AmeriCorps members can request up to 12 days of pre-planned time off; mid-year corps members can request up to six days of pre-planned time off.

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These can be used as needed for personal reasons such as sick days, doctor’s appointments, religious observance, bereavement, childcare emergencies and grad / job interviews. Time off must be approved, in advance, by your Program Manager.

  • If you are a parent or primary legal caregiver for an adult (and submit documented proof of that status), you will be granted two additional days in each half of the program year (must sign an agreement to make up missed hours for these additional days).
  • Maximum allowable days off are based on the number of service days available during the program year and the average number of days needed for a member to complete the minimum number of hours required for AmeriCorps.

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Exceeding allotted personal days may result in dismissal from the program.

Why is the attendance policy important?

It’s important to keep in mind that in this year of service, your students, teachers and community are investing in you to be there. National service programs’ hours requirements (1,700 hours) are no small feat. These attendance requirements are ultimately in place to ensure that we are fulfilling our service commitments to the community as well as enabling AmeriCorps members to meet the necessary hours requirement for successful graduation.

Do I have to get approval in advance to use my personal days?

Yes. AmeriCorps members must request approval in advance from their supervisor to use their allotted personal days. It is always good practice to communicate to your supervisor in advance or as soon as possible when planning to take time off. You are responsible for managing your time off balance while also ensuring you are on track to meet your AmeriCorps Terms of Service hours requirement.

Can personal days be used in less than full–day increments?

Yes. Personal days can be used in half–day increments as well as full–day increments. You cannot take less than a half-day off.

Are there any breaks in service?

Yes. These breaks include most federal holidays and Seattle Public School District’s winter break (late December to early January). See the time off section on our stipend and benefits page for a full list of federal holidays.

Please note you will be in service:

  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January–a national day of service for City Year
  • Indigenous Peoples’ Day in October–a school day for Seattle Public Schools
  • Mid-Winter Break in February–no in-school service, we hold trainings that week
  • Spring Break in April–we host Spring Break Camps at our partner schools for students

 

Commitment to diversity, belonging, inclusion and equity

City Year was founded with a core belief: that uniting and empowering diverse teams of idealistic young people and charging them with addressing some of our country’s most difficult challenges can change the world for the better. The organizational values we collectively uphold are deeply rooted in this belief and in our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). Our journey to fully live our values and our commitment to DEIB is ongoing, but with each step forward, we come closer to actualizing our mission and fulfilling our promises to one another.

Learn more

 

Covid-19 policy

City Year AmeriCorps members will continue to partner with teachers to provide students with instruction appropriate to the school environment where they serve—whether in person, virtual or a hybrid of the two approaches.

  • We will continue to abide by guidance from local and national health officials to ensure that we are prioritizing the safety of our AmeriCorps members and staff and reducing the likelihood of virus transmissions in our communities.
  • We have a response team that works to field direct questions from our AmeriCorps members and staff to proactively prepare and respond to the unique needs across the 29 U.S. cities where we serve. Our leadership teams in each city are working closely with local officials and school districts to monitor local conditions, keeping the safety of our people at the forefront of every decision.
  • City Year provides appropriate personal protection equipment to AmeriCorps members and staff, including facial coverings and sanitation materials to limit exposure to the virus.
  • Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required for service. AmeriCorps members are required to be fully vaccinated by your start date. If you are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons or sincerely-held religious beliefs or other legal bases, we will consider requests for reasonable accommodation consistent with our policy.
    • Accommodation requests will be reviewed to ensure they do not cause undue hardship or pose a direct threat to the health and safety of others. City Year will make every effort to accommodate or grant valid exemption requests for individuals where possible. Notwithstanding any language herein, City Year will comply with any state, local or federal orders, statutes or regulations that may conflict with the COVID-19 vaccination policy.

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For more information at the local level of your City Year location, please reach out to your Service Year Adviser.

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