Shasta Head Start is looking for talented employees who share our values and mission to serve the children and families in our communities. We believe our staff are in a great position to help find high-quality candidates. We know staff will refer individuals that are best suited for a position at Shasta Head Start. To show our appreciation for employee referrals, Shasta Head Start will pay employee referral bonuses of up to a total of $1,000 to employees who meet the criteria below.

Employee referral bonuses will only be paid for current open positions of Bus Driver, Cook, Cook Aide, Classroom Aide, Associate Teacher, Teacher, Primary Caregiver, Head Teacher, Site Supervisor, Family Worker, and Home Visitor.

The candidate must meet the minimum qualifications of the position for which they applied based upon Shasta Head Start’s hiring criteria. The candidate must be a first-time, external applicant based upon available records. A first-time, external candidate is defined as a candidate who has had no formal candidate/employee relationship with our agency (e.g., interview, employment, etc.). In order to maintain confidentiality, Shasta Head Start will not disclose any candidate information.

The candidate must state they have been referred by you at the time they complete their online application. It is the employee’s responsibility to notify the HR Department by completing and submitting the Employee Referral Form before the candidate’s application or within seven days after the candidate’s application. The Employee Referral Form expires after six months. If the candidate is not hired within six months of the Employee Referral Form submission, the candidate will no longer be tied to the employee who initially referred them.* A new Employee Referral Form may be submitted after the previous one expires.

If an Employee Referral Form is submitted but the candidate did not list the employee as a referral on their application, HR will confirm the referral with the candidate. With positive confirmation from the candidate, a bonus will be paid out if all other criteria are met. If the candidate denies the employee referral, a bonus will not be paid out.

The referral incentive amounts for candidates who meet the above listed requirements are as follows:

- Bonus #1: $50 for any referred qualified candidate who completes an application
- Bonus #2: $100 for any referred candidate who is subsequently hired
- Bonus #3: $850 for any referred new hire who completes 90 days of employment

A candidate is considered hired if they begin their first day of scheduled work. Contingent job offers do not qualify the candidate as hired and would not qualify for the second bonus. Each bonus level will only be paid out once for each candidate. If a first time, external candidate applies for multiple positions, the employee(s) who initially referred the candidate will only receive one $50 bonus. Similarly, if a candidate is hired, but does not remain employed for 90 days, the final bonus of $850 cannot be claimed.

Example: Russ is referred by Linda. Russ applies for a Classroom Aide job and is determined to be qualified but is not hired. Linda would receive Bonus #1 of $50. Russ later applies for a Family Worker position and is hired. Bonus #1 of $50 has already been paid out for Russ, so Linda would not receive Bonus #1 again, however, she would receive Bonus #2. Russ resigns from Shasta Head Start after 60 days to move to Nevada. Linda would not receive the $850 bonus. Russ could not be claimed for future referral bonuses.

If multiple employees are listed as referrals and/or submit Employee Referral Forms for the same candidate, the rewards will be split evenly among the referring employees.

Referral bonuses will be audited at each step before payout. The HR Department will audit and communicate owed bonuses to the Fiscal Department. The Fiscal Department will process and ensure payout. Referral bonuses will be paid out within 45 days of the incentive requirements being met. Employees out on their reduced schedule time or an unpaid leave of absence will receive any owed referral bonus on their next regular paycheck. Only non-exempt (hourly) staff are eligible for referral bonuses. You must be employed by Shasta Head Start at time of payment in order to receive a referral incentive bonus.

Questions about the Employee Referral Program should be directed to the HR Department (ext. 1100).

*If the candidate is actively moving towards the next step (e.g., employed but has not reached 90 days of employment, etc.), the Employee Referral form will not expire & a new form is not required.

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