Prohibited Conduct, Leadership Misconduct & Gross Misconduct

PROHIBITED CONDUCT, LEADERSHIP MISCONDUCT & GROSS MISCONDUCT

Leaders have a heightened obligation to avoid any misconduct, given the potential impact on the workplace culture. Misconduct can result in corrective action, up to and including termination. While all employees are held to the same overall standards, the following forms of conduct are especially critical for leaders to avoid:

Leadership Misconduct

• Misuse of authority or positional power to intimidate, manipulate, or coerce employees.
• Failure to disclose conflicts of interest or any impactful personal relationships that could affect impartial judgment.
• Repeated negligence in maintaining program quality or staff supervision.
• Patterns of disrespectful or demeaning communication toward staff, children, or families.

Gross Misconduct

• Any act that endangers a child’s or employee’s safety, such as abuse, neglect, or harassment.
• Serious breaches of confidentiality or trust that undermine TOPP KIDS’ reputation or operations.
• Inappropriate behavior toward parents or children, including physical or verbal aggression.
• Egregious violations of anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, or workplace violence policies.
• Any other severe conduct listed under TOPP KIDS’ established policies that may warrant immediate termination.