Tutorials Available
* Available in Spanish

403(b)
On July 26, 2007, the Internal Revenue Service released the final 403(b) regulations for public school employee retirement plans. This regulation requires school districts that sponsor a 403(b) plan to offer all employees the opportunity to set aside money on a tax-deferred basis for retirement using a payroll deduction process. Developed by Carleen Pierce of Canandaigua City School District in partnership with OMNI, this tutorial will help school employees understand the basic regulations which the school district imposes for participants in these programs. More specifically, you will learn about the Universal Availability Requirement, what a 403(b) plan is, the benefits of participating, who is eligible to participate, and what the contribution limits are.

A Guide for Substitute Teachers
This tutorial provides Substitute Teachers with tips, advice, and best practices as they embark upon their substitute assignments. More specifically, substitutes will learn about preparation techniques, the responsibilities of substitute teaching, instructional delivery methods, classroom management, “tools” for a substitute, professionalism and confidentiality, dress codes, attitudes and general tips from other teachers and substitutes.

Alcohol and Drug Awareness
Employee substance abuse has a tremendous impact on an organization’s productivity and profitability. This tutorial identifies statistics involving drugs and alcohol, provides a strategy for combating substance abuse, identifies signs of abuse, and provides a plan for addressing the problem through employee discipline.

Allergy Management
The incidence of allergies in children has increased significantly in the last two decades. School districts can reduce the risk of exposure to allergens by working with students, parents, and physicians to minimize risks and provide a safe educational environment for students with allergies. Written by Deanna Culberson, a school nurse at Utica Community Schools, this tutorial will review allergic reactions, common allergens, Peanut Safe Zones, why there are more allergies now, symptoms of allergies, medications for both minor and major reactions, who can carry EpiPens, EpiPen use, treatment of allergies, allergy management plans and school allergy checklists.

Asthma
Asthma is a major public health problem. Nearly five million children have asthma. It affects at least two students in every classroom of 30. It is the most common chronic illness cause of school absenteeism. This tutorial's goal is to support student management of asthma in the classroom through teacher education.

Autism
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has mandated that school aged children from ages 3 to 21 receive a “free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment.” This has resulted in a large percentage of students with autism, Asperger syndrome, non-verbal learning disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder being included in regular public schools and classrooms. The main objective for this tutorial is to support school security personnel in maintaining a safe and secure learning environment in schools where students with autism spectrum disorders are among the learners.

Bloodborne Pathogens*
This tutorial provides basic awareness level training for the Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. This standard requires employers to train employees who are a reasonable risk of exposure to blood and other infectious material. The training must be completed at the time of initial assignment and annually thereafter. The Employer Exposure Control Plan as well as workplace and job duty specific requirements are the responsibility of the employer.

Bullying
Written by Mhora Newsom-Stewart, Ph.D., the Director of Collaborative Evaluation and Strategic Change in Health and Education at the EDUCATION CONNECTION, this tutorial advocates the establishment of good school climate in reducing aggressive behaviors. Objectives for the tutorial include defining bullying, describing the impact bullying has on the aggressor, the target and the by-stander, understanding the increasing frequency of school shootings, identifying the characteristics shared by all school shooters, and how to develop a positive school climate.

Child Abuse
Child abuse has long-terms effects on children and the rest of society. Each person in the general population has a role to play in preventing child abuse. The first step in helping abused children is learning to recognize the signs of child abuse. In this tutorial, you will learn about the four types of abuse including their definitions and their signs; how to respond to a child’s disclosure; how to report the suspected abuse; and about the confidentiality of the report.

Computer Use Policies
Vast educational value may be acquired through proper usage of the internet and other computerized information resources. Along with the enormous value that the internet provides, the risk of abuse is always present. In this tutorial, uers will learn about appropriate vs. inappropriate usage of computerized information resources in the workplace specifically as they relate to educational institutions.

Copyright Law for Educators
This tutorial enables instructors and students to understand and adhere to copyright laws and regulations. Reviewed for accuracy and completeness by Ken Salomon from Dow, Lohnes and Albertson, the tutorial will be continually updated to reflect any amendments to the Copyright Act. Content includes basic copyright purposes and provisions, fair use guidelines, the educational use exemption, licensing, infringement penalties, and voluntary guidelines.

Corporal Punishment
Written by Roy Henley of Thrun Law Firm, Corporal Punishment is specific to Michigan law. More specifically, the tutorial contains the following information: The Michigan Revised School Code, Exemptions to the Michigan Revised School Code, Who the code applies to, Physical Force that is Allowed, The "Necessary" and "Reasonable" standard, Special Education Student Restraint and Seclusion Techniques, Consequences of Violation, Statutory Immunity, Coverdell Teacher Protection Act, Qualified immunity, Michigan Child Protection Law, Reporting/Failing to Report, and School District Policy-based Standards.

Deposition Preparation
Developed in partnership with Attorney Marianne Samper, this tutorial describes the deposition process and what your role will be. Topics include the structure of a deposition, the appropriate attire to wear, description of the types of witnesses, all aspects of your testimony, and how to answer questions.

Discrimination
Issues related to discrimination in employment are varied. Anyone in a position of authority over another employee (whether direct or indirect) needs to be aware of the many ways discrimination may occur, whether it is intentional or, and more likely, unintentional. This tutorial will review the definition of discrimination; protected classifications and how they became protected; policies of non-discrimination and the rights of employees to make a claim; handling a claim of discrimination; and supervisory responsibilities.

Diversity
The demographics of America's population have significantly changed. Minority populations continue to grow. And there are more employees with physical and mental disabilities in the work place. This diverse population is the pool of future employees, supervisors, students, teachers, etc. The labor pool is also expected to diminish with the upcoming retirement of baby boomers. It is expected that their will not be enough individuals to fill the open jobs. In this tutorial developed by Toni Talbot of Human Resource Management Services, you will learn what diversity is and why it is important; learn how to make diversity part of your organization's culture via policy, practice and training; learn that diversity is more about respect and appreciation of others rather than differences; and you will learn that it takes time, determination and planning to instill diversity but that the gain is worth the effort.

Expectations Over the Course of a Lawsuit
Developed in partnership with Attorney Marianne Samper, this tutorial provides an understanding of the preliminary information, provides a general idea of what happens in a lawsuit, and helps you in working with your attorney to come to a resolution.

FERPA
This tutorial educates all educational staff about confidentiality regarding student records as mandated by FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) and State Special Education rules and regulations. Upon completion of this tutorial, staff will gain a knowledge of the law and policies; an understanding of their responsibilities; and an understanding of how to protect a family's right to privacy.

Fire Extinguisher
How to Properly Use a Fire Extinguisher: OSHA mandates that if a workplace has fire extinguishers available for employee use, the employer must notify their workers about the general principles of fire extinguisher use. This tutorial reviews the types of fires, types of fire extinguishers, the rules for fighting fires, fire extinguisher use, fire extinguisher inspection, and fire extinguisher maintenance.

Forklift Safety
It is a violation of Federal law for anyone under 18 years of age to operate a forklift or for anyone 18 or over who is not properly trained and certified to do so. Developed in partnership with Enviroair, this tutorial describes the rules and responsibilities required for correct forklift safety.

General Harassment
Employees now have a reasonable expectation that they will be treated respectfully and professionally by their co-workers, vendors, and especially their boss. Essentially, employees know that they will not be harassed on the basis of their gender, age, race, religion, national origin, or other protected classification. In this tutorial, you will learn about the concept of harassment, employers’ responsibilities, employees’ responsibilities, potential consequences for violations, and taking personal responsibility.

Hazard Communications*
This tutorial provides the minimum legal compliance required for the Hazard Communications Standard. According to this standard, every employee has the right to know about any operation in his or her work area when hazardous chemicals are present. The training must be completed at the time of initial assignment and whenever a new chemical is introduced into the employee's work area.

HIPAA
On April 14, 2003, the "Privacy Rule“ of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 or "HIPAA" came into effect. This regulatory scheme for the first time provides nationally applicable privacy standards regarding personal health information. This tutorial provides an overview of the Privacy Rule as it applies to employers outside of the healthcare industry.

Interviewing Skills
Developed in partnership with Hiring Solutions, Inc., this tutorial describes the three basic steps to the interview process (pre-interview preparation, the interview itself, and the post-interview follow-up), reviews lawful and unlawful questions that can be asked during an interview, and provides sample job related questions.

Personal Protection Equipment
Developed in partnership with the Michigan School Business Officials (MSBO), this tutorial describes the types of equipment most commonly used for the protection of the head, eyes and face, ears, respiratory, torso, arm and hand, and foot and leg. The personal protection equipment information described in this tutorial is framed in general terms and is intended to complement the relevant OSHA regulations and requirements.

Playground Safety
Developed in partnership with the Michigan School Business Officials (MSBO), this tutorial describes playground safety precautions including surfacing, use/fall zone for equipment, layout and design of playgrounds, general hazards, supervision guidelines, inspection, maintenance and record keeping. It was developed as a guideline to help communities, school, day-care centers and other groups build safe playgrounds.

School Bus Driver Safety
Written by Mark Niewonder of the Van Buren Intermediate School District, an authority in School Bus Driver Safety, this tutorial provides the school bus driver with several tips to safely carry out their daily school bus driving tasks. The content includes: Injury Protection, Passenger Management, Post-Trip Inspection, Dealing with Emergency Situations, and Positive Parent Contacts Methods.

Sexual Harassment
This tutorial educates employees about the basics of sexual harassment (including how to prevent it in the workplace), what to do if you feel you have been sexually harassed, and what to do if you witness or are a victim of sexual harassment. Reviewed for accuracy and completeness by Dow, Lohnes and Albertson, the tutorial also provides several sexual harassment case scenarios.

State and Federal Laws Review
This tutorial provides a summary of selected laws that gives your employees basic under-standing of the regulations contained within them. The laws include Drug Free Workplace and Substance Abuse, Family and Medical Leave Act, Equal Employment Opportunity / Non-Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Continuation of Benefits, Asbestos, Family Education Right to Privacy Act among others.

Videoconferencing Success Strategies
This tutorial provides Interactive Television (ITV) instructors, ITV students and any other staff conducting or participating in a videoconference with the knowledge and skills required to achieve success in that medium. Content areas include why videoconferencing, types of connectivity, the equipment, visual impact, tips for success, and legal and ethical considerations.

Workplace Violence
Employers and their staff must be diligent and have a degree of knowledge on how to deal with acts of violence in the workplace. In this tutorial written by Toni Talbot from Human Resource Management Services, LLC, you will learn about the types of violence both direct and implied; sources of violence; methods of prevention; policies and procedures for workplace violence; dealing with the aftermath; recognizing that you can not do everything to prevent violence; and the potential liability of workplace violence.