Employee Manual

Preamble

The Iowa Department for the Blind (IDB) Employee manual is a public statement of the common set of values and principles used to promote and maintain high standards of behavior and promote a collegial and productive work environment. This document is intended to supplement the State of Iowa Employee Handbook. IDB staff are required to sign both the State of Iowa Employee Handbook and this manual within two weeks of beginning employment with IDB.

IDB is committed to furthering the ability of persons who are blind to function competently, independently, and successfully not only in their own environments but also as fully integrated and participating citizens in the broader society. To this end, all staff, working at all professional levels, shall treat persons who are blind with dignity and respect and will provide the best possible services which can be offered, based upon the most current techniques and training principles available at the time. It is the ongoing objective of IDB staff to act in an ethical manner. Any action in violation of either the spirit or purpose of this policy may be grounds for disciplinary action up to and including discharge.

It is the responsibility of each IDB staff member to review and to come fully to understand these policies, work rules, and procedures. A lack of knowledge or understanding of policy may not be used as a defense against a charge of unethical conduct. The work rules, procedures and policies described in this manual are not conditions of employment. This manual does not create an express or implied contract between IDB and any employee.

Mission, Vision & Values

Mission Statement

Empower blind Iowans to be gainfully employed and live independently.

Our Vision Statement

To be the world’s leader in blind rehabilitation services.

Our Value Statements

We value blind Iowans therefore:

• We believe in each individual’s ability to be independent.
• We act with a sense of urgency and responsiveness in serving every individual.
• We support each individual’s right to informed choices.
• We value engagement and independence for individuals of all ages.
• We promote a positive attitude toward blindness.
• We expect blind persons to achieve their full potential.
• We provide opportunities for blind persons to be fully contributing members of their communities.

All staff are valued and expected to demonstrate:

• Passion for what we do everyday.
• Commitment to make positive differences in the lives of blind Iowans.
• Respect for the contributions of each staff member.
• Ethical behavior, honesty, integrity and trustworthiness.
• Innovative and proactive approaches in serving each client.
• Progressive and professional leadership.
• Collaboration and teamwork that benefits each individual we serve.
• Collaboration with community, local, state and federal partners.

Our Culture Statement

We use a client-centric approach to empower clients to achieve successful outcomes.

Our Philosophy of Blindness

Empowerment and complete integration into the broader society are the aspirational objectives for clients and patrons of IDB services. The IDB staff strive at all times to help each client or patron achieve these objectives and become the very best that they are capable of becoming.

IDB staff understand that persons who are blind are members of a visible and identifiable minority and that, therefore, the primary problem faced by persons who are blind is attitudinal rather than physical—that is, there are widespread public misconceptions and misunderstandings about blindness which lead to beliefs and feelings of inferiority. While these public attitudes about blindness are socially constructed rather than factual, they are prominent in our society and in the emotions of clients of services for the blind. Therefore, each of the blindness services which are provided by IDB must be designed and intended to teach clients and patrons of services a new and constructive set of attitudes, based upon an understanding that the prevailing views about blindness are wrong and harmful.

The IDB staff member understands that the overarching objective of the services which are being provided is to enable the blind client to come emotionally, not just intellectually, to understand that they are a normal person who can be truly independent and self-sufficient.

The IDB staff member understands that quality training in the skills or alternative techniques of blindness is essential to freedom and independence for persons who are blind and that the skills should not merely be introduced, they should be mastered by the client. The IDB staff member also understands, however, that the simple skills of blindness such as Braille or cane travel are not ends unto themselves but are merely small parts of a larger objective, helping the client adjust fully to blindness.

The IDB staff member understands that the blind client must learn to cope calmly and unemotionally with the unusual or demeaning things other people will do or say because of the public’s misconceptions about blindness. Therefore, discussions concerning prevailing misunderstandings and misconceptions and the client’s responses to them are appropriately sprinkled throughout class or training sessions.

The IDB staff member understands that the blind client must learn to blend in and be acceptable and desirable to the broader society. Therefore, discussions are appropriate to help the client learn what it takes in the way of good habits regarding appearance, punctuality, reliability, courtesy and the like for the blind person to be enabled to blend in satisfactorily.