When must an employee have orientation?

• A. Prior to beginning job duties.
• B. Within 30 days of hire.
• C. Within 90 days of hire.
• D. Within 12 months of hire.

Answer: (A)

Orientation should happen before the employee starts any job duties. This initial session sets up the worker with essential information about agency policies, confidentiality, reporting procedures for incidents or concerns, safety rules, and supervision expectations. By completing orientation first, the employee understands how to handle clients and real-world scenarios in a compliant and consistent way from day one, which helps protect children in care and reduces risk for the agency. Waiting to orient after hire creates knowledge gaps and potential compliance and safety issues. So the best timing is to complete orientation prior to beginning any job duties.