What Michigan AFC Owners Should Include in a New Employee Orientation Packet

Q: Does every AFC employee need the same orientation?

Core requirements apply to direct care staff, but orientation should also match the employee’s assigned duties, the facility’s policies and the residents served. Some roles may need additional task-specific instruction.

Hiring a caring person is only the beginning. Before a new direct care worker takes on responsibilities independently, an Adult Foster Care provider needs a clear way to teach expectations, check competency and organize proof of what was completed.

A well-built Michigan AFC employee orientation packet can make that process more consistent. It can help an owner or administrator avoid scattered forms, unclear responsibilities and missing training records. The packet should support the facility’s actual policies and Michigan requirements—not replace them.

Michigan’s AFC rules require direct care staff to be trained and competent before performing assigned tasks independently. The rules also allow a new staff member to work alongside a fully trained staff member while completing required training, but the new employee cannot be left alone until the required training is complete.^[2]

Here are six practical sections to include.

1. Start with the employee record

Create a consistent employee-record section for every new hire. Michigan’s technical-assistance materials identify information that belongs in the staff record, including identifying and contact information, employment dates, qualifications and experience, references, health information, training records, and signed statements showing receipt of the facility’s policies and job description.^[2]

LARA also provides an example employee and volunteer records format that facilities can use as a reference when organizing their own files.^[3]

Your packet might begin with:

Employee information and emergency contact form
Job application or résumé
Reference documentation
Applicable license or credential information
Driver’s-license information when transporting residents is part of the job
Health statements and screening records required for the role
Hire date, job title and employment-status information
Signed job description and policy acknowledgment

Protect personal information. Social Security numbers, health information, background-check details and other sensitive records should be stored securely and should never be placed in public or shared training files.

2. Include a role-specific job description

A generic job title is not enough. The employee should understand what the facility expects during each shift and which tasks require additional instruction, supervision or authorization.

The job description should explain:

Essential duties
Supervision and reporting structure
Required documentation
Resident-rights responsibilities
Emergency and incident-reporting duties
Boundaries around medication assistance, transportation and delegated tasks
Attendance, call-off and scheduling expectations

Have the employee sign and date an acknowledgment showing that the job description was received. If the person’s duties change, update the job description and document the change.

How to build a Michigan AFC employee orientation packet checklist

Michigan’s AFC rules identify training areas for direct care staff. These include reporting requirements; first aid; hands-on CPR; personal care, supervision and protection; resident rights; safety and fire prevention; prevention and containment of communicable disease; food safety; and nutrition and special diets.^[2]

Your orientation checklist should list each required topic separately. For every item, record:

Training topic
Date completed
Instructor or training source
Method used
Employee signature
Trainer or supervisor signature
Competency result
Follow-up or retraining date, when needed

Do not mark a topic complete simply because a handbook was handed to the employee. Orientation should show what was taught and how the facility determined that the employee could perform the assigned work safely.

4. Document competency—not just attendance

A signature proves that someone signed a form. It does not always prove that the person understands the material or can perform the task.

Michigan’s technical-assistance guidance gives examples of acceptable evidence of training and competency, including verbal or written knowledge tests, performance evaluations, skills demonstrations, observations during job shadowing and successful completion of an established training program.^[2]

Match the method to the task. A short quiz may work for a policy review, while a return demonstration may be more appropriate for a hands-on skill. When a worker needs more practice, document coaching, retraining and the final competency decision.

A practical competency record should show:

The skill or knowledge area evaluated
The evaluation method
The evaluator’s name and qualifications, when applicable
The employee’s result
Any corrective instruction provided
The date independent performance was approved

5. Add facility-specific procedures

State rules provide the baseline, but each home has its own residents, layout, emergency plan, staffing patterns and operating procedures. A strong orientation packet connects general training to the employee’s real work environment.

Facility-specific orientation may cover:

Emergency exits, fire procedures and disaster plans
Location of first-aid supplies and emergency information
Incident, accident and change-in-condition reporting
Resident-rights protections and complaint procedures
Confidentiality and respectful communication
Shift-to-shift communication and documentation
Infection-control procedures
Meal service, food safety and special diets
House rules and visitor procedures
Medication-assistance boundaries and documentation
Who to call when the employee is unsure

Resident-specific instruction should be handled carefully. Use secure records and authorized training channels. Do not place resident names, diagnoses or other protected information in generic orientation templates.

6. Create a renewal and follow-up system

Orientation is not a one-day event. Build a simple tracking system for items that expire or need periodic review, such as CPR, first aid, health documentation, policy updates and competency refreshers.

Use a renewal calendar or spreadsheet with:

Employee name
Requirement
Completion date
Expiration or review date
Reminder date
Responsible supervisor
Current status

Review the tracker regularly rather than waiting for an inspection or staffing emergency. LARA’s AFC Home Practice Inspection Worksheets can also help providers understand the areas commonly reviewed during licensing oversight.^[4]

A simple way to organize the packet

Consider arranging the packet in this order:

Employee information and hiring records
Signed job description and policy acknowledgments
Required-training checklist
Competency evaluations
Facility-specific orientation
Resident-specific training records, stored securely
Renewal and follow-up tracker
Corrective training or coaching records

Use a table of contents and the same section order for every employee. Consistency makes missing items easier to spot and helps supervisors know where documents belong.

What a template can—and cannot—do

A good template saves time, improves consistency and makes internal reviews easier. It cannot guarantee compliance, replace current Michigan rules or substitute for the licensee’s judgment and responsibility.

Every AFC provider should tailor forms to the type of home, the employee’s duties, the residents served and current requirements. When rules, policies or roles change, the packet should change too. Providers should also review LARA’s official licensee and applicant training page for current state training information.^[1]

Elder Empowerment Services is expanding its Training & Resource Center with practical tools, consultation and customizable materials for Michigan AFC and home-care providers. Our resources are educational and consultative; the licensee or agency remains responsible for operations, staff competency and compliance.

Visit the Training & Resource Center: https://elderempowerment.care/training-resources-michigan-senior-care-providers/

To discuss staff orientation, record organization, training support or compliance-readiness services, call Elder Empowerment Services at 734-414-8000.

Frequently asked questions

Does every AFC employee need the same orientation?

Core requirements apply to direct care staff, but the exact orientation should also match the employee’s assigned duties, the facility’s policies and the residents served. Some roles may need additional task-specific instruction.

Can a new employee work before all training is complete?

Michigan guidance allows a new direct care staff member to work alongside a fully trained staff member while completing the required training. The new staff member cannot be left alone until the required training is complete.^[2]

Is a signed checklist enough to prove competency?

Not by itself in every situation. Michigan guidance recognizes methods such as knowledge tests, performance evaluations, skills demonstrations and observation during job shadowing as evidence of training and competency.^[2]

How often should an orientation packet be updated?

Review it whenever Michigan requirements, facility policies, job duties or resident-service needs change. Keep a separate renewal tracker for time-sensitive requirements.

Official Michigan resources

Educational and consultative information only. Current Michigan rules, payer requirements, professional judgment and facility-specific policies control. The licensee or agency remains responsible for operations, staff competency and compliance.