A revised Sick Time Procedure (HR 415) will be distributed at the end of the month, and it will contain a couple important changes so we want to draw them to your attention via this Depot post. A copy of the new procedure also follows this post.
The most significant change is the improvement in the starting accrual level. The accruals used to start at .0154 hours of sick time for each hour worked (or 32 hours per year) and it is now .023 which is 48 hours per year. The other tenure/accrual levels are unchanged. If you previously fell into the lowest level – for those with up to 2 years of service – you may notice the increase in your pay period accrual.
The second change, to comply with the Minnesota Earned Safe and Sick Time (ESST legislation, provides that part time employees who work at Minnesota locations will accrue an hour of Earned Safe and Sick Time (ESST) for each 30 hours worked. There is an annual maximum accrual of 48 hours, and a total accrual that stops at a total of 80 accrued hours. Unused hours can accrue across calendar years, but are limited to those totals.
A couple final points:
- Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST), and regular accrued sick time can be used the same way, and is reflected in the revised procedure.
- Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) is NOT paid out when an employee leaves, but accrued sick time for full time employees will continue to paid out at the rate of 25% as stated in the procedure.
- The total hours accrued for all employees who work for a Minnesota location will appear on pay stubs along with the hours used.
If you have any questions about the changes or anything about our Sick Time procedure, contact Melissa or Rich in Human Resources.
SICK TIME PROCEDURE HR 415
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
Full-time employees of Family & Children’s Center begin earning sick time the first day of employment. Time is earned based on the employee’s number of years of service and the number of hours worked. Part time employees in Minnesota who work at least 80 hours a year earn sick time based on hours worked in accordance with Minnesota’s Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) requirement. These employee’s accrue 1 hour for every 30 hours of work.
AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
The Human Resources department is responsible for tracking sick hours available and hours used for employees.
Directors will be responsible for establishing a routine to review sick use and accrual in their departments and to assure sick is managed properly.
Employees are responsible for obtaining approval for sick hours prior to the requested time off when possible, and for properly documenting sick hours on his/her time sheet. Sick time is requested through Time Off Requests in Paycom.
PROCEDURE
- Overview
For all full time employees sick time is accrued based on years of service and the number of hours worked. Accrual rates are as follows:
Years of Service Accrual Rate
1 and 2 0.023/hour worked
3 and 4 0.0308/hour worked
5 and more 0.0462/hour worked
Part time employees who work at a Minnesota location will accrue 1 hour of sick time for every 30 hours of work.
These accrual apply to a maximum of 40 hours per week and/or 80 hours per pay period. Overtime hours are excluded.
Sick time is for the purpose of personal illness, immediate family member illness (spouse, child and/or parent), and in situations where dental or doctor appointments cannot be scheduled outside of work hours and is not to be used for personal days or as vacation days. A medical certification may be required for an absence of more than three days.
Use of sick time may only be used when an employee is scheduled to work a particular day.
When sick and away from work for an entire scheduled workday, vacation and/or sick time must be taken. This time may not be made‑up.
Example: If an employee is absent from work an entire day and scheduled to work eight hours, the employee may elect 8 hours of vacation, 8 hours of sick, or a combination of the two.
If sick time has been completely used and the employee is too ill to work, they must use earned vacation time. In the event both sick time and earned vacation are depleted, the employee will not be paid.
Sick time may not be taken during an employee’s orientation period without prior approval of the employee’s Director and the President/CEO. The employee’s supervisor will pass along the request in writing to the Director who will review the request with the President/CEO and provide a written response which will be sent to the employee, his /her supervisor and the Sr. HR Specialist. A copy will be placed in the employee’s file.
The maximum number of sick hours to be used per day is eight (8).
For all full time employees, unused sick time at year-end carries forward to the next calendar year, with a maximum of 480 hours. For part time employees who work at a Minnesota location, a maximum of 80 hours may be carried over.
Absence of more than three (3) days due to injury or illness that is job related and covered by worker’s compensation is not charged to sick time.
An employee beginning their fourth (4th) day of sick time will be considered on a medical leave. A Family Medical Leave request must be completed with the Human Resources department if applicable. If an employee is not eligible for Family Medical Leave a request for time off is required in accordance with the Absences & Leaves/FMLA Procedure HR 010. In the event of an extended illness of 4 or more days the employee’s supervisor must contact the Sr. HR Specialist to initiate this process.
- Maximum Hours of Sick Time
The maximum hours of sick time a full time employee at all locations may accrue is 480 hours (60 days). A part time employee working at a Minnesota location can accrue a maximum of 48 hours in a year or a maximum of 80 hours.
After a full time employee reaches the maximum sick time accrual, they will continue to earn sick time during that calendar year. At the beginning of each year, FCC will “buy back” unused sick time in excess of 480 hours at the rate of 25% or accrued hours.
Example: Assume on January 1st a full‑time employee had 480 hours of sick time. During the next year, the employee earns an additional 12 days or 96 hours, and during the year the employee uses 16 hours of sick time. On December 31st, they will have 80 hours over the maximum 480 hours. FCC will “buy back” their excess by paying them for 20 hours (25% of 80) times their hourly wage rate. Following this buy back, the employee’s sick time will be reset to the 480 hour maximum.
All full time employees (provided they have completed their orientation period) terminating their employment with any amount of unused sick time will receive a “buy back” of their unused sick time at the rate of 25%. To receive this benefit, an employee must submit a written two-week notice (or four weeks in the case of Therapists, Coordinators and Directors) and be in good standing (meaning no performance improvement programs in place). An employee will receive this pay when all property of FCC is returned (i.e., keys, name badge).
A full time employee who terminates during an orientation period will not receive payment for accrued sick time. Employees cannot use their sick time once a letter of resignation has been submitted.
Example: If an employee leaves with 100 hours of accrued sick time, they will receive 25% or 25 hours times their hourly wage rate along with final pay.
Part time employees at Minnesota locations who terminate employment will not be paid for accrued sick time in accordance with Employee Sick and Safe Time requirements.
GETTING HELP
For questions or further clarifications regarding the Sick Time Procedure, please contact a member of the Human Resources department at 608-785-0001.