Employees will be classified as one of the following five (5) categories:
1. Full-Time Regular Employee
A full-time regular employee works a regular schedule of forty (40) hours or more per week and is entitled to all benefits accorded to full-time employees as specified under the benefits section of this handbook.
2. Part-Time Regular Employee
A part-time regular employee works a regular schedule of less than forty (40) hours per week. Part-time regular employees who work less than twenty (20) hours per week are not eligible to receive benefits. Part-time regular employees who work twenty (20) hours or more each week are eligible to receive basic benefits on a pro-rated basis according to the number of hours worked.
3. Full-Time Temporary Employee
A full-time temporary employee works a schedule of forty (40) hours or more per week for a specified period of time, which shall not exceed thousand (1,000) hours in any calendar year. Full-time temporary employees are not eligible for any employee benefits.
4. Part-Time Temporary Employee
A part-time temporary employee works a schedule of less than forty (40) hours per week for a specific period of time, which shall not exceed thousand (1,000) hours in any calendar year. Part-time temporary employees are not eligible for any employee benefits.
5. Student Assistant
A student assistant is an employee who is at least 18 years of age and is currently enrolled in high school, college or graduate school and may be employed to fit the needs of a specific area. Student assistants are not eligible for any employee benefits.
UHA accepts applications of friends and relatives of current employees. However, an employee is not permitted to supervise a member of his/her family. Family is described as a spouse, parent, child, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, cousin, nephew, niece, parent-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparent, grandchild or others considered to be members of the household and living under the same roof.
The Human Resources Department accepts applications, does initial screening of applicants who meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and refers the most qualified candidates to hiring supervisors for final selection. We seek employees who best fulfill the qualifications and have the potential ability to perform the job. The employment process is completed at the Human Resources Department, where all offers of employment are made. UHA's equal opportunity policy applies to all corporate activities, including but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, training, transfers, promotions and benefits.
It is the policy of UHA to provide equal employment opportunities to prospective and current employees, based solely on their qualifications and merit without regard to race, religion, disability, age, sex, national origin, veteran status or sexual orientation and in full compliance with all applicable federal and state laws.
The basic workday is eight (8) hours, exclusive of a lunch period. The basic work week consists of five (5) work days, for a total of forty (40) hours per week, except where otherwise specifically provided in a particular section or classification of employees, as outlined in the Wage and Salary Administration section covering Exempt/Non-Exempt (FLSA) Status.
UHA utilizes "flex time" in some instances, at the supervisor's discretion, to assist with the personal and corporate needs of its employees. In doing so, starting times may vary in order to accommodate the employee, and to provide the Corporation with adequate coverage so that the functions of the Corporation may be met. For details of the hours in a particular unit, please consult the immediate supervisor.
At any time, UHA reserves the right to alter the hours of the workday at the supervisor's discretion. Also, the number of hours worked by an employee may change, depending on the workload as determined by the supervisor.
The calendar workweek is a seven (7) consecutive day period which begins at 12:00 a.m. on Sunday and ends at 11:59 p.m. on the following Saturday.
All full-time and part-time benefits eligible position vacancies will be posted in accordance with the Corporation policy. The Human Resources Department maintains an up-to-date listing of employment opportunities available at UHA. This list will be posted for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days. For more information, contact the Human Resources Department.
An exception to this procedure may occur if an employee's position is being eliminated due to budgetary constraints or corporate reorganization (See - Reorganization). In this case, where it is in the best interest of the employee and the Corporation, an employee may be reassigned/transferred to a vacant position at the discretion of management. Additionally, on certain professional positions, the posting requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Vice President for Human Resources.
Temporary, student and non-benefits eligible employment opportunities do not require posting, but may be listed for recruitment purposes.
All new employees attend mandatory orientation sessions conducted by the Human Resources Department. Instruction is given regarding the Corporation's history, organizational structure, operating policies and procedures, performance appraisal system and the benefits package.
The employee will also be oriented to their new position by the immediate supervisor, who will provide instruction on the specific duties and responsibilities of the position. The supervisor will introduce new employees to fellow employees and will give orientation regarding work hours, lunch periods, performance appraisals and departmental policies.
All employees are expected to present a professional image at all times.
Employees in clinical areas may be required to wear specific types of clothing or uniforms. Employees should consult their supervisor for details.
Employees who are not required to wear uniforms are to present a business-like appearance by wearing clothing appropriate to their particular work area. Clothing must be modest in style, allow comfortable ease of movement and be non-revealing. Underclothing should not be seen through outer clothing. Employees who report to work inappropriately dressed will be sent home without pay to change their clothes.
Additionally, visible body or tongue piercings are prohibited during your time at work. Modest ear piercing (maximum of three (3) per ear) is acceptable. Any visible tattoos must be covered during your time at work.
If questions arise, your supervisor should be consulted regarding any departmental policies related to appearance.
Former employees of UHA who resigned may re-apply for employment at any time. A former employee who has been terminated, or who left the employment of UHA without giving the proper notice of fourteen (14) calendar days (mid-level providers are required to give sixty (60) days notice), will not be considered for re-employment, except in extreme circumstances. If an employee uses Paid Time Off or Short-Term Disability for the any portion of the fourteen (14) calendar days they will be ineligible for rehire and UHA will use the last day physically worked as the resignation date for benefits and payroll purposes (See - Resignation). Any unused Paid Time Off will be paid as normal on the terminal paycheck. The employee will not be considered for re-employment. A former employee who takes a cash disbursement from his/her corporate retirement (401a) will not be considered for re-employment, as a regular employee, for a period of at least six (6) months from date of resignation. Previous corporate employment will not be included in length of service calculations for any future Paid Time Off (See - Paid Time Off) accumulation purposes. If a former employee was vested prior to resignation, the employee will be considered fully vested upon re-employment. The rehire date, if re-employed, will be the new date of employment.
Those individuals re-employed to regular employment within thirty (30) calendar-days of their last working day will have their prior length of service and Short-Term Disability (See - Short-Term Disability) balance restored. Employees who have been laid off by UHA, but who have returned to regular employment within one (1) year of their layoff date, will have their length of service calculated from their prior employment anniversary date and will have their Short-Term Disability restored.
Prior to an offer of employment being made to a potential employee, each candidate will be screened through the Office of Inspector General and the Excluded Parties Listings to ensure employment eligibility. UHA will conduct ongoing screening on a semi-annual basis in November and in May for all current employees. Anyone found to have a sanction listed with one of these agencies will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Unless an employee has a written contract signed by the President of UHA specifying an employment term, employment is "at will". This means that both UHA and the employee have the right to terminate employment at any time, with or without cause. Nothing in this handbook, or any oral or written representation by an employee, manager or supervisor of UHA, shall be construed as a contract of employment, unless the President of UHA signs a written contract of employment.
For each pay period, all employees must complete a time sheet that reflects the hours worked, Paid Time Off (See - Paid Time Off), Short-Term Disability (See - Short-Term Disability), holiday (See - Holidays), and overtime hours (See - Overtime). The time sheet is to be completed and submitted to the immediate supervisor who will, by signing this document, verify that the hours worked are accurate. It is the responsibility of the employee to complete this document and to submit it to the immediate supervisor for approval.
This document, in turn, is submitted with the payroll worksheet to the Payroll Department. The paycheck for that pay period is based on the number of hours computed on the time sheet. Specific questions regarding the completion of time sheets should be directed first to the immediate supervisor, then to the Payroll Department.
In order to access Short-Term Disability, employees are required to submit a physician's statement on the fourth consecutive day of illness or injury. The physician's statement must be attached to the time sheet for the pay period in which the Short-Term Disability is being used and forwarded to the Payroll Department. A copy of the physician’s statement must be sent immediately to the Human Resources Department. Failure to provide a physician's statement to the Human Resources Department or Payroll Department will result in the employee being paid from his/her Paid Time Off balance or removed from the payroll.
We encourage and support our employees to develop their individual workplace skills and talents by providing appropriate tools and training opportunities. Many times, this training is optional, but some training programs, both on and off site, are mandatory and may be required for a specific position/job title. These training programs are meant to provide employees with general and specific educational skills to improve their work performance as well as give them opportunities to learn new concepts and the operation of equipment utilized by the Corporation.
Employees required to complete mandatory training as a requirement of their position will be given reasonable opportunities to successfully complete courses and any proficiency assessments assigned. All mandatory training and refresher training, if applicable, must be completed within the timeframes specified by the Education & Training Department or their supervisor. Failure to complete training within the designated timeframes will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Further, if an employee cannot pass the proficiency assessments required for their position within three (3) attempts, depending on the course, the employee will be deemed not qualified to continue in their current position. Should they no longer meet the proficiency standards of their position, they may apply for a transfer to a position for which they are qualified or their employment will be terminated.
Revised 5-1-10 No-Fault Attendance Policy
UHA expects dependable employees. Punctuality and regular attendance are required of all employees. An employee's tardiness or absenteeism interferes with the operation of the specific unit and also places an added burden on coworkers. Excessive absences or tardiness are causes for disciplinary action up to and including termination (See - Termination). Employees should be aware that some departments have developed supplemental attendance policies specific to their areas which further define the disciplinary process for excessive absences, tardiness and call-offs.
Notification to the immediate supervisor of any impending absence or tardiness must be made as far in advance as possible, but in any case, shall be no later than one-half (½) hour prior to the time assigned for reporting to duty. Such notification should also indicate to the immediate supervisor the anticipated length of the absence.
An employee who is absent for one (1) day without notification to his/her immediate supervisor will be considered to have automatically resigned (except in extreme circumstances), and the employee will not be eligible for re-employment (See - Re-employment).
Valuable and delicate equipment is utilized in many areas of UHA. Many times, personal computers and office machines are utilized in day-to-day job responsibilities. All equipment should be handled with care, be properly maintained, and is for the sole use of job and corporate-related activities. All employees should have a working knowledge of this equipment and how it should be maintained. An employee's immediate supervisor should be notified immediately of any breakage, loss or malfunctioning of equipment.
It is the responsibility of each employee to report any change in name, address, or telephone number to the Human Resources Department to ensure accurate personnel and payroll records. Employees can submit address changes to the Human Resources Department by completing a Personal Information Update form. These forms are available from the Human Resources Department, UHAOnline or the Human Resources Internet site. The Human Resources Department will send each employee a Personal Information Update form annually to ensure the most current information is on file with the Human Resources Department. In order to process a name change, the employee must provide Human Resources with a copy of their new social security card.
We shall always show proper respect and consideration to one another regardless of position.
All employees are expected to remain in their respective work areas and not visit or disturb other departments except on business. Supervisors should be notified when employees leave their work areas.
Professional conduct is required and expected from employees at all times.
All new employees are required, within the first thirty (30) days of their employment, to attend a mandatory orientation program on UHA’s Code of Conduct/Corporate Compliance. All employees will also be required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct/Corporate Compliance programs annually.
As UHA employees, we must all comply with our Code of Conduct and raise any questions regarding perceived or actual violations of our Code of Conduct. UHA has established a toll-free hotline to give employees the opportunity to raise questions about such acts without repercussions or retaliation. The Compliance Hotline number is 1-877-334-2209. UHA will not tolerate any act of retaliation or reprisal against any employee who, in good faith, reports suspected violations of law, regulation, UHA policy, or our Code of Conduct.
As employees in the healthcare industry, everyone must adhere to a strict code of ethics and privacy. Our patients and coworkers depend upon us to safeguard their right to privacy and keep all information confidential. The Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) mandates patient information only be accessed on a “need to know basis”. UHA has established additional policies related to HIPAA, which can be found on UHAOnline under the Policies & Procedures section.
It is absolutely necessary to keep any and all patient and business-related information, which is told to you, seen by you, acquired by you, or heard by you, strictly confidential. This includes, but is not limited to: any patient information such as diagnosis, treatment, reason for visit or condition of a patient; employee information, payroll or personnel information; the billing and accounts receivable system, the general ledger; or any other data considered to be privileged and confidential by the Corporation. Any privileged or confidential information should not be discussed in any public area, including but not limited to, elevators, hallways, stairwells, restrooms, lobbies, parking lots and dining areas. Accessing of electronic medical records for family, friends, coworkers or yourself without the proper authorization of a physician and Health Information Management, will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. UHA maintains computer passwords and access codes in a confidential and responsible manner.
All new employees will be required to complete mandatory HIPAA training within their first thirty (30) days of employment. Additionally, a new employee will be required, within the first three (3) months of their employment, to attend a mandatory orientation program on UHA's confidentiality policy. All employees will be required annually to review the policy statement, to sign the policy acknowledging their understanding and compliance with the policy, and complete online training related to HIPAA and Patient Confidentiality.
Failure to observe the confidentiality
policy will result in disciplinary action including immediate termination of
employment (See -
Termination) and could result in
your being held personally liable in a court action by a coworker, a patient or
a patient's family.
Annually, the Corporation requires that each employee complete a Conflict of Interest document. If the employee fails to complete the annual Conflict of Interest document, the employee will be bound by the most current document on file. Employees, if at all possible, should avoid any situation, business, employment or other activity, which, in any way, could be construed as a conflict of interest with their employment. If a question should arise regarding a conflict of interest, it should be directed to the employee's immediate supervisor, who in turn will contact the Vice President for Human Resources. Full Conflict of Interest Policy & Disclosure Form.
Unauthorized copying or unauthorized use of computer software is a violation of federal law and may be a breach of a license agreement, and therefore is prohibited. All software licensing agreements will be observed, as written. Unless permitted by the license agreement, copyright laws prohibit the multiple loading from one disk to multiple machines.
UHA employees may not assist others in using or duplicating copies of software obtained in a manner contrary to this policy. All employees are obligated to comply with UHA's contractual obligations.
Violation of these policies may result in termination.
Each department may have specific guidelines, rules or policies and/or procedures regarding how departmental operations are conducted. These rules are viewed as a supplement to UHA corporate policies and, in some cases, may serve as a replacement to similar corporate policies. All employees are responsible for becoming familiar with any rules specific to their department. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to communicate departmental rules to employees and to indicate whether they are replacements or supplements to UHA corporate policies.
ELECTRONIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
CORPORATE PROPERTY
All electronic information systems, communications and stored information transmitted, received or contained in UHA's Information Systems are the property of UHA and should be used solely for job-related purposes. The use of such equipment and software for private or personal purposes is strictly prohibited. Further, employees shall not use a code, access a file or retrieve any stored information unless there has been prior authorization by a UHA management team representative.
Violations of this policy are subject to disciplinary
action (See - Disciplinary Process), up to and including termination of
employment. To ensure that the use of UHA's Information Systems and other
electronic information systems is consistent with UHA's legitimate business
interests, authorized representatives of UHA may monitor the use of such
equipment.
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
(E-Mail, Internet, and Intranet)
UHA provides employees access to external networks for the conduct of corporate business. Employees provided with network access are responsible for using such accounts in an appropriate manner and should be aware of the following:
— Sending harassing e-mail to another user is prohibited. This includes obscene and potentially offensive material, racial or ethnic slurs and threatening messages. Continuing to mail someone following a request to stop is also a form of harassment.
— Sending junk mail, mass mailings, “for profit” messages and chain mail is prohibited. Do not send commercial advertisements, surveys or any other junk messages to anyone who has not given their permission for such.
— Forgery of e-mail messages is prohibited. Misrepresenting yourself will not be tolerated. Attempts to read, delete, copy or modify e-mail of another user are prohibited.
— Do not write anything in an e-mail message that could not appear in a memo or letter. In addition, do not write anything that you would not say face to face with that person.
— Be honest and consider what you are sending before you send it.
Think of e-mail as a postcard being sent through the mail; it can be read by anybody it passes en route to its destination. UHA reserves the right to monitor and, if necessary, disclose e-mail communication. Systems are continuously backed-up and often the e-mail can be retrieved from the hard drive even after it has been deleted. As an employer, UHA can be held accountable for slanderous remarks made by employees, improper solicitation and other improper uses of e-mail accounts. The office accounts should be treated with the same respect given to the corporate stationery.
Employees and their dependents are encouraged to receive medical and dental care at UHA facilities. The Medical and Dental Corporations accept assignment for allowable charges billed to UHA's insurance carrier for all patients covered under an employee's policy, but the employee is responsible for the payment of any balance not covered by their health insurance plan.
Employee accounts should be paid promptly. In all cases, payment policies for employee accounts will be handled as any other patient account. Delinquent accounts are referred to the billing office for payment arrangements. If an employee does not comply with these arrangements, collection procedures will result.
In order to maintain a fair employment system, all
personnel are instructed to direct any and all outside inquiries regarding
employment information to the Human Resources Department. This includes all
present and past employment verifications and references. At no time should a
UHA employee make comments, on the Corporation's behalf, concerning the
present/past employment or performance of individuals at UHA.
To help ensure a safe, healthy and productive work environment for our employees and others, to protect Corporation property, and to ensure efficient operations, the Corporation has adopted a Fitness for Duty policy.
Employees of the Corporation have a responsibility to report to work in a fit condition to perform their job responsibilities. Individuals under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or in an otherwise unfit state could pose serious safety and health risks to themselves or others. Possessing, using, consuming, purchasing, distributing, manufacturing, dispensing, or selling alcohol or controlled substances on UHA premises, or while on duty is strictly prohibited. Individuals having controlled substances in their systems while on duty, without medical authorization, will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including immediate termination (See- Termination). Employees using prescription drugs that are likely to affect performance should report the circumstances to their supervisor.
The Corporation may require an employee to submit to a Fitness for Duty Evaluation if it has a reasonable, good faith, objective suspicion that the employee is using drugs or alcohol, is otherwise unfit for duty, or if the employees job responsibilities involve public safety of the safety of others. The UHA Fitness for Duty procedure will be followed. Determination that any employee is not fit for duty will be based on (1) observation of behavior that may indicate the employee is in an unsafe condition or is not fit to perform his/her job responsibilities and duties, or (2) a Fitness for Duty Evaluation. Refusal to consent to the Fitness for Duty Evaluation in the stated circumstances will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
In accordance with the Federal Drug Free Workplace Act, employees must notify the Corporation of any criminal drug statute conviction for a violation occurring in the workplace no later than five (5) days after such conviction. An employee who fails to provide timely notification to the Corporation of a conviction for a criminal drug statue violation occurring in the workplace will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
UHA encourages employees experiencing problems that could affect their ability to adequately perform their job responsibilities to contact the Employee Assistance Program office at 293-5400. For specific Fitness for Duty evaluation procedures, contact either Employee Health or the Human Resources Department.
Employees are not to solicit cash or non-cash gifts for personal gain from patients, visitors, vendors, or other organizations with which UHA does business. However, employees may accept unsolicited gifts or entertainment of nominal value, under $25, which is clearly not intended to influence a business decision. Such items include: fruit baskets, candy, pens, calculators, paperweights or other small tokens.
Inclement and severe weather that creates emergency situations may delay or cancel UHA operations. Administration shall determine whether or not a day should be designated as either an “inclement weather day” or a "severe weather day".
Inclement Weather
On inclement weather days in which the employee's work site is open, tardiness rules shall be waived up to one-half (½) hour from an employee's normal starting time. Time missed in excess of one-half (½) hour may be charged to accumulated Paid Time Off (See - Paid Time Off) or may be made up within the workweek at the discretion of the supervisor.
Severe Weather
On a day determined a severe weather day, UHA may close some or all of its operations. Employees should listen to the local radio and television stations to find out the status of UHA being open. Always contact your supervisor for the most current and accurate information about snow days.
On severe weather days in which UHA closes an employee's work site, the lost time for regular full-time employees will be considered regular work time for pay purposes. Regular part-time employees scheduled to work on a day UHA closes will be paid on a pro-rated basis according to their FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) employment status. Temporary and student employees are not covered by this policy and, thus, the time would be lost without pay. When experiencing severe weather conditions, the supervisor will contact employees with more information on operations.
If an employee works on a designated severe weather day, he/she will receive compensatory time according to their FTE at the time of the declared closure to be utilized within the following ninety (90) calendar days (See - Compensatory Time).
UHA discourages its employees from holding secondary jobs outside the Corporation. Moreover, where the requirements of a second job are such as to prevent effective performance of duty at UHA, the employee will be requested to discontinue one of the jobs. Full-time employment at UHA is considered the primary employment place of the employee, and in cases where the employee may have a second job, a decision must be made on which employment will be of primary importance to him/her.
Employees should not have personal mail or packages sent to them at their office. Corporation stationery and supplies are to be used for corporate business only.
Personal visitors who are friends or relatives of employees will be received in reception areas. Visitors must use main entrances, and employees are requested to ensure that family and friends do not visit them at the office except in emergency situations or during lunch periods. Visitors should not be in the employee work areas.
Personal telephone calls should be kept to a minimum and confined to break and lunch periods. Outgoing personal telephone calls should be placed only when absolutely necessary or in an emergency. Employees are asked to ensure that family and friends do not call them at work except in emergency situations. Any long distance telephone calls of a personal nature will be charged to the employee.
The Corporation's effectiveness in meeting the needs of its patients and the public will depend largely on the confidence that these people have in the Corporation, and specifically, the employees with whom they deal. It is extremely important that all corporate employees take an active interest in promoting and contributing to the best possible relationship between the Corporation and the community we serve. Patients and other visitors may not understand the complexity of our organization, but they do understand and expect the courtesy, concern, kindness and assistance shown by the Corporation's employees in person and on the telephone.
Any accident regarding employees or patients must be immediately reported to the employee's immediate supervisor. UHA uses an Incident Report to record all accidents and injuries. Incident reports must be completed for all work-related injuries, including needle sticks and mucous membrane exposures to blood or body fluid. Incident report forms are available at each facility location, Employee Health, Human Resources or UHAOnline.
If an employee is injured through the course of employment, an Incident Report must be completed within forty-eight (48) hours of the occurrence of the accident or, as soon as practical, thereafter. Completed Incident Reports for UHA employees must be forwarded to UHA Employee Health.
Should an employee require more than first-aid treatment, a Workers’ Compensation Form BI-1) should be completed. Workers' Compensation Claim Forms are available through attending physicians' offices, the Human Resources Department, Employee Health or UHAOnline. A copy of the completed BI-1 Form is to be forwarded to the Human Resources Department. (See - Work Related Incidents)
Accidents involving patients are to be reported immediately using the Incident Report, which is to be forwarded to UHA Health Sciences Center Administration to the attention of the Vice President and Corporate Counsel.
In compliance with Occupational and Safety
Health Administration (OSHA) requirements,
this serves as notice to all
employees of UHA. The Log and the Summary of Occupational Injuries and
Illnesses, OSHA Forms 300 and 300A, for all work site locations are maintained
at a central location in the UHA Department of Human Resources, 255 Scott
Avenue, PO Box 785, Morgantown, WV 26507.
The Form 300A is available to employees for inspection, and copies are available, by contacting the Human Resources Department at (304) 293-4270.
The Form 300A is completed, certified as true and complete, and posted at all work sites in compliance with OSHA regulations.
Confidentiality of all medical information will be maintained.
Public support for our Corporation is essential as we strive to support the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center. Referring physicians and patients need to know the services we offer. Because we depend on public and professional acceptance and support, our image is important.
Newspapers, magazines, television and radio are indispensable tools in getting our story conveyed. Because we often seek news media cooperation, we have a responsibility to understand and help reporters and editors when they are doing their job of covering the news. The Communications Office (1244 Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center South, 293-7087) is the primary contact point for the news media for UHA.
The staff of the Communications Office includes professional writers and editors familiar with the media. Refer all calls received from the media immediately to the Communications Office so that they can provide correct information.
All employees are expected to make every effort to see that safe working conditions are observed in work areas. The immediate supervisor will make every effort to help ensure that safe working conditions are provided. All employees are charged with the safety and well being of fellow employees, patients and visitors and are expected to demonstrate safety consciousness at all times.
Employees are expected and directed to report any and all hazards immediately.
UHA has established a mandatory hazardous materials communication program to inform employees of the potential dangers of hazardous substances used or encountered in the workplace and to instruct workers in safe handling and emergency first-aid procedures.
The program includes lists of hazardous chemicals in each work area, labels with warnings on all hazardous chemicals and Materials Safety Data Sheets, which identify each hazardous substance and proper action to be followed if employees are exposed to a hazardous substance.
The Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for the Health Sciences Center departments are located in the library on the second floor of the Health Sciences Center. The Material Safety Data Sheets for the Physician Office Center are located on the fourth floor in Administration. The Material Safety Data sheets for Scott Avenue are located in the Human Resources Department.
Each employee is briefed on the topic of hazardous materials at orientation.
Sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when:
• submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment;
• submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis of employment decisions affecting such individual; or
• such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.
Sexual harassment, and any other type of harassment or discrimination, in any form, will not be tolerated at UHA. If any employee, male or female, believes that he/she is being harassed, the employee is encouraged to report the incident to his/her supervisor or to the Vice President for Human Resources. Information received will be considered confidential to the extent possible, and all complaints will be thoroughly investigated by the Vice President for Human Resources. If the Corporation determines that harassment has occurred, appropriate disciplinary action (See - Disciplinary Process) against the harasser up to and including termination of employment will follow.
A non-employee who subjects an employee to harassment in the work place will be informed of the Corporation's policy and appropriate action will be taken. In all cases, the Corporation will make follow-up inquiries to ensure that the harassment has not resumed.
The Corporation will not tolerate retaliation (See - Code of Conduct) against any employee who complains of harassment or provides information in connection with any such complaint.
In order to provide a comfortable work environment for employees at UHA, smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco products is prohibited. Failure to comply with the tobacco-free guidelines could result in disciplinary action (See - Disciplinary Process). A full version of the Scott Avenue and Ambulatory Services policies are available from Human Resources or on UHAonline.
In order to prevent disruption of operations, unauthorized solicitation and distribution of materials is prohibited by employees at the work site.
No individuals, nor non-corporate employees, are permitted to solicit or distribute any materials on corporate property at any time.
University Health Associates considers telecommuting to be a viable alternative work arrangement in cases where departmental needs, the job, individual and supervisor characteristics are best suited to such an arrangement. Telecommuting allows an employee to work at home, on the road, or in a satellite location for all or part of their regular schedule. Telecommuting is a work alternative that may be appropriate for some employees and some jobs. It is not an entitlement nor automatic; it is not a company-wide benefit; and it in no way changes the terms and conditions of employment with University Health Associates. Telecommuting arrangements will be made on a case-by-case basis. Departments should contact the Human Resources Department when considering telecommuting as an option for their employees. All telecommuting will be in compliance with the Telecommuting policy. A full version of this policy is available from Human Resources or on UHAonline. Full Telecommuting Policy
UHAOnline is an Intranet site for employee communications. You can access UHAOnline only from inside UHA facilities by going to Microsoft Internet Explorer and typing UHAOnline in the website address (URL) field. Any information that should be shared with all UHA employees will be posted on UHAOnline. Employees are encouraged to check UHAOnline periodically, if not daily, for the latest UHA news, events and information.
An employee who works twenty (20) hours or more per week and is classified as a regular employee (See - Categories of Employees) is considered benefits eligible. Temporary and student employees are not considered benefits eligible.
Whenever possible, employees are permitted a break period. Breaks should be taken away from work areas so those coworkers who continue to work will not be disturbed. These periods are to be taken at the discretion of the supervisor and may not be used to make up time, to leave from work early, or to extend the lunch period.
A thirty (30) minute lunch period is provided for all employees who work a shift of six (6) or more hours. The lunch period is considered non-work time, and as such, the employee should leave the work place in order to have thirty (30) minutes of uninterrupted lunch time. Lunch periods should be scheduled with the approval of the immediate supervisor.
UHA subscribes to a health insurance plan in which all regular employees working twenty (20) hours per week or more and who are enrolled in the plan pay a portion of the premium cost throughout the duration of their employment. Premium costs are subject to change at any time. For further information on health insurance, review the Health Care Plan Booklet or contact the Human Resources Department.
UHA provides life insurance at the rate of two (2) times the base annual salary as a benefit with premiums paid by the Corporation. Supplemental life insurance is available, subject to approval, to employees, their spouses and children by payroll deduction. For further details regarding supplemental life insurance, contact the Human Resources Department.
(FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT)
Through two (2) available funds, a benefits-eligible employee may pay for certain allowable expenses with pre-tax employee contributions. These expenses include various health expenses not covered under the medical insurance policy such as certain dental and optical expenses, as well as health insurance co-payments and deductibles and dependent care expenses incurred because of employment. Eligible expenses and plan requirements are explained in the Reimbursement Plan Booklet provided to benefits-eligible employees. Participation requires annual enrollment during the open enrollment period, which is normally November/December in each calendar year. Expenses must be incurred during the plan year in which the employee is enrolled in order to be eligible for reimbursement. Consistent with IRS regulations, monies not reimbursed upon completion of the plan year are forfeited. For further information on specific requirements of the plan, contact the Human Resources Department.
The Federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) of 1986 gives employees and their dependents that lose their health coverage, for any reason other than the employee's gross misconduct, the right to purchase that same insurance coverage at 102% of the total monthly premium for a defined period through the employer. Formal notification of COBRA rights pertaining to health insurance is given to all new benefits-eligible employees and their dependents upon enrollment for health insurance. Upon termination of employment, the Benefits Office will forward a formal notification of your eligibility for COBRA benefits. Further information can be obtained from the Human Resources Department.
Regular employees working at least twenty-five (25) hours per week or more are eligible for corporate paid disability coverage. The disability plan pays a portion of the employee's base salary after six (6) months of continuous disability. Disability payments are coordinated with Workers' Compensation and Social Security Disability benefits payments. Further information is available in the Long-Term Disability Summary Plan Description or by contacting the Human Resources Department.
UHA maintains a comprehensive, general liability insurance policy that includes professional liability coverage for all UHA employees.
UHA subscribes to pension programs that allow the employee to plan for retirement. The retirement programs are totally directed by the employee, who may choose from a variety of mutual funds and other retirement programs.
401(a) Corporate Retirement Plan
UHA will contribute a percentage of the employee's base salary for each benefits-eligible employee. This corporate contribution does not require a contribution from the employee. A benefits-eligible employee must be scheduled to work a minimum of 1,000 hours per year and must be at least eighteen (18) years of age in order to be eligible for a corporate pension contribution. Employee ownership of these pension monies upon termination of employment is subject to a three (3) year vesting requirement.
403(b) Supplemental Retirement Plan
An employee may, at his/her discretion, choose to supplement his/her pension by making tax- deferred contributions to a supplemental 403(b) annuity program. There is no corporate match for this pension plan; it is totally funded by employee contributions.
Notification of intent to retire is made by the employee to the Human Resources Department and the particular investment company chosen so the appropriate paperwork may be processed to ensure the employee's retirement distributions are timely. For more information regarding both pension programs, contact the Human Resources Department.
The Federal Social Security Act provides income for retired or disabled workers as well as certain protection for some members of an employee's family in case of death. Supplementary medical insurance benefits for the aged is commonly known as Medicare and is also provided under the programs administered by the Social Security Administration. Social Security benefits are financed by deductions from the employee's paycheck, which are matched in an equal amount by UHA.
UHA participates in the West Virginia Employment Security Fund and with other states where UHA conducts business.
The UHA Employee Health Department is responsible for ensuring that all employees are in good health in order to perform their job responsibilities. All new employees must have a PPD (TB skin test), provide an immunization history and update any necessary vaccines with the Employee Health Department within the first two (2) weeks of employment. The Employee Health Department, on an annual basis, will perform TB skin testing thereafter.
For all accidents or injuries, UHA uses an Incident Report. Incident Reports must be completed on all work-related injuries, including needle sticks and mucous membrane exposures to blood or body fluid. ALL incidents must be reported IMMEDIATELY, regardless of work location, to Employee Health, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., or the Emergency Department on evenings, weekends or holidays. Incident Report forms are available at the Employee Health Department, Human Resources Department and each facility location. UHA Employee Health is located on the second floor of Ruby Memorial Hospital and is available Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., by calling 304-598-4160 or paging beeper 0437.
UHA is strongly committed to providing opportunities to create and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle for employees. Employees play a significant role in determining their own health. Wellness programs are open to all employees on a voluntary basis and are offered throughout the calendar year. Programs are offered at various times throughout the day and week in order for employees to find a suitable time to participate. To find out more information about programs being offered through the Wellness Office, employees can refer to the Wellness Calendar of Events, UHAOnline, www.hsc.wvu.edu/wellness or contact the Wellness Office at (304) 293-5298, or (304) 598-4075, extension 3079.
UHA realizes all employees face challenges in life that may have a negative effect on the employees' work performance and health. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is an elective program designed to provide employees and their dependents confidential professional counseling and referral for personal problems. Participation in the Employee Assistance Program is strictly confidential, but does not limit the Corporation's right to take appropriate disciplinary action (See - Disciplinary Process) for deteriorating job performance. Employees are encouraged to seek the assistance of EAP for identification and treatment of their personal problems. Supervisors are urged to encourage employees with declining job performance to contact EAP at (877)757-7587.
UHA will, at the employee's written request, directly deposit payroll checks into the employee's account at the bank of his/her choice. These request forms may be obtained from the Human Resources Department or UHAOnline.
UHA has an Educational Assistance Program available to full-time regular employees for continuing education, which is intended to enhance their effectiveness on the job. All full-time regular employees are eligible to apply for tuition assistance for the following:
1. A maximum of two (2) classes per semester at any vo-tech center, career college, adult education program, etc.
2. A maximum of six (6) credit hours of undergraduate or graduate study per semester at any accredited college or university.
Employees are eligible after six (6) months of continuous service. All classes must be completed while an active employee of the Corporation. The employee's immediate supervisor and department chairperson or budgetary officer must provide approval before course registration. Reimbursement will be made after the employee provides information on the grade received for the approved course(s) and evidence of paid tuition and registration costs. Some restrictions may apply based on the department’s budgetary allowances. Departments who utilize Educational Assistance should contact the Human Resources Department for a complete policy and procedure outline of the eligibility and reimbursement requirements. Full Educational Assistance Policy
(Paid Time Off, Short-Term Disability, Holidays)
PTO is an accumulation of hours that may be used for time off such as: vacation, personal business, health or dental care, a family emergency, or a minor illness, etc.
PTO accrues with each pay period for which an employee is paid. From the date of hire as a regular benefits-eligible employee, PTO will accrue in the following manner:
Length Accrual Rate* Maximum
of Service Accumulation*
0 – 60 months 18 days per year; 36 days (288 hours)
5.54 hours per pay period
61 – 120 months 21 days per year; 42 days (336 hours)
6.46 hours per pay period
121 – 180 months 24 days per year; 48 days (384 hours)
7.38 hours per pay period
181 or more months 27 days per year; 54 days (432 hours)
8.31 hours per pay period
If the maximum accumulation is reached, the employee will no longer continue to accrue PTO. However, when the PTO falls below the maximum accumulation, time will begin to accrue again to the maximum allowed, as long as the employee remains actively employed.
*Part-time regular employees who work between twenty (20) and forty (40) hours per week accrue PTO on a pro-rated basis. Maximum accrual of PTO is also on a pro-rated basis.
PTO balances will appear on each pay stub the employee receives. Supervisors will also receive a report of PTO balances each pay period for all employees in their area.
Requests for PTO should be made a minimum of two (2) working days in advance to the employee's immediate supervisor. Every effort will be made to accommodate requests for PTO. The supervisor uses his/her discretion in determining whether a request will be granted. However, the supervisor will take into consideration other employees' requests, as well as, the need for appropriate staffing levels in the specific unit or department.
General Paid Time Off Provisions
1. An employee will accrue PTO for each day he/she has worked in the pay period he/she is appointed or terminated.
2. A holiday which occurs during an employee's PTO is not considered a day of PTO.
3. Any illness, which occurs during an employee’s scheduled PTO, shall remain as PTO.
4. PTO shall be taken in no less than one quarter (1/4 or .25) hour increments.
5. PTO shall not be taken before it is earned. Employees who do not have enough PTO to cover their time off will be removed from the payroll.
6. PTO cannot be paid in excess of forty (40) hours within the same workweek for full-time employees. Part-time employees cannot be paid in excess of their scheduled FTE within the same workweek. In cases where an employee has flexed their time within the workweek, PTO will not be paid beyond their respective FTE.
At the time an employee terminates employment with the Corporation, all accumulated PTO remaining will be paid in a "lump sum" payment in the employee's last paycheck.
Employees may cash in any amount of PTO in excess of a minimum balance of ten (10) days/eighty (80) hours in their PTO Bank at a value of 100% of their current pay rate. The minimum balance of PTO is pro-rated for part-time employees.
Requests for cashing in PTO must be forwarded to the Payroll Department at least thirty (30) days prior to payment. Employees may cash in PTO only in whole day, eight (8) hour increments. This increment will be pro-rated for part-time employees. Request forms for PTO Cash-In are available from the Payroll Department, Human Resources Department or on UHAOnline.
Short-Term Disability (STD) has been established to provide income protection at 100% of the employee's current pay rate in the event of serious illness, STD or bereavement. This benefit is also used for the first three (3) days of work-related injuries or illnesses covered under Workers' Compensation, as further described in the Workers' Compensation section of this handbook.
STD accumulates with each pay period for which an employee is paid. From the date of hire as a regular benefits-eligible employee, STD accumulates in the following manner:
Accumulation Rate* Maximum Accumulation
12 days per year 130 days (1040 hours)
3.70 hours per pay
A maximum of 130 days (1,040 hours) may accumulate for STD, which coincides with the initiation of UHA's Long-Term Disability Plan. The maximum accumulation is pro-rated for part-time employees. Once an employee accumulates 130 days (1,040 hours) of STD, the employee will no longer continue to accumulate STD time. However, if the employee accesses STD and the balance falls below 130 days (1,040 hours), the balance will begin to accumulate once again to the maximum balance allowed. All accumulated STD is lost upon an employee's termination from employment.
*Part-time regular employees who work between twenty (20) and forty (40) hours per week accumulate STD on a pro-rated basis. Maximum accrual of STD is also on a pro-rated basis.
Payment for the first two (2) consecutive working days of an illness or injury will be paid from the employee’s PTO balance (equal to an employee’s FTE with a maximum of 16 hours), with the following exceptions which are outlined below: hospitalization, use of same-day surgery, or bereavement. STD may also be used for immediate family members, spouse, children or parents of the employee, provided that the employee’s presence is medically necessary and certified as such by the family member’s physician for one of the reasons outlined in the forthcoming paragraphs.
STD cannot be paid in excess of forty (40) hours within the same workweek for full-time employees. Part-time employees cannot be paid in excess of their scheduled FTE within the same workweek. In cases where an employee has flexed their time within the workweek, STD will not be paid beyond their respective FTE. STD accumulations will appear on each pay stub the employee receives. Supervisors will also receive a report of STD accumulations each pay period for all employees in their area.
Any time off after the second consecutive day of an illness or injury will be drawn from the employee's STD balance. In order to continue accessing the STD, employees are required to submit a physician's statement on the fourth consecutive day. The original physician's statement must be attached to the time sheet for which the STD time is being used and forwarded to the Payroll Department with a copy faxed/mailed to the Human Resources Department. Additionally, the physician’s statement must include enough medical facts to make a determination if the illness or procedure qualifies for STD. Simply indicating “invasive procedure” is not acceptable. The employee will have no more than thirty (30) calendar days from his/her return-to-work date to provide a complete and sufficient physician’s statement in order to determine STD qualification. Failure to provide an original complete and sufficient physician's statement will result in the employee being paid from his/her Paid Time Off balance.
1.) Hospitalization or Use of Same-day Care Surgical Units or Invasive Procedures for Employee or Immediate Family Member
Should illness or injury result in immediate hospitalization, or use of a same-day care surgical unit, the employee’s use of Paid Time Off will be waived. Should the employee undergo a scheduled elective or non-elective invasive procedure, use of Paid Time Off will be waived. For these instances, the employee will have immediate access to his/her STD. The employee must submit a physician's statement with enough medical facts to make a determination if the procedure qualifies for STD. Simply indicating “invasive procedure” is not acceptable. A non-invasive procedure would be PTO. Some examples of an non-invasive procedures would be an injection or the preparation prior to a colonoscopy.
2.) Emergency Room Visits for Employee or Immediate Family Member
Should illness or injury result in the need for immediate or emergent medical attention through an Emergency Room, e.g., broken bones or car crash, the employee’s use of Paid Time Off may be waived. Each Emergency Room visit will need to meet the definition of emergent or immediate medical attention in order for Paid Time Off to be waived. The employee must provide adequate medical documentation from the treating physician to render a decision. Emergent or immediate medical attention is defined as outpatient emergency treatment and diagnosis of unanticipated medical conditions which, if not treated, would lead too disability or death. Urgent Care Centers are not considered an Emergency Room for the purpose of accessing STD.
3.) Bereavement
When a death occurs in an employee’s immediate family, the employee can access up to a maximum of three (3) working days (equal to an employee’s FTE with a maximum of 24 hours) of Bereavement Leave from their STD. The access of these three (3) working days does not have to be used consecutively. However, they must be used within seven (7) working days. For Bereavement (continued)
Bereavement purposes only, immediate family members are defined as an employee's spouse, child, step-child, parent, step-parent, brother, step-brother, sister, step-sister, grandparent, step-grandparent, great-grandparent, grandchild, step-grandchild, great-grand child or parent-in-law. An employee will need to access his/her Paid Time Off balance for additional time off for bereavement.
UHA observes the following nine (9) paid holidays for benefits-eligible regular employees:
New Year's Day Labor Day
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday Thanksgiving Day
Memorial Day Day After Thanksgiving Day
Independence Day Winter Holidays (2 days)
Full-time, benefits-eligible employees will be paid a maximum of eight (8) hours for each holiday. Part-time, benefits-eligible employees who work twenty (20) or more hours per week receive holiday pay on a pro-rated basis. Part-time employees are expected to use PTO or flex their time to achieve their full FTE during holiday weeks.
Each year, a holiday schedule will be circulated so all employees will know the specific date on which the holidays will be observed for the coming calendar year.
In order to receive holiday pay, the employee must work both the last scheduled day before and the first scheduled day after the holiday or be on Paid Time Off or Short-Term Disability.
Employees terminating their employment (voluntarily or involuntarily) will not be paid for any holidays that occur after their last working day.
If an employee is required to work on a designated corporate holiday, the employee will receive regular pay plus compensatory time off for the worked holiday according to their FTE at the time of the holiday. Since part-time employees receive holiday pay on a pro-rated basis, they are required to either take Paid Time Off or work the additional hours to make up to the FTE difference in hours, within the same workweek, when using a holiday. In all cases, the part time employees FTE hours must be met. Maximum hours earned for any holiday will be eight (8) hours. Holiday compensatory time off must be taken all at once, scheduled with the employee's supervisor, in advance, and taken within ninety (90) calendar days.
AND SEVERE WEATHER
If an employee works on a designated corporate holiday, or on a day which has been declared a severe weather day (See - Inclement & Severe Weather) as defined in this handbook, he/she will receive compensatory time according to their FTE at the time of the holiday or declared closure to be utilized within the following ninety (90) calendar days. The maximum hours earned for any incident of holiday compensatory time will be eight (8) hours. This holiday or severe weather compensatory time, when taken, shall be taken only with prior approval of the employee's immediate supervisor. Compensatory time cannot be taken under any circumstance before it is earned and must be taken all at once. This is the only recognized mechanism for an employee to accumulate and use compensatory time. Employees cannot work more than their scheduled hours for the purpose of “banking” time for future use.
Upon presentation of proper evidence, a full-time regular or part-time regular employee will be granted time off from work for jury duty. To be eligible for this benefit, the employee is required to notify his/her supervisor upon being summoned as a juror. The Corporation will pay the employee any difference between the jury duty pay and the employee's regular salary. When not selected to serve on a jury, the employee is required to report to duty for the remainder of the workday. Any employee who is served with a court subpoena will be allowed necessary time off with pay in order to honor the legal obligation.
(Adoption Leave, Family Medical Leave, Medical Leave, Personal Leave, Military Leave, Workers’ Compensation)
PowerPoint Presentation on FMLA & Medical Leaves of Absence
A leave of absence is an extended time off from work, with or without pay, for medical, personal or family reasons.
1. All requests for medical, personal or family leaves of absence must be made in writing to the Human Resources Department, with a copy submitted to the employee’s supervisor. If the reason for the leave is foreseeable, such as planned surgeries or normal births, you must give a thirty (30) day notice. If the need for leave is unexpected, such as a serious injury in an accident or a premature birth, you must notify your immediate supervisor and the Human Resources Department as soon as possible and, in no event, no more than two (2) days after knowing of the need for the leave.
2. All medical leaves of absence requests must be made on a Leave of Absence Request Form. This form includes: physician’s certification, the specific duration of the leave and additional information in order to determine Short-Term Disability access. These forms are available from the Human Resources Department or UHAOnline. We encourage each employee to contact the Human Resources Department for assistance in determining whether or not they are eligible for a leave of absence and what type of leave they are eligible to receive, prior to submitting the original Leave of Absence Request Form.
3. For leave of absence purposes, immediate family members are defined as an employee’s spouse, parent or child. In-laws, grandparents and grandchildren are not considered immediate family members for leaves of absence purposes. A spouse is a husband or wife as defined by the employee’s current State of residence for purposes of marriage. A child includes the biological, adopted, foster, step, legal ward or child of a person who accepts paternal responsibility of that child. The child must be under age eighteen (18), unless he/she is incapable of self-care due to mental or physical disability. A parent is either the biological parent or the person who provided paternal care to the employee, when the employee was a child.
4. For leave of absence purposes, a twelve (12) month period will be defined as a rolling year, which includes the twelve (12) months prior to the first day of the leave of absence. Any subsequent requests for leave of absence will also follow this definition.
5. UHA requires employees on leaves of absence to substitute accrued paid leave in accordance with the Short-Term Disability and Paid Time Off policies prior to being removed from the payroll. Being granted a leave of absence does not guarantee immediate and continued use of Short-Term Disability. (See – Short-Term Disability & Paid Time Off)
6. The period of time on a leave of absence without pay is not counted as time served for the purpose of computing future Paid Time Off balances and length of service.
7. In all cases of a leave of absence without pay, the employee does not accrue Paid Time Off or Short-Term Disability hours.
8. An employee on a leave of absence will remain eligible for, and will participate in, all applicable benefits coverage(s) provided that the employee pays appropriate premium payments to the Human Resources Department. Failure to pay the required premiums will result in termination of coverage(s). If the leave of absence is medically necessary, the employee is responsible for his/her regular premium contribution while on a leave of absence without pay. If the leave of absence is a Personal Leave of Absence, the employee is responsible for 100% of the premium contribution while on the Personal Leave of Absence without pay. Additionally, upon the employee's return to work from a Personal Leave of Absence, benefits re-enrollment is not automatic and may be subject to underwriting approval. An employee on a leave of absence must contact the Human Resources Department regarding his/her benefits premium payments.
9. When an employee returns from a leave of absence, UHA will make every reasonable effort to place the employee in his/her former position; however, the position, department and the work schedule the employee returns to will be governed by the needs of the Corporation. There is not a guarantee that the position, department or the work schedule the employee returns to will be the same one that he/she left, except as required by the Family Medical Leave Act.
10. All time taken under a Family Medical Leave of Absence, Workers’ Compensation or Personal Leave shall be included as part of the maximum time allowable for a Medical Leave of Absence and will run concurrently. The maximum amount of time, during a twelve (12) month period, will be six (6) months.
11. Any employee who submits a complete and sufficient physician’s statement requesting time off work for a period of four (4) working days or more will automatically be placed on the appropriate qualifying leave of absence.
12. Before an employee on a medical related Leave of Absence may return to work and/or return to the payroll, the employee must submit a physician's statement to the immediate supervisor, with a copy to the Human Resources Department. The statement should indicate that he/she is capable of resuming regular duties or the capacity in which the employee may return with restrictions defined.
13. Failure of an employee to report to work at the expiration of a leave of absence shall be considered an automatic, voluntary resignation.
14. A serious health condition, for purposes of Family Medical or Medical Leave of Absences, is defined as an illness, injury, impairment or physical or mental condition that involves either (1) inpatient care (an overnight stay in a medical care facility) or (2) continuing treatment by a health care provider for a condition that either prevents the employee from performing the functions of the employee’s job, or prevents the qualified family member from participating in school or other daily activities (subject to certain conditions, may also be met by a period of incapacity and treatment, pregnancy or prenatal care, chronic conditions, permanent or log-term conditions and/or conditions requiring multiple treatments). A full definition of a serious health condition is available from Human Resources or on UHAonline.
15. Intermittent Leaves of Absence are only granted for serious health conditions and only if such leave is medically necessary. Employees must attempt to schedule such leaves so as to not disrupt normal operations. Intermittent leaves must be taken in no less than one quarter (1/4 or .25) hour increments and must be scheduled with the immediate supervisor before the leave is taken. UHA requires a physician’s statement for each absence related to intermittent leave to determine Short-Term Disability or Paid Time Off access. (See – Short-Term Disability & Paid Time Off)
A full-time or part-time regular employee not qualifying for Family Medical Leave of Absence may be granted an Adoption Leave of Absence for up to twelve (12) weeks within a twelve (12) month period to care for newly adopted child(ren).
Employees must make application in writing to their immediate supervisor and to the Vice President for Human Resources. Upon approval, the time off will be charged to the employee’s Paid Time Off account prior to removing the employee from the payroll.
Spouses dually employed by UHA and meeting the eligibility requirements for leave will be limited to an aggregate leave period for both to a maximum of twelve (12) weeks during any twelve (12)
month period. Furthermore, spouses dually employed by UHA will be limited to an aggregate of twelve (12) weeks of Paid Time Off during their twelve (12) weeks of leave time.
Failure of an employee to report to work at the expiration of an Adoption Leave of Absence shall be considered an automatic, voluntary resignation.
Family Medical Leave of Absence
Employees who have been employed for one (1) year, and have worked at least 1,250 hours within the previous twelve (12) month period, are eligible to receive up to twelve (12) weeks (pro-rated for part-time employees based on FTE) of unpaid leave during any twelve (12) month period: (a) to care for newborn, newly adopted or foster children, (b) to care for a spouse, child or parent with a serious health condition, (c) for the employees who themselves have serious health problems that make them unable to perform their jobs. Provided:
a. The employee must complete a Leave of Absence Request Form and provide thirty (30) day notice of foreseeable leaves to the immediate supervisor. The employee must forward a copy of his/her request to the Human Resources Department. The employee should also make reasonable effort in scheduling leaves to avoid disrupting the work unit. If the need for leave is unexpected, such as a serious injury in an accident or a premature birth, you must notify your immediate supervisor and the Human Resources Department as soon as possible and, in no event, no more than two (2) days after knowing of the need for the leave.
b. A physician's written statement, certifying the necessity for leave time for an employee's serious health condition or a spouse, child or parent's serious condition, must be presented to the immediate supervisor with a copy to the Human Resources Department. The statement must indicate when the leave period will commence where reasonable, the probable duration, and the medical facts of the condition. When known, the physician should give specific dates for the leave period, including return-to-work date.
c. A mother granted leave to care for a newborn will be allowed to use the first six (6) weeks of leave time from Short-Term Disability for a normal delivery or the first eight (8) weeks of leave time from Short-Term Disability for a cesarean delivery. Any additional time beyond the recovery period will be deducted from the employee’s Paid Time Off balance before being removed from the payroll. A father granted leave to care for a newborn will be required to use Paid Time Off for the duration of the leave since they are not under the care of a physician.
d. An employee granted leave to care for newly adopted child(ren) or newly placed foster child(ren), under the age of eighteen (18), will be required to use Paid Time Off for the duration of the leave.
e. An employee granted a leave to care for the employee’s child, spouse or parent with a serious health condition would be allowed to use their Short-Term Disability, in accordance with the Short-Term Disability policy, for the period of time deemed medically necessary to care for the family member. An employee must exhaust all Short-Term Disability before being removed from the payroll, when on a full leave of absence. Paid Time Off may be utilized if the employee wishes to remain on the payroll after Short-Term Disability has been exhausted.
f. An employee who requests a leave of absence for his/her own serious health condition, which makes him/her unable to perform his/her job, must use all Short-Term Disability before being removed from the payroll, when on a full leave of absence. Before an employee on this type leave of absence may return to work and/or be returned to the payroll, the employee must submit a physician's statement to the immediate supervisor, with a copy to the Human Resources Department, indicating that he/she is capable of resuming regular duties or the capacity in which the employee may return with restrictions defined.
g. Spouses who are both employed by UHA and are both eligible for leave will be limited to an aggregate leave period for both to twelve (12) weeks during any twelve (12) month period to care for their newborn, newly adopted, or foster children, or to care for a parent with a serious health condition. Furthermore, spouses dually employed by UHA will be limited to an aggregate of twelve (12) weeks of Short-Term Disability and/or Paid Time Off during their twelve (12) weeks of leave time.
h. In all cases of a Family Medical Leave of Absence, the employee must exhaust all Short-Term Disability prior to being removed from the payroll with the exception of care for newborn or foster child(ren) or intermittent leaves.
Eligible employees with a spouse, son, daughter, or parent on active duty or call to active duty status in the National Guard or Reserves in support of a contingency operation may use their 12-week leave entitlement to address certain qualifying exigencies. Qualifying exigencies may include attending certain military events, arranging for alternative childcare, addressing certain financial and legal arrangements, attending certain counseling sessions, and attending post-deployment reintegration briefings.
a. The employee must complete a Qualifying Exigency Leave Request Form and provide thirty (30) day notice of foreseeable leaves to the immediate supervisor. The employee must forward a copy of his/her request to the Human Resources Department. The employee should also make reasonable effort in scheduling leaves to avoid disrupting the work unit.
b. A copy of the covered military member’s active duty orders must accompany Request Form.
c. An employee granted a leave for exigency will be required to use Paid Time Off for the duration of the leave since they are not under the care of a physician.
FMLA also includes a special leave entitlement that permits eligible employees to take up to 26 weeks of leave to care for a covered servicemember during a single 12-month period. A covered servicemember is a current member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who has a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty on active duty that may render the servicemember medically unfit to perform his or her duties for which the servicemember is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy; or is in outpatient status; or is on the temporary disability retired list.
a. The employee must complete a Military Caregiver Leave Request Form and provide thirty (30) day notice of foreseeable leaves to the immediate supervisor. The employee
must forward a copy of his/her request to the Human Resources Department.
The employee should also make reasonable effort in scheduling leaves to avoid disrupting the work unit.
b. An employee granted a leave to care for the employee’s child, spouse or parent with a serious injury or illness while on active duty would be allowed to use their Short-Term Disability, in accordance with the Short-Term Disability policy, for the period of time deemed medically necessary to care for the family member. An employee must exhaust all Short-Term Disability before being removed from the payroll, when on a full leave of absence. Paid Time Off may be utilized if the employee wishes to remain on the payroll after Short-Term Disability has been exhausted.
c. An employee granted a leave for a “next of kin” member defined under FMLA will be required to use Paid Time Off for the duration of the leave since they do not meet the immediate family definition for Short-Term Disability.
Failure of an employee to report to work at the expiration of a Family Medical Leave of Absence shall be considered an automatic, voluntary resignation.
For additional information concerning the benefits of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, consult the UHA Human Resources Department.
A full-time regular or part-time regular employee may be granted a Medical Leave of Absence for a minimum of four (4) working days, but not to exceed six (6) months within a twelve (12) month period for themselves or a family member, as defined by the Family Medical Leave Act, with a serious health condition or work-related injury, provided:
a. the employee must complete a Leave of Absence Request Form, and submit the request to the
immediate supervisor with a copy of the request sent to the Human Resources Department: (a)
no later than four (4) working days after the employee is ill, injured or hospitalized, or (b) no
later than seven (7) calendar days following the date on which the employee filed a claim for
Workers' Compensation.
b. the employee's absence must be due to an illness or injury, which is verified by a physician's written statement that the employee is unable to perform his/her duties, and must give an anticipated date for the employee's return to work.
In all cases of a Medical Leave of Absence, the employee must exhaust all Short-Term Disability time, when on a full leave of absence. Paid Time Off may be utilized if the employee wishes to remain on the payroll after Short-Term Disability has been exhausted.
Before an employee on a Medical Leave of Absence may return to work and/or be returned to the payroll, the employee must submit a physician's statement to the immediate supervisor, with a copy to the Human Resources Department, indicating that he/she is capable of resuming regular duties or the capacity in which the employee may return with restrictions clearly defined, on a short-term basis only.
Failure of an employee to report to work at the expiration of a Medical Leave of Absence shall be considered an automatic, voluntary resignation.
Personal Leave of Absence Without Pay
A full-time regular or part-time regular employee, upon application in writing, and with written approval of the immediate supervisor and the Vice President for Human Resources, may be granted a Personal Leave of Absence without pay for no less than seven (7) calendar days, but in no case to exceed six (6) months. However, it should be understood that a Personal Leave of Absence is entirely discretionary on the part of UHA and will only be granted under unusual circumstances. A request for Personal Leave of Absence should state the reasons for such request and duration of leave, which will have a bearing on the final decision whether to grant this request.
If an employee is granted a Personal Leave of Absence, he/she must use all accrued Paid Time Off before being removed from the payroll. Short-Term Disability may not be used in connection with a Personal Leave of Absence.
Failure of an employee to report to work at the expiration of a Personal Leave of Absence shall be considered an automatic, voluntary resignation.
Upon presentation of official orders to his/her immediate supervisor and the Human Resources Department, an employee will be granted time off from work without pay to serve in the National Guard or Armed Forces Reserve Component. The Corporation will not pay the employee any difference between the military salary and the employee's regular pay.
For periods of up to 30 days of training or service, the employee will pay only the normal employee contribution of insurance premiums, regardless if the employee remains on payroll or is removed. Accrued Paid Time Off may be used to extend the employee's time on the payroll. Employees choosing to use Paid Time Off will continue paying the normal employee contribution for applicable insurance premiums through payroll deduction, as long as they remain on the payroll. After the initial 30 days of training or service if the employee is no longer active on the payroll, the employee is responsible for the full cost of insurance premiums for which he/she is enrolled.
Employees may choose to discontinue health insurance coverage while on Military Leave of Absence as outlined in the UHA Health Care Plan Booklet.
Employees are eligible for reemployment as outlined by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act of 1994. For further information on employee military leave reemployment rights and benefits options, contact the Human Resources Department.
The Corporation participates in the West Virginia Workers’ Compensation Fund, and other Funds in states where UHA conducts business, by paying premiums into the fund. Employees who are injured on the job or incur a work-related illness are covered for medical expenses and partial income replacement benefits as set forth under the Workers’ Compensation laws.
The employee notifies his/her supervisor immediately upon sustaining a work-related injury or illness. A UHA Incident Report must be completed for all work-related injuries or illnesses and forwarded to the Employee Health Department, 2nd Floor, West Virginia University Hospital within forty-eight (48) hours of the incident.
Should the employee receive more than first aid treatment, a Workers’ Compensation Form BI-1, Employees’ and Physicians’ Report of Injury, should also be completed. These forms are available in most doctors’ offices, Employee Health Department, Human Resources Department or on UHAOnline. Full Workers' Compensation Policy
More detailed information
regarding work-related incidents of illness or injury; use of short-term
disability; completion of timesheets; and, return to work is available on the
Human Resources site on UHAOnline.
ADMINISTRATION OF
The wage and salary program is regularly evaluated and updated. Merit increases and/or general increases are considered on an annual basis, as long as funds are available. The results received on the performance appraisal are used as a factor to determine the amount of increase an employee will receive within the merit guidelines. (See - Performance Evaluation)
Wage and salary administration depends upon accurate job descriptions and job classification. The job classification system emphasizes the differences and similarities among jobs and provides the orderly arrangement of jobs into wage and salary ranges that indicate the degree of complexity and the responsibilities of the work performed in the specific job.
UHA wage and salary administration policies and practices are designed and administered to comply with all laws and to provide fair treatment for all employees regardless of race, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, veteran status or disability.
When an employee is permanently assigned to a position with a lower entry pay rate than the position the employee previously held, the employee's wage or salary will be reduced.
Non-Management Demotion: As a general guideline, demotions between non-management jobs will result in a salary reduction of seven (7) percent and must not exceed the maximum of the salary range assigned to the new position. Employees occupying a position for less than six months, that demote, will have their salary reduced by the full amount of their prior promotional increase.
Management Demotion: As a general guideline, demotions between management jobs and non-management jobs, or within management jobs, will result in a salary reduction of ten (10) percent and must not exceed the maximum of the salary range assigned to the new position. Employees occupying a position for less than six months, that demote, will have their salary reduced by the full amount of their prior promotional increase.
In all instances of a demotion, the appropriate supervisor and the Vice President for Human Resources must approve the action and the necessary documentation to support the action. Should an employee wish to apply for another position, he/she must complete a Request for Transfer/Promotion form and an employment application listing current job duties and return both promptly to the Human Resources Department. Upon review of all applications by the hiring supervisor, the Human Resources Department will arrange interviews for those employees chosen for further consideration.
When an employee accepts a demotion outside the current work area, the employee must provide a written notification of the demotion and transfer to his/her supervisor with a copy to the Human Resources Department. A minimum notice of fourteen (14) calendar days is recommended for position demotions.
Non-exempt employees are entitled to a minimum wage established by the federal government. For non-exempt employees, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) guarantees overtime pay at a rate of not less than one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for every hour physically worked beyond a 40-hour workweek. Non-exempt employees are paid on an hourly basis.
Exempt employees are excluded from the overtime pay provision of the FLSA by specifically being classified as executive, administrative or professional employees as outlined by the Fair Pay Act. Exempt employees are paid on a salary basis.
Wage garnishments for debt owed are court orders and must be accepted and honored by UHA. When a wage garnishment is court ordered, the Payroll Department makes the necessary deductions from the employee's pay. UHA must legally handle these garnishments in order to be in compliance with state and federal laws regarding such orders. Questions regarding the nature of the garnishment should be directed to the Payroll Department.
The Classification Committee reviews and evaluates all job analysis questionnaires (JAQ). The evaluation is based on factors/criteria which include: education/experience, work complexity, level of communication and decision-making on behalf of UHA, discretion regarding policies/procedures, level of leadership, welfare of others, development of policies/procedures, physical/mental effort, and work environment. Based on the evaluation of these factors, the job is placed into the UHA salary structure, which is an orderly arrangement of jobs broken down by market determined pay rates and salary ranges. A job will be assigned an appropriate title in view of the job duties and responsibilities.
The job description is a general statement of the major responsibilities and job duties performed by the job incumbent(s). Job descriptions contain information regarding the minimum skills, abilities and effort required in order to perform the job by the incumbent as well as certain information about the conditions in which the work is performed. Each UHA job will have a job description. All job descriptions meet the criteria set forth by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and any other legislative requirements as set forth by federal and/or state governmental agencies.
Each UHA position will have a job analysis questionnaire (JAQ). The JAQ specifically describes, in detail, the work that is done by the individual. The JAQ further describes the skills and abilities required in order to perform the job, the physical environment in which the individual works, and the amount and type of effort that is expended while performing the job. The JAQ will be used to classify the position and will aid in the development of a job description.
From time to time, the duties of some jobs will change. In order for the employee's job to be reviewed, the employee's job duties must have changed in complexity by at least thirty (30%) percent from the time of last review. In such cases, after administrative approval has been obtained for review, a job analysis questionnaire (JAQ) is to be completed by the incumbent and his/her immediate supervisor. Jobs will be reviewed only once in a twelve-month period, unless the department administrator and the Vice President for Human Resources agree that it should be reviewed again.
Any modifications or changes to an individual's current job description should be made using the JAQ and must be approved by the employee's immediate supervisor. It must then be electronically forwarded to the department administrator for review, and approval. Finally, if approved by the department administrator, an electronic version of the JAQ must be forwarded to the Human Resources Department for job review and classification by the Classification Committee. The electronic version of the JAQ serves as the signature for budgetary approval of the department administrator to review the position. If necessary, the Human Resources Department will schedule a job audit with the employee and the supervisor in order to clarify and collect additional information regarding job duties and responsibilities. The job will be reviewed, classified and assigned an appropriate job title and market rate in view of the job's duties and responsibilities.
Final budgetary approval from the UHA Budget Officer must be sought by the department administrator and provided to the appropriate member of the Human Resources Department for personnel action to be implemented.
UHA is subject to federal and state Department of Labor regulations relating to compensation for overtime pay.
Under these regulations, exempt employees are those employed in a professional, executive or administrative capacity and can be required to work in excess of forty (40) hours during a given workweek without additional compensation.
Non-exempt employees are those eligible to receive overtime compensation for time physically worked in excess of forty (40) hours during the workweek. The workweek is defined as a seven (7) consecutive day period beginning at 12:00 a.m. on Sunday and ending at 11:59 p.m. on the following Saturday. Overtime is paid at the rate of one and one-half (1½) times the employee's hourly rate. Hours physically worked up to forty (40) hours in a workweek are compensated at the straight-time hourly rate.
Hours for which an employee receives compensation, but does not physically perform work, such as Short-Term Disability (See - Short-Term Disability), Paid Time Off (See - Paid Time Off) or holiday pay (See - Holidays), do not count as hours worked in determining overtime pay at the time and a half rate.
No compensatory time off (See - Compensatory Time) shall be given in lieu of overtime pay to compensate for hours worked over forty (40) in a given workweek by non-exempt employees. An employee's work schedule (See - Hours of Work) may be adjusted to accommodate additional hours worked, but these hours can only be rescheduled in that same workweek (See - Workweek) Employees may be required to work additional days (weekends or holidays) or perform additional work beyond normal working hours. These additional work periods may occur at any time, and employees may be required to work overtime.
The employee’s immediate supervisor must authorize all overtime, in advance.
UHA pays its employees on a two (2) week pay period, which consists of fourteen (14) consecutive days. The Corporation normally pays employees twenty-six (26) times per year. Paychecks are distributed on the Friday after the end of the pay period. If a payday occurs on the same-day as a UHA holiday, paychecks are distributed on the last working day before the holiday, but are dated for the actual pay date.
Employees will receive paychecks from their immediate supervisor or a designated representative of the Corporation. Employees will be requested to sign off as indication that they received their paycheck. Any questions regarding paychecks should be directed to the Payroll Department.
A regular system of performance evaluation is used to evaluate the quality and quantity of work performed by the employee. The supervisor will complete the performance evaluation and discuss all pertinent facts with the employee. The employee will also be counseled about the areas in which work improvement is indicated.
Each employee will review the evaluation and be given the opportunity to make comments he/she feels are appropriate. All performance evaluations are then sent to the Human Resources Department to be included in the employees’ personnel files (See - Personnel File). The performance evaluations will be conducted on an annual basis. An employee’s performance evaluation is a factor used to determine merit increases, if awarded. If an employee is in the disciplinary process, at the time of the performance evaluation, (See - Disciplinary Process), he/she will remain ineligible for a merit increase regardless of the performance evaluation score.
University Health Associates attempts to fill vacant positions through internal transfers or promotions, whenever possible. Vacant positions are posted for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days. Should an employee wish to apply for another position, he/she must complete a Request for Transfer/Promotion form and an employment application listing current job duties and return both promptly to the Human Resources Department. Upon review of all applications by the hiring supervisor, the Human Resources Department will arrange interviews for those employees chosen for further consideration.
A promotion increase must bring the employee's wage/salary to the minimum salary range of his/her new position.
Non-Management Promotions: As a general guideline, promotions among non-management jobs should include an increase of seven (7) percent of the employee's base hourly rate or the entry pay rate of the new position, whichever is greater.
Management Promotions: As a general guideline, promotions from non-management to management jobs or within management jobs of greater responsibility should include a ten (10) percent increase in the employee's base hourly rate or the entry pay rate of the new position, whichever is greater.
An employee is not eligible to apply for a vacancy until he/she has completed the first six (6) months of employment in any new position. Exceptions are made only with the consent of the employee's immediate supervisor.
A promotion may also be made based on a significant increase in the complexity of the employee's job duties and responsibilities after full review and approval by Human Resources.
When an employee accepts a promotion outside the current work area, the employee must provide a written notification of the promotion and transfer to his/her supervisor with a copy to the Human Resources Department. A minimum notice of fourteen (14) calendar days is recommended for position promotions.
In reviewing job descriptions, the Corporation may find that some job classifications are inappropriate or outdated. In this case, a reclassification and review of these job classifications may take place. This may or may not result in a change of title and/or pay for the specific classification being reviewed.
A shift differential is provided to compensate exempt and non-exempt employees who work in departments that must utilize shifts associated with undesirable hours. Shift differential applies only to hours worked and does not apply to hours paid for Short-Term Disability (See - Short-Term Disability), Holiday (See - Holidays) or Paid Time Off (See - Paid Time Off). A regularly scheduled shift of four (4) or more hours where more than half of the hours are between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. will be eligible for shift differential for the entire shift worked.
Employees may, from time to time, desire to expand their knowledge by moving laterally to another position within the Corporation. If such a position is vacant and the employee is interested in applying, he/she must complete a Request for Transfer/Promotion Form, an employment application or resume, and return both promptly to the Human Resources Department. All Transfer/Promotion forms must be submitted to the immediate supervisor, prior to applicant being interviewed by the hiring department. An employee is not eligible to apply for a vacancy until he/she has completed the first six (6) months of employment in any new position. Exceptions are made only with the consent of the employee's immediate supervisor.
Upon review of all applications by the Human Resources Department, those internal applicants meeting the requirements of the position will be referred to the hiring supervisor for further consideration. If the hiring supervisor wishes to interview the internal applicants referred by the Human Resources Department, an employment representative will contact the applicant to schedule the interview. The hiring supervisor is not obligated to interview all internal applicants.
Individuals who transfer laterally to other vacant positions will not receive any type of salary adjustment unless
their current rate of pay falls below the entry rate of the new position. In that circumstance, the salary will be adjusted to the entry rate of the new position.
When an employee accepts a lateral transfer outside the current work area, the employee must provide a written notification of the transfer to his/her supervisor with a copy to the Human Resources Department. A minimum notice of fourteen (14) calendar days is recommended for position transfers.
W-2 forms will be sent to the employee's department for
distribution in
January of each year to show earnings of the previous year. In the event an
employee terminates employment during the year, the W-2 form will be mailed to
the employee's last known home address in the personnel file.
Employees are expected to maintain certain minimal performance standards. If an employee fails to meet these standards, disciplinary action, including any of the following, may be appropriate depending on the facts and circumstances and the seriousness of the employee's actions: verbal counseling session; written letter(s) of warning; final written warning/suspension; or termination.
The disciplinary process is designed to show employees how to correct their conduct and work performance by working with their supervisors and adhering to the policies and procedures of the Corporation. The following four steps may be followed, depending on the seriousness of the employee’s action:
1. Verbal Counseling: Verbal warning of sub-standard performance or a violation of policy or procedure. The counseling session will also include what corrective action needs to be taken by the employee and should be documented by the supervisor.
2. Written Warning: Issued if the offense is of a more serious nature or if the employee does not correct areas, which were noted previously in a verbal counseling session. At this level, the supervisor must contact the Human Resources Department for assistance in issuing a written warning. All written warnings will be placed in the employee’s personnel file located in the Human Resources Department.
3. Final Written Warning/Suspension: A final written warning, with or without suspension, is issued for repeated minor offenses or a one-time serious offense. A final written warning with suspension will be without pay and may vary in length, depending
on the seriousness of the offense and the employee's previous work record. The Human Resources Department will work closely with the supervisor to generate all letters of final written warning. All final warning letters must be immediately forwarded to the Human Resources Department to be placed in the employee’s personnel file.
4. Termination: Occurs after written warnings or suspension, unless the infraction is so serious in the sole opinion of UHA, that immediate termination is warranted. The Human Resources Department will work closely with the supervisor to generate all letters of suspension on behalf of the supervisor. All termination letters must be immediately forwarded to the Human Resources Department to be placed in the employee’s personnel file.
Utilizing the appropriate steps in this process is considered a progressive disciplinary process to allow the supervisors a framework to outline areas of improvement, timeframes for results, and repercussions for not meeting the desired results.
In the event of an employee's arrest, the filing of a disorderly conduct complaint or a criminal complaint against the employee for any alleged wrongful activity, the Corporation reserves the right to suspend the employee without pay pending an investigation of the employee's response to the particular circumstances and the offense charged. An employee may be subject to immediate termination for certain offenses including, but not limited to, the following:
1. Reporting to work under the influence of alcohol or narcotics or partaking
of these substances while at work.
2. Malicious destruction of Corporation property.
3. Theft or dishonesty.
4. Refusal to comply with Corporation policies, rules and procedures.
5. Insubordination and/or disobedience of a direct instruction.
6. Neglect of duty.
7. Excessive or unscheduled absences or tardiness.
8. Unauthorized release of confidential information.
9. Personal rudeness to a patient, visitor or fellow employee.
10. Falsification of documents, records or reports.
11. Failure to maintain required performance standards.
In instances where, in UHA's judgment, the employee's behavior seriously violates the rights or safety of patients and/or other employees, or disrupts UHA's ability to carry out its mission, immediate termination of employment will occur. Some examples of this type of behavior include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Mistreatment of patients, other guests or coworkers.
2. Breaches of confidentiality.
3. Criminal behavior.
4. Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs while on UHA's premises.
5. Gross violation of safety rules.
6. Fighting.
7. Theft.
8. Falsification of UHA records.
9. Other equally serious violations.
The discipline and counseling processes discussed above outline factors and procedures the Corporation believes are generally appropriate to govern employee conduct and performance. These procedures are not, however, absolute rules. In each case of misconduct or poor performance, the appropriate discipline or counseling action will be determined at the Corporation's discretion on the basis of the particular facts or circumstances.
In all cases of termination (See - Termination), the employee will receive a letter that will present the facts and reasons for the termination of employment. The employee will be paid for all accumulated Paid Time Off (See - Paid Time Off) as of his/her last working day with the Corporation, on their Terminal Pay (See - Terminal Pay).
UHAOnline, Bulletin boards, and various publications are located throughout each department of UHA and are official means of communicating with employees. Information will be posted regarding matters of employee information, job vacancies and official UHA communication.
Employees are encouraged to regularly check for updated corporate information and contact their supervisor for additional information. Personal notices may not be posted on bulletin boards without the approval of the immediate supervisor.
Communication is essential for the employer and the employee relationship to succeed. UHA endorses an Employee Relations program that considers the needs of the employees and matches them with the needs of the Corporation. In many cases, the Employee Relations function is to facilitate and encourage two-way communication between employees, regardless of their position in the organization. The Human Resources Department strives to ensure that positive employee relations take place at all levels at UHA. Employee suggestions and ideas are always encouraged.
Any misunderstanding or concern with regard to an on-the-job issue should be brought to the attention of the employee’s immediate supervisor.
Supervisors are responsible for seeing that their employees receive fair treatment and are responsible for responding in an appropriate and timely manner to issues or concerns brought to their attention by employees. The supervisor is always ready and willing to answer questions about the employee's work or progress. If an employee encounters problems about practices discussed herein, disciplinary actions, or if any problems arise in the course of his/her work, the employee should talk to the supervisor first. Such a discussion should be an informal problem-solving session and should take place within five (5) working days after the disagreement or incident occurs.
Should the employee and the immediate supervisor be unable to resolve the problem, the following three (3) steps shall be followed:
Step 1
The employee shall submit his/her grievance statement, in writing, to the immediate supervisor and the Human Resources Department within five (5) working days of their informal discussion and the rendered decision. The written grievance shall describe (1) the complaint or concern and (2) the remedy being sought.
The immediate supervisor will work closely with the Human Resources Department to provide a written response to the grievance statement within five (5) working days of the receipt of the grievance. The response will provide an explanation or solution to the Step 1 request.
Step 2
If the grievant is not satisfied with the response to Step 1, he/she may appeal the supervisor's decision by writing to the person occupying the position at the next level above the immediate supervisor within five (5) working days of receiving the response to Step 1 and requesting a Step 2 response.
The person occupying the position one level above the immediate supervisor will investigate and review the grievance and will work closely with the Human Resources Department to respond in writing within five (5) working days from the receipt of the grievance at Step 2. This response will provide an explanation or solution to the Step 2 request.
Step 3
If the grievant feels he/she did not receive a satisfactory explanation or decision to the Step 2 request, he/she must notify, within five (5) working days of the explanation or decision, the Human Resources Department that he/she wishes to present the complaint or concern to the grievance review board (Review Board).
Additionally, where the reason for the grievance is that a regular employee has been terminated from his/her position, he/she may immediately proceed to Step 3 of the grievance procedure and request a hearing in front of the Review Board without having to go through Step 1 and Step 2 of the procedure. The grievance must be made in writing to the Vice President for Human Resources within five (5) working days following the effective date of termination.
The Review Board shall be a committee consisting of three (3) Corporation employees; the Chairperson of the Board of Directors (or his/her designee), one person selected by the grievant who is a Corporation employee, and one person selected by the person against whom the grievance was filed. No member of the Review Board may be a concerned party in the grievance.
The Vice President for Human Resources will arrange a hearing before the Review Board, to be conducted within twenty (20) working days following the request for the hearing. The grievant will be notified of the date, time and place of the hearing. The Vice President for Human Resources will forward to the grievant the grievance hearing procedure that will govern the hearing. In all cases, if an immediate decision is possible, it will be given to the grievant; if not, the grievant will be informed in writing within fifteen (15) working days following the conclusion of the hearing. The decision of the Review Board will be final and binding on the grievant and the Corporation.
Additional Guidelines:
1. Should either party fail to respond within the time limits imposed, this will be cause for the decision to be made against the party failing to meet the time deadline.
2. Extension of the time limits may be granted by mutual agreement, in writing, of both parties or by the President of the Corporation.
3. The grievant may have another person or a Corporation employee assist him/her, at any point, during the grievance procedure.
4. The grievance procedure does not apply to the following issues, unless the grievant alleges discrimination: rate of pay, employee benefits, position classification, work schedules, actions caused by reductions in the work force or non-selection for promotion when the sole basis for the grievance is the employee's allegation that he/she is better qualified than the person selected.
UHA urges that all problems or complaints be discussed openly, since only in this manner can the Corporation take action. Participants in the grievance procedure have the right to present their grievances under the above procedures without fear of reprisal (See - Code of Conduct).
Each employee has a personnel file that is located at the Human Resources Department. The personnel file contains documents of the employee's employment history. Any employee who wishes to review his/her personnel file may do so by contacting the Human Resources Department for an appointment. These files may be reviewed between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. UHA withholds copies of references made to UHA.
A formal recognition program to honor employees who have served UHA may be held each calendar year. All employees who celebrate a 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, etc. year of employment will be recognized at this time. The cut-off date for service recognition will be May 31 of each year.
Employees who voluntarily resign from employment with UHA are required to have an exit interview with the Human Resources Department. The Human Resources Department will schedule the interview during the employee’s final two weeks of employment.
(LAYOFF/REDUCTION OF HOURS WORKED)
At certain times, UHA may find a situation where it must reduce the work force and thus layoff employees or reduce the hours worked (See - Hours of Work) for an employee or for a group of employees.
Layoffs or reduction of work hours may occur for several reasons, including and without limitations, departmental work unit reorganization necessitated by the elimination of a position or positions, a lack of work in the department unit, or a lack of funds in the department/unit due to budgetary or financial conditions. In any case, the layoffs or reduction of work hours will occur within the department/unit affected by the designated job classification (See - Job Classification).
If a department must layoff employees, it will be on the basis of an employee's continuous total length of employment with UHA. If a department employs student or temporary employees, these employees will be the first to be laid off followed by the full-time regular employees. If the department has a need to keep on temporary employees, the regular employees receiving the layoff notices should be offered these positions based on their total length of employment with UHA. In the case where the regular employee declines the temporary position, the department may then offer the position to one of the temporary employees being laid off.
The employee's continuous total length of employment with UHA will be calculated on his/her most recent employment anniversary date of regular service, less any breaks in employment (leaves without pay). Part-time regular employment will be pro-rated.
Employees who have been laid off by UHA, but who have returned to regular employment within one year of their layoff date, will have their length of service calculated from their prior employment anniversary date and will have their sick leave balance restored.
An employee must provide a written resignation and submit it to his/her supervisor with a copy to the Human Resources Department. A minimum notice of fourteen (14) calendar days is required for all resignations. (See – Re-Employment). Any employee classified as a mid-level provider will be required to give a minimum notice of sixty (60) days. An employee is required to physically work out his/her notice period. If Paid Time Off and/or Short-Term Disability (See – Paid Time Off & Short-Term Disability) is used during the fourteen (14) calendar days, the employee will not be eligible for rehire unless arrangements are made with the supervisor to make up the Paid Time Off and Short-Term Disability utilized by extending the notice period. Holidays that occur during the notice period will be considered an exception. Failure to give a notice of resignation will result in ineligibility for rehire.
An employee may resign their position at any time with or without cause. The last day physically worked will be the termination date used for benefits and payroll purposes. The employee must return all department property, including keys, employee identification cards, computer passwords or access codes and any equipment utilized by the employee to the immediate supervisor on the last working day within the department. Failure to do so could result in disciplinary action (See – Disciplinary Process) and/or legal action against the employee.
An employee who is absent for one (1) day without notification to his/her immediate supervisor will be considered to have automatically resigned (except in extreme circumstances), and the employee will not be eligible for rehire.
UHA may find itself in a situation where some departments are reorganized to best fit the needs of the Corporation. By reorganizing some departments, it may be necessary to reduce the number of employees (See - Layoff). Existing employees may be transferred to other positions that best utilize their skills and talents. Also, an employee's salary and/or percentage of time (from part-time to full-time or full-time to part-time) may change as well as his/her hours of work (See - Hours of Work) as a result of the reorganization.
All employees who terminate employment with UHA will receive their accrued Paid Time Off (See - Paid Time Off) in a lump sum payment. The payment of accrued Paid Time Off will be made in the employee's final paycheck. All accumulated Short-Term Disability (See - Short-Term Disability) is lost upon an employee's termination of employment.
Employees who receive a corporate pension contribution on their salary will also receive this contribution on their Paid Time Off or terminal pay, which is based on the currently agreed upon or contracted percentage. The last working day for the employee will be the termination of employment date for all employment purposes and most benefits purposes.
Employees will be informed of the termination dates of their benefits and their benefits conversion privileges and retirement options by mail following the employee’s last working day.
UHA reserves the right to terminate the employment of any employee at any time, for any or no reason in this At-Will employment relationship.