# Presentation: 906137

## TIME MATTERS

Scott McIntyre
Saylor Hummel
Waldean Richardson
May 8, 2008

**Scott McIntyre**
**Saylor Hummel**
**Waldean Richardson**
**May 8, 2008**

## Time Away From Work 

**Absences**
**Flexible Schedules**
**Benefits – Vacation, etc.**
**Disability Benefits**
**How to use payroll codes for absences**
**Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) & unpaid absences**

## Definitions

- Absence
**Any missed work time including less than a full workday that was scheduled or where the employee was expected to be at work. **

## Definitions

- Excused Absence** **
**An absence where the line manager has authorized the employee to be absent after taking into account the reasons for the absence and the employee's past record.  **
**An absence due to a non-occupational illness or injury where the employee has provided satisfactory verification of the absence from an attending physician**
**Approved leaves of absence including short or long term disability, occupational injury or illness**

## Absences and Attendance

- Absences and Attendance

**Employees are expected to be at work as scheduled and must endeavor to keep their absences to a minimum. **
**Routine attendance is an essential function for all jobs at ORNL. **
**Every **_[absence](http://sbms.ornl.gov/sbms/sbmsearch/subjarea/attendance/SAdef.cfm)_** must be reported and recorded as either **_[excused](http://sbms.ornl.gov/sbms/sbmsearch/subjarea/attendance/SAdef.cfm#excused)_** or **_[unexcused](http://sbms.ornl.gov/sbms/sbmsearch/subjarea/attendance/SAdef.cfm#unexcused)_**, as determined by management. Also, certain absences will be designated as **_[accountable](http://sbms.ornl.gov/sbms/sbmsearch/subjarea/attendance/SAdef.cfm)_** **
**When an unavoidable reason prohibits an employee's attendance, the employee reports the absence and the reason to his or her line manager in advance of the absence unless circumstances do not permit advance notice. **
**Absence records for individuals and groups can be accessed via **_[ABSINQ](http://home.ornl.gov/divisions/accounting/absinq/)_**. **

## When is an absence not paid?

**Unexcused absence**
**line manager has not authorized**
**Leave of absence for a period of more than 15 consecutive workdays **
**Personal leave over 40 hours**
**Failure to provide written medical verification if requested. (If management determines absences are excessive, may require written medical verification for future absences, regardless of FMLA eligibility.) **
**Extended leaves of absence**

## Work Schedules

**Multiple schedules are available (see the **_**[PALS home page ](https://home.ornl.gov/~pals/)**_**for full descriptions), including 9/80 shift, Business Month (exempt only), 4/10 shift, etc.**
**Employee Convenience Time (nonexempt staff only)**
**Part-time Employment**
**Regular part-time**
**Casual part-time**
**Note: all schedules require supervisor approval**

## Time Away From Work

- Time Away From Work

**Vacation**
**Personal time**
**Sick time**
**Short Term Disability**
**Long Term Disability**
**Military Leave**
**Jury Duty**
**Occupational Injury**
**Voting and/or Election Official**
**Funeral for a family member**

## Vacation

**Employees hired after January 1, 1996**
**Vacation time is accrued until calendar year maximum is reached.**
**Year One – Year Nine – 120 hours (3 weeks)**
**Year Ten – Year Nineteen – 160 hours (4 weeks)**
**Year Twenty – 200 hours (5 weeks)**
**Immediate eligibility**
**Vacation Borrowing**
**Vacation Donation**

## Personal Leave for Salaried Employees

**Paid time off up to 40 hours with supervisor’s approval**
**Unpaid time off up to 15 consecutive days**
**For an absence that cannot be reasonably    accommodated outside scheduled work hours**
**	****	****	****	****AND/OR**
**     ****which cannot be anticipated in advance**

## What can/should be approved for personal leave

**OK**
**medical/dental appointments that cannot be scheduled outside working hours**
**legal procedures**
**emergencies at home or immediate family that occur during shift**
**severe illness in immediate family**
**weather related (see SBMS)**
**Not OK**
**conducting another business**
**non-business conventions, meetings**
**civic & community service**
**recreation**
**baby sitting (non-emergency)**
**days of personal significance such as birthdays or anniversaries**
**delivery or picking child up at school (except if it is an emergency)**

## Alternatives to Personal Time

**Non-Exempt Employees:**
**	****– ****employee convenience (EC) time  **
**	****Note:  EC time must be made up in same work week. If time is not made up, then the proper absence code must be used.  Requires supervisor approval.**
**	****– ****vacation (fragmented)**
**Exempt Employees:**
**	****– ****make it up (e.g. in work week or business month)**
**	****– ****vacation time (can be less than a full day - one hour increments)**
**	**

## What is FMLA?

**Federal law requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks (per 12 month period) of ****unpaid****, job- protected leave for certain family and medical reasons.**
**Employees contact Aetna - who makes the decision for ORNL if the absence qualifies under FML**
**Employees must have worked for at least 12 months and 1250 hours to be eligible**
**Three conditions qualify for FML: **
**Employee’s serious health condition**
**Caring for a family member with a serious health condition**
**Family leave during first 12 months for a birth or newborn care**

## Sick Time & Short-Term Disability

**Sick – one day virus, stomach ache**
**Short-Term Disability – (STD) **
**Begins on the fourth calendar day of absence or after 24 scheduled work hours for 10- and 12-hour shift workers **
**Note: a weekend counts as calendar days, so STD can start on a Friday if employee is absent on the following Monday – code to 40A.**
**Any absence related to a prior STD absence is considered a continuation of STD**
**STD is automatically considered as FML qualified**
**Employer paid**
**Benefit = 180 calendar days **

## Short-Term Disability 

**Payments – Tiered Benefit**
**Tier 1:  100% for 42 calendar days (6 weeks) ****PALS code 40A**
**Tier 2:  80% for 42 calendar days (6 weeks)****PALS code 40B**
**Tier 3:  60% for 96 calendar days (14 weeks)****PALS code 40C**
**	****Employees should report the absences to Aetna who will request documentation from the employee’s medical provider.**
**	****Employees should not report **_[sick leave absences](http://sbms.ornl.gov/sbms/sbmsearch/subjarea/benefits/SAdef.cfm#sick)_** (<4 calendar days) to Aetna unless requesting FML protection.  These absences are not STD absences and are not managed or approved by Aetna.**

## Long Term Disability	

**Employer Paid **
**60% of Salary – monthly benefit**
**If you remain disabled for more than 6 months, you are eligible for LTD up to age 65 if disability starts prior to age 60 - or for a scheduled period if disabled after age 60.**

## Additional Benefits 

**Military Leave**
**Jury**
**Voting/Election Official**
**Occupational Injuries**
**Funerals**
**Unpaid Leaves of Absences**

## SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES

**Employee:**
**Notify supervisor ASAP, in advance**
**Contact Laboratory Shift Superintendent**** ****	****576-6606 **
**Supervisor:**
**Assess circumstances and approve or deny request**
**Ensure absence is properly recorded in PALS**
**Ensure consistency in application and within policy**
**If request is denied, maintain documentation of request and reason denied**

## Resources

**Attendance**
**Time Away From Work**
**Employee Discipline**
**Human Resources-Benefits**
**PALS Absence Codes**

## Questions and Answers	

**Thank you!**

## What can a supervisor ask the employee?

**For personal leaves, you may be asked for sufficient information to determine if the leave can be granted**
**You may be asked when you expect to be off work or expected to return**
**You may be asked to delay your vacation or personal leave if there was inadequate notice**
**You may be asked to contact Aetna to report an absence (or asked**** ****if you have done so)**