5.3 Paid Time Off Program (USA Health Division Only)

The PTO Program is offered as a benefit to full and part-time benefits-eligible hospital and designated clinical staff employees because it provides greater scheduling flexibility for employees and supervisors while managing operational requirements. The PTO Program provides you with earned paid time  away  from  work  that you can use for vacation, sick, holiday observance and personal leave. Staff employees  who are not eligible for benefits and temporary employees are not eligible for PTO.

A regular employee appointed to work 20 hours or more per week (.50 FTE or greater) will accrue PTO benefits from the initial date of employment. A regular employee appointed to work less than 20 hours per week (less than .50 FTE) is not eligible to accrue PTO benefits.                                                                      

PTO benefits are earned for all active status hours worked up to 40 hours per work week and includes but is not limited to:                                                                                            

• Normal work hours
• Paid PTO
• Paid Jury Duty
•  Other Paid Administrative Leave

The accrual rate for PTO benefits is computed based on continuous and uninterrupted active service beginning with the date of employment.                                                                                                                     

For example, PTO benefits will be computed as follows:

1. All regular, full-time employees, employed on or after October 1, 2010, with less than 5 years of service will be entitled to earn up to 25 PTO days per year, based on the following formula:        

         Hours worked in a work week (max 40) x .0961 hours per work week x 52 weeks = 200 PTO hours

      2. Regular full-time employees, employed on or after October 1, 2010, accrue PTO at the following rate:      

Years of Service	Months of Continuous Service	PTO Days Accrued Per Year	Accrual Rate
0 - 5 years	0 - 60 months	25	0.0961
5 - 10 years	61 - 120 months	29	0.1115
10 or more years	121+ months	33	0.1269

     

     3. Regular full-time employees, employed before October 1, 2010, accrue PTO at the following rate:

Years of Service	Months of Continuous Service	PTO Days Accrued Per Year	Accrual Rate
0 - 5 years	0 - 60 months	25	0.0961
5 - 10 years	61 - 120 months	31	0.1192
10 or more years	121+ months	35	0.1346

Benefits-eligible part-time employees accrue PTO on a prorated basis. 

Limits apply to the amount of PTO that can be maintained as a balance, carried forward from one fiscal year to the next and paid out upon termination of employment.

At the end of each fiscal year, unused PTO balances may be carried forward to the next year.

However, PTO balances cannot exceed 480 hours (60 days) at the end of the last day of the last pay period of each fiscal year (prorated based on FTE). If applicable, any additional hours above 480 will be forfeited. For biweekly paid employees, year-end balances are final on the last day of the last pay period of the fiscal year. For monthly-paid employees, year-end balances are final on September 20.

Each employee has different needs for time off work. You are encouraged to consider your personal needs for time off and plan to use your PTO hours accordingly. PTO hours are to pay you when you are absent from work for pre-approved absences such as holiday observance, vacation, personal business, maternity/paternity leave, etc. PTO hours are also used for unexpected or emergency situations such as sudden illness, injuries and accidents. To the extent  possible, PTO hours must be requested and approved by supervisors in advance. The amount of advance notice required varies by departments depending upon operational needs.

Supervisors will attempt to schedule/approve PTO requests in a manner which balances the operational and service delivery needs of the department with the time off preferences of employees. However, supervision may deny PTO requests which might have an adverse effect on operations or if unexpected circumstances arise which require the employee’s attendance at work. This may include PTO requests during the resignation notice period (see Section 2.3.4 Resignation)

In the event of illness or emergency that prevents you from requesting PTO in advance, you must notify your supervisor in accordance with departmental guidelines.

PTO hours may be used in one-quarter hour (15 minute) increments for  non-exempt  employees. PTO  hours are to be recorded as they are used. Hours taken will be charged against the employee’s PTO balance at the end of the pay period during which it was taken.

Accrued PTO must be used, if available, before time off is taken without pay. You may not borrow PTO time  in  advance; however, with the approval of your supervisor, you  may take time off without pay if no PTO time is available.

USA Health system staffing is based on patient census/volume and acuity. When patient census/volume is low, management reserves the right to reduce staffing according to patient needs. When this occurs, staff may be sent home or their shift may be canceled. Affected employees may elect to use PTO or take the time off without pay.

During the 90 days of FML, the following use of PTO applies: If the purpose of the leave is your own serious illness or maternity/paternity leave, you will be required to first use 40 hours of PTO. Thereafter, PTO use is voluntary. However, employees may not use PTO hours (if available) to extend maternity leave beyond 90 calendar days.

If the purpose of the leave is to care for a seriously ill family member, the birth or adoption of a child, to care for a newborn child or the foster care placement of a child; due to the active duty status of a family member, or to provide care of a covered service member, you must use PTO.

Unless you have PTO available and either elect or are required to utilize it, any FML will be unpaid.

Employees hired prior to October 1, 2010, may have Extended Employee Illness (EEI) hours. If applicable, these hours may be used when all three of the following conditions are met:

1. only for your own illness or injury, AND
2. after the first 40 consecutive hours of an illness/injury or leave for pregnancy (based on FTE) AND
3. with your treating physician’s certification.

If you were hired before January 1, 2012, and you are a regular, full-time or eligible, regular, part-time employee and you leave USA Health, you may receive payment  for up to a maximum of 320 unused accrued PTO hours.

Employees employed before January 1, 2012, are not eligible to be paid for PTO hours upon separation of employment when:

• The employee is within his/her probationary period or has been employed for less than six months.
• The employee is terminated for violation of policy/rules or misconduct.
• The employee is not eligible for rehire (to include, but not limited to three day/shift no call/no show, improper resignation notice, etc.).

If you were employed on or after January 1, 2012, you are not eligible for payment  of unused accrued PTO hours upon separation of employment. This includes resignations, terminations and retirements. Exceptions may be made for employees hired after January 1, 2012, who are laid off.

The following policies provide guidance on continuity of operations during emergency or extreme weather situations: 

USA Health:

Continuity of Operations Plan for guidance during emergency situations 

Children's & Women's Hospital:

External Disaster/Weather Event - General Overview of Dept Functions

External Disaster/Weather Event Plan - Dept & Staff Responsibilities

University Hospital:

Severe Weather Procedure (Severe Storm, Tornado, Hurricane, Flooding)

Emergency Operation Plan