1.16.01 Paid Time Off – PTO
1.16.01 Paid Time Off – PTO (Rev 01/2024)
OVERVIEW
Amerimed recognizes there will be times employees need time off, whether for time to rest and rejuvenate on vacation or recoup and recover from an illness or injury. Paid Time Off is considered a benefit for Associates and is granted based on hours worked. Therefore, we have established the following Paid Time Off (PTO) program for full-time employees.
SECTION A
Vacation Paid Time Off
Vacation Paid Time Off (PTO) hours for full time associates will be calculated based on a percentage of each hour worked. An associate must be employed by Amerimed for a minimum of six (6) months to be eligible for PTO benefits to be used. Part time employees are not eligible for and will NOT accrue vacation time. Vacation hours will accrue based on tenure and will be calculated by the following factors:
| Tenure | Accrual Factor |
| 0-2 Years | 0.038 hours per hour worked |
| 2 to 4 years | 0.048 hours per hour worked |
| 4 to 6 years | 0.058 hours per hour worked |
| Over 6 years | 0.068 hours per hour worked |
Maximum Accrual Limits
• Associates paid on an hourly basis have a maximum accrual of 96 hours vacation, at which point no more will be accrued until the balance goes below the Cap.
• Salaried, clerical office staff, and commission-based associates have a maximum accrual of 80 hours vacation, at which point no more will be accrued until the balance goes below the Cap.
Vacation time will be paid at straight time with no overtime benefits. Any special rates (i.e. shift differentials) are not included. To be paid for vacation time taken, the associate must work their normal scheduled shift(s) before and after the time taken.
Associates are encouraged to take their approved accrued vacation on a regular basis and as described in policy.
SECTION B
Sick Paid Time Off
Sick PTO accrual will be based on .019 of an hour for each hour worked up to a maximum accrual of 48 hours per year, (40 hours for salaried, clerical office staff, and commission-based associates). Once the maximum accrual is met, no more will accumulate until the balance is brought down below the Caps. This time will be paid at straight time with no overtime benefits. PTO designated as sick PTO may only be used for sick days. See 1.9.1 Injured and/or Sick Associate, Sections A & B
Associates are not allowed to utilize any PTO time which exceeds their normally scheduled work hours. For example, if an employee uses authorized sick or vacation time and also works an additional shift, their paid sick or vacation time will be adjusted down to prevent being paid above their normal work schedule on a per-pay-week basis.
SECTION C
Family Care Leave
Amerimed recognizes our Associates, and/or their family members, may require additional time away from work beyond the periodic use of Sick or Vacation benefits. For circumstances, both expected an unexpected, that require time away from work to address family care issues, Amerimed provides an additional forty (40) hours of paid leave according to the following purposes and guidelines:
1) Annual Benefit Max: 40 hours (rolling 12 month basis)
2) Qualifying Criteria: Approved for needs related to immediate family only (parents, siblings, spouse, children), for the following circumstances:
a. Maternity / Paternity
b. Catastrophic illness or injury
c. Bereavement (see below for additional criteria related to Bereavement Benefits)
3) Proof of need: Verification Documentation Required
4) Approval Required: General Manager
Bereavement Leave
For bereavement benefits, employee must be employed full time.
Amerimed recognizes that a time of bereavement is a very difficult one for an employee. In this regard, every effort will be made to ensure that the employee is able to attend to family matters. In the case of a member of the immediate family, as defined for bereavement leave, (employee’s spouse, children, parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents), the full-time employee may be paid for the absence from scheduled work for a period of up to forty (40) hours.
Since death is an unexpected event that can occur at any time, Amerimed feels that an employee’s 90-day probationary period does not have to be met before the employee can qualify for this paid absence. This benefit does not apply if the death occurs while the employee is on preapproved vacation, holidays, leave of absence or absence for any other reason. Employees who require more days away from work than is allowed under this leave may request earned vacation time, or a personal leave of absence, subject to the approval of Senior management.
The employee’s supervisor shall be notified immediately of the death of any family members or relatives as mentioned above.
Bereavement leaves will not accrue or accumulate, nor be paid if unused at year-end or upon termination of employment. Hourly pay for this form of leave will be computed at the employee’s regular rate. This leave pay will not be credited as time worked for the purpose of computing overtime.
SECTION D
Requesting Paid Time Off
Associates are required to follow the guidelines below for time off requests. Associates should report to work unless he/she has been granted a signed or electronic approval from their immediate (or greater) supervisor.
An associate must submit requests for vacation time off through the company’s electronic scheduling system by the fifteenth (15th) day of the preceding month. Sick PTO request must be submitted as soon as possible and not later than 4 hours before scheduled shift. Bereavement leave requests are to be submitted as soon as the associate is aware of the bereaved situation and not less than one scheduled assigned shift. Upon receipt of that the vacation request, you will receive an electronic confirmation of your approval, with the following exceptions:
• If multiple requests are made for the same day, requests will be approved based on seniority, recent performance, current absence score, and/or order that requests were received.
• Requests for time-off on recognized holidays will only be approved if coverage is found. If no coverage can be found by the first day of the month that the requests was made for, the request will be denied, but associates may continue to attempt to find coverage on their own.
• Any vacation requests made after the 15th of the preceding month, will not be automatically guaranteed, and the associate will be responsible for finding coverage. Shift swaps are a possible option as long as the swap does not create unscheduled overtime for either participant.
• For payroll purposes, the associate approved PTO time must be submitted on the payroll summary by the Operations Manager to the payroll department to be paid PTO time.
If multiple requests are received for the same time period, your request may be denied depending on operational requirements. If it is denied or it is past the request deadline, an associate may then attempt to find coverage, or do a swap as described in our Scheduling policy. See 1.19.2Scheduling, Section B
All vacation leave requests will be processed within seventy-two (72) hours of their receipt and will be acknowledged with either an “approval” or “disapproval”. An associate should NOT assume that leave is approved. If a signed or electronic approval is not provided the request should be considered “Not Approved.” Sick PTO and bereavement requests will be addressed and approved, if possible, within one scheduled assigned shift.
SECTION E
Salary Staff Time Off
All employment positions with Amerimed are considered important and essential. As such, salaried staff are expected to be fully engaged in their roles and responsibilities according to their work schedules. As a standard practice, Amerimed does not permit ‘working from home’ for any associates.
Therefore, when salary staff have a personal need or obligation that will prevent she/he from full engagement of their duties during their normal work days/times, they are required to request time off for the appropriated period of time. This policy is in place to benefit the salary associate so they may fully address their personal needs while ensuring the company has full engagement of its managers at all times.
It is the salary associates’ responsibility to ensure administrative or operational coverage during their time off so they may be available to address their personal matter while their work obligations are addressed by an appropriate alternative manager.
Any deviations from this requirement must be by advanced written approval by the OCE.
SECTION F
Additional Policies
If an associate is dismissed by Amerimed, he/she will not be entitled to payment for accumulated time off. See 1.9.2 Intolerable Violations.
For associates that change their employment status from full-time to part-time, he/she will retain their accumulated regular Vacation time. The balance of their regular Vacation time will remain in their account and will be available for use should the associate return to full-time status.
For associates that voluntarily resign, in good standing as described above, and are rehired (reinstated) within thirty (30) days, he/she will be eligible to utilize sick and/or vacation time (per policy) without the standard six (6) month waiting period. Reinstatement more than thirty (30) days from the termination date will reset the waiting period for PTO eligibility as per standard policy.
If an associate is tardy or calls out sick during the two week notice period, or does not provide a 2 week notice, will forfeit their vacation time.
In extreme hardship situations, associates may request a payroll advance of up to half of his/her accumulated PTO bank. This request should be made to the Operations Manager and will be reviewed by senior management for approval.
For unpaid leave and other time off policies please see 1.20.2 Time Off.