Personnel Manual
Modifications
BVARI PERSONNEL MANUAL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Topic
Page
Welcome ...................................................... i
Contact Information .................................... ii
Work Life Policies ......................................2
Introduction ............................................2
Employment Application Disclaimer ....2
Equal Employment Opportunity ............2
Sexual Harassment Policy......................3
Drug & Alcohol Abuse ..........................3
Safety .....................................................4
Smoking .................................................4
Building Security ...................................4
Ethical Conduct / Conflict of Interest ....4
Confidentiality .......................................5
Communication ......................................5
Electronic Mail / Computer System .......6
Personnel Record ...................................6
Dress Code .............................................7
Housekeeping .........................................7
Problem Resolution Procedure ..............7
Parking Regulations ...............................7
Compensation Policies ...............................8
Hiring Procedure & Employee
Classification....................................8
WOC Appointment ................................8
Internal Control Training ......................8
VA Required Trainings .........................9
In-Service Trainings ..............................9
Initial Review Period .............................9
Annual Performance Review .................9
Work Hours..........................................10
pg. i
Topic
Page
Overtime ..............................................10
Inclement Weather/Other Emerg .........11
Compensation ......................................11
VA Employee Compensation & Hrs....11
Attendance / Tardiness .........................12
Resignations .........................................12
Benefits ......................................................13
Earned Time Program ..........................13
Federal Holiday Observed ...................15
Jury Duty Leave ...................................15
Family Medical Leave Act ……….….16
Bereavement Leave ..............................17
Vacation Request .................................17
Maternity/Adoption Leave ...................18
Military Leave ......................................19
Miscellaneous Leaves of Absence .......23
Flexible Spending Accounts ................23
Health Benefit Plan ..............................23
Dental Benefits Plan ............................24
Life Insurance, Accidental Death &
Dismemberment Benefits...............24
Short & Long Term Disability .............24
COBRA ................................................24
Injury on the Job ..................................25
Workers’ Compensation ......................25
Unemployment Compensation.............25
Retirement Plan ....................................25
Employee Assistance Program ............28
Transit Reimbursement ........................28
Summary ..............................................29
June 1, 2012
We are pleased to welcome you to the Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. (BVARI). The
purpose of this manual is to acquaint you with our Work Life Policies and Benefits
Program.
The mission of The Boston VA Research Institute (BVARI) is to promote and to support
research and education activities of the VA Boston Healthcare System and to advance the
well being of all veterans and the general public by these endeavors.
BVARI is a non-profit, tax-exempt institute. Collaborative endeavors may be established
with universities, for profit companies, hospitals, charitable foundations, professional
societies, the Public Health Service, or other governmental agencies, and other non-profit
entities.
BVARI provides a comprehensive program of employee benefits, which are described in
this manual. Your supervisor or BVARI’s Director of Human Resources will be able to
assist you should you have questions regarding the content.
We look forward to a mutually satisfactory employment relationship with each employee
and would like to take this opportunity to offer our best wishes for your personal success
at BVARI.
Sincerely,
Sincerely,
Nancy Watterson-Diorio
Helen Bril
Nancy Watterson-Diorio
CEO, BVARI Inc.
Helen Bril
Associate Director of Human Resources,
BVARI, Inc.
pg. ii
BVARI
Contact Information
Name
Title
e-mail
Nancy WattersonDiorio
Chief Executive Officer
nwd@bvari.org
Helen Bril
Associate Director of Human
Resources
helen.bril@bvari.org
Jeffrey Burd, Esq
General Counsel
jeffrey.burd@bvari.org
Dan Burke
Director of Process
Management and Information
Systems
dan.burke@bvari.org
Michael Charpak
Accounts Payable
Administrator
michael.charpak@bvari.org
Page Humphrey
Financial Analyst
page.humphrey@bvari.org
Deni Peric
Executive Assistant
deni.peric@bvari.org
Grants Administrator
jennifer.notari@bvari.org
Shelagh Pearson
Grants Administrator
shelagh.pearson@bvari.org
Janyce Sarmaniote
Director of Finance
janyce.sarmaniote@bvari.org
Megan McHugh
Human Resources Generalist
megan.mchugh@bvari.org
Jennifer Notari
Main Number: (617) 738-1313
Fax Number: (617) 738-8480
Web Site: www.bvari.org
Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. (BVARI) Personnel Manual
pg. 1
Work Life Policies
Introduction
This manual was prepared to acquaint employees with personnel policies,
programs and benefits at the Boston VA Research Institute, Inc., hereafter
referred to as BVARI. The manual has been written for guidance and
informational purposes only. It is a statement of BVARI’s present policies and is
not an employment contract. BVARI reserves the right to change any or all
policies, programs and benefits at any time with or without notice. Employment
with BVARI is at will and as such is terminable by the employee or BVARI at
any time and for any reason. Please take time to read the manual carefully and
save it for future reference. The employee should check with his/her supervisor
if there are any questions. Employee Manual policies will take effect June 1,
2012.
Employment
Application
Disclaimer
The following statement must be signed by all applicants before beginning
employment by BVARI:
“If I am hired by the Boston VA Research Institute, Inc. (BVARI), in
consideration of my employment, I agree that I may resign and that my
employment and compensation may be terminated at any time, with or without
notice, with or without cause, at the option of either the Institute or myself. I
further understand that my employment relationship will be “at will,” that I am
not being hired for any specified period of time, and that no supervisor or
manager of the Institute, other than the CEO or Chairman of the Board, has the
authority to enter into any other agreement for employment or to make any
agreement contrary to the foregoing.”
Equal
Employment
Opportunity
Employment opportunities at BVARI are open to all qualified applicants solely
based on their job-related experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities. Qualified
applicants are considered for all open positions for which they apply and for
advancement without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation,
national origin, age, and marital status, the presence of a medical condition or
disability, or genetic information. BVARI complies with all applicable federal,
state and local laws with regard to equal employment opportunity. Advancement
is based entirely on an individual's demonstrated performance, job-related
ability, skills, and knowledge and the resulting potential for promotion to the job
openings applied for.
BVARI will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or retaliation affecting its
employees or applicants due to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation,
national origin, age, marital status, medical condition, disability, genetic
information, or any other category protected under the law.
pg. 2
Employees who believe they have been subjected to unlawful or unfair
discrimination, harassment, or retaliation must immediately advise BVARI’s
Human Resources Department. Employees must either complete the BVARI
EthicsPoint website online complaint form at:
https://secure.ethicspoint.com/ceridian/media/en/gui/22537/index.html
or call toll-free at 888-279-1921 to report any perceived violation of BVARI’s
policy regarding harassment and discrimination. You also must report any
inappropriate conduct that you observe whether or not it affects you directly.
The company's anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies are intended to
result in effective responses to problems. They require you to provide the
company an immediate opportunity to investigate and resolve your workplace
concerns. You must notify the Human Resources Department at the above
number regarding issues of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation.
Sexual
Harassment
Policy
Drug &
Alcohol Abuse
Claims of any violation of this policy shall be reported to the Chief Executive
Officer or the Director of Human Resources immediately. Please refer to Dept.
of Veterans Affairs VA Medical Center Memorandum No. 00-021 “Equal
Opportunity”.
BVARI is vigorously committed to maintaining a working environment free
of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment of employees occurring in the
workplace or in other settings in which employees may find themselves in
connection with their employment is unlawful and will not be tolerated.
Possession or use of alcohol or illegal drugs at BVARI is expressly prohibited.
Employees may not use intoxicants in such a manner that his/her work
performance is adversely affected of his/her conduct becomes embarrassing to
BVARI. An employee should notify the VA Police if any person on Medical
Center grounds is:
 Observed using alcohol or illegal drugs
 Considered to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs
 Observed with possession of alcohol or illegal drugs
A description and location of the offender should be provided. If a person
operating a motor vehicle on Medical Center grounds is considered to be under
the influence of an intoxicant, the employee should report to the VA Police the
vehicle’s description, direction of travel, and license plate number.
For purposes of this policy, the possession or use of prescribed medications, by
the person for whom they are prescribed and consistent with such prescription,
shall not be deemed a violation of this policy.
pg. 3
Safety
Safety is everyone’s business. BVARI is committed to maintaining a healthy and
safe workplace. We expect each employee to share this commitment. Specific
safety matters that pertain to the employee’s workstation will be covered by
his/her supervisor. The employee is obligated to use any applicable protective
equipment prescribed for his/her job.
The most critical elements in practicing safety are being careful and using
common sense. Each employee should be continuously aware of his/her actions
and environment to avoid dangerous situations. It is the responsibility of the
employee to report any injuries or unsafe situations to his/her supervisor.
Smoking
According to the Surgeon General of the United States, smoking is the most
preventable cause of illness and death in our society and the number one public
health issue of our time. In recognition of this fact, smoking is prohibited at
BVARI at all times. Please refer to Dept. of Veterans Affairs VA Medical Center
Memorandum No. 00-002 “Smoke-Free Policy”.
Building
Security
Please refer to Dept. of Veterans Affairs VA Medical Center Memorandum No.
138-009 “Space Key Control”.
Ethical
Conduct/
Conflict of
Interest
All BVARI employees are subject to Federal statutes and regulations applicable
to employees with respect to standards of ethical conduct and conflicts of
interest in the performance of official duties.
Standards of Ethical Conduct:
Each employee shall submit a signed “Standards of Ethical Conduct and Related
Responsibilities of Employees” statement certifying awareness of, and
compliance with, these laws and regulations. This form may be obtained from
the Human Resources Administrator.
New employees are asked to sign this statement, which is part of the New Hire
Packet, which they receive. The statement encompasses the following areas:
 0.735-10: General Requirements
 0.735-11: Gifts, Entertainment and Factors
 0.735-17: Outside Employment Activity or Compensation
The employee’s signature indicates he/she is and has been aware of and
complied with the regulations pertaining to conflict of interest in performance of
official functions in his/her capacity with BVARI and has ensured compliance
by others.
The BVARI sponsored program through Ceridian, Inc. is an anonymous and
confidential method of hearing employees concerns, suggestions and reports of
misconduct. Our goal is to assure and enhance the integrity, people, processes,
and assets needed by all stakeholders of BVARI. We believe that BVARI's
viability and integrity depend on the protection of our critical assets, including
pg. 4
our people, physical assets, and our information. There are two methods of
submitting a report- telephone at (888) 279-1921 and through the web site,
https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/media/en/gui/22537/index.html
Conflict of Interest:
The purpose of this policy is to protect the interests of BVARI when
contemplating a new hire, a transaction or an arrangement that might cause an
officer, director or employee to choose between personal interests and the
interests of BVARI or that may call into question their independence or
impartiality. This policy is intended to supplement, but not replace, applicable
federal and state laws governing conflicts of interest including those VA policies
pertaining to research conflicts of interest. Persons covered under this policy, as
well as their relatives and associates.
New employees are asked to sign this statement, which is part of the New Hire
Packet, which they receive, if they are Principal Investigators on the grant or
contract, essential personnel, or administrative employees. The policy includes
signature of the:
 Affirmation of Compliance
 Confidentiality and disclosure questionnaire
Confidentiality
Patient Confidentiality: As staff of a biomedical research organization,
BVARI employees may have access to highly personal and sensitive clinic
information regarding its research subjects. BVARI staff must safeguard and
hold confidential all such personal information and may gain access to or
disclose it only for legitimate research purposes.
Client Confidentiality: All staff has a responsibility to recognize the special
relationship of trust between BVARI and its clients who support its research
activities. BVARI staff may gain access to or disclose proprietary business
information only for legitimate research purposes. All proprietary business
information about BVARI and its clients must be treated in a confidential
manner.
Employee Confidentiality: All employment-related information about other
BVARI staff members must be treated in a confidential manner. Employees may
not gain access to or disclose such information without proper authorization.
Communication
pg. 5
This Confidentiality Policy is critical to BVARI’s purpose and function. Any
employee who violates it is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including
termination.
BVARI will use internal memos and emails to distribute information to
employees in those cases where every employee needs his or her own copy of
the subject matter. It is important to remember that these memos deal with
internal information and should not be shared with anyone other than BVARI
employees.
Electronic Mail
/ Computer
System
The electronic systems (hardware, software and networks) provided to BVARI
employees to use at work, or in conjunction with their work, are the property of
BVARI and/or the Department of Veterans Affairs. These systems are to be used
exclusively for work-related matters. Therefore, no one is to do anything that
causes interference to the network or work of others.
Use of these systems for personal business or other personal uses is a violation
of company policy and federal policy and will subject the violators to
appropriate disciplinary action up to and including termination. There is to be no
display or transmission of sexually explicit images, messages or cartoons, or any
transmission of electronic mail communications that contain ethnic slurs, racial
epithets or anything that may be construed as harassment or disparagement of
others based on their race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability,
or religious or political beliefs. BVARI has a legitimate business interest in all
materials generated by, transmitted through, or stored in these systems, in
ensuring the use of these systems is within the requirements of this policy and in
monitoring adherence to this policy. BVARI reserves the right to audit these
systems and their contents at any time, without specific prior notice. However,
individual employees and supervisors should not attempt to gain access to
another employee’s computer or electronic mail messages without the latter are
expressed permission. Upon hiring each employee must sign the “Computers,
Electronic Mail and Voice Mail Usage Acknowledgment Form”, relating to this
policy.
Attached is the link for the “Computers, Electronic Mail and Voice Mail Usage
Acknowledgment Form”
http://bvari.org/HR/New%20Hire%20Documents/New%20Hire%20Forms%202
011/Computers-Email-Voicemail%20Ack.doc
Personnel
Record
BVARI requires accurate, up-to-date information regarding each employee’s
address, personal email, telephone number, marital status and other pertinent
information for use in an emergency and for formal records such as W2 forms.
If an employee changes his/her home address or phone number, or other
pertinent information, the Human Resources Generalist must be notified. An
employee is entitled to review his/her personnel record. It is required that he/she
submit a written request in advance, and to do so through his/her supervisor so
that the record may be duplicated.
An employee may challenge information contained in his or her personnel
record, and request that the information be removed or corrected. If the employer
refuses the request, the Statute gives the employee the right to submit a written
statement explaining the employee’s position, and the Statute requires the
employer to maintain the statement as part of the employee’s personnel record as
long as the challenged information is retained in the record.
BVARI will maintain employee personnel files for three years after termination
pg. 6
of employment without delegations or changes of information. (Except by
mutual agreement of the employer and the employee). Further, if an employee
brings a legal action against the employer in court or before an administrative
agency (e.g., the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination), BVARI
will retain the personnel record until final disposition of the proceeding.
For further information please refer to BVARI’s record retention policy.
Dress Code
Dress code is primarily based on the individual employee’s job description.
Overall, employees are expected to maintain a neat, clean, well-groomed
appearance. It is requested that employees demonstrate the good taste necessary
to maintain the appropriate business image. An employee may be sent home if,
in the supervisor’s judgment, his/her dress or appearance is deemed
inappropriate. Please refer to Dept. of Veterans Affairs VA Medical Center
Memorandum No. 05-037 “Dress code, Personal Appearance and Hygiene”.
Housekeeping
BVARI is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace and atmosphere.
Employees are expected to maintain a high standard of neatness in their work
area and refrain from displaying anything that would be considered inappropriate
for a business setting.
Problem
Resolution
Procedure
If an employee has questions, complaints, or individual problems, he/she should
discuss them with his/her supervisor first. If the employee does not feel
comfortable in discussing the matter with his/her supervisor, or if the employee
does submit the matter to the supervisor and the supervisor is not able to resolve
the matter, the employee should submit the matter in writing to the Human
Resources Administrator. If mutual agreement cannot be reached, the employee
may bring it to the attention of the BVARI’s Chair Person and/or CEO. After
due consideration, a decision will be made by the Chair Person as to the
resolution of the issue. The decision of the Chair Person or CEO shall be final,
and not subject to further review.
Parking
Regulations
All BVARI employees should be aware of Medical Center parking policies as
detailed in the Dept. of Veterans Affairs VA Medical Center Memorandum No.
07-003 “Parking and Traffic Control”.
pg. 7
Compensation Policies
Hiring
Procedures
Employee
Classification
BVARI may employ full-time, part-time and seasonal employees to carry out its
research and educational projects. The length of employment for such
individuals shall be indefinite, with no time commitments made. The hiring,
termination, assignment of duties, and the determination of reasonable salary
levels are determined by BVARI Human Resources with recommendations by
the responsible Investigator. Prior to any hiring, the responsible Investigator
shall submit to BVARI Human Resources an Employment Request
Memorandum listing the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, expected term of
the project, and proposed source.
After this memorandum has been approved, and the hiring process checklist
complete, a commitment and offer letter may be made to the proposed employee.
There are three employee classifications at BVARI: Exempt, Exempt
Professional, and Non-exempt.
Exempt and Exempt Professional employees are working in salaried positions
and are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Federal Law that requires
payment for overtime work. Exempt and Professional Exempt staff are employed
in jobs that are primarily professional or supervisory and which carry
responsibility for discretionary and independent judgments regarding medical
decisions, general business operations, IT and administrative policy.
Full-time Non-exempt staff are those employees who work for hourly wages for
a determined schedule. This classification of employee may be paid for
overtime work when approved by their supervisor. Employees working 30 hours
or more per week are considered full-time employees.
WOC
Appointment
Internal Control
Training
pg. 8
Part-time, Non-exempt employees are those staff members who work less than
30 hours per week.
All BVARI employees, are required to have a WOC (without compensation)
appointment from the VA Boston Healthcare System, prior to receiving
compensation from the institution, as per the directive of Title 38, of the VHA
Handbook.
Employees should contact BVARI Human Resources to receive the paperwork.
All new BVARI Board members, including Statutory VA Directors, and all new
Executive Directors, officers, and key employees (key employees are BVARI
administrators, supervisors, employees approving and making purchases,
employees authorizing time records, and any and all employees with the
authority to make financial decision(s)) must take internal controls training
within 90 days of assuming the role and must provide BVARI with proof of
training completion. BVARI must retain these training certifications for as long
as the individual holds his or her position at BVARI.
VA Required
Trainings
All BVARI employees must complete all required VA trainings before the close
of the VA fiscal year. The number of required trainings to be completed by each
employee is dependent upon your position and responsibilities. All completed
training certificates must be submitted to BVARI Human Resources upon
completion. Additional trainings can be added or removed at the discretion of
the VA requirements. Non-completion of these trainings and submission of
completed certificates to BVARI by September 30th, will result in a written
reprimand and continued non-compliance can be cause for immediate
termination or suspension from your position.
Those BVARI employees who have LMS access have to complete all required
trainings in LMS not EES. You will not be credited as completing these
trainings unless you have done them through this system.
In-Service
Trainings
Initial Review
Period
Annual
Performance
Review
For a list of current required trainings, please contact BVARI Human Resources.
Our employees are our greatest asset and resource, and continued education and
training in the workplace ensures that quality services are provided to the people
we are here to serve. BVARI will be offering four in-service trainings per year
through a partnership with Ceridian Lifeworks, Inc. These will be lead by
professional state certified instructors who are highly experienced in their field.
Participation in one in-service training per year will be required of all BVARI
employees. The complete list of dates, times, locations and capacity limits will
available on the BVARI website under the HR calendar of events. Enrollment
and completion of such trainings must be prior to the end of the calendar year,
December 31st. Non-compliance will result in a written reprimand and be cause
for immediate termination or suspension.
New employees have an initial review period of three consecutive months
worked after date of hire. Completion of the initial review period constitutes no
right to continued employment, as all employees of BVARI are employed at
will.
The supervisor may extend the initial review period at his/her discretion, for
additional calendar months for absenteeism, tardiness, performance problems, or
other reasons. During this period, if performance fails to improve the employee
can be terminated.
An employee will ordinarily have his/her performance reviewed annually by
his/her supervisor. Based on the recommendation of the supervisor, the
employee can be granted a salary increase appropriate to his/her performance.
During the evaluation process, supervisors will review the position descriptions
and work plans with the employees to ensure process and position management.
pg. 9
Work Hours
Exempt and Professional Exempt:
The work hours for Exempt and Professional Exempt staff is determined by time
needed to fulfill their specific job responsibilities rather than by schedules or
shifts.
Non-Exempt Full time:
Non-Exempt employees will ordinarily work eight hours Monday through Friday
with the exact scheduled hours to be determined by each supervisor. Variable
shifts will not be arranged except under special circumstances. The Director of
Human Resources, prior to their implementation, must approve these exceptions
in writing.
An employee is expected to report to work at his/her established starting time. If
the employee is, absent or unavoidably detained, he/she should notify his/her
supervisor as soon as you are aware of the delay or absence. Not only is prompt
notification a matter of courtesy, it also permits the supervisor to make any
necessary adjustments to work assignments in a timely manner.
The following are the minimum standards for scheduled breaks required by
law:
Lunch Break: A half-hour unpaid lunch break must begin no later than six (6)
hours after the Non-exempt employee begins the workday.
Rest Break: Non-exempt staff is entitled to one 15-minute break for each four
hours of work time, scheduled in conjunction with Supervisory approval.
Overtime
Non-exempt Part-time: Those scheduled to work less than eight hours, but at
least five hours per shift, are entitled to a half hour unpaid lunch break.
Overtime is time worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek. A workweek
begins on 12:01a.m. on Sunday and ends at midnight on Saturday (a calendar
week). We have two basic pay plans: exempt salaried employees (full-time and
part-time employees), and nonexempt employees (full-time, part-time, or
temporary employees).
Exempt salaried BVARI employees are employees exempt under the Fair Labors
Standards Act (FLSA) and are paid guaranteed salaries for all work performed.
Overtime is not paid to exempt salaried employees.
Nonexempt BVARI employees are paid an hourly rate for hours worked. They
are paid biweekly and will receive overtime for all hours worked in any week in
excess of 40 hours at one-and-one half times the regular rate of pay, which is
arrived by dividing the total weekly compensation by 40 hours.
pg. 10
Hours credited for paid sick days, vacation days, and holidays do not count as
hours in calculating overtime.
Authorizing overtime: Supervisors must approve overtime pay. No
overtime should be worked without prior authorization unless there is an
emergency situation, in which case it should be brought immediately to the
supervisor’s or the BVARI Director of Human Resources’ attention.
Inclement
Weather
** For all nonexempt BVARI employees: Overtime is paid only for hours
actually worked over 40 hours per week. For example if a BVARI employee
works 50 hours one week and 35 hours the next week, the employee is paid 10
hours at overtime rate (1.5) for the 50-hour work week and regular per hour pay
for the 35 hour work week.
Given the range of institutional programs, the number of essential services
provided and the continuing needs of our veterans, the VA has determined that
all VA personnel are considered essential personnel and must report for their
scheduled tour of duty during extreme weather conditions. BVARI employees
are deemed non-essential personnel, unless a supervisor deems it necessary due
to essential protocol, patient care or laboratory needs. The decision to excuse or
dismiss BVARI employees from work due to severe weather conditions rests
with the employee’s Supervisor. In those extreme situations where an employee
has been deemed an essential employee, BVARI employees are urged to use
their own discretion in deciding whether they can safely commute to work. If
personal health or safety is an issue in that decision, responsible judgment should
be used and an alternative procedure should be put in place to cover the protocol
execution, care of patients, or essential laboratory duties.
Please refer to BVARI’s Inclement Weather policy and Emergency protocol at
the below link:
http://bvari.org/Policies/Forms/AllItems.aspx
Compensation
Inclement weather notifications will be posted n the BVARI website and on the
BVARI telephone announcements.
Exempt employees of BVARI are paid monthly on the 23rd of each month. In
order to track use of Earned Time and to maintain accurate time & effort
reporting, all exempt employees will be required to enter their time reports into
the Harper’s online Time and attendance module; however, individual hours are
not the basis of pay.
Non-exempt (hourly) employees of BVARI are paid on a biweekly basis, with
paychecks issued on alternate Fridays. The employee is responsible for ensuring
that his/her time sheet is submitted electronically on the Harper’s Time &
Attendance module and supervisor approved no later than 5:00 P.M. on the
Monday following the end of a pay period. Non-exempt employees will not be
issued a check without the electronic or paper receipt of an original, signed and
authorized time record. Telephoned messages of hours do not substitute this
pg. 11
VA Employee
Compensation
& Hours
requirement. Any time records not received by close of business on Monday,
will have to submit a paper timecard and receive a manual check within 24
hours.
The receipt of compensation from a private source for performing VA duties and
responsibilities is a Federal criminal violation. VA employees who perform work
for BVARI that is outside the scope of their VA duties and responsibilities can
receive income from the outside source (e.g., BVARI) provided the following
requirement:
- The work is not performed during Government duty time and the work is not
related to VA duties.
- The source of funding does not restrict such payments (i.e. NIH or DoD)
- All required paperwork is submitted and approved, including dual
compensation, current MOU, and WOC appointment.
For example, a VA physician conducting VA research during VA duty hours
can be compensated by the Corporation for work performed on the same peer
reviewed, approved research activity, even if the work is performed during nonVA duty hours. NOTE: VA employees may request an irregular VA tour of
duty, subject to approval by their Supervisor that is consistent with the
requirements of permissible outside activities.
Attendance /
Tardiness
Resignations
pg. 12
Effective immediately, all full-time VA paid employees must complete and
receive approval of dual compensation paperwork prior to receiving salary
support from BVARI. Dual compensation paperwork can be obtained from your
VA service chief, and must receive signed approvals from VA Office of
Regional Counsel, BVARI CEO, VA COS, VA ACOS and the VA Medical
Center Director.
An employee’s attendance record is a prime indication of his/her interest and
concern in the job. Regular attendance is a key element of satisfactory job
performance. Excessive absences or tardiness may result in disciplinary action
up to and including termination. An unreported absence of three consecutive
scheduled workdays is considered a voluntary resignation.
All actual hours worked must be entered into the time report, regardless if time is
made-up during the day. This will ensure consistent records keeping.
Employees leave a position for a number of reasons. BVARI seeks to retain
good employees, but understands that situations change. Employees are asked to
provide as much written notice to BVARI as possible of their intention to resign.
The original resignation letter is to be forwarded to the Director of Human
Resources a minimum of two weeks in advance of the resignation date. BVARI
has the right to pay the employee for two weeks, rather than having the
employee work out his/her notice period.
Benefits
Earned Time
Program
“Earned Time” is a BVARI program designed to accommodate the needs of
employees by combining paid time off benefits into one bank of accrued
benefit hours. Employees may draw from this bank for absences due to
vacation, illness, and personal needs. Earned Time allows managers to plan for
most absences, while allowing employees greater flexibility in scheduling and
using time off benefits.
Eligibility: All employees in positions for which the standard workweek is 20
hours or more are eligible for the paid time off benefits described in this policy.
Accrued Earned Time hours are neither “owned” nor guaranteed to the
employee until the completion of six months of continuous employment.
During the first six months, the newly hired employee will start accruing
Earned Time and may choose to take an absence without pay since the
employee does not yet “own” those Earned Time hours. If an employee
terminates before the 6-month period all used earned time will be deducted
from the employee’s last paycheck.
Loss of Eligibility: When an employee who has had at least 6 months of
continuous eligible service has his/her standard schedule changed to less than
17.5 per week, accrued Earned Time will be paid to the employee in a lump
sum at the rate of pay in effect on the last day prior to the change. If the
employee later returns to being benefit eligible, the Earned Time accrual rate
will be based on the employee’s length of continuous service on the date of the
change.
An employee who terminates employment prior to six months service will not
be paid Earned Time benefits.
Earned Time Accrual: Earned Time is accrued per pay period beginning with
the first week of eligible employment according to the following guidelines:




Non-exempt
Full time employees will accrue Earned Time at the rate of 19.5 days per
year - 6 hours per pay period (biweekly).
Upon completion of 3 years (47 months) of service your accrual rate will
be 26 days per year – 8 hours per pay period (bi-weekly)
Upon completion of 8 years (107 months) of service your accrual rate will
be 32.5 days per year – 10 hours per pay period.
Part time employees will accrue Earned Time on a prorated basis, based
upon the number of hours worked.
Exempt
 Employees will accrue Earned Time at the rate of 24 hours per pay period
(monthly).
pg. 13
 Upon completion of 3 years (47 months) of service Exempt employees
will accrue Earned Time at the rate of 42 days per year – 28 hours per pay
period (monthly).
 Upon completion of 8 years (107 months) of service Exempt employees
will accrue Earned Time at the rate of 48 days per year – 32 hours per pay
period (monthly).
Exempt Professional
 Employees will accrue Earned Time at the rate of 20.67 hours per pay
period (monthly).
 Upon completion of 3 years (47 months) of service Exempt Professional
employees will accrue Earned Time at the rate of 36 days per year – 24
hours per pay period (monthly).
 Upon completion of 8 years (107 months) of service Exempt Professional
employees will accrue Earned Time at the rate of 42 days per year – 28
hours per pay period (monthly).
Part-time Non-Exempt Employees: Employees must work over 20 hours per
week, in order to qualify for this benefit on a weekly basis. Those employees
with sporadic schedules or temporary/seasonal employees will not accrue
earned time.
0-3 years of service .075% of hours worked
4+ years of service
10% of hours worked
How Earned Time Is Paid:
 The number of Earned Time hours paid for any absence is based on the
number of hours regularly scheduled to work.
 Earned Time is paid at the employee’s current rate of pay.
 All Earned Time requests are subject to the approval of the employee’s
supervisor and are based on the operational needs of the department.
 Earned Time hours can be used in blocks of one quarter of an hour by
non-exempt employees, and half day increments by exempt and exemptprofessional employees.
 Employees may not use Earned Time on a regular basis to shorten the
workday.
 No more than twenty days (160 hours) of Earned Time can be carried
over to the following calendar year.
Cash-in Provision: Accrued Earned Time may be taken as cash in lieu of time
off within the following guidelines:
 To be eligible to cash in Earned Time, an employee must have at least
120 hours in his or her Earned Time bank, and must leave a minimum
balance of 80 hours after the cash-in. (This is pro-rated for part-time
employees.)
 To receive an Earned Time cash-in, the employee must submit an Earned
pg. 14
Time Cash in Request form two weeks prior to his/her last paycheck in
that calendar year.
Federal Holidays
Observed
 Each cash-in is based upon the employee’s rate of pay at the time of cashin.
BVARI observes 10 federal holidays per year. The employee’s Earned Time
will not be used to pay him/her on BVARI federal designated holidays which
are:










New Year’s Day
Martin Luther King’s Birthday
President’s Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Veteran’s Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day
Part-time employees who are scheduled to work on an observed holiday will be
compensated at a pro-rated number of hours (i.e. 20 hours per week equals 4
holiday hours paid by BVARI). Full time, non exempt employees (more than
32 hours per week) will receive 8 hours of Holiday pay. Should your tour of
duty exceed 8 hours on the holiday you have the option to work the difference
during the week of the holiday, or use earned time hours to supplement a
normal tour of duty (i.e. 10 hour daily tour you would receive 8 hours holiday
and 2 hours earned time).
When a designated holiday falls on a Saturday, it will be observed on the
preceding Friday; when the holiday falls on a Sunday, it will be observed on the
following Monday.
Jury Duty Leave
Employees are eligible to be compensated for up to three days work missed
from their regular work schedule because of Jury Duty. Please provide a copy
of your jury duty assignment form to BVARI’s Human Resources as soon as
possible. After three consecutive days, the employee is paid by the Court. At
the completion of your jury service, staff members must submit proof of jury
service by State and Federal Court.
During Jury Duty Leave, earned time hours are not used, for up to three
working days. If additional time is needed, an employee may utilize Earned
Time, with permission of his/her supervisor. Earned Time continues to accrue
during the duration of the Jury Duty Leave.
pg. 15
Family Medical
Leave Act
All personnel with at least one year of service with BVARI and who have
worked at least 1,250 hours during the preceding 12 months are eligible to
request a leave of absence under the FMLA for the following purposes:
1) The birth of the employee’s son or daughter, and to care for a
newborn child;
2) The placement with the employee of a son or daughter for adoption
or foster care, and to care for the newly placed child;
3) To care for the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent with a
serious health condition; or,
4) Because of a serious health condition that makes the employee
unable to perform one or more of the essential functions of his or
her job.
Up to twelve weeks of time may be taken from the date an employee requests
leave for a Family and Medical Leave Act qualifying reason. During any
FMLA absence of more than 30 days for a single qualifying event, Earned
Time will stop accruing following the 30th day. Any Earned Time that the
employee has or accrues during the FMLA absence must be used as part of the
FMLA leave. Any remaining leave after the paid time available has been used
will be unpaid time. During an FMLA leave, health benefits will continue. The
portion of the monthly medical premium normally contributed by the employee
must be paid to BVARI by the 25th of each month.
To the extent required by the FMLA and regulations thereunder, FMLA leave
of up to 26 workweeks will be granted to permit an employee who is the
spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin to care for a member of the Armed
Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who is
undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, therapy, or is otherwise in
outpatient status. This leave also permits the employee to deal with any
qualifying exigency, as defined in the regulations of the Department of Labor,
arising out of the fact that the spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the employee
is on active duty (or has been notified of an impending call or order to active
duty) in the Armed Forces. Any such leave shall be subject to the provisions of
this policy concerning leave for other purposes.
Requests for leave because of a serious health condition or to care for a spouse,
child, or parent with a serious health condition will require completion of the
FMLA Certification of Healthcare Provider form, available from Human
Resources. BVARI may require an additional second or third medical opinion,
depending on the circumstances. Leave may be taken intermittently or on a
reduced leave basis.
When the FMLA leave is planned, the employee must request the leave thirty
days in advance of the expected absence. The request must include the expected
dates of absence, the reason for the absence, and the expected return date. For
pg. 16
unplanned leaves, the employee must provide the same information as soon as
practical.
FMLA leave may be taken “intermittently” or on a “reduced leave schedule”
under certain circumstances. Intermittent leave is FMLA leave taken in separate
blocks of time for a single illness or injury. A reduced leave schedule reduces
an employee’s usual number of working hours per workweek, or hours per
workday. It is a change in the employee’s schedule for a period of time,
normally from full-time to part-time. Employees must show the medical
necessity for intermittent leave or a reduced leave schedule. The BVARI policy
is that employees can only request intermittent leave in a minimum of 4 hour
increments.
Employees returning from an FMLA leave due to their own serious health
condition will not be permitted to return to work until they have submitted
medical documentation from their physician indicating that they are capable of
performing the essential functions of their position.
Issues arising regarding Family or Medical leave which are not covered by this
policy will be determined by BVARI at its discretion, subject to the provisions
and regulations of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, as amended.
BVARI reserves the right to request second and third opinions from a physician
of our choice.
For additional information and applicable forms, please contact BVARI Human
Resources.
Bereavement
Leave
When a death occurs in an employee’s immediate family, all regular full time
employees may take up to three (3) days off with pay to attend the funeral or
make funeral arrangements. The pay for time off will be prorated for a parttime employee if the funeral occurs on a scheduled work day. BVARI will
require submission of the Bereavement Leave request form and a copy of an
obituary.
Immediate family members are defined as an employee’s spouse, parents,
stepparents, siblings, children, stepchildren, grandparent, father-in-law, motherin-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, or
grandchild.
Vacation
Request
pg. 17
All vacation requests have to be submitted for prior approval. These requests
must be submitted via the Harpers’ Time & Attendance module for supervisor
approval. All requests should be submitted one week prior to your scheduled
vacation day, and an email reminder sent out the day before. Proper work
coverage should be arranged, if necessary.
Maternity/
Adoption Leave
A full-time female employee who has completed the initial review period and
requests a maternity leave or adoption leave (which applies to a child under 18
years of age or if there is a physical or mental impairment, under 23 years of
age) must advise her supervisor in writing that she intends to return to work on
a full-time basis. The employee will not lose seniority or benefits.
All requests for maternity or adoption leave must be made two weeks prior to
the date on which the leave is desired. The Maternity/Adoption Leave request
form may be obtained from the Human Resources Administrator and must be
submitted by the employee to her supervisor. A maternity/adoption leave will
be approved for up to eight weeks. The employee may access Earned Time
during this period. If the employee is accessing any of the benefits through
BVARI’s insurance provider (Health, Dental, Life Insurance,
Accident/Dismemberment, Short or Long Term Disability) BVARI will
continue to pay the employer contribution of these plans.
The position left by the employee will be available up to eight weeks. Any
employee, who needs a maternity/adoption leave of absence extension beyond
the allotted eight weeks, must submit a request in writing at least one week
before the scheduled return date. In the case of a maternity leave, a letter from
the employee’s physician indicating that an extension is necessary and the
reasons for the extension must support this request. Approval of the extension
is strictly discretionary on behalf of BVARI.
pg. 18
Military Leave:
Reserve Training
and Deployment
Military Leave for Reserve Training
1) Regular full-time employees (with appointment for more than one year)
who are members of the National Guard or a Reserve Component of the
Armed Forces are eligible for military leave when ordered to perform
military duty. Weekend drills are not covered by military orders, and
therefore, may not be charged to military leave.
2) There are two kinds of military leave for authorized employees as described
below:
a) Military leave is available on a calendar year basis for Annual Training
(AT) OR Active Duty for Training (ADT). A full-time military
employee accrues 15 days during the calendar year of military leave,
not to be confused with earned time. Military leave (not to exceed 15
days) which is unused at the beginning of the succeeding calendar year
is carried forward for use in addition to the days which are credited at
the beginning of that calendar year. Military leave may be taken a day
at a time for a continuous period. Non-workdays falling within a period
of absence on military training are not charged against the 15 days of
military training. Employees must be in a pay status immediately before
or immediately after the military service is performed; and
b) Not to exceed 22 workdays in a calendar year for the purpose of
providing military aid to enforce State or Federal Law, as ordered by the
President or Governor.
3) Permanent part-time employees receive a proportionate share of the military
leave provided for full-time employees.
4) Intermittent or temporary employees are not authorized to be granted
military leave.
5) There is no reduction in an employee’s civilian pay when on approved
military leave. However, when on military leave for law enforcement
purposes, the military pay (excluding travel, transportation, or per diem)
must be credited toward the employee’s civilian pay.
6) Military leave must be requested and planned as early as possible.
Employees must receive approval of military leave prior to departure. The
request for military leave will be submitted on Form SF-71, “Application
for Leave” with a copy of military orders attached, and must be routed
through supervisory channels to BVARI’S Director of Finance for
verification of the amount of military leave already taken during the current
year, and forwarded to BVARI’s CEO for approval. Upon completion of
the tour of duty, the employee will submit a certificate of attendance from
the commanding Officer of the Unit with which he/she trained, which will
pg. 19
be attached to the SF-71 retained with the unit timekeeper’s records.
7) Employees may request annual leave or leave without pay (LWOP) to
attend weekend military drills. Employees are expected to notify the
supervisor of weekend drills with as much advance notice as possible, such
as providing a yearly schedule. All reasonable efforts will be made to
change the employee’s tour of duty when it conflicts with mandatory
inactive duty training. If this is not possible, upon the employee’s request,
annual leave or LWOP will be granted. Employee’s are encouraged to
cooperate in scheduling weekend drills with as much advance notice to the
supervisor as possible in order to avoid any adverse affect to patient care.
When there is a scheduling problem that may adversely affect patient care,
the supervisor may contact the employee’s commanding officer to inquire
whether or not the orders can be changed to a later date.
Military Deployment
Law: The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act
(USERRA), enacted October 1994, provide job protection and rights of
reinstatement to employees who perform military service. USERRA applies to
all employees regardless of size of their business. (see Chapter 43, of Title 38
US Code). A military leave of absence will be granted if an employee is absent
in order to serve in the uniformed services of the United States for a period of
up to five years. Employees who perform and return from service in the Armed
Forces, the Military Reserves, the National Guard, or certain Public Health
Service positions will retain certain rights with respect to reinstatement,
seniority, layoffs, compensation, length of service promotions, and length of
service pay increases, as required by applicable Federal or State law.
Pay and Leave:
You will receive military pay in accordance with military policies and terms.
As a BVARI employee on leave without pay (LWOP), BVARI will not pay
you unless you elect to use your 15 days of military leave and/or any earned
time leave that you have accrued. If you return to BVARI, for any period of
time during activation, you will receive pay for the number of hours that you
worked in your BVARI position.
As a BVARI employee on LWOP, you will not earn annual or sick leave.
You are entitled to use 15 days of military leave each calendar year, even
though you are on LWOP. There may be circumstances where an employee has
more than 15 days of military leave available for use due to carryover of leave.
BVARI military status personnel are entitled to any unconditional pay increases
that occurred during the leave period, such as cost of living increases.
pg. 20
Employment:
Upon your deployment you will remain a BVARI employee and will be placed
in LWOP status. You may choose to be placed on military leave or earned time
leave, as appropriate, or you may request separation from BVARI employment.
Benefits:
The following insurance coverage is extended to all BVARI military employees
so that they and their families can receive medical coverage upon their
deployment.
Employees’ Group Life Insurance (EGLI): BVARI employees on LWOP can
continue life insurance at no cost for up to 12 months.
Accidental Death/Short and Long-term Disability: BVARI employees on
LWOP can receive coverage at no cost for up to 12 months.
Employees Health Benefits (EHB): BVARI employees on LWOP can continue
health insurance for up to 18 months. Premiums will be the responsibility of
BVARI employees.
Return to Civilian Duty:
The USERRA requires that any veteran who received a certificate showing
satisfactory completion of service in the uniformed services must be restored to
his previous employment provided he or she applies for reemployment within
the following time limits:
a) 30 days or less: For a period of military service lasting 30 days or less, the
returning veteran must report to BVARI within 48 hours. The BVARI
employee who returns from active duty is requested to correspond directly
with BVARI’S Human Resources Administrator to give notice of the return
date notification in writing. If it is impossible for the veteran to report
within that period through no fault of his own, he must report as soon as
possible. This reporting period also applies to an employee who is absent
from work for an examination to determine his fitness for military service.
b) 31 to 180 days: If the period of service was between 31 and 180 days, the
veteran must apply for reemployment no later than 14 days after military
service ends. The BVARI employee who returns from active duty are
requested to correspond directly with BVARI’S Human Resource
Administrator to give notice of the return date notification in writing. If it is
impossible or unreasonable for the veteran to report within that period
through no fault of his own, on the next calendar day on which it was
possible.
pg. 21
c) More than 180 days: If the period of service is for more than 180 days, the
returning veteran must apply for reemployment within 90 days of the end of
the military service. The BVARI employee who returns from active duty
are requested to correspond directly with BVARI’S Human Resources
Administrator to give notice of the return date notification in writing.
d) Service-Incurred or Aggravated Injury: If the returning veteran is
hospitalized for or convalescing from an illness or injury that was incurred
or aggravated by the period of service, he must report or submit an
application to the employer, depending on the length of period of service,
within the time periods specified above, measured from the end of the
period required for recovery. However, the period of recovery normally is
limited to two years.
e) If a BVARI employee returns from active duty and the position they
presently held before deployment is no longer available, a 30-day assistance
period will be provided for the employee. Efforts will be made for
placement in the VA Boston Healthcare Systems or another VA facility if
necessary. Please contact BVARI’S CEO in the appropriate times outlined
above to take advantage of this assistance option.
pg. 22
Miscellaneous
Leaves of
Absence
Employees may be granted unpaid leaves of absences for other purposes at the
discretion of both his/her supervisor and the Chief Executive Officer. A written
request will be submitted to the Director of Human Resources and by the
employee supervisor. Earned Time may be accessed with the supervisor’s
approval. During any unpaid leave of absence of more than 30 days, Earned
Time stops accruing on the first Sunday following the 30th day. Upon the
employee’s return, Earned Time accrual begins during the first pay period in
which the employee returns to work.
Flexible
Spending
Accounts/
Sentinel Benefits
BVARI has filed a plan with the Internal Revenue Service so that the
employee’s cost of hospital, surgical, medical and dental coverage, as well as
any amount contributed to the Dependant Care Assistance Program, will be
paid before calculating the employee’s Social Security, Federal and State
Income Taxes. This benefits the employee by reducing his/her net pay by an
amount less than the employee’s actual cost of these benefits. The Director of
Human Resources can provide copies of this plan and answer questions should
an employee decide to enroll for benefit coverage.
BVARI employs Flex Choice FSA plan which covers an extensive range of
out-of-pocket expenses. This includes everything from healthcare deductibles
and co-pays, to orthodontics, eyeglasses, and prescriptions. Sentinel Benefits
will send the enrolled employee a “Bennyvisa card”, which can help you better
prepare for and manage unavoidable out-of-pocket costs while reducing your
taxes. This will be deducted on a per pay period basis and the amount will be
stipulated by the employee. Arrangements for direct deposit of
health/dependent care reimbursements into either a checking or savings account
may be made with the Director of Human Resources.
Health Benefit
Plans
Employees whose standard schedule is 30 or more hours per week are eligible
for Health (Major Medical) Benefit Plan via Blue Cross Blue Shield. The Plan
is available for the employee alone and for the employee, their spouse and
dependents. Coverage begins upon date of hire. Open enrollment for the health
insurance plan is June 1st of each calendar year.
BVARI presently contributes a discretionary amount toward the cost of the
premium for the Health Benefit Plan. Notification of premium increases will be
provided at least 30 days prior to any effective date of premium rates changes.
Any employee that drops below full-time status for two consecutive pay
periods will be terminated from the benefits plan accordingly.
To receive more information or access the Plan, the employee should contact
the Director of Human Resources.
pg. 23
Dental Benefits
Plan
Employees whose standard schedule is 30 or more hours per week are eligible
for the Dental Benefit Plan via Blue Cross Blue Shield. The Plan is available
for the employee alone and for the employee and their dependents. Coverage
begins upon date of hire. Open enrollment for the health insurance plan is June
1st of each calendar year.
BVARI presently contributes a discretionary amount toward the cost of the
premium for the Dental Benefit Plan. Notification of premium increases will be
provided at least 30 days prior to any effective date of premium rates changes.
To receive more information or access the Plan, the employee should contact
the Director of Human Resources.
Life Insurance,
Employees whose standard work week is 30 hours or more are eligible for Life
Accidental Death Insurance and/or Accidental Death & Dismemberment benefit via BVARI’s
&
insurance provider. Coverage begins on the date of enrollment, and completion
Dismemberment of relevant documentation.
Benefits
BVARI contributes 100% to the cost of the premiums for these Plans. The
coverage becomes effective on the date of hire.
Short & Long
Term Disability
Benefits
To receive more information or access these Plans, the employee should
contact the BVARI Human Resources department.
Employees whose standard workweek is 30 hours or more are eligible for Short
Term and/or Long Term Disability benefit via BVARI’s insurance provider.
Coverage begins on the date of enrollment, and completion of relevant
documentation.
BVARI contributes 100% to the cost of the premiums for these Plans. The
coverage becomes effective on the date of hire.
COBRA
To receive more information or access these Plans, the employee should
contact the BVARI Human Resources department.
BVARI offers COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
1985) benefits. If an employee who has accessed Health benefits via BVARI’s
insurance provider resigns, is terminated from BVARI, or has a reduction in
standard work hours to less than 30 hours/week, then the employee and his/her
spouse and eligible dependents may have the right to continue to participate in
BVARI’s insurance provider’s plan for up to 18 months (up to 36 months under
certain circumstances)
The spouse and eligible dependents may also extend coverage in the event:
 The employee dies, becomes divorced, legally separated, or eligible for
Medicare benefits
 The dependant ceases to be eligible for coverage under the terms of the
insurance plan
pg. 24
 The employee is deemed disabled under Social Security criteria
Coverage for the employee and/or spouse and eligible dependents may
terminate in the event he/she:
Injury on the Job
Workers’
Compensation
Unemployment
Compensation
Retirement Plan
 Fails to make timely payments of all premiums
 Becomes covered under another group plan which has no pre-existing
condition exclusions
 Becomes eligible for Medicare benefits
 Termination of all group health plans by BVARI
Any work-related injury must be reported immediately to the employee’s
supervisor. All compensated BVARI employees are covered under BVARI’s
Workers’ Compensation Program in accordance with applicable State Laws.
Those employees who encounter a life-threatening emergency within the main
Medical Center building should call x33333; at the other sites employees
should call 911 for assistance.
BVARI will purchase and maintain Workers’ Compensation insurance for each
employee for injuries sustained at work. The total cost of this insurance is paid
by BVARI. The program covers most medical charges and may provide partial
payment for lost wages until the employee is able to return to work. To ensure
proper coverage, any injuries must immediately be reported to the employee’s
supervisor and the form “Supervisor and Employee Report of Accident” must
be completed within three working days and submitted to the Director of
Human Resources. BVARI seeks to bring employees back to work as soon as
medically feasible after an injury. To facilitate this, a modified work program
may be implemented. Depending on the employee’s job, the company will try
for a period of time to protect the job. However, BVARI will review each case
individually to determine whether or not a position can be held open and for
what duration.
During a Workers’ Compensation leave of any length, Earned Time hours are
not used, and are accrued for only the first 30 days of Workers’ Compensation
leave. Benefits are paid in accordance with Massachusetts Law. Persons not
working and receiving Workers’ Compensation must pay their portion of any
insurance benefits they may be enrolled in with BVARI’s insurance provider
during this time.
BVARI provides an employee with unemployment benefits in the event he/she
is laid off due to lack of work. The employee’s local Unemployment Office
determines eligibility and the amount and duration of benefits.
Employees are eligible to participate in the retirement plan after meeting the
eligibility requirements listed below:
Employer (non-elective discretionary) Contribution and Employer
Matching Contributions:
* Complete one year of service and 1000 hours worked during the previous
plan year, as defined by the a document.
pg. 25
* Attaining 21 years of age
There is no minimum age and service requirements for Employee Contributions
The plan does not allow participation by employees who are:
* Non-Resident aliens
* Employees who normally work less than 20 hours per week.
* Employees who elect to make a one-time election to participate in a nongovernmental plan described in 414(d) instead of a 403(b) annuity plan.
Entry Dates:
Upon meeting the eligibility requirement you may enroll in the plan on the
following dates:
* For employee pre-tax contribution employees are eligible to enter the plan on
their date of hire.
* For employer non-elective contributions and employer matching
contributions employees may enter on the following entry dates:
January 1st, April 1st, July 1st, and October 1st
Your Contributions:
Through payroll deductions you can make pre-tax contributions from your
eligible pay. There is no minimum amount that you must elect to contribute.
You may also make Roth after-tax contributions from your eligible pay. The
plan does not limit the amount of compensation that you can elect to contribute.
Pre-Tax contributions and Roth contributions that are deferred from your
compensation are subject to the dollar limit for the calendar year as provided by
law. You may also make Roth after-tax contributions from your eligible pay.
The plan does not limit the amount of compensation that you can elect to
contribute.
If you reach age 50 during the calendar year you are also eligible to make
catch-up contributions in addition to the normal maximum dollar limit. These
limits may be increase from year to year. Please check with the Plan
Representative on the limit for the current calendar year.
Changes to your election to contribute will be governed by either your plan
document or your employer’s administrative policy.
Rollover:
The plan will accept rollover contributions from other eligible plans.
pg. 26
Distributions:
Money may be disbursed from your plan account in these events:
* Death
* Disability
* Termination of service
See your summary plan description for more details about taking a distribution
from the plan. Be sure to talk with your tax advisor before taking a distribution
of money from your plan account.
Financial Hardship Withdrawals:
Hardship withdrawals are permitted from this plan.
A hardship can include:
* Buying a house
* Paying for college tuition and expenses
* Paying certain medical expenses
* Preventing eviction from or foreclosure on your home
* Paying burial or funeral expenses
* Paying expenses to repair damage to your home
If you feel you are facing a financial hardship, you should see your Plan
representative on the options available to you as defined in the plan.
Loans:
The Plan is intended to help you put aside money for your retirement.
However, BVARI has included a plan feature that lets you borrow money from
the plan. The amount the plan may loan to you is limited by rules under the tax
law. The amount the plan may loan to you will be limited to the lesser of onehalf of your vested balance or $50,000.
Employer Contributions to the Plan:
The Plan also provides for your employer to make contributions.
Employer Matching Contributions
Your employer may make contributions that are based on the amount of
employee pre-tax and Roth after-tax contributions that you elect to contribute.
These matching contributions will be a discretionary amount to be determined
by the Employer each plan year. Matching contributions will be made by
BVARI on a quarterly basis.
Employer Non-Elective Contributions
The employer may make a discretionary contribution in an amount to be
determined by the Employer each plan year. These contributions will be made
annually to eligible participants.
Vesting:
Vesting refers to your “ownership” of a benefit from the plan. You are always
pg. 27
100% vested in your plan contributions and your rollover contributions, plus
earnings they generate. Employer contributions to the plan plus earnings they
generate are 100% vested upon meeting eligibility requirements.
Investing Plan Contributions:
The plan is intended to be an ERISA Section 404© plan. This simply means
that you “exercise control” over some or all of the investments in your plan
account. The fiduciaries of the plan may be relieved of liability or
responsibility, for any losses that you may experience as a direct result of your
investment decisions. As a plan participant, you may request additional
investment information from your plan representative.
Account Information:
You will receive a personalized account statement quarterly. This statement
shows your account balance as well as any contributions and earnings credited
to your account during the reporting period.
You will also have access to an automatic voice response system designated to
give you current information about your plan account. You can get up-to-date
information about your account balance, contributions, investment options, and
other Plan data.
Participant Voice Response System: (800) 291-1585
Participant Website:
https://www.myretirementfuture.com
Participant Service Center:
(800) 279-4015 Ext. 206
Investment Professional:
Gary Najarian:
AIG Advisors:
Employee
Assistance
Program
Transit
Reimbursement
pg. 28
(617) 243-0400
gnajarian@royalaa.com
Summary Plan Description:
The above highlights are only a brief overview of the Plan features and are not
a legally binding document. You will also receive a Summary Plan Description
(SPD) that contains more information. If there are discrepancies between the
Plan Highlights and Summary Plan Description and the Plan Document, the
Plan Document will govern. Please read it carefully and contact your Plan
Representative if you have any further questions.
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is designed to help employees
effectively address and overcome problems such as alcohol and drug abuse,
work and family pressures, and job stress which can adversely affect
performance, reliability and personal health. This program is available to
BVARI employees cost-free through Ceridian Corporation. The telephone
number for services is (952) 548-5003.
The Transit Benefit is designed to reduce congestion on the roads and ease the
local parking situation. Employees will receive a registered Charlie Card, or
request a Charlie ticket in the HR office of BVARI and the transit pass will
renew monthly until such time, as you request to stop or terminate your
position. At the end of the month, a payroll deduction for the difference of the
Summary
transit pass requested price and the BVARI contribution will be made. Benefit
eligible part-time BVARI employees will receive a pro-rated percentage of the
benefit based on hours worked.
Please keep this manual where you can refer to it should you have any
questions or suggestions regarding job-related matters.
It is impossible for an employee manual to answer all questions or to anticipate
all problems that may arise. BVARI will make every effort to address situations
or problems not covered in this handbook in a consistent, equitable, and
reasonable manner. Further, while BVARI intends to continue the policies and
benefits described in this manual, this material is not to be considered a binding
contract between the employer and the employee, and all of this material is
subject to change at any time, with or without notice, at the sole discretion of
BVARI. The rights to alter, amend, add or delete all or any part of this manual
is expressly reserved by BVARI.
pg. 29