Currents
The week of May 7-13 is National Hospital Week. This is a time to reflect
on our patient care, teaching and research mission, and to celebrate our
accomplishments.
During this past year we have continued to do more with less, while
providing high quality care. More challenges lie ahead, but I am
certain that through working together we will resolve our financial problems
and continue with our success.
Thank you very much for a job well done.
W. Stuart Smith
Vice President for Clinical Operations and
Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center
CSB pharmacy makes smooth transition to Rutledge Tower Pharmacy
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Paul Bush, Pharm.D., director of Pharmacy Services, described the closing
of the Clinical Sciences Building pharmacy and the transition to the Rutledge
Tower pharmacy as a fairly smooth process. Managers and directors should
contact Dr. Bush or Bobby Bradham, R.Ph., manager of Ambulatory Care Pharmacy
Services, with questions or concerns.
Me Issues Questions and Answers
Please clarify the military leave policy. I am
in the Naval Reserves and would like to know what the Authority is planning.
The military leave policy will remain unchanged. The information in
the Authority booklet will be revised to clarify that Authority employees
will continue to be entitled to paid military leave in the same fashion
as in the past.
What is the methodology for moving employees into
Authority classifications?
There will be no change to the job classification structure when we
convert to the Authority. We expect to continually fine-tune the current
classification structure over time to meet changing needs and conditions.
What will happen to my salary when the Authority
transition takes place? Is it possible that my salary will decrease?
There will be no base salary reductions resulting from the transition
to the Authority.
What will be the Authority’s policy on overtime?
There will be no changes to the overtime policy upon conversion to
the Authority.
Will there be changes for shift differential?
There will be no major changes to shift differential. However, shift
differential for non-productive hours (periods of leave) will not be paid.
Will holiday work time be paid at time-and-one-half
like private hospitals?
The PTO policy does not include holiday differential. However, employees
required to work on a designated holiday have the option of cashing in
a PTO day to enable two days of pay for the holiday worked.
Will 36 hours a week or 72 hours a pay period
be considered full-time, and leave be earned at a full-time rate instead
of prorated?
A full-time schedule for leave accrual and pay purposes will continue
to be 40 hours per week and 80 hours per pay period (2080 hours annually).
After the Authority transition, how and when will
raises be given?
The General Assembly is considering a general increase effective in
July. The General Assembly will finalize the specifics at a later date.
If the July general increase is given to state employees, it also will
be given to Medical Center (Authority) employees.
In the future, greater emphasis will be placed on performance-based
pay in conjunction with performance appraisal review dates. The Authority’s
financial status will have a bearing on increases.
What will be the Authority’s policy on compensatory
leave?
The compensatory policy will not change at this time. Nonexempt (hourly
paid) employees will remain eligible for compensatory leave. We will
continue to examine this policy as we move forward.
Will the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) continue
to be available under the Authority?
Yes.
If an employee separates from the Authority, what
are the provisions for reinstatement/re-employment?
Employees rehired following a break in service will be given service
credit for PTO accrual rate purposes in accordance with the schedule for
“Employees Hired after July 1.” (See the PTO policy.)
Will Medical Center employees who transfer to
the Authority be subject to a new probationary period?
No.
Will mandatory drug testing become a provision
under the Authority?
Mandatory pre-employment drug testing has been an issue that has been
under consideration. Any changes to the current policy will not be a result
of the Authority conversion, but pre-employment drug testing may done in
the future.
Will participation in the retirement system be
optional or mandatory?
Participation will continue to be mandatory. In the future, the Medical
Center hopes to explore an alternative retirement plan that may be more
attractive to job candidates. However, no employees will be asked or required
to discontinue participation in the state retirement plan.
Will the Authority be offering long-term employees
(25+ years) an early retirement, and then the option to be hired back through
the Authority?
This will not be possible in the foreseeable future. Authority employees
will remain under the state retirement plan. Currently, the legislature
is considering some changes to retirement eligibility (to enable retirement
at 28 years of service), but we do not expect to know the final outcome
until later this legislative session.
Will employees have the option of withdrawing
state retirement money and starting anew with the Authority conversion?
The current retirement plan does not provide this option.
Will we still be able to keep our 401(k)s along
with our regular state retirement?
Yes. We will keep the state 401(k) plans along with existing 403(b)
plans and 457 plans.
How will split-funded jobs be treated?
Plans are for split-funded employees to convert either to the Authority
or the University. When split-funded jobs are to be shifted to the University,
the Authority will reimburse the University for services provided.
How will unclassified jobs be treated? What will
become of faculty appointments for the Medical Center?
Unclassified faculty employees paid through Medical Center accounts
will become Authority employees. Employees may maintain adjunct or clinical
faculty appointments, subject to the approval of the respective University
department, but will be paid by the Authority and will fall under the Authority’s
human resources plan.
Are half-time personnel eligible for benefits/PTO
under the Authority?
Half-time employees in “permanent” positions, according to the PTO
policy, are eligible to accrue leave. This is consistent with our current
MUSC/state leave policy, which enables half-time (.5 FTE) employees to
accrue leave. However, employees must work 30 hours per week (.75 FTE)
to be eligible for health benefits. This reflects no change from current
policy.
Are UMA, CMH and other affiliates eligible for
leave accrual based on total years of state employee service, including
other agencies, or only service years at MUSC and its affiliates?
UMA and CMH employees will accrue leave based on their continuous service
with their respective entity at the time of the conversion. The intent
is to keep employees “whole” at the time of the conversion.
Is there a difference between the “state retirement
date” and the “adjusted service date” for PTO accrual rate determination?
Yes. These two dates are not necessarily related. The state retirement
date could include service with a variety of public sector entities (city
government, county government, etc.) that participate in the state retirement
plan. The state service date, on which leave accrual is based, includes
service with state agencies (such as MUSC) but not service with other public
entities that take part in the state retirement plan.
Is current annual leave and sick leave transferred
at 100 percent of its current hours into PTO and ESL?
Yes.
If an employee is out more than 15 days on unpaid
leave, are the first 15 days included in the adjusted service time?
No. The service date will be adjusted after the 15th calendar day of
unpaid leave. This is the same as our current practice.
If an employee has already designated his/her
optional holiday for a date after July 1, can the optional holiday be changed
to a date prior to July 1?
No one will lose an optional holiday selected for this calendar year
that falls after the Authority implementation. If the holiday is not taken
on the day selected due to work requirements, then it can be taken within
one year or otherwise paid out.
Clarification is needed in the bereavement leave
policy regarding the “up to 24 regularly assigned hours” of leave. How
is that determined? How would the current statement prevent an employee
from expecting to take a bereavement day on Friday before a scheduled weekend
off, and then take the other two days on Monday and Tuesday?
The intent is to honor a period of bereavement that occurs during regularly
scheduled work time by providing paid leave. For example, the bereavement
period could include two days immediately following the date of death and
one day for the funeral, provided the three days fall on scheduled work
days. Paid bereavement leave is not intended to cover periods for which
one is not scheduled to work.
Can employees who elect to take “double” pay/PTO
in addition to pay for worked hours for holidays get paid double for all
hours worked on the holiday, even if they worked 12-16 hours?
Yes, the double-pay PTO will be paid at the regular base rate, excluding
other pay such as shift differential.
What is the difference in how the service date
is determined for employees hired after July 1, if any? Is the difference
only in the accrual rate?
The difference is only the accrual rate. As indicated in the policy,
the accrual schedule for employees hired after July 1, will apply. (Employees
employed with an MUSC entity prior to July 1, who are later employed by
the Authority with no break in service, will be eligible for the more generous
accrual schedule.)
What about new employees who already have planned
time off prior to being hired?
Managers may approve leave without pay during the first 90 days
of employment.
Can periods of temporary employment be credited
as service for leave accrual purposes?
No. Temporary employees currently do not accrue leave, and temporary
service is not credited for leave accrual purposes. The intent of the PTO
policy is to enable employees to maintain their service dates for leave
accrual (i.e., no loss and no gain) with the Authority conversion.
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