HR 180 - Employee Benefits Policy

Policy

Depending on job classification and hours worked, in addition to compensation, CWI employees are accorded a number of benefits. At the discretion of CWI, these benefit offerings may be changed or terminated.

Each benefit offering is subject to the specific terms of any applicable benefit plan, insurance policy and/or official resolution of the Board.

Guidelines

Sick Leave

Sick leave is provided to benefit-eligible employees in accordance with the following accrual schedule:

• Exempt staff accrues sick leave at the rate of four (4) hours per pay period.
• Full-time non-exempt staff accrues sick leave at a rate of .0462 hours per hour worked in the pay period.
• Faculty accrue sick leave based on the number of pay periods as outlined in the chart below.

Faculty Contract Length	Sick Accrual Rate per Month on Contract	Total Sick Hours Accrued per Academic Year
9 - 9.5 month	8	72
10 month	8	80
11 month	8	88
12 month	8	96

• Part-time benefit-eligible employees accrue sick leave on a pro-rated basis according to hours worked.

Sick leave may be used in the event of the employee’s illness or the illness of an immediate family member as defined above.

Employees should notify their supervisor of the need for sick leave as soon as practical for the employee to do so before the start of the employee’s shift. Employees may be asked to provide documentation showing the necessity of sick leave. Negative sick leave balances are not permitted unless authorized by an appropriate Vice President.  Should an employee have a negative sick balance upon separation of employment, CWI may deduct the advanced sick leave from their final paycheck. Employees are not entitled to payment for unused sick leave upon separation of employment.

Vacation Leave

Vacation leave is provided to all benefit-eligible employees. Vacation leave accrues from the start of employment as described below:

• Exempt staff accrue vacation leave at the rate of eight (8) hours per pay period.

• Full-time non-exempt staff accrue vacation leave based on the number of hours worked per pay period and years of service as outlined below.

Non-Exempt Months of Service	Vacation Accrual Rate per Hour Worked	Approx. Total Vacation Days Accrued per Year
0-24	.0577 hours	15
25-72	.0692 hours	18
More than 72	.0808 hours	21

• Full-time faculty with a contract of less than 12 months are not eligible for vacation leave. In lieu of vacation leave, faculty are provided personal days as defined in HR 340 – Full-Time Faculty Compensation Policy. Personal days do not accrue from year to year and are lost if not used by the end of the fiscal year. Personal days for reasons of personal convenience may be granted to a faculty members upon approval of their Department Chair. Faculty members must notify their supervisor at least two weeks in advance of the proposed days away, and arrangements must be made for the coverage of the classes the faculty member will miss and other responsibilities.

• Faculty with a 12-month contract accrue vacation leave at the rate of eight (8) hours per pay period.

Accrued vacation leave may be carried over from year to year. However, vacation leave will only accrue up to a maximum of two-hundred forty (240) hours. When the maximum accrual is reached, no further leave will accrue until the employee uses vacation leave so as to fall below the maximum. Negative vacation leave balances are not permitted unless authorized by the appropriate Vice President. In situations where employees request time off without sufficient accrued vacation leave, the additional time must go through the Unpaid Leave of Absence process set forth below. Upon separation of employment, unused accrued vacation leave will be paid in a lump-sum payment at the employee’s current hourly rate of pay.

Vacation leave accrued by employees whose compensation and benefits are funded by grants or special projects funding may need to be taken each year and not carried into the next fiscal year. In addition, accrued vacation leave paid to these employees upon separation of employment may be limited to those hours accrued during the term of the grant or special projects funding. Each case will be reviewed to ensure alignment with grant compliance and current business conditions.

Vacation leave is to be scheduled in advance and with the consent of the responsible department supervisor. Efforts will be made to accommodate the preference of the employee in vacation scheduling, but first priority will be the orderly functioning of affected departments.

Leave Donation Program

CWI’s leave donation program allows CWI employees to donate vacation, sick, or personal days to employees who have exhausted their own leave balances and will otherwise be without pay during an approved leave of absence for qualifying reasons as described below.  Participation in the program is entirely voluntary.  Employees should not solicit other employees to participate in this donation program.

Eligibility Criteria for Receiving a Leave Donation

Benefit eligible employees are eligible to receive a leave donation ("Vacation Donation Leave") if CWI approves an FMLA or personal leave of absence and the employee meets the following criteria:

• The employee, or the employee’s immediate family member, is suffering from a serious medical condition that will require the prolonged absence of the employee from duty and will result in a substantial loss of income to the employee due to the exhaustion of all paid leave available. Leave Donation may also be available when leave is necessary for the serious health condition of other family members if personal leave has been approved for the employee to attend to the family member’s serious health condition; and/or when leave is necessary for absences relating to the death of a parent, spouse, or child.

• The employee has exhausted all available leave, including sick, vacation, and personal leave, and will be in a “without pay” status during the leave.

• The employee is not receiving payment from short- or long-term disability or workers’ compensation.

Leave Donation Maximum

• An employee may receive up to a maximum of forty (40) hours of donated leave per fiscal year from the Leave Donation Bank (“Leave Bank”).

• Efforts will be made to fulfill all employee requests made to the Leave Bank; however, there is no guarantee that the Leave Bank will contain a sufficient balance of donated hours to meet all requests in full.

• There is no limitation on the amount of donated leave an employee may receive directly from other employees pursuant to this policy.

Leave Donation Allocation

Hours will be donated to the requesting employee on a pay period to pay period basis, based on the employee’s shortage of accrued leave and the number of Leave Donation hours available in the Leave Bank.  Depending on the total hours in the Leave Bank, employees receiving donated leave from the Leave Bank will receive hours based on the total hours requested. In the event, there are several requests and the cumulative total being requested exceeds the balance of available hours, the available hours will be divided equally between all eligible employees not to exceed the maximum number of hours needed to make the employee whole.  Hours added to the employee’s sick leave balance may not exceed the policy maximum.

Leave Donation hours will be approved in increments (blocks) of four (4) hours or more. If the Leave Bank has a total balance of four (4) hours or less, no hours will be disbursed to employees.

Leave Bank donation reminders will be emailed to employees with high accrued vacation leave balances throughout the year in an effort to sustain a balance of donated hours.

Leave Donation Criteria

Staff and Faculty on 12-month contracts must meet the following criteria to donate accrued vacation leave.

• Donate a minimum of eight (8) hours

• Have at least eighty (80) hours of accrued leave type (sick or vacation) remaining in their leave balance after the donation is deducted.

Faculty on less than a 12-month contract may donate unused personal days if they meet the following criteria:

• Donate the minimum of eight (8) hours

• Donate between May 15 and June 30 of the current academic year to ensure personal days are available for use during the year.

Conversion of Donated Leave

Donated leave will be converted to sick leave on an hour-for-hour basis and will be used at the receiving employee’s current rate of pay.

Process to Donate Leave

Employees who wish to donate leave to the Leave Bank must submit a Leave Donation Form to Human Resources. Human Resources will determine if the employee meets the criteria to donate and will transfer the approved donated hours to the Leave Bank.

Employees may donate leave directly to another employee who is eligible for donated leave.

• An employee may designate that donated leave to be transferred specifically to another employee.
• Employees who wish to donate leave directly to another employee must submit a Leave Donation Form to Human Resources.
• Human Resources will determine if the employee meets the criteria to donate and whether the receiving employee is eligible to receive a leave donation.
• Any unused leave that has been donated directly to an employee will remain in the employee’s sick leave accrual balance until used.

Process to Use Donated Leave

• To be eligible for donated leave, employees must submit a request for FMLA or personal leave to their supervisor, which is then submitted to Human Resources.
• If the leave is approved, and the expected time off exceeds that of the employee’s accrued sick, vacation, and/or personal leave hours, Human Resources will either (i) transfer hours from the Leave Bank to the employee’s sick leave account as necessary to cover the hours without pay, up to the maximum allowed by this policy; or (ii) credit the employee’s sick leave account with those hours donated directly to the employee by other employees.
• The number of hours to transfer will be reviewed on a per pay period basis, based on need.

Fiscal Obligation

The Budget Office will coordinate with the cost center of the receiving employee to ensure funds are available to cover any increase in expense.

Privacy

The names of employees donating leave will be kept confidential to the extent possible.  This confidentiality is intended to preclude any repercussions for employees who choose not to donate leave, as well as for those who do donate. The reason for an employee’s leave of absence and the nature of the employee’s own serious health condition or the serious health condition of their family member will also be kept confidential.

Military Leave

Pursuant to the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (“USERRA”), any employee absent from work because of service in the uniformed services of the United States will be granted a military leave of absence without pay during such absence. The uniformed services of the United States include the Armed Forces (U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Space Force, and the reserves of each) and the Army and Air National Guard when engaged in active duty for training, inactive duty training, or full-time National Guard duty.

Unless precluded by military necessity, or otherwise impossible or unreasonable, employees must provide to CWI advance written or verbal notice of each pending service as far in advance as is reasonable under the circumstances. CWI requests that the notice and a copy of military orders be provided to CWI at least thirty (30) days prior to departure for service when it is feasible to do so.

For employees who are entitled to military leave under USERRA to attend required annual training as part of the Reserves or the National Guard (typically a two-week period), during such leave, up to a maximum of two weeks, such employees shall receive as compensation the difference between their regular CWI pay and any compensation received from the military during the leave.

For all other military leave, an employee may use earned vacation during the leave, if available and if the employee so desires. Otherwise, the leave shall be without pay.

While on military leave for thirty (30) consecutive days or more, an employee who is covered by CWI’s medical insurance plan may elect to continue their current coverage under the plan, including coverage for any of the employee’s family members on the plan, at CWI’s expense. This coverage will be available to the employee for the lesser of (i) the day when the employee completes military service; (ii) a period of twenty-four (24) months beginning thirty (30) days after the date on which the employee’s leave of absence begins; or (iii) the day after the date on which the employee fails to apply for or return to their position of employment pursuant to the requirements of USERRA. Thereafter, if the employee returns to employment with CWI, the employee’s coverage under and the cost of CWI’s medical insurance plan will revert to the coverage and cost the employee had immediately prior to the military leave. Employees who are on military leave for less than thirty (30) days, and who is currently covered by CWI’s medical insurance plan, may elect to continue their current coverage under the plan while on the leave.

An employee who qualifies for military leave under USERRA shall, upon his or her completion of service in the uniformed services, generally be reemployed by CWI provided that:

• the employee gave advance written or verbal notice to CWI of the service;
• the employee is still qualified to perform the duties required of his/her position;
• the employee reports to, or submits an application for reemployment to, CWI in accordance with the requirements of USERRA. Employees should consult with Human Resources for more specific information relating to the return to work requirements under USERRA;
• the employee was not separated from uniformed service with a disqualifying discharge or under other than honorable conditions;
• in general, the cumulative length of the absence and of all previous absences from CWI by reason of service in the uniformed services does not exceed five (5) years; and
• CWI’s circumstances have not changed so that it would make it impossible or unreasonable to rehire the employee or cause an undue hardship on CWI should it rehire the employee.

Should an employee fail to return to work upon completion of military service, or make application for reemployment as required by USERRA, the employee will be considered to have voluntarily resigned from CWI.

Any employee who has been reemployed by CWI after serving time in the uniformed services of the United States will be eligible for all benefits provided by CWI, consistent with the employee’s job classification, hours worked, and seniority that the employee would have attained had he or she not been absent from work for military service. Employees on military leave shall continue to accrue sick leave and vacation leave while on military leave.

Holidays

CWI officially observes eleven holidays (88 hours), as follows:  

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. / Idaho Human Rights Day
• President’s Day
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Day after Thanksgiving
• Christmas Eve
• Christmas Day

Full-time benefit-eligible employees shall receive eight (8) hours of compensation for each holiday even though they do not work. If the normally scheduled workday exceeds eight (8) hours employee may claim vacation hours to complete the normally scheduled workweek hours. Part-time, benefit-eligible employees will receive holiday pay on a pro-rated basis. Full-time faculty with a contract of fewer than 12 months are not eligible for holiday pay.

Holidays that fall on a Saturday shall be observed on the preceding Friday. Holidays that fall on a Sunday shall be observed on the succeeding Monday. CWI will maintain business hours on the day before Thanksgiving and during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day to maintain limited service to the public. The Executive Operations Team will formalize what the ‘limited-service hours’ will be for their divisions prior to each holiday season. The Division Managers are responsible for staffing their departments to meet the needs of their customers (the public, students, etc.) during this week when volumes are low and should communicate employees’ schedules appropriately. The holiday schedule may be changed at any time by the President. This policy does not apply to part-time non-benefit eligible employees.

The employee’s employment status and work schedule will determine how an employee is paid Holiday Pay. Departments that must have employees working on the above-mentioned dates shall request prior approval from the President or appropriate Vice President.

Bereavement Leave

Up to five (5) days of paid bereavement leave shall be provided to benefit-eligible employees for a death in the family (spouse, domestic partner, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, parents-in-law, grandparents-in-law, children-in-law, grandchildren-in-law, brothers-in-law, and sisters-in-law).

Bereavement days will be paid for days that the employee is normally scheduled to work. Time taken does not need to be taken consecutively. Additional accrued vacation leave or an unpaid leave of absence may also be approved.

Unpaid Leaves Of Absence

Employees may be granted a leave of absence without pay for justifiable reasons such as illness not otherwise covered by CWI’s Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) policy, emergencies, or other compelling reasons, or to participate in constructive or educational activities as determined and approved by the employee’s supervisor. Unless otherwise provided by law, employees who are not benefit-eligible are not eligible for an unpaid leave of absence. Employees are required to use their accrued vacation and sick leave before going into unpaid status during an approved leave of absence.

CWI will make every reasonable effort to hold open the position of an employee on an approved leave of absence. However, unless otherwise required by law, CWI retains the right to fill the position if it becomes necessary to do so. Failure to return to work from a leave of absence will be considered a voluntary resignation.

Faculty Leave

Full-time faculty are entitled to the following:

Educational Release Time: Release time granted for the purpose of attending approved conferences, seminars, school-related activities, etc., as approved by the Provost, are counted as days of service to CWI.

Professional and Extended Leave: Leave with pay may be granted to faculty and staff members for the purpose of attending conferences and professional meetings, provided arrangements are approved in advance. Travel expenses and per diem allowances may be allowed pursuant to CWI ADMIN 060 – Travel Policy. Extended professional leave may be granted for periods of up to one year to full-time faculty who have completed at least three years of service at CWI. Extended professional leave is without pay and is intended to assist the faculty member in completing training at an institution of higher education or other approved school. Extended professional leave must be approved by the President.

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Eligibility Requirements: 

To be eligible for FMLA benefits, prior to any leave request, the employee:

• must have worked for CWI for at least twelve (12) months, though the 12 months need not be consecutive; AND
• must have worked at least 1,250 hours for CWI during the 12-month period immediately preceding the commencement of the leave.

Entitlements: The FMLA provides an entitlement of up to twelve (12) weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave during any 12-month period to eligible, covered employees for the following reasons: (i) birth and care of the eligible employee's child, or placement for adoption or foster care of a child with the employee; (ii) care of an immediate family member who has a serious health condition; (iii) care of the employee's own serious health condition which renders the employee unable to perform the functions of the position; or (iv) a qualifying exigency arising out of an employee’s immediate family member’s active duty or call to active duty. In addition, as addressed in more detail below, an employee who is the immediate family member or next of kin of a covered member of the Armed Forces and needs leave to provide care for the service member who has a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty may be entitled to up to twenty-six (26) weeks of leave in a 12-month period.

The FMLA also requires that the employee's group health benefits be maintained during the leave. The 12-month period is determined using a “rolling” 12-month period measured backward to the date an employee first uses any FMLA leave.

If all eligibility requirements are met, the employee is covered under the FMLA. He or she may request up to 12 weeks of leave during which CWI will continue the employee's benefits (employer portion only). If the employee does not return to work, CWI may recover from the employee the premium(s) that were paid for the employee’s medical coverage unless the employee does not return because of: (i) the continuation, reoccurrence, or onset of a serious health condition of the employee or the employee’s family member who would otherwise entitle the employee to leave under the FMLA; or (ii) circumstances beyond the control of the employee. Total combined FMLA leave for employee spouses who both works for CWI is 12 weeks if the leave is for reasons other than the employee’s own personal serious illness.

Concurrent Use of Accrued Leave and Worker’s Compensation Required: Employees are required to use any accrued paid vacation and sick leave (if applicable) concurrently with any FMLA leave. If paid leave accruals are less than 12 weeks, the employee may take the remainder of FMLA leave as unpaid leave. Employees will continue to accrue leave while utilizing their paid sick and vacation leave. They will cease to accrue vacation and sick leave during any unpaid portion of their leave. Any lost time related to a workers’ compensation claim will also run concurrently with any FMLA leave.

Employee Obligations: Employees are required to give thirty (30) days advance notice, or as much time as practical when the need for FMLA leave is foreseeable. If advance notice is not possible, the employee should give CWI notice of the need for leave as soon as possible. CWI reserves the right to request medical certification supporting any leave. If CWI has reason to doubt the validity of the medical certification, it may require a second opinion at its expense. If the two opinions differ, CWI may request a third opinion, at its expense, from a health care provider mutually agreed upon by CWI and the employee. The third opinion shall be binding and final. CWI may also require a doctor's fitness for duty report prior to the employee returning to work which addresses the employee’s ability to perform the essential functions of their job. Leave may be denied if these requirements are not met. The decision to allow an employee to return to work will be solely CWI’s in compliance with the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act. Should a doctor not find the employee fit to return to duty, the employee will not be allowed to return to work.

Contact Human Resources to discuss your rights and obligations for the continuation of any current benefits you are receiving. Employees must make arrangements for payment of their portion of their benefit costs or discontinuation of those benefits will occur.

To request a leave, employees should complete the FMLA Leave Request form and submit it to Human Resources. If the employee is unavailable to request leave, the supervisor should notify Human Resources on the employee’s behalf or a friend or family member may notify Human Resources on the employee’s behalf.

Intermittent Leave Requests: FMLA leave may be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave, scheduled to allow the employee to care for a sick family member, or for an employee’s own serious health condition, when medically necessary. If an employee needs intermittent leave or leaves on a reduced hours basis that is foreseeable, CWI may, in its sole discretion, temporarily transfer the employee to another job with equivalent pay or benefits that better accommodate that type of leave. In the circumstance of birth or placement of a child for adoption or foster care, intermittent leave is only available if approved by the employee’s supervisor and the Executive Director of Human Resources. To the extent possible, employees requesting intermittent leave or reduced hours should schedule their leave so as to disrupt operations as little as possible. Employees must communicate their absences to their supervisor on a regular basis or as otherwise required by applicable CWI procedures.

CWI’s Rights and Obligations: CWI has the right to determine whether the employee is or is not an “eligible employee” under the Act. CWI also has the right to place an employee on FMLA leave without the employee’s consent should CWI determine that the employee meets the eligibility requirements under the Act.

CWI will return the employee to the same or an equivalent position after returning from FMLA leave, subject to the terms of the Family and Medical Leave Act. The only exception may be for individuals who, under the provisions of the FMLA, are considered to be a "key employee" whose extended absence would cause "substantial and grievous economic injury". CWI reserves the right to require periodic notices (determined by CWI) of the employees or their family member's FMLA status and the employee’s intent to return to work.

The National Defense Authorization Act: On January 28, 2008, the FMLA was amended by the National Defense Authorization Act. This amendment provides an entitlement of up to twenty-six (26) weeks of unpaid leave during a single 12- month period to an eligible employee who must care for a covered servicemember who has a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty. CWI may require the request for this type of leave to be supported by medical certification.

The National Defense Authorization Act also provides twelve (12) weeks of FMLA leave to an employee for qualifying exigencies arising out of the employee’s spouse, child, or parent’s active-duty call or call to active duty with the Armed Forces. No serious medical condition is required for this type of leave. CWI may require the request for this type of leave to be supported by a certification that the service member is actually on active duty or has been called to active duty. CWI employees shall provide prior notice when the need for this type of leave is foreseeable.

If you have any questions about your rights under FMLA please contact the Human Resources Office.

PAID PARENTAL LEAVE

Eligible CWI employees may use up to eight (8) weeks of paid parental leave due to the birth, adoption, foster care or kinship placement of a child. The purpose of this is to enable the employee to care for and bond with a newborn, newly adopted child, or newly placed child in foster care or kinship care. Paid parental leave shall run concurrently with leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), as applicable. Any leave taken under this policy that falls under the definition of circumstances qualifying for leave due to the birth, adoption, foster care or kinship placement of a child, will be counted toward the twelve (12) weeks of available FMLA leave. An employee will be eligible for paid parental leave even if the employee has otherwise exhausted their FMLA time prior to the birth or placement of the child. If an employee becomes eligible for FMLA while on paid parental Leave, the employee must apply for and use FMLA.

Eligibility Requirements: To be eligible for Paid Parental Leave benefits, the employee must meet the following criteria:

• has been employed with CWI for at least twelve (12) months during the past seven (7) years (the 12 months do not need to be consecutive); AND

• has worked at least 1,250 hours during the twelve (12) month period immediately preceding the date of the birth, adoption, or placement; AND

• be a benefit-eligible employee (work more than twenty (20) hours per week and be expected to be employed for more than five (5) months).

In addition, employees must meet one (1) of the following criteria:

• Be a new parent by childbirth (surrogate mothers and sperm donors are excluded from this policy); OR

• Be the new adoptive parent of a child under the age of 18 (the adoption of a new spouse’s child is excluded from this policy); OR

• Be a parent of a child born by a surrogate mother; OR

• Be an individual seeking to adopt a child after the birth of that child, but the adoption has not yet been finalized; OR

• Be an individual actively approved to provide foster care or kinship and have an active and ongoing role in parenting the child in their care.

Use of Paid Parental Leave

• An eligible employee will receive a maximum of eight (8) weeks (320 hours for full-time employees) of Paid Parental Leave that must be used within twelve (12) weeks after the birth, adoption, foster care or kinship placement of a child.

• An eligible employee working less than full-time will receive a prorated portion of Paid Parental Leave. The prorated portion of Paid Parental Leave is calculated based on the percentage of hours the employee is normally scheduled to work.

• An employee may use Paid Parental Leave continuously for eight (8) weeks, or as a predefined reduced work schedule, as long as it is used within twelve (12) weeks of the birth, adoption, foster care or kinship placement of the child.

• An employee may not receive more than eight (8) weeks of Paid Parental Leave in a rolling twelve (12) month period. Multiple births, adoptions, foster care or kinship placements within twelve (12) months do not increase the amount of Paid Parental Leave.

• Eligible spouses who both work for CWI will each receive a maximum of eight (8) weeks of Paid Parental Leave that must be used within twelve (12) weeks of the birth, adoption, foster care or kinship placement of the child.

• Eligible spouses who both work for CWI are limited to a combined total of twelve (12) workweeks of Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave in a rolling twelve (12) month period for FMLA-qualifying reasons.

Limitations on Use of Paid Parental Leave

• An employee may not use Paid Parental Leave in excess of the employee’s normally scheduled workweek. For example, if a full-time employee plans to work a reduced work schedule, but then works in excess of what was planned, the employee is required to reduce the number of Paid Parental Leave hours coded during that workweek. The employee’s unused Paid Parental Leave can still be used within twelve (12) weeks after the birth, adoption, foster care or kinship placement of a child.

• An employee may not use Paid Parental Leave intermittently unless approved by the employee’s supervisor and Human Resources. If the supervisor approves the employee’s use of intermittent Paid Parental Leave, the intermittent Leave must be used within twelve (12) weeks of the birth, adoption, foster care or kinship placement of the child.

• An employee who is an adoptive parent may not use more than eight (8) weeks of Paid Parental Leave in a rolling twelve (12)-month period and is exempt from the continuous leave requirement if the adoption is not final. This provision does not bar individuals from receiving Paid Parental Leave when the adoption is not finalized, for whatever reason.

• Paid Parental Leave may not be donated to another employee.

Compensation of Paid Parental Leave

• Each week of Paid Parental Leave is compensated at one hundred percent (100%) of the employee’s base salary at the time of leave. Paid Parental Leave will be paid on CWI scheduled pay dates.

• CWI will maintain all benefits for an employee while on Paid Parental Leave.

• An eligible employee who separates from CWI will not be paid for any unused portion of Paid Parental Leave.

• If a holiday occurs while an employee is on paid parental leave, that day will be considered as a day covered by holiday pay and will not count towards the employee's paid parental leave entitlement or FMLA hours

• If the employee is on paid parental leave when CWI authorizes paid administrative leave due to inclement weather and/or an office closure, that time will be recorded as paid parental leave.  Administrative leave will not extend to the paid parental leave entitlement.

Request and Approval to Use Paid Parental Leave

• An employee must provide at least thirty (30) days’ notice prior to taking Paid Parental Leave, when foreseeable, to the employee’s supervisor and to Human Resources. In situations where advance notice is not practicable, the employee must notify Human Resources as soon as feasible. “As soon as feasible” would ordinarily mean the employee provides verbal notification to CWI within ten (10) business days of the employee knowing the need for leave.

• To request Paid Parental Leave, FMLA paperwork must be requested from Human Resources (see Family and Medical Leave Act). Human Resources will send a Notice of Eligibility and Rights and Responsibilities to the employee within five (5) business days of receiving the completed FMLA paperwork.

• An employee is required to provide legal documentation of the birth, adoption, foster care or kinship placement of a child within thirty (30) days of the birth, adoption, or placement, or as soon as it becomes available. The employee’s name must be included as a legal parent on the birth certificate, a legal document establishing paternity, or legal document establishing adoption. Situations where a legal document cannot be provided at the time of birth or adoption, or within the required timeframe, or a reasonable time thereafter, will be considered on a case-by-case basis by Human Resources.

• Paid Parental Leave must run concurrently with any approved FMLA leave and will be counted toward the twelve (12) weeks available under FMLA leave in a rolling twelve (12)-month period.

• An eligible employee who has exhausted their FMLA leave may still utilize Paid Parental Leave.

• An employee who becomes eligible for FMLA while on Paid Parental Leave after the birth, adoption, foster care or kinship placement of a child must apply for and use FMLA. Human Resources will contact the employee once they are eligible for FMLA to facilitate the application process.

• Employees are not eligible to receive Donated Leave while utilizing Paid Parental Leave. An employee may be eligible to receive Donated Leave after Paid Parental Leave and all other accrued leave is exhausted, or if the employee is not eligible for Paid Parental Leave.

Change In Benefits

CWI reserves the right to change, condition, or terminate any benefits set forth in this section. No employee shall acquire any rights in any current or future status of benefits except as the law otherwise requires.

Employees who had a mandated change of FLSA status on July 1, 2016 from an exempt to a non-exempt status will remain as legacies in their existing leave and retirement plans while in their existing positions. If an employee chooses to apply to another non-exempt position and accepts the position, they will be moved to the corresponding vacation leave and retirement plans.

Benefits For Part-Time Or Temporary Employees

All employees shall receive benefits as required by law to include Worker’s Compensation insurance. All other benefits are to be determined by CWI.

Insurance Coverage Available To Employees

Health insurance is available to employees and family members subject to the terms and conditions of CWI’s health insurance plan and any applicable health insurance policy. Employees are encouraged to contact the Human Resource Office to learn about sign-up and claims procedures. Other insurance offerings including life insurance, disability insurance, vision insurance, and supplemental income protection may be available at the employee or CWI’s expense. The Human Resource Office should be contacted for additional information about any of these benefits. Any such offerings are subject to change at any time.

Retirement

All benefit-eligible non-exempt employees must participate in the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho (PERSI). PERSI mandates withholding a percentage of an employee's gross salary for pension purposes, which is presently exempt from Federal and State income taxes, and CWI matches this with an additional contribution. Contact the Human Resource Office for further information.

Full-time faculty and exempt staff are automatically enrolled in the Optional Retirement Plan (401a) selected by the State Board of Education and administered by a third party vendor.   After employment with CWI, benefit-eligible faculty and exempt staff, must participate in the ORP to serve as their retirement carrier or they may choose to stay with PERSI if they are already vested in that plan. Contributions to the employee’s retirement plan are made by CWI and the employee. Investment choices are the responsibility of the employee, and plans are portable. Contact the Human Resources Office for further information.

Years Of Service Award Program

As one way to show appreciation to our employees, CWI offer a Years of Service recognition program as follows:

• Staff and faculty employees will receive recognition upon five (5) years of service at the annual Fall Address.

• Employees who reach five (5) years with CWI by June 30 will be recognized at the Fall address.

• Staff and faculty employees will then, every five (5) years after their first five years of service, receive recognition thanking them for their continued service to CWI.

Employee Assistance Program

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a short-term counseling and referral service provided to all benefit eligible employees. The program addresses marital, child or other family problems, persistent anxiety, abuse of alcohol or other drugs, stress problems, depression, grief, or other distracting concerns.

Employees and their immediate family members may participate in counseling sessions in accordance with the terms and conditions of CWI’s contract for such services.

Jury Duty And Witness Compensation

Leave will be granted, and full pay provided to employees asked to testify either in a deposition or in court on behalf of CWI or otherwise subpoenaed to testify in a deposition or in court, called to serve as a witness in court in matters specifically related to CWI operations. Further, leave will be granted, and full pay provided to employees called to serve on jury duty when the jury time required interferes with their regularly scheduled work shift.

Cobra Benefits

Employees of CWI who receive medical benefits and who separate their employment may be eligible to continue those medical benefits at the employee’s sole cost and expense for a limited time in accordance with the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA). If you have any questions regarding your right to continue your health coverage after separating from CWI please contact Human Resources.