| Vacation , Sick Pay and Bereavement | Effective Date: 1/1/2019 Revision & Approval Date: 1/29/2021 |
- 0 Purpose:
The company recognizes the importance of offering employees paid time off. Paid vacation days provide a change of pace necessary for employees to recharge and relax. This policy applies to the time off programs available to Norkol employees.
2. 0 Scope:
The vacation pay policy applies to regular, active full-time employees. Certain employee classifications are not eligible for paid vacation time such as part time employees etc. Sick pay is applicable to all active full – time employees.
3.0 Policy:
Eligible employee’s time off is based upon their length of service with the company, as determined by the employee’s service date.
4.0 Procedures:
- Calculating Earned Vacation:
The vacation year is based on the calendar year from 1/1 – 12/31. Employee’s vacation amount is based on the following schedule for each full calendar month completed during the current vacation year. All vacation will be fully accrued at the end of December of the current vacation year. As you reach the next tier of vacation on your anniversary date, your new vacation balance will begin on 1/1 of the following year.
| Years of Service | 8 – hour shift | Accrual Hours | 12 – hour shift | Accrual Hours |
| 0 – 4 | 80 hours (10 days) | 6.7 hours/month | 96 | 8 hours/ month |
| 5 – 19 | 120 hours (15 days) | 10 hours/month | 144 | 12 hours/month |
| 20- 24 | 160 hours (20 days) | 13.3 hours/month | 192 | 16 hours/month |
| 25 plus | 200 hours (25 days) | 16.7 hours/month | 240 | 20 hours/month |
- Procedural Changes for the January 2021 Vacation Policy:
All vacation hours accrued in 2020 will be eligible to be used starting on January 1st, 2021. Norkol employees will no longer accrue vacation time one year in advance to use the following calendar year. For example: In 2021 you will not accrue vacation time for use in 2022. Time accrued in 2020 has already been loaded into Paylocity for use in 2021. All new hires that were hired in 2021 will be granted vacation based on the years of service listed above to use in 2021.
- Vacation Pay out at time of Separation of Employment:
Upon separation from employment with the company, full time, regular active employees will receive pay for unused, accrued vacation earned in the calendar year in which separation from employment occurs. *The one exception to this clause is for employees that have accrued vacation time in 2020 for use in 2021. At the time of separation if an employee has taken more vacation days than earned, the value of the excess days may be subtracted from the final paycheck where state law permits.
- Rate of Pay
Vacation will be paid at the employee’s base rate at the time the vacation leave is taken. Vacation pay does not include overtime or any special forms of compensation such as incentives, commissions, and bonuses. If a holiday falls during the employee’s vacation, the day will be changed to holiday pay, if applicable, rather than to vacation pay.
- Scheduling Vacation Time
Vacation time is scheduled at a time mutually agreed upon between the employee and the supervisor. Exempt employees that submit vacation requests a minimum of one week in advance are likely to have their vacation request approved. Non – exempt Production and Warehouse employees vacation request that are submitted a minimum of 3 calendar days before the start of the shift are likely to be approved. Vacation requests submitted in less time are not likely to be approved. All vacation requests must be approved by the employee’s immediate supervisor prior to the vacation being taken.
Vacations submitted early between October 1 and February 15, will be granted based on seniority for all Production and Warehouse employees. After February 15, vacation will be approved on a first come first approved basis. Vacations can only be taken in half-day increments (4 or 6 hours). Consecutive vacations will not be approved for more than 3 weeks at a time. The scheduling of vacations during the Company’s busy inventory period is discouraged for all Production and Warehouse employees. An exception is made for holiday periods which is not based on seniority but instead is granted on a first come first approved basis. The same holiday cannot be requested two consecutive years in a row by the same person. All time off requests must be approved by an employee’s manager.
Employees are required to submit vacation request through the Paylocity time keeping system online or through the Kiosk. If the online system is not available employees can request that their manager or Human Resources enter their time. Vacation balances are available on the Paylocity system as well as, printed on payroll stubs.
- Vacation Carry Over
At the end of each calendar year employees can only carryover 40 hours. Vacation in excess of 40 hours not used by December 31st of each calendar year will be forfeited. An employee is entitled to receive pay only for accrued unused vacation time that will be pro-rated through date of separation.
- Sick Pay
For absences exceeding three consecutive scheduled workdays you must provide verification that establishes or confirms leave is for an authorized reason and your ability to return to work. If you are ill then a doctor’s note confirming that you were under a doctor’s care and are being released back to work is necessary. All medical information will be kept confidential.
All full-time employees will accrue sick time. These paid sick days can be used due to your own illness, injury, medical appointment or when you or a family member is a victim of sexual assault, domestic violence or stalking or for urgent issues that cannot be accommodated after work hours. Family members are defined as your child/children, spouse, domestic partner, sibling, parent, mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandchild, grandparent, stepparent, or stepchildren.
Employee’s will accrue 3.33 hours of sick time a month for an annual accrual and usage maximum of 40 hours annually. Accrued unused sick leave not used in the calendar year of under 40 hours will be carried over for the next calendar year. Carryover hours cannot exceed 160 hours. At termination of employment sick days will be forfeited except, as otherwise required by law. If rehired within 12-month period sick leave will be reinstated.
All Norkol locations that do not currently have a sick leave policy will follow the policy listed above. If a Norkol location currently has a sick leave policy their policy will not change. Sick time can be used in full hour increments, minimum of 2 hours.
Washington State Accrual
All hourly employees’ accrual is based on one (1) hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours she/he works. Sick time can be used in full hour increments, minimum 2 hours. All other general sick policy applies, where permitted by Washington state law.
State or local ordinance on any policy will prevail.
- Bereavement Leave
Employees who need to take time off due to the death of an immediate family member, should notify their managers as soon as possible.
Bereavement leave will be provided based on the following schedule:
| Category | Eligibility |
| Spouse/Domestic Partner, child, step – child, foster child, parent/step – parent, mother- in law, father-in-law, grandparents, and sibling(s). | Up to 5 consecutive workdays |
- The manager may approve the use of any other available time off such as vacation or sick time, for additional time off that an employee may need.