SPF Coordinator Briefing

1. SPF Coordinator Briefing May 13, 2011

2. Introductions OA, SPF Absence Section Marlene Brady, Supervisor Heather Rickenbaugh Deb Shank Jen Shuttlesworth Anna Gartland, Assistant Sherri Keiter-Reed Chief Absence and Safety Division

3. Logistics • Class time is scheduled for three hours • A break will be scheduled about half way through the session. • Restrooms are located to the right of the bank of elevators. • In the event of an emergency, exit through the doors on your left, turn right and go down the hallway past the restrooms. Use Stair 1 on the left. Once outside the building, head toward the Train Station, Common Lobby area.

4. Objectives • To provide clarification and refresher information to ensure consistency in the administration of SPF Absence provisions. • To provide a forum to network with other coordinators and to learn from each other.

5. Agenda • Training for Supervisors • Workers Compensation / SPF Overlap • Employee Call Offs • Processing Reminders • Health Care Providers • Revised Forms and Letter • Miscellaneous Items • Scenarios and Discussion

6. Training for Supervisors

7. Training for Supervisors • Absence Management for Supervisors • e-LMS course revised • Expected release May 23rd • All supervisors will be automatically enrolled • Classroom course revised • Required for new supervisors • Optional for current supervisors • Available on SPF Coordinator website

8. Workers Compensationand SPF Overlap

9. WC and SPF Overlap • Charge regular (not SPF) paid leave while WC decision is pending • Refer claims with no paid leave to SPF • Refer denied claims (not provisional denials) to SPF • Communicate regularly with SPF • Consider additional AO leave if not eligible for SPF/ESPF

10. Employee Call Offs

11. Employee Call Offs • Under FMLA, SPF absences may be delayed or disapproved if call off policy is not followed • PDC may be conducted to allow employee to provide the circumstances of the call off • Employee does not need to tell supervisor/ manager what the serious health condition is that resulted in the call off • Supervisor may need to consult with SPF Coordinator • Discipline may occur for failure to follow a prescribed call off policy

12. Employee Call Offs Role play scenarios and discussion

13. Processing Reminders

14. Processing Reminders Processing pregnancy and parental leave requests

15. Processing Reminders SPF as parental • Reduced-time use • At agency discretion • Must be a recurring schedule • Intermittent use • At agency discretion • Only during the first 12 weeks in a rolling year • Must be prescheduled and approved by SPF coordinator – never approved for a call off

16. Processing Reminders SPF for male employees during pregnancy and afterward • Use of YSF for the pregnancy – only if medically necessary and certified on the SHCC form. • May not use sick leave as parental. • May use SF for the day of labor and delivery and on the day of release from the hospital. • Same rules apply for intermittent/reduced-time SPF as parental.

17. Processing Reminders Completion of Designation Notices for chronic serious health conditions • Designate based on duration provided on SHCC form, up to 1 year or end of eligibility year, whichever comes first. • Choose only one recertification option block.

18. Processing Reminders Completion of Notice of Eligibility forms • Eligibility must be measured as of the first absence for the event. • Notice of Eligibility must reflect correct “Absence Begin Date” – never use “TBD”. • Use caution when projecting eligibility.

19. Health Care Providers

20. Health Care Providers Acceptable providers • Doctor • Podiatrist • Dentist • Clinical psychologist • Optometrist • Chiropractor • Nurse practitioner • Nurse midwife • Clinical social worker

21. Health Care Providers Acceptable providers (continued) • Physician assistant • Christian Science practitioner • Licensed physical therapist • Licensed psychologist (if UBH) • Licensed social worker (if UBH) • Any health care provider from whom commonwealth’s group health plan accepts certification

22. Health Care Providers When is it appropriate to contact a health care provider directly?

23. Health Care Providers When is it appropriate to share information provided on the Serious Health Condition Certification form completed by a health care provider? • Refer to SPF Coordinator Reference Guide, Section 16, Confidentiality and Maintenance of Records

24. Revised Forms and Letter

25. Revised Forms and Letter • Notice to Employees • Employee Serious Health Condition Certification • Notice of Eligibility • Designation Notice • E1 letter - Approval for Continued Full-Time SPF Into ESPF

26. Miscellaneous Items

27. Miscellaneous Items • Agency visits

28. Miscellaneous Items • Certified mail – use for • Disapproval Notices when the absences won’t be approved (no paid leave will be approved) • ESPF options letters • Unusual circumstances – should be the exception

29. Miscellaneous Items • Motor Vehicle Accidents • Non-work related • MD 530.8, Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law • Employee not required to use accrued sick leave prior to unpaid SPF

30. Miscellaneous Items • Long-term leaves of absence without benefits • PA40 action must be done within 45 days of effective date • If PA40 action cannot be done immediately, set a task in SPF Tracking System for 30 days from the effective date • Contact OA, SPF Section if cannot resolve at the 30-day point

31. Scenarios

32. Scenarios Scenario 1 Linda was absent from work from April 11, 2011 through April 13, 2011 and she submitted a Serious Health Condition Certification form to support her absence.

33. Scenarios Scenario 2 Susan has submitted a Request for SPF Absence form and a Serious Health Condition Certification form to support her request for full-time SPF leave to care for her husband. This is her second request for SPF leave due to her husband’s condition, so you have already determined that she is eligible and entitled. She was previously approved to use intermittent SPF leave from January 24, 2011 through March 25, 2011 and she used a total of 75 hours of SPF leave.

34. Scenarios Scenario 3 You receive a Serious Health Condition Certification form in your inbox from Bob.

35. Scenarios Scenario 4 Lisa was off due to back surgery July 1, 2010 through September 30, 2010. She just informed you that she has to have a subsequent surgery on her back on May 23, 2011 and will be out full-time for another three months.

36. Scenarios Scenario 5 Amy has been a commonwealth employee since October of last year. She was hospitalized over the weekend due to injuries sustained in a car accident. Her doctor has certified that she must remain off work for one week to recover.

37. Scenarios Scenario 6 You are reviewing the 5-Day Absence Report and notice that Mark was off work for 7 days. The comments on the leave request indicate that the absence was due to hospitalization and recovery.

38. Questions?? Use the Help Account As a reminder, use our ra-spfabsence@state.pa.us account instead of our personal e-mails when asking questions.