Rebecca Edwards, SPHR, SCP provides workplace-tested and proven solutions to employers & employees with her firm, Infinite HR of Charlotte.
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With the massive change in the medical/legal landscape, which has prompted many companies to note that they will offer travel allowances for those who may need to seek medical care within another state, it is imperative to plan for the effective administration of these types of policies.
Like most major policy changes within organizations, the responsibility of carving out the administrative details needed to bring them to fruition will lie with human resources. As it should because that’s what we do in HR. We look at the overarching vision of the change, confirm the intent, and then figure out how to apply it across the structure and culture of an entire organization. So let’s look at a few of the areas to review for these types of changes, regardless of the organization type.
Time-Off Policy And Administration
Whether it’s called PTO (paid time off), vacation or personal time within your organization, you’re going to need to start with looking at the verbiage in this policy as well as the actual process flow.
The structure of most time-off policies includes a provision for an employee to receive approval from their manager. With that, there is usually a space for the employee to note what the time off is for (i.e., why they are requesting time off). Consider removing that. An employee should be able to simply request time off from X date to Y date without having to explain if it’s for an anniversary trip, annual spring cleaning of their house, visiting relatives or binging all of the seasons of their favorite show. Let’s move away from that in general. It really should not be the focus of managers to monitor how employees spend their time outside of work.
After managers know the dates and can plan for coverage, employees can handle their own personal lives. This update shows great respect for your employees and can assist those taking time off for personal reasons in general—not only related to medical needs but also, for example, those managing domestic situations, such as helping a family member with non-medical needs or moving due to a separation or divorce. Essentially, it includes anything personal that they should not have to discuss with their employer.
Once these updates to policy and forms (online or paper) are made, train your managers. Corporate changes to policies mean nothing if those who are on the front line of the organization don’t mirror the organization’s new stance. Once the organization decides that employees have a right to privacy related to their time-off requests, managers need to understand that is the place from which they should operate. Requesting additional details verbally or in writing should be explicitly prohibited.
Travel Allowance Policy
Common business travel allowances include sales trips, career development conferences and continuing education. So there is a great likelihood that your organization already has some policies outlining those processes, forms, etc. in this area. However, I’d urge you to use them only as an outline, as the adaptation to include personal medical travel allowances will require a few more specifics that need to be considered and clarified. A few of the primary areas would be:
• Frequency: Will it be a one-time benefit or a maximum number of times the benefit can be used per year?
• Process: Will the allowance be provided upfront or on a reimbursement basis?
• Distribution: What are the payroll implications for the distribution?
• Eligibility: Is it only for employees or employees and their covered dependents?
• Benefits connectivity: Does this apply to employees who are benefits-eligible, to those who are currently benefits-covered or to all employees?
• Basis: Will it be only for medical needs that cannot be met within the state under state law or will it include care that is not available in the state due to lack of specialization?
• Confidentiality: Because there may be several people involved in the approval process and payment for related leave (HR, payroll, executives) confidentiality standards should be put in place for hardcopy and/or electronic approvals, payments and tracking.
FMLA/ADA Crossroads
When navigating time-off related to medical concerns, there should always be a review through the lenses of FMLA and ADA. While all requests may not fall within these parameters, it is important to understand that some more complicated situations may indeed involve one or both. As always, HR should be ready to manage these accordingly.
Conclusion
While not exhaustive, these are all areas that should be thoughtfully considered and spelled out for employees and management alike. Organizations should take the time to ensure that these areas are addressed and applied equitably. Consider seeking the advice of an experienced HR consultant or employment attorney to implement these policies and procedures.
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