Clinic Practice Staff PTO

Paid Time Off: Clinic Practice Staff 

Paid Time Off (PTO) program described on this page is applicable to both full-time and part-time benefits-eligible employees that are Clinic Practice Staff (formerly THM) employees working in a THPG clinic. Texas Health Resources is committed to providing Clinic Practice Staff employees the flexibility to balance work and personal goals. PTO combines sick, vacation, personal days, and holidays into one integrated program from which employees can schedule paid time off with agreement with his/her supervisor.

PTO

Employees will earn PTO in accordance with the schedules below based on their scheduled hours in the HR/Payroll system. The amount of PTO an employee receives is determined by his/her years of service with the company. Receiving PTO at the higher rate is effective on the employee’s anniversary date. Employees do not receive PTO while on an approved continuous leave of absence.

35.00-40.00 hours per week: 

Click here for accrual rates per pay period for those working less than 40 hours per week.

 

USE OF PTO

PTO is available to use once it has been earned and is approved at the manager’s discretion based on the needs of the business. Clinic practice staff  must request PTO through their practice manager, at least (2) two weeks in advance (except for sick days) and have supervisor approval prior to the start of PTO.

  • Employees are expected to manage PTO responsibly.
  • Employees will be required to use for pre-approved vacation, holidays and personal time off
  • Employees will be required to use PTO for any unscheduled absences or instances of tardiness.
  • Employees may not use PTO during any pay week if using it would cause the employee to exceed the number of hours classified in Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) to work.
  • Employees may use PTO for approved leaves of absence, but you are not required to.
  • If PTO is exhausted and the employee needs to take a day off due to illness, it will be unpaid.
  • Pre-approved PTO may be rescinded if the employee does not have enough hours to cover it when the time comes for the employee to be out.

You cannot use PTO if: 

  • Your absence is due to jury duty.
  • You are receiving bereavement pay.
  • Use of PTO while on suspension or unpaid administrative leave will be determined by the applicable Texas Health policy. 

You may use PTO, but are not required to use it if:

  • You are on military reserve training or duty
  • You are not scheduled to work or are sent home because of low census or other business reason

Exempt Employees If you are an exempt employee, you must use PTO in full-day increments based on your schedule for the day, unless you are on an intermittent FMLA leave. If you are on an approved intermittent FMLA leave and you choose to use your PTO for the portion of the day not worked, you must use PTO in hourly increments. If you are an exempt employee who is not on intermittent FMLA and you miss a portion of a scheduled day, you are paid for the full day without the addition of PTO. If you are an exempt employee and you miss a full scheduled day, you must record PTO.  

CONVERTING PTO

During open enrollment, you can convert up to 80 hours of PTO you will earn the next calendar year (in 8-hour increments) to pay for your benefits. The value of the PTO hours will be added to your paycheck over 26 pay periods. To be eligible to convert PTO, you must elect at least one of the following benefits: medical, dental, vision, health care spending account, day care spending account, additional life insurance, additional AD&D insurance, additional long-term disability, accident insurance, hospital indemnity insurance, or critical illness insurance. You are limited to a combined total of 100 hours per year for converting, selling, and donating PTO.

SELLING PTO

  • You may sell PTO two times a year, up to an annual total of 80 hours
  • You must maintain at least 40 hours of PTO after the sale.
  • You may sell a maximum of 80 hours per year.
  • Due to IRS regulations, the combined amount of PTO you convert, sell, and donate must be less than 100 hours per year.
  • When you sell PTO, you will receive 80% of the value of your sold PTO hours as a cash payment and will be subject to applicable payroll taxes and 401(k) deductions (if you are enrolled in the 401(k) Plan).
  • PTO may not be sold from the first or last pay periods of the year. 
    • NOTE: The PTO sell link to be unavailable from Dec. 2, 2022 at 2:00 PM until Jan. 6, 2023.

DONATING PTO

You may donate your PTO hours to certain charities. Up to 80 hours can be donated each year as long as you maintain at least 40 hours of PTO after the sale. The hours you donate are included in the 100-hour annual maximum for the selling, converting, and donating of PTO. When you sell your PTO for donation to a charity, the proceeds are reported as taxable income to you. Your PTO donation will be subject to applicable payroll taxes.

MAXIMUM PTO

Employees are encouraged to use PTO to maintain a good work life balance and may carry over up to eighty (80) hours of unused PTO each July. In order to be paid for PTO, it must be correctly entered into the system prior to the payroll cut-off for that pay cycle. Upon separation of employment, employees will be paid at straight time rate of pay for any unused PTO up to a maximum of eighty (80) hours, providing a two (2) week notice is given in writing.

If a Clinic Practice Staff employee transfers to another position within Texas Health but outside of a clinical practice, the PTO balance will transfer with the employee and PTO will be received based on a different rate. Employees must work the entire notice period in order to be paid out for PTO. Employees may not use PTO during the notice period unless it was previously scheduled and approved by the manager. Employees who fail to work through the notice period or who are terminated for cause will not be eligible for unused PTO pay out.

Additional Resources

Clinic Practice Staff PTO FAQ