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Welcome! Indiana State Personnel Department Human Resources Conference. April 30 and May 1, 2008 Brown County Inn - Nashville, Indiana. POLICY CHANGES AND UPDATES. Lactation Support Family-Medical Leave State Employee Handbook. Sally L. Burnell State Personnel Department
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Welcome! Indiana State Personnel DepartmentHuman Resources Conference April 30 and May 1, 2008Brown County Inn - Nashville, Indiana
POLICY CHANGES AND UPDATES • Lactation Support • Family-Medical Leave • State Employee Handbook Sally L. Burnell State Personnel Department April 30-May 1, 2008
LACTATION SUPPORT? • Changes required by July 1, 2008, for nursing mothers who wish to express milk for their infant child during work hours.
SEA 219 – Effective July 1, 2008 • IC 4-1-2-1 • amends the general statute concerning hours state offices are open to the public • requires breaks for employee needing to express milk for the employee’s infant child. • IC 5-10-6-2 • new statute requiring state government to provide breaks & location for employee to express milk for the employee’s infant child.
Reasonable Breaks • includes time to travel to/from worksite to room • should coincide with other breaks/meals • on average, 2-3 breaks of 15-20 minutes each during a shift are necessary • frequency & duration of breaks may diminish over time • as new mother becomes more accustomed to process • as child begins eating solid food • do not use different criteria for allowing these breaks than are used for other breaks
Lactation Locations • CANNOT be a toilet stall • Need not be for the exclusive use of employees expressing milk • Must have • private place with chair, table, locking door • cold storage* • Should have • electrical outlet, nearby access to running water
*Cold Storage • EE must remove containers daily • EE may provide her own storage • Does not have to be a dedicated cold storage unit • Does not have to be in the location where milk is expressed • If in a unit for general use, must be labeled • OSHA says “not an occupational exposure”
Prior to July 1, 2008 To Do List Review your practices on breaks so you can be consistent in establishing criteria related to operational needs for all breaks. • Review your facilities for an appropriate location that can be used for this purpose. • Draft procedures for employees to identify a need under this law & use of the location provided for this purpose.
Resources • Indiana Perinatal Network • Tina Cardarelli, IBCLC State Breastfeeding Coordinator • Indiana Perinatal Network1991 E. 56th Street Indianapolis, IN 46220 (317) 924-0825 • tcardarelli@indianaperinatal.org • Indiana State Department of Health • Marsha Glass RN, IBCLC • Indiana State Department of Health Maternal & Child Health(317) 234-2351 • mglass@isdh.in.gov • National Business Group on Health: • http://www.businessgrouphealth.org/benefitstopics/et_maternal.cfm
FMLA AMENDMENT • New Reasons • Related to Military Service • for FMLA Leave
FMLA - Amendment • Effective January 28, 2008 • Servicemember Caregiver Leave • Effective upon rule promulgation by US DOL • Active Duty Leave • Encouraged to implement as needed prior to new rules • See also Military Family Leave Policy, 7/1/07 • Changes to current FMLA regulations
Servicemember Caregiver Leave • Provides up to 26 weeks of leave in a 12-month period for an employee • who is spouse, child, parent, or next of kin of a Covered Servicemember, • to care for Covered Servicemember • if that Covered Servicemember is injured / ill due to active duty and identified as such by the military. • see www.in.gov/spd/2397.htm • Request Form is accessible through Responsibilities & Procedures document
Open Issues • No definition of this “12-month period” or how it must be coordinated with our current “fiscal year period” used for other FMLA leaves. • No guidance on issues of multiple employees related to one servicemember or one servicemember with covered conditions in more than one 12-month period.
Open Issues • Definition of “child” not revised • child defined as under 18 or incapable of self-care • military minimum age is 17; unlikely to find anyone “incapable of self-care” on active duty • Common sense is required until definition is revised • No guidance on whether treatment must be through armed services or not
Active Duty Leave • New Reason for FMLA Leave available for spouse, child, or parent of servicemember who is called to Active Duty for a Qualifying Exigency • Does not change any eligibility requirements • 12 months employment & 1250 hours worked still required • Is not additional time: still 12 week maximum
Open Issues • Qualifying Exigency not yet defined by US Dept. of Labor • but will likely be non-medical conditions • Nexus to the active duty required, but not yet defined • what certification will be required? • who is the appropriate person to complete certification? • Coordination with Indiana’s Military Family Leave law
Indiana’s Military Family Leave 7/1/2007 IC 22-2-13 requires 10 days of leave related to active duty • available 30 days before, 30 days after, and during active duty if servicemember is on leave from active duty • family members eligible for leave: spouse, parent, grandparent, or sibling of a servicemember • eligibility requirements: 12 months employment & 1500 hours worked
Questions? • When requests under these new military situations arise, please contact SPD so we can consistently apply these provisions in the absence of specific federal regulations. • Alan Ferguson • 317/ 234-4839 aferguson@spd.in.gov • Sally Burnell • 317/ 233-1437 sburnell@spd.in.gov
EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK • Showing Employees What Makes State Employment Unique
Format • Links updated • Agency web pages accessible • Agency Supplements • Will investigate possibility of having an “accept” button linked to ELM • Internet Location: www.in.gov/spd • On-boarding • Standardized policies
Content • New Provisions • Personal Conduct • Outside Employment • Public Records & Records Retention • Electronic Information Devices / Activities • Offenses only Public EEs can Commit
Agency Supplements • State’s Employee Handbook as Part One of Agency Handbook • Agency Supplement as Part Two • avoids lengthy repetition of universal facts like leave accrual and benefits • avoids misstating those universal facts • focuses on unique local information • contacts for information • programs / resources • special rules, practices and forms
QUESTIONS ON ANYPOLICY CHANGE? • Lactation Support • FMLA Amendment • Employee Handbook