General Information

• Mission Statement

• Staff and Responsibilities

• Guide to Services

• Compensation, Benefits and Insurance

Mission Statement

We recognize that the most important resources of any institution of higher education are its faculty, administrators and support staff. Therefore, the mission of the Human Resources Department is to promote and facilitate the recruitment, retention and development of these resources. This mission is supported by providing assistance with the search process; by communicating employee benefits and human resource policies through orientation programs, handbooks, information brochures and memoranda; by providing consistent and nondiscriminatory human resource policy administration; by fostering positive labor management relations and through the coordination of workshops and training programs to promote professional and personal growth.

Staff and Responsibilities

The Human Resources Department provides assistance in matters such as policy clarification, position classification, labor relations, employee supervision, employee recruitment, employee development and professional growth, benefit administration, payroll administration, disciplinary issues and conflict resolution.

Marilyn Truskowski, Director

Marion Segalla, Staff Associate/Payroll Officer

Ann Schulman, Staff Assistant/Human Resources Coordinator 

Phyllis Lora, Administrative Assistant, Human Resources

Linda Lazzari, Clerk V, Human Resources & Attendance

The following information is provided to assist employees in accessing the services provided by the Human Resources Department.

Marilyn Truskowski, Director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action provides assistance in matters such as policy clarification, position classification, labor issues, contract administration, conflict resolution and compliance with non-discrimination policies.

For routine policy and procedural questions, the following list of contact names is provided:

Compensation, Benefits and Insurance

Compensation

Salary

The college operates on a biweekly payroll system. Regular, benefited employees are required to direct deposit their paycheck to their bank account. The pay advice statements for administrators and staff are distributed at the Human Resources/Payroll Office on Fridays. Faculty pay advice statements are sent to their campus mailbox for pick-up. Employee trust paychecks are also distributed on a biweekly basis, on Thursday, from the Human Resources/Payroll Office. Student paychecks are sent to their campus mailbox.

Overtime

Overtime may be worked only with prior approval of a supervisor, or when an emergency situation requires immediate attention at the end of a regular work period. Any individual who is authorized to work overtime shall be compensated at one and one-half times his/her regular rate of pay for work in excess of forty hours or thirty seven and one-half hours a week. Overtime compensation may be taken as pay or, subject to the approval of your supervisor, as compensatory time to be used as time off in the future. All overtime must be recorded on the weekly attendance sheet, or if being charged to a trust account, on an overtime form. In no instance, may individuals accumulate more than 100 hours of comp time.  Payment for overtime work is not subject to a deduction for retirement.

Benefits

Bereavement Leave

Employees are entitled to bereavement leave for the death of family members (as specified in collective bargaining agreements).

Credit Union

The Massachusetts State Employees Credit Union (MSECU) is available to college employees. It is insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), a U.S. Government Agency. To benefit from the many services offered, employees must complete a membership application and a direct deposit authorization indicating the amount to be direct deposited from each paycheck to credit union account(s). For more information concerning the Credit Union please contact Marion Segalla, M.Segalla@mcla.edu, 662-5597.

Family Medical Leave

In accordance with the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, eligible employees who give satisfactory notice to the Director of Human Resources will be permitted to take up to twelve weeks of unpaid leave within a 12-month period for certain family and medical reasons as specified under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993. The 12-month period is measured forward from the first day FMLA leave is taken. An employee is eligible if he/she has worked for MCLA for at least one year and for at least 1,250 hours over the previous 12 months. FMLA leave may be used to care for a newborn, adopted, or foster child; to care for a seriously ill parent, child, or spouse; or because the employee is experiencing a serious medical condition.

The Employee Leave for Family Obligations Act, Chapter 52D of the General Laws, became effective August 4, 1998. This Act entitles eligible employees to twenty-four (24) hours of leave (for different and various reasons) during any twelve (12) month period in addition to his or her leave entitlement under the FMLA.

Please refer to the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts FMLA Guidelines for specifics regarding eligibility, procedural requirements, health insurance coverage, pay, and other such issues. For more information on Family Medical Leave please contact Phyllis Lora, P.Lora@mcla.edu, 662-5560.

Jury Duty

A paid leave of absence is granted to those employees who are unable to report for their regular work schedules because they have been called to jury duty. Upon the completion of jury duty, a certificate of services as a juror will be provided to the employee by the court. This certificate should be forwarded to the Human Resources Office as soon as it is received. Because the college pays individuals who serve on jury duty, all fees, other than reimbursement for travel and parking, must be returned to the college. Please bring compensation received from the court to the Human Resources/Payroll Office. An employee must report to work if he/she is excused from jury duty at a time of the day that would permit four hours of work before the end of his/her regularly scheduled workday.

Leave Without Pay

Leave without pay is allowed for personal reasons for a period of not more than one year. In order to be eligible for such a leave, the employee must have completed his/her probationary period. The President has sole authority to approve leave of absence requests.

Maternity and Adoptive Leave

See FMLA section of this guide and applicable collective bargaining agreements for specific details.

Military Leave

Individuals who serve in the Armed Forces (either National Guard or Reserves) shall be entitled to up to seventeen (17) days paid leave for the annual tour of duty. Military leave cannot be used for regular weekend drill. Those called to active duty in the Armed Forces will not suffer any loss of benefits during the period of their services.

Paid Personal Leave

On January 1 of each year, all full-time administrators and staff are credited with three (3) paid personal days to be used during the year. Personal days cannot be carried over from one year to the next. They must be used by December 31. When possible, advance notice should be provided to an employee's supervisor when a personal day is to be used. However, there may be times when a personal day is used because of an emergency. In this case, the employee must notify his/her supervisor as soon as possible. Administrators and staff hired after January 1, will be credited personal leave days consistent with the collective bargaining agreement.

All full-time faculty are credited with one (1) paid personal day on January 1, to be used during the spring semester. If this day is not used, it can be carried over to the fall semester when faculty are credited with one (1) additional personal day. These days must be used by December 31.

Retirement

State Retirement Plan

Most administrators and staff participate in the state retirement plan. Employee contributions are deducted directly from each paycheck. State employees do not contribute to Social Security, nor does state service count toward eligibility for Social Security benefits. Individuals are eligible to retire at any age with twenty or more years of service or at age 55 with ten or more years of service. However, because the retirement allowance is determined by a formula, including age, years of service and earnings, the retirement benefit is higher for those who accumulate more years of service and who are older than 55 at retirement. An employee who leaves state service is eligible to withdraw their contributions or direct transfer their monies to a tax deferred account. If an employee voluntarily leaves state service, which began after January 1, 1984, and has less than five years of service, no interest will be refunded. If an employee worked between five and ten years, half the interest will be credited to the account. An employee who is vested (over ten years of service) will be refunded all of the interest. Should an employee be removed or discharged, all interest regardless of the years of service will be credited.

Optional Retirement Plan

The Faculty, President, Vice Presidents and Deans may choose to participate in the state retirement plan described above, or the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP). The ORP is a defined contribution plan providing for an individual account for each participant and for benefits based on the amount contributed, plus investment gains and pay out method. Employee contributions are deducted directly from each paycheck. The state makes a monthly contribution of 5%.

Sick Leave

Sick leave for full-time employees accrues at the end of each pay period for a total of fifteen days per year. Sick leave is not accrued during any month in which an individual is absent without pay, or on leave without pay for more than one (1) day. Sick leave may be used in units of one-half (1/2) hour. Sick leave is to be taken when an individual is unable to work due to personal illness or injury, or when a member of the immediate family is ill or injured and an employee must care for that family member. There is a limit on the number of days that can be used for the care of family members. Absences due to illness or injury must be reported in accordance with specific departmental procedures as soon as possible. Sick leave that is not used during a year carries over to the next year. There is no limit on the amount of sick leave that may be accumulated. (Current collective bargaining agreements provide for employees, upon retirement, to be paid an amount equal to twenty percent of accrued sick leave).

Tax Shelter Annuity/Deferred Compensation Plan

Consistent with the Internal Revenue Code, the General Laws of the Commonwealth, and the policies of the Board of Higher Education, all college employees may request that a portion of his/her salary be placed in a tax shelter annuity. Federal and state taxes are not paid on the portion of the salary that is placed in the plan, but are deferred until those funds are withdrawn after retirement. For more information on the Tax Shelter Annuities and/or Deferred Compensation Plan, please contact Marion Segalla, M.Segalla@mcla.edu, 662-5597.

Vacation Leave

Vacation leave is accrued at the end of each pay period in accordance with collective bargaining agreements and is based upon length of service. It may be taken as it is earned, however, the department supervisor must approve vacation as provided in the collective bargaining agreement. Employees may not carry a balance of more than 480 hours for thirty-seven and one-half hour/week employees; or 512 hours for forty-hour/week employee at any one time. Any vacation days accumulated in excess of 480 (or 512) hours are converted to sick leave credits. For more information on Vacation Leave, please contact Linda Lazzari, L.Lazzari@mcla.edu, 662-5596.

Dental Insurance

All regular employees receive dental benefits. For more information on Dental Insurance (enrollment information and dental plan booklets), please contact Phyllis Lora, P.Lora@mcla.edu, 662-5560.

Disability Insurance

Long-term disability insurance is available to provide for income protection in the event that an employee is out of work for an extended period due to illness or injury. The plan can pay up to 50% of base salary beginning 90 days after the onset of disability. The employee pays the total premium.

Health Insurance

All regular employees who work at least one-half time are eligible to receive health insurance coverage. Currently, the Commonwealth pays 85% of the premium cost, with the employee paying the remaining 15%. This payment schedule is subject to change as provided in state law. Premium payments are deducted directly from the paycheck. Employees have three types of health plans from which to choose. GIC Indemnity Plan provides individual and family coverage and allows individuals to choose any doctor, hospital, or pharmacy. The others are Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO's) and Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO's). HMO'S attempt to lower the cost of health care by closely coordinating services and by limiting individual selection of physicians and hospitals. The cost of the GIC Indemnity Plan is approximately twice that of HMO's. For more information on Health Insurance please contact Marion Segalla, M.Segalla@mcla.edu, 662-5597.

Life Insurance

As part of the basic employee benefit package, each individual is covered by a $5,000 life insurance policy. The employee premium contribution of 15% is less than one dollar each month. In addition, employees may purchase Optional Life Insurance in an amount equal to not more than eight times the individual's annual salary. Although the employee must pay the entire premium cost for this term insurance, the rates are very competitive. As with other insurance, the premiums are payroll deducted.

Student Payroll

The Human Resources/Payroll Office is responsible for processing payroll checks for students in both Work Study and Trust positions on campus. These checks are distributed on a biweekly basis directly to the student's campus mailbox. For more information on Student Payroll procedures, please contact the office at 662-5596.

If you are interested in the availability of student employment opportunities, you may visit MCLA's Career Services Website.