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| © 2021 Centura Health. All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential - for internal distribution only. |
While it is vital to your health and wholeness to take time off to recharge and revitalize your spirit while connecting with the people and activities that inspire you, we recognize that for many of you, the ongoing pandemic has impacted your ability to use your accrued Paid Time Off (PTO). Based on your feedback, we are offering a one-time PTO cash out.
As part of this one-time program, eligible associates may elect to cash out up to 80 hours of PTO (while maintaining a balance of at least 40 hours). We are providing two options for this cash out for interested associates to select the option that best fits your situation. The election period begins this week and runs through Dec. 31.
Past PTO cash out
This option allows eligible associates to cash out up to 80 hours of PTO that has already been accrued and is currently available in Lawson. Elected hours would be paid during the second pay period of February 2022 and taxable per International Revenue Service (IRS) regulations at the supplemental tax rate. Additionally, IRS guidelines require past PTO cash out elections to be paid at a discount of 10%. For example, if an associate elects to cash out 80 hours of PTO currently in their PTO bank, and their current wage is $20, the PTO cash out would be paid at a 10% discount ($18/hour) for the 80 hours.
Future PTO cash out
With this option, associates may elect in December to cash out up to 80 hours of PTO that is due to be accrued between December 2021 and May 2022. Elected hours would be paid to individuals at their regular rate of pay and received during the second pay period of June 2022. The cash out is taxable per IRS regulations at the supplemental tax rate, but the discount does not apply.
Both options require a minimum balance of 40 hours to be remaining in your PTO bank.
Make your election by Dec. 31
If you would like to participate in one of the above PTO cash out options, you must complete the PTO cash out election form by 5 p.m. on Dec. 31. Completed forms should be submitted to Payroll@Centura.Org.
Review these frequently asked questions for more information to guide you in making a personal decision about utilizing this benefit and which option may be best suited for your situation.
Questions?
Contact your local human resources director.
Programs, policies, pay and benefits may not apply to all associates, departments or locations; you will need to speak with your manager for specific questions and details.
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Thank you for sharing your feedback in our recent Associate & Physician Engagement Pulse Survey! This engagement check-in provides valuable insight into our strengths and the areas we can better support you in living your mission. Across our ministry, 63% of our associates and 28% of our physicians shared their feedback to help strengthen our connected ecosystem. We are incredibly grateful for your recommendations and comments!
What’s next?
Your leader will share results with you so you can celebrate your team’s strengths and discuss opportunities for improvement. Together, you will partner to build action plans that focus on the areas that are most meaningful to you and your team.
Across the organization, key themes and opportunities are aggregated and reviewed by our leadership teams. Your feedback truly shapes the work we do and how we will build upon our strengths to become the system of choice for you – our incredible people.
Thank you again for sharing your experiences, recommendations and comments!
Questions?
Contact your leader or engagement@centura.org.
| Just a few spots remain for our program! Register today to guarantee your spot. Registration closes on Dec. 17. |
Let’s face it: the holidays come with a lot of extra expenses. To reduce your spending, complete your holiday shopping with the help of our Associate Discount Program, a free service that allows you to save money through offers, discounts, benefits and rewards.
| Consider using your AppreciateU rewards to buy the perfect gift or treat yourself to something special this holiday season. Visit your AppreciateU account today to use your rewards. |
To facilitate convenient, quick access we will be including a link in each week’s newsletter where you can view the current week’s Information Technology (IT) planned downtimes. You can find the link – View IT Planned Downtimes – in the Useful Links sidebar located on the left-hand side of each week’s newsletter.
With this new link, we will no longer be sharing the following monthly articles:
The holidays are upon us, and millions of people are searching online for the perfect gifts. Unfortunately, cyber criminals are active too. They create fake websites and online shopping scams designed to steal your information or money. Keep reading to learn common threats and how to avoid becoming a victim.
Fake online stores
Criminals create fake online stores that mimic real sites or use names of well-known brands. When you search for the best online deals, you may find yourself on a fake site. If you buy from one of these sites, you could end up with counterfeit items or, your purchases may never arrive! Here’s how to protect yourself:
Winter is the ideal time to snuggle up with a blanket, a warm drink and a good book. We want to know what your favorite book is? What are you reading right now?
Share your book suggestions in the comments below! At the end of the month we’ll compile a list of your recommendations to share in the Dec. 28 edition of The Weekly Spark, so you can kick off the new year with a new book!
Christmastime often evokes memories of snow, hot cocoa and Christmas cookies, caroling, spending time with family, and, of course, presents. But while the holidays are a joyous time of the year for many families, for others, it is a time of financial stress and struggles. Douglas County, Colo., has the highest cost of living anywhere in the state, and suburban poverty is an often hidden but quickly growing problem. It’s not uncommon for those in the area to feel a financial strain during the most wonderful time of the year. That’s why Centura-Parker Adventist Hospital, in collaboration with Newday Seventh-Day Adventist Church, is providing Christmas gifts at no cost to families in need through their Christmas Store.
The free shopping experience is hitting an important milestone this year, celebrating its 10th anniversary. Since 2011, the church and hospital have worked together with social workers from local public schools to identify families who don’t qualify for other types of aid but will have a hard time putting presents under the tree. The tickets are then distributed to the selected families, such as the Martins*. When they received their ticket, the family felt like a weight lifted off their shoulders.
When they arrived at the hospital, the Martins were greeted by friendly volunteers and ushered into a cheerily decorated room, with presents piled high on tables. The parents went to a different room where they could enjoy beverages, snacks and relaxation while their children did the shopping. Each child is assigned a personal shopping assistant to help them navigate the tables full of high-quality gifts, sorted onto tables by age and gender, and curated all year by a group of volunteers. The children can pick out gifts for themselves and each member of their family, so volunteers ensure there are gifts available to appeal to all ages, from infants to grandparents. Options include a wide range of items from sports gear to clothing, personal care products to appliances. Once the gifts are selected, they are custom wrapped by a volunteer and taken home by the Martins to be opened on Christmas morning.
The store is almost entirely volunteer-driven. It takes a small army to pull off this event, starting as early as shopping the after-Christmas sales. Volunteers do everything from helping kids shop, wrapping gifts, restocking the gift tables, directing traffic, setting up, decorating and greeting families as they arrive. The volunteers include associates at the hospital, members of Newday Church, local community members, and even some from out of state who love the Christmas Store so much that they travel to be a part of it each year.
Last year, the Christmas Store looked a little different. COVID-19 made it impossible to hold the event as usual, but that didn’t stop the team from extending a helping hand to their community. The store operated more like a call center, with volunteers manning the phones, finding out what children wanted, and coordinating a time for the families to pick up their gifts. According to Matthew Mundall, one of the chaplains at Parker Adventist, the team looks forward to holding the event in person again this year. They are planning to have the Christmas Store as close to normal as possible while following local health directives. In 2020, 125 families were served at the store, and the program is planning for even more this year.
“The program even grew during COVID-19, so you can only imagine how much it will grow in the future,” Mundall said.
Whatever the future holds, so many people are invested in the store and its success, from families like the Martins, to the volunteers and associates who help it succeed. According to Michael Goebel, CEO of Parker Adventist, the Christmas Store benefits those who make it happen as much as those who benefit from it.
“We host the store every year because we’re here for our community, and that goes beyond their physical health; it extends to every aspect of their lives,” Michael said. “Providing some Christmas joy to families who cannot afford gifts is just another way we make sure our community is whole and healthy. Getting to see kids light up knowing they will have a Christmas is worth more than words can describe.”
*The family’s name has been changed to protect their privacy.
| Watch for a new, subject-specific Breakfast Briefing webinar to be released each week! To view the full lineup, visit our Regulatory Teams site and watch your entity newsletters over the coming weeks. |
| Dec. 13-17: Human Resources & Nursing This week’s webinar will focus on National Patient Safety Goals. Click here for more information about how to join this Breakfast Briefing. |
We recognize that the ongoing pandemic has impacted your ability to use your accrued Paid Time Off and are offering a one-time PTO cash out for eligible associates.
This engagement check-in provides valuable insight into our strengths and the areas we can better support you in living your mission.
This transformative program, open to our Corporate/Service Center associates at no cost to you, is built for all fitness levels and is designed to holistically strengthen your mind and body through exercise, nutrition and healthy mind activities.
Going forward, you can access the current week’s Information Technology (IT) planned downtimes by using the convenient link titled 
The holidays are upon us, and millions of people are searching online for the perfect gifts. Unfortunately, cyber criminals are active too. Learn ways to protect yourself from online threats!
The following story was printed in the current issue of Outlook Magazine, highlighting the joy that Parker Adventist brings to so many in Douglas County during the holiday season. Like all Centura ministries, Parker Adventist is known in the community for being stewards of whole person care, and this story of the Christmas Store exemplifies that dedication. Thank you to all who make this holiday season joyful for those who would otherwise go without.
In anticipation of Christmas, the season of Advent is a time to prepare the hearts of the faithful. Catholic Health Association presents this reflection on “The Visitation and Zechariah.”
Your participation in The Joint Commission’s survey is a vital part of maintaining our accreditation as a health care provider. Breakfast Briefings is a series of webinars designed to equip you with the information you need for a successful survey. Click below to learn more about this series, how you can earn CEU for participating, and this week’s topic: Human Resources & Nursing.
