Published on August 27, 2010

Genesis Employees Donate Paid Time Off To Fellow Staff In Need

Genesis employee Noah Heston was forced to use his remaining paid time off when he was hospitalized for a week last February. Facing a diagnosis of stage 3 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and a regimen of chemotherapy, he had to prepare for the prospect of a lengthy medical leave without pay.

Thanks to a new policy that allows Genesis employees to donate paid time off (PTO) to their colleagues, Heston of Bettendorf, who has worked 12 years in Food & Nutrition at Genesis, could focus on his treatment instead of worrying about a paycheck.

The donation policy responds to employee feedback: Employees wanted an opportunity to donate PTO to assist colleagues who have exhausted their PTO benefits.

PTO hours donated to another employee are paid to the recipient as earnings and are included in the recipient’s W-2 earnings. The donor does not pay taxes on PTO donated to another employee. A donation can be used in the event of a major family crisis, or as in Heston’s case, serious illness.

“The people in Food & Nutrition Services have been just wonderful,” says Heston, the recipient of 282 PTO hours donated by his colleagues. “I’m so grateful to be on the receiving end of their generosity.”

The donated PTO helped Heston and his family avoid financial hardship by filling in the gap from the time he ran out of PTO to the time his long-term disability insurance was triggered. He returned to work last month.

He’s one of 28 employees who have received donated PTO since the policy was implemented last February. A total of 72 employees have donated PTO to someone in the organization.

“The policy has been very wellreceived,” says Renee Stolmeier, Compensation & Benefits Analyst at Genesis, who drafted and patterned it after similar policies at other Midwest health care organizations. “Employees are appreciative, and managers have been very positive about it. They think it’s great for their employees who are dealing with medical or other issues.”

Other Options
In addition to donating to a colleague, employees may donate their PTO to the Genesis Health Services Foundation for the Bressanelli Employee Emergency Assistance Fund. The fund, established and sustained by Genesis employees, provides financial assistance to eligible colleagues in times of major illness or emergency.

PTO donations also may be made to any one of the Genesis Foundations and can be designated for the area of greatest need or a specific foundation project. Or, the contribution can be designated for a specific department or special purpose, such as staff education, new technology or care for the less fortunate.

“What’s attractive to the employees we’ve been talking with is that this is a way they can make a difference right in their very own department,” says Todd Klein, Development Officer for the Genesis Health Services Foundation. “Oftentimes, departments identify a need -- a piece of equipment or training --- that isn’t funded through the normal budgeting process. A PTO donation can go toward meeting that need. Employees and patients both end up benefiting.”