Sick Leave Policy and Guidelines

Understanding Your Sick Leave Benefits at BetterHealth

At Better Health Group, we understand that illness and medical needs are an inevitable part of life. That's why we provide comprehensive sick leave benefits to ensure you can take care of your health without worrying about lost wages or job security. This guide explains everything you need to know about using your sick leave benefits responsibly and effectively.

Your Sick Leave Allowance

Every regular full-time employee at BetterHealth receives 10 days (80 hours) of paid sick leave per year. This sick leave is separate from your Paid Time Off (PTO) and is specifically designated for health-related absences. We believe in maintaining this separation because taking time to recover from illness or attend medical appointments shouldn't deplete your vacation time.

Your sick leave balance is credited at the beginning of each calendar year (January 1st). If you join BetterHealth mid-year, your sick leave will be prorated based on your start date. For example, if you start on July 1st, you'll receive 5 days (40 hours) for the remainder of the year.

Important Note About Rollovers

Unlike PTO, unused sick leave does not roll over to the following year. We encourage you to use your sick leave when you need it—that's what it's there for. Your health should always be a priority, and we don't want you coming to work when you're unwell and potentially spreading illness to your colleagues.

When to Use Sick Leave

Sick leave can be used for a variety of health-related situations. Understanding when it's appropriate to use sick leave helps you make informed decisions about your health and time off:

Personal Illness or Injury

Use sick leave when you're too ill to work effectively or when working would delay your recovery. This includes conditions like flu, colds, migraines, stomach illnesses, back injuries, or any other health issue that prevents you from performing your job duties. Remember, rest and recovery are important—pushing through illness often leads to longer recovery times and reduced productivity.

Medical and Dental Appointments

Sick leave covers time for routine and emergency medical appointments including doctor visits, dental appointments, physical therapy, mental health counseling, and preventive care screenings. You don't need to be actively sick to use sick leave for medical appointments—preventive care is equally important.

Caring for Family Members

You may use sick leave to care for an immediate family member (spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, or grandparent) who is ill and requires your care. This includes taking a sick child to the doctor, caring for a spouse recovering from surgery, or helping an aging parent with medical appointments. We recognize that family caregiving is an important responsibility and shouldn't force you to use your vacation time.

Mental Health Days

Mental health is just as important as physical health. If you need a day to address mental health needs, manage stress, attend therapy, or simply recover from burnout, you can and should use sick leave. We support our employees' overall well-being and recognize that mental health days are a valid and important use of sick leave.

How to Report and Request Sick Leave

Proper notification helps your manager plan for coverage and ensures your team can adjust to your absence. Here's our process for reporting sick leave:

Same-Day Sick Leave (Unexpected Illness)

If you wake up feeling ill or experience a sudden health issue, notify your manager as soon as possible—ideally before your scheduled shift start time. A quick text, phone call, or email is sufficient. Your message should be simple: "I'm not feeling well today and won't be able to work. I'll be using sick leave and will keep you updated on my status."

If you have meetings or urgent deadlines scheduled, please also send a brief email to your team so they're aware and can make alternative arrangements. Don't feel you need to provide detailed medical information—a simple "I'm taking a sick day" is enough.

Planned Medical Appointments

For scheduled medical appointments, give your manager as much advance notice as possible. If you know you have a doctor's appointment two weeks from now, mention it to your manager now. This allows for better planning and shows consideration for team schedules. You can often schedule appointments at the beginning or end of the day to minimize disruption, but we understand that isn't always possible.

Logging in UKG

After notifying your manager, log your sick leave in UKG when you're able to do so. Navigate to Time Off → Request Time Off → Select "Sick Leave" as the type. If you're too ill to log into UKG on the day you're out, you can submit it the next day or when you return. The important thing is communicating with your manager first.

Documentation Requirements

We trust our employees to use sick leave appropriately. For most sick leave situations, you don't need to provide a doctor's note or medical documentation. However, there are specific circumstances where we do require documentation:

Extended Illness (3+ Consecutive Days)

If you're absent for three or more consecutive UKGs due to illness, we require a doctor's note confirming that you were under medical care and the approximate dates you were unable to work. This policy helps protect both you and BetterHealth by documenting extended health issues and ensuring appropriate care is being received.

Pattern of Absences

If your manager or HR notices a pattern of frequent Monday or Friday absences, or other concerning patterns, they may request medical documentation to better understand your health needs and determine if additional support or accommodations are necessary. This isn't meant to be punitive—it's about ensuring you get the help you might need.

Extended Illness and Additional Leave Options

Sometimes illness or injury requires more time away than your sick leave balance provides. BetterHealth offers several options for extended health-related absences:

Short-Term Disability

If you're unable to work due to a serious illness or injury for more than five consecutive UKGs, you may be eligible for short-term disability benefits. Short-term disability provides partial income replacement (typically 60% of your salary) for up to 12 weeks. Contact HR immediately if you believe your condition will require an extended absence.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

For serious health conditions affecting you or an immediate family member, you may be eligible for job-protected leave under FMLA. FMLA provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year. This can be taken continuously or intermittently, depending on your situation. FMLA also covers situations like caring for a newborn, adoption, or serious illness of a family member.

To qualify for FMLA, you must have worked at BetterHealth for at least 12 months and worked at least 1,250 hours during the previous 12 months. If you think you might need FMLA leave, contact HR as soon as possible to discuss your situation and begin the paperwork.

Long-Term Disability

For disabilities or illnesses lasting beyond short-term disability coverage, long-term disability insurance may provide income replacement for extended periods. Review your benefits enrollment materials or contact HR to understand your long-term disability coverage.

Sick Leave Best Practices

Stay Home When Contagious

If you have a contagious illness (flu, COVID-19, strep throat, norovirus, etc.), please stay home until you're no longer contagious. Coming to work while contagious can spread illness throughout the office, affecting multiple employees and overall productivity. Generally, you should wait until you've been fever-free for 24 hours without medication before returning.

Work From Home When Appropriate

For minor illnesses where you're well enough to work but don't want to risk spreading germs, or if you're recovering but not at 100%, consider working from home if your role allows it. Discuss this option with your manager—many find this to be a good middle ground that allows you to keep up with work while protecting your colleagues' health.

Communicate About Extended Absences

If you're out for multiple days, keep your manager updated on your expected return date. A brief email or text every couple of days helps with planning. You don't need to provide medical details, just general timing: "Still under the weather, expecting to return Thursday."

Plan for Preventive Care

Don't forget to use sick leave for preventive care! Annual physicals, dental cleanings, eye exams, and health screenings are all appropriate uses of sick leave. Taking care of preventive health can help you avoid more serious illness down the line.

What Sick Leave Doesn't Cover

Sick leave is specifically for health-related absences. It cannot be used for:

• Vacation or personal travel
• Household repairs or waiting for service appointments
• Caring for pets (unless it's a brief veterinary emergency)
• Weather-related absences (unless you're ill due to weather conditions)
• Personal errands or appointments unrelated to health

For these situations, please use your PTO instead.

Sick Leave and Your Performance

Using your sick leave appropriately will never negatively impact your performance reviews or standing at BetterHealth. We want you to take care of your health, and we recognize that everyone gets sick sometimes. Your sick leave is a benefit you've earned, and we encourage you to use it when needed.

However, if you're frequently exhausting your sick leave or experiencing chronic health issues that impact your ability to work, we encourage you to talk with HR about potential accommodations or resources that might help. We want to support you in managing your health while maintaining your career.

Questions About Sick Leave?

If you have questions about sick leave, appropriate usage, documentation requirements, or need to discuss an extended absence, our HR team is here to help.

Contact HR:
Email: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone] ext. 2200
UKG: Submit a case under "Time Off"

Remember: Your health matters. Don't hesitate to use your sick leave when you need it. We'd much rather you take a day to recover than push through and end up sicker or spread illness to others.