PTO

PTO Policy

At Simplicity Consulting we are a culture based on delivering results and doing the right thing by our clients and our employees. We recognize the need for employees to take time off to creatively recharge and to deal with life’s challenges. We also believe in taking personal responsibility for managing our own time, workload and results. To that end, we have a PTO (Paid Time Off) policy, in which exempt (salaried) employees are afforded the flexibility to take vacation, time off due to personal illness or to care for ill family members, or time to deal with personal matters, so long as they manage their schedules as necessary to fulfill client obligations.

Overview:

The PTO plan is available to all exempt employees.
You do not “accrue” PTO days as in traditional plans, and so will not be compensated for “unused” PTO time upon termination. You will always be allowed to use maximum amount of PTO required by any law that provides for accrual of sick leave.
We do not limit employee vacation or sick days – once you are eligible, you may take as much time off as you need to operate at peak performance, consistent with this policy.
You are eligible 30 days from your hire date, with benefits effective on the 1st of the following month to receive PTO. While in your eligibility period, if you take vacation or sick leave, your pay will be deducted for each full day you take off. You will still need to obtain advance approval for vacation as specified under the Here’s how it Works section below.
If you terminate employment before meeting eligibility and are later rehired, you will need to meet eligibility requirements before using PTO. If you terminate employment after reaching eligibility and are rehired within 90 days, you will be eligible upon your rehire date for PTO, with benefits effective on the 1st of the following month. If you terminate employment after reaching eligibility but are rehired after 90 days, you will be eligible for PTO after 30 days of employment from your rehire date, with benefits effective on the 1st of the following month.
While we want you to take as much time off as you need, we are trusting you to be professional. We reserve the right to disallow requests to take more than two consecutive weeks off at a time, or to grant permission on the condition you take time off without pay. We also reserve the right to end our relationship if we think you are not managing your responsibilities appropriately.

Your Responsibilities:

Manage your own schedule to achieve optimum results and well-being.
All vacation time off must be coordinated with your Client Success manager and approved by your client 30 days in advance.
If you need time off due to illness or unforeseen emergencies, you must provide as much advance notice to your client as possible to minimize client and co-worker impact. Notifications of this type should be discreet and professional. In addition to notifying your client, you need to notify Simplicity.
Keep your colleagues and coworkers informed of your status and the best way to contact you in case of an emergency.
Be available when you’re needed. Client calls, staff meetings and other time sensitive responsibilities must be covered regardless of your personal schedule. If you have planned time off, it’s your responsibility to coordinate with your coworkers and create a coverage plan for any of your responsibilities during that time off.
Be productive. You are employed by Simplicity and are expected to contribute as such.

How It Works

You want to take a vacation. At least 30 days prior to your desired departure date you are responsible for creating a coverage plan. You then submit your request in Paycor, clearly communicating who will be on point to cover the work, if necessary. Your Client success manager will discuss deliverables and coverage plans with your client. If the client does not approve your request you cancel or modify your plans. Because you are a professional, you do not express disappointment or argue with your client if they do not approve your request. If the client does approve your request, submit your client’s written approval to HR@simplicityci.com, copying your manager before taking vacation.
You get sick. You immediately let your client know that you are sick and set expectations appropriately and notify Simplicity by sending an email to your manager. If you need support to cover any major milestones you work with your manager to pull in additional help while you recover and get healthy. If your condition is such that you can’t properly communicate with your client, please coordinate directly with your manager. When you are back, please submit a PTO request in Paycor, under notes for the supervisor, say “sick” for record keeping purposes.
Your child gets sick. Follow the same steps as above in (2).
Your child has a school recital, activity, game, etc. Manage your daily schedule accordingly so you don’t miss it.
You need to take more than two consecutive weeks off. See Leave of Absence.

Notification and Approval

To notify your Client Success Manager of your vacation submit your request in Paycor. We ask that you submit a request via Paycor whenever taking time off for recordkeeping purposes.
To notify Simplicity of sick leave, send an email to your manager as soon as possible. When you are back, please submit a PTO request in Paycor, under notes for supervisor, say “sick” for record keeping purposes.

***If you are on an outsourced team, obtain approval from your Simplicity team lead. If you are the team lead, obtain approval from your Simplicity manager.***

Leave of Absence (LOA)

All employees are eligible for a Leave of Absence if more than two (2) consecutive weeks of time off are needed, whether for maternity/paternity, medical, or personal reasons. A LOA for non-medical reasons is subject to client and Simplicity manager approval. A LOA for medical reasons, including FMLA leave, may require you to submit documentation from your healthcare provider. If your request for LOA is granted, you will receive no pay during the LOA after the first two weeks unless otherwise required by law or at the company’s discretion.

Employees who take time off for medical conditions may qualify for short term disability benefits. For more information on FMLA and disability leave please reference the Consultant Handbook posted under the Resources tab.

PTO FAQs

What is Simplicity’s PTO policy?

What is the difference between vacation and sick leave?

Vacation is pre-planned personal time off. Sick leave is time off to deal with personal illness or to care for ill family members.

When am I eligible to use PTO?

You are eligible 30 days from your hire date, with benefits effective on the 1st of the following month.

What if I take time off before reaching eligibility?

While in your eligibility period, if you take vacation or sick leave, your pay will be deducted for each full day you take off.

What if I terminate employment and am rehired?

If you terminate employment before meeting eligibility and are later rehired, you will need to meet eligibility requirements before using PTO. If you terminate employment after reaching eligibility and are rehired within 90 days, you will be eligible upon your rehire date for PTO, with benefits effective on the 1st of the following month. If you terminate employment after reaching eligibility but are rehired after 90 days, you will be eligible for PTO after 30 days of employment from your rehire date, with benefits effective on the 1st of the following month.

How do I view my accrued PTO?

There are no accruals. You have PTO upon reaching eligibility.

What happens to my PTO when I am no longer employed by Simplicity?

You do not “accrue” PTO days as in traditional plans, and so will not be compensated for “unused” PTO time upon termination. You will always be allowed to use the maximum amount of PTO required by any law that provides for accrual of sick leave, i.e. Seattle Paid Sick and Safe Time Law.

How do I request and notify Simplicity and my client about PTO?

After submitting a full-day PTO request, your Client Success Manager (CSM) will review your coverage plans noted in your request comment section. Once approved, please reach out to your client and cc your CSM for visibility. If you are taking 3+ days of PTO, your CSM may reach out to you to discuss coverage plans and will contact your client on your behalf to discuss as needed.

Is there a cap on the amount of time I can take off?

We do not limit employee vacation or sick days. As long as the deliverables are met and the work is completed and/or managed appropriately, and at the highest standards, once you are eligible, you may take as much time off as you need. You must receive approval from your Simplicity manager by submitting your time off request via Paycor.

What if I need to take off more than two consecutive weeks?

If two or more consecutive weeks of time are taken off, this would be considered a Leave of Absence (LOA). Please reference Leave of Absence in the PTO Policy and in the Consultant Handbook for more information.

I enter hours in a VMS tool – do I enter hours for holidays or PTO days?

When taking PTO, it’s crucial to ensure that your time is accurately accounted for. Please remember to enter all hours worked into your timesheet. If you are working while out on PTO or work more hours before/after your PTO, please enter those hours accordingly to maintain accurate records. You will enter 0 hours for all holidays.