Staff Handbook

The Marymount Manhattan College Staff Handbook is intended solely as a guide. Nothing in the Handbook is intended or should be construed to create contractually enforceable obligations on the part of the College or rights on behalf of the employee.

The Handbook is a compilation and condensation of governing language with respect to employee benefits, policies and procedures. In the event that any statement of an employee benefit, policy and/or procedure, found in this Handbook is inconsistent or contrary to the language or intent of the governing employee benefit, policy and/or procedure, the governing document takes precedence. This includes, but is not limited to, grammatical and/or formatting errors that may unintentionally alter the meaning of the stated employee benefits, policies and procedures in the Handbook.

If any information contained in this Manual is in conflict with individual employment contracts, any applicable collective bargaining agreements or information contained in official Company bulletins, the information in those documents will govern.

The College reserves the right to add, amend, or revoke any of the employee benefits, policies and procedures or incorporate additional ones, with or without notice, as circumstance or the good of the college community may require.

Employees should consult with Human Resources for further details and/or clarification on current employee benefits, policies and procedures.

HISTORY AND MISSION

THE HISTORY OF MARYMOUNT MANHATTAN COLLEGE

Marymount Manhattan College (hereinafter referred to as “MMC” or the “College”) was founded in 1936 by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary as a two-year women’s college and a New York City extension of Marymount College, Tarrytown in Tarrytown, New York. In 1948, the College moved to its present location on 71st Street and became a four-year bachelor degree-granting college; the first class graduated from MMC in 1950. In 1961, MMC was granted an absolute charter as an independent four-year college by the Regents of the University of the State of New York.

Faithful to the vision of its founders, MMC has a long history of reaching out to diverse populations in need of higher education. Originally, MMC served women, many of whom were commuting students of traditional college age. Over the years, MMC’s mission as an urban, independent, coeducational nonsectarian liberal arts college has expanded to include a greater variety of students, including men, nontraditional students, and students from a variety of ethnic and geographic backgrounds.

THE MISSION OF MARYMOUNT MANHATTAN COLLEGE

MMC is an urban, independent, liberal arts college. The mission of the college is to educate a socially and economically diverse population by fostering intellectual achievement and personal growth and by providing opportunities for career development. Inherent in this mission is the intent to develop an awareness of social, political, cultural and ethical issues, in the belief that this awareness will lead to concern for, participation in, and improvement of society. To accomplish this mission, MMC offers a strong program in the arts and sciences for students of all ages, as well as substantial pre-professional preparation. Central to these efforts is the particular attention given to the individual student. MMC seeks to be a resource and learning center for the metropolitan community.

THE COLLEGE SEAL

With the granting of the absolute charter to MMC on February 22, 1961, a new coat of arms and college seal were commissioned, based on the original seal of Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York.

The center portion of the seal is the coat of arms, which is divided by a diagonal band of thirteen stripes of alternating red and white, indicating that the College was founded by the order of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary in the United States. Above this band, a flaming heart is surrounded by roses and pierced with a sword - the emblem of the order of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary. The three fleur-de-lis below the band commemorate the French origin of the order of the Religious, founded in Beziers, France in 1848.

Two beavers, derived from the seal of New York City, face the Latin Cross of Botonny, which is the emblem of the Catholic faith. The star Rayonnant, surmounting the cross, symbolizes the Blessed Virgin heraldic symbol of agility and eternal vigilance. The Lion Rampant on the right side of the seal signifies strength. The College Motto, “Tua Luce Dirige”, is displayed in the banner across the lower portion of the seal. Collegium Mariamontis Manhattanensis, the College’s Latin name, surrounds the seal.

Prior to 2003, when MMC redesigned its branding and logo, the seal was included on almost every published document. Today, because of new logo guidelines requiring the College to include its official logo on all published works, the seal is utilized less often. It is still used on official College documents and in publications reflecting the history of MMC.

THE COLLEGE MOTTO

“Tua Luce Dirige” translated from Latin means “Direct Us By Thy Light”

THE COLLEGE MASCOT

The College’s mascot, the griffin, is the heraldic symbol of agility and eternal vigilance. The griffin is pictured on the seal of MMC and is the name of the college’s yearbook.

RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

It is the policy of the College to provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity or expression, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, veterans’ status or any other protected status. This policy relates to all phases of employment, including, but not limited to, recruiting, employment, placement, upgrading, demotion or transfer, reduction of work force and termination, rates of pay or other form of compensation, selection for training, the use of all facilities, and participation in all college sponsored employee activities. In addition, our personnel policies and practices, including those relating to compensation, benefits, transfer, retention, termination, training, self-development opportunities, as well as social and recreational programs, are administered without discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity or expression, religion, ethnic or national origin, disability, veterans’ status or any other protected status. Provisions in applicable laws providing for bona fide occupational qualifications, business necessity, or age the company will adhere to limitations where appropriate.

Inclusivity Statement

Marymount Manhattan College is an inclusive community. Inherent in our mission is the commitment to diversity among our students, faculty, and staff. We welcome civil debate and encourage the lively exchange of ideas to foster and promote an inclusive campus culture and learning environment. We respect and honor the dignity and value of every human being. We strive to create a community free from bias and harassment that maximizes each person’s capacity to learn and work in an institution in which difference is embraced, valued and celebrated.

Policy Against Harassment and Unlawful Discrimination

Complete Policy Against Harassment and Unlawful Discrimination

POLICY ON SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, SEXUAL ASSAULT, STALKING, AND RELATIONSHIP VIOLENCE

Complete Policy on Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Assault, Stalking, and Relationship Violence

POLICY PROHIBITING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN COLLEGE EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS

Employees are prohibited from entering into romantic and/or sexual relationships with students. Such relationships are inherently unequal in power and therefore cannot be truly consensual. Possible violations of this policy will be investigated and reviewed by the appropriate Vice-President along with the Director of Human Resources and may constitute grounds for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

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POLICY ON ASSISTANCE ANIMALS FOR EMPLOYEES WITH DISABILITES

It is the intent of MMC to provide a workplace that fosters the respect and dignity of all individuals. An essential aspect of this intention is ensuring that each employee’s work environment and all terms and conditions of employment are free from discriminatory practices and comply with all relevant equal employment opportunity legislation.

Various disability and civil rights laws prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all aspects of employment. Such conduct is expressly prohibited and will not be tolerated.

It is the policy of MMC to make reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities when such accommodations are necessary for the employee to perform the essential functions of his or her job and/or to enjoy and take advantage of the benefits and privileges of employment at MMC. Additionally, MMC charges each member of the management team with the responsibility for ensuring the success of this policy through initiative and personal leadership. MMC understands that in some cases the presence of an assistance animal on campus may be necessary in order to accommodate an employee with a disability to enable them to perform the essential functions of their job. Please note, however, that the provisions of applicable laws that allow for assistance animals for employees of MMC with disabilities are not the same as the provisions of applicable laws for members of our students when attending class or members of the public visiting our campus.

An assistance animal is defined as: An animal that works, provides assistance, or performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, or provides emotional support that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability. Please note that under MMC’s policy the animal must provide a benefit to the employee that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability in addition to any other benefit the animal provides to the employee.

Assistance Animal Requirements:

The process for requesting the presence of an assistance animal is as follows:

An employee contacts the Department of Human Resources with a written request for the use of an assistance animal. MMC will generally not ask intrusive questions regarding the extent of the employee’s disability, but may ask the following questions:

1) Does the employee seeking to use the assistance animal have a disability?

2) Does the employee making the request have a disability-related need for an assistance animal?

3) If the disability is not obvious (i.e., visible), MMC may also ask for reliable documentation indicating the employee has a disability and the employee has a disability-related need for an assistance animal. Documentation may include a letter from a physician, psychiatrist, social worker, or other mental health professional. The documentation provided must establish that the individual has a disability and that the animal will provide assistance directly related to the disability. MMC may also ask for documentation that confirms that the particular assistance animal that the employee seeks approval for performs task(s), or provides relief by its presence that alleviates the effects of the employee’s disability.

These questions may not be asked if the animal’s service tasks are obvious. One example of this would be a guide dog that assists an individual who is blind.

The assistance animal must have all the appropriate vaccinations ( e.g., rabies shots). Within 30 days of making the request for an assistance animal, the employee must provide documentation of the vaccinations and then provide confirmation of annual updates to the vaccinations when requested by MMC.

The Department of Human Resources will approve or deny the request for an assistance animal and notify the appropriate parties of the decision. Reasons that a request for an assistance animal may be denied include, but are not necessarily limited to: (1) the presence of the animal poses an undue hardship on the College; (2) the specific animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be reduced or eliminated by another reasonable accommodation; (3) the specific assistance animal in question would cause substantial physical damage to the property of others, or is disruptive or a nuisance to the College environment (e.g., excessive or uncontrolled barking) that cannot be reduced or eliminated by another reasonable accommodation; or (4) appropriate verification that the assistance animal provides assistance directly related to the employee’s disability has not been provided.

Employee Responsibilities:

While not required, the assistance animal may wear an identifying vest to alleviate any unwanted attention directed towards the assistance animal.

The employee will be solely responsible for the care of the assistance animal. The assistance animal must be under the control of the employee at all times. The assistance animal must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered at all times unless such devices interfere with the animal’s work or tasks. In such case, the animal must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered at all times that it is not working.

The employee will take appropriate measures to ensure that the assistance animal will not defecate or urinate in the interior of any buildings on campus or outside on campus except in designated agreed upon areas. The employee will “clean up” after the assistance animal should it defecate or urinate indoors, and will pick up after the animal should it defecate outdoors.

The employee will be solely responsible for any and all damage done to College property by the animal.

To the extent possible, the animal should be unobtrusive and not disruptive. If the animal becomes disruptive, the employee must take effective action to control it.

The College reserves the right to withdraw or alter the approval of the presence of the assistance animal if the presence of the assistance animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others; the animal is disruptive and the employee does not take steps to control it, substantially damages property, fundamentally alters a program, activity or the general working and educational environment of the College community; or the employee no longer requires the use of an assistance animal.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

It is the intent of the College to provide a workplace that fosters the respect and dignity of the individual. An essential aspect of this is ensuring that each employee’s work environment and all terms and conditions of employment are free from discriminatory practices and comply with all relevant equal employment opportunity legislation.

The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all aspects of employment. Such conduct is expressly prohibited and will not be tolerated.

MMC prohibits discrimination in any employment practices against qualified individuals with disabilities. This applies to job application procedures, job training, hiring, discharge or advancement of employees, employee compensation, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. This policy also applies to recruitment, advertising, layoff, leave, fringe benefits, and all other employment related activities.

MMC will make reasonable accommodations for disabled workers when such accommodations would not impose undue hardship. Additionally, it charges each member of the management team with the responsibility for ensuring the success of this policy through initiative and personal leadership. Individuals who are requesting accommodations should contact the Human Resources Department.

Pregnancy Accommodation

The College will make reasonable accommodation for an employee due to her pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions.

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CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Administrators have an obligation to conduct business on behalf of MMC within guidelines that prohibit actual or potential conflicts of interest. An actual conflict of interest occurs when an individual is in a position to influence the College’s business dealings so as to produce personal gain for that individual or for a relative, friend or business associate. Personal gain may result where an administrator, relative, friend or business associate has significant ownership in a firm with which the College does business, when a substantial gift or special consideration is received as a result of any transaction or business dealing involving the College. Any individual who may gain from her or his affiliation with MMC and an outside firm has the duty to disclose such affiliation to an officer of the College as soon as possible so that the appropriate measure may be taken to protect all parties. Normally, an administrator would not participate in or attempt to influence decisions on any aspect of MMC business through which she or he would be placed in a conflict of interest.

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DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE

MMC is committed to protecting the safety, health and well being of all employees and other individuals in our workplace. We recognize that drug and alcohol abuse pose a significant threat to our goals and impair the College’s ability to maintain a safe work and educational environment that is free from the effects of drugs and alcohol. We have established a drug-free workplace that balances our respect for individuals with the need to maintain a drug and alcohol free environment.

As a condition of employment, MMC requires that employees adhere to a strict policy regarding the use and possession of drugs and alcohol.
MMC encourages employees to voluntarily seek help with drug and alcohol problems.

It is a violation of our drug-free workplace policy to use, possess, sell, trade, manufacture, distribute and/or offer for sale alcohol, illegal drugs or intoxicants.

Prescription and over-the-counter drugs are not prohibited when taken in standard dosage and/or according to a physician’s prescription. Any employee taking prescribed or over-the-counter medications will be responsible for consulting the prescribing physician and/or pharmacist to ascertain whether the medication may interfere with safe performance of his/her job.

The illegal or unauthorized use of prescription drugs is prohibited. It is a violation of our drug-free workplace policy to intentionally misuse and/or abuse prescription medications. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken if job performance deterioration and/or other accidents occur.

Any employee convicted of any criminal offense must notify the Director of Human Resources, in writing, within 5 days from the date of the conviction. Failure to provide the required notification is grounds for termination, and employees may also be subject to disciplinary action, including termination, for committing a criminal offense.

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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE POLICY

MMC is committed to promoting the health and safety of its employees. The purpose of this policy is to heighten awareness of domestic violence and its effects in the workplace and to provide support, when requested, to employees and management to address the occurrence of domestic violence and its effects in the workplace by providing information to employees where assistance can be sought.

Domestic violence is a pattern of coercive behavior that is used by one person in a household to gain power and control over another. Examples of domestic violence include, without limitation, physical, sexual, emotional and psychological violence and abuse, threats, intimidation, verbal abuse, economic control with the intent to intimidate, stalking, and destruction or attempted destruction of property. Domestic violence occurs between people of all racial, economic, educational, religious backgrounds, in heterosexual and same sex relationships, living together or separately, married or unmarried, in short-term or long-term relationships.

Domestic violence manifests itself in the workplace through, among other things, excessive absenteeism, employee distraction and loss of productive time, increased medical assistance to the victim and insurance claims, and potential physical violence against the employee victim and/or others that may be affected by violence in the workplace.
It is the policy of the College to attempt to make available to the victim or potential victim early intervention information and referrals to professionals in the field in order to attempt to avoid or minimize the occurrence and effects of domestic violence in the workplace. While MMC cannot guarantee any employee’s safety, it is committed to full compliance with all applicable laws governing domestic violence in the workplace, some of which may provide entitlement to unpaid leave for employees who are victims of domestic violence.

MMC will not tolerate acts or threats of domestic violence or other violence against any employee while in the workplace or while conducting College affairs or business. Any employee who threatens, harasses, or abuses someone at the workplace or from the workplace while conducting business and/or using any College resources such as time, telephones, FAX machines, mail, e-mail, the Internet, or other means may be subjected to corrective or disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.

If an employee reports that he or she is a victim of domestic violence and/or is in need of leave because of domestic violence, MMC will, to the extent allowed by law, take reasonable steps to respect the confidentiality and autonomy of the reporting employee, informing other employees or other persons on a need to know basis only, and only to the extent reasonably necessary to protect the safety of the employee or others and comply with law. Wherever practicable, advance notice will be given to the reporting employee if the College needs to inform others about the domestic violence situation or if it receives a subpoena ordering the disclosure of such information.

Employees are strongly encouraged to be alert to and inform appropriate personnel and specifically, The Director of Human Resources, of any behavior which they believe in good faith presents a threat to the workplace and such reports will, to the extent permitted by law, be treated by the College.
Employees should notify their supervisor or a manager of the situation and the possible need to be absent or other potential needs and provide a copy of the restraining order or other relevant legal process to the supervisor or manager.

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VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE

MMC prohibits threatening or violent behaviors, directed at an individual, group of individuals, class of individuals or relatives of those individuals. The College policy applies to any threats or acts of violence related to the College workplace.
Prohibited behaviors include, but are not limited to:

Threats or acts of violence made directly or indirectly by words, gestures or symbols.
Threats or acts of violence that are targeted at any specific class of individuals
Intimidating threats or acts in any manner or form which intimidate, coerce or cause fear of harm
Other crimes that interrupt departmental productivity or cause fear or harm
The use of physical force with the intent to commit harm
MMC has a zero tolerance policy for violence in the workplace. Any form of violent behavior is destructive to the College community and will not be tolerated. As an employee, you have a responsibility to report promptly to your immediate supervisor, any threats or incidents of workplace violence, whether they are directed at you or at another member of the College community. Your supervisor, the Department of Security and the Department of Human Resources will coordinate an appropriate response.

In crisis situations, or in any case where there is a concern about an immediate threat of violence or if a situation continues to escalate, you should contact the Department of Security immediately at extension 411.

Violations of MMC’s policy on Violence in the Workplace may result in corrective action, up to and including termination of employment.

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CONFIDENTIALITY

For reasons of privacy and ethics, you are responsible to observe a high level of confidentiality in all matters relating to MMC, its employees and students. Whenever you have a doubt about whether confidentiality is necessary in a particular situation, it is always better to maintain confidentiality. Guidelines relating to the confidentiality of student education records under the “Buckley Amendment,” are available on our website under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) section. Breaches of confidentiality are a serious violation of the College’s standards of conduct.

Nothing in this policy is intended to interfere with, or should be interpreted to limit, an employee’s rights to discuss their wages, hours and conditions of employment or other free speech rights consistent with the National Labor Relations Act

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STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

MMC expects a high standard of employee conduct. Certain violations of College regulations are so serious that they may call for immediate discharge or other appropriate disciplinary action. Such actions include but are not limited to:

Refusing to carry out job duties or reasonable directives of the supervisor
Deliberate or reckless action that causes either actual or potential loss to MMC or employees or damage to property or physical injury to employees
Action that is or can reasonably be expected to be seriously detrimental to MMC or its reputation
Fighting or disorderly conduct on the premises or at a College sponsored event
Unauthorized disclosure or use of confidential or related material or information
Misrepresentation, including falsification of reports or records, or deliberate failure to accurately complete reports or records
Misappropriation of College funds or other assets
Illegal or unauthorized possession of a weapon on MMC premises or at a College sponsored event
Theft or unauthorized removal of College property or of the property of others
Willful discrimination in hiring, firing, pay, promotion, transfer and conditions of employment of employees for reasons of race, color, religion, creed, ancestry, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, disability or status a Vietnam-era and/or disabled veteran
Sexual harassment, defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature
All College Employees are prohibited from committing sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, and relationship violence. Complaints of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, and relationship violence as defined in the College’s Policy on Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Assault, Staking, and Relationship Violence are governed by the College’s Sexual Misconduct Policy and not the Code of Conduct. Complaints that do not constitute sexual harassment as defined in the College’s Policy on Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Assault, Staking, and Relationship Violence even if proved, and did not occur in Marymount Manhattan College’s Education Program or Activity, or did not occur against a person in the United States will be reviewed under this Employee Code of Conduct Policy.
When the accused is a member of the institution’s community and presents a continuing threat to the health and safety of the community, the College reserves the right to subject the accused to interim measures in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements, employee handbooks, and rules and policies of the College, pursuant to New York State Education Law § 129-B.
Any other breach of the employment relationship
Serious or continued violation of safety standards
Threats
Drug and alcohol use
Disregard for or violation of the College’s health and safety protocols, guidelines and policies.
This list is merely illustrative of prohibited behavior and not intended to be all-inclusive.

An employee’s job performance, prior violations of rules and other relevant circumstances may be considered in determining whether to warn, suspend or discharge any employee. The employee’s Supervisor and Management will decide whether corrective action, up to and including dismissal, is appropriate.

The above list is not a limitation on MMC’s right to terminate its employees. MMC maintains the right to terminate an employee at any time, for any reason, with or without cause.

Nothing in this policy is intended to interfere with, or should be interpreted to limit, an employee’s rights to discuss their wages, hours and conditions of employment or other free speech rights consistent with the National Labor Relations Act

HATE/BIAS CRIMES

Hate crimes, also called bias crimes or bias-related crimes, are criminal activity motivated by the perpetrator’s bias or attitude against an individual victim or group based on perceived or actual personal characteristics, such as race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Hate/bias crimes have received renewed attention in recent years, particularly since the passage of the federal Hate/Bias Crime Reporting Act of 1990 and the New York State Hate Crimes Act of 2000.

Penalties for bias-related crimes are very serious and range from fines to imprisonment for lengthy periods, depending on the nature of the underlying criminal offense, the use of violence, or previous convictions of the offender. Perpetrators who are employees will also be subject to College disciplinary procedures where sanctions including termination of employment are possible.

If you are a victim of, or witness to, a hate/bias crime on campus, report it immediately to the Director of Security.

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POLICY FOR REPORTING DISHONEST OR FRAUDULENT BEHAVIOR (WHISTLEBLOWER POLICY)

MMC is committed to providing a safe and productive environment for all members of the College community. The College’s internal controls and operating procedures are intended to deter activity that is contrary to College policy, or in violation of federal, state and local laws and regulations. It is the College’s responsibility to investigate matters that may represent intentional and unintentional violations of laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
In view of this, MMC encourages all members of the College community to express their concerns about:

fraud and financial irregularities
a serious breach of health and safety regulations, endangering the health and safety of College community members and others.
any criminal activity
any violation of law
failure to comply with legal obligations
unethical conduct.

If a member of the College community has a good faith basis to believe or to reasonably suspect the occurrence of illegal or improper conduct or activity as outlined above, that person may report such action or activity without fear of reprisal or retaliation. The person reporting the alleged offense should send a sealed letter to Kerry Walk, Ph.D., President, Marymount Manhattan College, 221 East 71st Street, New York, New York 10021. A second sealed letter should be sent to Chair of the Audit Committee, Marymount Manhattan College, 221 East 71st Street, New York, New York 10021. After receiving notification of alleged illegal or improper activity, MMC will conduct a thorough investigation and recommend appropriate action to the College President.

MMC will, as much as possible, respect the confidentiality of the discloser and will protect him/her from reprisals. MMC will not tolerate any attempt to victimize the discloser. Should retaliation actually occur, such act shall be considered a serious violation of College policy and will be dealt with accordingly. Encouraging others to retaliate is also a violation of this policy.
Individuals are encouraged to come forward in good faith with genuine concerns. However, persons using this policy to make false or malicious accusations should know that such behavior could constitute an act of gross misconduct that would be subject to internal disciplinary action and could result in subsequent legal action.

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GIFTS AND GRATUITIES

Employees of the College (faculty and staff) may accept unsolicited gifts and business courtesies if they are customary and commonly accepted business courtesies; not excessive in value and given and accepted without an express or implied understanding that obligates the employee or College by the acceptance of the gift. Any gift that is given that is excessive in value or unusual in nature, shall be returned immediately to the supplier or representative who will be informed of the College’s policy pertaining to gifts and gratuities.

SMOKING

Smoking is prohibited throughout the College in accordance with New York’s Clean Indoor Act of 1990. Smoking in dorms is restricted to designated areas.

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IMMIGRATION REFORM AND CONTROL ACT

MMC will comply with applicable immigration law, including the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 and the Immigration Act of 1990. As a condition of employment, every individual must provide satisfactory evidence of his or her identity and legal authority to work in the United States through a completed and verified I-9 form. The most common forms of identification are a driver’s license and social security card; however, other documents can be used.

If you have any questions or need more information on immigration law issues, please contact Human Resources.

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SECURITY

Faculty, staff and students are required to show their MMC ID each time they enter the building.

In the event that you do not have your ID you will be asked to show a photo ID and sign the Security Log book stating the purpose of your meeting.

The College has created a Security Director Hotline that can be reached at (212) 774-4878 or extension 878. Any member of the MMC community who wishes to discuss any matter of a confidential nature can use this number.

The front security desk is staffed 24 hours a day. In the event of an emergency please call the front desk at extension 411.

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SAFETY

MMC makes every effort to provide employees with a safe working place. Employees, in turn, have a responsibility to perform their work in a safe manner and to help prevent accidents. If at any time an employee discovers a dangerous condition, she/he should notify her/his supervisor immediately.

In the event of an injury to any employee, no matter how slight, she/he should notify their supervisor as soon as possible so that appropriate action may be taken and proper reports are filled out and filed with the Department of Human Resources.

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YOUR PERSONNEL FILE

The Office of Human Resources maintains your official employment file. The contents of personnel files are considered to be confidential and are the exclusive property of the College. As such, access to personnel records is restricted to protect employee privacy.

You may review the contents of your personnel file by making a written request to the Office of Human Resources. When the office receives your request, a time will be scheduled for you to review your file in the Human Resources office.

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DISCIPLINARY ACTION

Under certain circumstances, the College will be required to address problems that are associated with an employee’s performance, attendance, or violation of College’s regulations or policies. The approach used for corrective action is intended to maintain a productive and safe work environment for all employees and to ensure employees that they will receive fair and equitable treatment.

Progressive discipline may be used for problems involving an employee’s work performance, attendance or lateness. In most cases disciplinary action should occur in progressive steps so that termination occurs only after efforts have been made to correct the performance issues. However, in some cases immediate termination may be appropriate.

The above list and guidelines are not a limitation on MMC’s right to terminate its employees. As stated earlier in this Handbook, MMC maintains the right to terminate an employee at any time, for any reason, with or without cause.

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SCHOOL CLOSING

It is always the intent of the College to remain open and maintain regular business and academic operations, including normal class schedules, whenever possible. If weather conditions or other emergencies make it impossible to maintain regular business and academic operations, the College may announce an adjusted schedule or school closure, defined as the cancellation of classes and the closure of offices. When making these adjustments, consideration for maintaining operations will always be balanced with the safety of the community.

(Please note that buildings most often remain open during a school closure, and some activities may take place as scheduled and when announced.)

Commuting students, faculty, and staff should always exercise their best judgment with regard to road and transit conditions and other safety concerns.

Staff

In the event that the College is open but a staff member cannot commute to work, a personal day may be taken. Working from home either during a school closure or during a day when a staff member cannot get to work due to commuting conditions should be approved by a supervisor.

If it is announced that the College is closed, only required physical plant personnel will be expected to work and security personnel will be provided by the College’s security company.

Communication

Faculty and staff will be notified of any scheduling changes via the ConnectEd system. It is imperative that all employees sign up for ConnectEd so that the College has up to date contact information in the case of a school closure or other emergency.

Updates on a school delay or closure will be available on the College website, www.mmm.edu, and via a recorded telephone message at 212.517.0400.

Updates will also be communicated via NBC after 6:00 am.

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OPEN DOOR POLICY

We expect MMC to be a place in which employees will be proud and happy to work, but we also recognize that no organization is perfect and that problems or misunderstandings occur in almost any workplace from time to time. Therefore, the College is committed to maintain a work environment that promotes open communication and provides channels to help you resolve problems on the job.

The Open Door Policy provides a basis for resolving those problems. Under the Open Door Policy, employees are encouraged to resolve problems internally by systematically reviewing issues through the management reporting structure. These individuals maintain an Open Door Policy, which you should feel is always available to you. While we cannot guarantee that we will always give you the answer that you want, you can expect fair consideration of any problem or question that may arise.

Employees are encouraged to discuss problems with their Supervisor first. Since your Supervisor is the person responsible for activities in your work area, he or she most often is in the best position to resolve a problem. If your concern involves your immediate supervisor and you are not comfortable discussing your situation with him or her, you should bring your concern to your department head or human resources representative.

If you are not satisfied with your supervisor’s response, you may then submit a written statement with your department head. If the issue is not resolved at your business unit level or if you prefer to talk with someone outside your immediate business area, you may contact your human resources representative. Your human resources representative may speak with you and your manager to resolve your concern. It may be necessary to conduct an investigation to gain a complete understanding of the issue under review before you receive a response.

Depending on the number of people who must be consulted to resolve the problem, you should receive a response within one week. Decisions reached at this level are final.

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ABOUT YOUR EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT AT WILL

All employees at the College are employed “at will”. This means that employees do not have a written or oral contract of employment promising employment by the College for a set period of time. Therefore, employees are free to resign employment with MMC at any time. Similarly, MMC reserves its right, as your employer, to terminate your employment at any time, for any reason or no reason, with or without notice. Neither the College’s Employee Handbook nor its Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual, nor any oral or written statement by a supervisor, constitutes an employment contract or an agreement for a definite or specified period of employment, or create or contribute in any way to a legal cause of action against the College. No representative of the College, except the Chairman of the College’s Board of Directors or the President of the College, who may only do so in writing, may enter into agreements, or make any representations, written or oral, to alter your employment status.

Further, I understand that the disciplinary rules contained in this manual are only guidelines, and except as may be limited by any applicable collective bargaining agreement which I am subject to, my employment may be terminated at any time, at either my option or the Company’s, with or without cause.

The College reserves the right to amend any present or future policies and procedures as it deems necessary and appropriate.

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JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND POSTING

To keep you informed of job opportunities throughout MMC, the Human Resources Department posts position vacancies on its website. Each posting lists the jobs that are open, brief descriptions and job requirements. Positions are posted for at least five days in order to give adequate notice to current staff. In general, applicants who have completed at least six months of satisfactory employment in their present position and who meet the stated requirements of a job that represents a promotional opportunity will receive a review of their application. In addition, these job opportunities are advertised outside of the College to attract a wide range of applicants from diverse backgrounds.

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EMPLOYMENT OF RELATIVES

The College recognizes that employment of relatives in the same area of an organization can cause conflicts and problems with favoritism and employee morale. In these circumstances, all parties, including supervisors, are open to charges of inequitable consideration in decisions regarding work assignments, performance evaluations, promotions, demotions, disciplinary actions and discharge. In addition to claims of partiality in treatment at work, personal conflicts from outside of the work environment can carried into the day-to-day working relationships.

It is the College policy that relatives of persons currently employed by the organization may be hired only if they will not be working directly for or supervising a relative or will not be directly above the relative’s immediate supervisor or working directly for the relative’s immediate subordinate. If already employed, they cannot be transferred into such a reporting relationship.

A relative is defined to include spouses/domestic partners, parents, children, brothers, sisters, brothers and sisters-in-law, fathers and mothers-in-law, stepparents, stepsiblings and stepchildren. This policy also applies to individuals who are not legally related but who reside with another employee.

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REQUESTS FOR REFERENCES

Companies may contact managers of MMC for information regarding former and current employees. Managers must inform the caller that it is not the College’s policy to release employment information, and should forward the caller to Human Resources.

Only Human Resources may release employment information if they receive an appropriate release or if they are required to do so in order to comply with legal requirements.

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MEDIA AND OTHER INQUIRIES

It is the policy of MMC to direct all media and other inquiries and requests for publicity to the College’s Office of Institutional Advancement. Employment-related inquires should be directed to the Department of Human Resources.

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PERSONAL PROPERTY

The College is not responsible for lost or stolen personal property. It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure that her/his personal possessions are safely secured. Any lost or stolen property should be reported to the manager/supervisor immediately.

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DRESS CODE

Discretion in style of dress and behavior is essential to the image and the safe and efficient operation of the College. Staff members are expected to dress in a manner appropriate to their working environment and to the type of work performed.

It is important that all MMC employees project a professional image to the people with whom they interact internally and externally. Employees, in conjunction with their managers, may use their judgment regarding the days that they wear “business casual” dress. Your schedule of activities should determine work attire. The following guidelines apply to “business casual” attire:

Appropriate business casual attire includes slacks, skirts and shirts with collars.
Appropriate business casual attire does not include: jeans, athletic attire (sweatshirts, sweatpants, gym shoes), T-shirts, spandex, casual sandals and shorts.

On Fridays throughout the year, staff members may wear nice jeans. As always, it is important to project a positive College image and in cases where meetings, and/or presentations are scheduled on a Friday, the employees involved are expected to use discretion. The College also recognizes there may be offices that require more traditional business or business casual dress on Fridays; employees in those departments should dress accordingly.

Some departments may have their own policies or dress codes appropriate to the nature of the work done within those departments. Employees should consult their supervisor regarding any dress code requirement specific to their department.

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FREE SPEECH IN CYBERSPACE

College campuses like MMC take pride in providing an environment for free speech. However, “college administrators are also charged with protecting the rights of others in the university community by maintaining an atmosphere in which insulting, obscene, or harassing speech is prohibited. The failure to do so can result in potential legal liability as well as negative publicity for the institution” (“Computer and Internet Use on Campus,” Constance S. Hawke, 42). For the protection of all constituents of MMC, the following guidelines apply for e-mail sent on the MMC network:

Using foul or obscene language, posting obnoxious or inappropriate announcements, or making defamatory statements is not acceptable.
Sending “chain letter,” “spam” or “broadcast” messages to lists or individuals, and other types of similar use, which would cause network congestion or otherwise interfere with the work of others is not acceptable.
Performing repeated, unsolicited and unwanted communication of an intrusive nature, for example, continuing to send e-mail messages to an individual after being asked to stop is unacceptable.
All responsibility for statements made in public computer-mediated communication rests with the individual posting the statements. Statements do not represent the opinions of the supervisor or employer of that person or anyone involved with the networks that comprise the MMC network.
At a minimum, users will respect the privacy of other users and employ appropriate standards of civility when using electronic systems to communicate with other individuals.
MMC provides to its faculty, staff and students the capacity to access the Internet and to engage in various kinds of communication that are mediated by computers. This includes the use of bulletin boards, computer lists, e-mail, and computer servers that provide the basis for such communication. MMC does not undertake any responsibility to review the contents of messages sent and received or the use of the Internet, but, if an abuse or a violation of law or College policy is identified, MMC may take steps to intercept or remove the message, and may remove access by the user.
Privacy Issues for Users

MMC operates under the premise that the user of any computer system under a valid user ID and password is one and the same as the individual originally given that user ID. It is in everyone’s interest not to disclose one’s user ID and password because that could pose a risk to one’s privacy.

All MMC users should be aware that “the use of campus computing networks is not completely private. The normal operation and maintenance of a system requires backup and caching of data, logging activity, and other legitimate reasons for monitoring. Users should be made aware that the institution occasionally monitors activity related to the rendition of network service” (Hawke 115). Typically, “a user’s account may be subject to monitoring … when the system administrator has reasonable cause to believe that the user is violating the acceptable use policy (e.g., on notification of alleged copyright infringement or defamation). Users should also be aware that their communications posted to newsgroups are accessible to the network administrator as well as to most Internet users” (Hawke 116).

In her text, Constance Hawke concludes with a candid assessment of the privacy issue: “The very nature of cyberspace defies constraints of time and space. It is undisputed that, once connected to the Internet, a network’s system will generally be available to anyone with a computer and a modem anywhere in the world. A provider of Internet access will have minimal control over those who access its system; similarly, a user will have little control over who views his or her communication” (Hawke 119).

In conclusion, the TSC and MMC Network System Administrators recommend common sense and discretion on the part of all users in the Community. Free access to the Internet from campus computers is a privilege and we all need to appreciate that opportunity and use it with care and respect for all other users.

Nothing in this policy is intended to interfere with, or should be interpreted to limit, an employee’s rights to discuss their wages, hours and conditions of employment or other free speech rights consistent with the National Labor Relations Act

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EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES

The College expects all employees to:

Ensure that service to students and the general public is top priority;
Arrive at their departments and begin work on time;
Do a productive full day’s work;
Demonstrate a considerate, friendly and constructive attitude toward fellow employees and students; and
Adhere to the policies adopted by Marymount Manhattan College.

PERSONAL WORKSPACES

It is the intent of the College to assign personal workspaces to each of its employees working on campus. Employees are permitted to bring personal items to be left in their spaces provided the items do not interfere with the employee’s work performance and do not create a hostile or offensive work environment for other employees.

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TELEPHONE USE

Office telephones are an important means of conducting College business. Personal calls can interfere with important business calls and should be kept as brief as possible.

Telephone manner is a vital part of the College’s public relations. The impression that you make on a caller is often the only impression the caller will have of both you and the College. If you have any questions about the specific manner in which to answer calls, please check with your supervisor.

You should practice the following courtesies:

Answer phones promptly
Identify yourself
Quickly notify the person being called if other than you
Be attentive and obtain complete and accurate information
Explain any delays, transfer calls competently and end calls pleasantly.

ABSENCE AND PUNCTUALITY

Because the Company depends heavily upon its employees, it is important that employees attend work as scheduled. Dependability, attendance, punctuality, and a commitment to do the job right are essential at all times. As such, employees are expected at work on all scheduled work days and during all scheduled work hours and to report to work on time. Failure to report for work and/or reporting for work late are unacceptable practices, and will result in disciplinary action.

If an employee is unable to come to work, she/he must call her/his on-site supervisor as soon as possible but no later than the time she/he was expected to begin work so that essential services can be covered.

If you are absolutely unable to call, a relative or friend may call for you. If your Supervisor is not available, they should leave a detailed message on their Supervisor’s voice mail containing the following information: employee’s name, time of call, nature of the problem and a telephone number where they can be reached. The employee should then contact his/her Supervisor personally later in the day and each day thereafter while absent.

Where it can be reasonably be expected that you could have called, an absence of three days without notification to your supervisor or the Human Resources Department will be deemed voluntary termination of employment as of the close of business that third day.

Frequent absences or lateness, as well as failure to give proper notice of absence, decrease the value of a staff member’s services to the College, and may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

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UPON HIRE - ORIENTATION

To introduce new employees to the life of the College, an orientation program is provided. This orientation is generally provided by the Department of Human Resources and typically includes a tour of the College, a discussion of the College’s mission and history, policies and benefit programs.

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CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND DEVELOPMENT

The College offers many career opportunities with a broad diversity of positions available. You should let your supervisor and your colleagues know of your career plans and aspirations. If you seek further training or would like to take on additional responsibilities, be sure to discuss this with your supervisor.

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TRANSFER

Transfer between departments should occur with minimal disruption to departments and offices and with the goal of maximum utilization of personnel resources. As a general rule, an individual must have one year of service with a good performance appraisal to be considered for transfer. Requests for individual transfers must be processed through the Human Resources Office to be valid. There is an “Introductory Employment Period” for transfer to a new job, but the employee carries continuity of benefits from the previous position during that time. All available positions are posted on the Human Resources website.

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TERMINATION PROCEDURE

We at MMC aspire to make your employment at the College mutually rewarding. Sometimes, however, employees choose to leave the College for personal reasons or professional opportunities. They move, find themselves in different circumstances, or simply want a change. So too, the College maintains the right to enlarge, reduce, make changes in and terminate its employees. Thus, employment at the College is “at will.”

Except as otherwise provided in the “Resignation” section of this handbook, at the time of termination of employment, the College pays employees accumulated, but unused, vacation leave not to exceed the equivalent of two weeks. In addition, any payment due for “Waiver of Medical Benefits” will be included.

Upon separation from employment, employees will be paid for any unused, accrued vacation time with a cap of two weeks. If any employee leaves before three months, she/he is not entitled to any accrued vacation.

RESIGNATION

Employees are expected to give written notice of their intent to resign, including the effective date of the resignation. The college requests employees to give notice equivalent to the length of their annual vacation accrual, but are expected to give no less than 2 calendar weeks notice. Executive Officers should direct their written notice to the President. All other employees should direct their written notice to their supervisor. The Supervisor should forward a copy of all employees’ resignation letters immediately to the Department of Human Resources.

Once an employee has given notice, vacation, sick or personal leave will not be granted without approval from HR. The employee is expected to report to work during this period to aid the office in transition unless there is a compelling reason for paid time off to be taken. Any sick or personal time that is taken during the notice period will be deducted from the accrued but unused vacation payout upon termination.

If proper written notice has been given in a timely manner, the employee will receive a lump-sum payment for a maximum of two weeks of accrued but unused vacation leave upon termination. This amount cannot exceed the amount of vacation the individual is eligible to accrue in a given year. If less than 2 weeks notice is given, this payment is forfeited. No other payments for accrued leave(s) of any kind are made after resignation or termination.
The individual should be directed by the supervisor to make an appointment with the Human Resources Department for an exit interview upon notice of resignation.

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EXIT INTERVIEW

The Human Resources Office conducts exit interviews for terminating employees. One of the purposes of the interview is to inform and counsel an employee on what actions should be taken regarding the possible continuation of benefits coverage. In addition, the interview provides an opportunity to discuss the circumstances of the termination. Employees are expected to return all college property to the Director of Human Resources at this time.

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MAINTENANCE OF PERSONNEL RECORDS

To keep necessary College records up to date, it is extremely important that changes in any of the following be reported to the Human Resources Office:

Name
Address
Telephone number
Immigration status
Name of individual to notify in case of emergency
Benefits coverage or beneficiaries (e.g. a change in marital/domestic partner status or dependents)
Emergency Contact

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL

Effective performance management is a continuous cycle that begins with a planning session to review major responsibilities and expected results, to plan and set goals, and to discuss how progress will be tracked throughout the year.

An annual performance appraisal is conducted to clarify expected year-end results and modify priorities to allow time for any correction that may be required.

At the end of the annual cycle, the employee and the supervisor provide a written assessment of accomplishments, areas where improvements could have produced higher-level results, and identify goals for the next cycle. The final version of the supervisor’s document, which is approved by the next level of management, becomes part of the employee’s record of accomplishment and is maintained in his/her personnel file.

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SERVICE RECOGNITION

Each year, at the College’s Charter Day celebration, a presentation of service awards is made to those members of the faculty and staff who have completed ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five or more years of continuous service.

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COMPENSATION AND WORK HOURS

EMPLOYMENT STATUS

At MMC, individuals are classified into various employment status. Please take time to acquaint yourself with the various types of employee status since these terms are used throughout this manual.

Exempt Employees are those whose job assignments meet the federal and state requirements for overtime exemption as defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that allowed for exemptions from minimum wage and overtime pay requirements for executive, administrative, professional and outside sales staff. Exempt employees are compensated on a salary basis and are not eligible for overtime pay.
Non-exempt Employees are covered by the overtime provisions of the FLSA and are therefore compensated on an hourly basis for actual hours worked in the performance of the job. Non-exempt employees will be paid time and one half compensation for all hours worked in excess of 40 in one workweek and as otherwise required by state and federal law.
An employee’s exempt or non-exempt classification may be changed only in writing by management.

In addition to the above categories, each employee will belong to one other employment category:

Regular full-time employees
Any employee who has successfully completed his/her 3 month introductory employment period, and is regularly scheduled to work at least 35 hours per week. Regular full-time employees are eligible for the College’s entire benefits package, after meeting eligibility requirements in certain cases.
Regular part-time employees
Any employee who has successfully completed his/her 3 month introductory employment period, and is regularly scheduled to work 20 hours per week, exclusive of meal breaks, and not to exceed 999 hours in an employment anniversary year. Regular part-time employees are not eligible to participate in College provided benefits.
Temporary employees
Any employee who is hired to work for a limited period of time generally not exceeding 6 months. Temporary employees are not entitled to any benefits that are included in the employee benefit package.
Regular and College Work Study Students
Any student who is hired during the school semester and is scheduled to work no more than 20 hours per week. Regular and College Work Study Students are not eligible for College provided benefits.

INTRODUCTORY EMPLOYMENT PERIOD

The first three months of employment (whether as a new employee or as a transferee to a new position) for all college employees, except faculty, are called the “Introductory Employment Period”. This introductory employment period applies to all classifications of employment: full-time, part-time, or temporary. This period of time serves two purposes. It gives new employees a chance to see if the position suits them and their personal goals. At the same time, it provides the College an opportunity to evaluate the performance of each new employee to see if he or she is suited for the job for which they were hired.

During the introductory employment period, department managers will make every effort to acclimate new employees to their jobs and to the College’s policies. Thereafter, your supervisor and Human Resources shall continue to be resources to you regarding personnel policies and procedures.

If it is clear that a new hire is not suitable for continued employed by the College, the introductory employment period may be cut short, and the employment relationship terminated, at any time, with or without cause.

Upon completion of the introductory employment period, a new or transferred employee will become a regular employee, i.e., one who has successfully completed the introductory period.

Completion of the introductory employment period does not alter the continuing at-will status of the employee and in no way guarantees continual employment with MMC.

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THE WORKWEEK

The College workweek begins at 12:01 a.m. Saturday and ends at midnight Friday. Normal office hours are 9:00a.m to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday with one hour for lunch. Some departments may have different office hours. If this is the case with you or your department, the normal College hours do not apply. Check with your supervisor if you have any questions about your work hours and schedule.

During the summer months the schedule may be changed to allow for closing on some Fridays. Any such change of schedule will be announced to all personnel in advance.

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LUNCH PERIODS

Full-time employees are provided a one-hour unpaid meal periods, Monday through Friday. Lunch periods are normally scheduled between 12:00 noon and 2:00 p.m. Departments will often stagger these periods to ensure adequate coverage.

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TEACHING APPOINTMENTS AND ADDITIONAL WORK ASSIGNMENTS

From time to time staff members who are experts in specific fields will be invited to teach a class. The College will allow a staff member to teach up to 3 credit hours per semester with the approval of his/her direct supervisor, the Divisional Chair, the area Vice President and the Academic Dean.

Staff must teach outside of their regular work hours. Only under extraordinary circumstances, and if a change in their schedule meets the needs of their department, a direct supervisor may permit staff members to teach during the 7-hour work day. In such cases, the employee must make up the time. A request to change the staff member’s work schedule to accommodate a teaching assignment must be approved by his or her direct supervisor and the area Vice President. All teaching approval is given at the discretion of the Academic Dean.

Payment for teaching as a staff member:
Exempt employees who are teaching a course will be paid a flat rate that will coincide with the college’s adjunct rate and will be prorated depending upon the number of credits in a given course.

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PAID HOLIDAYS

The College’s regular paid holiday schedule for its full-time employees includes New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving Day and the Friday following Thanksgiving. In addition, a paid extended holiday may be given to full-time employees due to the closing of the College for the winter recess, which includes Christmas Day. The holiday schedule is widely distributed each year.

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HOLIDAY PREMIUM PAY

If a full-time, non-exempt employee is required to work on a legal holiday (e.g., President’s Day), the individual will be paid one and one-half times the regular rate for all hours worked on the holiday and will receive an extra day off with pay. If a full-time, non-exempt employee is required to work on a College holiday, the individual will receive regular pay plus either straight-time for all hours worked on the holiday or an extra day off with pay.

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PAY DAYS

Employees are paid on a bi-weekly basis. Paydays occur every other week on Thursday.

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PAYCHECKS/DIRECT DEPOSIT

Your paycheck will be mailed at the end of the business day the Wednesday of pay week. Those employees set up for direct deposit can expect their funds to be in their account Thursday or the pay week. All employees are encouraged to sign up for direct deposit which can be done through the HR/Payroll Portal. A payroll schedule is available in the HR/Payroll Portal.

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PRE-NOTE PERIOD

A “prenote period” will take place for all new accounts and/or changes. A “prenote period” is the amount of time to verify account numbers with the bank. One payroll period will elapse before the direct deposit becomes active.

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PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS

The College makes legally required deductions for F.I.C.A. (Social Security), and for other required Federal, New York State, and New York City withholdings (e.g. Income Tax). Employees must authorize other deductions from their checks for benefits and annuities. The check stub itemizes all deductions for each pay period.

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TIMEKEEPING/ATTENDANCE REPORTING

Non-exempt employees must record their actual time worked for payroll and benefit purposes. Non-exempt employees should record either the time work begins and ends or the total hours worked in a day. Non-exempt employees must also record any departure from work for any non-work-related reason. Failure to report hours may result in disciplinary action.

Altering, falsifying, and tampering with time records, or recording time on another Employee’s time record is prohibited and subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Exempt employees may also be required to record their time worked and report full days of absence from work for reasons such as vacation, leaves of absence, sick leave, or personal business. Please see your Supervisor for further clarification.

A payroll schedule, detailing timesheet submission dates and pay dates, is available from Payroll and Human Resources Departments.

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STATUTORY BENEFITS

The College shares in the substantial cost of three important government required benefit insurances: Social Security, Worker’s Compensation and Unemployment Insurance.

Social Security (FICA)
Social Security provides employees with disability and retirement benefits, and provides qualifying dependents with survivor benefits. Social Security also provides eligible employees hospital and medical benefits under Medicare. The College contributes to Social Security according to the rates and limits prescribed by law.
Worker’s Compensation
Worker’s Compensation provides benefits that may apply as a result of a job-related injury or sickness. These benefits may cover expenses for medical care, replacement of a portion of income lost as a result of disability, and benefits to a beneficiary in case of death. The College pays the total cost of the program.
Remember: All job-related accidents, no matter how small, should be reported immediately to the supervisor and the Human Resources Department regardless of the severity of the injuries.
Unemployment Insurance
This insurance program provides a certain portion of salary payments if an employee loses her/his job through no cause of her/his own. The New York State Unemployment Division determines the amount of benefits. The College pays the total cost of the program.

SALARY ATTACHMENTS

The College must honor a legal attachment against the salary of any employee. Legal attachments include garnishments, U.S. Treasury Department levies, etc.

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JOB EVALUATION AND COMPENSATION LEVEL

MMC is committed to attracting, motivating and retaining qualified employees through its compensation program. This program is designed to evaluate appropriate compensation levels for jobs, encourage growth, and reward those individuals who support and fulfill the College’s mission. We continue to design and support competitive pay.

Your job has been evaluated to determine the salary range and corresponding grade level appropriate for the position, job factors and requirements. Your pay is also associated with external labor markets, comparison with other internal positions, your performance and the availability of the College’s financial resources.

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OVERTIME COMPENSATION

If you are a non-exempt employee you will receive overtime pay at the rate of one and a half times your regular rate of pay for any hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Hours worked over 35 but less than 40 in a workweek are not paid as overtime; they are considered straight-time hours. Any hours worked in excess of 40 in a work week must be approved in advance by your supervisor.

Overtime is paid based on the actual time worked. Holidays, vacation, sick time, personal time, jury duty and similar days in which you perform no work, are not counted toward the calculation of overtime.

If you work between 35 and 40 hours in one week you can, with your supervisor’s approval, receive either straight time pay or compensatory time off for those hours. You must take compensatory time-off within the pay period in which you earn it. You may not carry-over compensatory time hours from one pay period to the next. If you work over 40 hours in a workweek, you cannot elect compensatory time-off in lieu of overtime pay.

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STAFF PROMOTIONS AND/OR SALARY INCREASE

MMC believes in providing opportunities for staff members to assume positions of higher responsibility and/or to receive a salary increase when appropriate. Any staff member in good standing is eligible for promotion and/or salary increase after one year of employment at MMC. (Promotion and/or salary increase prior to one year of employment may occur in rare instances and only with the approval of the relevant Vice President, the Associate Vice President for Human Resources, and the President.)

Staff members who receive an individual salary increase prior to June 30 of the fiscal year in which the increase is given will be eligible for any approved College budgetary increase according to the following Annual Salary Administration Schedule:

Period of an Individual Salary Increase	Percentage of Approved College Budgetary Increase
July 1 – September 30	100%
October 1 – December 31	75%
January 1 – March 30	50%
April 1 – June 30	0%

TIME OFF AND LEAVE

SICK TIME

(a) Sick Leave

Employees, after one (1) year of employment, shall be entitled to six (6) paid sick leave days, accrued .50/ day per month, during each July 1 to June 30 year. During the first year of employment, employees may not use any sick days until completion of the probationary period, and employees shall receive a pro rata portion of the six (6) days, up to a maximum of five (5) paid sick leave days.

Unused sick leave may be accumulated up to a maximum of one hundred twenty (120) days.

Employees who are unable to come to work because of sickness must notify their supervisor as soon as possible, but no later than the two (2) hours before the commencement of the workday, except in the event of emergency. Employees who will be late must notify their supervisor as soon as possible. Notification of the supervisor by voicemail to the supervisor’s voice mailbox shall be deemed sufficient notice if timely pursuant to the foregoing.

With the exception of the allotment of sick days permissible under the Personal Days policy, sick days are to be used only for employee illness and/or injury. MMC reserves the right to request medical certification for absences of 3 days or more.

(b) Personal Days

In addition to the above sick days, employees with at least six (6) months of service, shall be entitled to six (6) personal days during each July 1 to June 30 year, accrued .50/day per month. During the first year of employment, employees may not use their personal days until after completion of the probationary period, employees shall receive a pro rata portion of the six (6) days. Unused personal days may not be carried over after June 30 of each year, but shall be converted to unused sick days and may be carried over subject to the limitations set forth in section (a) above. Personal days may not be used to supplement vacation time. Employees may request to use up to two (2) personal days prior to their accrual in any July 1 to June 30 year; however, the decision to grant such request shall be within the sole discretion of the employee’s supervisor and the Human Resources Department.

VACATION TIME

Based on years of service, employees will accrue vacation time as follows:

First Two Years of Continuous Service - vacation is accrued at the rate of 5.83 hours per month for an accrual of 2 weeks per year.

Two to Five Years of Continuous Service - vacation is accrued at the rate of 8.75 hours per month for an accrual of 3 weeks per year.

Five or More years of Continuous Service - vacation is accrued at 11.67 hours per month for an accrual of 4 weeks of vacation per year.

Upon separation from employment, employees will be paid for any unused, accrued vacation time, subject to a maximum of 2 weeks. If an employee leaves before three months, she/he is not entitled to any accrued vacation.

Employees may carry over any accrued but unused vacation without forfeiture, subject to the following two conditions: (1) no more than one week of excess carryover may be used in any contract year, and (2) upon termination of employment for any reason other than resignation, accrued and unused vacation, up to a maximum of the employee’s then annual entitlement, will be paid upon termination of employment. In the event of a resignation, no more than two weeks of accrued but unused vacation will be paid upon termination of employment.

Example: Employee A currently accrues vacation leave at the rate of 11.67 hours per month (4 weeks vacation/year) and has accumulated to date 8 weeks of unused vacation leave. According to the College’s vacation policy, Employee A will not forfeit any accrued vacation under this policy. Employee A may only use one week of accrued but unused vacation leave in excess of the 4 week carry-forward allowed her/him per contract year (July 1-June 30).

For employees who change employment status but remain with the College and have no break in service the following rules for transitioning paid time off accruals apply:

Part Time Employee to Full Time Employee:
A part time employee who is transitioning to full time status will be paid out his/her unused vacation time up to 19.5 hours. Once a full time employee, the full time vacation accrual schedule will begin and, prior to accruing the time, employees can use a maximum of 35 hours of vacation. Any accrued sick time will carry over and continue to accumulate at the full time rate.

Full Time Employee to Part Time Employee:
A full time employee who is transitioning to part time status will be paid out his/her accrued but unused vacation time to be capped at the employee’s full time annual accrual. Once a part time employee, the part time accrual schedule will begin and, prior to accruing the time, employees can use a maximum of 19.5 hours of vacation. Any accrued sick time will carry over and continue to accumulate at the part time rate. Any personal time hours accrued will be converted to sick time.

Vacation is subject to prior approval of the supervisor and should be planned and approved well in advance, taking into account workflow and other employees’ schedules. Employees may request to use up to one week of vacation entitlement prior to its accrual in any School year; however, the decision to grant such request shall be within the sole discretion of the employee’s supervisor and the Human Resources Department.

Upon separation from employment, employees will be paid for any unused, accrued vacation time with a cap of two weeks. The time must be accrued within the fiscal year that an employee terminates. If any employee leaves before three months, she/he is not entitled to any accrued vacation.

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JURY DUTY AND COURT APPEARANCES

All full-time employees called for jury duty are permitted time off to provide said services. Employees shall be paid their full pay for the first two (2) weeks of jury service in a calendar year. Under New York State Law, the court will not pay you if you are fully compensated by your employer. Employees whose jury duty service may extend beyond two weeks may request, in advance, that the College extend the period of payment of full pay beyond the two weeks; however, the College reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to grant such an extension.

Individuals subpoenaed for jury duty are expected to show their supervisor the jury notice in advance of this absence and to obtain from the clerk of the court a certification of the time spent on jury duty. In order to be paid for their time out, employees must attach copies of these documents to the appropriate timesheets. A copy of the jury duty notice should accompany the timesheet in advance of this absence and the certificate noting completion of service should be attached to their timesheet after they have been released from jury duty.

An employee who is released from jury duty during working hours is expected to report for work that same day for the remainder of the work day.

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RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS

Each year a complete schedule of holidays and other special days are approved by the President and the President’s Cabinet and communicated to the College community.

Employees who wish to observe a religious holiday that is not included in the College holiday schedule, may request to do so. Employees may choose to use accrued vacation or personal days.

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ELECTION DAY

MMC encourages all eligible employees to exercise their civic responsibility to vote. Employees who are registered voters may take time off from work, with pay, in order to vote, if polling places are not open four consecutive hours before or after their normal workday. Please refer to the Time Off to Vote Notice for more information.

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FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT

In compliance with the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), the College gives eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a specified 12 month period for any of the following reasons:

Birth and/or care of your newborn child
The placement with you of a son or daughter for adoption or foster care
To care for an immediate family member (spouse, child or parent) with a serious health condition
To take medical leave when you are unable to work because of a serious medical condition.

To be eligible for leave under FMLA, you must meet all of the following conditions:

You must have worked for the College for a total of 12 months; and
You must have performed at least 1,250 hours of service during the twelve months prior to the date leave is requested to commence.

There are two limitations on FMLA leave. First, if both spouses are employed by the College, their combined total leave for the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child, or to care for a parent with a serious health condition shall not exceed 12 weeks. Second, leave for the birth, adoption or foster care placement of a child must be concluded within 12 months of the birth, adoption or placement.

Procedures

To request family or medical leave under the FMLA, contact the Department of Human Resources for information and to complete a Request for Leave form.
You must provide Human Resources with 30 days prior notice if the need for leave is foreseeable, such as a birth or planned medical treatment. If the leave is unforeseeable, you must contact the Department of Human Resources as soon as it is practicable, but you should provide at least verbal notice within one or two days of your learning of the need for leave.
For any qualifying family or medical reason, or if the request is for intermittent or reduced leave schedule, you will need to provide Human Resources with medical certification and periodic re-certifications. Forms are available in Human Resources.
In most cases, you must furnish medical certification within 15 days of making the application for FMLA leave. If you fail to supply medical certification within a reasonable period of time, your FMLA leave request may be delayed. MMC reserves the right to terminate the leave if you fail to provide the medical certification in a timely manner.
While you are on leave, you must give the Department of Human Resources periodic reports regarding your status and your intent to return to work.
In cases of your own serious illness, any accrued sick time is applied at the beginning of the leave period, and you have the option to use your accrued vacation. Any remaining leave time is taken unpaid. FMLA leave runs concurrently with any paid or unpaid time off.
During an approved leave, you will continue to receive credit for service time at the College.
When you have exhausted leave under FMLA, the College may recruit to fill your position or eliminate or restructure the position, as the needs of the College dictate. At the end of the FMLA-covered period, if you do not return to work, or you do not request and are not granted a Personal Leave of Absence, you will be terminated from employment with the College.
If you take leave due to your own serious health condition, you must submit a fitness-for-duty report prior to returning to work, which states that you are able to perform the essential functions of your position.

Intermittent or Reduced Leave

Under certain conditions, you may be allowed to take intermittent leave or work on a reduced leave schedule.
Intermittent or reduced leave will not be granted for the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child unless the College specifically approves such leave. Intermittent or reduced leave will be granted due to the serious health condition of the employee or a family member if such leave is medically necessary.
If you select intermittent leave or a reduced work schedule, MMC has the right to transfer you to a job that is more suitable to recurring periods of leave.

Employee Benefits

You may elect to continue your benefits for the duration of the leave; if you do elect to continue these benefits, you remain responsible for your share of the premiums.
An employee who does not return to work from FMLA leave may be responsible for the reimbursement of the premiums paid by the College.

Pregnancy Accommodation

The College will make reasonable accommodation for an employee due to her pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions.

PAID FAMILY LEAVE

Effective January 1, 2018, New York State has adopted a Paid Family Leave (NY PFL) law.

Leave reasons. The NY PFL law provides partially paid job-protected leave for the following reasons:

To bond with a newborn, newly adopted, or newly placed foster child (within one year of birth, adoption, or placement)
To care for a covered family member with a serious health condition
To address exigencies if a covered family member is called to active military duty (“military exigency”)

Employee Eligibility. Both full-time and part-time employees whose primary work location is in New York are eligible for NY PFL. Employees who work 20 or more hours per week are eligible for coverage after 26 weeks of consecutive employment.

Employees who work fewer than 20 hours per week are eligible after 175 days of employment (which need not be consecutive).

Amount and length of NY PFL benefit. The NY PFL law benefit for 2018 is 50% of your average weekly wage, not to exceed 50% of the New York State average weekly wage, for a maximum of eight weeks. For 2018, the average weekly wage is $1,305.92 and, therefore, the maximum benefit is $652.96 per week.

The NY PFL law provides that the leave benefit will increase in 2019–2021, as follows:

1/1/2018 50% of average weekly wage for a maximum of eight weeks
1/1/2019 55% of average weekly wage for a maximum of 10 weeks
1/1/2020 60% of average weekly wage for a maximum of 10 weeks
1/1/2021 67% of average weekly wage for a maximum of 12 weeks

Under the NY PFL law, if an employee is out on a leave that carries over into the next calendar year, the benefit that was in effect when the leave began will remain applicable. For example, if an employee commences a leave in 2018, the 2018 benefit amounts will continue to apply if the leave carries over into 2019.

For 2018, employees may take NY PFL on or after January 1, 2018, to bond with a newborn or newly adopted or placed child as long as the birth, adoption, or placement occurred (“qualifying event”) fewer than 52 weeks prior to the commencement of the leave and the leave is completed prior to the expiration of 52 weeks after the qualifying event.

Employee funding of NY PFL. The NY PFL benefit is funded exclusively through employee payroll deduction. For 2018, the amount of the employee payroll deduction is 0.126% of your average weekly wages, not to exceed the statewide average weekly wage. The State has indicated that the current average weekly wage is $1,305.92. This cap means that while your actual contribution is dependent upon your wages, it will not exceed $85.80 for all of 2018.

Health insurance benefits. Under the NY PFL law, employees are entitled to continue their group health insurance benefits during their covered leave. Employees will be responsible for continuing to pay their share of insurance premiums during this period.

Relationship to FMLA and NY statutory disability benefits. If you are eligible for leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), your NY PFL leave may run concurrently with your FMLA leave. You also may be eligible for New York Statutory Disability Benefits (NY DBL), which provide a benefit if you miss work for your own disabling medical condition. (It’s important to know that you may not take NY PFL and NY DBL leave at the same time). NY DBL provides for up to 26 weeks of disability benefits per year. While an employee is also eligible for eight weeks of NY PFL for 2018, the law requires that the maximum amount of NY DBL and NY PFL taken in a 52-consecutive-week period cannot exceed 26 weeks.

Therefore, if you take eight weeks of NY PFL, you will only have 18 weeks of NY DBL available for that 52-week period.

Process for taking NY PFL. Employees will be required to submit a request for NY PFL containing information prescribed by the State of New York. Employees will also be required to submit a certification (again, in a format being prepared by the State of New York) to support the need for the leave.

For bonding leave, employees will need to provide verification of the date of the child’s birth, adoption, or
For leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition, employees will be required to submit a medical certification from the family member’s health care
For military exigency leave, an employee will need to submit a copy of the family member’s military documentation and possibly other documentation relating to the specific reason for the

Intermittent NY PFL Leave. The NY PFL law permits employees to take intermittent NY PFL in increments of no less than one work day. If you work any part of a day, you are not eligible for NY PFL benefits for that day.

Notice requirements. Under the NY PFL law, for leaves which can be anticipated, employees must give employers at least 30 days’ advance notice. Employees may “pre-file” for NY PFL before a qualifying event has occurred. If the need for the leave cannot be anticipated, employees must give notice as soon as practicable. Employees are required to list the dates of intermittent leave in their NY PFL request, and if such dates are not known, employees must provide notice as soon as practicable.

Waivers of NY PFL coverage. In most cases, employees are not allowed to waive coverage in the NY PFL program. The only exception is if (1) an employee’s schedule is 20 hours or more per week but the employee is not expected to work 26 weeks in a 52-consecutive-week period or (2) the employee’s schedule is fewer than 20 hours per week and the employee is not expected to work 175 days in a 52- consecutive-week period. If an employee meets either of those conditions they will need to complete the Paid Family Leave Benefit Opt-out form to become exempt from the obligation to incur payroll deductions.

However, if the employee subsequently meets these thresholds, the employee will be required to make the premium contributions/payroll deductions. For 2018 (other than those who sign a waiver) employees will see a payroll deduction in the amount of $3.30 biweekly.

If you are eligible for a waiver, if you do not execute the waiver form, the deduction will be made.

The Hartford. The Hartford will be the administrator of the NY PFL plan. Employees can call Hartford at 1-877-838-2924 for more information. Marymount Manhattan College’s policy number with Hartford for the NY PFL is 631940.

For more information click here.

UNPAID PERSONAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE (Other than FMLA)

The College, at its discretion, may grant full-time employees an unpaid personal leave for public service, education, or any other reason. Such leaves shall not exceed six months in duration. Such leaves are available to employees who have completed at least 2 years of continuous full-time service at the College.

The College is not obligated to grant requests for unpaid personal leave, but will consider each application on a case-by-case basis.

While on an unpaid leave, the employee will be responsible for paying 100% of their medical and dental premiums. No vacation or sick leave will accrue while on unpaid leave.

Except in an emergency, an employee who wishes to request an unpaid leave must do so in writing to his/her supervisor at least 39 days prior to the proposed starting date of the unpaid leave.

The Department of Human Resources will forward the request as well as any pertinent documentation to the President for consideration.

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MILITARY LEAVE

The College recognizes the need to have a policy that addresses the employment and reemployment rights of full- and part-time employees who serve in the military. It is the policy of the College to comply with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act of 1994 (USERRA) and applicable state law which protect job rights and benefits for veterans and members of the reserves. The law covers all persons serving in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, Public Health Service commissioned corps, and the reserve components of these services and the National Guard.

In accordance with applicable law, any employee who is a member of the National Guard, a reserve component of the Armed Forces, or who becomes an active member of the Armed Forces, shall, upon furnishing a copy of your official orders or instructions, be granted an unpaid military leave. Military leaves will be granted for the period of time required by law; for example, during the period of active duty, or during the annual two week obligation.
Employees must request leave for military duty through their immediate supervisor or the Human Resources Representative. Employees should notify the Company of their requests as soon as possible after learning of the dates of their service obligations. The Company will have to make necessary arrangements to cover employees’ work while away. Employees will not be paid for the time you are away for Military Service.

BEREAVEMENT PAY

An employee will be granted a paid leave of up to five (5) days in case of death in the immediate family (wife, husband, life/domestic partner, parent (which includes in-laws and foster parents), children, step-children, sister, brother, step-sister, step-brother, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew). The College, at its sole discretion, may grant bereavement leave in the event of the death of other members of the family, or the death of close friends.

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Blood Donor and Bone Marrow Donor Leave

Employees who wish to donate blood may take up to three (3) hours of leave twice a year to go to blood drives off worksite. Employees who wish to donate blood marrow may take unpaid leave to do so with length of leave determined by a physician, not to exceed 24 hours.

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Lactation Room Policy

The College supports breastfeeding mothers by accommodating a room on campus to express milk in privacy. The room will offer a clean, secure, and user-friendly environment for women who need to express breast milk during their work hours.

Nursing mothers may take break time to pump breast milk at work for up to three years following the birth of her child.

For information about requesting a room, please contact Bree Bullingham,
Associate Vice President for Human Resources at
212-517-0532 or bbullingham@mmm.edu

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YOUR BENEFITS

MMC offers various health and welfare benefits for its eligible employees. Set forth below is a summary of these benefits. For a full description and explanation of the benefits offered by MMC and their eligibility requirements, please refer to the full text of the official plan documents, which are available for your examination from the Human Resources Department. To the extent that any of the information contained in this Handbook is inconsistent with the official plan documents, the provisions of the official plan documents will govern in all cases.

MEDICAL PLAN

Medical benefits are offered through Oxford Health Plans. New full-time employees are eligible for the Oxford Freedom Plan on the first of the month after commencement of employment. Both in-network and out-of-network benefits are offered. In-network benefits require a co-pay for all doctor visits and referrals from primary care doctors to visit specialists. In-network hospitalization is covered at 100% and generic and non-generic prescription drugs are available and require a co-pay. All out-of-network benefits are subject to a deductible each calendar year. Oxford then reimburses members 70% of the “usual and customary charges.” Members may contact Oxford at 800-444-6222 with claim questions, or to obtain new cards. You may also utilize Oxford’s website, www.oxfordhealth.com to obtain cards and check their doctor network. Employees contribute towards the cost of the insurance based upon their salary and choice of individual or family coverage. The College reserves the right to change the employee’s contributions, to modify or amend the medical plan design or terminate the plan. Contact Human Resources for more details.

DENTAL PLAN

MMC offers dental coverage through the Cigna dental network. New full-time employees are eligible for the Cigna Dental Plan on the first of the month after commencement of employment. Marymount has two dental plans under Cigna. The DHMO dental plan allows members to visit Cigna general dentists, as well as receive referrals to see Cigna specialist dentists. Members in the DHMO dental plan are charged a reduced fee for all services. The DPPO dental plan allows members to visit any in-network, out-of-network dentists or specialists without referrals. Cigna may be reached at 800-244-6224 or www.cigna.com. Employees contribute towards the cost of the dental insurance based upon their salary, the plan elected and how many dependents they choose to cover. The College reserves the right to change the employee’s contributions, to modify or amend the dental plan design or terminate the plan. Contact Human Resources for more details. Contact Human Resources for more details.

LIFE INSURANCE

Life Insurance coverage is through The Hartford Company. The life insurance coverage is equal to twice the employee’s earnings, rounded to the next higher $1,000. The maximum benefit is $500,000. Employees do not contribute towards the cost of life insurance coverage.

SHORT-TERM DISABILITY COVERAGE

All full-time staff employees may enroll in the College’s short-term disability plan with First Reliance Standard Life Company the first of the month after commencement of employment. The policy provides supplementary income to employees who have been certified disabled by a medical provider. Benefits begin following the 8th day of disability due to an accident or an illness. Short-term disability will pay 50% of the employee’s weekly salary up to a maximum of $1,000 per week up to 13 weeks. Benefit payment will begin after the exhaustion of any sick time pay. This benefit works in conjunction with the statutory New York State Disability Program and also provides income replacement during the eligibility-waiting period for our Long Term Disability Plan. Employees do not contribute towards the cost of disability coverage.

LONG-TERM DISABILITY COVERAGE

All full-time employees may enroll in the College’s long-term disability plan with First Reliance Standard Life Company the first of the month after commencement of employment. The policy provides supplementary income to employees who have been certified disabled by a medical provider. Benefits begin following a 3-month waiting period and pay 60% of the employee’s monthly salary to a maximum of $10,000 per month. Employees do not contribute towards the cost of disability coverage.

FLEXIBLE SPENDING

Flexible Spending allows full-time employees to set aside money from their salary for expenses they know they will incur during the year. Employees may set up accounts with Beniversal, Inc for dependent care and/or medical expenses not covered by their health plan. The money they elect is deducted from their paychecks, pre-tax. There is no waiting period for the Dependant Flexible Spending Account. The maximum for the Dependent Flexible Spending Account is $5,000.00. The Medical Flexible Spending Account (FSA) eligibility includes employees that have six months plus of full-time service. The maximum elections are determined by length of full-time service. Medical Flexible Spending maximums are broken down as follows: employees who have been full-time at the College for 6 months to 1 year cannot exceed an annual maximum of $2,000.00, employees who have been full-time at the College for 1 year- 2 years cannot exceed an annual maximum of $4,000.00, and employees who have been full-time at the College for 2 years plus cannot exceed an annual maximum of $6,000.00. Money elected but not claimed during the year is forfeited under the IRS’s “use it or lose it” policy. Employees can only enroll in this plan during Open Enrollment and must enroll every year to continue their participation. Beniversal is a subsidiary of Benefit Resources who currently provides our E-trac (Mass Transit/ Parking) Plan.

http://www.benefitresource.com

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TRANSPORTATION REIMBURSEMENT

The College offers full-time employees the option to set aside pre-tax dollars from their paychecks to use towards their transportation expenses to and from work. Employees can elect to participate in the E-Trac Transit program and/or the Commuter Parking Accounts program. The E-Trac Transit program allows employees to purchase Metro Cards or fares on various tri-state buses and trains. Employees utilizing the Commuter Parking Account can request parking reimbursements by providing proof of payment. Both accounts have a pretax maximum of $265/month. Employees may only enroll in both accounts during Open Enrollment.

TUITION REMISSION

After three months of continuous employment, full-time employees are eligible for tuition remission for courses taken at MMC. The maximum remission per semester is 9 credits. After 1 year of full-time employment, eligible dependents may take courses at Marymount. Part-time staff may enroll in continuing education courses on a space-available basis. Non-teaching staff must work at least 19 1/2 hours/week and have 5 years of employment at the College to take one “credit” course per semester.

Employees may also participate in the College’s Tuition Exchange Program and Council of Independent College’s and Universities Tuition Exchange Plan.

The CIC-TEP is a network of colleges and universities willing to accept, tuition-free, students from families of full-time employees of other CIC participating colleges.

The Tuition Exchange Inc. also offers competitive scholarships at participating colleges and universities to dependents of MMC full time employees.

The College also provides a cash allowance to support each qualified dependent of an employee enrolled in an undergraduate degree granting credit program of higher education other than MMC. Reimbursement is provided in accordance with the following schedule of employee service:

5 years of continuous service	$200 per year
10 years of continuous service	$400 per year
15 years of continuous service	$600 per year
20+years of continuous service	$800 per year

TUITION REIMBURSEMENT

The Benefit

In order to encourage staff development, under the Graduate Tuition Assistance benefit, Marymount Manhattan College will provide partial reimbursement for graduate study to College staff employees in accordance with the policy outlined below. The benefit applies to employees seeking to obtain a first Master’s level degree or a Doctoral degree if a Master’s degree was obtained prior to employment at MMC. Once you have participated in the program, you may not receive reimbursement for a subsequent program. Unless approved by the Executive Vice President Administration & Finance, the College will not reimburse a staff member for both a Masters degree and a Doctoral degree.

Employee Eligibility

To be eligible for Graduate Tuition Assistance, the staff employee must have completed one year of continuous full-time service at the College. The eligibility period begins on the first day of regular full-time employment. At the time of registration for the degree program, the staff employee shall have completed the one-year full-time service requirement.

Application Process

Before enrolling in a graduate course, the staff employee must submit an Application for Tuition Reimbursement, along with materials describing the specific graduate program and related course description(s) to his or her supervisor. Upon approval, the supervisor will send the application to the Human Resources department for examination and approval. The Human Resource department will determine if the proposed program meets the criteria for reimbursement as outlined below. Approval is in the sole determination of the Human Resources department with the concurrence of the Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration. The Human Resources department will notify the employee in writing of the outcome of the approval process.

Criteria for Reimbursement

The staff employee must have enrolled in a graduate degree program with an accredited college or university to qualify for reimbursement under this program. The College will not provide reimbursement for individualized course work taken outside of a graduate degree program. In order for a staff employee to receive tuition reimbursement under this benefit, the Human Resources department will determine the relationship between proposed graduate program and the staff employee’s job position at Marymount Manhattan College. In order for approval to occur, the Human Resources department must determine that the proposed course is “job-related”. By definition, a “job related” course of study should have the potential to improve a staff employee’s performance in his or her current position and/or improve the staff employee’s likelihood to advance to another position within the College.

Reimbursement will apply to a grade of a grade of B or better as documented by an official transcript from the college or university attended by the staff employee.

For reimbursement purposes, staff employees must submit the following paperwork to the Human Resources office: a) a Reimbursement of Tuition Form, completed in advance of course registration and available at the Human Resources office; b) a course syllabus for each course taken; c) an official transcript, and d) proof of tuition payment.

Additional Information

The College will reimburse the employee up to $400 per credit. Reimbursement is limited to 10 credits per year and is capped at $4000 for the year. Participation in the program will occur on a first come first served basis. Availability of funding will determine the number of participants in the program.
Since graduate study may not interfere with or interrupt the participant’s normal duties within any given business day, staff employees should not register for classes scheduled during regular daily business hours of the College, which are 9 AM through 5 PM.
Should a staff employee participating in the tuition reimbursement benefit terminate his or her employment with the College before the completion of an academic semester for reasons other than disability, then full tuition charges for that semester are the responsibility of the staff employee.
Exclusions from this policy include attendance at workshops, seminars, conferences and other non-degree granting institutions.

This is a pilot program with a proposed trial period of three years. The College reserves the right to amend or discontinue this benefit at any time.

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RETIREMENT ANNUITY

MMC believes in helping its employees save towards retirement. MMC will contribute an amount equal to 10% of a full-time employee’s W-2 salary to a Retirement Annuity (RA) account set up by TIAA-CREF. Employees also have the option, at any time, to begin tax-deferred biweekly contributions to TIAA-CREF. These contributions may be placed in the RA account or in a Group Supplemental Retirement Annuity Account (SRA, also known as 403(b) account). There may be a waiting period for the College’s contribution. Contact Human Resources for more details. For more information on TIAA-CREF, stop by Human Resources for a packet or call TIAA-CREF at 800-842-2888. You may also check out their website: www.tiaa-cref.org

ETRAC

ETRAC is a benefit that allows you to set aside pre-tax dollars from your paycheck for mass transit expenses that you incur commuting from your residence to work. If you elect a Mass Transit Account you will receive an ETRAC MasterCard to use when purchasing eligible Mass Transit services. Eligible employees may enroll in this benefit during Open Enrollment each year.

COMMUTER PARKING ACCOUNTS

Employees who park near a location (i.e., a Park and Ride) from which they commute to work by mass transit in a commuter highway vehicle or by carpool, may participate in the Commuter Parking Accounts program. The employee has their monthly election deducted from their paycheck pre-tax. After incurring the expense, they may request reimbursement by providing proof of payment. Such expenses would not include any parking used for residential purposes. Eligible employees may enroll in this benefit during Open Enrollment each year.

CONTINUING INSURANCE COVERAGE

Full-time employees who leave MMC’s employ or experience a reduction in hours will lose their medical and dental insurance coverage at the end of the month in which employment terminates. However, the employee may elect to continue either or both medical and dental insurance under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA). Specific information regarding this continuation coverage will be provided to affected employees by Human Resources.

In addition, an employee’s life insurance and long-term disability benefits terminate on the last day of their employment. Employees may convert their term life insurance to an individual policy with the insurance carrier by notifying the insurance company, in writing, within 31 days of the termination of employment (or reduction in hours) of their desire to convert the policy, and by paying the required premium. The long-term disability policy has no conversion option. Human Resources will provide any affected employee with the specific information necessary to continue these benefits.

COLLEGE FACILITIES AND SERVICES

Employees also have access to various College services and resources. They include:

Lending privileges at the College Library, which holds 90,000 volumes, as well as access to various electronic databases.
Use of the College’s dining facilities (cafeteria).
Various dance/theater performances, as well as lectures and exhibits are offered free to College faculty, staff and their families.
Discounts on personal and business automobile rentals through Avis and Hertz. Simply present your College ID to receive the discount.
Discounted membership at the 92nd Street Y-use of their gym and pool and discounts on all of their classes, concerts and lectures. Upon purchasing a membership, simply present your College ID to receive the discount. Call 92nd Street Y Membership Services (212) 415-5729 for more details. www.92ndsty.org

FACILITIES AND RESOURCE CENTERS

MAIN BUILDING

The Main Building houses classrooms, administrative and faculty offices, art, photography, theatre, and dance studios, new state-of-the-art science labs, the Ruth Smadbeck Communication and Learning Center, the Academic and Administrative computer centers, a chapel, a dining room and a formal meeting and reception room.

JOSEPH C. NUGENT BUILDING

Adjacent to the Main Building is the Joseph C. Nugent Building, opened in September 1974. This facility houses classrooms, administrative and faculty offices and specialized laboratories, including: the Center for Student Services, the Nugent Lounge, the Theresa Lang Theatre, the Thomas J. Shanahan Library, the Media Center, the Writing Center, the Center for Academic Advancement, the Theresa Lang Center for Producing, WMMC Radio and WMMC-TV.

THE HEWITT GALLERY OF ART

An attractive venue for artists at various career stages, The Hewitt Gallery of Art presents work in a variety of media that addresses a range of aesthetic, technical, social, political, cultural and ethical issues. The Hewitt Gallery of Art serves as an extension of the Art Department’s studios and classrooms, while giving the entire MMC community the opportunity to interact with contemporary art and artists. It is a resource and learning center for students studying visual art and provides further opportunities for the study of art and artists. The Hewitt Gallery of Art provides hands-on curatorial and arts management experiences for students (not limited to art majors). It allows our students the opportunity to engage in an ongoing dialogue with contemporary art and artists. Every fall, senior art students have the opportunity to present their artwork to a panel of art faculty who make selections for the following spring’s Senior Art Exhibits in the Gallery, which are springboards to professional careers in the arts. All of the exhibits and receptions in the Hewitt Gallery of Art are open to the entire MMC community and the public.

THERESA LANG THEATRE

The Theresa Lang Theatre serves as the primary venue for exhibiting the work of students in the Dance and Theatre Arts programs at the College, affording them training and work experience in a professionally equipped facility. Through classes, rehearsals and performances, students experience a wide range of techniques and styles, from Restoration comedy to Caribbean dance. As an urban showcase for professional music, dance, opera and theatre companies, the Theatre has served as a distinctive Off-Broadway space, and students continue to benefit from performances and panels, engaging many leading figures in the arts.

THOMAS J. SHANAHAN LIBRARY

The Thomas J. Shanahan Library offers facilities, resources, and services in support of the instructional and cultural programs of the College. The Library is dedicated to providing information and instruction as an integral part of the total educational experience of every student at Marymount Manhattan College.

The Library’s collection of 85,000 books, 4,000 videos and CDs, 735 periodical subscriptions, and over fifty electronic databases (available via remote access) is easily accessible to both students and faculty. Nowhere is the College’s commitment to new technological learning resources more visible than in the Library. The electronic library system, Voyager, has many advanced features that allow its users to access e-books and full-text journals directly. Voyager also enables its users to simultaneously search 15 other local college catalogs along with MMC’s. Both the new catalog and 50 full-text databases are accessible through MMC’s Web pages on the Internet. In the past year the library has significantly increased its e-book collection to over 4,000, which are directly accessible through MamaCat, the library’s online catalog.

One of the most popular areas in the library is its Media Center. Housing audiotapes, several thousand videotapes and over 1000 DVDs, the MC, also provides equipment for college events and classroom teaching. Students may view reserve videos and DVDs on four new flat screen monitors or use our IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) system with laptop computers. Students may also borrow from our more than 4000 videos and DVDs, including the critically acclaimed Criterion Collection, a set of over 300 foreign and domestic films.

The Shanahan Library is home also home to the College’s Archives, which have seen considerable growth in the past several years. In addition to housing MMC’s historical records, ephemera and photographs, the Archives hold the Geraldine M. Ferraro papers and the Martin and Harris papers. The Library is in the process of digitalizing all of the Archive’s resources so that they are more readily available to students and other researchers.

During the summer of 2001 the library underwent major renovations to provide comfortable and attractive space for students to study and access a wireless computer environment that accommodates over 100 Dell laptop computers that feature Microsoft components such as Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Internet Explorer. The renovation was very successful, evidenced by the increasing number of students using the library, and the laptop program, now in its fifth year, continues successfully.

THE NUGENT LOUNGE

The Nugent Lounge, located on the first floor of the Nugent Building is a student lounge, equipped with computer stations for students wishing to work, as well as a television and comfortable furniture for relaxation and social exchange. The Lounge also houses Peet’s Coffe and Tea, a café serving beverages and light snacks, and an ATM.

APPENDIX C - EMPLOYEE RIGHTS UNDER FMLA