VACATION

Regular full time employees are eligible for vacation leave in accordance with the following rules:

  1. Each month of service entitles the regular full time employee 1 day total paid leave (1/2 vacation and 1/2 single parent credit). MSI extends single parent leave to all full time employees as an added benefit. Paid leave entails to holiday, vacation and sick leave (with medical certificate) combined.
  2. You begin to accrue a paid leave after your regularization.
  3. Your full paid time off must be used during the calendar year. 5 days of leave may be carried over to the following year. You will only be compensated for an additional 5 unused paid time off but not for time above and beyond that amount.
  4. Request for vacation scheduling should be made at least 2 weeks prior to requested date.
  5. An eligible employee who is not discharged for cause, but leaves MSI after providing at least 30 days notice, shall receive paid time off pay for any earned vacation unused in that year. However, if an employee has taken paid time off in advance during the same calendar year, the balance will be taken out of his/her last pay check or is otherwise due to MSI if the last pay check is less than the amount of vacation paid.
  6. MSI follows the pay structure for Philippine employees according to DOLE which governs labor and employment in the Philippines.
  7. MSI is open for business during Philippine holidays and special nonworking days, except when they correspond to US holidays that MSI observes. Our office may close on certain Philippine holidays if proper staffing levels can’t be maintained otherwise. Details will be arranged with employees at least one month in advance of the holiday.

The following US holidays are observed and are mandatory off days under most circumstances:

  • New Years Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Day

Typically if holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed. If a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed. An employee can use his/her PTO for the said holiday else it will be deemed as unpaid. Consider that in order to be eligible to be paid double on a regular holiday, the employee must have worked the last scheduled workday before and the next scheduled work day after the holiday, unless approved by management to use scheduled vacation time for those days.

Leave of Absence

See below policy of MSI on Absenteeism:

NO CALL POLICY. The ability of MSI to service its patients, as well as the efficiency of your fellow employees, depends upon your regular attendance. If you cannot report to work, you must notify your supervisor as far in advance as possible. You are required to report all unscheduled absences or lateness, by calling NO LESS THAN 30 minutes before your designated start time. You must speak directly with your manager, supervisor or general manager, and may not call in to other employees. If your manager is not available, you must leave a voice message on a general managers’ extension. Managers and supervisors are required to document each call via email to the general manager. Each day you fail to properly report your absence or lateness will individually fall under our progressive disciplinary policy (written warning, suspension, and termination). Failure to report absence prior to 30 minutes before your designated start time on three consecutive or non-consecutive days is cause for discharge without notice.

ABSENCE POLICY. If you have more than three unexcused tardiness and/or absences during any 3-month period, even if you properly call in, you will be notified in writing that you will be placed on a probationary period of 3 months. If you fail to arrive to work, or are tardy after a written warning, you will be suspended for one day without pay and probationary period will be extended for 90 days from last event. A second lateness or absence after the second warning will result in immediate dismissal.

Excused Absences

  • Employees may, at management’s discretion, receive permission to miss work for personal reasons, if they fill out a written request at least two weeks prior to their planned absence. This permission may be denied for reasons of proper staffing or function of MSI business, or if the employee has unexcused absences in the last 3 months, or if the employee fails to maintain an average of 35 hours per week. Requests off with less than 2 week notice will require documentation.
  • Absences may be deemed excused if the employee has been called to jury duty, had a personal or family medical emergency, death in the family as covered by the company bereavement policy, or other extraordinary situation. The employee should be prepared to prove to MSI, with documentation, the nature of the emergency and why this caused the employee to be absent.
  • If permission is granted, then the absence shall be considered an excused absence. No disciplinary action will be taken in this event.
  • A doctor note is required or your absence will be considered unexcused.

Unexcused Absences.An absence incident will be unexcused if any of the following is true:

  • The employee misses a day of work or is late greater than 15 minutes without calling in at least 30 minutes before their schedule start time and/orwithout proper documentation.
  • An employee leaves work early without a supervisor’s or manager’s permission, or is late returning from lunch.
  • If the reason given is not an emergency, or is within the control of the employee, including but not limited to car or transportation issues, arrest of him/herself or relatives, other employment or conducting business other than that for MSI, etc. For example, you are expected to pay all fines, parking tickets, and in general not to break the law; if you miss work for these reasons they will not be excused.
  • Failure to report an absence by not calling more than 30 minutes prior to designate start time on three (3) consecutive days is cause for discharge.

SICK LEAVE is permitted with proper medical notation.

PERSONAL LEAVE without pay is discouraged, except as outlined elsewhere in this handbook. However, they may be granted at the discretion of the manager exceptional circumstances. The manager will review and act upon the following factors:

  1. The purpose for which the leave is requested.
  2. The length of time the employee will be on leave.
  3. The effect the leave will have on the ability of the department to carry out its responsibilities.
  4. The employee’s position and length of service, and overall adherence to our policies.

Previously accumulated benefits, during leaves of this nature, will not be lost, but will not accumulate during the leave period. When a personal leave of absence under this provision is granted for a specific period of not more than one (1) month, the employee shall be entitled, at the timely termination of such leave, to be reinstated at the same level and type of position the employee held at the time the leave was granted. When the leave is granted for more than one (1) month, the employee is reinstated only if and when employment is available at the same level and type of position previously held, or at the employees option, at such other position and level at which an opening may be available. In no event does leave of absence time accrue toward increased benefits, such as, but not limited to sick leave or vacations.

FUNERAL LEAVE. MSI regrets that it cannot pay compensation for the bereavement time. However, up to one (1) week unpaid leave is available where a death in the immediate family or spouse’s immediate family makes such time off necessary.

MATERNITY AND PARENTAL LEAVE. MSI will follow all Department of Labor and Employment policies regarding current maternity leave requirements. Please refer to the DOL website for further details.

JURY DUTY.MSI regrets that it cannot pay compensation for the difference between an employee’s straight time pay and the jury fee paid by the Court. However, a personal leave will be granted for jury duty.