Other Employee Benefits

Procedure

Durham Technical Community College (Durham Tech) offers a wide-range of benefits intended to create and enhance a great working experience for its employees. Benefit offerings are subject to change; employees should contact Human Resources and Talent Management for additional information.

Employee Assistance Program

The Employee Assistance Program is a professional, confidential counseling service available to assist employees and their immediate family members in resolving personal issues and problems before they affect health, family relationships, and/or job performance.

Durham Tech recognizes that a wide range of personal problems can affect an employee’s job performance. Examples of such personal problems include alcohol and/or drug dependence, marital or family stresses, or any problems that cause emotional distress. These problems may result in deterioration of job efficiency. In most instances, the employee will overcome such personal problems independently and the effect on job performance will be negligible. In some instances, normal supervisory assistance will serve either as motivation or guidance by which such problems can be resolved so the employee’s job performance will return to an acceptable level. In some cases, however, neither the efforts of the employee nor the supervisor have the desired effect on resolving the employee’s problems. In addition, unsatisfactory performance may persist over a period of time, either consistently or intermittently.

The intent of the Employee Assistance Program is to help the employee overcome the problem so that job performance meets expectations. The program is designed to identify the problem at the earliest possible stage, motivate the employee to seek help, and direct the employee to appropriate assistance. The purpose of the Employee Assistance Program is to assure employees that, if such personal problems are the cause of unsatisfactory job performance, they will receive an offer of assistance to help resolve such problems in an effective and confidential manner.

Durham Tech believes it is in the interest of the employee, the employee’s family, and the College to provide a service which deals with such persistent problems. For the Employee Assistance Program to be successful, the following must be acknowledged or implemented:

• Personal problems which affect work performance and attendance are legitimate concerns of management; management recognizes that these problems can be successfully treated provided they are identified early and referral is made to the appropriate resource;
   

• Personal problems requiring assistance include alcohol dependence or abuse, drug dependence or abuse, marital issues, or other problems that cause emotional distress;
   

• Employees will not have their job security or promotional opportunities jeopardized because of participation in the program;
   

• Strict confidentiality is essential and will be maintained;
   

• Employees are encouraged to use the Employee Assistance Program voluntarily when they need professional help or guidance;
   

• If an employee has not sought help independently for a personal problem, it will be the responsibility of the supervisor and/or department head to follow a procedure which will ensure that no employee with a behavioral disorder will fail to have the benefit of diagnosis and treatment;
   

• Any expenses incurred in seeking assistance, beyond that which is covered by medical insurance, will be the employee’s responsibility;

• It is the employee’s responsibility to cooperate in the designated treatment or rehabilitation plan; after a reasonable opportunity for progress, normal disciplinary procedures, up to and including job dismissal, will apply unless there is noticeable improvement in job performance;
   

• The program is also available to an employee’s immediate family members;
   

• Time off for participating in the Employee Assistance Program will be granted in accordance with the Sick Leave policy; and
   

• Implementation of this process will not require or result in any special regulations, privileges, or exemptions from the standard personnel policies applicable to job performance.

Full-time and part-time employees may use the Employee Assistance Program on a self-referral basis by contacting the College’s provider, ENI (NexGen), directly or by speaking with their supervisor. When an employee’s job performance begins to decline, the supervisor and/or department head will:

• Be alert to continued changes in work and behavior patterns;
   
• Not attempt to counsel employees about their personal problems;
   
• Document particular instances in which an employee’s job performance fails to meet minimum standards or in which individual behavior patterns seem to be changing or deteriorating (i.e., an employee whose attendance and productivity have been good suddenly begins to miss time from work, or his or her productivity slips for unexplained reasons);
   
• Conduct normal corrective disciplinary interviews when the documented record of unsatisfactory performance calls for it, and at the conclusion of the interview, inform the employee that the Employee Assistance Program is available if a personal problem exists. The initial disciplinary interview should include the following:
   
  • A review of all recorded instances of performance problems;
     
  • A precise explanation of why the level of job performance is considered unsatisfactory;
     
  • An opportunity for the employee to give reasons for his or her actions or failures;
     
  • Suggestions for corrections as they apply to job performance; and • Documentation of the corrective disciplinary interview(s) and
    notification to the employee that the Employee Assistance Program is available if a personal problem exists.
     

• If the employee’s performance continues to be unsatisfactory, the supervisor and/or department head should conduct another interview, issue a written warning, and again recommend that the employee utilize the Employee Assistance Program. The supervisor and/or department head should then do the following:

  • Inform the employee that failure to improve job performance will result in disciplinary action beyond the written warning, up to, and including, termination;
     
  • Review all aspects of the situation with the department head or dean;
     
  • Communicate in writing the significant points of the interview to the employee using the normal disciplinary procedures;
     
• If the employee’s job performance continues to deteriorate, the supervisor conduct another interview with the department head present and conclude by offering the employee the options of utilizing the Employee Assistance Program or accepting the prescribed disciplinary action for unsatisfactory performance;
   
• If the employee refuses assistance, normal disciplinary procedures will apply; and
   
• Employees participating in the Employee Assistance Program whose performance either does not improve or continues to deteriorate are subject to normal disciplinary procedures.
   

National College Savings Program (529 Plan)

Full-time and part-time employees are eligible to participate in the National College Savings Program. The program, officially known as the North Carolina Savings and Investment Program, was established by the State Education Assistance Authority, a political subdivision of the State of North Carolina, to enable residents of any state to invest funds to pay the qualified higher education expenses of their designated beneficiaries on a flexible basis that achieves certain tax savings in accordance with federal tax law and North Carolina law. As part of the program, the General Assembly has established the Parental Savings Trust Fund of which the Authority is trustee, to hold all assets of the program. The Trust Fund assets are not the property of the State of North Carolina.

Retirement

Full-time employees and part-time employees working thirty (30) hours or more per week are enrolled in the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System. Six (6) percent of all wages earned is deducted monthly to contribute to this retirement benefit. The state contributes a percentage of all wages paid as the employer’s contribution to the employee’s retirement account.

As of July 1, 1982, employees’ contributions were placed into a State employee tax-sheltered annuity account. These contributions are deferred from State and Federal income taxes until the employee retires or withdraws the funds.

For additional retirement information, see the Separation from the College and Re-Employment of Retired Persons sections of the Employee Handbook.

Special Offers and Discounts

Please refer to the Employee Handbook for information about special offers and discounts from restaurants, stores, and other businesses.

State Employee's Credit Union

College employees are eligible to join the State Employees' Credit Union. The credit union is a cooperative savings and loan association organized to promote thrift among its members and to provide a source of credit for worthwhile purposes at the least possible cost. Banking services include savings, checking, loans, and direct payroll deposit. Financial advisement is also available. Contact the Business Office for additional information.

Tax-Deferred Annuity Plans (Supplemental Retirement Plans)

Tax-deferred annuity programs are available to full-time and part-time employees. Under these programs, employees designate specific salary funds to be deposited in an annuity fund. These funds are deferred from taxes until the employee retires or withdraws the funds. These additional funds at retirement may serve to supplement an employee’s retirement income. Contact the Business Office about voluntary programs under section 403(b) and 401(k) of the federal tax code.

Workers' Compensation

All employees are covered through North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Insurance. Liability under workers’ compensation applies to on-the-job injuries or death caused by an accident arising in the course of employment. In the case of an accident covered through workers’ compensation insurance, Employees may obtain the necessary forms to report accidents coved by workers’ compensation insurance from the Business Office.

Additional Benefits

Please refer to the professional development section of the Employee Handbook and the Employee Benefits Brochure (available via the Human Resources subfolder of the Employees shared folder) for information about additional benefits available to College employees.

Definitions

Full-time Employees – College employees who work at least thirty (30) hours per week. Full-time employees who work thirty (30) to thirty-nine (39) hours per week earn leave on a prorated basis; all other benefits are the same for all full-time employees regardless of time worked each week.