To request a donation from the Kiel Program, staff must complete a Recipient Application. The Recipient Form is submitted to the staff member’s supervisor for documentation and forwarded to Benefits for processing.

• To receive vacation or Paid Time Off donations via the Kiel Program, you must meet all eligibility requirements.

• Vacation or Paid Time Off donations will not be transferred from the donor to the recipient until all of the recipient’s existing vacation/Paid Time Off hours have been exhausted.

• The donation is paid per normal payroll schedule up to a maximum of 13 weeks (520 hours) within a 12-month period.

• In order to be eligible to receive donated leave, the staff member must not be under any disciplinary warning or suspension within the last 12 months.

• Need for donation must be due to a catastrophic medical event which requires the staff member to be out of work for at least four weeks.

• During a staff member's first year of employment, donations must be specified for that individual. Recipients will not be eligible for the general leave pool during their first year of service.

• The staff member’s supervisor should indicate the current amount of sick/vacation or Paid Time Off (STB) hours on the application.

• Certification of a qualifying medical condition is required from an eligible health care provider. Conditions that are certified for periods less than 13 weeks (520 hours) are eligible to receive time from the Vacation or PTO STB donation limited to that time certified by the health care provider. If the entire 13 weeks (520 hours) are not used, eligibility may be renewed within the designated 12-month period not to exceed 13 total weeks (520 hours).

• Benefits will coordinate with Payroll to ensure proper recording and payment of donated Vacation or Paid Time Off (STB) hours.
  
  
• If the staff member is also applying for Duke disability, donations can be used during the disability waiting period. However, donations used after the waiting period will offset any disability claim benefit, including retroactively approved claims.
  

• All applications and nominations for leaves, as well as medical information, are confidential and are not included as part of the staff member’s personnel file. Donors will remain anonymous unless the recipient provides written consent authorizing the release of information.

Coordination with Leaves of Absence

• The staff member’s participation in the voluntary vacation or Paid Time Off (STB) donation program does not extend or substitute, but rather should run concurrently with any other approved leave of absence. Nor does it provide a guarantee that the staff member will be returned to the same or equivalent position held prior to the leave or of continuing employment, except as provided under applicable law (such as the Family Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act).

Payment of Vacation or Paid Time Off (STB) Donation and Impact on Benefits

• The donated hours are paid at the recipient’s regular rate of pay and from the recipient’s account code(s).

• Staff receiving other payments such as worker’s compensation, short-term disability, or long-term disability provided through Duke’s insurance programs are not eligible to receive donations.

• If the staff member receives at least the equivalent of 30 voluntary donation hours per week, the employer contributions will continue toward the cost of benefit programs provided the staff member continues their portion of premiums where applicable.

• Recipients are only eligible to use donated hours after the end of their 4 week absence and after their paid time off has been exhausted. Once approved, there is up to a three-week period before donations are reflected in the recipient’s vacation or Paid Time Off bank.