Posted on December 07, 2020,
Ask the CEO
Staff were invited and encouraged to “ask anything” before the All Hands on Deck meetings in December. And, you had a lot of great questions. Some were quite similar in nature, and as you will see below, we've combined those questions together with one overall answer.
We hope you find this Q&A informative.
Click on a topic of interest to view the Q&As in that category:
Insurance went up- can staff get cost of living increase for this?
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With our insurance price going up – will our pay as well? It is making it difficult for most to be able to afford insurance and make bills on time.
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Could you please address the reason why there is a decrease in the amount that Children’s Home Society contributes to the employee’s HSA account? The announcement said, “For 2021 our plans will remain the same, but premiums will increase by 7.5%. This is lower than the health insurance industry trend increases of 9% to 11%.” There was no mention in the announcement that there was a change in the HSA by decreasing the employer contribution. This decrease in the amount of the HSA contribution has a larger dollar impact than the premium increase does. For a family these will additionally cost almost $1,000 per year. Hopefully, this will be made up in bonuses and higher wages for all staff.
CHS very much understands the rising cost of insurance and the financial strain that this puts on each employee. We are working diligently to manage the costs of insurance, absorb the increased costs where possible and provide the best possible insurance coverage options at the most affordable price.
In addition, we are performing a market review analysis of our Total Rewards package (compensation, benefits, and development) to ensure that all roles are properly and competitively compensated. In the short term, we are reviewing base wages and are hoping to be able to communicate the outcome of this work by the first of the year.
The reason for the change to the CHS contribution to the HSA account was to aid us in controlling the overall increase insurance premiums. Competitively speaking, the CHS HSA contribution was above industry standard and per the advice of our insurance broker, it made sense to adjust the HSA contribution to more accurately reflect the market.
Ultimately, CHS needed to choose between lowering our HSA contribution or passing along higher premium increases. By lowering our HSA contribution, we were able to minimize the insurance cost increase to 7.5% versus passing along a premium increase of 9% to 11% (which is consistent with market averages). Aside from changes to HSA contributions and the premium adjustment, all lines of coverage and networks will remain the same for 2021.
Would it be possible to offer some type of incentive pay (bonus or stipend) to SCM trainers? It can be difficult to recruit new trainers because of the work involved.
Safe Crisis Management (SCM) Trainers do not get extra pay for teaching. CHS pays for their initial training and annual re-certification training. CHS tries to match compensation with the responsibilities of each role. We will continue to work diligently to match compensation with role responsibilities.
Do you realize in giving bigger bonuses to those tenured employees and first time ever bonuses to new employees (6 months) that you actually lessened the amount for those of us who are in the 3-5-year range? I understand the tiered approach based on years of service, but the new employee piece of it was unfair to those of us who are just starting to become truly invested in longevity with the company and our bonus was basically taken away.
This, along with many other policies, is currently under review. Our current focus is to review wages and implement sustainable pay raises (which have a bigger impact over time). Bonuses are never planned for any year. If we have money available at the end of the year, it is shared as bonus distributions among all staff.
College reimbursement program is unfair to many employees here at CHS. You have taken one segment of the employee base and give them a benefit while alienating those who are in different roles throughout the organization. Is a receptionist or laundry worker, housekeeping worker, maintenance worker, etc. any less valuable than an RTC? This program suggests this statement to be true.
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Some pay is so low student loan help for therapists would be nice.
Back in April when the student loan repayment/tuition reimbursement pilot program was launched, we sought to determine if it would be successful in retaining employees. We’re delighted to report that it was a success; out of 43 people who participated, 92% are still with us. We are rolling this benefit out to EVERYONE starting January 1!
Self-care is so important, but it is very hard to accumulate PTO in order to give yourself self-care.
We agree that self-care is important. As with many companies, PTO at the beginning of your employment needs to be accrued, and it does seem difficult to accumulate. However, our benchmarks show that CHS PTO is very generous, particularly after five years of employment.
If you are in need of self-care and don’t have enough PTO, please talk to your supervisor. There are always ways we can ensure you get the help you need. On all issues at CHS, we are trying to create a culture of care.
Gift Cards – why they are handled the way they are at CHS?
The IRS requires that gift cards be taxed as ordinary income/compensation to the employee. CHS could incur significant penalties if we ignored IRS rules.
It’s really nice getting gift card rewards. Could we all get the gift cards that nursing staff get each nursing day? They get much bigger cards and don’t have to pay taxes.
We are unaware that this is occurring, and certainly will follow up. CHS is committed to following IRS regulations. Please provide more context so we can address your question appropriately. There is a link at the bottom of the page that will direct you to where you can resubmit your question.
Why does CHS feel they need to always make a buck off their staff? Example: the recent donated Fuddruckers gift card – we had to SELL that?! We couldn’t have just thrown people’s names in a hat and drawn a winner as a ‘thanks for everything you’re doing through this pandemic.’ Come on. You could even rotate departments or even do random giveaways like that as a surprise. It was honestly almost disrespectful – especially to those of us who aren’t sitting in front of a computer because our jobs are interactive or not that type of work. Something to re-consider.
A sweet, elderly donor gifted us a partially-used Fuddruckers card for the kids. It had a remaining value of $17 and some cents. Since currently the children are not able to go off campus, we thought we would offer it as a deal to the staff, for $10. The thinking was that this would honor the donor’s wishes in converting it to a donation ($10) for the kids, but also give a staff person an opportunity to get a good deal.
We are very careful with donations that are intended for the children. It’s important that it never appear as though staff is using donations intended for children.
Future plans for CHS recognition/support during COVID (PTO buyback, anything else?) In March when the whole COVID pandemic started, CHS was so generous with a bonus, nice little notes, and treats to encourage staff. Now when COVID numbers are at an all-time high and we are putting ourselves at risk (from clients as well as coworkers) every time we come to work, we are not receiving the same type of encouragement. On top of the risk, we are working short staffed and frankly we are tired.
We are learning to live with the “new normal,” too. It took a while to understand that for the immediate future, life as we knew it was over. To adjust to this reality, we have extended the PTO buy-back policy, expanded benefits (including student loan repayment and tuition reimbursement) and are aiming for an 80th percentile wage philosophy. We are grateful for all of our team members who continue to persevere during this very unusual time in our world.
If we used the PTO buyback once this year, can we do it again?
Yes, you may do so a second time. To apply for this benefit, download and fill out the PTO Sellback Request Form.pdf located in Bamboo, and return it to your HR specialist: https://chssd.bamboohr.com/files/
Located in FILES > CompanyForms (HRPayroll) > PTO Sellback Request Form.pdf
Will CHS continue to provide consistent opportunities for teachers to attend workshops on and off campus? It has been common practice for many years that CHS provide opportunities for staff to gain grad credits for license renewal and for professional development.
In general, we encourage and will continue to provide opportunities to attend workshops. There is budget allocated for staff to earn CEUs, license renewal, professional development, etc.
For teachers specifically, CHS Education currently does not have a budget line item to cover the cost of graduate credit for teaching staff. At times, workshops have been developed (internally) between CHS and the University of Sioux Falls which may provide a participating staff member with one graduate credit (15 hours) toward any recertification requirements. We do have a limited amount of funding available for staff to participate in applicable workshops which coincide with the school’s professional development plans.
Can we run the Van Demark pop machine free for staff?
This perk was a temporary benefit thanks to a Sioux Falls donor who wanted it for front line workers during COVID. That fund has now been exhausted. However, every program has a budget line item allocated for staff appreciation and team building to be used for such purposes. Your leader may choose to make pop free for staff, if it’s determined that’s the best use of the staff appreciation fund.
How can the CEO, CFO and COO make so much money and everyone else is struggling to make ends meet?
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CEO, CFO, Chief of People seem out of touch and don’t fully understand the day to day. Yet they make the most money.
The leadership team took pay cuts to come to Children’s Home Society because we are passionate about the mission—and we regularly work 60+ hours per week. Executive leadership also assume personal fiduciary responsibility for the entire organization.
Our intent is to develop a compensation philosophy that allows us to attract and retain the best talent to provide the best service. Executive compensation needs to be competitive like all compensation and is driven by industry and managed by the board of directors.
As was announced at the beginning of our fiscal year July 1, a 3% pay increase was approved for all employees, received during your annual review. Currently, we are working on a thorough study of wages for ALL positions and will be making decisions based on industry benchmarking data. Our goal is for CHS staff to be at the 80th percentile in wages. Our CFO and CPO are currently reviewing all opportunities for increases beyond 3%. Please watch for an announcement in the new calendar year.
How can bachelor’s level individuals make more than those with a master’s degree?
Some employees may have elected to choose a position that only requires a bachelor’s degree; a master’s degree is only required for select positions. Overall, CHS is competitive within the social services sector and as we begin benchmarking, we will strive to become more so.
CHS believes in education and hiring the most qualified people to care for children and families. Our tuition reimbursement and student loan payment programs reflect that philosophy, which is why, effective December 1, 2020, these two pilot programs were opened up to all staff.
Therapist pay is so low. We are losing good therapists. 4 in one year! Retention for therapists is low. Raises should be higher and caseloads lower to appropriately do the job.
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We have lost 4 very good therapists due to low salary and the inability to acquire PTO. How will this be fixed?
We realize this is a problem and are taking steps to find solutions. Frankly, the pandemic has impacted our ability to make financial projections, due to a lower census and uncertainty about potentially repaying PPP dollars.
That said, leadership is working diligently to increase raises beyond the approved 3% with announcements in the new calendar year. Going forward, we are working on a thorough study of wages for ALL positions and will be making decisions based on data. Our goal is for CHS staff to be at the 80th percentile in wages.
I would like to know why we only get paid for 8 hours of Holiday when the normal shift at CI is 10 hrs. I realize that when we work the entire 10 hours, we do get the Holiday pay but if we don’t work, we get 8 hours of holiday. The problem with this is that some of us end up having to take PTO to make up the difference and I believe that it’s rather unfair to ‘force’ someone to use their hard-earned PTO.
It’s about equity. The annual benefit for all staff is based on 80 hours with holidays given. Every employee, regardless of shift, receives 8 hours. If your shift falls on a holiday, you are getting paid for 8 hours (holiday) plus 2 hours.
What’s the game plan for when everyone quits because we don’t make enough?
The leadership team is working hard to address staffing and morale issues in many ways. Watch for additional updates in the near future regarding Total Rewards. The mission of CHS is very important and our sincere hope is that we will collectively improve employee retention through these efforts. If you have specific recommendations, please don’t hesitate to talk to your program director and/or any others from the leadership team.
Will the COVID-19 vaccine become mandatory for CHS employees as soon as it is available to the general public? I sincerely hope not, as this vaccine has been seriously rushed through and there are still so many unknowns when it comes to COVID, as well as this vaccine. The potential long-term effects or problems of this vaccine are unknown. I sincerely would not feel comfortable being forced to get a vaccine or any type of medical treatment that has been rushed through to be developed, not knowing how it could affect me later on.
At this time, we have no plans to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory. Further information will be forthcoming as vaccinations become available.
How will CHS handle COVID leave after the new year when federal programs or COVID FMLA ends? COVID won't end Dec. 31st and it is inevitable that staff will still need to take time off due to COVID.
The federal government sets FMLA policy. We are currently waiting to see what action is taken.
Will CHS attempt to be one of the priority receivers of the COVID-19 vaccine after healthcare workers and first responders?
We filed a request to be a priority receiver based on providing psychiatric residential care. We have not yet received a response.
Suggestion: While I understand the reasoning for asking demographics on this survey, I feel that it is no longer anonymous. In smaller departments when you start asking about age categories it is easy to pick out who is who thus knowing who filled out that survey. I would guess a lot of people back out of the survey once those questions are being asked. Is there a way to track the started but not completed surveys?
Regardless of degree of completion, the survey is intentionally administered by a third party provider to ensure confidentiality.
Employee surveys should only ask which campus we work at. I feel like you can figure out who is filling out surveys.
The current demographic structure is intended to be used by the leader of each location and/or function to be able to compare year over year or quarter over quarter results to measure what is improving or where more opportunities exist. The intent of the survey is to understand the challenges as well as the opportunities and create a culture for collective improvement. Having the ability to drill down at a site level allows us to identify opportunities that can be appropriately addressed at each independent location.
We were told in the engagement survey results email that communication is improving. Communication between whom? How do the results break down (SFCH vs BHCH vs CI, etc.)?
Engagement survey results have been shared at all levels as illustrated in the All Hands meeting. Survey results for specific functions and or campuses have been provided to site or function leaders for deeper conversations with their immediate staff members.
How were the survey results broken down by departments? Children’s Inn? Schools? Units? Admin? Etc.?
Demographics were broken down by site, function, program, and years of service.
Caseloads are too high for therapists.
As with all positions, we are continuing to evaluate workload. We will commit to adding therapist positions to reduce caseload as the budget allows.
Some of us have heard that staff who aren’t on kiddos get paid for their lunch breaks and get to bank their hours for time off. They get to set their own hours and it’s not fair to those of us that are always on the kiddos.
Salaried staff do eat lunch during their workday but work eight hours or more per day. There are times staff cannot use their PTO within agency time frames (due to agency needs) and they can carry those PTO hours beyond the prescribed time frame. If this refers to “comp time,” we don’t have a comp time practice. Yet, in rare circumstances, salaried staff who have worked very long hours have been allowed to take minimal time off without using PTO. This only happens with supervisor approval. Everyone has a regular schedule and nobody sets their own hours.
Leadership seems to have a lot on their plates around here, causing it to feel like it limits their contact with the employees they supervise. Is there any talk of adding assistant supervisors in areas so that employees have someone to seek out when questions/issues arise?
We have backed off on leadership workload in response to requests and continue to review the management and workload structure to promote maximum leadership engagement.
Can teachers have a ‘normal’ teacher Christmas break without worrying about PTO or working on units? It would be nice to spend time with family as I spend many hours in my classroom. If it is necessary for us to work, can classroom time without kids be an option? There are always things to be done. Thanks!
This was addressed via GOOD WORKS at the conclusion of the previous All Hands meeting. Christmas break for CHS Education staff has historically looked different between the two campuses. Staff at BHCH elected to not change their current Christmas break procedures and therefore, this year, the differences will remain. Moving forward, Christmas break procedures will be replicated across both campuses. At this time, it is undetermined what this will look like, but it will be respectful to the needs of the residential units on each campus.
TAs have been given more responsibilities with little or no time to prepare for those responsibilities, without students in the classroom. An extra hour or so a week would be helpful to ensure tasks get done while maintaining supervision.
School leadership is unaware of any added responsibilities given to our Teacher Assistant staff. In addition, a Specials Schedule in a block format has been developed to provide Classroom Teachers and Teacher Assistants more time, as needed, to complete any paperwork requirements or for planning purposes. These times and responsibilities are worked out between the Classroom Teacher and his/her Teacher Assistant. During meetings with Teacher Assistant staff, all individuals have indicated that they were presently happy with their assigned classroom arrangements and the responsibilities agreed upon between the Classroom Teachers and Teacher Assistants.
With all the extra animals on campus lately, how are we ensuring safety? I’ve seen multiple animals without leashes, roaming the hallways. This seems to be a safety concern.
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What steps or policies are in place for the influx of pets coming onto campus? Shot records? Expectations? Are these animals in training to become therapy or support animals?
We hear that there are staff concerns and will review the policy from the standpoints of health and safety. At this time, no animals should be on campus without permission of program directors until the policy is clarified. The plan is to have an updated Policy on Animals at CHS posted on the employee portal in FY21.
Should there be a dress code for work? Some outfits are very revealing, especially the leggings.
At new staff orientation, we address the importance of wearing clothes that are modest and appropriate, with no improper words or images. If clothing were inappropriate, a supervisor would have staff go home to change. This policy will also be reviewed, updated as necessary and posted on the employee portal.
How come nursing answers from CHSCH and SFCHS were so different?
We ask that the writer of this question clarify the question and its context and resubmit it. There is a link at the bottom of the page that will direct you to where you can resubmit your question. One of our key initiatives at CHS is collaborative excellence. We are working on integrating policies throughout the organization.
Why don’t SFCH and BHCH do their own thing? Seems to be a lot to try and keep both campuses the same.
Best practices are to encourage consistencies across an organization when practical. With consistency, we have greater compliance, control and liability protection. Through our collaborative excellence initiative, we are working to identify consistencies that are beneficial for the organization.
Would it be possible to have 2 All Hands meetings per year instead of 4?
In an effort to build trust, transparency and communication, the All Hands meeting is a key tool to ensure we are all on the same page. For the immediate future, we plan to continue quarterly meetings. Hopefully, as we move through the COVID crisis, we can all be together again, helping to build our culture and CHS unity. We also hope to add touchpoints like the Daily Line-up or huddle—a daily opportunity to share key messages.
What is the long-term plan for Director of Schools? Will this always be a BHCHS and SFCHS position?
Yes, that is the long-term plan.
ERS and CST can be so frustrating to work with could getting those programs to work better make turn over a little better?
These and other technology solutions are under leadership review. We do understand your frustration.
Is there a form to fill out for the student loan payments?
Yes. HR has sent out a link to the proper form to fill out. Click here to access this form.
Who do we contact to sign up for the tuition reimbursement program?
Please contact your HR representative.
We had a couple of questions asked after this posting of All Hands Q&As.
These additional Questions and Answers are posted below; however, the BIG NEWS announcement communicated to staff on Friday, December 18, 2020 is a more detailed response to these questions. Click here to watch the recorded message to all staff.
Have you guys thought of basing the [Student Loan Repayment and Tuition Reimbursement] program off hours accumulated as a relief staff? I understand as to why not all relief staff receive this benefit, just seems like there isn't much of a difference between the part-time and relief staff workers and some employees based off experience and time at the company seem to be getting left out of things like this..
The tuition reimbursement and the student loan repayment programs are very new to CHS and are a part of the larger Total Rewards benefit package that are offered to the employees of CHS. The Total Rewards package, inclusive of all programs, are reviewed on an annual basis to ensure effectiveness, feasibility and competitiveness in the marketplace. The concept of altering the current tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment programs to be based upon hours worked vs. qualifying requirements of full time employees or part time employees will be considered during the next benefit review cycle. Great question! Please keep the feedback coming.
When will we start getting real answers, instead of the run around when it comes to increasing pay for workers who are actually working with the children? The whole point of Children's Home Society is to help the children, and with the workers who are pushing that extra 40 hours to help those in need. Why are they taking on that much more added stress of work and outside stressors and still not getting paid well? We are filling in HR positions and admin positions that are not needed at this time and paying them significantly more, taking away from any potential to pay the real "heroes" that work here. What are we actually doing to keep there "heroes" wanting to stay here? Free pop? A sign out front? Emails praising us for how great of work we are doing? Seeing bonuses for people who have been here less than 6 months? Seeing more employees getting added in the higher ups who are only dividing up work in the admin that one person can take on? When are the residential treatment counselors and the therapists going to be taken serious? Let's see the numbers of what admin workers are getting paid versus residential treatment counselors. Stop letting down the workers who are actually doing the work.
There is a tremendous amount of effort taking place in reviewing all of the components of the CHS Total Rewards package. The Total Rewards package consists of wages, benefits and development opportunities. Recently at the All Hands meeting the areas of benefits and development opportunities were discussed. A deep dive into the wage component of Total Rewards is taking place and CHS is hopeful to be able to communicate these findings and the path going forward before January 1, 2020.
As employees of CHS it is important to remember that each of us voluntarily came to this organization for the singular mission of empowering children, adults, families and communities to be resilient, safe, healthy and strong. Regardless of function, role, title or tenure, collectively all CHS employees and the work they do are valuable and necessary inputs to the ultimate output, which is supporting the CHS mission and each other.
Please note, the hopeful communication referred to in the first paragraph of this answer was relayed to staff during the BIG NEWS announcement on Friday, December 18. Click here to watch the recorded message to all staff.
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