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

Durham Technical Community College 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 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.

Durham Technical Community College believes it is in the interest of the employee, the employee’s family, and the educational institution 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;
• 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;
• 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 existing policy on leave for doctor appointments; and
• Implementation of this policy will not require or result in any special regulations, privileges, or exemptions from the standard personnel policies applicable to job performance.

Full-time and continuing part-time employees may use the Employee Assistance Program on a self-referral basis by calling the Employee Assistance Program Counselor directly or by contacting 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 with employees relative to 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/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 including the following:
  • Review all recorded instances of performance problems with the employee;
  • Explain precisely why the level of job performance is considered unsatisfactory;
  • Allow the employee to give reasons for his/her actions or failures;
  • Make suggestions for corrections as they apply to job performance; and
  • Document the corrective disciplinary interview(s) and inform the employee that the Employee Assistance Program is available if a personal problem exists.
• If the employee’s performance continues to be unsatisfactory, conduct another interview and issue a written warning; conclude again with a recommendation to utilize the Employee Assistance Program;
• Inform the employee that failure to improve job performance will result in other disciplinary action, including possible job dismissal;
• Review all aspects of the situation with the Department Head or Dean;
• Confirm the significant points of the interview to the employee in writing using the normal disciplinary procedures;
• If deterioration of performance continues, conduct another interview with the Department Head present and conclude again by offering the employee the service of the Employee Assistance Program or accepting the prescribed disciplinary action for continued 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.

To contact the Employee Assistance Program Counselor, call 1-800-435-1986. This call and Employee Assistance Program visits are confidential. Numbers of college employees and family members using the services are reported annually to the Human Resources Department for determining continuation of this benefit.

Various insurance plans are available as follows:

Cancer/Dread Disease Insurance
Cancer/dread disease insurance is available as an optional plan covering cancer and 30 specified diseases with hospital intensive care. A return of premium is available after five years.

Dental Insurance
Dental insurance coverage is through Principal Life Insurance Company. The college pays the cost of the employee’s coverage. Family coverage is available to each participating employee and must be paid by the employee. Coverage includes exams, cleaning, and X-rays at 100 percent. Other procedures are covered at 80 percent for preventive service and 50 percent for restorative procedures.
Limited assistance is provided for orthodontic care.

Disability Insurance
The Teachers’ and State Employees’ Disability Income Plan provides an equitable replacement income for eligible employees who are temporarily or permanently disabled and unable to perform the duties required of their usual occupation prior to retirement. Short-term disability benefits are payable on the sixty-first day of a disability. Employees must have at least one year of contributing membership service in the Retirement System earned within 36 calendar months preceding the disability. Benefits for short-term disability are equal to 50 percent of 1/12 of the employee’s annual base rate of compensation. At the conclusion of the short-term eligibility period, an employee whose disability is likely to be permanent is eligible to apply for long-term disability benefits if the employee has five years of contributing membership service earned within 96 calendar months prior to the end of the short-term disability (available to employees participating in the Retirement System).

Disability insurance options are also available as follows:

(A) Colonial Life Insurance Company – Provides a voluntary group plan beginning on the eighth day an illness (including pregnancy) and the first day of an accident. This insurance is portable.

(B) Symetra Life Insurance Company – Provides a voluntary group plan beginning after 6 months of disability and providing monthly benefits for up to 60 months (available to full-time employees).

Liability Insurance
All employees are covered through Durham Technical Community College's general and professional liability insurance. This insurance provides coverage arising from any alleged wrongful act, error, omission or neglect, or breach of duty that occurs when acting as a representative of Durham Technical Community College.

Life Insurance
Durham Tech provides life insurance benefits and additional options as follows:

(A) Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System of North Carolina – Provides a group plan equal to the employee’s annual salary, not to exceed $50,000, after one year of employment;

(B) Colonial Life Insurance Company – Provides a voluntary group plan offering term and cash value permanent life insurance as well as an accidental death benefit. This insurance is portable;

(C) Symetra Life Insurance Company – Provides a group plan equal to the employee’s last annual salary (provided to full-time employees);

(D) Symetra Life Insurance Company – Provides a voluntary group plan offering employees the opportunity to supplement the basic group life insurance through the purchase of additional life insurance equal to their last annual salary at reduced group rates (available to full-time employees).

Long-Term Care Insurance
Long-term care benefits are available to Durham Tech employees on a voluntary, self-pay basis. These benefits are intended to supplement benefits provided through the employee's health plan. Coverage is available to employees and their spouse, children, parents, parents-in-law, grandparents, and grandparents-in-law.

Medical Insurance
Health insurance is provided by the North Carolina Teachers’ and State Employees’ Comprehensive Major Medical Plan. The college pays for the cost of the employee’s coverage on the basic coverage plan; employees pay a portion of the standard coverage plan. Children and family coverage is available to each participating employee and must be paid by the employee. For additional information about this insurance, visit the State Health Plan website at http://www.shpnc.org/ or contact the college’s Accounting and Payroll Director who also serves as the college's Health Benefits Representative.

Vision Insurance
Vision insurance is available as an optional benefit through the Superior Vision provider network of ophthalmologists, optometrists, and optical companies. Employees may select a plan for an annual exam and materials or a plan for materials only. Discounts are available for prescription eyeglass lens and frames, contact lenses, disposable contact lenses, and all other prescription materials. Because this is an optional benefit, all costs related to participation are paid by participants. A listing of providers is available through the Superior Vision provider directory available at www.superiorvision.com. If an employee's current provider is not listed, the employee may nominate his/her provider for consideration to the Superior Vision network.

Regular contract full-time employees and continuing part-time employees working 30 hours or more per week are eligible for longevity pay after the date the employee has completed 10 years of aggregate service to the State of North Carolina. Prior State of North Carolina service may count toward calculation of longevity for pay purposes if necessary records are provided by the employee at the time of employment.

Longevity pay amounts are computed by multiplying the employee's annual base salary rate as of the eligibility date by the appropriate percentage in accordance with the following table:

Annual payment is made in a lump sum, subject to all statutory deductions, during the monthly pay period in which the employee has satisfied all eligibility requirements.

Full-time employees and continuing part-time employees working 30 hours or more per week are enrolled in the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System, and 6 percent is deducted monthly from all wages earned 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 "Separation from the College” and "Re-Employment of Retired Persons" in this Employee Handbook.

Durham Technical Community College
1637 Lawson Street
Durham, NC 27703
919-536-7200

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