Effectively Accommodate Employee Time Off in Your Medical Practice

Unless your otolaryngology practice is in the state of Connecticut, or in a place like San Franscisco or the District of Columbia, chances are you are not legally bound to provide paid time off for your employees. If you want to attract the highest-quality employee, however, offering some paid vacation and/or sick days is likely essential.

But the question of how much time off to provide, as well as how to ensure staff does not abuse the policy, can leave practice managers confused. Here, we help you navigate the waters of paid time off.

How Much Time to Offer

According to Jeffrey W. Dudley, CEO of the Sacramento Ear, Nose and Throat Surgical and Medical Group, Inc., and president-elect of the Association of Otolaryngology Administrators, the amount of time off a practice offers for sick and/or vacation days varies. “For the most part, vacation accruals start after six months of service at the rate of two weeks per year [10 working days],” he said. This vacation time typically increases by five days every five years and is usually capped at five weeks per year. For paid sick time off, Dudley said an accrual rate of five days per year is a good starting point.