July 1, 2003

MEMORANDUM
TO: Residency Applicant:
FROM: University of Florida College of Medicine
RE: Benefits and Conditions of Appointment

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Institutional Requirement (III.C.) requires that graduate medical programs inform applicants in writing of the terms and conditions and benefits of appointment, including financial support, vacations, parental, sick, and other leaves of absence; professional liability, hospitalization, health, disability and other insurance provided for the residents and their families; and the conditions under which living quarters, meals, laundry services, or their equivalents are to be provided. Please find below a summary of those items.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT - Appointments are renewed annually and continued retention in the training program depends on your satisfactory performance/training progress, including adherence to acceptable professional behavior, as well as the continuation of requisite funding for the program. A resident's reappointment and progression to more advanced levels will be based on the results of periodic reviews of the resident's educational and professional achievement, competence and progress as determined by the program director and teaching faculty.

The primary site of your graduate medical training will be the University of Florida Health Science Center-Gainesville with its major teaching hospitals and affiliates, but the location of the training for any resident may occur at various additional sites. All assignments and call schedules are made at the discretion of the appropriate program director of the University.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT - The College of Medicine sets the annual stipend for residents at each level. Exceptions to these stipend levels should be approved by the Graduate Medical Education Committee. The College of Medicine pays the employer contribution of FICA. Residents are also eligible for participation in the deferred compensation plan of the State of Florida.

LEAVE - Members of the housestaff shall be entitled to leave with pay for the purpose of annual and sick leave depending upon the length of appointment during the training period July 1 through June 30.

If specialty board regulations for annual and sick leave accrual and usage differ from that outlined in this rule, written notification of the board policy shall be completed by the program director and submitted to the Dean for approval. The total maximum time a housestaff member can be away from a program in any given year or for the duration of the residency program shall be determined by the requirements of the specialty board involved. All absences must be approved by the program director.

SICK LEAVE - All housestaff shall accrue sick leave at the rate of 10 working days per year of full employment if consistent with board requirements. If excessive time is taken, the house officer must extend her/his training to fulfill board requirements.

ANNUAL LEAVE - Annual leave accruals are normally based on an annual rate of fifteen (15) workdays for all postgraduates, provided this does not exceed that allowed by the appropriate board.

MILITARY LEAVE - Absences for temporary military duty (e.g. two-week annual training) may be taken from annual leave or if insufficient annual leave is accumulated, the housestaff member must be placed on leave without pay for such absences.

HOLIDAYS - Housestaff shall be entitled to observe all official holidays designated by the Department of Administration for state employees except when they are on call for clinical responsibilities. Housestaff on Veteran's Administration Medical Center rotations shall be entitled to observe all official holidays designated by the federal government for employees except when they are on call for clinical responsibilities.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE - Educational Assignment - Housestaff shall be eligible for absence pertaining to education and training provided it is allowed by the appropriate board and agreed to, in writing, by the program director. Licensure Examination Leave - Housestaff taking American specialty board and state licensure examinations will be authorized leave at the discretion of the program director.

MATERNITY AND PATERNITY - Requests for maternity and paternity leaves must be submitted to the program director for approval. The duration of maternity leave before and/or after delivery will be determined by the housestaff member and her physician in consultation with the program director.

UNUSED LEAVE - All unused leave is considered non-payable leave, and there is no entitlement for lump-sum payment for unused leave upon separation or completion of training.

MEALS - Meals for overnight call residents are provided by the hospitals to which the residents rotate.

ON-CALL QUARTERS, LAUNDRY - On-Call Quarters are available at all hospitals to which the resident rotates and each provides access to bathrooms and telephones. As a general rule, living quarters and laundry, other than on-call, are not provided by the institution. Some departmental exceptions to this may exist for residents who are sent to specific rotations outside of the immediate home area. Departmental policies will govern provision of living quarters at these sites.

HOUSING - The Housestaff Affairs Office provides resources for housing for incoming residents and fellows by making available a listing of homes, condos, etc. which the completing residents and fellows are selling or renting.

INSURANCE - The College of Medicine recognizes the need to provide insurance coverage in a variety of different categories.

HEALTH INSURANCE - The College of Medicine group health plan provides for both individual and dependent coverage. Premiums are paid by the College of Medicine. The policy is administered by Humana.

COBRA (Title X of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) - In the event of termination, under COBRA, residents have the option to continue their health insurance policy at the current premium plus 2% for a maximum of 18 months. Eighteen month continuation is also available in the event of reduction in hours or layoff. Thirty-six month continuation is available in the event of divorce, death, retirement and a dependent losing that status because of age. It is the resident's responsibility to notify the Fringe Benefits Office within 30 days of any of the above events.

LIFE INSURANCE - Group Term life insurance of $10,000 is provided at no cost. Coverage is through Provident/UNUM Life Insurance Company.

ACCIDENTAL DEATH AND DISMEMBERMENT - Premiums are paid by the College of Medicine. Coverage is through Provident/UNUM Life Insurance Company. This coverage pays an additional $10,000 from life insurance if death is accidental. Dismemberment benefits are paid on a prorated basis.

DISABILITY INSURANCE - All active full-time College of Medicine housestaff members working at least 30 hours a week are provided Long Term Disability Insurance. This policy is underwritten by Provident Life and Accident. The monthly benefit is equal to 60% of the first $3,333 monthly salary to a maximum monthly benefit of $2,000 reduced by benefit offsets. The benefits as set forth under this policy will begin after the insured's sixth month of total disability. The maximum benefit period due to sickness and accident is to age 65. A special conversion feature is provided.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION - Effective November 1, 2001 UF housestaff and attending physicians who sustain occupational bloodborne pathogen exposures (sharp object injuries and/or blood & body fluid exposures) should report to the University of Florida Student Healthcare Center (SHCC) at either their main campus site or Health Science Center site (2nd floor, Dental Tower, Rm #D2-52) for evaluation and treatment. If the exposure occurs after SHCC business hours, housestaff/attending physicians should report to the Shands UF or Shands AGH Emergency Department for treatment and follow-up with SHCC the next business day. Shands Occupational Health Services at Shands UF (Room 1004) and Shands AGH (Ayers Medical Plaza, Suite 204, South Tower) will provide initial evaluation and management of occupational exposures sustained by housestaff/attending physicians when SHCC is closed during school breaks. Occupational Health Services will then refer the physician back to the SHCC for follow-up care.

PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE - Pursuant to Section 768.28 Florida Statutes, the Florida Board of Regents (BOR), the state agency which operates UF, is vicariously responsible for any civil claims or actions arising from the acts of its employees and agents. The BOR is protected for such liabilities through the J. Hillis Miller Health Center Self-Insurance Trust Fund (TF), a self-insurance program which is managed by the University of Florida. As an employee of the University of Florida, residents are personally immune from civil liabilities that may arise from any acts or omissions committed in the course of employment.

Personal professional liability protection is afforded you by the Trust Fund while you act as a good samaritan, while you are involved in community service work which has been pre-approved by your college, or if you are on a job assignment outside of Florida.

DISABILITY - The University of Florida is committed to comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). We therefore want to insure that qualified residents and applicants with disabilities are granted reasonable accommodations. Residents or applicants needing further information regarding requests for accommodation should contact the Chair, Americans with Disabilities Act Assessment Committee at (352)392-4569, or use the Florida Relay Service at 1-800-955-8771 (TDD). Any information supplied is strictly voluntary. All information and documentation related to requests for accommodation will be regarded as confidential pursuant to Title I of the ADA.

Any questions regarding this information may be discussed at the time of the interview.

gme/appltr.