Mesa Organic Baking Company Employee Handbook

At the end of the approved medical leave (26 weeks), if you are still unable to return to work, all compensation and benefits will cease. However, if you elected to purchase Long-Term Disability coverage (see below), your LTD benefits (payable by the insurance company) may begin at this time, if approved. Your employment will not be terminated; you will be placed in an inactive medical leave status. To maintain medical leave status, an employee must contact the Human Resources Department on or before the 10th day of each month commencing with the 7th month of the leave concerning his or her intent to remain on leave status. Failure to do so will be deemed voluntary resignation of employment. After 12 consecutive months as a permanently disabled employee (18 consecutive months on medical leave status), the employee may be administratively terminated provided he or she is unable to return to work in the reasonably near future and perform all of the essential functions of an available job for which the employee is qualified with or without reasonable accommodation. If the former employee is later able to return to work, he or she may request re-employment by completing a new application. Re-employment will depend upon the company’s employment needs and availability of work. You will be required to substitute any accrued paid leave for any unpaid waiting periods.

LONG-TERM DISABILITY

The company offers you the opportunity to purchase, at group cost, Long-Term Disability (LTD) to protect you against financial disaster should you become unable to earn a living because of an extended illness or accident. The LTD benefit begins after the 26 weeks of short term disability. The plan pays you monthly non-taxable benefits for as long as you remain totally disabled, up to age 65 in most instances. See your Human Resources Department for further information.

OTHER LEAVES OF ABSENCE

PERSONAL LEAVE To receive a personal leave you must be employed 12 months. The company may grant a personal leave of absence of up to 30 days to an employee, business conditions permitting, if the following conditions are met: 1. At least 2 weeks in advance of the effective date of the leave, the employee submits the request in writing to his or her department head, stating the reason for the request and the length of leave required. 2. The department head pre-approves the request. You will be required to substitute any accrued paid leave while on unpaid personal leave. When the employee returns from personal leave, he or she will resume the same job or a comparable job. The employee and his or her dependents will be covered by company-paid benefits during the leave. The employee must make arrangements to pay his or her payroll contribution rates by personal check while on personal leave. If employment with another company occurs during the leave, the company will consider the employee to have voluntarily quit or resigned and all reinstatement rights are immediately forfeited. MILITARY LEAVE There is no employment service requirement that must be satisfied for military leave. If you are inducted into the U. S. Armed Forces, or if you have reserve duty training obligations, you will be given a leave of absence. We request that you provide us with as much advanced notice as possible. Upon completion of your duties, you will have reinstatement rights consistent with applicable laws and business requirements. Additionally, as a company we have a military leave supplement based upon the difference between your military base earnings and your base company earnings. This is payable for six months, if you qualify. Please see your

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