Listed below is the JWHI Holiday Season schedule for 2021/2022:
- Wednesday, November 24, 2021 – Offices Open
- Thursday, November 25, 2021 – (Thanksgiving) Offices Closed
- Friday, November 26, 2021 – (Black Friday) Offices Open
- Friday, December 24, 2021 –(Christmas Holiday being recognized on Christmas Eve) Offices Closed
- Saturday, December 25, 2021 – (Christmas Day) Offices Closed
- Friday, December 31, 2021 – (New Years Day holiday being recognized on New Year’s Eve) Offices Closed
- Saturday, January 1, 2022 – (New Year’s Day) Offices Closed
Have a safe and happy holiday season everyone!
JWHI is closed on the following holidays:
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day (July 4th)
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
- New Years Day
The company will do its best to honor vacation requests surrounding company holidays. However, we remind staff of the company’s needs to ensure we provide adequate coverage and support to meet our clients’ needs. Vacation requests will be evaluated on a first come, first served basis. Staff are reminded that there are times in which vacation requests may not be approved due to client demand or various company needs.
All requests must be submitted using the app at least 14-days prior to the requested time off.
It is company policy to respond to requests within 3 business days from the date the request is received. For questions, please contact Brian Atlas at (610) 392-3377.
Happy Holidays!
JWHI’s policies regarding employee holiday, vacation and sick & safe leave practices (HVSSLP) are effective January 1st, 2020. All HVSSLP policies prior to January 1st, 2020 are replaced in their entirety with the policies described herein. We encourage employees to familiarize themselves with the policies as soon as possible and ask your manager if you have any questions.
HVSSLP is offered to all full-time W-2 employees. Part-time and 1099 workers do not qualify for HVSSLP benefits.
Holiday Policy and Pay
The Company observes the following holidays with pay for all full-time employees.
- New Year’s Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
Part-time or seasonal employees, as well as those being compensated as 1099 contractors will not receive holiday pay. Exempt and full-time employees (employees working at least 40 hours per week), will receive a paid holiday only if:
- the holiday falls on a day they are normally scheduled to work
- the employee has completed 6-months of full-time employment
- the employee works their scheduled workday prior to and immediately following the holiday.
Vacation Policy and Pay
Full-time W2 employees are provided up to 80-hours (depending on their employment status) of annual vacation each calendar year. Vacation time is earned in the following manner:
40-hours are earned during Period 1. An additional 40-hours are earned during Period 2.
- Period 1: Jan 1st – June 30th
- Period 2: July 1st – Dec 31st
NEW EMPLOYEES:
New employees (hired after January 1st, 2020) must be employed with the company for a period of 6-months plus the 14-day required vacation notice before becoming eligible for vacation leave (Qualification Period). Vacation time will be awarded for the Period:
- in which the new employee becomes eligible, and;
- the employees first day of vacation begins within the Qualifying Period.
By way of example only: New employees who become vacation eligible during Period 2 shall not be entitled to any vacation time from Period 1. In this particular example, the new employee would qualify for 40-hours vacation throughout the remainder of the calendar year. New employees may not submit vacation requests until they have completed their Qualification Period.
CURRENT EMPLOYEES:
Employees who have met the new employment qualifications described above are entitled to 40-hours paid vacation for each Period as defined above. In the event an employee does not use all of their Period 1 vacation time, the unused portion shall rollover into Period 2. For example: if an employee uses 2 vacation days during Period 1 (three days are unused) and have not used any vacation time while in Period 2, the employee would have a total of 8-days remaining during Period 2 through (3 days from Period 1 and 5 days remaining from Period 2). The maximum allotted vacation time during Period 1 shall not exceed 40-hours. Time during Period 1 can not be borrowed from Period 2.
Vacation Guidelines & Practices
- Vacation requests must be submitted with at least 14-days notice.
- Vacation requests do not guarantee approval and may be denied depending on company workload or staffing.
- Vacation is awarded on a first come, first served basis. It’s recommended that employees submit their requests as early as possible to avoid being denied.
- Vacation requests must be submitted on or before November 10th. Vacation requests made after November 10th will be automatically denied and any unused vacation days remaining shall be forfeited.
- Employees may not take more than five consecutive vacation days at any one time.
- Choosing to take time off in lieu of pay is not permitted and may result in termination.
- Part-time or seasonal employees, as well as those being compensated as 1099 contractors do not qualify for vacation benefits.
- Unused vacation days do not carry over from one year to the next .
- The company does not provide payment for any unused vacation time upon separation from employment. This includes any form of separation including resignation, termination, retirement, layoff, and death of the employee.
Sick & Safe Leave
Exempt and full-time employees (employees working at least 40 hours per week), are entitled to five days of sick and safe leave (PTO). Part-time or seasonal employees, as well as those being compensated as 1099 contractors will not receive PTO.
PTO is available to employees on the first day of employment (anniversary) and may be used in ½ day increments, 8am-12pm (morning) and 12pm-5pm (afternoon). Any leave taken during any part of the day shall be charged against available PTO in four hour increments. Employees must work a minimum of four hours to qualify as having worked half a day. Request for PTO should be submitted to the employees direct supervisor using the online portal.
PTO is not vacation and should not be used as such. PTO is to be used for the following purposes:
- to care for or treat mental or physical illness, injury, or condition
- to obtain preventive medical care for a family member
- to care for a family member with a mental or physical illness, injury, or condition
- for maternity or paternity leave
- if absence from work is due to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking committed against the employee or the employee’s family member and the leave is being used by the employee:
- to obtain for the employee or the employee’s family member
- medical or mental health attention that is related to the domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking
- services from a victim services organization related to the domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking
- legal services or proceedings related to or resulting from the domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking
- during the time that the employee has temporarily relocated due to the domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking
The company does not provide payment for any unused PTO upon separation from employment. This includes any form of separation from employment including resignation, termination, retirement, layoff, and death of the employee.
When the need to use PTO is foreseeable, the Company may require seven-days advance notice. When the need to use PTO is unforeseeable, the Company requires employees to provide notice as soon as practicable.
The Company may deny requests to use PTO if the employee fails to provide the required notice and the employees’ absences will cause disruptions to the Company. Additionally, the Company may deny requests to use PTO if the employee fails to provide required verification of proper use and the current request for leave is for the same reason as the prior unverified leave use. The Company may require PTO verification that the leave was used for an appropriate purpose when the leave lasted for at least two consecutive scheduled shifts or days.
If the employee fails to provide verification as required, the Company may deny the employees’ subsequent request to use sick and safe leave for the same reason. Misuse of PTO is grounds for termination.
Employees are prohibited from taking the following actions in bad faith:
- filing a complaint with the Commissioner of Labor and Industry alleging a violation of Maryland’s Healthy Working Families Act
- bringing a legal action against an employer alleging a violation of Maryland’s Healthy Working Families Act
- testify in a legal action against an employer alleging a violation of Maryland’s Healthy Working Families Act
An employee who takes any of the above actions in bad faith is guilty of a misdemeanor and, if convicted, may be subject to fines.
The Company reserves the right to modify and/or terminate benefits other than those required by State and Federal Law, at any time. The Company will provide a minimum of five-days notice prior to future modifications going into effect.
For additional information regarding PTO, please visit
Maryland Healthy Working Families Act Frequently Asked Questions
