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Kathy Hagedorn and her staff have been busy in the last month answering benefit and other employment questions regarding the sale of Saint Louis University Hospital.
Hagedorn, vice president for human resource management, recently addressed some of the most common benefit questions regarding the sale of the hospital.
Q: Will hospital employees have their jobs when the sale closes?
A: Yes. All current hospital employees will become Tenet employees when the transaction is closed.
Q: Will they have to reapply for their jobs?
A: No. The transfers will be made automatically.
Q: Will they have the same job titles?
A: Most employees will retain their current job titles. Changes will take place only if Tenet job titles don't match what the University currently uses. Job responsibilities will remain the same, however.
Q: How will the tuition remission program change?
A: Under the new program, Tenet will pay for one-third of the tuition for an employee or their dependent attending Saint Louis University. The University will cover one-third of the cost, and the employee will be responsible for the final one-third.
Q: When will the change in tuition remission take place? Do hospital employees have to be concerned that, come January, they will have to pay tuition for their children who already are enrolled? A: The change in this program won't take place until after the transfer is completed.
It is very likely that the transfer will not take place until after the start of the second semester, in which case SLUCare already will have paid the tuition for the semester.
Q: Will hospital employees still be allowed to apply the tuition remission benefit toward enrollment at other Jesuit schools?
A: The FACHEX program always has been limited the number of students enrolled at other Jesuit colleges. But students already enrolled under the FACHEX program will be allowed to finish their degrees at their current schools as long as they remain continuously enrolled. In the future, however, the revised tuition remission plan will apply only at Saint Louis University.
Q: How will employees' vacation and sick time be affected?
A: The current vacation, holiday and sick leave plans will remain in effect until Tenet is able to convert the payroll system. Payroll conversion will occur some time after the effective date of the employee transfer, but the date is not known at this time.
Q: Are hospital employees still University employees until the sale?
A: Yes.
Q: What about health care and dependents' health care Ñ how will that change?
A: Tenet plans to continue the HMO options for Blue Choice and GHP, along with other choices, although the cost structures will be slightly different. More details will be provided when they are available.
Q: Does Tenet offer long-term disability?
A: Yes. Details will be provided in the near future.
Q: Will there be a pay change when University employees become Tenet employees?
A: Everyone will be transferred at their current pay rates. Normal merit increases are planned for January for hourly-paid SLUCare employees.
Q: The University gives a discount on athletic season tickets. Will hospital employees still have that?
A: Although the discount will not continue, hospital employees can retain their present seats.
Q: What about Rec Center memberships?
A: Tenet employees of Saint Louis University Hospital still will be allowed to purchase Recreation Center memberships.
Q: Does Tenet offer any different or new benefits?
A: Yes. Tenet offers long-term insurance care to employees, their spouses, parents, grandparents and in-laws. Tenet employees also can buy Tenet stock through payroll deduction increments from 1 percent to 10 percent of salary up to $25,000 annually. Stock can be purchased quarterly at a 15 percent discount, based on the lower of the prices at the beginning or end of the quarter.
Related Stories:
- Biondi Answers Questions About Hospital Sale
- Tenet Transaction Will Ensure Future of University's Educational Mission
- A Comparative View of Charity Care in St. Louis Catholic Hospitals
- A Message From the President