VHN shall provide a competitive package of benefits to all eligible full-time and part-time employees. The following outline of available benefits is provided with the understanding that benefit plans may change from time to time, and the plan brochures (known as Summary Plan Descriptions) or contracts are to be considered the final word on the terms and conditions of the employee benefits provided by VHN. For eligibility requirements, refer to the Plan document for each benefit program. Continuation of any benefits after termination of employment will be solely at the employee's expense and only if permitted by policies and statutes. The  Founder/Owner will determine levels of deductible and copayments for all insurance related benefits annually.

A. Health/Life Insurance
VHN currently provides individual health and dental insurance benefits for eligible full-time employees except those who are insured through their spouse, retired military, or other plans, beginning after the first full month of employment. Eligible employees may elect to participate in available health plan(s) offered by VHN. VHN presently pays the individual insurance premium for all eligible employees. VHN may require employees to pay a portion of insurance premium in the future. Information about VHN's health plan(s) will be provided to the employee at the time of employment.

B. Social Security/Medicare/Medicaid
VHN participates in the provisions of the Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid programs. Employees’ contributions are deducted from each paycheck and VHN contributes at the applicable wage base as established by federal law.

C. Workers' Compensation and Unemployment Insurance 

Employees are covered for benefits under the Workers' Compensation Law. Absences for which worker compensation benefits are provided are not charged against the eligible employee's sick leave. To assure proper protection for employees and VHN, any accident that occurs on the job must be reported, even if there are no injuries apparent at the time. Forms for this purpose are available from VHN. Shawn Ian Bruce Studios also participates in the District of California unemployment program.

D. Retirement Plan
VHN provides a retirement program for eligible full-time employees who are 21 years of age or older. VHN contributes to the employee’s retirement plan when employee becomes vested after one year of employment. Eligible employees may contribute to retirement plan at start of employment. Employer percentage contributions to the retirement program is reviewed and determined annually by VHN. Information about VHN's retirement plan will be provided to full-time employees at the time of employment.

E. Tax Deferred 401K contribution
VHN has not setup a 401K at this time. After VHN has 5 full time employees or equivalent part time hours we will set up a 401K. When it does it will offer a tax deferred plan through payroll deduction at the employee's expense and which is subject to federal, state and local provisions. VHN reserves the right to modify or terminate any employee benefits, at any time.

LEAVE BENEFITS AND OTHER WORK POLICIES

A. Holidays. 

Full-time employees are eligible for the following Paid holidays per year: 

New Year's Day,

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday,

President's Day,

Memorial Day,

Juneteenth,

Independence Day, 

Labor Day, 

Indigenous Peoples’ Day, 

Veteran's Day, 

Thanksgiving Day, 

The Day After Thanksgiving Day, 

Christmas Eve,

Christmas Day.

Full-time employees (employees who regularly work at least 35 hours per week) receive one (1) paid day off for each full day of holiday time. Employees wishing to take religious holidays may substitute a religious holiday for one of those listed above, with advance approval from their supervisor. Temporary employees are not eligible for holiday leave benefits. In those years when Independence Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and New Year's Day fall on Saturday or Sunday, the  Founder/Owner will designate the work day that will replace the weekend holiday.

B. Vacation
During the first 90 days of employment, full-time employees will not earn Vacation benefits. During the remaining nine months of first-year employment, a full-time employee will earn two weeks (10 days) of paid Vacation. Full-time employees will continue to earn two weeks (10 days) of Vacation during the second year of employment. In their third year of employment, full-time employees will earn three weeks (15 days) of Vacation. During the fourth year and thereafter, full-time employees will earn four weeks (20 days) of Vacation per year. Temporary and part-time employees are ineligible for Vacation benefits.

Use of Vacation is subject to approval by supervisors and the  Founder/Owner and must be requested in hourly increments, using the appropriate leave request form. Employees are expected to use Vacation benefits in the fiscal year in which Vacation is earned. Employees may carry over unused Vacation from one year to the next only with the approval of the  Founder/Owner. Employees may not accrue more than the maximum leave they are allowed. Once an employee reaches their annual ceiling, the employee ceases to accrue any additional Vacation benefits. If an employee later uses enough Vacation benefits to fall below the ceiling, the employee starts to accrue leave again from that date forward until he or she reaches their Vacation ceiling. Accordingly, employees are encouraged to use all Vacation benefits in the fiscal year in which they are earned in order to avoid reaching the ceiling limit.

C. Sick Leave

Full-Time

Sick leave benefits are earned on a prorated basis of one day (8 hours) per month for full-time employees beginning on the first day of employment. Use of sick leave is subject to approval by their direct supervisor or a member of upper management and must be requested in hourly increments. Unused sick leave can accumulate from year to year up to a maximum of 30 days (210 hours). Remaining sick leave benefits are paid upon separation of employment from VHN. Physician documentation will be required if an employee's illness or injury requires a consecutive absence of five (5) days or more. VHN may also recommend that the employee apply for state disability insurance (SDI). If the employee receives SDI and the compensation does not equal the employee's sick leave accruals, VHN will make up the difference until all sick leave benefits are used.

Part-Time

Sick leave benefits are earned on a prorated basis of 3.3 hours per month for Part-time employees beginning after at least 30 days of work or a 90-day employment period, whichever is smaller. Use of sick leave is subject to approval by your direct supervisor or any member of upper management and must be requested in hourly increments. Unused sick leave does not accumulate from year to year for part-time employees. Sick leave benefits are paid upon separation of employment from VHN. Physician documentation will be required if an employee's illness or injury requires a consecutive absence of five (5) days or more. VHN may also recommend that the employee apply for state disability insurance (SDI). If the employee receives SDI and the compensation does not equal the employee's sick leave accruals, VHN will make up the difference until all sick leave benefits are used.

Temporary
Temporary employees are not eligible for paid sick leave benefits.

D. Personal Leave
VHN provides three (3) days of personal leave per calendar year to all Full-Time employees who have completed six months of employment. Temporary and part-time employees are not eligible for paid personal leave benefits. Personal leave is accrued at the beginning of each year and cannot be carried into the next year. Personal leave may not be taken in the first six (6) months of employment. All personal leave is subject to prior approval by their direct supervisor or any member of upper management and must be requested in hourly increments. No personal leave benefits are paid upon separation from employment with VHN for any reason.

E. Military Leave
Employees who are inducted into or enlist in the Armed Forces of the United States or are called to duty as a member of a reserve unit may take an unpaid leave in accordance with applicable law. The employee must provide advance notice of their need for military leave, and VHN will request a copy of the employee’s orders, which will be kept on record by VHN. The time an employee spends on military leave will be counted as continuous service for the purpose of determining eligibility and accrual for various benefit plans and policies. For military leaves extending 30 days or less, VHN will continue to pay the portion of the premium on health insurance, if any, that it was paying before the military leave began. In order to continue such health insurance, the employee must continue to pay their portion of premiums during this period. For military leaves extending beyond 30 days, the employee will have the option to continue their insurance coverage at the employee’s cost. Upon return from military leave, employees will be reinstated as required by law, and benefits will be reinstated with no waiting periods."

F. Civic Responsibility. 

VHN believes in the civic responsibility of its employees and encourages this by allowing employees time off to serve jury duty when required, to serve as nonpartisan Election Day poll workers and to vote in person when appropriate and approved. 

1. Jury Duty. For time served on jury duty, VHN will pay employees the difference between their salary and any amount paid by the government, unless prohibited by law, up to a maximum of ten days. If an employee is required to serve more than ten days of jury duty, VHN will provide the employee with unpaid leave. Employees must provide VHN a copy of proof of service received by the court in which they serve.

2. Election Day Voting. Per state of CA law VHN will provide two paid hours to go vote. Your time voting can only be at the beginning or end of your shift, whichever allows the most free time for voting and the least time off from your regular working shift.

3. Election Day Poll Workers. VHN will pay employees the difference between their salary and any amount paid by the government or any other source unless prohibited by law for serving as an Election Day worker at the polls on official election days (not to exceed two elections in one given calendar year). While performing their official nonpartisan duties at the polls, Election Day workers may not engage in political activity or campaign for or against any candidate or ballot measure. VHN requires that employees provide proof of service for their time at the polls. Employees interested in using this benefit must have written approval from their direct supervisor or any member of upper management 30 days before the election. Supervisors or any member of upper management will assure that the employee’s absence will not seriously interfere with the organization’s operations.

G. Parental Leave. 

The Family and Medical Leave Act  (FMLA) entitles employees to certain unpaid parental leave. For purposes of this section only, the following definitions apply: (1) “parent” means the natural mother or father of a child; a person who has legal custody of a child or who acts as a guardian of a child regardless of whether he or she has been appointed legally as such; an aunt, uncle or grandparent of a child; or a spouse to the above individuals; (2) “school-related event” means an activity sponsored by either a school or an associated organization such as a parent-teacher association which involves the parent’s child as a participant or subject, but not as a spectator, including student performance, such as a concert, play or rehearsal, the sporting game of a school team or practice, a meeting with a teacher or counselor, or any similar type of activity.

A parent is entitled to a total of 24 hours of unpaid leave during any 12-month period to attend or participate in school-related events for their child. VHN reserves the right, however, to deny such leave if such leave would disrupt VHN's operations. While parental leave is unpaid, employees may elect to use accrued vacation or personal leave. If the need for parental leave is foreseeable, the employee must provide written notice and request for parental leave at least 10 days prior to the event. If the employee’s need for parental leave is not foreseeable 10 days prior to the event, the employee must provide written notice and request for parental leave as soon as he or she learns of the need for such leave.

H. Bereavement Leave:

Employees shall be entitled to bereavement leave with pay of five (5) days in the event of a death in the employee’s immediate family (spouse/life partner, child, or parent) and three (3) days for a grandparent, sister or brother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, or grandchildren and two (3) days off for a beloved personal pet. If an employee wishes to take time off due to the death of an immediate family member, the employee should notify their direct supervisor immediately. Approval of bereavement leave will occur in the absence of unusual operating requirements. An employee may use, with approval, available paid leave for additional time off as necessary and in accordance with operating needs.

I. Extended Personal Leave. 

Employees who have been employed by VHN for at least one year may apply for personal leaves of absence for up to eight weeks. Personal leaves are unpaid and are discretionary with the management of VHN. When considering a request for a personal leave, VHN will consider factors such as the employee’s position, the employee’s length of service, the employee’s performance record including attendance, the purpose of the leave, the needs of the department in which the employee works, the effect of the leave on other employees, and VHN's general business needs. Personal leaves generally are unpaid. However, accrued vacation or personal time may be used to continue an employee’s salary during the leave. Vacation and sick time will not continue to accrue during the leave of absence. Medical and life insurance benefits will continue on the same basis as if the employee were actively working. VHN cannot guarantee reinstatement upon return from a personal leave. VHN will, however, make a reasonable effort to place the employee in an available position for which he or she is qualified. If such a position is not available, then the employee’s employment will terminate. Even in that event, the employee may later apply for reemployment.

J. Severe Weather Conditions 

VHN closes when federal government offices in the Los Angeles County area are closed due to severe weather conditions. VHN also will follow a liberal leave policy when the federal government announces that liberal leave is applicable. Under VHN's liberal leave policy, annual and/or personal leave may be taken without prior scheduling and approval if the employee is unable to reach the office due to severe weather conditions.

K. Meetings and Conferences 

Employees may be given limited time off by the Founder/Owner with pay to participate in educational opportunities related to the employees current or anticipated work with VHN. An employee serving as an official representative of VHN at a conference or meeting is considered official business and not on leave.
Employees who fail to report to work after an approved leave of absence are deemed to have voluntarily resigned. When an approved leave has been exhausted, the employee may request additional leave. Their direct supervisor must approve all unpaid leave.

L. Snack Policy

At VALHADEN, we want to ensure everyone is comfortable, energized, and excited to work throughout the day. This policy is here to help alleviate that grumbly tummy by providing a stipend to spend company funds on personally chosen snacks to keep in the office. 

VALHADEN employees, including full-time and part-time, have a monthly stipend of twenty-five (25) dollars per month, plus or minus two to three (2-3) dollars, to purchase personal snacks for in-office use. Alternatively, if desired, fifty (50) dollars every two months, plus or minus four to five (4-5) dollars. Sadly, this snack policy does not apply to consultants or interns. Snack stipend not spent by the last day of the month is forfeited. Additional snack stipends above the maximum amount listed above are only allowed if approved by a direct supervisor or a member of upper management.

Since eating in the office can be messy, we encourage everyone snacking to clean up after themselves. Ensure your workspace is clean and clear of crumbs, wrappers, and other food debris. Continued abuse of the snack policy will result in loss of privilege. 

If you hate the snack you ordered, do not worry; we allow two (2) twenty-five (25) dollar redo orders or one (1) fifty (50) dollar reorder order per employee per year for any snacksident. Add your undesirable snack to our communal snack stash in the pantry. Someone will love them, and go ahead and try again.

M. Beverage Policy

At VALHADEN, if you need coffee, tea, or soda, it’s free. Get it, make it, and enjoy. It’s a small thing we can do to keep you going. Everything you need is in the kitchen for you.