Well Time Policy - Frequently Asked Questions
What is well time?
As a Tufts employee, you can use a portion of your accrued sick time for approved wellness activities. Sick time applied to approved wellness activities is considered well time.
How much well time can I take?
Full-time employees may use up to eight hours of accrued sick time per calendar year as well time to participate in approved wellness activities. If you are a part-time employee, your well time limit is prorated. For example, if you are scheduled to work .75 time, you can use up to 6 hours per calendar year (8 hours multiplied by 75%) of your accrued sick time for wellness activities.
What code is used in time entry/time off tracking for well time?
Use the code 220 to track your well time.
What can I use well time for?
Eligible activities are limited to those provided through Human Resources. They include:
- Completing Marathon Health's Health History and Risk Assessment (HHRA) questionnaire* to identify your health history and current health status.
- Participating in a Comprehensive Health Review (CHR) and Health Assessment* to provide a complete picture of your health. The CHR provides time with a clinician to answer your questions and identify ways to improve your health.
- Creating a plan with a Health Coach, using the information from your HHRA and health assessment.
- Participating in a Healthy Tufts-sponsored wellness activity, such as a lunch and learn or walking program.
*Log in to Marathon Health and go to their Health and Wellness page to find their HHRA and CHR and Health Assessment.
Can I use my well time for activities not listed, like going to my gym?
No. You can only use well time for activities that are part of the Healthy Tufts Program, as listed above.
Does everyone get well time?
Since well time is sick time that an employee chooses to use for wellness activities, anyone who accrues sick time may elect to apply a portion of sick time to well time. The only limitation is that you may only use up to eight hours of sick time (prorated for part-time employees) as well time each calendar year. You also need to have good attendance and your overall job performance must be rated at a level of "Successfully Meets Expectations" or better in order to use well time.
How can I get more well-time hours?
Once you have used your eight hours (or prorated hours for part-time employees) of well time in a calendar year, you cannot use more sick time for well time activities until the following calendar year. If you are a new employee or have used all your accrued sick time, you may use your sick-time hours as you accrue them for either sick time or allotted hours for wellness activities. Of course, you may continue participating in wellness activities on your lunch break or other time available for personal activities.
What happens if I don't use all my well time during the calendar year?
Your well time limit does not accumulate or roll over from calendar year to calendar year.
How do I schedule well time?
Ask your manager or supervisor for prior approval. Well time must be approved in advance by your manager or supervisor and will typically be used in hourly increments.
What if my manager or supervisor does not allow me to take well time?
If you have requested well time that does not adversely affect your work or your department and your supervisor does not allow the time off, please contact your department’s Human Resources Business Partner.
How do I record my well time?
When you use well time, please use code 220 in time entry/time off tracking. In addition, you and your manager or supervisor should keep track of how much well time you have used during the calendar year to ensure you do not exceed your annual limit of eight hours.
What if I have questions?
Please contact Tufts Support Services (TSS) by email or calling 617-627-7000 with questions about how to track your well time.
Provided by Human Resources