In this edition of Us!...
- Upcoming Event
- Professional Development Opportunity
- Associate Referral Program
- Scholarship Opportunity
- Shout Outs
- Community Kudos
- Payroll Information
- Why Risk It?
- New Y Roth Account
- A Note from John Hoey
- Organization Announcements
Y ASSOCIATE OPPORTUNITIES
UPCOMING Y ASSOCIATE EVENTS
Navigating Burnout | Tuesday, February 13
11am - 1pm
Y Engagement Center, 1506 Joh Ave.
Presented by The Women's Leadership Resource Network (WLRN)
Join the WLRN associate resource group to unpack burnout, a topic often felt but not often discussed. What are signs of burnout? Is it normal? How do you combat burnout? What does self-care look like? All this and more will be discussed in interactive sessions. Mark your calendars now!
Keep an eye out for registration information coming soon.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY
A clinical supervision cohort program is available for LMSW and LGPC associates who are seeking supervision hours toward advanced clinical licensure. The program will be led by Diara Jackson, LCSW-C, a board certified social work supervisor and the Y's Executive Director of Social Emotional Learning, Youth Development. View the flyer to see qualifications and click below to apply.
ASSOCIATE REFERRAL PROGRAM
We are growing our Y associate community and need your help. If you know someone who may be a qualified candidate for an in-demand position such as educators and lifeguards, please encourage them to apply. If your referred person is hired, you can potentially earn a $150 - $500 referral bonus!
2024 SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
First Financial, a Y benefits partner, has opened their 2024 Scholarship Program featuring a $3,000 scholarship opportunity for graduating high school seniors who are members of First Financial Federal Credit Union.
To quality, students must have at least a 2.5 unweighted GPA and their own Savings Account at First Financial FCU. Scholarship funds can be used for post-secondary institutions and for related expenses during the recipient’s first year of study. The deadline to apply is February 1, 2024.
GOOD VIBES
Y ASSOCIATE SHOUT OUTS
We have three terrific Y Associate Shout Outs today. These are great stories about pitching in, reaching out, showing initiative, being a great colleague, and going the extra mile: all of which are hallmarks of Y associates and our organizational culture.
Click the blue "Shout Out" icon above to read about William Belk, Shardae Freeman, and Shannon Martin.
If you have a colleague you'd like to "Shout Out", simply click below to fill out the nomination form.
COMMUNITY COMMENTS
The good work you do doesn't go unnoticed. Enjoy reading these real comments from our Y community and soak in the praise!
Benjamin, Y Chipmunks Preschool
"All the teachers work so hard to help the children have a great first schooling experience. Their communication is amazing and there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer. The Chipmunks Preschool program is an amazing community focused on positive, fun-focused learning for young minds."
Grace, The Ward Y in Abingdon
"Just wanted to give a shout out to Samantha, my swim instructor for the last 6-8 weeks. I have achieved my objective of no longer fearing the water! I can float, tread water and swim a little bit. She is an awesome instructor; very patient and fun."
Amirah, Y Early Head Start in Anne Arundel County
“Very nice home visitor, Ms. Tyisha Somerville. Very nice teaching and playing with the child that helps her with growth and development. Always on time, she takes us to social activities, which helps us to be a part of the Y family and enjoy the journey. I have recommended Y Early Head Start to two of four families. Two of them have already sent in applications and are waiting to start for their kids. As soon as there are available spots, I will ask other families to contact the Y. I always recommend Y Head Start to everyone I know. Ms. Jennifer Apalara and the entire team has made a great impact on the foundation of my son's life. A big thank you to all of you!"
Atticus, Y Before & After School Enrichment, Homestead/Wakefield Elementary
"I appreciate the open lines of communication between the Y and me, and the endlessly positive perspective they work to instill in the children."
WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU!
The Us! associate enewsletter is published monthly and we need to hear from you! Share your stories, what’s new in your Y world, and what you are proud of. We want to know! The next regular Us! enewsletter will be published on February 8. The submission deadline is Friday, February 2.
RESOURCES, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
GET PAID!
| PAY PERIOD | PAY DATE |
|---|---|
| December 31, 2023 - January 13, 2024 | January 23, 2024 |
| January 14 - 27, 2024 | February 6, 2024 |
| January 28 - February 10, 2024 | February 20, 2024 |
WHY RISK IT?
The Y's Risk Management Team has created a monthly newsletter to highlight key risk reduction practices, reviews and reminders. This serves as an excellent quick reference for high priority risk awareness in our Y programs, centers and sites.
NOW AVAILABLE: NEW Y ROTH ACCOUNT
On January 1, the Y Retirement Fund launched the new Roth Account, which is an after-tax retirement savings account option.
- Any paid associate of a participating Y will be able to contribute to the Roth Account regardless of compensation, age, hours worked, or length of service.
- Contributions will be made via payroll deduction and taxed in the year of the contribution.
- At retirement, contributions and interest in the Roth Account are tax-free if you are age 59 ½ or older and your Roth Account has been open for five years.
OUR WORK TOGETHER
An email went out on Monday, January 8 from John Hoey with new information regarding Y associate benefits. In case you missed it, John's email is below. (There's a lot of good news!)
A New Year and Lots New for Associates at the Y!
Here we are in 2024, believe it or not, and despite the colder weather there are a lot of awesome things happening here at the Y! Of course, we all know that January is an incredibly busy, intense and important month for our Y family centers, as new members are joining in large numbers, and utilization of our centers and programs is surging. And across our youth development programming, the buzz of activity is palpable, with excitement about all of the learning, developing, relationship building and fun that’s happening for kids, youth and families across our Y.
But, before we put 2023 in the rear-view mirror, let me first thank all of our Y associates for what may go down in our organization’s history as the most amazing year ever (and that’s saying something!!). We’ve achieved so much together, and I think it’s safe to say that we’ve fully transitioned from a “pandemic-recovery” mode to an “all-in on community” mode. Demand for what the Y does has never been greater, and despite all of the challenges over the past year, we’ve proven that openness to change, an embrace of new ways of doing things, and a commitment to actively engaging the full scope of the community pays off in a big way. I could throw out lots of numbers (and many of you know just how much of a numbers nerd I am), but I think this past year is highlighted by one incredible statistic: in 2023, we increased our membership by 20%, by far the largest one year increase ever (in a year in which we didn’t open a new Y family center!). We still have work to do in our financial recovery, but our new strategy is working really well, and there’s no reason to slow down now!
I’m excited to announce some “new stuff” and changes in our policies and practices for 2024. These changes are a direct result of feedback we've received from associates through the Gallup surveys, associate resource groups, and the many direct conversations we all have everyday. We are continually listening to identify ways to ensure being an associate at the Y is a richly satisfying and rewarding experience. All of these changes are designed to continue on our journey of becoming the go-to workplace to make change and thrive.
- Paid Parental Leave
Effective January 1st, we will provide up to two weeks of paid parental leave for full-time associates following the birth of an associate’s child or the placement of a child with an associate in connection with adoption, foster care, or surrogacy. This is in addition to short-term disability benefits already provided in our benefits plan. This new policy is designed to help full time associates have some time to care for and bond with a newborn, a newly adopted or newly placed child.
- Planned Increase in Y Retirement Contribution
Contingent upon us being on or ahead of our operating margin budget at that time, effective July 1st we will raise our contribution to the Y Retirement Fund for all eligible associates from the current 8% to 10% (which is where we were pre-COVID). The Y Retirement Fund is one of the most important and valuable benefits available to Y associates. To learn more about the plan follow this link or contact human resources.
- Revised Paid Time Off (PTO) Policy
As previously communicated, effective January 1st, PTO for full-time associates is being broken out into two separate buckets: vacation and holidays. The vacation bucket will accrue based on tenure, just as it has in the past. Additionally, twelve (12) holidays will be provided, which includes what had previously been provided for personal days plus the eight (8) fixed holidays we recognize. Associates will be required to take either a holiday or vacation day if the program they work in is closed (unless professional development is offered) during a holiday that’s not included in the eight paid holidays. As a reminder, here is the schedule previously shared showing which Y sites are open or closed for each public holiday between September 2023 and August 2024. The 2024/2025 schedule will be sent out in July this year.
Three (3) holiday days will be front-loaded to account for the holidays at the beginning of the year. Only accrued and unused vacation time will be paid out if an associate resigns in good standing. Associates will still need to go into the Dayforce system to request time off for those holidays beyond the eight we recognize.
- Establishment of an Associate Appreciation Week
As we’ve moved past a pandemic and post-pandemic mindset, it’s time to refresh what we had been calling Associate Appreciation Day, which over the past several years has meant the closure of all Y sites on a specific day in the fall. While that approach made some sense, particularly during the height of the pandemic, it no longer does given our surging membership and program participation, and other considerations. This year, we will be rolling out an Associate Appreciation Week. The exact details and timing of this are still in the planning phases, but the goal is to dedicate a full week each year as an opportunity for all those we serve to thank and recognize those associates who make their lives and community better. Please be on the lookout for information regarding the dates and events planned.
- Elimination of the 10th Week of Camp
Given how difficult the final week of camp is, particularly for our associates, based on the camp-Before & After School Enrichment program transition, as well as the challenge of retaining seasonal associates late into the summer, we have eliminated the 10th week of camp from the calendar. We believe that this will improve both the associate and member experience.
- Y Apparel Policy
Y associates working in direct service roles who are required to wear Y branded apparel will now receive two new articles of Y apparel every year. The current practice has varied across product lines and sites, and will now be made consistent. As such, all Y associates working in direct service roles will be receiving their new Y apparel for 2024 within the next several months.
Additionally, for those associates wishing to purchase additional Y branded apparel beyond what the Y provides, our marketing team is working on identifying and negotiating with a new vendor that can provide an expanded selection of quality approved options at a more cost-effective price. As soon as this arrangement is finalized, we will notify everyone.
- An Updated and Improved Y Associate Wellness Portal
The Y provides a personalized, holistic approach to supporting your well-being. Thanks to associate engagement and feedback, a new vendor, Ramp Health, has been engaged to manage our wellness portal. All Y associates will be receiving an email from Ramp Health asking you to verify your new account. This email will give you all the information you need to log in and start your 2024 incentive program. The Ramp Health portal will still include all the features that have been available but with a more personalized experience. You will have the opportunity to choose focus areas that are specific to your well-being journey, earn rewards, socialize with colleagues and improve your well-being. I encourage you to log into the new wellness portal after you’ve registered to get familiar with the new platform and begin working toward your 2024 incentive. If you have any questions, please reach out to support@lescustomercare.zendesk.com.
Should you have any questions about these new Y associate policies and practices, please talk to your supervisor or contact our human resources team at hr@ymaryland.org.
All the best,
John Hoey
President & CEO
The Y in Central Maryland
ORGANIZATION ANNOUNCEMENTS
We've had a couple of changes within our workforce since the last regular edition of US! Click below for updates.