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Work and Benefits
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Summary of Benefits for Interns, Residents, Fellows and Research Fellows 2008 [Word document]
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's): Benefits for Interns, Residents & Fellows, for 2007
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Children's Hospital Boston Human Resources Department
(Note: This link leads to a page within Children's internal Web site.)
Children's Hospital Boston Medical Insurance for 2006 [Word document]
Time Off Policy for Research Fellows
The policy has been that Fellows get a "reasonable" amount of vacation/sick time determined by their department. Most PI's use the guideline of 2 weeks vacation and 1 or 2 weeks of sick time if needed.
Renewing Fellows' ID Badges
The process for a credentialed clinical or research fellow to renew their ID badge is quite simple: Stop by the Medical Staff Office to get a new purple card. However, there are some guidelines around clearance with Occupational Health. If you have not ever been cleared, you do need to get that taken care of. If you have been cleared already, then you do not have to go to Occupational Health. You don't need to go to HR to get your ID renewed.
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BCBS reimbursement for joining the YMCA, Curves, and other fitness programs
Blue Cross Blue Shield (new to Children's Hospital Boston for 2006) offers its members up to $150 in reimbursement for membership or exercise classes at a health club, including the YMCA or Curves. The facility you choose must have a vast array of cardiovascular and strength-training exercise equipment, such as traditional health clubs, Ys, and JCCs. Fees paid for attending aerobics/fitness classes at a qualified health club without an annual membership will also be covered, but make sure you get full documentation from the club. For more information, check out Blue Cross Blue Shield web site or call 1-800-241-1263.
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For clinical fellows, go to CHB Medical Staff Services.
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CLINICAL FELLOWS: SO YOU'RE LEAVING FOR A CLINICAL POSITION? Issues and Answers in Considering and Negotiating a new Position, by Patrick Taylor, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, April 6, 2006 (Slides)
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Two alternative options for health insurance, for those postdoctoral research fellows who are not paid through Children's Hospital Boston, and therefore are not eligible to get benefits through Children's Hospital:
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1. Health insurance through Harvard University
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2. Access to group health insurance policy through the National Postdoctoral Association* (see below)
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Children's Hospital Boston's Office of Fellowship Training (OFT) has joined the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) at the Sustaining Membership level.
The main benefits for Children's postdocs will be:
1) access to members-only content on the NPA web site
2) free subscription to NPA quarterly newsletter
3) free subscription to NPA periodic e-mail alerts
4) access to group health insurance policy thru NAGPS* (see below)
5) eligibility to serve on NPA committees and other member activities
In order to obtain these benefits, postdocs must complete an enrollment form available at
National Postdoctoral Association or by going to NPA home page and clicking on "Join the NPA" and "Affiliate Member."
Domain names that will work:
@childrens.harvard.edu
@enders.tch.harvard.edu
@chip.org
@dfci.harvard.edu
@tbrc.mgh.harvard.edu
@cardio.chboston.org
@CARDIO.CHBOSTON.ORG
@genetics.med.harvard.edu
@bloodgroup.tch.harvard.edu
@cbr.med.harvard.edu
@cbrinstitute.org
In addition, Children's Office of Fellowship Training sustaining membership would also entitle the OFT to nominate at least one postdoc for a
travel award, and also allow the OFT to send up to five postdocs to the annual NPA meeting at the discounted member rate. There are other benefits for the institution that joins and the primary contact who is designated. These are outlined on the web site, NPA home page.
The fellowship office of Children's Hospital, along with those of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Massachusetts General Hospital, has been officially awarded the bid to
host the 2008 NPA Annual Meeting in the Longwood Medical Area. This is a great honor. The dates of the event are April 25-27, 2008. Please mark your calendars!
*Health Insurance
If you cannot obtain group health insurance through your institution, or cannot afford the plan that is offered, there is an alternative. The NPA, through its membership in the NAGPS, is able to offer postdocs access to an affordable group health insurance plan. Although the plan is primarily intended for students, it does offer coverage to postdocs who are members of the NPA.
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Linda Wilcox, Ombudsperson, Harvard Medical School, has offered to have the OFT post her slides on our web site. She is available for discussion. This is her contact information:
Linda Wilcox
Ombudsperson
164 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
617 432-4040 (confidential phone)
617 432-0586 (confidential fax)
617 432-4041 (assistant)
E-mail: Linda Wilcox
Harvard Medical School, Harvard Dental School, and Harvard School of Public Health Ombuds Office web site
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NEGOTIATION SKILLS, by Linda Wilcox, Ombudsperson, Harvard Medical School, October 11, 2006 (Slides)
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Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and the Office of Clinical Support (OCS)
Children's Hospital Boston has two no-cost resources for employees who need counseling including the areas of work, family, home, personal, and financial assistance. They are the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and the Office of Clinical Support (OCS).
The Children's Hospital Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a positive and preventive program designed to help employees and household members deal with concerns ranging from everyday stress to life threatening illness. Katlheen Greer Associates (KGA, Inc.) provides research, referral and consultation to all employees (and their household members) who are benefits-eligible. In addition to the EAP, they provide training, coaching, consulting, and wellness programs. The EAP includes consultation and resources for managers, supervisors and human resources professionals as well as a variety of training programs and wellness services.
They are reachable for free, confidential counseling and consultation, for employees and their household members (even if not related), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 508-879-2093 or 1-800-648-9557 or via e-mail KGA, Inc. (EAP). Their web site, KGA, Inc. , is accessible to Children's employees and their household members, with username chb and password 9557. You can also access thousands of articles, tip sheets, self-assessments, and on-line learning opportunities on the web site.
The Office of Clinician Support (OCS) is designed to provide a safe alternative communication channel for anyone who does clinical work with patients. It is a no-cost program designed to assist clinicians with work-related or personal problems. It provides a safe forum in which to voice concerns, evaluate situations, organize thoughts, assess feelings, and decide what is important according to a clinician's specific circumstances. Confidentiality of all parties is closely respected and information is shared only in unusual circumstances. Support is available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day through the hospital's page operator. To make an appointment during business hours, call x5-6705 or e-mail Kathryn Skitt. You can be seen at a conveniently arranged time, usually within 24-48 hours, for 1-3 sessions at no-cost. Referrals are made for ongoing support (for co-payments).
We at the Office of Fellowship Training strongly encourage all fellows to take advantage of these services, as everyone needs support and if you find yourself in a situation in which you need guidance, it's better to address it sooner rather than later.
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Employee Assistance Program
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Office of Clinician Support (Note: These links leads to a page within Children's internal Web site.)
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PPT slides from November 2005 talk by Patrick Taylor, Esq., Office of General Counsel, CHB on Consulting and Patent Rights for Fellows
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While Children's Hospital General Counsel cannot provide legal counsel to CHB employees, there is reference material on their web site for Children's Hospital Boston employees who wish to consult. Go to Children's Hospital Consulting Resources.
(Note: This link leads to a page within Children's internal Web site.)
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Notes from January 2006 talk by Patrick Taylor, Esq., Office of General Counsel, CHB on Negotiation Skills for Fellows
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PPT slides from May 2006 talk by Fern Remedi-Brown, M.Ed., Coordinator, Office of Fellowship Training on Write for the Job: written communication for fellows seeking positions
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Employee Computer Discounts
Children's Hospital Boston's Human Resources has established an employee discount purchase program with Dell Computer. For more information, see Dell's web site. Also, employees are eligible for discounts on some Apple products, see Apple's web site
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Information on a new entertainment discount for everyone at Children's, as of October 2007: Benefits has informed the Office of Fellowship Training of a new benefit for all employees to get discounts for theme parks, hotels, restaurants, theatre, gifts, etc. by going to www.workingadvantage.com . E-mail Office of Fellowship Training to get the company member ID. Each person has to register him- or herself.
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Notaries at Children's Hospital Boston
Anne Vaccaro (x5-5186) and Elayne Fournier (x5-8241) in the Department of Medicine are notaries who have offered to have their names posted on the Office of Fellowship Training web site. Please call before coming over to see if they are in their office.
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Children's Hospital Boston's English as a Second Language (ESL) course
In the spring of 2005, Children's Hospital Boston launched a pilot English as a Second Language (ESL) course through the Longwood Medical Area ongoing program. The program, based at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, offers classes to Harvard-affiliated researchers and technicians at participating institutions in the medical area. Children's Hospital postdoctoral fellows were nominated by faculty (their PI's) and joined the class initially for the first semester, April through June 2005. Children's postdoctoral fellows' participation has been ongoing (with the exception of summer), and with the recent conclusion of the Spring 2006 semester, four semesters have been completed.
Classes are generally paid in full for postdocs by the Office of Fellowship Training (OFT). (No cost to PI.) The OFT does not pay for any lab members other than postdocs. Participants usually stay for two semesters, although if space allows (i.e. fewer than 20 Children's postdocs), the OFT can pay for an additional semester. If a PI wants to send a postdoc longer, but space does not allow, this could be done at the PI's expense ($350 per individual per semester).
The ESL program originally began about 7-8 years ago at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and in April 2002 was taken over by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI). There are currently five participating institutions: DFCI, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Joslin Diabetes Center, the Center for Blood Research (CBR), and Children's Hospital Boston (CHB).
Participants generally take two hours of class (5-7pm) plus one hour of language lab (at a flexible time) per week. The curriculum for class includes development of communication skills with focus on the workplace, U.S. culture and culture differences, and news and current events. In addition to conversation, some attention is also given to reading and some grammar points. The language lab is composed of computer-based listening programs and also aids with writing (letters, journals, e-mail), as well as identifying grammar needs. Two teachers staff the language lab and assistance is individualized and on a drop-in basis. A list of web sites for learning resources is also provided to participants.
Levels are "high beginner," "intermediate," "high intermediate," and "advanced." Once learners are placed in a class, they generally do not move to another one, but prefer to stay with their initial "cohort," as a comfort level is developed.
The ninth (Winter 2008) semester is currently ongoing (week of January 7th through week of March 20th. The tenth (Spring 2008) semester will be held from the week of Apr. 7 through the week of June 19. Registered participants receive notification of Information sessions to be held approximately two weeks before semester start date. Following Information sessions, fellows are evaluated and then placed in classes according to levels. In order for a research fellow to participate, s/he must be recommended to the Office of Fellowship Training by his or her PI. Contact information: Office of Fellowship Training .
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