Year-round-staff
DEFINITIONS
Who is considered “year-round”?
Year-round employees make up the permanent core staff of Kroka - who each have made a long-term ongoing commitment to the organization. Year-round employees have an employment contract with no specific ending date, or a contract that is assumed to be renewed at the beginning or end of each fiscal year.
Who is eligible for “year-round privileges”?
All year-round employees, immediately upon hiring.
Who is eligible for “retirement & health insurance benefits?"
All year-round employees are eligible for these benefits after 90 days of employment. These benefits will be pro-rated based on average number of hours-per-week worked on a quarterly basis.
Who is eligible for “vacation-days / holidays / personal-days benefits”?
All year-round employees who are contracted to work a regular schedule of at least 20 hours per week are eligible after 90 days of employment.
What is the “start date”?
The “start date” is the first day of a year-round employment contract. Seasonal contracts prior to a year-round contract do not count towards start date.
What is "Tenure"?
Year round employees who have been employed continuously for 10 years or more may be considered “Tenured” and may be eligible for personal adjustments to these benefit policies on a case-by-case basis when approved by the directors
Year-round Compensation Scale
HIRING YEAR-ROUND EMPLOYEES: A Hiring committee will be convened to fill any vacancies within the year-round team. The hiring committee will consist of three members of the year-round staff including one director. The hiring committee screens applicants, conducts interviews, checks references, and conducts salary negotiations. All year-round staff will be offered an opportunity to meet and/or interview the candidate and give feedback to the hiring committee. The hiring committee makes recommendations to the Directors. Hiring new year-round employees requires enthusiastic support of all three Directors.
STARTING SALARY: Year-round positions will be advertised with a salary range consistent with the compensation structure below. The hiring committee will determine starting salary based on the candidate’s experience, tenure and credentials. Starting salary must be within the pay range for the employment category. Category starting pay ranges for each were based on the MIT Living Wage Calculator and should be revisited every three years to keep up with cost of living.
INTERNAL HIRES: Any open position will be advertised first to current year-round employees who may choose to go through the application process and committee interviews. Starting compensation for current employees hired will be within the starting range unless their existing salary exceeds the high-end of the salary range for the new position, in which case their salary will remain the same subject to annual increase.
ANNUAL INCREASE: All employees will receive a standard annual increase (minimum 2%) at the start of the calendar year based on inflation, cost of living and budget constraints. This will be determined by the Directors and the Board of Trustees during the annual budgeting process.
ANNUAL BONUS: If surplus funds are available at the end of the year, all year-round employees will vote on whether to award a bonus to all year-round staff. Bonuses should be distributed equally to all year-round employees (although prorated for part-time employees), not to exceed 5% of any employee’s annual FTE salary.
PROMOTION TO A NEW CATEGORY: Employees may move from one category to another when any of these criteria are met:
- The employee’s responsibilities change substantially such that their employment category is no longer accurate
- Any year-round employee may formally (in writing) recommend another employee for promotion. Promotions are determined with an affirmative vote of all three directors
- During a year-end review with two or more directors
Compensation Scale by Category:
The ratio of the highest-paid year-round employee to the lowest-paid employee should not exceed 2:1.
| CATEGORY | STARTING
PAY RANGE |
DESCRIPTION meant to reflect the level of responsibility, sphere of influence, degree of collaboration with others, and obligation to the organization |
| LEVEL I: | Hourly: $16 - $19.50
Weekly: $640 - $780 Yearly: $33,280 - $40,560 |
|
| LEVEL II: | Hourly: $20 - $23.50
Weekly: $800 - $940 Yearly: $41,600 - $48,880 |
|
| LEVEL III: | Hourly: $24 - $27.50
Weekly: $960 -$1,100 Yearly: $49,920 - $57,200 |
|
| LEVEL IV: | Hourly: $28 - $31.50
Weekly: $1,120 - $1,260 Yearly: $58,240 - $65,520 |
|
| FACULTY | Hourly: $20 - $27.50
Weekly: $800 - 1,100 Yearly: $41,600 - $57,200 |
|
SUPERVISION & MENTORING
Year-round staff will receive a "check-in" or "review" meeting after 90 days of employment, and then again each year during the month of October. This meeting will be held by the human resources / business manager together with one of the directors, and will follow the employee "check-in" template. Topics of discussion will include highlights from the past year, job title and job description review, feedback from supervisors and co-workers, training opportunities, housing and community needs, and future goals.
EXPECTATIONS:
Special Events
All full-time year-round salaried educators/administrators are not hourly and are expected to work over 40 hours per week. This includes up to 25 weekends and some evening work throughout the year. See the Annual Calendar for specific dates.
Some staff may be exempt from some of these weekends depending upon their roles and responsibilities. Some staff may need to work additional weekends attending conferences, fairs and events, depending upon their job description. Year-round staff who work for Kroka one or two full days on the weekend may take one day-off from work during the following five weekdays.
Weekday Morning Chores
Residential staff are expected to participate in morning chores. The rhythm varies seasonally. Please see the Chores page in the Campus Handbook for details.
Weekend Campus Care
All Year-Round Full-Time Staff (regardless of where they reside), as well as all Year-Round Staff residing on campus, might be asked to do weekend chores during the months of November through March. Typically this will not exceed one weekend per month, but may vary as needs change. Weekend chore responsibilities include the full-day of chores and any additional snow-shoveling or campus needs. 6:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Facilities/Big Jobs
All Year-Round staff are asked to take ownership of one year-round facilities chore that needs to be accomplished in addition to your regular responsibilities.
Severe Weather Cancellation / Travel Crisis
In the event that staff members are unable to travel to work due to severe weather or transportation difficulties, staff are expected to work from home. If a staff member is unable to work from home then they must use one of their health days.
YEAR-ROUND STAFF PRIVILEGES
(and estimated value)
- Farm Food to take home (per up-to-date food policies set by farmer and food manager) $250 - 500
- On-Campus Housing at modest rent $100 - 500 per month (when available) (per facilities manager)
- Tuition remission for staff children $1000 – 10,000 depending on programs attended
- Participation in any professional trainings or workshops that are taking place on campus (WFR, Life Guard)
- Use of Kroka Workshop
- Use of Kroka Equipment
- Equipment Pro-Purchase
- Participation in summer adventure days - Priceless!
- Annual staff expedition retreat Priceless!
NOTE: There are additional all-staff privileges such as meals (see below)
NOTE: These privileges are intended for full-time year-round staff. Part-time year-round staff may enjoy these privileges on a case-by-case basis with approval from the executive director.
Meals:
(Available immediately upon hiring):
Kroka-provided meals on campus whenever they are being cooked and served for the students or staff community:
- typically 3 meals per day during the summer season,
- typically staff-provided lunch Monday-Friday during the remainder of the year.
Mealtime is unpaid for hourly employees.
HOUSING FOR YEAR-ROUND STAFF:
As year-round housing becomes available on campus, it is offered to year-round staff for a modest rental fee.
HOUSING FOR DIRECTORS:
Housing for directors housing assignments and rental rates will be arranged by the board of trustees..
HOUSING FOR OTHER STAFF:
Other year-round staff housing options will be assigned by the directors team, based on these priorities:
- job roles and responsibilities (such as course directing) that require an "on-call" presence on campus
- commitment (full-time year-round employees take precedence over part-time or seasonal employees)
- family needs (partners, children etc.)
- tenure at Kroka
All housing will have a lease agreement with a fixed start and end date.
All housing assignments may need to be renegotiated at the end of each lease period.
All housing leases are contingent upon employment at Kroka.
Equipment:
Available starting 90 days from start date. Pro-purchase of equipment is offered (with advance payment and a small administrative fee) as part of Kroka’s regular equipment purchase schedule. Kroka equipment may be borrowed with permission from a director.
Dependent Child Tuition Remission:
Available 90 days from start date. Immediate dependent children of year-round staff (and Kroka board members) may register to attend Kroka summer camp and semester programs at a reduced cost.
(1) REGISTRATION: Dependent children must register online using the same timeline and application process as all other students. Dependent children are not automatically admitted into programs : admissions decisions are at the discretion of the program directors. Dependent children registrations are subject to the same registration deadlines, program availability, and waiting lists as all other students.
(2) DEPOSIT, TUITION, FEES:
(a) Dependent children for summer programs will pay whatever the standard registration deposit is for all other families - but will not be charged any additional tuition after that deposit.
(b) Dependent children for tuition-free programs will pay the same deposits and fees as all other students.
(c) Dependent children for tuition-based semester programs using a "tuition calculator" will pay the same deposits and fees as all other students, as well as 50% of the minimum tuition from the tuition calculator.
(d) Dependent children for tuition-based semester programs using sliding scale tuition will pay the same deposits and fees as all other students, as well as 50% of the minimum tuition from the sliding scale.
(e) Dependent children for all other programs (community, special etc.) shall pay regular tuition costs.
Adult Year-Round Staff members may participate in adult or family programs at no tuition cost, but must pay any applicable fees.
"Any Child" Summer Camp Gift
Available 90 days from start date for year-round staff members who are not enrolling dependent children in summer camp. Each year-round staff member will receive one discounted summer program per year to be offered to any child of their choosing, ideally for a program that is not fully enrolled. Staff members wishing to reserve a place for their “any child” may do so by paying a $100 per week fee. If the program becomes fully registered prior to the 3-week date, the “any child” may be fully registered at a reduced cost of 50% of the lowest tuition level, payable by the staff member. Otherwise, the $100 per week fee will cover the entire registration cost.
This policy is intended for (1) staff members to offer a gift to their friends and families, and (2) to help fill empty places in a program, and (3) to bring new students to Kroka whom otherwise would not be able to attend. This policy is not intended for families who would otherwise pay for themselves.
Training & Reimbursement:
Ongoing education and growth are essential for human beings to thrive, and many Kroka employees need professional certifications to be skilled and qualified program instructors. Therefore: Kroka will reimburse up to $400 in pre-approved job-related educational, licensing, or certification expenses per calendar year. Ideally these trainings will take place on evenings or weekends, but if they take place on weekdays, employees may use up to three paid employment days for training per year. Additionally needed training days can be taken as paid vacation days or as unpaid leave. No "compensation time" or extra days-off are granted for training that takes place on weekends or holidays. Employees are eligible for this benefit after 90 days of employment.
Travel to and from trainings (on public transportation such as trains, buses, airplanes) may be reimbursed as part of the $400, but no additional reimbursement for travel or lodging is offered.
Employees are invited to participate, at no cost, when schedule allows, in any Kroka-led training opportunities being offered to seasonal staff or students. Wilderness Lifeguard training and Wilderness First Responder re-certification is provided to all staff every other year at no cost.
Personal Computer Use Reimbursement
Year-Round Staff who are working a contact of 3 months or longer, and who need a computer for work use, and who are willing to bring and use their own personal laptop computer, (instead of being issued a Kroka laptop computer), are entitled to a computer use reimbursement of up to $250 per year. This is based on the purchase price of a new laptop ($1,000) divided over the average working lifespan of 4 years. To claim this benefit, submit a pink slip!
REMOTE WORK
Modern technologies of laptops, cell phones, and ubiquitous high-speed internet access, have made it possible for certain aspects of our administrative work to be done remotely (outside of the Kroka office). Non-residential employees (those employees who are not living full-time on the Kroka campus) who are commuting by automobile to work at Kroka, may be able to save significant time and energy by working remotely instead of traveling to the Kroka office.
At the same time, our social community depends upon face-to-face in-person interactions, our campus needs daily physical care, and our student programs need to be supported by a safety-net of staff who are on-campus and ready to assist with transitions or emergencies. It would not be healthy or possible if everyone worked remotely for most of the time.
Here is our policy:
Regular full-time year-round administrative staff (not teaching or support staff) may have the option of working from home or another appropriate location during the time period from OCTOBER 1st through MAY 1st, only on FRIDAYS when there are NO STUDENTS PRESENT ON CAMPUS. If students are on-campus at any point during the workday (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM), then staff are asked to work from the office.
Additional one-time requests to work from home will be handed on a case-by-case basis.
Occasionally staff may request or be required to do long-term/long-distance remote work for personal, educational, or professional reasons (Southwest program support, graduate school, sabbatical travel, etc.). These situations will be handled on a case-by-case basis by the director's leadership team.
Staff working remotely must:
- working laptop computer
- high-speed internet access capable of video conferencing
- telephone access (must have excellent reception if using a cell phone)
- dedicated physical space that is quiet and private (not a public noisy cafe)
- dedicated work hours that are not overlapping with household chores, childcare, food preparation, running errands, etc.
YEAR-ROUND STAFF BENEFITS
Health Insurance:
Membership in a health insurance plan (Harvard Pilgrim) is available to employees working at least twenty hours per week on the first “insurance enrollment date” that occurs after 90 days of employment. Kroka will pay a portion of the premium proportionate with your average hours per week (out of a standard 40-hour work week) for whichever standard plan we are able to negotiate for that year. Staff wishing to insure families, children, and spouses can elect to pay the difference in premiums to expand their coverage. Staff wishing to get a better plan than the standard Kroka plan my elect to pay the difference between the Kroka standard plan and their chosen higher plan.
Year-Round staff who are eligible for Koka's major health insurance policy (Harvard Pilgraim) but do not elect to enroll in that plan, may instead elect to enroll in an alternative primary care health plan provided by Monarca Health of Keene NH. Kroka will pay 100% of the monthly fee for this medical service, pro-rated for part-time employees.
Any Health insurance benefits or deductions will be given on a “pre-tax” basis as part of bi-weekly payroll processing.
Year-round staff who: have a tenure of 10-years or more < and > have reached the age of 65 years may be able to receive financial support from Kroka towards paying for medicare benefits.
Retirement:
Kroka offers a Simple IRA plan through Edward Jones to year-round staff members who have completed at least one full year of year-round employment with Kroka and earned more than $5,000 during that year. Kroka will match your contributions up to 3% of your pay. You may elect to contribute more than 3%, but it will not be matched. Funds will be deposited into an IRA account that you set up with Edward Jones. Your contributions will be automatically deducted from your paycheck pre-tax and deposited in your IRA account with the matching funds from Kroka. You can choose to stop and restart this at any time.
Dental Insurance:
Available to any year round contracted employees after 90 days of employment. Dental insurance is 100% employee paid. Staff wishing to insure families, children, and spouses can. Any dental insurance deductions will be given on a “pre-tax” basis as part of bi-weekly payroll processing.
Personal Days:
Available 90 days after start date. Up to 4 paid days per calendar year for full time staff, pro-rated for part-time staff. Personal days are intended to be used for single days where someone needs to attend to personal needs such as illness, medical appointments, child care needs, car repairs, transportation crises, or proactive self-care! Personal days are not intended to be combined with vacation days. Personal days may not be accrued into the next calendar year.
Vacation:
Available starting 90 days after start date for staff members working more than 20 hours per week.
2 weeks of paid vacation during first year of year-round employment.
3 weeks of paid vacation during second year of year-round employment.
4 weeks of paid vacation during every subsequent year.
The intention of vacation benefit is to give an un-interrupted rest away from Kroka, and vacation should ideally be taken in full-week increments. For calculating payroll, the number of paid days granted for a vacation week correlates to the number of days in your normal work week. For example: a full-time year-round staff member with 4-weeks of paid vacation would be granted 20 actual paid days of vacation time (4 weeks x 5 days per week). A half-time year-round staff member (working 20 hours per week) getting awarded "2-weeks" of paid vacation would be granted 2.5 days x 2 weeks = 5 days of paid vacation time for the year.
Vacation worksheets are maintained on a calendar year basis. Employees who begin their employment partway through the year will have their vacation day earnings pro-rated during their initial year of employment.
Vacation must be arranged and approved by the executive director two months ahead of time, and coincide with seasonal rest periods.
When to schedule your vacation:
- Last week of August – first week of September
- Last week in October – Second week in December
- Christmas – New Year (or Christmas – mid March)
- Senior staff can take vacation during peak season with a 6-month of advance planning and coordination.
- Semester coordinator takes vacation during summer months.
Additionally up to four weeks of unpaid personal leave days can be taken during the employee off-season. Unused vacation days may be accrued until the following year, but will be forfeit if unused after two years from when earned. Unused vacation days will not be compensated for upon termination.
How to schedule an extended vacation period! Yay!
- Get a vacation request form
- Present the form to your direct supervisor - get a signature
- Present the form to Human Resources / Business Manager - get a signature (Business manager will enter vacation into Linseed & Paylocity)
- If approved, buy plane tickets (not before!)
SUPERVISORS & HR MANAGERS MUST RESPOND WITHIN 7 DAYS TO A VACATION REQUEST!
Paid Holidays (2018 - 2024 policy):
Available immediately upon hiring. Six paid holidays are available to all eligible employees upon hiring: Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, December 31st, January 1st, and any two days during the week of the winter solstice. All other Federal and State, or religious Holidays may be taken as pre-arranged vacation days. Outside of direct program teaching, no essential administrative meetings or tasks will be scheduled on Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Paid Holidays (2025 - onward):
Six paid holidays are available to all eligible employees immediately upon hiring: Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, January 1st, and any two days during the week of the winter solstice. Other Federal and State, or religious Holidays may be taken as pre-arranged vacation days with advance notice on a case-by-case basis.
Our seasonal work with residential youth programs often precludes our honoring of the traditional holidays of Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Columbus Day. In acknowledgement of that, we attempt each year to offer an extended paid holiday period during the winter holiday season - subject to the needs of the organizaiton and the alignment of the calendar.
CHANGING STATUS:
Year-round employees who negotiate an ending date to their contracted employment will not lose their year-round status or benefits until that contract is concluded. However, year-round employees who finish their year-round contract and negotiate a new seasonal contract, will not retain their year-round benefits while under a new seasonal contract. Seasonal employees who become year-round employees will receive benefits based on a “start date” of the first date of their first year-round contract.