Argonne Work-Life Policies and Practices
Argonne fosters our world-class community of talent by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone. As part of this commitment, Argonne’s benefits and related policies enable flexibility, well-being, and the opportunity for employees and their families to thrive.
Paid Time Off
Paid vacation: 15 paid vacation days per year, accrued at the rate of 1.25 days per month.
Paid holidays: 11 paid holidays per year, including one floating holiday to be used at employee’s discretion.
Paid sick leave: 18 days sick leave provided at start of employment. Employees accrue 18 days each January. Can accrue up to six months. Family friendly sick leave allows use of up to 20 days annually.
Family and Medical Leave Act: Up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave for serious illness based on federal law.
Military leave: Employees called to active or reservist duty are granted a military leave of absence of up to 180 days. Upon return from military leave, employees are restored to their position of employment before they left.
Employee Benefits
Medical and dental insurance: Pre-tax premiums for medical and dental care effective first day of hire. Coverage available for spouses, civil union partners and dependents.
Retirement plan: 2.5%+ pre-tax employee contribution, 9% employer match.
Life insurance: Basic, plus supplemental and dependent options.
Flexible spending accounts: Pre-tax contribution options for medical expense ($3,400 annual cap) and dependent care ($7,500 annual cap) reimbursement.
Work-Life Balance
Alternate work schedules: Variety of alternative schedules available including: four 10-hour days per week or four nine-hour days per week with either one day off every other week or half a day off each week.
Employee Assistance Program: Professional confidential source of help for employees and families who need assistance with personal issues. Additional resources also available for: day care, adoption, summer camps, nursing home care, pet services, separation/divorce, will preparation, college planning, debt counseling, retirement planning, tax consultation.
Telecommuting: Work from home as job allows
Personal, Sabbatical and Entrepreneurial Leave: Eligible employees may request a personal, sabbatical or entrepreneurial leave to pursue personal interests, outside professional interests or entrepreneurial activities. Leaves will be approved at the sole discretion of division management. All leaves of this nature will be unpaid. Reinstatement to position of employment prior to leave is not guaranteed.
Winter shutdown: Argonne suspends normal operations at the end of each year between or adjacent to the Christmas and New Year holidays. Employees must take paid vacation days or days without pay.
Working Parents
Adoption assistance: Reimbursement available, up to $5,000 for qualifying adoption expenses.
Backup care for adults and children: Argonne partners with CorporateCARE Solutions to offer this program to provide up to 10 days a year of professional care for a child or an adult when regularly scheduled care is not available, or an unexpected event takes place.
Child Development Center: On-site childcare available for Argonne, DOE and UChicago employees’ children. Fee based. Summer camp for older children available.
Dependent daycare flex spending account: Pre-tax contribution up to $7,500 per year.
Extension of five-year status review: RD2 employees in a five-year status review position may request an extension of that time.
Nursing mothers: Break time, private lactation rooms and base pump units available.
Parental leave: Argonne provides expectant parents with paid time off to care for and bond with their new child. Parental leave is available for all birthing and non-birthing parents who meet the eligibility criteria. Eligible employees will receive a total of 280 hours (7 weeks) of paid leave (employees working a part-time schedule will receive prorated hours). This leave may be taken as: (i) one continuous block of time; (ii) a reduced schedule; or (iii) intermittently in increments of no less than four hours a day, with the ability to add one-hour increments. Leave must be taken within 12 months following the birth or adoption of a child
School visitation leave: Argonne provides unpaid school visitation to a parent or guardian non-exempt employee for up to eight hours during any school year (no more than four hours on a given day) to attend school conferences or classroom activities related to the employee’s child, if the conference or classroom activities cannot be scheduled during non-work hours.
Disclaimer
This snapshot of Argonne’s policies and practices is provided for illustration and general information purposes only and is not a full list of the benefits available. This snapshot does not state all of the terms and conditions of benefits and is not intended to create any contractual obligation on the part of UChicago Argonne, LLC. The benefits described herein may be changed, revised or eliminated at any time. Please refer to the appropriate Summary Plan Description, Plan Document or Human Resources Policy and Procedure Manual for more information.