HII CARES Act Paid Leave Survey

What is the HII CARES Act Paid Leave Survey Phase II (Phase II) and how will I know if the survey applies to me?

During the course of the initial HII CARES Act Paid Leave Survey, it was discovered that some paid leave information had been inadvertently omitted from the data provided to EY. That information has now been transferred to EY and a Phase II survey will be available to those employees impacted by the inadvertent omission.

Employees whose paid leave data was inadvertently omitted will receive a letter from EY with login instructions and a unique passcode. Users will be required to answer a set of challenge questions to validate employee identity. The survey is to be completed using a personal computer, tablet or mobile phone.

For trouble accessing the survey, contact the EY Help Desk between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET, Monday – Friday, at +1 833-968-0936 or by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to include your full name, MyID, division and contact information in the email.

All information and documentation for Phase II must be submitted by Aug. 15, 2021.

What paid leave was omitted from the initial survey and how will I know if I was impacted?

A portion of paid leave data for approximately 14,000 employees was inadvertently omitted from the initial survey. This data has now been transferred to EY and a new survey, Phase II, will be opened for the impacted employees from July 19 through Aug. 15, 2021.

Employees who are eligible to participate in the Phase II survey will receive a letter from EY at the address on file with the company with login instructions and a unique passcode.

I didn’t receive a letter from EY for Phase II? Can I still access the survey?

The Phase II survey will be open for employees whose paid leave data was omitted in the initial survey. If you did not receive a Phase II letter from EY and believe you should have, you may contact the EY Help Desk between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET, Monday – Friday, at +1 833-968-0936 or by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to include your full name, MyID, division and contact information in the email.

Why is HII doing this? 

HII plans to submit a request for reimbursement to the government for paid leave employees took that is reimbursable under the CARES Act and will need employees’ assistance to identify those hours. HII has engaged EY to conduct an employee survey to determine if employee paid leave was for a reason recognized by the CARES Act and for which the company can seek reimbursement. This survey will support HII’s claim for paid leave taken from March 15, 2020 through March 28, 2021.

If employers claim these costs, and are eventually reimbursed for them by the government, employers are required to make an appropriate credit to affected employees. This could be done through a credit of the PTO/AL/VAC hours or an equivalent amount in the form of a cash payment.

What is paid leave?

Paid leave for purposes of the survey is paid time you took from your account balance and includes Paid Time Off (PTO), Annual Leave (AL), Vacation (VAC), and for some union represented employees, Paid Personal/Sick Time.

This does not apply to short-term disability payments, quarantine pay, special COVID-19 sick time, or sick leave covered by the Family First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

Why should I participate? 

You may be eligible to receive reimbursement of certain paid leave taken during the period March 15, 2020 – March 28, 2021. If HII receives payment through the CARES Act request for an employee’s paid leave, the company will be required to reimburse the employee for the paid leave by either replenishing the hours back to the employee’s vacation, annual leave, personal/sick time or PTO accrued balances or paying the employee an equivalent cash payment.

This does not apply to short-term disability payments, quarantine pay, special COVID-19 sick time, or sick leave covered by the Family First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

Do I have to participate? 

No. Participation in the survey is entirely voluntary; however, if you do not participate in the survey you will not be eligible for reimbursement of qualified paid leave if HII is reimbursed by the government.

All information and documentation for Phase II must be submitted by Aug. 15, 2021.

Will I receive a survey? What if I didn’t receive a letter to access the survey, or misplaced it, how do I get access?

If you took paid leave between March 15, 2020 and March 28, 2021, you should have received a letter from EY at the address on file with the company around May 10, 2021 or by requesting access by calling or emailing the EY Help Desk during the survey period, May 10 – June 22, 2021. This survey closed on June 22, 2021.

Employees who did not take paid leave between March 15, 2020 and March 28, 2021, did not receive a survey and will not receive a survey during Phase II.

Phase II: Employees who took paid leave between March 15, 2020 and March 28, 2021, but whose data was omitted from the initial survey, should receive a letter from EY at the address on file with the company on or around July 19, 2021. The letters will include login instructions and a unique passcode.

If you have not received a letter and believe you should have, or have misplaced your letter, contact the EY Help Desk between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET, Monday – Friday, at +1 833-968-0936 or by emailing [email protected] to request access. Be sure to include your full name, MyID, division and contact information in the email.

How will the survey be conducted? 

EY will conduct the survey using a secure dedicated website on the EY.com domain. The information and data will be encrypted and EY’s systems meet the requirements of cyber security rules and regulations.

The survey is to be completed using a personal computer, tablet or mobile phone.

For trouble accessing the survey, contact the EY Help Desk between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET, Monday – Friday, at +1 833-968-0936 or by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to include your full name, MyID, division and contact information in the email.

Phase II: All information and documentation must be submitted by Aug. 15, 2021.

Can I complete the survey from my work phone or computer?

No. The survey is to be completed using a personal device or computer. The survey may not be completed on company time.

What will be asked of me during the survey process?

During the survey you will:

– Identify whether your paid leave was COVID-related, or not.
– Identify the reason for the paid leave.
– Provide supporting documentation, if requested.
– Certify to the accuracy and completeness of your responses, similar to certifying your daily work time.

Some responses may support COVID approved reasons and others may not. Supplemental information and documentation is needed to support the paid leave time as eligible under the CARES Act. This documentation is required to support government audits of HII’s claim.

Unsupported paid leave time cannot be claimed by the company without possible legal implications for both the company and the employee. As with all time-keeping claims the employee is responsible for truthfulness and accuracy of the time they enter/claim.

Similar to what employees certify daily when entering their time, you will also be required to certify to the following:

CERTIFICATION: “I hereby certify that the information provided by me is true, accurate, and complete to the best of my knowledge. I further acknowledge that providing false or misleading information to support this survey will be considered falsification of company records and may result in immediate discipline up to and including discharge.”

I want to take the survey, but how do I get to it? How do I start the survey?

If you took paid leave from March 15, 2020 through March 28, 2021, you should have received a letter on or around May 10, 2021 from EY at the home address you have on file with the company or by requesting access through the EY Help Desk. The survey was open from May 10 through June 22, 2021 and is now closed.

Phase II: Employees who took paid leave between March 15, 2020 and March 28, 2021, but whose data was inadvertently omitted from the initial survey, should receive a letter from EY at the address on file with the company on or around July 19, 2021. The letters will include login instructions and a unique passcode.

If you have not received a letter and believe you should have, or have misplaced your letter, contact the EY Help Desk between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET, Monday – Friday, at +1 833-968-0936 or by emailing [email protected] to request access. Be sure to include your full name, MyID, division and contact information in the email.

The following tips may be helpful in accessing the survey for the first time. From a personal computer or mobile phone:
– Visit the online survey using the webpage address provided in the letter.
– Select, “I am a user who wants to take the survey.”
– Enter your credentials: Your year of birth; The zip code of the home address you have on file with the company (this should be the same as the letter you received); Passcode (the unique passcode provided in the EY letter.)
– After agreeing to the terms of the survey and certifying that you will submit accurate and complete information, you should see a green checkmark indicating you are now in the survey.
– Scroll to the top of the page and select the tab labeled “Questionnaire.”

Remember to use “Save” if you’d like to return to the survey at a later date. Use “submit” after you’ve completed the survey and provided all requested documentation.

I received a letter from EY for Phase II, but I know my paid leave was not related to COVID-19?

Participation in the survey is voluntary, but we do ask that you complete the survey if you took paid leave between March 15, 2020 and March 28, 2021.

I know I took paid leave, but I don’t see some of the hours or dates listed. Why?

Some hours initially charged to paid leave were later transferred to other COVID-specific time charges. If you used paid leave and it was later transferred to a COVID-specific charge, the paid leave hours would have been returned to your paid leave balance in a later pay period and will not be included in the survey.

Phase II: Employees who took paid leave between March 15, 2020 and March 28, 2021, but whose data was inadvertently omitted from the initial survey, should receive a letter from EY at the address on file with the company on or around July 19, 2021. The letters will include login instructions and a unique passcode.

If you have not received a letter and believe you should have, or have misplaced your letter, contact the EY Help Desk between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET, Monday – Friday, at +1 833-968-0936 or by emailing [email protected] to request access. Be sure to include your full name, MyID, division and contact information in the email.

What if I worked remote but needed to use paid leave at times to care for my children?

You may still be eligible for reimbursement if your reason for using paid leave between March 15, 2020 and March 28, 2021 was related to COVID-19, such as schools or daycare being closed, and you needed time off during your work day to provide care or oversight of your children. Indicate your reason for using paid leave on the survey and provide the supporting documentation, if requested.

I took unpaid time off during a liberal leave period. Can I take paid leave time now for those hours and then get reimbursed?

No. It is not permitted to retroactively use paid leave time and then submit that time for reimbursement.

How long will I have to complete the survey and do I have to complete it all at one time?

Phase II: The survey opens on Monday, July 19, 2021. It will close for responses at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. You may access the survey as many times as you need. Save your information before exiting. When you have completed the survey and have uploaded appropriate documentation, click on Submit. Once submitted, the survey is locked, and you will not be able to edit your responses.

You will be notified of the result of your survey – accepted, rejected, or inconclusive – at the contact information you provide during the survey. If inconclusive, additional instructions will be provided. If you do not provide contact information, there will be no way to notify you.

What if I need more time to gather the supporting documentation than EY is allowing?

Phase II: The survey will close on Aug. 15, 2021. You will need to respond to the survey and provide the necessary documentation by 11:59 p.m., Aug. 15, 2021. If your survey enters an inconclusive status for circumstances such as unreadable documentation or unclear relationship to COVID, you will have a single opportunity to provide additional documentation, or otherwise resolve.

When will I be reimbursed for the time I support in the claim?

Any reimbursement to employees will be made after the company has settled its claim and has received payment from the government. Employees will be reimbursed only if HII is reimbursed. HII is evaluating how employees will be reimbursed for claimed paid leave hours if the company is reimbursed, or partially reimbursed, by the government.

Is there an appeal process?

No, there is not an appeal process. The language of the CARES Act and government-issued regulations and guidance will be used to evaluate employee survey responses and supporting documentation. Decisions on qualification for inclusion in the company’s claim will be final. Ultimately, the government will make the final decision on whether a claim is paid. This is why it is important to provide clear, legible and applicable documentation to validate the claimed paid leave time hours.

Will any reimbursement I receive in 2021 have taxes, benefits, etc. withheld?

Yes, any reimbursement received in 2021 or later will be treated as taxable income to the employee in the year it is received; and have taxes withheld. Other deductions and withholdings (e.g., 401(k), insurance, garnishments, United Way, etc.) may be taken dependent on whether the cash payment is provided by regular paycheck or off-cycle check. The company is still evaluating how it will ultimately accomplish a cash payout to employees should the government reimburse, or partially reimburse, the company. Once known, this FAQ will be updated accordingly to provide more details.

I donated paid leave for COVID-related purposes to help another employee, will I be reimbursed?

The company is investigating methods to identify employees who received PTO donations that were used for COVID-related paid leave time, and how to track these hours back to the donating individual. As the company finalizes its review to determine if this is possible, there will be updates to this FAQ.

I was paid Short Term Disability for COVID related reasons, am I eligible to be reimbursed?

Short term disability payments are insurance payments and are not reimbursable to the employee.

What type of circumstances qualify for the company’s COVID claim under the CARES Act?

These scenarios represent some of the reasons for leave that may be accepted for reimbursement under that CARES Act and the types of supporting documentation that may be required.

What if my daycare closed permanently due to the COVID-19 pandemic? How will I get documentation?

If your daycare was closed by state or local government orders, you may provide a copy of the order. Closure orders or mandates can usually be located on government websites. A letter or email from the daycare indicating the dates of closure may also be provided. This information may also be posted on their website. If you are not able to obtain this information, your hours will not be eligible.

I provided information about my COVID-19-related paid leave when I took time off. Why do I need to do provide it again?

The survey is being coordinated through a third party (EY). Other than the dates and amounts of paid leave, HII is not directly providing employee paperwork to EY.

I provided information about my COVID-related paid leave using the “Contact Us” form on the HII CARES Act Survey webpage. Is this all I have to do?

No, the Contact Us form is used to email the HII Help Desk and is not connected to the HII CARES Act Survey. Completing a survey is the only official way for employees to identify their paid leave as COVID-related, supported by the required documentation.

I provided information about my COVID-19-related paid leave when I took time off. Why do I need to do provide it again?

Following initial distribution of the survey, we discovered some paid leave hours were unintentionally omitted. These missing paid leave hours will be addressed in a follow-up survey, with a separate letter to be sent following the conclusion of the current survey period, which ends June 22. Letters will be mailed to home addresses on file with the company. We will update this page when this follow-up survey has started and the letters have been mailed.

I took paid leave because my family member experienced side effects from the COVID vaccine. Is this covered?

No. Paid leave taken because of side effects from a COVID vaccine only applies to the HII employee.

What if I hit the “Submit” button and later realized that I made a mistake or forgot to upload documents? Can I have my survey re-opened?

Yes. Employees who submitted their survey can have it reopened one time to correct mistakes or upload missing documentation. Contact the EY Help Desk between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET, Monday – Friday, at +1 833-968-0936 or by emailing [email protected] to make the request. Be sure to include your full name, MyID, division and contact information in the email.
When you go back into your survey, remember to hit “Save” if you are not ready to submit the survey. Once you hit “Submit” on the reopened survey, it will be locked with no chance of reopening it again, and there is no appeal process.