In an effort to provide the House Officers with access to healthy food options at all times while at work, the Employer agrees to maintain uninterrupted access to the cafeteria or other food-providing service 24 (twenty-four) hours per day, every day of the year. If food services are not available 24 (twenty-four) hours a day, in the building complex the House Officer is assigned or reasonable proximity, the Employer will engage the HOA in a discussion to identify and implement an alternative solution. In the interim, should the need arise, the Employer will provide a method to provide fresh refrigerated food products within the House Officer Lounge or agreed upon alternative location. Food services will be reviewed on a yearly basis through the Labor-Management Committee (LMC). A mutually agreeable corrective action plan will be developed and implemented if this arrangement is found to be unsatisfactory to either party.

The Employer agrees to include House Officers on appropriate committees or groups that pertain to food-related decisions.

The Employer agrees to encourage the consistent availability of healthy food options, and the expansion of the current menu to include items for non-traditional diets (possibly including Kosher, Vegan, Gluten-free, etc).

The Employer agrees to support the Employees in efforts to have local food establishments accept MCard (or equivalent) payment for food delivery.

Within 2-weeks upon hire, a House Officer will receive $250 on their MCards to alleviate the out-of-pocket expense and lapse in the meal allowance processing period.

As House Officers are often required to work extended hours to be available for patient care needs, restricting their ability to leave the premises during their shifts, House Officers shall be provided meal allowances in accordance with the following parameters.

• When patient care requires a House Officer to be in the hospital for equal to or greater than twelve (12) hours, because they are required to do so, the House Officer will receive an allowance for one (1) meal.
• When patient care requires a House Officer to be in the hospital for equal to or greater than eighteen (18) hours, because they are required to do so, the House Officer will receive an allowance for two (2) meals.

Effective July 1, 2023, each meal allowance provided for in paragraph 135 shall be $15.00. Meal allowances will be provided from the University through procedures established by the Employer (funds added to the MCard). This provision will only apply when the House Officer is on assignment at a University of Michigan Health facility.

For rotations with shifts that are 12 hours or more, where the work schedules are consistently accurate in reflecting the number of workdays that are 12 hours or more for that rotation, and those shifts do not vary greatly from one scheduling period to another, the Program(s) will submit meal allowances to MDining for addition onto the MCards at the start of the rotation based on anticipated work schedules. When funds are front-loaded in this manner, the Program will not make adjustments to those funds in situations where the House Officer actually works more or fewer hours than expected on a certain day or in a certain week for that rotation, except when there has been a rotation block change.

Any educational, clinical or administrative activity that is included in the calculation of clinical and educational work hours , as defined in Article VIII - Work Hours/Work Schedules, is considered to be included in this daily counting of twelve (12) or eighteen (18) hours pursuant to paragraph 135.

The Employer will encourage Program Administrators to send monthly communication to solicit any House Officers who have met the criteria for meal allowances. Any questions regarding eligibility for meal allowance will be resolved by a House Officer's Program Director.

A qualifying House Officer must be a House Officer covered by this agreement on a clinical rotation at a University of Michigan Health location.

If an issue arises with the availability of food options or the availability of meal allowances during a required rotation, that is a part of the standard curriculum, at an affiliated facility, then it is the duty of the House Officer to report these issues to the Program Director. If the issues cannot be resolved at a Department level, then the issue can be brought forward to the LMC for further discussion.

Any meal allowance balance remaining on the House Officer's MCard upon completion of training is forfeited, and it is not eligible to be cashed out or reimbursed to the House Officer.