Discretionary Fund Policy

Department	Legal Department
Department Head	Stefanie Box, Chief Legal Officer • Legal
Subject	Discretionary Fund Policy
Last Update	June 14, 2024
Subject Matter Experts	Stefanie Box, Chief Legal Officer • Legal Katherine DeForest, Associate General Counsel, Labor & Employment • Legal
Data Classification	Public Internal ☑️ Restricted Personal Information

1. Overview

Pathway Vet Alliance LLC and its affiliates, d/b/a Thrive Pet Healthcare (“Thrive”), support veterinarian employees (each, a “Doctor”) by providing an individual discretionary fund (“Discretionary Fund”) to be used for certain business-related purposes.  The amount of your Discretionary Fund is set forth in each Doctor’s individual Offer and Agreement and the use of the Discretionary Fund is governed by the terms and conditions below.  A Doctor’s hospital leadership may have additional requirements consistent with this policy that apply to the use of the Discretionary Fund.

2. Policy

The Discretionary Fund may be used only for approved professional and educational expenses such as dues, licenses (including DEA registration), books, conferences, continuing education events, travel to attend continuing education events, and professional liability insurance (including license defense coverage). Thrive will automatically reduce the Discretionary Fund for any initial premiums, dues, or renewals that Thrive pays for or on behalf of the Doctor.  The use of any portion of the Discretionary Fund must be supported by documentation, which Thrive may require the Doctor to provide upon request.   

Thrive may increase the amount of the Discretionary Fund from time to time.  The Discretionary Fund will be available on a calendar year basis, prorated based on a partial calendar year, and cannot be carried forward to the next calendar year.

Any Discretionary Fund requests submitted to hospital leadership after a Doctor has resigned will not be approved and hospital leadership may, in their discretion, decline the use of Discretionary Funds during a Doctor’s resignation notice period that were approved prior to the provision of notice.  Unless contrary to applicable law, all unused Discretionary Funds will be forfeited upon a Doctor’s termination of employment with Thrive.

OFFICIAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH PNP.THRIVEPET.COM AND NOT AS A PDF.