(a) There is created, for and during the period of each calendar year, a vacation period for each of the employees of the City, other than elected officials. Each employee must be employed by the City at the time the vacation is taken. When an employee's employment by the City terminates, then the vacation benefit ceases.
(b) Each full-time employee, which for the purposes of this section shall be defined as any employee whose regularly scheduled service consists of thirty-two hours or more, excluding elected officials, who has been employed by the City for one year or more of continuous employment shall be eligible for two weeks vacation. Thereafter, eligibility for vacations shall be as follows:
(1) After the completion of seven years continuous service - three weeks vacation.
(2) After the completion of fourteen years continuous service - four weeks vacation.
(3) After the completion of twenty years continuous service - five weeks vacation.
(c) Employees will receive full pay when taking their vacation, and pay will be based on the normal work week schedule of their department. Salaried employees will receive one fifty- second of their yearly salary for each week of vacation.
(d) If any employees entitled to a vacation under this section are deceased before taking their vacations, their heirs or estates will receive the vacation pay the deceased employee would have received.
(e) Employees who resign will receive their vacation pay, provided they give notice in writing to the department head or Mayor at least two weeks prior to their separation. Employees who are separated from employment by the City because of a reduction in force will receive their vacation with pay before separation of employment.
(f) Vacations are to be taken at such times and in such manner so as not to hinder or interrupt the operations of the various departments and shall be at the discretion of the Mayor and the department director.
(g) Any employee may work up to one week of his or her annual vacation in lieu of taking time off and receive additional compensation therefor at the employee's regular rate, but only in such instances where the service of the employee is deemed essential, during such period, by the appropriate department head and is approved in advance thereof by the Mayor.
(Ord. 27-79. Passed 4-17-79; Ord. 23-86. Passed 5-6-86.)
(h) An employee may request that vacation time be carried over from one year to another but not without the express written authorization of the appropriate division director and elected position. This carry-over shall be limited to one week. Any other amount of vacation time that is unused within the year granted, unless a carry-over is granted shall be deemed forfeited. (Ord. 49-93. Passed 6-15-93.)
(i) Subject to the approval of Council, each appointing authority shall have the authority in order to secure and/or to maintain the service of qualified and able employees and officers of the City, of advancing to such employees and officers vacation time/annual leave to be utilized during a current calendar year, and to be credited against the vacation time/annual leave earned or accumulated during the next calendar year. In the event that an officer or employee of the City, after having been afforded such privilege, and after having utilized such vacation time/annual leave terminates his or her employment with the City, for whatever reason, prior to his or her earning all or any part of the utilized but unearned, vacation time/annual leave, there shall be a charge against the officer or employee and any or all amounts due to him or her from the City.
(j) As to any employee of the City hired or employed after January 4, 2000, each appointing authority, subject to approval of Council, shall have the authority to secure the service of qualified and able employees or officers of the City, to afford each such employee or officer, at the time of his or her employment, credit for all or any part of the prior employment of such employee or officer which, in the judgment and opinion of the appointing authority is related to the position of employment, service, and/or trust of the employee or officer with the City, and which in the opinion and judgment of the appointing authority has afforded such employee or officer in his or her service to the City. All such periods of prior employment for which credit is allowed hereunder shall be utilized in the computation and allowance of vacation time/annual leave under this section in the same manner in which service with the City is utilized.
(Ord. 2-00. Passed 1-4-00.)