161.05 SICK LEAVE.
(a) Sick Leave. Sick leave is a privilege given by the City to the employee. It may be used subject to the provisions of subsection (e) hereof. Abuse of this privilege shall not be tolerated and proper disciplinary action shall be taken. Fringe benefits and insurance will be paid during the period of the sick leave.
(b) Unexcused Sick Leave. Unexcused sick leave is any use of sick leave that is not accompanied by a health care provider's certificate, regardless of the number of hours or days.
(c) Excused Sick Leave. Excused sick leave is any use of sick leave that is accompanied by a health care provider's certificate.
(d) Rate of Accrual. A permanent full-time employee working a normal forty (40) hour average work week shall accrue sick leave at the rate of 1.25 work days or ten (10) hours for each full calendar month of service. There shall be no limit as to the accumulation of sick leave days.
(e) Qualifications for Use of Sick Leave. An employee eligible for sick leave with pay may be granted such leave with the approval of the Department Director, for the following reasons:
(1) Personal illness or physical incapacity resulting from causes beyond the employee's control.
(2) The illness or disability of a member of the employee’s immediate (spouse and children, parents or parents-in-law) family that require the care or attention of the employee.
(3) Quarantine of the employee.
(4) Medical, dental, or optical consultation or treatment of the employee and/or dependents.
(f) Notice Required. An employee not reporting for work because of any of the reasons stated above shall notify, or cause to be notified, his/her Department Director prior to the time he/she is to report to work. Thereafter, the employee shall submit to his/her Department Director a request for the use of sick leave on forms provided by the City.
(g) Abuse of Sick Leave. An employee who abuses the privilege of sick leave may be suspended for a maximum of five (5) days without pay for the first offense and may be suspended without pay or dismissed for subsequent offenses.
(h) Doctor's Certificate Required. Sick leave for more than three (3) consecutive working days for forty (40) hour average work week employees shall be granted only after presentation of a written statement by a physician certifying that the employee's condition prevented him/her from performing the duties of his/her position. If the illness is, in the opinion of the Mayor, of an abnormal duration, the City may require, as a condition of re-employment, a physician's statement that the employee is able to return to work.
(i) Sick Leave - Doctor's Certificate Required. Unless otherwise waived by the Mayor, sick leave for more than three (3) consecutive working days for forty (40) hour average work week employees shall be granted only after presentation of a written statement by a physician certifying that the employee's condition prevented him/her from performing the duties of his/her position. If the illness is, in the opinion of the Mayor, of an abnormal duration, the City may require, as a condition of re-employment, a physician's statement that the employee is able to return to work.
(j) Sick Leave Credit Upon Retirement. When retiring from public service with the City of Aurora, all employees may receive pay for unused sick leave if properly earned according to the computations in Section 161.11
of this Chapter.
(k) Excused/Unexcused Sick Leave Use. Unexcused sick leave hours may be used in segments of not less than one (1) hour. Excused sick leave may be used in fifteen (15) minute segments provided a health care provider's certificate is provided to the Department Director the same or next work day.
(l) Sick Leave Incentive. Non-union, nonexempt, full-time employees who utilize forty (40) hours or less of unexcused sick leave during the calendar year shall be entitled to a sum of three hundred dollars ($300.00) to be paid by the end of January the following year.
(m) Sick Leave Cash-Out Option. Effective January 1, 2019, non-union non-exempt full-time employees who have accumulated a minimum of 960 hours of sick leave may cash out hours in excess of 960 hours, up to 120 hours annually. The hours being cashed out shall be compensated at 50% of the employee's current rate of pay. Request for payment shall be made between November 1 and December 1 of the year in which payment is requested.
(Ord. 2019-085. Passed 6-24-19; Ord. 2022-149. Passed 9-26-22.)