(A) A longevity program is hereby adopted for eligible employees of the town.
(B) An "eligible police officer" is any police officer of the town who, as of the date of adoption of this section, is employed as (a) a regular full-time police officer of the town; (b) has been continuously employed as a police officer for a consecutive period of at least one calendar year; and (c) is employed as of the annual longevity date defined below. No other employee of the town is eligible for the longevity program.
(C) Longevity payments will be paid to eligible police officers annually on the first regularly scheduled payroll date of each November (the "longevity date"). Subject to the special provisions listed below, the gross amount of each annual reward will be equal to the number of the police officer's full calendar years of town employment multiplied by $100, up to a maximum of 20 years (i.e. $2,000). All monies that are paid out for the longevity program are subject to applicable tax withholdings.
(D) Special provisions.
(1) An employee whose status changes from full-time to part-time will not be eligible beginning on the first longevity date following the change in status. If any such employee later returns to full-time status, the employee will be eligible to receive longevity on the first longevity date following such return. In such cases, the employee’s reward will be calculated based on all full calendar years of service since their most recent date of hire.
(2) The longevity date for any eligible employee with a break in service (i.e., an employee who has more than one date of hire) is calculated based only on full calendar years of service since the most recent date of hire. The longevity program is specifically intended to reflect the town’s appreciation for employees who have remained with the town consistently over time, so prior periods of employment are not included in the calculation.
(E) The town reserves the right to alter or discontinue the longevity program at any time. Neither this section nor any aspect of the town’s longevity program creates any new right, claim, or obligation on behalf of the town or any town employee.
(Ord. 2019-08, passed 5-14-2019; Ord. 2022-33, passed 12-13-2022)