Employees paid by warrant of the Village of Caldwell may donate sick, personal or vacation leave to a fellow employee who is otherwise eligible to accrue and use sick leave. The intent of the Leave Donation Program is to allow employees to voluntarily provide assistance to their co- workers who are in critical need of leave due to the serious illness of the employee or a member of the employee's immediate family.
(a) Eligibility to Receive Donated Leave. An employee may receive donated leave up to the number of hours the employee is scheduled to work each pay period, if the employee:
(1) Has a serious illness or his or her immediate family member has a serious illness;
(2) Has no accrued leave; and
(3) Has applied for any paid leave, worker's compensation or benefits program for which the employee is eligible. Donated leave may be used to satisfy the waiting period for these benefits. If needed, donated leave may be used after the waiting period up to the amount equal to the benefit for which the employee is pending approval. (e.g. 70% for disability leave benefits)
(b) Criteria for Donating Leave and Certification. Employees may donate leave if the donating employee:
(1) Voluntarily elects to donate leave and does so with the understanding that donated leave will not be returned;
(2) Donates a minimum of eight hours; and
(3) Retains a combined leave balance of at least 80 hours.
Leave shall he donated in the same manner in which it would otherwise be used.
(c) Employees who wish to donate leave shall certify:
(1) The name of the employee for whom the donated leave is intended;
(2) The type of leave and number of hours to be donated;
(3) They will maintain a minimum combined leave balance of at least 80 hours; and
(4) The leave is donated voluntarily, and he or she understands it will not be returned.
(d) The leave donation shall be administered on a pay period by pay period basis. Employees using donated leave shall be considered in active pay status and shall accrue leave and any other benefits to which they would otherwise be entitled. Leave accrued by an employee while using donated leave shall be used, if necessary, in the following pay period before additional donated leave may be received. Donated leave shall not count toward the probationary period of an employee who receives donated leave during his or her probationary period. Donated leave shall be considered sick leave, but shall never be converted into a cash benefit.
(e) The Village shall ensure that no employees are forced to donate leave and shall respect an employee's right of privacy. However, the Village may, with permission of the employee who is in need of leave or a member of the employee's immediate family, inform employees of their co-worker's critical need for leave. The Village shall not directly solicit leave donations from employees. The donation of leave shall occur on a strictly voluntary basis.
(Ord. 2004-06. Passed 5-10-04.)