(a) Sick Benefits. Each full-time employee of the City work force shall be entitled to sick leave of 4.6 hours with pay for each completed eighty hours of work. Employees may use sick leave for absence due to personal illness, pregnancy, injury, or death in the employee's immediate family. Unused sick leave credit shall be cumulative. Upon retirement, sick leave compensation will be paid for one quarter of the employee's accrued sick leave, for an employee with ten or more years of service with the City. The ten years of service must be immediately prior to retirement with no break in service. No employee may have more than one sick leave conversion from the City. Part-time employees are not eligible for sick leave benefits.
(1) Sick leave shall be defined as an absence with pay necessitated by:
A. Illness or injury to the employee;
B. Exposure of the employee to a contagious disease communicable to other employees;
C. Serious illness, injury or death in the employee's immediate family where the employee's presence is reasonably necessary;
D. The birth of a child or the adoption of a child; and/or
E. Doctor, dentist or other practitioner appointments for the employee when such examinations cannot be scheduled during the employee's non-work hours, and for immediate family members when the employee's presence is necessary.
(2) The immediate family or close relationship is defined as: parent, grandparent, spouse, child, step-child, other dependents who live in the employee's household, brother, sister, in-laws, and grandchildren. Exceptions must be approved by Council.
(3) An employee returning to work after any absence due to sickness or injury may be required to have a medical statement from his doctor explaining the reason for the absence. This will be decided at the discretion of the department head. This statement may also be required to certify that the employee is physically able to perform his regular duties or explain what duties to which he may be limited.
(Ord. 13-16. Passed 7-19-16.)
(b) Vacations.
(1) Provisions for vacations apply only to full-time employees.
Years of Full-Time Service | |||
1-4 | 5-9 | 10-14 | 15 years or more |
Paid vacation days at eight hours per day | |||
10 days | 15 days | 20 days | 25 days |
(2) Years of service shall be determined from the anniversary date of hire.
(3) The period of vacation requested by all employees is subject to the approval of the department head, and shall be submitted in writing at least ten working days in advance of the requested time.
(4) All employees covered under this policy shall become eligible for their vacations under the provisions of the above schedule on the anniversary date of their hiring and must take their allotted time away from actual work in lieu of days away from the work place unless prior approval is granted by Council.
(5) Vacation is not cumulative. Effective 12/31/2023 and each year-end thereafter, an employee's vacation balance cannot exceed their normal annual accrual plus one additional week carried over from a prior year. For example, an employee that normally accrues 10 days of vacation per year is permitted to have a maximum balance of 15 days (120 hours) at year-end. Similarly, an employee that normally accrues 15 days per year is permitted to have a maximum balance of 20 days (160 hours) at year-end; an employee that normally accrues 20 days is permitted to have a maximum balance of 25 days (200 hours) at year-end; and an employee that normally accrues 25 days is permitted have a maximum balance of 30 days (240 hours) at year-end.
(6) Any employee who leaves the employment of the City, whether by resignation, layoff, retirement or discharge is paid a lump sum at the time of leaving which compensates fully for any vacation entitled to but not taken.
(c) Holidays.
(1) Provisions for holidays apply only to full-time employees.
(2) The City shall observe the following paid holidays:
New Year's Day
President's Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Memorial Day
Juneteenth
Independence Day
Labor Day
Veteran's Day
Thanksgiving Day
The day after Thanksgiving
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
(3) If any holiday falls on a Saturday, it will be observed the preceding Friday. If any holiday falls on a Sunday, it will be observed the following Monday.
(4) On Good Friday and other nationally recognized religious days, all offices will be open all day, but employees will be allowed reasonable time off with pay to attend religious services. The department head must be notified of intentions to attend such religious services prior to departure.
(5) In order to be eligible for a holiday with pay, an employee must work the scheduled work-day before and after the observed holiday. Personal days and vacation days are considered "hours worked" for holiday pay eligibility.
(6) With the exception of police officers, if an employee works on a paid holiday he shall be paid at the rate of one and one-half times the hourly wage in addition to the holiday pay.
(7) After one year of service, an employee shall be entitled to three personal paid leave days each year to be used at the employee's discretion but with the prior approval of the department head. Unused personal leave shall not accumulate from year to year.
(8) With the exception of police officers, any full-time member of the safety forces who works a day designated as a holiday shall be given time off to replace the holiday worked. "Holiday replacement day" shall be selected and taken within sixty days of the actual holiday and prior approval of the Department Chief to take the day off is required.
(9) Holiday pay for police officers shall be governed by the following rules:
A. All police officers that work on a day designated as a holiday will be paid at the rate of one and one-half times the officers regular rate of pay.
B. All police officers will receive five holiday days to be used at the officer's discretion, with the police chiefs approval, between January 1 and June 30.
C. All police officers will receive five holidays to be used at the officer's discretion, with the Police Chiefs approval, between July 1 and December 31.
D. All holidays must be requested in writing to the Police Chief at least seven days in advance of the day off requested. The seven days may be waived at the Chiefs discretion.
E. All holidays must be used within each six month segment, and may not be carried over.
F. During the last month of each six month segment an officer may request payment for any unused holiday. Payment will be based upon eight or ten hours per day, whichever is applicable, at the officer's normal rate.
G. Unused holiday time will be paid separately and will not be calculated with the officer's normal weekly pay as overtime.
(10) Permanent non-bargaining part-time employees will receive four hours of pay for the following holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
(Ord. 8-16. Passed 5-3-16; Ord. 5-23. Passed 5-16-23; Ord. 22-23. Passed 11-21-23.)
(d) Military.
(1) After sixty days of service with the City, any full-time employee inducted into the Armed Forces of the United States shall be entitled to the re-employment rights provided by State and Federal law. Such full-time employees shall be restored to their position of like seniority status and pay. Such employees should apply for reinstatement within ninety days of discharge date. National Guard or Military Reserve leave will be with pay up to a maximum of thirty-one days annually if the City is provided copies of orders authenticated by the commanding officer of the individual's military unit.
(2) Payment received for such duty must be submitted to the department head for payment to the City General Fund. Subsistence, rental and travel allowances will not be included in determining pay received from the Government for such duty.
(3) Employees may take their military leave of absence during their vacation period and receive regular vacation pay plus reimbursement as provided for above. If this arrangement is desired, the employee's department head must be notified prior to leaving at least ten working days in advance of the requested time.
(e) Jury Duty.
(1) Employees required to perform jury duty or serve as court witness under summons or subpoena will receive full pay for time away from work. However, payment received for such duty must be submitted to the department head, for payment to the City General Fund.
(2) Employees required to perform jury duty or other services as defined above will also be reimbursed for parking fees expended to perform such services, provided written receipt of expenses are submitted to the Finance Director's office. Payment will be made from Administrative Expenses Petty Cash Fund.
(3) In the event any part-time City employee is subpoenaed to appear as a witness at a judicial hearing on behalf of the City or with regard to their City service, the Finance Director is hereby authorized to reimburse such employee any and all wages not paid by their regular employer because of such service.
(f) Funeral Leave.
(1) Up to three days sick leave is considered normal in the event of death in the immediate family or close relationship. Additional time off is subject to approval by the department head.
(2) The immediate family or close relationship is defined as: parent, grandparent, spouse, child, step-child, other dependents who live in the employee's household, brother, sister, in-laws and grandchildren. Exceptions must be approved by Council.
(Ord. 19-85. Passed 9-3-85; Ord. 29-22. Passed 12-6-22; Ord. 30-22. Passed 12-6-22.)