143.03 RECUPERATIVE VACATION LEAVE.

   (a)   The City will grant to the members of the Police Department up to a total of one year vacation leave with full pay after use of five days accumulated sick leave for any disabling injury or illness which may be from time to time incurred by such members while on active duty and which is directly caused by conditions of employment and which occurred within the scope of employment as a police officer. Aggravations or reoccurrences of an injury shall not result in vacation leave in addition to the one year provided in this section. This section shall not apply to police officers who are provided recuperative vacation leave by contract.

   (b)   All police officers on vacation leave under this section shall also apply for Workers' Compensation benefits. Gross payments by the City under this section shall be reduced by the amount of any Workers' Compensation benefits or disability insurance benefits received by such Police Department member which arises from full or partial contributions made by the City. The City shall continue to pay the officer's full salary until Workers' Compensation benefits are received by the officer. The payments by the City will be adjusted for any back award of Workers' Compensation benefits at the time such benefits are received by the officer. The vacation leave shall commence from the expiration of accumulated sick leave or the sixth day of the injury with the duration of the vacation leave period being one year. Any officer who is on vacation leave under this section for at least thirty days shall have his sick leave time credited with the number of sick days used as a result of such injury or illness before the commencement of vacation leave. In order to be eligible for such vacation leave, it shall be necessary that the injured officer obtain a certificate from a licensed physician, stating that such officer, because of such injury, cannot perform the regular or ordinary duties of a police officer. Such physician shall also provide a statement of the anticipated duration of the disability. Upon request of the City, the officer shall submit to a physical examination by a licensed physician selected by the City. If it is determined by the City's physician or the officer's physician, that the officer is permanently disabled so as to be unable to perform the regular or ordinary duties of a police officer, then the officer shall promptly submit a proper application for disability retirement to the Police Relief and Pension Fund. The officer shall provide to the City copies of all correspondence and documentation provided to the Police Relief and Pension Fund. The officer shall also sign a release to enable the City to obtain information from the Police Relief and Pension Fund regarding the status of his retirement application and/or will assist the City in obtaining such information. The determination of disability retirement eligibility by the Police Relief and Pension Fund shall be binding upon the officer and the City. Any officer who is determined to be eligible for disability retirement shall retire immediately. If the officer applies for disability retirement under the Police Relief and Pension Fund, the vacation leave shall continue until the final determination of disability retirement eligibility.

   (c)   Officers on vacation leave under this section shall be entitled to their normal vacation, personal days and uniform allowance unless they are on vacation leave under this section for more than six continuous calendar months, in which case the officers' vacation, personal days and uniform allowance shall be reduced in proportion to the total period for which they were on vacation, personal days and uniform allowance shall be reduced in proportion to the total period for which they were on vacation leave under this section. (Example: If an officer were on vacation leave under this section for seven continuous months, his annual vacation, personal days and uniform allowance for the calendar year in which his vacation leave under this section ended would be reduced by seven twelfths (7/12).) In the further event that there is a basic uniform change, i.e. not merely a seasonal uniform change, while an officer is on vacation leave under this section, there shall be no proration of the uniform allowance after six months and the officer shall receive his full uniform allowance. The uniform allowance of an officer on vacation leave under this section shall not be paid with the other officers' uniform allowance but shall be paid upon the officer's return to active duty so as to allow the City to prorate the uniform allowance payment if necessary. If an officer retires without returning to active duty, no accrued uniform allowance or accrued personal days will be paid. Officers on vacation leave under this section shall not be entitled to any holiday pay, in addition to their normal pay.