(A) Vacation time off with pay is available to eligible employees to provide opportunities for rest, relaxation, and personal pursuits. Regular full-time employees are eligible to earn and use vacation time as described in this policy and prescribed in the schedules below.
(B) New employees will earn vacation time after their first year of employment according to the following schedule:
VACATION TIME EARNED AFTER 1 YEAR | ||
MONTH EMPLOYED | UTILITY, SANITATION, STREET, WATER/SEWAGE PLANT, & ENGINEERING/PLAN | MAYOR’S OFFICE, CITY CLERK-TREASURER, & PLAN |
January - March | 40 hours | 35 hours |
April - June | 32 hours | 28 hours |
July - September | 20 hours | 17.5 hours |
October - December | 12 hours | 10.5 hours |
(C) For the first year of employment, vacation time will be computed from the employee’s date of hire, and earned on their date of hire. Vacation leave shall be taken during the calendar year that such time is earned.
(D) Vacation time will be calculated on a calendar year following the employee’s completion of one year of employment. Employees shall be granted vacation leave hours for the two-year level on January 1 after their anniversary date of hire.
(E) The amount of paid vacation time employees receive each year increases with the length of their employment as shown in the following schedule. The first column in the vacation schedule applies to employees in Utilities, Water Office, Water Plant, Street, Sanitation, and Engineering/Plan Departments.
(F) Once employees enter an eligible employment classification, they begin to earn paid vacation time according to the schedule. They can request use of vacation time according to the schedule below.
VACATION TIME EARNED | ||
YEARS OF ELIGIBLE SERVICE | UTILITY, SANITATION, STREET, WATER/SEWAGE PLANT, & ENGINEERING/PLAN | MAYOR’S OFFICE, CITY CLERK-TREASURER, & PLAN |
January 1st after 1 year | 80 Hours | 70 Hours |
After 2 years | 80 Hours | 70 Hours |
After 7 years | 120 Hours | 105 Hours |
After 15 years | 160 Hours | 140 Hours |
After 20 years | 200 Hours | 175 Hours |
(G) Vacation time shall not be taken in increments of less than half the employee’s normal work shift, except when used during FMLA which is one-hour increments, and must be scheduled in advance.
(H) To take vacation, employees shall request advance approval from their supervisors. Requests will be reviewed based on a number of factors, including business needs and staffing requirements. The head of each department may designate by rule the time when each employee under his or her supervision may take vacation leave; the time at which department heads or appointed officials may select their vacations shall be designated by the Mayor.
(I) Vacation time off is paid at the employee’s straight time pay rate at the time of vacation. An employee taking a vacation during a week in which a holiday falls is entitled to an extra day of vacation, which must be scheduled with the department head prior to taking same.
Employees shall use available paid vacation leave time by the end of the year in which time is earned; exceptions must be requested in writing by the employee and approved by the department head on or before December 31 of the year in which time is earned. A letter of explanation from the department head shall be submitted to the Clerk-Treasurer if vacation time is requested to be carried over, and approved or denied by the Mayor in writing. Any vacation time approved to be carried over by the Mayor shall be used by the employee by the last day of February in the year carried over.
(J) No pay shall be issued for earned vacation time except upon separation from employment with the city, when earned but unused vacation time for that year will be paid.
(K) Employees who are terminated for disciplinary reasons shall not be entitled to pay for any unused vacation time.
(L) An employee’s termination date may not be extended to gain additional vacation time.
(Ord. 2018-16, passed 1-7-19)