(A) The County provides full-time employees with sick and personal days. Sick time should be used only for legitimate illness of an employee, his/her spouse or child (under 18 years of age), while personal time may be used to attend to personal issues/business during regularly scheduled workdays. Accrued sick time must be used in conjunction with any approved Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave.
(B) Employees are provided sick days depending on the date of hire. Employees hired prior to 5/13/2003 receive a total of 12 (twelve) days per year and may be used in any combination of sick or personal leave. Employees hired on or after 5/13/2003 receive a total of 10 (ten) days per year and may be used in any combination of sick or personal leave. Leave may be taken in half or full day increments (see the Flexible Schedule section for details as to how such leave applies to employees working a flexible schedule).
(C) Except for probationary employees who earn sick/personal leave on a monthly basis, eligible employees receive their full amount of sick/personal leave each January. The employee's full allotment of sick/personal days is available for use beginning each January 1st.
(D) An employee who is absent for three or more days shall be required to provide his/her supervisor with a doctor's statement (in accordance with federal health privacy laws) indicating that the employee was unable to work. The abuse of sick time may lead to disciplinary action.
(E) Carry Over of Unused Time - Employees may carry up to six (6) days of unused sick/personal leave annually. All leave carried over may be used as sick leave only. Employees may accumulate up to a maximum of fifty (50) days. Bank days may be used for an illness that incapacitates an employee for 3 (three) or more days and for which that employee is under the care of a healthcare provider.
(F) Probationary Employees - Although employees begin earning sick/personal time from the first day of hire, probationary employees may not use such time until after completing their probationary period. Should the employee be terminated prior to completing the probationary period, that employee is not entitled to payment for the time earned.
(G) Retirement or Separation Value - Generally, employees are not eligible for payment or reimbursement for unused sick or personal time upon termination (voluntary or involuntary). An exception to this policy is provided to employees who are retiring and are eligible for a PERF pension (See “Mandatory Benefits - PERF” for details). A retiring employee shall be reimbursed at a rate of one (1) day's pay for every three (3) days of sick time. Payment of this benefit will be made on the employee's last paycheck.
(H) Additional Provisions
(1) Sick leave accruals are transferred if the employee changes to another department within the County and remains a full-time employee. Sick leave is always paid at the current rate of pay when taken.
(2) If an employee becomes ill or injured while on vacation, the scheduled vacation shall be counted as vacation, if the disability continues beyond the scheduled time of vacation, the sick leave allowance (if any) shall begin on the first scheduled working day after the end of the scheduled vacation.
(3) Each department shall have a complete record-keeping system of employee's sick time earned and taken.