(a) In addition to other leaves authorized in this chapter, a supervisor may authorize an employee to be absent without pay for personal reasons for a period or periods not to exceed ten (10) working days in any calendar year.
(b) The chief administrative officer may, with the approval of the urban county council, authorize special leaves of absence with or without pay for permanent employees for any period or periods not to exceed three (3) calendar months in any one calendar year for the following purposes: attendance at college, university or business school for the purpose of training in subjects related to the work of the employee and which will benefit the employee and the urban county government; urgent personal business for an extended period, such as illness of the employee or illness or death of a relative, settling estates, liquidating businesses, attending court as a witness, or for such other purposes as may be deemed beneficial to the service.
(c) The chief administrative officer may recommend, and the urban county council may grant, leaves of absence with or without pay in excess of the limitations above for the purpose of permitting the attending of courses in training at recognized universities or colleges and for other purposes that are deemed to be beneficial to the urban county government.
(d) A supervisor may authorize up to four (4) hours personal leave annually per employee with pay for participation in community projects which are not directly work-related.
(1) Prior to the granting of leave by a supervisor, the event or program for which the leave is requested must be approved in writing by the mayor, and a copy of the request must be forwarded to the director.
(2) Such projects shall include but shall not be limited to canvassing for donations to recognized charitable organizations, participation of parents and guardians in school events, and participation in and organization of authorized community events which contribute to the support and enhancement of good stewards of the community.
(3) There shall be no accumulations of community projects leave at any time nor compensation for the same upon resignation, retirement or termination. Such leave may not be used in lieu of vacation leave.
(e) An employee may be granted leave with pay, not to exceed three (3) calendar months in any one (1) calendar year, by his supervisor for the purpose of serving on a duly impaneled jury of any court under the following terms and conditions:
(1) An employee serving on a jury shall be paid, at his current hourly rate, for each hour of jury duty up to a maximum of eight (8) hours per court day and shall be marked absent with leave (AWL) for such court time.
(2) As soon as the employee receives a summons to jury duty, he shall provide a copy of the summons to his supervisor along with a written request for jury duty leave; however, the employee shall request such leave no later than two (2) weeks prior to the beginning of his term of duty. The supervisor shall forward copies of the employee's summons and request for jury duty leave to the director.
(3) Employees on jury duty leave shall report for work when excused by the court for part of a day or for one (1) or more whole days. Failure to report for work when excused by the court shall result in termination of jury duty leave and may expose the employee to disciplinary action.
(5) Time served on jury duty shall not be considered hours worked for purposes of computing overtime pursuant to section 21-28
(f) Pursuant to KRS 337.015, upon written request, every employee shall be granted reasonable personal leave not to exceed six (6) weeks when the reception of an adoptive child under the age of ten (10) is the reason for such request.
(2) This section shall not apply to an adoption by a fictive kin, stepparent, stepsibling, blood relative, including a relative of half-blood, first cousin, aunt, uncle, nephew, niece, and a person of a preceding generation as denoted by prefixed grand, great, or great-great, or a foster parent who adopts a foster child in already in his care.
(3) The director shall establish reasonable rules and procedures necessary to implement this section.
(g) (1) A classified civil service employee may receive up to four (4) hours of leave with pay to donate blood at any licensed blood center certified by the Food and Drug Administration, during the employee's work hours.
(2) No leave time shall be granted to employees who donate on their own time, including lunch times.
(3) Employees must obtain approval for leave prior to the donation and must submit verification of blood donation or deferral upon their return to work.
(4) Employees deferred from donation shall not be charged for the time used in attempting to donate, but will not receive the four (4) hours leave time granted to those who donate.
(5) There is no limitation on the number of times an employee may donate blood pursuant to this section other than those imposed by the blood centers.
(h) (1) A classified civil service employee who is eligible to vote and who is registered to vote may, upon prior request and approval, receive up to four (4) hours of leave with pay for the purpose of voting on Election Day. In order to be eligible for voting leave under this subsection, an employee shall meet the following requirements:
a. The employee shall be registered to vote in the county holding the election;
b. The employee shall be scheduled to work on Election Day during the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time; and
c. The employee shall request voting leave in advance and shall be required to receive approval for the use of voting leave.
In addition to being eligible to vote in the county holding the election, the employee shall be required to vote in order to receive voting leave under this subsection. In order to ensure that services are not impaired, the employee's supervisor or the division director may specify the hours an employee may be absent to vote.
(2) Nothing herein is intended to modify, repeal, or otherwise affect any collective bargaining agreement between the Urban County Government and any collective bargaining unit as authorized by state law.
(Ord. No. 139-78, § 1(21-37), 6-29-78; Ord. No. 167-82, § 1, 7-23-82; Ord. No. 31-83, § 1, 3-10-83; Ord. No. 42-83, § 1, 3-24-83; Ord. No. 140-83, § 2, 7-21-83; Ord. No. 238-86, § 1, 11-13-86; Ord. No. 45-93, § 1, 3-25-93; Ord. No. 18-94, § 2, 1-27-94; Ord. No. 132-2001, §§ 1, 2, 5-29-01; Ord. No. 14-2017 , § 1, 2-9-17; Ord. No. 059-2022 , § 28, 7-5-22; Ord. No. 107-2022 , § 1, 9-22-22)