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(A) (1) In the event an employee is requested to serve on a jury, he or she shall be compensated at the normal rate of pay while serving on jury duty.
(2) However, the employee shall be required to provide any compensation received for his or her court service to the county.
(B) All employees serving on jury duty shall be absent from work only during the times required by the courts, and shall provide their supervisor with documentation from the court verifying the employee’s participation.
(C) (1) County employees required to appear in court in a case related to their employment shall be paid at the same rate of pay they normally receive.
(2) When court time and normal work hours exceed 40 hours in a specific work week, the overtime rate shall be paid.
(D) An employee involved in a personal case, either as a plaintiff or defendant, in a suit not resulting from duties performed on behalf of the county, may be granted leave, provided the leave is deducted from the employee’s accrued vacation time or classified as leave without pay.
(2001 Code, § 31.113) (Ord. passed 1-14-2000)
(A) Health insurance.
(1) A medical plan is available to all full-time county employees upon employment with the county. The county shall pay the premium for single coverage for each employee. The employee may purchase family coverage at group rates.
(2) All participating employees are subject to the terms and conditions of the group insurance plans provided by the county.
(B) Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act requires employers sponsoring group health plans to offer employees and certain eligible dependents the opportunity to purchase a temporary extension of health coverage, at group rates, in certain instances when coverage under the plan would otherwise end. The following information is intended to give employees of the county information regarding their rights and obligations under this federal legislation.
(C) Qualifying events. Employees and eligible dependents provided health insurance by the county are entitled to purchase continuation coverage if a “qualifying event,” as described below, occurs:
(1) An employee and his or her eligible dependents can purchase up to 18 months of COBRA coverage if the employee (and his or her dependents) lose health coverage as a result of the employee terminating employment (other than as a result of gross misconduct) or reducing the employee’s hours of employment; or
(2) An employee’s eligible dependents can purchase up to 36 months of COBRA, coverage if the dependents lose health coverage because of the employee’s death, divorce/legal separation or entitlement to Medicare; or because the dependent ceases to be an eligible dependent under the plan.
(D) Eligible dependent. A dependent is eligible to purchase COBRA coverage if the dependent was covered under the group plan on the day before a COBRA event and will lose coverage as a result of the COBRA event. Each affected employee and dependent can make a separate election whether or not to purchase COBRA coverage. An employee or dependent cannot, however, elect COBRA if he or she was entitled to receive Medicare on the day before the COBRA event.
(E) Employer notification of employee/dependent eligibility. Upon an employee being hired into a position that is provided health insurance by the county, the employee shall be provided notification of the COBRA program and its applicability to the employee. Additionally, within 14 days of a qualifying event, the county will provide the employee and eligible dependents with notification of the opportunity to purchase COBRA coverage.
(F) Timeframe for selecting coverage. The deadline for making a COBRA election is 60 days after the later of the date the required COBRA notice is sent or the date coverage would otherwise end if COBRA coverage is not elected.
(G) Premium for COBRA coverage. Employees or eligible dependents who elect to purchase COBRA coverage will be charged 102% of the cost of providing the coverage. Under certain circumstances, employees who are determined by the Social Security Administration to be disabled when their employment is terminated are entitled to extend their coverage from 18 months to 29 months. In such cases, the premium for the additional nine months of coverage may be as much as 150% of the cost of providing coverage.
(H) Payment of premium. The first premium payment must be made within 45 days after the date the employee or dependent elects to purchase COBRA coverage. Beginning with the second month after the election date, all premiums must be paid on a monthly basis and each monthly premium is due on the first day of the month. Payments can be paid no later than the thirtieth day of the month.
(I) Termination of coverage. The COBRA coverage period will end on the first to occur of the following dates:
(1) The date the 18-, 29- or 36-month maximum coverage period ends;
(2) The date the employer terminates all group health plans;
(3) The first day an employee or dependent fails to timely pay the COBRA premiums;
(4) The date the employee or dependent is covered under another group, health plan, unless the other group plan excludes or limits coverage for a preexisting condition affecting the employee or dependent; or
(5) The first date the employee or dependent is entitled to Medicare benefits.
(J) Workers’ compensation insurance.
(1) Workers’ compensation insurance provides medical and hospitalization expense benefits as well as partial payment in lieu of salary for workers injured on the job. The county pays 100% of this form of insurance.
(2) Employees receiving benefits from the worker’s compensation program shall be allowed to utilize accrued sick leave and accrued vacation leave to make up the difference between the employee’s regular compensation and the compensation received under the program.
(K) Unemployment insurance. All employees are covered under this program. The county pays 100% of the cost for this coverage. An individual who terminates his or her employment with the county may or may not be eligible to receive payments under this program, depending upon the circumstances involved in the termination.
(L) Social security. The county and the employee both contribute to the Social Security program, at rates specified by the U.S. Congress.
(M) Liability insurance. The county maintains comprehensive liability insurance for all employees.
(N) Life insurance. The county provides regular full-time employees with a life insurance policy containing a death benefit of $10,000.
(O) Disability insurance. The county pays 100% of the cost for a disability policy for regular full- time employees.
(2001 Code, § 31.114) (Ord. passed 1-14-2000)
(A) The county may pay for training and development classes for its employees in an effort to enhance their professional and personal growth, and to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the county’s programs and operations.
(B) Requests for training must be made in advance and approved by the Judge/Executive. The county’s ability to provide for training will depend upon the availability of funds. The assistance will be determined annually on an individual basis, and in a consistent and fair manner.
(C) Employees will be reimbursed for pre-authorized travel expenses incurred in the performance of their work, but not for commuting to and from the workplace. Any costs incurred should be the most economically consistent with the county’s best interest.
(1) Any employee of the county incurring expenses for prior approved county related business shall be reimbursed as follows.
(a) Official travel in privately owned vehicles shall be reimbursed at the rate currently paid by the commonwealth to state employees for use of their private vehicle.
(b) Air travel shall not be first class unless other rates are unavailable. Under reasonable circumstances, or for necessary expediency, the Judge/Executive may authorize other travel means.
(c) Lodging shall be reimbursable at the actual expense. Receipts must be provided for all lodging.
(d) Conference and registration fees shall be approved in advance by the Judge/Executive, and may be prepaid when necessary and appropriate.
(e) Use of rental vehicles must be approved in advance, or justification provided that shows the use of the vehicle was more feasible than other types of available transportation.
(f) An employee shall be reimbursed for meals at the following rates if the employee’s travel requires overnight stay, or if travel outside the county is required during specified hours, as follows.
1. Breakfast: travel must begin prior to 6:30 a.m. and continue through 9:00 a.m.
2. Lunch: travel must begin prior to 11:00 a.m. and continue through 2:00 p.m.
3. Dinner: travel must begin prior to 5:00 p.m. and continue through 9:00 p.m.
4. Allowances for meals are as follows:
a. Breakfast: $6;
b. Lunch: $7; and
c. Dinner: $14.
5. No reimbursement shall be allowed if a meal is included as part of a registration fee, or provided without charge. The Fiscal Court or appropriate constitutional officer may authorize reimbursement at rates higher than the amount specified in this policy if it is determined that the location of the employee’s travel results in unavoidable meal expenses which exceed the allowed reimbursement.
(g) Telephone calls for the purpose of county business are reimbursable at the actual rate.
(h) Other necessary expenses that were unforeseeable prior to travel may be approved by the Judge/Executive upon presentation of documentation of the need for the expense.
(2) Receipts for all expenditures shall be obtained and attached to the request for reimbursement, which must be completed and submitted within 30 days of the expense being incurred. All requests for reimbursement shall be signed by the supervisor.
(2001 Code, § 31.116) (Ord. passed 1-14-2000)