(A) Vacation eligibility.
(1) All employees in the city service, except part-time employees who work less than one-half the regular work week, temporary, seasonal, and school-term employees, shall be eligible for vacation leave with pay.
(2) Vacation credits for non-affiliated employees shall accrue during the first six months of employment, and may be used with prior approval of the department head (or designee). If an employee is terminated for any cause during the first six months of employment, he shall not be eligible for payment for any unused vacation credits.
(B) Credit for temporary employment. Employees who are initially employed in a full-time temporal status and who are subsequently appointed to a permanent status, without a break in service, shall be allowed credit for the time served in the temporary status towards accrual of vacation leave benefits.
(C) Effective January 1, 2023, vacation leave credit shall accrue for eligible non-affiliated employees on a weekly basis, as follows:
(1) First nine years. 2.31 hours per week for each completed week of service, continuing at such rate until the completion of nine years of continuous service.
(2) Ten through fourteen years. 3.08 hours per week for each completed week of service after the completion of 9 years of continuous service, and continuing thereafter at such rate until the completion of 14 years of continuous service.
(3) Fifteen through nineteen years. 3.85 hours per week for each completed week of service after the completion of 14 years of continuous service, and continuing thereafter at such a rate until the completion of 19 years of continuous service.
(4) Twenty or more years. 4.62 hours per week for each completed week of service after the completion of 19 years of continuous service and thereafter.
(5) Vacation for part-time employees shall be pro-rated and accrue on a basis of the portion of 40 hours worked per week. Maximum accrual will be on 40 hours per week.
(6) The practice of crediting the employee with 40 hours of vacation upon change of accrual rate is no longer authorized.
(7) No vacation shall accrue on hours in excess of 40 hours per week.
(8) The rate and schedule of vacation accruals for affiliated employees shall be governed by the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
(D) Use of vacation for other purposes. Absence on account of sickness, injury, or disability in excess of that hereinafter authorized for such purpose may, at the request of the employee and within the discretion of the department head, be charged against earned vacation leave allowance.
(E) Scheduling of vacations. Each department or office head shall keep records of vacation leave allowances and shall schedule vacation leaves with particular regard to theseniority of employees, to accord with operating requirements and, insofar as possible, with the request of the employee. Vacations shall be scheduled at the discretion of the department heads to provide the least disruption of departmental operations.
(F) Vacation pay. Vacation pay shall be based upon the regular daily rate of pay for salaried employees. Fire Department employees' daily rate shall be computed at one-fifth of a regular week's pay. Hourly rated employees shall be paid at their regular straight time basis, not to exceed eight hours of pay for a vacation day. No vacation benefits shall be paid at time and one-half.
(G) Legal holidays. In the event a paid legal holiday as prescribed in this section falls during the week an employee is on vacation such holiday shall not be charged against the vacation time, except for police and fire personnel who are granted extra pay in lieu of taking holidays.
(H) (1) Maximum vacation accrual. Vacation credits may accrue to two times the employee’s annual earned vacation with the following maximums: an employee who earns ten days of vacation per year shall have no more than 20 days earned vacation to his credit at any one time; an employee who earns 15 days of vacation per year shall have no more than 30 days earned vacation to his credit at any time; and an employee who earn 20 days of vacation per year shall have no more than 40 days earned vacation to his credit at any one time; and an employee who earns 30 days of vacation per year shall have no more than 60 days earned vacation to his credit at any one time.
(2) Flexible benefit vacation plan elections. Employees may be authorized in writing by their department head, to purchase additional vacation credits over their normal accrued credits. The additional vacation credits may only be used with the approval of the department head and only after the exhaustion of normal vacation credits. The Human Resources Department shall establish policies and procedures which shall govern the way an employee can use the vacation credits, what happens if the employee does not use the credits and the way an employee will place the appropriate funds into a special account. The purchase of these additional vacation credits shall not alter the maximum accrual limits as set forth in this subsection (H).
(I) On separation from city service, all unused accrued vacation leave up to a maximum of 400 hours shall be payable to the employee. Upon the death of the employee all unused accrued vacation leave up to a maximum of 400 hours shall be payable to the designated beneficiary.
(J) Reserve Officers. Individuals who are hired to work as Reserve Officers (compensated as Patrolmen) shall not be entitled to accrue any vacation time whatsoever.
('71 Code, § 18-52) (Ord. passed 9-2-58; Am. Ord. passed 6-14-67; Am. Ord. passed 7-3-73; Am. Ord. passed 11-4-98; Am. Ord. passed 6-17-99; Am. Ord. passed 12-7-99; Am. Ord. passed 8-6-02; Am. Ord. passed 2-1-05; Am. Ord. passed 10-18-05; Am. Ord. passed 12-6-05; Am. Ord. passed 1-2-07; Am. Ord. passed 12-18-12; Am. Ord. passed 1-8-19; Am. Ord. passed 12-20-22)