(A) Defined. SICK LEAVE is defined as absence from work by any employee because his or her own personal illness, injury or legal quarantine and shall be used for this purpose only.
(B) Policy. It is the policy of the city to permit employees to earn paid sick leave from year to year and to accrue unused sick leave.
(C) Scope. This policy applies to all civil city employees, subject to modification by the terms of any collective bargaining agreement entered into by the city with a bargaining representative (union), except for those employees covered by the Police and Fire Pension Plan.
(D) Purpose. This policy is designed to define paid sick leave and to enumerate rules for accrual and use of sick leave benefits.
(E) General.
(1) Each full-time employee shall be entitled to six sick days per calendar year. Any employee who is employed by the city shall begin January 1 with six sick days. Persons who become employees of the city in subsequent months shall begin with six sick days minus one-half sick day for every full month they were not an employee of the city.
(2) If an employee leaves city employment and has taken sick leave in excess of one-half day per month, his or her paycheck shall be adjusted accordingly.
(3) An employee shall only be paid for the days he or she is off for illness if the employee directly reports to the department head for which he or she works within one-half hour after that department’s normal starting time. Further, if an employee uses three consecutive sick days, a written statement from a doctor must be presented to the employee’s department head before the missed time can be granted as compensated sick leave. This statement may also be required by the department head if the department head has reason to believe that an employee is abusing the use of sick leave by chronic, periodic or habitual absences or in some other fashion.
(4) If an employee is absent or anticipates being absent due to illness more than five consecutive work days, the employee shall request extended leave
pursuant to the provisions in this personnel policy providing for leaves of absence. The employee may be required to provide a physician’s statement of the employee’s physical ability to fully discharge his or her duties.
(5) Employees can accumulate sick days from year to year up to 20 days.
(Ord. 53-1988, passed 11-1-1988)