(A) All full-time employees shall receive paid vacation leave. Temporary employees and seasonal employees shall not be eligible for paid vacation leave. Vacation leave shall be granted to an employee each calendar year on the following basis:
(1) After 90 days with the city, an employee receives one week of vacation per calendar year.
(2) After two years with the city, an employee receives two weeks of vacation per calendar year.
(3) After five years with the city, an employee receives three weeks of vacation per calendar year.
(4) After ten years with the city, an employee receives four weeks of vacation per calendar year.
(B) Vacation leave begins to accrue on the first day of employment.
(C) Vacation leave shall not accrue for any month during which there was a suspension of five days or more or a personal leave of absence without pay in excess of ten workdays. In addition, vacation leave shall not accrue for any leave of absence in excess of six months due to injury sustained in the course of employment. Vacation leave will not be charged for any recognized holiday falling within a period of approved vacation.
(D) On January 1 of every year, each employee’s vacation leave account will be credited with the full amount of the annual vacation leave due the employee for the ensuing year. Each pay period, the employee’s vacation leave account will be debited for vacation leave used by the employee during the preceding period. If an employee ceases to be employed during the year, the employee must repay to the city the amount of vacation leave used in excess of the leave that has accrued up to the date of termination. If possible, the value of the excess leave will be deducted from the employee’s final paycheck.
(E) An employee shall receive advance approval from their immediate supervisor prior to the use of any vacation leave time by the submission of an Absentee Request (HR Form Seven) in accordance with § 37.188 of this chapter. Requests for use of vacation leave time should be made as soon as possible to ensure minimum disruption to the department and the organization work schedule and workflow. Payment for vacation leave shall be at the employee’s current rate of pay. An employee who has a break in service, except for a lay-off, shall not receive credit for prior service but shall be treated as a newly hired employee.
(F) An employee may carry over a maximum of 20 days of accrued and unused vacation leave time to the next calendar year. Any amount over 20 days will be compensated at the full rate at the end of each calendar year. At the end of each calendar year, an audit of each employee’s accrued vacation time will be made available to the employee. Each employee shall be required to sign the audit form stating that they agree with the form and their supervisor shall also sign.
(G) Absence on account of sickness, injury, or disability in excess of that hereinafter authorized for such purposes shall at the request of the employee and within the discretion of the City Commission, be charged against vacation leave. If an employee is placed on leave of absence without pay, he or she shall be paid for any accumulated vacation.
(H) Upon termination of employment, an employee shall be paid for any vested, but unused, vacation leave time up to 20 days. The employee shall be compensated at the regular hourly rate earned by the employee at the time of separation. The applicable hourly rate for both exempt and nonexempt employees shall be calculated as provided in § 37.125 of this chapter.
(Ord. 5-11-2023-A, passed 6-8-2023)