Sick leave is time for which a full-time employee is compensated at his or her regular rate when absent due to illness or another medically related reason, such as a doctor's appointment. Example: An employee earns sick leave time at the rate of ten (10) hours per month of service. Example: Sick leave can be accumulated up to a maximum of 160 days for conversion upon retirement. Upon retirement twenty-five percent of accumulated sick leave time shall be paid to all full-time Village employees. There is no maximum for accumulation for use. The smallest increment of sick leave, which may be used, is one hour.
Nothing in this section shall be construed as to require the Mayor to approve the use of sick leave by an employee when the Mayor is reasonably certain that the employee was not ill or was not absent for the other reasons permitted by this section. Examples of when the Mayor may not approve sick leave are: concerted use of sick leave by an employee singly or in concert with others as a means of withholding services; a chronic abuse of sick leave in an established pattern; or other situations where past history and facts do not substantiate the legitimate use of sick leave. The appointing authority may investigate all usage of sick leave and may withhold full payment of said sick leave until the investigation is completed.
Should the Mayor determine that an employee has not used sick leave properly, payment may be denied and discipline imposed. Employees who do not report for work due to sickness, and who have exhausted their sick leave days, are subject to disciplinary action for being absent without approved leave. The Mayor is authorized to approve leave without pay to employees in this situation where it is determined that such action is in the best interest of the Village.
New employees are eligible for sick leave after successful completion of the probationary period of six months of employment. Seasonal employees earn no sick leave benefits. Sick leave does not accumulate while an employee is on suspension or any unpaid leave of absence in excess of one month. (Ord. O-03-018. Passed 5-21-03.)