(a) Each full-time employee hired prior to January 1, 2018, shall be entitled to accumulate sick leave at the rate of ten hours per month and may accumulate sick leave to an unlimited amount. Sick leave for classified part-time employees shall be prorated. New employees shall not be entitled to use sick leave until they have completed thirty calendar days of employment. Part time employees will receive a prorated sick leave, based on the number of hours worked. An employee may use sick leave, upon approval of the chief of the division and/or director of the department, for absences due to personal illness, injury or death in the employee's immediate family. "Immediate family" for sick leave purposes is defined as the employee's spouse, parents, children, or other person residing with the employee under dependent status. An employee may transfer sick leave from any political subdivision of the State of Ohio, including the State of Ohio, but excluding the Federal government. The chief of the division and/or director of the department shall require an employee to justify the use of sick leave. If an employee is absent for more than two consecutive days, a certificate stating the nature of the illness from a licensed physician may be required to justify the use of sick leave and to certify that the employee was released by the physician to return to work. Falsification of either a written signed statement or a physician's certificate shall be grounds for disciplinary action, including dismissal. No sick leave shall be granted to a City employee upon or after his or her retirement or termination of employment.
(b) Upon the death of a full-time employee during his or her tenure of employment, the City shall pay to the estate of such employee compensation for accumulated sick leave, earned while an employee for the City of Norton, up to 960 hours.
(c) A City employee paid directly by warrant of the Finance Director at the time of retirement from active service with the City and with ten or more years of service with the City, shall be paid, in cash, for up to 960 hours of unused accumulative sick leave upon retirement and earned while an employee of the City of Norton under an appropriate State Retirement System. An employee who retires under an appropriate State Retirement System with less than ten years of service shall receive a prorated payout, 1/10 for every year up to ten years of service. Such payment shall be based on the employee's rate of pay at the time of retirement. Only time accumulated as a City of Norton employee shall be eligible for payment under this provision. Payment for sick leave on this basis shall be considered to eliminate all sick leave credit accrued by the employee at that time. Such payment shall be made only once to any employee. The maximum payment, which may be made under this section, shall be for 960 hours.
(Ord. 23-1983. Passed 3-14-83; Ord. 99-1984. Passed 12-20-84; Ord. 21-1986. Passed 5-12-86; Ord. 12-2001. Passed 3-26-01; Ord. 98-2005. Passed 1-23-06; Ord. 10-2018. Passed 3-12-18.)