(A) (1) Compensated sick leave is a county-owned benefit afforded to employees, designated by the Board of County Commissioners, who work 32 hours per week or more and become ill or injured and cannot perform their normal duties.
(2) Part-time employees averaging less than 32 hours per week or temporary or seasonal employees are not entitled to sick leave.
(B) Sick leave is a privilege and employees shall use it responsibly.
(C) While employees have the discretion of managing their sick leave, it is not intended to be used for vacation purposes. The divisions below are intended to provide general guidance on how sick leave is to be used. Abuse or violation of this section may subject the employee to disciplinary action.
(1) (a) Sick leave. Eligible employees shall accumulate sick leave at the rate of 3.69 hours per pay period. Anytime an employee uses sick leave, that employee must notify his or her supervisor/department head/elected official as soon as possible and receive approval to take the leave. Sick leave can be used for a variety of reasons such as personal or family need, leave from the first day of missed work due to illness, issues related to the employee’s own health or that of certain family members, and for family related absences as covered by the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
(b) Unused sick leave in excess of 520 will be paid out at 100% annually.
(2) Sick leave may not be accrued during an unpaid leave of absence from the county. This preclusion includes periods of unpaid leave allowed for by the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
(3) Employees absent from work due to their own illness or injury will be carried on payroll in a leave without pay status for time equal to compensated illness accrued or 12 weeks, whichever is greater.
(4) Non-scheduled working days and legal holidays occurring while an employee is ill are not deducted from compensated illness leave credit.
(5) Termination. Accumulated earned traditional sick leave time shall be paid for by the employing department when a designated employee separates from the county on good terms after five years of continuous service. If an employee is terminated for cause, accumulated sick leave will not be paid out.
(Ord. passed 6- -2019; Ord. 2021-13, passed 12-21-2021; Ord. 2022-06, passed - -)