159.17 ESTABLISHING ADDITIONAL BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN FULL TIME EMPLOYEES.
   (a)   The Chief of Police shall receive the same benefits as are bargained for in any current Police Department collective bargaining agreement for the following benefits:
      (1)   Holidays
      (2)   Vacation Leave: regular and seniority
      (3)   All Sick Leave Provisions
      (4)   Funeral Leave
      (5)   Recuperation Leave (Injury Leave)
      (6)   Education & Training
      (7)   Longevity Pay
      (8)   All Insurance Benefits: Health, Cancer, Dental/Optical, Life
      (9)   Uniforms
      (10)   Vehicle Reimbursement
   (b)   The Fire Chief shall receive the same benefits as are bargained for in any current Fire Department collective bargaining agreement for the following benefits:
      (1)   Holidays
      (2)   Injury Leave
      (3)   Longevity Pay
      (4)   Lump Sum Terminal Leave Benefits
      (5)   Retirement Contribution Pick-Up
      (6)   Tuition Assistance
      (7)   Uniforms
      (8)   All Insurance Benefits: Medical, Life, Cancer, Dental/Optical
      (9)   Vehicle Reimbursement
   (c)   The Fire Chief shall earn vacation leave, seniority vacation leave and sick leave at the same rate as the Chief of Police. However, the Fire Chief shall be able to use, accumulate and/or cash in upon retirement, those vacation and sick days in accordance with any current Fire Department collective bargaining agreement.
(Ord. 25-2000. Passed 7-6-00; Ord. 40-2004. Passed 10-7-04.)
   (d)   The Full Time Village Hall Employees shall work Monday through Friday, eight (8) hours per day, including a one hour paid lunch, for a forty (40) hour work week or as deemed necessary by the Mayor. The Full Time Village Hall Employees shall receive the following benefits:
      (1)   Holidays.
                  A.   The following shall be the schedule of paid holidays:
            New Year's Day
            Martin Luther King Day
            President's Day
            Memorial Day
            Independence Day
            Labor Day
            Veterans Day
            Thanksgiving Day
            The Day After Thanksgiving
            Christmas Day
            Employee's Date of Hire Anniversary
         B.   The Full Time Village Hall Employees will be paid eight (8) hours pay at straight time for holidays not worked.
         C.   If Full Time Village Hall Employees are required to work on a holiday, as defined above, they will be paid at one and one-half (1½) times the regular hourly rate for all work performed except that if required to work on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, or New Year's Day, Full Time Village Hall Employees will be paid at two (2) times the regular hourly rate for all work performed. This is in addition to the eight (8) hours pay already received for the holiday.
      (2)   Sick Leave.
         A.   Full Time Village Hall Employees will be entitled to ten (10) hours of paid sick leave, for each completed month of service. Full Time Village Hall Employees may use sick leave, upon notification of the Mayor, or his designee, for absence due to personal illness, injury, pregnancy, exposure to contagious disease which could be communicated to other employees, to illness in the immediate family when no other person is available to attend the needs of the sick person, and to death in the immediate family.
         B.   Unused sick leave shall be accumulated without limit but may only be paid as provided for in subsection (d)(3) below.
         C.   For purposes of illness in the immediate family, "immediate family" shall be defined as child or spouse, and shall include siblings living in the same household. The Village may extend the use of sick leave, or the definition of immediate family, whenever in the judgment of the Mayor, substantial merit for such exception has been shown.
         D.   For purposes of attendance at a funeral, or to attend to funeral arrangements, "Immediate Family" shall be construed to mean husband, wife, child, mother, father, brother, sister, stepchild, stepmother, stepfather, grandmother, grandfather, grandchild, great-grandmother, great-grandfather, mother or father of wife or husband, foster parents, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandmother or grandfather of wife or husband, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law. Full Time Village Hall Employees may request up to three days of sick leave for funeral related purposes. Full Time Village Hall Employees may be required to provide some form of proof of the funeral service. The Mayor shall determine the proper amount of sick leave which may be used for funeral related purposes. He may grant more than three days in exceptional cases.
         E.   Sick leave is not earned time off. It may be used only for the reasons set forth in this chapter. Falsification of any sick leave claim or a medical statement shall be grounds for disciplinary action or dismissal. If seeking sick leave for other reasons set forth in this chapter, Full Time Village Hall Employees shall not be required to provide a doctor's statement for less than two (2) consecutive days of absence.
      (3)   Sick Leave Conversion at Retirement.
         A.   Retirement means disability or service retirement from the Village of St. Bernard, Ohio, under any state or municipal retirement system applicable to the Village of St. Bernard, from which Full Time Village Hall Employees will begin drawing benefits immediately.
         B.   A Full Time Village Hall Employee hired on or after December 1, 1985, shall have the right to convert no more than one hundred twenty-five (125) days (1000 hours) of sick leave at that employee's regular rate of pay at the time of retirement.
         C.   Upon the death of any Full Time Village Hall Employee, any unused sick time that could have been converted under this chapter shall be paid to the surviving spouse or his/her heirs.
         D.   Any person hired after December 31, 2015, is not eligible for any sick time conversion.
      (4)   Vehicle Reimbursement. A Full Time Village Hall Employee who uses his or her privately owned vehicle for official Village business shall be reimbursed by the IRS standard. The Mayor, or his designee, shall authorize any such use.
      (5)   Education Benefits.
         A.   The Mayor, or his designee, may authorize a Full Time Village Hall Employee to enroll in and pursue certain courses of study or training which in the opinion of the Mayor can reasonably be expected to benefit said individual in the performance of his/her Village duties, and to benefit the department and the Village. Upon completion of said course, or semester, provided a passing grade is received, said employee shall be reimbursed one-half (½) of the cost of tuition paid by him/her for said course. Prior approval of the Mayor must be obtained before enrollment in said course in order to qualify the employee for reimbursement; and the schedule of the course must not conflict with the employee's work schedule.
         B.   If a Full Time Village Hall Employee is required by the Mayor to attend any school or specialized training as part of his/her regular employment for purposes of additional training, the Full Time Village Hall Employee shall continue to receive his/her regular pay on the days he/she attends such school or training. The cost of such school or training shall be paid for by the Village.
      (6)   Longevity Pay.
         A.   Full Time Village Hall Employees shall receive longevity pay for years of service as follows:
HIRED BEFORE 12-31-15:
After 5 yrs. through 9 yrs.
$ 350.00
After 10 yrs. through 14 yrs.
$ 525.00
After 15 yrs. through 19 yrs.
$ 700.00
After 20 yrs. through 14 yrs.
$ 850.00
After 25 yrs. and over
$1,000.00
HIRED AFTER 12-31-2015:
After 5 yrs. through 14 yrs.
$ 350.00
After 15 yrs. through 24 yrs.
$ 525.00
After 25 yrs. and over
$ 700.00
 
          B.   All longevity pay shall be figured on the basis of the calendar year beginning on January 1, and payments shall be made during the second pay period in January.
      (7)   Medical Insurance.
          A.   Hospitalization, medical, dental, and optical care insurance shall be provided through a plan of self-insurance, or through a health insurance carrier. The Village shall have the exclusive right to determine whether to continue as a self-insurer, or to contract with a health insurance carrier. The Village shall have the exclusive right to contract with and/or change carriers, provided that benefits remain substantially equal. Benefits are deemed substantially equal when a reduction is offset by an enhancement of equal or greater value as determined by an actuary or neutral insurance professional.
         B.   The plan summary description for the Village of St. Bernard will serve as the plan documents, which will be summarized in appendix "A/B." This will hereby establish the schedule of benefits, rights and privileges which shall pertain to the employees and eligible dependents of those employees. Members who subscribe to the Village's health insurance plan shall contribute to the cost of health insurance through the deductibles and co-pays listed in appendix "A/B."
            The Village shall notify the Full Time Village Hall Employees of any proposed changes in insurance carriers and shall meet with the employees to changing insurance carriers. However, nothing shall restrict the right of the Village to change insurance carriers so long as benefits are substantially equal.
         C.   The insurance plan provided under this agreement may change if the Village/Employee Health Insurance Committee selects a new health insurance plan for Village employees. The plan selected by the Health Insurance Committee shall become the health plan for employees. The insurance committee shall be comprised of representatives of the Village Administration and employee representatives from the Police, Fire and Service Departments and Village Hall personnel.
         D.   Plan changes made unilaterally by a carrier shall not be deemed a reduction in benefits and are not subject to the grievance proceedings or arbitration.
      (8)   Dental/Optical Plan. The Village will provide a group dental/optical insurance plan. The schedule of benefits provided under such plan(s) are set forth in Appendix "A/B" of this Agreement. The cost of the premium will be paid by the Village. Plan changes made unilaterally by a carrier shall not be deemed a reduction in benefits and are not subject to grievance proceedings or arbitration.
      (9)   Life Insurance. The Village agrees to pay the full cost of the group life insurance coverage. Term life insurance in the amount of forty-five thousand dollars ($45,000.00) shall be provided for each Full Time Village Hall Employee.
      (10)   Vacation Leave/Seniority.
         A.   Vacation Leave.
            HIRED BEFORE 12-31-15:
            1.   To be entitled to vacation, a new Full Time Village Hall Employee must complete more than one (1) year of service in his/her first calendar year of employment. After more than one (1) year of service, the employee will receive eight (8) hours of vacation for each completed month of service in that calendar year, but not to exceed eighty (80) hours of vacation.
            2.   In the calendar year the Full Time Village Hall Employee completes two (2) years of service, he/she shall be entitled to one hundred four (104) hours of vacation.
            3.   In the calendar year the Full Time Village Hall Employee completes three (3) years of service, or more, he/she shall be entitled to one hundred twenty (120) hours of vacation.
            HIRED AFTER 12-31-15:
            1.   To be entitled to vacation, a new Full Time Village Hall Employee must complete more than one (1) year of service in his/her first calendar year of employment.
            2.   On the Anniversary date after completing at least one (1) year of service or more, he/she shall be entitled to eighty (80) hours of vacation.
            3.   On January 1 of the 5th year of continual employment, or more, he/she be entitled to one hundred forty (104) hours vacation.
            4.   On January 1 of the 15th year of continual employment, or more, he/she be entitled to one hundred twenty eight (128) hours vacation.
            5.   On January 1 of the 25th year of continual employment, or more, he/she be entitled one hundred fifty two (152) hours vacation.
         B.   Seniority Vacation Leave.
            HIRED BEFORE 12-31-15:
            1.   In the calendar year in which a Full Time Village Hall Employee completes five (5) years of service or more, he/she shall receive forty (40) hours of seniority vacation leave.
            2.   In the calendar year in which a Full Time Village Hall Employee completes ten (10) years of service or more, he/she shall receive fifty-six (56) hours of seniority vacation leave.
            3.   In the calendar year in which a Full Time Village Hall Employee completes fifteen (15) years of service or more, he/she shall receive seventy two (72) hours of seniority vacation leave.
            4.   In the calendar year in which a Full Time Village Hall Employee completes twenty (20) years of service or more, he/she shall receive one hundred and four (104) hours of seniority vacation leave.
            5.   In the calendar year in which a Full Time Village Hall Employee completes twenty-five (25) years of service or more, he/she shall receive one hundred and twenty (120) hours of seniority vacation leave.
            HIRED AFTER 12-31-15:
            1.   Any Full Time Village Hall Employee hired after 12-31-15 is not eligible for Seniority Vacation Leave.
         C.   Vacations shall be chosen by seniority if turned in to their immediate supervisor, or his/her designee, before the last working day in January of each year. The following is the maximum number of clerical positions/Department Heads in Village Hall who may take a vacation at the same time: 2.
      (11)   Injury/Recuperative Leave.
         A.   After use of five (5) days accumulated sick leave, a Full Time Village Hall Employee shall be granted leave up to one calendar year, with full pay and continued benefits for absence due to a disabling injury or illness which arises out of, and occurs in the scope of the Full Time Village Hall Employee's activities during his/her hours of employment. If the disability continues for more than thirty (30) days, he/she shall be credited with five (5) sick leave days. Under aggravated circumstances, the Mayor, or his designee, may waive the thirty-day requirement for crediting the five (5) personal sick days used.
         B.   Aggravation or reoccurrence of a previously sustained work related injury shall not be compensable under this provision after one calendar year from the date of the original injury unless the aggravation or reoccurrence arises out of, and occurs in the scope of the Full Time Village Hall Employee's activities during his/her of employment. A disabling injury or illness resulting from his/her own negligence or horse play shall not be compensable under this chapter. A new and separate injury to the same body part shall not be deemed aggravation or reoccurrence of a previous injury.
         C.   Pay received under this provision shall be reduced by any compensation received from the Bureau of Workers Compensation or from any other source which is intended to provide payment for lost wages. The Village shall have the right of subrogation against any person who causes the Full Time Village Hall Employee's disability.
         D.   In order to be eligible for recuperative leave, it shall be necessary that the injured Full Time Village Hall Employee obtain a certificate from a licensed physician, stating that such individual, because of such injury, cannot perform the regular and ordinary duties of his/her position, or any light duty assignment which may be available. Said physician shall also provide a statement of the anticipated duration of the disability. Upon request of the Village, the Full Time Village Hall Employee shall submit to a physical examination by a licensed physician selected by the Village. If it is determined by the Village's physician and the Full Time Village Hall Employee's physician that the individual is permanently disabled so as to be unable to perform the regular and ordinary duties of his/her position, then he/she shall promptly submit a proper application for disability retirement to the Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio. The determination of disability retirement eligibility by the Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio shall be binding upon the Full Time Village Hall Employee and the Village. Any Full Time Village Hall Employee who is determined to be eligible for disability retirement shall retire immediately. If a Full Time Village Hall Employee applies for disability retirement under the Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio, the recuperative leave shall continue until the final determination of disability retirement eligibility. While on recuperative leave the Full Time Village Hall Employee shall not accumulate sick leave.
      (12)   Starting Date and Continuous Employment. The start date for a Full Time Village Hall Employee is the date on which he/she is initially sworn in to his/her elected or appointed position. Any subsequent reelection or reappointment to that same position shall be considered continuous employment in that position.
(Ord. 39-2015. Passed 7-30-15.)