(A) Approved absences. Department heads or Boards or Commissions may, at their discretion and with the concurrence of the Council, approve the absence of an employee, without pay, not to exceed 30 calendar days. Any absence of more than 30 days, whether with or without pay, shall be approved by the Council in advance. Where appropriate, the Council will grant an official leave of absence in order to preserve the employee's status as a public employee and his or her benefit rights in the Public Employees Retirement Association (P.E.R.A.)
(B) Jury duty. When an employee has been absent from work because of jury duty, the employee shall be paid the employee's regular salary by the city, with the understanding that upon the completion of jury service, the employee shall show the jury check to the department head and the amount of the jury check, less the amount for traveling expenses, shall be deducted from the employee's next regular pay check.
(C) Military leave. Permanent employees, who have completed their probationary period, shall be entitled to the following:
(1) Employees ordered by proper authority to National Guard or Reserve Military Service not exceeding 15 days in any calendar year shall be entitled to leave of absence without loss of status. The employees shall receive compensation equal to their regular pay rate; and
(2) Employees called and ordered by proper authority to active military service shall be entitled to leave of absence without pay during that service. Upon completion of service employees shall be entitled to the same or similar employment of like seniority, status and pay as if the leave had not been taken, subject to the specific provisions of M.S. Chapter 192, as it may be amended from time to time.
(D) Maternity, paternity and adoption leave. This policy will be consistent with the FMLA.
(E) School conferences and activities leave. An employee may take unpaid leave or compensatory time off to attend school conferences or classroom, activities related to the employee's child, provided the conference or classroom activities cannot be scheduled during non-working hours.
(Ord. 491, passed 4-22-2003)