(a) Each regular, full-time, employee shall earn ten (10) hours of Sick Leave for each full month of employment.
(b) Part time, seasonal and temporary employees will not be entitled to sick leave accumulation nor can they carry-over sick leave from another employer for use at the City of Twinsburg.
(c) Eligibility for sick leave shall commence on the first day of the month following the date of hire. Employees shall be eligible to use sick time beginning the first of the month following first month of accrual.
(d) Sick time may be used in increments of .25 hours (fifteen minutes) on a Last-In/First Out basis.
(e) Sick leave from another public employer shall be carried over upon receipt of confirmation of balance from previous employer. Employees shall be eligible to use carried-over sick leave on the first of the month following the month of employment. Such sick leave carried-over from another employer shall not be eligible for retirement cash out per section (j) of this article.
(f) Unused Sick Leave shall be accumulated up to an unlimited number of hours, except for conversion to cash payment upon retirement, death or disability, as hereinafter provided.
(g) Sick leave with pay shall be granted in accordance with the City's Sick Leave and Attendance Policy; which includes provisions for:
(1) Sickness of the employee;
(2) Injury of the employee, except when employees qualify for Injury Leave per Injury Leave Policy;
(3) Sickness in the immediate family where the employee is needed to provide care for the ill or injured relative.
A. The immediate family is defined as including spouse, son, daughter, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, parent, grandparent, grandparent-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepsister, stepbrother, stepson and stepdaughter, grandchild. Extended periods of sick leave shall be governed by the Family Medical Leave Act.
(4) Medical, dental or optical consultation or treatment of an employee or member of immediate family; and
(5) Quarantine of an employee because of contagious disease.
(h) Upon reaching three (3) consecutive days of sick leave, a certificate from a registered physician shall be required in order for the employee to return to work. Such documentation shall include the reason for the illness and verification that the employee was seen by the doctor during the absence; otherwise sick leave benefits shall be denied.
(i) The misuse or fraudulent use of sick leave may result in discipline pursuant to any existing collective Bargaining Agreement, compliance with Civil Service regulations and/or the City's Policy Manual.
(j) Sick Leave Cash-Out Option. (effective 12/01/2008) Full Time employees who have accumulated Sick Time earned at the City of Twinsburg, may, in December of each year, 'Cash-out' any unused Sick Leave hours which were earned in the current calendar year at fifty percent (50%) of their regular hourly rate. Any hours that are 'cashed-out' shall be deducted from the employee's sick time accrual at full value. (Refer to Section 147.17 - Insurance regarding annual sick leave cash out to fund employee's Health Savings Account)
(k) Employees who leave the City's employment prior to the end of the calendar year, for any reason, shall not be eligible for any pro-rated Sick Leave cash out benefit for that year or for any other year except as provided for in subsection (m) hereof.
(l) Sick Leave will not be included in 'hours' worked' when calculating overtime during a workweek.
(m) Sick leave that has been accumulated at the City of Twinsburg shall be payable in a lump sum to an employee upon retirement, death or disability, as provided herein. Transferring employees who came into this City, shall receive accumulated sick leave credits from other public employment in accordance with Ohio law. Sick leave conversion benefits shall not be payable under the following circumstances:
(1) The employee was dismissed from the City.
(2) The employee has voluntarily terminated service with the City(other than retirement)
(3) At least thirty (30) days' notice of retirement is not first given to the City in writing.
(n) In the event of the death of a full-time employee, all of the remaining benefits hereinunder shall be paid first directly to his surviving spouse or if there is none, then to his/her estate as a lump sum, single payment. The last effective pay rate of the employee shall be applied to all benefits herein.
(o) For the purpose hereof, a permanent disability of fifty percent (50%) or more, recognized by the State of Ohio Industrial Commission, State Police Pension Board or competent physicians of both the City and the employee shall qualify a full-time employee for a lump sum payment of accumulated sick leave when such employee separates from service with the City by reason of the disability. To qualify for a lump sum payment upon retirement, the retirement must be established and recognized by the Ohio Public Employee's Retirement System or an appropriate Police and Firemen's Pension Plan and program of this State for full-time employees.
(p) One-half of the sick leave hours to the employee's credit shall be paid at the employee's last base straight time hourly rate to a maximum of one thousand, four hundred forty hours (1,440) hours pay. Such election shall eliminate the employee's entire sick leave balance. Once such cash payment has been made, any remaining balance of sick leave hours shall not be available for use should the employee ever be re-employed with the City of Twinsburg; however such balance shall remain on file should it be requested by another employer in the future.
(Ord. 89-2021. Passed 12-14-21.)