(A) Sick leave.
(1) All employees earn one day of paid sick leave per month for a total of 12 in a calendar year and carry over an unlimited amount of accumulated sick leave from one year to the next. One day shall equal the number of hours in the normal work shift of the employee at the time the sick leave is used. In order to qualify for sick leave pay, the employee must comply with the following conditions:
(a) Employees unable to report to work due to illness must promptly notify their department head/supervisor.
(b) Employees shall keep their department head/supervisor informed of the extent of their illness and anticipated day of return.
(c) An employee receiving Workman's Compensation Benefits shall not be required to use up his or her sick days.
(d) No employee will be paid for unused sick leave upon separation from city service for any reason.
(e) Sick leave can be used for physician's and dentist's appointments, provided the employee gives at least two days' advance notice.
(f) All absences must be approved by the department head.
(g) Supervisors may require workers who are absent for three consecutive days to provide a doctor’s statement or other acceptable proof of illness, to use accumulated sick leave.
(h) Employees transferring from one department to another, without a break in service, shall transfer their accrued sick days with them.
(i) Sick leave may be taken in one hour increments.
(B) Holidays. The city holiday calendar is set and approved by the Board of Works. In observance of each authorized holiday, both full-time and part-time employees will normally be granted the day off from work. Only full-time employees shall receive straight-time holiday pay for each authorized holiday.
(1) Due to the work schedules of the Police and Fire Departments, employees in these departments are excluded from holiday leave with pay.
(C) Vacations. The purpose of paid annual vacation leave is to allow and encourage all employees to renew their physical and mental capabilities and to remain fully productive. Full-time employees are provided annual vacation leave during each year to achieve this purpose. Part-time employees are not eligible for paid vacation leave.
(1) All full time employees shall qualify for vacations as follows:
(a) During the first year of service - three days*.
* Fire Department (24-hour shift employees) - one vacation day is 24 hours and three vacation days shall constitute one week of vacation.
(b) Starting the second year to the completion of third year - one week.
(c) Starting the fourth year to the completion of fifth year - two weeks.
(d) Starting the sixth year to the completion of tenth year - three weeks.
(e) Starting the eleventh year to completion of fifteenth year - four weeks.
(f) Starting the sixteenth year and thereafter - five weeks.
(g) One vacation day equals the number of hours in the normal work day of the employee at the time the vacation day is used. Each week of vacation shall consist of five calendar days, except for Fire Department 24-hour shift employees and Police Department employees.
1. Police Department - seven days shall constitute one week of vacation.
(2) Vacation leave is computed from the initial date of employment, provided the employment relationship has been uninterrupted. If an interruption of employment has occurred, vacation leave credit shall be earned from the most recent date of hiring.
(3) Employees may not use vacation leave credit while on disciplinary probation.
(4) Employees must request vacation leave in advance of its use so that department heads and chiefs may properly schedule available staff during peak vacation period.
(5) Vacation leave requests must be in writing and must be approved by the superintendent or chief.
(6) An employee separating from city service prior to the completion of 12 months employment will not be eligible to receive payment for accrued vacation leave. Upon separation from city service, in good standing, an employee shall be paid for unused vacation for a maximum of five weeks. For an employee to leave in "good standing," he/she must give two weeks written notice. Under unusual circumstances and upon the Board of Public Works and Safety's approval, less time may be considered sufficient, permitting the employee to leave the service in good standing. Payment for unused vacation leave, not to exceed five weeks, shall be paid to the beneficiaries of decreased employee.
(7) An employee dismissed from city service forfeits all accrued vacation leave.
(8) Vacation time shall be taken in minimum increments of one day and must be scheduled in advance and approved by the employee’s department head.
(9) If a holiday occurs while an employee is on an approved vacation, the holiday will not be charged against his or her vacation leave.
(10) An employee’s termination date may not be extended to gain additional paid or unpaid time off (e.g., vacation days).
(D) Bereavement/funeral leave.
(1) Full time regular employees are entitled to paid bereavement leave for immediate family members. Employees are eligible for up to a maximum of five consecutive regularly scheduled working days, and such days must be in conjunction with the date of the death or the funeral or memorial service.
(2) The city defines “immediate family” as the employee’s spouse/partner/significant other, parent, child, sibling, grandparent and grandchild.
(3) This includes employee’s step-parent and step-child.
(4) For a married employee, these members of the spouse’s family are included.
(5) Full time regular employees are entitled to one day off paid bereavement leave for the death of an aunt or uncle and/or employee’s spouse’s aunt or uncle, and this day must be in conjunction with the date of the death or the funeral or memorial service. An employee shall receive leave with pay, not to exceed four hours to attend a funeral if they are a pallbearer.
(6) Approval of bereavement leave will occur in the absence of unusual operating requirements. Employees may, with supervisor’s approval, use any available paid leave for additional time off as necessary. If necessary, employees can take time off without pay. This will only be granted after obtaining approval of the employee’s supervisor.
(E) Court leave.
(1) An employee who is legally required to report for jury duty, or serve as a witness, by subpoena, before any body or agency having subpoena powers, shall be granted leave of absence from his or her position during the required absence for such duty.
(2) When leave of absence is granted for jury duty or to serve as a witness in matters relating to employment with the city, the employee shall receive that portion of their regular salary from the city which will, together with compensation for such court service, equal their total regular salary for the same period. A copy of the subpoena or the letter directing the employee to report for jury duty must be furnished to the supervisor and placed in the employee’s personnel file.
(3) An off-duty employee who is legally required to serve as a witness in matters relating to employment with the city, shall be granted a minimum of three hours of compensation based on the rate of one and one-half hours times the number of hours spent in the court.
(4) Personal voluntarily service as a witness in lawsuits (w/e/divorce) must use accrued leave time for such purposes.
(F) Personal leave.
(1) Full-time city employees shall be entitled to three personal days per year. These pursonal days are accrued and given the first pay in January, May, and September. Personal days are not accumulated from year to year.
(2) Use of personal leave must be approved by the department head.
(3) Employees must seek approval at least one day in advance of taking personal leave.
(4) Approval for use of personal leave is subject to the operational demands of the department or office. Personal days are payable at the employee’s regular hourly rate of pay at the time of leave and must be taken in minimum of half day increments.
(Ord. 30-94, passed 11-29-94; Am. Ord. 41-96, passed 12-9-96; Am. Ord. 51-98, passed 12-14-98; Am. Ord. 2-2004, passed 11-22-04; Am. Ord. 16-2005, passed 11-28-05; Am. Ord. 17-2005, passed 11-28-05; Am. Ord. 23-2021, passed 12-13-21)