(A) An employee who has completed his or her initial probationary period (and any extension thereof) may request a leave of absence without pay and benefits for up to six months (26 weeks) because of sickness, pregnancy, injury on or off the job, personal reasons, or educational pursuits. These types of leave are granted only in the discretion of the County Manager and upon recommendations by the employee’s department director. Employees in their initial probationary periods that are absent for more than five consecutive scheduled work days may be automatically terminated but may be eligible for rehire.
(B) Employees are requested to apply for leaves of absence as far in advance of need as is possible, but an employee may be placed on leave status without application when the circumstances warrant the action.
(C) Physical disability leaves will begin when the employee exhausts employer administered paid time off, except that in the case of leaves caused by on-the-job injury, the leave will begin on the day the employee’s employer-administered paid time off would have been exhausted if the employee has begun using the paid time off on the first full day of absence caused by the injury.
(D) As a general rule, an employee on leave of absence is not entitled to wages or fringe benefits and does not accrue fringe benefits; however, certain exceptions may be established by law or provision of this code.
(E) Employees desiring to return to work from any leave of absence should notify their department director and the Human Resources Department as far in advance as possible of their desired date of return. If the department director finds that the employee is fit to resume his or her duties, the employee shall be recalled to his/her former job if a vacancy exists which is to be filled.
(‘77 Code, § 13-74) (Ord. 1584, passed 9-17-84; Am. Ord. 5288, passed 10-17-88; Am. Ord. 1393, passed 3-15-93; Am. Ord. 6896, passed 12-16-96; Am. Ord. 1214, passed 5-5-14; Am. Ord. 3918, passed 8-20-18)