Table of Contents: Chapter 3

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301. SICK LEAVE ACCRUAL AND CREDITING EFFECTIVE 06/08/2024

301.1. Use of Sick Leave

Sick leave benefits are payable when an employee is unable to report to work due to the employee's own illness or incapacity, or the illness or incapacity of a Family Member (see Family and Medical Leave policy #309).

301.2. Reserved

301.3. Eligibility

Sick leave must be earned before it can be used.

301.4. Sick Leave Accrual

Sick leave will be accrued biweekly according to the following schedule:

Regular employee: 3.7 hours per pay period for 26 pay periods per year.

Shift Employee: 11.08 hours per pay period for 26 pay periods per year.

Regular part-time employee: Sick leave shall be accrued in hours on a pro rata basis as determined by the number of hours for which the part-time position is budgeted in relation to the number of hours for full-time employees in the same category.

301.5. Crediting Sick Leave

For the purpose of crediting sick leave, the employee shall be considered to have been employed the entire month if employment began prior to the fifteenth of the month. If employment begins on or after the fifteenth, one-half sick leave shall be credited for the first month. An employee who terminates employment prior to the last day of a month shall not receive any credit for sick leave for that pay period.

301.6. Doctor's Excuse

Employees are expected to provide a doctor's release to work when away from the worksite for more than three consecutively scheduled workdays. The City reserves the right in all cases of illness or injury to require that sick leave benefits not be payable where an employee fails to furnish promptly a physician's certificate of illness or injury when notified that such certificate is required, is found to have violated or abused the City's sick leave policies, or is absent from work due to intentional injury or injury sustained in employment for someone other than the City.

301.7. Denial of Benefit

Employees who are found to be violating or abusing the City's sick leave policies shall be subject to disciplinary action according to the attendance guidelines. The City reserves the right to deny the payment of sick leave benefits on grounds other than those specifically set forth herein.

301.8. Not Retroactive

Sick leave benefits are not payable retroactively for illness or injury incurred while on vacation leave.

301.9. Accrual Maximums

Sick leave earned and not used shall accumulate without limitation up to the maximum of one thousand four hundred forty (1,440) hours for regular employees and up to a maximum of four thousand three hundred twenty (4,320) hours for Shift Employees.

301.10. Sick Leave Conversions

301.10.1. Regular and part-time employees. Employees who have completed five (5) years of service, and who voluntarily separate or are laid off from the City service may convert their unused sick leave to vacation leave at the ratio of eight (8) hours sick leave to one (1) hour vacation leave. Employees who qualify for and take a normal or early retirement may convert their unused sick leave to vacation leave at the ratio of eight (8) hours sick leave to four (4) hours vacation leave. An employee who is otherwise terminated from the City service shall not be eligible to convert unused sick leave to vacation leave.

301.10.2. Shift Employees. Employees who have completed five (5) years of service, and who voluntarily separate or are laid off from the City service may convert their unused sick leave to vacation leave at the ratio of twenty-four (24) hours sick leave to one (1) hour vacation leave. Employees who qualify for and take a normal or early retirement may convert their unused sick leave to vacation leave at a ratio of twenty-four (24) hours sick leave to four (4) hours vacation leave. As of July 1, 2007, sick leave at retirement will be paid on the basis of 2080 annual hours worked. An employee who is otherwise terminated from the City service shall not be eligible to convert unused sick leave to vacation leave.

301.10.3. Death Benefit. Upon an active employee's death, the beneficiary will receive the sick leave benefit payout as if the employee had retired provided vesting has occurred.