ARTICLE
XII
VACATION,
SICK AND PERSONAL LEAVE
SECTION 1. VACATION - An annual vacation is considered the right of each employee. The
vacation plan outlined in Schedule “C” attached remains in effect during the life of this agreement.
A. Vacation (Highway Department) Employees in the Highway
Department may not take their vacation during the period from
December 1st through March 31st except at the discretion of the
Department Head.
B. Half-day and single vacation days may be taken by an employee if requested two weeks in advance up to a maximum of five days per year. Additional single vacation days may be taken at discretion of the Department Head. Other earned vacation days must be taken on a weekly basis.
C. The employee with the most seniority in the department shall receive consideration over other employees with lesser seniority as to when
vacation would be taken.
The principle is that employees should be encouraged to schedule vacations as early as possible, and should, therefore, not have to worry about having their plans bumped at the last minute due to seniority. While seniority should still be recognized, those who plan ahead should have a reasonable time period within which to change their plans if necessary.
1. Departments must post a vacation calendar which identifies approved vacations within that department. The purpose of this calendar is to help employees schedule vacations by considering the schedules of others.
2. Employees are encouraged to submit vacation requests as early as possible.
3. Seniority is the governing factor in determining vacation approvals up until 60 calendar days before the vacation date(s) in question begins. For example, an employee desiring Christmas week vacation would have to submit his/her request 60 calendar days before the vacation date in question in order for his/her seniority to be considered over a conflicting vacation request by another employee.
4. Vacation request will be approved on a first come, first served basis within the 60 calendar days of the beginning of a particular vacation date.
D. If a holiday(s) falls within the vacation period of an employee, the employee’s vacation time shall be credited the holiday(s) that fall
within such period.
E. Upon death, retirement, or other type of termination of an employee, the employee or the beneficiary shall be paid for all unused vacation earned prior to one of the above events occurring at the rate of pay (current) of the employee. If the employee terminates employment, the employer shall pay the employee or the beneficiary for the unused vacation on a pro-rated basis in accordance with the number of months or portion thereof.
F. All vacation shall be taken in the anniversary year during which the employee becomes entitled thereto, and no part of such vacation shall be carried over from one year to another, unless the pressure of work in the particular department makes it impossible for the Supervisor and/or Department Head to approve vacation during such year. In such case, the unused vacation for that year, up to a maximum of five days, shall be added to the vacation to which the employee is entitled during the following year. Any additional unused vacation time shall be paid for at the end of the anniversary year in which it was supposed to have been taken.
SECTION 2. SICK LEAVE - Sick leave shall be earned at the rate of one working day per month of continuous service and may be accumulated to a maximum of 165 days, as conditioned by the January, 1989, stipulation for sick day accumulations, refer to paragraph B and C of this Section.
A. Normally, for absences of less than three days, employees will not be required to provide a physician’s statement certifying to their illness or disability. However, where absences are of three consecutive days in duration such statement may be required by the Department Head. Additionally, if the Department Head discerns that a pattern of abuse of sick leave is occurring, the Department Head may require a physician’s statement at any time.
B. UNUSED SICK LEAVE - May be converted into cash payment at the time of the County employee’s termination of service (other than resignation) or retirement and additional service credit upon retirement. Unused sick leave may not exceed employee’s maximum accumulated sick leave.
Upon death of an employee, the employee’s estate is to be given a cash payment equal to the unused sick leave.
Employees, other than those having permanent status, terminated for cause, will receive no payout of sick leave.
C. As of
D. Employees may use up to five sick leave days annually non-cumulative, deductible from the employee’s available sick leave entitlement, for absence due to illness in the employee’s household family. “Household family” shall mean any relative residing within the employee’s home, but shall also include the employee’s mother, father and children wherever they reside.
E. Sick Time Buy Back: Employees with more than 30 days accrued sick time and more than five years of continuous service, may sell back to the County, a block of five sick days annually, payable the last quarter of each year, each employee to be eligible must maintain 30 sick days after sale.
Employees with more than 60 days accrued sick time and more than five years of continuous service, may sell back to the County, a block of ten sick days annually, payable last quarter of the year, each employee to be eligible must maintain 60 days after sale.
SECTION 3. PERSONAL LEAVE - Each County employee shall receive personal leave each year. Full-time employees shall accrue from 35 hours to a maximum of 40 hours per year based on a regularly scheduled work week. Other benefited employees shall accrue personal time based on a pro-rated schedule. Such leave shall be non-cumulative and shall be provided in accordance with the rules section of the Civil Service Law. All other earned leave with pay shall continue as currently in effect for the full duration of this agreement. See copy of employee rules for approved time off. Newly hired employees shall be limited to two of the five personal leave days during the first six months of employment.