Chapter 2.128
SHARED LEAVE
Sections:
Article I. Generally
2.128.010 Intent.
2.128.020 Conditions.
2.128.030 Amount of leave.
2.128.040 Vacation leave.
2.128.050 Employee status.
2.128.060 Monitoring of leave.
2.128.070 Status of program.
Article II. Active Military Duty
2.128.080 Purpose.
2.128.090 Donors.
2.128.100 Eligibility conditions.
2.128.110 Donations.
2.128.120 Administration.
Article I. Generally
2.128.010 Intent.
The purpose of shared leave is to permit city employees, at no additional cost to any city fund other than administrative costs of administering the program, to come to the aid of a fellow city employee who is suffering from or has a spouse or child (under the age of eighteen who resides with the employee) suffering from an extraordinary or severe illness, injury, impairment or physical or mental condition which has caused or is likely to cause the employee to take leave without pay or to terminate his or her employment. (Ord. 1889-92 § 1 (part), 1992)
2.128.020 Conditions.
A department head, with the mayor or designee’s concurrence, may approve a donee employee to receive shared leave under this chapter if:
A. The employee suffers, or has a spouse or child (under the age of eighteen who resides with the employee) suffering from, an illness, injury, impairment or physical or mental condition which is of an extraordinary or severe nature and which has caused, or is likely to cause, the employee to go on leave without pay status or to terminate his or her employment with the city;
B. An employee has completed six months of the applicable city probationary period;
C. The employee has depleted or will shortly deplete his or her total available paid leave. Paid leave accrual is deemed as vacation leave, sick leave, accrued compensatory time or floating holidays. For purposes of this chapter, the use of employee sick leave accrual is allowed only in the event of illness of the employee or for illness of a child as defined in the city’s child care leave policy;
D. Prior to the use of shared leave, the employee has abided by the city’s sick leave policy;
E. The use of shared leave will not significantly increase the cost of any fund, except for those costs which would otherwise be incurred in the administration of this program or which would otherwise be incurred by the employee’s department. (Ord. 1889-92 § 1 (part), 1992)
2.128.030 Amount of leave.
The department head, with the concurrence of the mayor or designee shall determine the amount of shared leave, if any, which a donee employee may receive under this chapter. The donee employee shall be required to provide appropriate medical justification and documentation both of the necessity for the leave and time which the employee can reasonably be expected to be absent due to the condition. A donee employee shall not receive more than a total of six months (one hundred thirty one working days) of shared leave throughout the employee’s employment. To the extent possible, shared leave should be used on a consecutive basis. (Ord. 1889-92 § 1 (part), 1992)
2.128.040 Vacation leave.
A. Donor employees may request their department head to approve the transfer of specified amount of accrued vacation leave to a donee employee who is authorized to receive shared leave as provided in this chapter. In order to be eligible to donate vacation leave, a donor employee must have a total of more than ten days of accrued vacation leave, have taken at least ten days of vacation leave within the calendar year or have a total of accrued and used vacation leave of greater than ten days for the calendar year. In no event shall a transfer of leave be approved which would result in a donor employee reducing his or her total vacation leave in a calendar year to less than ten days. The department head shall not transfer vacation leave in excess of the amount specified in the request. All donations of leave shall be voluntary. The department head shall determine that no significant increase in city costs will occur as a result of a donation of leave.
B. Vacation leave shall be transferred on a hour-for-hour basis. The minimum allowable transfer of vacation leave shall be in four-hour increments.
C. Once vacation leave is transferred to an employee, the vacation leave shall not revert back to the original donor employee. (Ord. 1889-92 § 1 (part), 1992)
2.128.050 Employee status.
While a donee employee is using shared leave, he or she will continue to be classified as a city employee and shall receive the same treatment, in respect to salary and benefits, as the employee would otherwise receive if using vacation leave.
A. All salary benefit payments made to the donee employee on shared leave shall be made by the department employing the person using the shared leave.
B. The donee employee’s salary rate shall not change as a result of being on shared leave nor, under any circumstances, shall the total of the donee employee’s salary and other benefits, including but not limited to state industrial insurance or any other benefit received as result of payment by the city to an insurer or health care provider exceed the total salary and benefits which the donee employee would have received had he or she been in a regular pay status.
C. Employees using shared leave are not entitled to receive state retirement service credit during the period they are using the shared leave hours. (Ord. 1889-92 § 1 (part), 1992)
2.128.060 Monitoring of leave.
The personnel department shall monitor the use of shared leave with the objective of establishing uniform administration of this program for all employees of the city. The finance director shall determine the appropriate fund transfers and budget amendments as needed for city council action. Records of all leave time transferred shall be maintained. (Ord. 1889-92 § 1 (part), 1992)
2.128.070 Status of program.
Inappropriate use or treatment of the shared leave provision may result in the cancellation of the donated leave or use of shared leave. In no event shall any unused shared leave be paid to the donee employee in the event of leaving city service. (Ord. 1889-92 § 1 (part), 1992)
Article II. Active Military Duty
2.128.080 Purpose.
The purpose of shared leave is to permit city employees to assist a fellow city employee who is ordered to report for active military duty for a significant military event such as “Operation Enduring Freedom.” The intent of this shared leave program is to provide financial stability for a limited duration to allow an employee to adjust to a different income and benefit level under military pay. (Ord. 2682-03 § 1, 2003)
2.128.090 Donors.
Any regular full-time or part-time city employee may donate accrued vacation leave hours to provide assistance to employees who are called to active military duty and who are unable to perform the duties of their position. (Ord. 2682-03 § 2, 2003)
2.128.100 Eligibility conditions.
A. Any employee who is ordered to report for active military duty for a significant military event during a time of national emergency. This may include an employee who is a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and their reserves, the Army and Air National Guards, the Public Health Service commissioned corps, and other categories designated by the President or Governor in a time of emergency. This provision does not apply to individuals who voluntarily sign up for active military duty.
B. Employees requesting shared leave donations must submit a written request to the human resources director for approval. The employee will also be required to submit written documentation of the income he or she receives from the military. In cases where advance notice is not possible, a written request must be made as soon as practicable. In such emergencies, the employee’s department director may make the request in place of the employee.
C. The employee has exhausted or will shortly exhaust his or her available paid time off banks. Paid time off banks include military leave, vacation, floating holiday and compensatory time banks.
D. An eligible employee may receive donations to supplement his/her military pay for a total not to exceed one hundred percent of the employee’s city pay up to a period not to exceed six months in duration. The employee must turn over military paycheck stubs to the city so the city can determine the correct supplemental pay and donated leave amounts.
E. While an employee is using shared leave, the city will continue to pay its portion of the employee and family health insurance benefits, and the employee will pay his or her portion. Continuation of optional benefit deductions is at the discretion of the employee receiving active military duty shared leave.
F. Employees will not accrue vacation, sick leave or other leave benefits while receiving shared leave.
G. Employees using shared leave are not entitled to receive state of Washington retirement service credit during the period they are using shared leave hours. (Ord. 2682-03 § 3, 2003)
2.128.110 Donations.
Vacation leave shall be transferred on an hour-for-hour basis. The minimum allowable transfer of vacation leave shall be in four-hour increments. Donated hours that are not used shall be returned to the donors. (Ord. 2682-03 § 4, 2003)
2.128.120 Administration.
The human resources department will administer the program. The budget director will be responsible for determining the appropriate fund transfers and budget amendments as needed for city council action. (Ord. 2682-03 § 5, 2003)