Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCORE LEAVE History: After the employee retreat in 2019, a parallel team was created to recommend new policies for vacation, sick, and retirement bank. The objectives for the team were to meet the following criteria:  Create a simplified accrual system based on tenure.  Separate sick accrual from vacation accrual.  Recommend an alternative solution for the retirement bank that benefits more City employees.  Strive to be market competitive when compared to other cities.  The recommendation must be affordable and sustainable for budgeting and staffing. The parallel team worked extensively, calculating other alternatives, and researching and analyzing other city’s plans until the fall of 2022, when they presented a detailed alternative to the ELT. The ELT took the recommendation, completed a cost analysis, and finalized the proposed plan. The employee comment period is from July 18, 2023, until August 18, 2023. Proposed Changes for the new fiscal year. Vacation Summary:  Vacation accruals will be based on tenure according to the table below.  The maximum vacation accrual for general employees (40 hours, 7-day work period) has been increased from 160 to 200 hours. Sworn police and fire remain at 216 and 288 respectively.  No changes to the current balance in vacation banks.  Vacation hours over the maximum will expire on the employee’s anniversary. o Vacation hours will no longer roll over into sick leave banks. o Grace period extensions made by the City Manager will be limited.  No changes to the Vacation sellback policy.  There is a small group of “specials” that will be made whole so their vacation benefit is not reduced by these changes. Vacation Table: Vacation leave accrues for regular employees each pay period as outlined in the tables below. Regular part-time employees shall be pro-rated based on hours worked. Temporary employees shall not be entitled to the vacation benefit. General Employees: Vacation leave accrues based on a 40-hour, 7-day work period. Years of Service Vacation Leave annually Hours per Pay Period 0-9 years 120 hours 4.6154 hours 10-14 years 144 hours 5.5385 hours 15+ years 168 hours 6.4615 hours 200 Hours Maximum Non-Exempt Sworn Police: Vacation leave accrues based on an 84-hour, 14-day work period. Years of Service Vacation Leave annually Hours per pay period 0-9 years 126 hours 4.8462 hours 10-14 years 151.2 hours 5.8154 hours 15+ years 176.4 hours 6.7846 hours 216 Hours Maximum Fire*: Vacation Leave accrues based on a 182, 24-day work period. *(Positions not covered by CBA) Years of Service Vacation Leave annually Hours per Month 0-9 years 180 hours 15 hours 10-14 years 216 hours 18 hours 15+ years 252 hours 21 hours 288 Hours Maximum Sick Summary:  Sick Leave is retitled to Medical Leave.  All medical leave accruals will be set to a fixed amount based on the work period.  Employees accrue medical leave up to the maximum. When the maximum is reached, employees no longer earn an accrual until hours are used, and the balance falls below the maximum.  Current medical leave balances will remain intact. Employees whose current medical leave balance exceeds the new maximum will not accrue until their medical leave balance falls below the new maximum. Employees will not lose any of their current balances. Medical Medical leave accrues for regular employees each pay period as outlined in the tables below. Regular part-time employees shall be pro-rated based on hours worked. Temporary employees shall not be entitled to medical leave benefits. Generally, every employee will earn two-weeks of medical leave annually. Hours per pay period Maximum accrual of hours* General Employee 3.0769 520 40 hours per 7-day work period Non-Exempt Sworn Police 3.2307 546 84 hours per 14-day work period Fire (Positions not covered by CBA) 9.33 728 Retirement Bank  All balances in employee Retirement Banks will be frozen on September 23, 2023, the last pay period of Fiscal Year 2023.  With the start of the 2024 fiscal year, an HRA-VEBA (Health Reimbursement Arrangement – Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association) Plan will be established for employees. Except those covered under the CBA.  Each pay period the City will contribute to the HRA-VEBA for an annual amount of $900.  Over the course of the next five (5) years approximately, the city will deposit into employee HRA-VEBAs the Retirement Bank balances based on the formula (Bank balance x Employee hourly rate on September 23, 2023).  Employees will be eligible to utilize the HRA-VEBA post-separation. o Post-separation is defined as: a PERSI-eligible retirement or voluntary resignation after the vesting period. o Vesting shall be five (5) years from the plan entry date of October 1, 2023, or the employee’s most recent hire date.