Chapter 2.128
SHARED LEAVE
Sections:
Article I. Generally
2.128.055 Donation increments.
2.128.060 Monitoring of leave.
Article II. Active Military Duty
2.128.100 Eligibility conditions.
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 the administrative costs of administering the program, to come to the aid of a fellow city employee who is suffering from or has a spouse, state-registered domestic partner, or child (under the age of eighteen who resides with the employee) who is 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. 3136-09 § 1(A), 2009)
2.128.020 Conditions.
An employee may request and be approved to receive shared leave under this article if he or she meets the following eligibility criteria:
A. The employee, or the employee’s spouse, state-registered domestic partner, or child (under eighteen who resides with the employee) suffers from an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition which is of an extraordinary or severe nature and which 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. The employee has completed at least 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 defined as vacation leave, sick leave, accrued compensatory time, or floating holidays. For the purposes of this article, the use of employee sick leave accrual is allowed only in compliance with the city’s Washington Family Care 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. 3136-09 § 1(B), 2009)
2.128.030 Request for leave.
The donee employee shall submit a request for leave on a shared leave form. Such request must include appropriate medical justification and documentation of both the necessity of the leave and the time the employee can reasonably be expected to be absent due to the health 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. 3136-09 § 1(C), 2009)
2.128.040 Donation of leave.
In order for a donor employee to donate accrued vacation leave to a donee employee approved to receive the shared leave, the following conditions must be met. The donor employee must:
A. Have a total of more than ten days of accrued vacation leave;
B. 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;
C. Not reduce his or her total vacation leave in a calendar year to less than ten days as a result of the donation; and
D. Make the donation of leave voluntarily. (Ord. 3136-09 § 1(D), 2009)
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, with 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 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 a 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 regular pay status.
C. Employees using shared leave are not entitled to receive state of Washington retirement service credit during the period they are using the shared leave hours. (Ord. 3136-09 § 1(E), 2009)
2.128.055 Donation increments.
Vacation leave shall be transferred on an hour-for-hour basis. The minimum allowable transfer of vacation leave shall be in four-hour increments. (Ord. 3136-09 § 1(F), 2009)
2.128.060 Monitoring of leave.
The human resources 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. 3136-09 § 1(G), 2009)
2.128.065 Reversion.
Once vacation leave is used by the donee employee, the vacation leave shall not revert back to the original donor employee. (Ord. 3136-09 § 1(H), 2009)
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. 3136-09 § 1(I), 2009)
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)