3.65.020 Coverage, use, accrual, and other aspects of PTO.
A. Coverage and Use of PTO. Employees are required to use PTO hours for personal needs as approved by the employee’s supervisor or department head.
B. Requesting PTO. PTO must be scheduled at least 30 days in advance. For an absence due to sudden illness or other unanticipated events, employees must telephone their supervisor or a designated representative of management as soon as possible prior to the time the employee is scheduled to report for work.
1. Employees may be required to take PTO if, in the opinion of the department head, they are too ill to satisfactorily perform their duties or are a health hazard to other employees.
2. Approval of PTO for vacation and non-urgent needs will be scheduled with due consideration of other employee schedules and the needs of the city. Approval of PTO is prioritized according to date of submission and urgency.
3. Department heads will maintain a PTO schedule for employees in their sections to ensure employees are granted fair opportunity to take PTO.
4. Failure to provide proper notification or repeated absences not in compliance with the city’s PTO plan may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
C. Accrual of PTO. PTO shall not begin to accrue until the first day of the first full month following an employee’s date of hire. The accrual rate for employees who hold full-time positions is:
1. Twelve hours per month for employees with less than three years;
2. Sixteen hours per month for employees with three years and less than eight years;
3. Twenty hours per month for employees with eight years or more.
For the purposes of this subsection, the length of service of a former employee who is rehired after a period of active duty military service or after layoff shall include the period of employment before the active duty military service or layoff, respectively.
D. Pro-rated PTO. The accrual rate for employees who hold part-time positions is pro-rated as provided for in WMC 3.65.010.
E. Leave without Pay and PTO. PTO shall not accrue during any pay period in which an employee is absent without written authorization of the department head and the mayor. PTO shall accrue during any pay period in which an employee is absent with written authorization, except, no employee shall accrue PTO if they have accumulated more than 40 work hours, or seven calendar days of leave without pay within the previous 12 months. The employee must work at least one full calendar month of service without leave without pay before accrual will resume on the next available calendar month.
F. Accrual Time Begins. PTO accrues only upon completion of each month of service and does not begin to accrue until the first day of the first full month following an employee’s date of hire.
G. Probationary Period and PTO. An employee does not accrue PTO during the first three months of the probationary period for a regular full-time or regular part-time position. However, if the employee is still employed by the city at the end of the first three months of the probationary period, he or she will be credited with PTO retroactive to his or her date of hire and may begin to use his or her PTO at that point in time.
H. Length of Service in Relation to PTO. Changes in the rate of accrual because of length of service shall take effect at the beginning of the month immediately following the date upon which such longevity results in an accrual rate change.
I. Forfeiture, Carryover, Cash Out, and Maximum Accrual. Employees are encouraged to use their available PTO during each fiscal year.
1. Employees are required to use a minimum of 60 hours of PTO during each fiscal year. Any portion of the 60-hour minimum not used during the fiscal year will be forfeited unless the employee has been denied, on three separate occasions, the opportunity to use his or her PTO because of the city’s operational needs.
2. Any remaining time over the 60-hour minimum will be carried over to the next fiscal year.
3. Employees are permitted to carry over PTO hours from year to year until a maximum of 720 hours of PTO has accrued. Any accrued PTO in excess of the 720-hour maximum shall be paid out at 100 percent at the end of each fiscal year.
4. The mayor may allow an employee to receive 100 percent cash payment for their accrued PTO. Employees electing to receive cash payment for their accrued PTO shall be required to retain at least 80 hours of PTO for future use, and shall only receive payment for actual hours accrued during the designated period. The 80 hours may not be donated to others under subsection (L) of this section. Any other leave accrual types are not available for cash outs.
J. No Advances. PTO shall not be advanced. Employees must have accrued sufficient PTO to cover absences in order to receive PTO pay. Employees are responsible for saving adequate PTO to ensure their ability to attend to illnesses, appointments or other non-vacation purposes for which PTO is intended. The city will not automatically grant unpaid leave to satisfy employees’ unforeseen PTO needs.
K. Termination of Employment. Once final notice has been submitted, a resigning employee is not permitted to use any PTO during the final two weeks of work. The mayor in his or her sole discretion may elect to allow an employee to use PTO in lieu of performing services during the final two weeks of work. The employee shall be paid for the employee’s accrued and unused PTO that has not previously been forfeited or cashed out under subsection (I) of this section, at the salary rate which is being received by the employee on the last day of employment.
L. Donation of PTO to Other Employees. Employees may donate PTO to a fellow employee if approved by the mayor. Requests for permission to donate PTO shall be approved only in the most serious cases such as probability of death, lingering or incurable illness, extended recovery or some truly exceptional emergency. A donation of PTO or banked sick leave shall be deemed to run concurrently with, and shall not augment any period of unpaid leave to which the employee may otherwise be entitled.
M. Salaried Employees. A salaried employee, who has had approval from their supervisor or department head, and who is absent for one day or less will not be subject to an adjustment to their paid time off leave balance. (Ord. 15-12(AM) § 2, 2015; Ord. 14-16(AM) § 7, 2014; Ord. 13-07 § 2, 2013; Ord. 11-40 § 2, 2011; Ord. 09-44 § 9, 2009; Ord. 07-14 § 2, 2007; Ord. 05-41 § 2, 2005; Ord. 05-40(AM) § 2, 2005; Ord. 04-46(AM) § 2, 2004; Ord. 03-33(SUB)(AM) § 2, 2003)