§ 21-23. Annual and sick leave benefits.

(a)

For those hired prior to 7-1-1999. All city employees hired prior to July 1, 1999, shall have the following employee benefits:

(1)

Employees shall be permitted to accumulate 240 hours of annual leave, plus the accumulation for one year of service as identified in subsection (a)(6) of this section.

(2)

On July 1 of the year 2007, and for each year thereafter, the maximum annual leave carry forward shall be 240 hours.

(3)

Any employee with over 240 hours of accumulated annual leave as of July 1, 1999, shall have eight years to use the accumulated leave in excess of 240 hours or lose it.

(4)

Any employee with more than 240 hours of accumulated annual leave shall have a one-time option, at his discretion, to sell any portion of his annual leave in excess of 240 hours back to the city at 100 percent of their current hourly rate. The number of hours the employee elects to sell shall not be eligible to change. The city shall buy back annual leave hours within a three-year period beginning in fiscal year 2000. The city department of finance shall set the dates for such buy backs of excess annual leave.

(5)

After June 30, 2007, upon separation from employment, an employee shall be entitled to receive compensation for accumulated annual leave not to exceed 240 hours.

(6)

Annual leave and sick leave shall accumulate at the same rate for all city employees and shall accumulate according to the following schedule:

Year of Service	Annual and Sick Leave Working Days Accumulated
0—1 year	12 days
1—4 years	15 days
5—9 years	18 days
10—14 years	21 days
15 years and over	24 days

 

The maximum carry forward on July 1, 2007, and each year thereafter shall be 240 hours. However, for employees with 240 or fewer hours of accumulated annual leave on July 1, of 2004, the maximum carry forward shall be 240 hours.

The mayor and/or council may establish separate criteria for annual leave for any unclassified employee under their supervision. Said criteria shall not exceed 20 days of annual leave for unclassified employees with less than ten years of service, and shall not exceed 24 days of annual leave for unclassified employees with ten or more years of service.

(7)

Sick leave accumulation shall be unlimited.

(8)

After June 30, 2004, upon separation by retirement and upon the employee being eligible to receive retirement benefits, an employee shall be entitled to reimbursement of accumulated sick leave not to exceed 240 hours.

(b)

For those hired on or after 7-1-1999.

(1)

Employees shall be permitted to accumulate up to 240 hours of annual leave, plus the accrual for one year of service as identified in subsection (b)(4) of this section.

(2)

On July 1 of each year, the maximum annual leave carry forward shall not exceed 240 hours.

(3)

Upon separation of employment, an employee shall be entitled to receive compensation for accumulated annual leave not to exceed 240 hours.

(4)

Annual leave shall accumulate as follows:

Years of Service	Annual Working Days Accumulated
0—1 years	12 days
1—4 years	15 days
5—9 years	18 days
10—14 years	21 days
15 years and over	24 days

 

The mayor and/or council may establish separate criteria for any unclassified employee under their supervision. Said criteria shall not exceed twenty days of annual leave for unclassified employees with less than ten years of service, and shall not exceed 24 days of annual leave for unclassified employees with ten or more years of service.

(5)

Sick leave accumulation shall be unlimited.

(6)

Employees shall not be eligible to receive any reimbursement for sick leave upon any type of separation.

(7)

Sick leave shall accumulate at the rate of 12 days per year.

(c)

An unclassified employee, regardless of hire date, shall be entitled to compensation for all accrued annual and sick leave upon separation of employment provided that such employee is not eligible to convert such leave into retirement credit upon separation of employment.

(d)

Sale of annual leave or sick leave is prohibited except as outlined in subsections (a)(4), (5), (8), (b)(3), and (c).

(Ord. No. 2859, § 2-22(B), 1-12-1999; Ord. No. 2867, 3-9-1999; Ord. No. 2919, 11-16-1999; Ord. No. 3082, 7-23-2002; Ord. No. 3145, 8-26-2003; Ord. No. 3312, 2-14-2006)