Leaves of Absences[iry pr
M��v�oE
���r�l�i finer
Section Name:
Section Number:
Policy Number:
Page:
Subject:
Employee Relations
400
012
1 of 6
Leaves of Absence
Effective Date: November 16, 2009
Date of Revision: January 1, 2021
1. Purpose: The purpose of this policy is to establish procedures for leaves of
absences for regular non -union employees and Appointed Officials who work an
average of 25 or more hours per week.
2. Statement of Policy:
2.1 Sick Leave.
(a) Regular full-time employees accrue one day of paid sick leave per month.
Employees will be credited with their first sick leave day on their first pay date and then
will be credited with an additional day on the first pay date of each month, thereafter. In
order to be eligible for sick leave credit, an employee must be on the payroll for at least
ten (10) work days during the month in which the sick leave is credited. All paid leave
days, except sick leave days, shall be considered as days worked for accumulation of sick
leave credits. Each eligible employee will be allowed to accrue sick time up to a
maximum of seven hundred and fifty (750) hours. Any time in excess of this amount
shall be forfeited.
(b) Part-time employees who work an average of 25 or more hours per week
accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 35 hours worked. Each eligible employee will
be allowed to accrue sick time up to a maximum of forty (40) hours. Any time in excess
of this amount shall be forfeited.
(c) As used in this Section, the term "sick leave" refers to leave that can be used
for any of the following reasons: for the mental or physical illness, injury, or health
condition of themselves or a member of their family member (i.e., their children, spouse,
parents, parents -in-law, foster parents, foster children, legal wards, step children,
stepparents, siblings, grandparents, or grandchildren), including for medical diagnosis,
care, treatment, and preventative medical care (e.g., medical or dental appointments).
Sick leave may also be used for medical care, counseling, relocation, or legal appearances
relating to domestic violence or sexual assault against an employee or employee's family
member. In addition, sick leave may be used for leave caused by the closure of an
employee's place of work or the employee's child's school due to a public health
emergency, or due to a health authority's determination that the employee or family
member's presence in the community would jeopardize the health of others due to the
employee or family member's exposure to a communicable disease.
A regular employee shall be allowed one (1) hour of regular pay for each hour off
due to sick leave until the employee's sick leave credits are exhausted. The Employer
may require the employee to provide documentation from a healthcare provider for any
absence due to injury, illness, or medical care. For absences relating to domestic violence
or sexual assault, the Employer may require the employee to provide any documentation
permitted under the Paid Medical Leave Act.
(c) If the employee so elects, after all accrued sick leave is used, vacation leave
may be used upon approval of the Department Head.
(d) Each employee is required to notify his/her supervisor or his/her designee no
later than fifteen (15) minutes prior to the start of the shift if he/she will be absent or
tardy, except for extreme cases of emergency and under circumstances beyond his/her
control.
(e) A regular full-time employee who has exhausted his/her accrued sick leave
benefits but is unable to return to work due to a continuing illness or injury will be
eligible for up to twenty-six (26) weeks indemnity pay. Indemnity pay will be calculated
at forty -percent (40%) of the employee's base pay with a minimum of One Hundred Fifty
Dollars ($150.00) per week. In order to be eligible for this benefit, the individual must be
a regular full-time employee with one (1) year of service.
(f) In January of each calendar year, regular full-time employees shall receive a
sick bonus payment for one-half ('/2) of the unused portion of sick leave earned the
preceding calendar year. The remaining one-half shall be credited to the employee's sick
leave bank. The sick leave bonus payment shall be determined by using the employee's
rate of pay as of December 31. In no event shall the amount of the bonus be for more
than forty-five (45) hours pay. In order to be eligible for this payment, the individual
must be a full-time regular employee with a minimum of six (6) months of service as of
December 31. When an employee terminates his/her employment, is discharged, retires
or dies, the employee (or his/her estate) shall be entitled to a pro -rated sick leave bonus
for all unused days during his/her last calendar year of employment up to the date of
termination. Such payment shall be made payable to the employee or his/her estate at the
employee's current rate of pay at the time of termination, discharge, retirement, or death.
2.2 Long Term Disability Benefits. The City shall provide and maintain
group long-term disability benefits for full-time employees commencing on the
employee's 90th day of regular employment. Benefits shall begin on the employee's
181 st calendar day or the number of accumulated sick leave days (whichever is greater)
of disability and shall be in an amount equal to 66 2/3% of the employee's regular
monthly earnings, up to a maximum benefit of $7,000 per month. The termination date
for receiving benefits shall be the date the employee becomes eligible for Social Security
F)
Normal Age Retirement Benefits.
Disability benefits are subject to reduction by any of the following other
income benefits for which the employee may be eligible:
• Workers' Compensation Disability Benefits.
• Pension Disability Benefits.
• Disability Benefits under any "no-fault" automobile reparation
insurance law.
• Indemnity pay.
To qualify for long-term disability benefits as described above, each
employee must individually enroll and make proper application for such benefits at the
Human Resources Department.
Except as otherwise provided above, an employee's long-term disability
benefits plan shall terminate on the date that the employee retires, is terminated, is laid
off, the disability benefits plan terminates, or the employee goes on an unpaid leave of
absence.
The benefits hereinabove provided shall be subject in all respects to the
terms, conditions, exclusions, limitations and other provisions of the group insurance
policy between the City and its carrier.
2.3 Personai Leave. Regular full-time non -union employees who have
completed one (1) year of service shall be eligible for five (5) personal leave days off,
with pay, each calendar year. (Employees who have completed one (1) year of service
after January 1 shall receive prorated personal days during the first year of eligibility.)
The City Manager may approve additional personal leave for Appointed Officials in
consideration for hours worked well in excess of normal work hours. Any unused
personal leave shall be forfeited at the end of the calendar year.
Regular full-time employees with six (6) months or more of service may
also be granted an unpaid personal leave of absence for compelling reasons. Personal
leaves may be approved by the Department Head and the City Manager for an initial
period of up to thirty (30) days. Extensions may be approved for a maximum period of
an additional thirty (30) days at the discretion of the Department Head and City Manager.
Applications for personal leave shall be filed in writing with the Department Head and
the Human Resources Director and shall provide a detailed explanation of the reason for
the leave. Where possible, leave requests must be submitted not less than thirty (30) days
prior to the desired commencement date of the leave, or any extensions of the leave. In
all events, applications must be received prior to the commencement of a leave or the
expiration of the original leave. Employees granted a personal leave shall be subject to
the following provisions:
3
(a) The employee may be required to submit to a physical and/or mental
examination at the conclusion of the leave.
(c) The employee must keep the Department Head informed of any change in
status or any change in the conditions which caused the request for the
leave.
(d) The employee must not engage in any gainful employment during such a
leave.
(e) Vacation time, holiday pay, sick leave, longevity pay, length of service
credit for retirement or compensation purposes, and other employee
benefits shall not accumulate or be paid during a leave of absence, except
that all City paid insurance's will be paid for a maximum of thirty (30)
calendar days. The employee's benefit status shall be frozen as of the date
the leave commences and those benefits shall be reinstated upon the
employee's return to work following termination of the leave. However,
employees desiring to continue their health care benefits, dental and/or life
insurance coverage may do so at their own expense if the leave is granted
for a period exceeding thirty (30) days. Time spent on personal leave shall
not be included in an employee's length of service for pay grade increases.
2.4 Military Leave. Regular full-time employees who enter the armed forces
of the United States while employed by the City shall be given all benefits accorded them
by applicable state and federal law.
2.5 Bereavement Leave. A regular full-time employee may be granted a
bereavement leave of absence, with pay, for a death in the immediate family.
The maximum duration of such bereavement leave shall be thirty-seven and one-
half (37.5) hours for the death of the employee's spouse, child, or stepchild; twenty-two
and one-half (22.5) hours for the death of the employee's parent, brother, sister,
stepparent, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandparent or grandchild; seven and one-half
(7.5) hours for the death of the spouse's grandparent or spouse's brother or sister.
Should a death in his immediate family occur while an employee is on a
scheduled vacation leave, he shall be eligible to receive these benefits provided he
notifies the Employer prior to the date of the funeral.
2.6 Jury D14y Leave. If a regular full-time employee is summoned and
reports for jury duty, such employee shall be granted time off without loss of pay or
benefits. Any jury duty fee received by the employee shall be submitted to the City.
2.7 Court Leave. A regular full-time employee subpoenaed as a witness to
testify in connection with any matters arising out of his employment shall be granted time
C!
off for such testimony without loss of pay or benefits status. Any witness fees received
by the employee resulting from this leave shall be submitted to the City.
2.8. Duty Disability Leave. Regular full-time non -union employees and
Appointed Officials who have completed one (1) year of service shall be eligible for duty
disability. The terms and conditions governing such leaves shall as follows.
A "duty disability leave" shall mean a leave required as a result of the regular
full-time employee incurring an illness or injury while in the employ of the Employer that
is compensable under the Michigan Workers' Disability Compensation Act ("MWDCA").
In order to be eligible for duty disability leave, an employee shall immediately
report any illness or injury to his/her immediate supervisor and take such first -aid
treatment as may be recommended, or waive such first -aid in writing.
Regular full-time employees on duty disability leave shall accrue all fringe
benefits in the same manner as other employees for the first twelve (12) months
on duty disability leave. Benefits will not be accrued or continued after the first
twelve (12) months. Employees may elect to continue insurance coverage at their
own expense on an individual basis after twelve (12) months, subject to the
provisions of the respective insurance contracts and, if applicable, COBRA. The
Human Resources Department will establish the policy for the collection of
employee payments.
All regular full-time employees who are unable to work as a result of an illness or
injury sustained in the course of employment with the Employer shall continue to
receive their regular pay for the working days falling within the first seven (7)
calendar days of disability. Employee's sick leave will not be charged for this
time. (Note: After fourteen (14) days continuous absence, MWDCA will
reimburse the employee at the standard workers' compensation rate for the first
week's absence previously paid by the Employer. The employee shall
immediately reimburse the Employer upon receipt of such payment.)
After seven (7) calendar days, payment shall be governed by the regulations of the
MWDCA. In addition, for the first twelve (12) months of duty disability leave, an
employee shall be paid bi-weekly the difference between the payment received
under the MWDCA and his normal bi-weekly pay. Thereafter, if the employee
has sufficient accrued sick leave, he/she will be paid bi-weekly the difference
between the payment received under the MWDCA and his normal bi-weekly pay.
Such supplemental payment shall not exceed the employee's accrued sick leave
benefits.
A regular full-time employee who is continuing to work and being treated for a
duty disability injury may be treated for such injury during regular working hours
and will be compensated at his/her regular rate of pay. He/she shall report
promptly to work once the appointment is completed.
5
If the Employer offers "favored work" to an individual on duty disability which
the employee is capable of performing, the employee shall report as directed or
forfeit all supplemental compensation and sick leave benefits provided by the
Employer under this Section and such other benefits as may be terminated in
accordance with the provisions of the MWDCA.
3. Definitions: None.
4. Application: This policy shall apply to all regular non -union employees and
Appointed Officials of the City of Monroe who work an average of 25 hours or
more per week, unless modified by an employment agreement and/or the written
terms of appointment.
5. Responsibility: The Human Resources Director will have the responsibility of
implementing and overseeing this policy.
6. Administrative Procedure: None.
7. Legislative History of Authority for Creation or Revision:
Adopted pursuant to action of the Monroe City Council, dated November
16, 2009.
Revised pursuant to action of the Monroe City Council, dated March 18,
2019.
Revised pursuant to action of the Monroe City Council, dated December
7, 2020 and made effective January 1, 2021.
0