A. 
Paid holidays. The City Council shall schedule 92 hours of holiday leave per year to be designated annually by administrative regulation.
B. 
Observance. All regular status employees shall be afforded holiday leave as listed in § 66-51A, with the exception of employees who work in departments where continuous operation is necessary to provide adequate service to the public in which case holiday leave policies as stated in § 66-31C will apply.
C. 
Holiday falling during periods of vacation or sick leave. Holidays which occur during an employee's absence due to vacation or sickness shall not be counted as vacation or sick leave but, instead shall be considered as holiday leave.
[Amended 4-20-2011 by Ord. No. 11-08; 7-15-2020 by Ord. No. 20-04]
A. 
Vacation leave shall be granted to regular employees according to the following guidelines:
(1) 
Regular full-time-status employees with one to 60 months of service (one to five years) shall accumulate eight hours of vacation leave per month.
(2) 
Regular full-time-status employees with 61 to 180 months of service (five to 15 years) shall accumulate 10 hours of vacation leave per month.
(3) 
Regular full-time-status employees with 181 months and over of service (15 years or more) shall accumulate 12 hours of vacation leave per month.
B. 
Department directors shall accumulate 12 hours of vacation leave per month equal to 18 working days per year regardless of seniority. Department directors shall be allowed to accumulate up to 312 hours of vacation leave equal to 39 regular working days. At no time will a department director accumulate more than 312 hours of vacation leave.
C. 
Scheduling. Vacation leave shall be taken in increments, but the employee may only take vacation leave if it has been accumulated. The department director or designee thereof shall schedule, at their sole discretion, vacation leave for all regular-status employees upon the request of the employee once each calendar year, if the employee has accumulated 40 hours or more of vacation leave. No employee shall be granted more than 20 days or 160 hours of vacation leave within a twelve-month period. Employees planning to utilize vacation leave shall give written notice of said leave, within a reasonable period of time, but no less than five working days prior to taking vacation.
D. 
Pay for unused vacation leave upon termination.
(1) 
Regular full-time-status employees. Any vacation leave accumulated but not taken at the time of employment termination shall be paid in full, not to exceed 240 hours.
(2) 
Department directors. Any vacation leave accumulated but not taken at the time of employment termination shall be paid in full, not to exceed 312 hours.
(3) 
The separation form must be signed by all appropriate parties prior to the payment of unused vacation leave.
E. 
Regular-status employees shall be allowed to accumulate up to 240 hours of vacation leave, equal to 30 regular working days. At no time shall the employee accumulate more than 240 hours of vacation leave.
F. 
Vacation leave is not accumulated for periods during the time an employee does not work due to suspension without pay, administrative leave without pay, or any other such leave identified to be without pay.
G. 
Vacation leave upon retirement. An employee who has accumulated vacation leave at the time of their retirement shall have their leave paid out in a lump sum, in accordance with § 66-52D, by the City based upon availability of funds. This section applies retroactively to employees retiring after July 1, 2010.
[Amended 3-21-2007 by Ord. No. 06-19]
A. 
Purpose. Paid sick leave absence from work may be authorized for the following purposes and under the following conditions only:
(1) 
A regular full-time employee, and to include exempt employees, may request and the City may approve accrued sick leave for sickness, illness, injury, medical treatment, dental appointment, or hospitalization of the employee in situations not compensated for under a disability or workers' compensation program. Sick leave may also be approved for sickness, illness, injury, medical treatment, dental appointment, or hospitalization of a member of the employee's immediate family living in the same household. Sick leave for immediate family will be limited to a maximum of three days per occurrence. "Immediate family," for the purpose of this subsection, shall be defined as parents, grandparents, spouse, or children. Sick leave may also be approved for the death of an immediate family member. Death in the immediate family is addressed in the bereavement leave section of the administrative directives.
(2) 
Sick leave is subject to the review, approval, and investigation as deemed appropriate by the immediate supervisor and/or the director.
(3) 
If a pattern of sick leave usage, such as the usage of sick leave on the day before or the day after the employee's days off or a holiday, can be established, the supervisor and/or the director may deny pay for such leave. Such pattern of sick leave usage/abuse may be cause for disciplinary action.
B. 
Procedure.
(1) 
An employee must notify his/her supervisor prior to the beginning of the work day if the employee is requesting the use of sick leave. If an employee is absent for three or more consecutive days on sick leave, the employee shall provide the department director a physician's statement and a return to work notice prior to the department director allowing the employee to return to work. A department director may require a physician's statement and a return to work notice when sick leave is utilized for a period of less than three consecutive days if the director suspects abuse. If the employee cannot provide the requested physician's statement, the employee shall not receive compensation for the absence and may be subject to disciplinary action.
(2) 
No other form of paid leave for the absence shall be approved if the employee cannot provide a physician's statement and a return to work notice. The absence in this situation shall be charged to unauthorized leave without pay.
C. 
Authorization. Paid sick leave absence shall be authorized only if the employee has accrued the requisite hours to cover the absence and the physician's statement has been provided by the employee, if required. If the employee has not accrued sufficient hours of sick leave and there is no question regarding the legitimacy of the request for sick leave, leave without pay may be approved and shall be considered a period of temporary disability leave.
D. 
Accrual.
(1) 
Sick leave is not accrued for time that an employee does not work due to suspension without pay, administrative leave without pay, or any other such leave identified to be without pay.
(2) 
Regular full-time employees and department directors accrue eight hours of sick leave per month.
E. 
Conversion of sick leave.
(1) 
Conversion of sick leave to vacation. This conversion requires the recommendation of the director and the approval of the City Manager. The employee may convert accrued sick leave over 200 hours to vacation at the rate of two hours of sick leave for one hour of vacation. Such converted vacation hours must be used within three weeks from the date the request for conversion is approved. A maximum of 80 hours of sick leave per calendar year may be converted to vacation leave. The converted sick leave to vacation leave may not be converted to cash.
(2) 
Conversion of sick leave to pay. This conversion is subject to the approval of the City Manager. An employee with over 200 hours of sick leave accrued may, during the months of July and December of each year, sell back accrued sick leave over 200 hours at a rate of two hours of sick leave for one hour of pay. The amount that may be converted is subject to the available funds budgeted for this purpose for the year by the City Council and as provided for in administrative directive. No request for conversion will be honored after an employee has been terminated or has submitted a letter of resignation. Any amount of sick leave that is sold back by the employee, under this policy, within 12 months of separation of employment, other than at retirement, shall be reimbursed to the City.
(3) 
Documentation of sick leave accrual as of April 4, 2007. On April 4, 2007 the City shall prepare a document memorializing the sick leave accrual of all regular full-time employees as of that day. A copy of the document shall be placed in each employee's personnel file and a copy will be provided to the employee. This document will serve as the basis for determining the level of sick leave conversion at the time of retirement from the City of Las Vegas for each regular full-time employee employed by the City on April 4, 2007.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
(4) 
Conversion of sick leave at time of retirement for employees with 600 hours of accrual or less as of April 4, 2007, and for employees hired after April 4, 2007. Employees with 600 hours or less of sick leave accrual on April 4, 2007, and employees hired after April 4, 2007, shall be eligible for conversion of up to 600 hours of accrued sick leave to early retirement leave. The conversion shall be at the rate of one hour of sick leave for one hour of early retirement leave. The official date of retirement shall be documented in writing and signed by the employee prior to the conversion. These employees may chose to sell back up to 600 hours of accrued sick leave at retirement, in lieu of conversion to early retirement leave. The conversion shall be at the rate of two hours of sick leave for one hour of pay. The choice is conversion to early retirement leave or sell back.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
(5) 
Employees with over 600 hours of sick leave accrual on April 4, 2007, shall be eligible for conversion of sick leave to early retirement leave up to the amount of accrual documented on April 4, 2007. The conversion shall occur at the time of retirement and shall be at the rate of one hour of sick leave for one hour of early retirement leave. The official date of retirement from the City shall be documented in writing and signed by the employee prior to the conversion. These employees may chose to sell back accrued sick leave at retirement, in lieu of conversion to early retirement leave up to an amount equal to the eligibility for conversion to early retirement leave. The conversion shall be at the rate of two hours of sick leave for one hour of pay. The choice is conversion to early retirement leave or sell back.[3]
[3]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
(6) 
The sell-back and buy-back provisions of this policy are subject to the availability of funds as budgeted for the year by the City Council.
(7) 
Employees on early retirement leave are not eligible for any accrual of leave, any increase in pay, or any other form of compensation other than pay for the converted leave at the employee's regular hourly rate. This in no way effects the City's continued contribution to PERA or insurances during early retirement leave. The City will continue to contribute to the early retiree's PERA insurances until the leave is exhausted.
F. 
Sick leave upon separation of employment other than retirement. Accrued sick leave shall be forfeited upon employee's separation of employment from the City of Las Vegas.
G. 
Donation of sick leave. Donation of sick leave to another person is prohibited.
H. 
The City shall establish a sick leave contingency fund to be appropriated and used for no other purpose than to pay for early retirement leave.
Each employee shall be granted eight hours per year to be used as personal leave for any reason. The entire eight hours must be used at one time. Personal leave must be used before the last payroll ending in December of each year. If not used during the calendar year, said leave will not be carried into the next calendar year and will be forfeited. Personal leave applies only to regular status employees who have completed their appraisal period.
A. 
Injury leave shall be granted to any regular status employee who sustains an injury as a result of or in the course of the performance of his or her job. Injury leave is intended to cover the initial waiting period of seven working days under the State's Workers' Compensation Act.[1] Only one period of injury leave shall be paid for any occurrence resulting in injury to an employee.
[1]
Editor's Note: See NMSA 1978, § 52-1-1 et seq.
B. 
Reporting. Any employee injured on the job shall immediately report the injury to his or her supervisor, who shall then report the injury to the Human Resource Department. An employer's first report of injury or illness form, known as the "E-1-2 Form," shall be completed and submitted no later than 48 hours of the injury to the Risk Management Clerk within 48 hours of the injury.
(1) 
If medical attention is required, the injured employee shall immediately report to the City's designated treatment facility for initial treatment. The injured employee will identify himself/herself as an employee of the City of Las Vegas and that the injury is work related and initial treatment of the injury will be provided.
(2) 
After initial treatment, the treatment facility will contact the City's Risk Management Clerk to report status of injury and whether the employee will be able to return to work. Medical reports will be provided to the New Mexico Self Insurer's Fund and to the Human Resource Department as soon as practicable.
(3) 
The designated attending physician will, if necessary, and only after approval by the New Mexico Self Insurer's Fund, refer the injured employee to a physician recommended or referred by the designated attending physician. [Physician(s) on the authorized referral list are physicians who specialize in a particular area of medicine which is required for treatment of the particular injury.]
(4) 
New Mexico Self Insurer's Fund will make the necessary arrangements for doctor appointments, travel and accommodations, if needed. At all times, the City Safety Office and the Human Resource Department will keep in constant communication with the Self Insurer's Fund, designated treatment facility, and the designated treating physician(s) on any and all matters pertaining to the injured worker.
C. 
After the seventh consecutive calendar day of injury leave, the employee must determine whether he/she will:
(1) 
Use his or her accrued leave, i.e., sick leave or vacation leave at 100% of his or her regular salary. In this case benefits, i.e., PERA, health insurance, and leave accruals, will continue as long as the employee is using accrued leave earned; or
(2) 
The employee wishing to take leave without pay and not use his or her accrued leave will be paid through workers' compensation at the rate of 66 2/3% of his or her regular salary. In this case benefits, i.e., PERA, health insurance, and leave accruals, will cease until such time as the employee returns to work.
D. 
Each employee sustaining a reported on-the-job injury and who, as a result of said injury, is off the job in excess of seven consecutive calendar days, must complete form WC 88-1, and authorize the City to pay them under either Subsection C(1) or (2) herein.
E. 
In no case will an employee injured on the job be allowed to return to work without a written release from his or her doctor. (Refer to Exhibit B.[2])
[2]
Editor's Note: Exhibit B is included at the end of this chapter.
The City of Las Vegas is required to provide eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a twelve-month period to care for a newborn or newly placed adopted or foster child; to care for a seriously ill child, spouse or parent; or because of the employee's own illness, pursuant to administrative regulation.
A. 
Definition. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
TEMPORARY DISABILITY LEAVE
Constitutes a period of leave without pay during which the employee shall retain his or her position and status as an employee of the City. The employee will not accumulate leave or be subsidized for or receive any benefits. However, if the employee wishes to continue his/her insurance coverage, he/she must contact the Human Resource Office to arrange to do so.
B. 
Eligibility. Employees subject to the following conditions shall be eligible for temporary disability leave. Any eligible employee wishing to take temporary disability leave must provide the department director and the Human Resource Director with a doctor's statement of the medical reason for the temporary disability leave.
(1) 
An employee who, for reasons of maternity or related medical conditions, elects to take a temporary leave of absence, is eligible for temporary disability leave. This leave will be administered in concurrence with the Family Medical Leave Act.
(2) 
An employee who has sustained a non-job-related injury or illness is eligible for temporary disability leave.
C. 
Time granted. Any employee eligible to take temporary disability leave may be granted up to a maximum of 60 calendar days of temporary disability leave.
D. 
Petition for extension. If at the end of the period of temporary disability leave the employee wishes to request an extension, the employee must petition the City Manager, who may order, at his discretion, a physical or mental examination to be performed at the City's expense by a City-designated physician to establish the fitness of the employee. The City Manager shall determine, after review of the physician's findings, whether the employee will or will not be granted an extended temporary disability leave for a period of up to 30 calendar days or be terminated from the City's employment. The City Manager shall render this decision on the basis of the medical findings and in the best interest of the City.
A. 
Jury leave shall be granted to any employee of the City when ordered by the courts to serve on jury duty.
B. 
Upon being summoned to jury duty, an employee shall immediately notify his/her supervisor of such by presenting the original, official summons or notice immediately. The summons or notice shall be attached to the employee's weekly timesheet as substantial documentation for the absence. The supervisor shall make necessary arrangements, including work schedule rearrangement, so that the employee may attend jury duty.
C. 
If an employee is dismissed by the court for the day or for any reason, and if said dismissal occurs within the employee's regularly scheduled working hours, the employee shall report to his supervisor and assume his regular work duties.
D. 
The court will compensate the City for jury leave performed by the City employee at the hourly rate established by the courts. The City shall compensate the employee his/her regular pay for regular work time served in the capacity of a juror. The City Finance Department shall receipt the court's compensation to the proper fund. (See Administrative Regulation A-91-69.[1])
[1]
Editor's Note: Administrative regulations are available from the City offices.
Municipal employees who are members of organized units of the Army or Air National Guard, Army, Air Force, Navy or Marine Reserves shall be given time off not to exceed 15 military calendar days of military leave with pay, annually. When they are ordered to active duty training with such organized units, such leave is to be in addition to other leave or vacation leave with pay to which such employee(s) is otherwise entitled to. The military calendar year begins October 1 and ends September 30.
A. 
Any leave not authorized according to the appropriate rules set forth herein shall be deemed to be an unauthorized absence without pay and may be subject to disciplinary action.
B. 
Any employee who absents himself or herself for three consecutive days without authorization shall be considered terminated from employment immediately, and employee shall be notified in writing.
A. 
The employee may request a leave of absence for a period of time not to exceed one year.
(1) 
The employee may request from his/her immediate supervisor, in writing, leave without pay, identifying the length of time and reason for leave. The department director will then forward the request to the City Manager with a recommendation.
(2) 
The City Manager will make a determination whether the leave request should be granted based on the reason for leave and recommendation from the employee's supervisor. The City Manager's decision is final.
B. 
Leave will not be granted to an employee for the purpose of accepting other employment. If, at any time, the employee is found to be employed elsewhere, this shall be cause for termination.
C. 
The City Manager may grant the leave with the understanding that the employee may return to his/her current position if the position is vacant. If the position is not vacant, the employee may be offered a different position for which he/she is qualified for. The position will be offered at the entry level pay rate established for that classification. The employee shall be required to serve an new appraisal/probationary period.
D. 
Utilization and/or payment of leave and fringe benefits during period of leave without pay or extended leave without pay.
(1) 
In the best interest of the City, and as determined by the City Manager, the utilization of, or cash payment for, any form of accumulated leave, including but not limited to holiday leave, vacation leave, sick leave, personal holiday leave, injury leave, temporary disability leave, jury leave, military leave, overtime and administrative leave, is prohibited during the period when an employee is on leave of absence or leave without pay.
(2) 
Conversion and/or donation of accumulated, sick and vacation leave, at the time an employee is on leave of absence or leave without pay, is prohibited.
(3) 
Accrual of any form of leave shall cease nor shall the employee be entitled to other fringe benefits granted by the City during the time when an employee is on leave of absence or leave without pay. However, any leave on the employee's time and attendance record at the date the employee begins leave of absence or leave without pay shall remain on the record and shall be granted to the employee upon his/her return to work.
E. 
If the employee on leave wishes to continue insurance coverage, the employee shall handle such requests through the Human Resource Office. The employee shall pay the employee's portion of the premium costs.
F. 
The City Manager may grant leave without pay, for a period not to exceed five working days, to regular status employees who require time off but do not have accumulated leave. In this case, provisions of Subsections A through E herein shall apply.
G. 
Extended leave without pay may be granted by the City Manager upon written request, to be considered on a case-by-case basis.
A. 
Purpose of administrative leave. Administrative leave is granted to department directors and supervisors who hold exempt positions who are not entitled to paid overtime. It is not intended as an hour-for-hour compensation. Granting of administrative leave is a prerogative of the City Manager to act in accordance with this policy, § 66-62.
B. 
Procedure in application. Administrative leave is not accumulated and under no circumstances will administrative leave be recorded on the weekly timesheet on an hour-for-hour basis. If the City Manager feels that an exempt employee has worked an extraordinary amount of time and the constraints of the job allow a short absence, the City Manager may approve administrative leave. Administrative leave will be limited to two consecutive days except in unusual circumstances for which the City Manager may approve additional time. When such leave is taken, a leave form indicating the hours taken shall be filled out, signed by the employee and approved by the City Manager, prior to taking leave.
C. 
Procedure upon termination. Should an exempt employee terminate his/her employment with the City of Las Vegas, there shall be no basis for a claim for administrative leave; this is because employees in exempt positions are expected to work in excess of the standard work week to complete job duties.
D. 
Prerogatives reserved. The City Manager may, on occasion, grant up to four hours of administrative leave to all employees, exempt and nonexempt. Such granting of administrative leave shall be with the approval of the Mayor. Such administrative leave shall be granted for only those employees who are scheduled to work on the day such leave is granted. For all employees, with the exception of police and fire personnel, who are not able to take the administrative leave because of their work schedule, these employees shall be allowed to take the time off within the following five-day work period. Police and fire personnel who are not able to take the administrative leave because of their work schedule, these employees shall be allowed to take the time off within the following fourteen-day work period. The time granted will not be carried over past the following five-day or fourteen-day work period. The department director will be responsible for keeping track of their employee's leave.
Upon recommendation by the City Manager and pursuant to annual policy and budgetary action by City Council, fringe benefits shall be afforded regular status employees. Such benefits shall annually be enumerated in administrative regulations and distributed to all regular status employees.
The City of Las Vegas is a member of the Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico (PERA). It is mandatory that all employees participate in this plan with the exception of seasonal employees as defined in § 66-7 herein.