[CC 1974 §23.005; Ord. No. 4049 §1, 7-3-2000; Ord. No. 4385 §§1 — 2, 1-17-2006]
No person shall be hired by the City of Dexter as a full-time employee (which for the purposes of this Section shall be deemed a person employed at least thirty (30) hours per week for at least thirty (30) weeks in any calendar year) who is an immediate family member of a current City department head or any elected official of the City. "Immediate family" is defined as wife, husband, mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, uncle, aunt and first (1st) cousins. Immediate family members shall not work within the same City department. The provisions of this Section shall not affect any person who was a full-time employee of the City as of July 3, 2000.
[CC 1974 §23.010; Ord. No. 3970 §1, 1-19-1999]
Each employee receiving an appointment or a promotion to a position in the service of the City must serve a probationary period of ninety (90) days, except in the case of a probationary Police Officer who must serve a period of three hundred sixty five (365) days before his/her appointment shall be considered permanent. During the employee's probationary period, the employee's work habits, abilities, attitude, promptness and other pertinent characteristics will be observed and evaluated by his/her supervisor, department head or other appropriate City Officials. If the probationary employee fails to meet required standards of performance, he/she is to be dismissed or if he/she is a promoted regular employee, he/she may be restored to the position from which he/she was promoted or to a comparable position. During the probationary period, the employee is not eligible for employee fringe benefits, such as sick leave and vacation, but will earn credit for those to be taken at a later date. Wages for designated holidays falling within the probationary period will be paid to probationary employees.
[CC 1974 §23.020]
If at any time during the probationary period the supervisor determines that the services of a City employee have been unsatisfactory, the employee may be separated from his/her position without the right of appeal or a hearing.
[CC 1974 §23.030]
At the end of an employee's probationary period, if there is reason to believe that the employee may develop the ability to perform satisfactorily by an extension of the probation period, the department head may grant an extension not to exceed sixty (60) days.
[CC 1974 §23.050]
The minimum age for employment as a probationary employee shall be eighteen (18) years of age. The Mayor or City Administrator may waive these requirements in writing. The minimum age for employment of seasonal employees shall be sixteen (16) years of age.
[CC 1974 §23.070]
All vacancies occurring in the service of the City shall, whenever possible, be filled by promotion of a qualified employee within the City service. However, the Mayor or City Administrator may authorize the recruitment of applicants from outside the City service whenever he/she has reason to believe that better qualified applicants are available than within the City service. Promotion within the City service shall be based on the qualifications and seniority of the person being appointed. Usually, the first (1st) consideration in filling of vacancies will be given to the most qualified senior applicant in the department in which the vacancy exists. Next, consideration will be given to the most qualified senior applicant from outside the department. If no acceptable applicant is found within the City service, the vacancy will be filled from outside the City service. The criteria used in the selection of the most qualified senior applicant shall be based upon experience, performance and evaluation.
[CC 1974 §23.090]
City employees shall not be appointed or retained on the basis of their political activity. City employees shall not be coerced to take part in political campaigns, to solicit votes, to levy, contribute or solicit funds or support for the purpose of supporting or opposing the appointment or election of candidates for any municipal office.
[CC 1974 §23.100]
No City employee shall actively advocate or oppose the candidacy of any individual for nomination or election to any municipal office, but an employee may participate in political affairs at other levels of government, provided such participation does not adversely affect his/her performance as a City employee. Employees are expected to exercise their right to vote in municipal elections but shall not engage in or participate in any other way in any municipal election.
[CC 1974 §23.110]
No full-time employee of the City shall accept outside employment, whether part-time, temporary or permanent, without prior written approval from the Mayor or City Administrator. Each change in outside employment shall require separate approval. Approval shall not be granted when such outside employment conflicts or interferes or is likely to conflict or interfere with the employee's municipal service.
[CC 1974 §23.120]
It shall be the duty of each employee to maintain high standards of conduct, cooperation, efficiency and economy in their work for the City. Whenever work habits, attitude, production or personal conduct of any employee falls below a desirable standard, supervisors should point out the deficiencies at the time they are observed. Corrections and suggestions should be presented in a constructive and helpful manner in an effort to elicit the cooperation and good will of the employee. Whenever possible, oral or written warnings with sufficient time for improvement shall precede formal discipline.
[CC 1974 §23.130]
A. 
The standard workweek for employees other than department heads shall be five (5) days or a total of forty (40) hours per week. Department heads and supervisors should work those hours necessary to assure the satisfactory performance of their departments but not less than forty (40) hours per week. The department head or supervisor shall not be entitled to overtime pay under the provisions of this Section.
1. 
The department head or supervisor shall assign to each employee regular work duties and responsibilities which can normally be accomplished within the established workday and workweek. However, occasionally some overtime work may be necessary for proper performance of work duties and responsibilities.
2. 
When regular permanent employees are required to work extra or prolonged shifts, the employee shall be paid overtime pay which shall be one and one-half (1½) times the employee's regular pay scale.
3. 
An employee who has left his/her normal place of work for his/her home and is called back for overtime work shall be paid for overtime in accordance with the Subsection above.
4. 
Temporary or probationary employees shall be entitled to overtime pay as provided in Subsection (2) above.
[CC 1974 §23.140; Ord. No. 3757 §1, 6-5-1995; Ord. No. 3883 §1(23.180), 6-16-1997]
A. 
All regular and entry-level employees of the City shall receive normal compensation for the holidays listed below and any other days or part of days during which the public offices of the City shall be closed by special proclamation of the Mayor or City Administrator with approval of the Board. All regular part-time employees shall receive compensation in proportion to the average number of hours normally scheduled to work. Probationary employees shall be considered for purposes of this Section to be regular employees. Holidays to be observed are:
New Year's Day
January first (1st)
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Third (3rd) Monday in January
Presidents' Day
Third (3rd) Monday in February
Memorial Day
Last Monday in May
Independence Day
July fourth (4th)
Labor Day
First (1st) Monday in September
Veterans Day
November eleventh (11th)
Thanksgiving Holiday
Fourth (4th) Thursday and Friday in November
Christmas Eve Afternoon
December twenty-fourth (24th)
Christmas Day
December twenty-fifth (25th)
B. 
It shall be the policy of the City to insure that all regular employees enjoy the same number of holidays each year. The standard shall be the number of holidays in a particular year which will be celebrated by employees working a forty (40) hour week, Monday through Friday. For this group when a holiday falls on Sunday, the following Monday shall be observed as the holiday. When a holiday falls on Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be observed as the holiday. For regular employees whose workweek is other than Monday through Friday, the department head shall designate the workday that shall be observed.
1. 
An employee absent without authorized leave on the day preceding and/or the day following a holiday shall not receive regular compensation for the holiday.
2. 
Any regular employee in the City service who shall be required to perform work or render services on a regularly scheduled holiday shall be compensated at the rate of one and one-half (1½) his/her regular compensation for his/her service on the regularly scheduled holiday.
[Ord. No. 3884 §1(23.181), 6-16-1997]
Upon completion of a minimum of a one-year full-time employment, all regular full-time employees of the City shall be entitled to one (1) day off per calendar year for either personal day or birthday, as approved by the Mayor or City Administrator and/or employee's supervisor, and shall receive normal compensation for such day.
[Ord. No. 3944 §1(23.182), 7-20-1998]
Upon completion of a minimum of one (1) year full-time employment, all regular full-time employees of the City shall be entitled to one (1) day off per year if such employee is accident-free for the prior calendar year, as approved by the Mayor or City Administrator and/or employee's supervisor, and shall receive normal compensation for such day.
[CC 1974 §23.150; Ord. No. 2912 §2, 7-1-1977; Ord. No. 3661 §1(23.190), 8-2-1993; Ord. No. 4322 §1, 1-18-2005; Ord. No. 4406 §§1 — 2, 6-19-2006]
A. 
Every employee in the City service holding a permanent status position and having occupied such position for a period of twelve (12) consecutive calendar months shall be allowed annual vacation leave with pay. Vacation leave shall be granted on the basis of the number of regularly scheduled hours in the standard work or duty week to which the employee is assigned at the time of his/her vacation. Employees with one (1) but less than ten (10) years of continuous service with the City shall be allowed vacation leave at the rate of two (2) times the number of hours in their standard work or duty week. Employees with ten (10) or more years of continuous service shall be allowed vacation leave at the rate of three (3) times the number of hours in their standard work or duty week. Employees with twenty (20) or more years of continuous service shall be allowed vacation leave at the rate of four (4) times the number of hours in a standard work or duty week. Any fractional day of vacation accrual shall be rounded to the next higher full work or duty day.
1. 
Vacation leave shall be taken during the year following its accumulation. An employee may accumulate vacation time for the year in which he/she is working when he/she resigns, retires, etc.
a. 
Those employees who would be eligible for one (1) week of vacation if they continued their employment shall accumulate four and two-tenths (4.2) hours for every month they work during the year in which their employment is terminated (which equals one (1) week for twelve (12) months or forty (40) hours).
b. 
Those employees who would be eligible for two (2) weeks of vacation if they continued their employment shall accumulate six and seven-tenths (6.7) hours for every month they work during the year in which their employment is terminated (which equals two (2) weeks for twelve (12) months or eighty (80) hours).
c. 
Those employees who would be eligible for three (3) weeks of vacation if they continued their employment shall accumulate ten (10) hours for every month they work during the year in which their employment is terminated (which equals three (3) weeks for twelve (12) months or one hundred twenty (120) hours).
d. 
Those employees who would be eligible for four (4) weeks of vacation if they continued their employment shall accumulate thirteen and four-tenths (13.4) hours for every month they work during the year in which their employment is terminated (which equals four (4) weeks for twelve (12) months or one hundred sixty (160) hours).
2. 
Vacation leave credit may not be carried from one year to the next.
3. 
Vacation leave must be taken in blocks of five (5) days each. Exceptions may be granted with the written consent of the Mayor or City Administrator.
4. 
Absence on account of sickness, injury or disability in excess of that hereinafter authorized for such purposes may, at the request of the employee and within the discretion of the department head, be charged against vacation leave allowance.
5. 
Records of vacation leave allowance and use shall be kept by the person responsible for the employee's payroll payment. Vacation leave scheduled shall be in regard to the seniority of employees, to accordance with operating requirements and, insofar as possible, with the requests of the employees.
6. 
When a regularly scheduled holiday occurs during the period of an employee's vacation, an additional day of vacation shall be granted.
7. 
An employee who desires may sell back to the City one (1) week of vacation per year during the year following its accumulation with the written approval of the Mayor or City Administrator.
[CC 1974 §23.160; Ord. No. 4124 §1(23.200), 8-20-2001]
A. 
All full-time City employees shall earn sick leave with full pay at the rate of one (1) workday for each calendar month of service. Sick leave shall accrue from the date of employment but shall not be taken until the successful completion of the ninety (90) day probationary period except with the written permission of the Mayor or City Administrator. Sick leave may never be taken in advance of earning the time. Sick leave may be accumulated up to thirty-one (31) days.
1. 
Sick leave may be taken only for the following reasons: personal illness, pregnancy, non-occupational injury, exposure to contagious disease that might jeopardize the health of others or illness in the immediate family. For the purpose of this Section, "immediate family" shall be defined as the employee's spouse, children, mother, father, sister, brother, grandmother, grandfather or any persons having the same relationship with the employee's spouse. Sick leave for situations other than stated above may be approved at the Mayor's or City Administrator's discretion.
2. 
The employee is required to notify the appropriate supervisor before taking sick leave and provide reasonable verification during illness. An employee who is aware that sick leave will be required in the near future shall notify the appropriate supervisor as soon as possible.
3. 
Employees that miss in excess of three (3) days will be required to submit a doctor's excuse. If less than three (3) days, the employee may have to sign a form verifying the type of sickness that the employee or family member had in order to guarantee payment for time off the job.
4. 
Improper use of sick days may result in discharge or other disciplinary action.
[CC 1974 §23.170]
On recommendation of an employee's supervisor or department head, and upon the written order of the Mayor or City Administrator, an employee may be granted maternity or paternity leave without pay for a period not to exceed three (3) months. This leave shall be extended to adoptive parents and stepparents as provided by State law.
[CC 1974 §23.180; Ord. No. 4218 §§1 — 2, 2-18-2003]
A. 
Any permanent employee enlisting or inducted into the armed forces of the United States or who as a member of a reserve or National Guard unit is called to active duty in the armed forces and who satisfactorily completes such service and makes application for re-employment within ninety (90) days of release from active duty shall be returned to City employment in a position of like pay, seniority or status to the position the employee left. The employee shall be entitled to the same pay, status and seniority the employee would have had if the employee continued employment, except that the employee shall not accrue vacation, holiday or sick leaves during the period the employee is absent from City employment. The employee shall not be eligible for automatic reinstatement under this Section if he/she re-enlists in other than a reserve component of the armed forces after the end of his/her first (1st) enlistment.
B. 
Any employee who is a member of a military reserve or National Guard unit shall be entitled to leave without loss of time, pay or regular leave or any other benefits for all periods of military services in the service of the State at the call of the Governor and as ordered by the Adjutant General without regard to length of time and for military services in the services of the United States for a period not to exceed a total of one hundred twenty (120) hours in any fiscal year. Employees shall be entitled to full compensation (based on an hourly daily rate of eight (8) hours, not exceeding forty (40) hours in a week; and excluding overtime) for what would otherwise be normally assigned workdays during the one hundred twenty (120) hours of military assignment. All employees must present orders to their supervisors in order to obtain this leave.
C. 
Any employee who is a member of a military reserve or National Guard unit who receives training in excess of fifteen (15) calendar days and not at the call of the Governor and in the service of the State as set out above shall be entitled to leave without pay for the duration of the training. If, however, the employee must go on active duty in the United States armed forces to receive such training, the employee shall not be entitled to leave without pay but rather to re-employment as set out above. While on military leave without pay, the employee shall not be covered by the City's medical benefits and may only continue family medical benefits by paying the appropriate premiums.
[CC 1974 §23.190]
The Mayor or City Administrator, with the consent of the Board of Aldermen, may authorize special leaves of absences, with or without pay, for any period not to exceed six (6) calendar months in any one (1) calendar year for attendance at a school or university for the purpose of training in subjects relating to the work of the employee and which will benefit the employee and the City service. The City may share in up to one hundred percent (100%) of the tuition costs if the course is completed successfully. However, if the City shares in the cost, the employee must remain in the City service for one (1) month for each hour of course credit after completion of the course. If the employee fails in this obligation, the City's portion of the tuition will be deducted from the employee's last paycheck. In the event that the course is not based on credit hours, the employee's required length of stay after completion of the course should be determined by the employee and the Mayor or City Administrator before the course begins.
[CC 1974 §23.200]
An employee may be granted three (3) working days leave as needed in the event of the death of his/her spouse, child, mother, father, sister, brother, mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandmother, grandfather or an other close relative. Such leave shall not be deducted from either sick leave or vacation leave. An employee shall be compensated for the funeral leave at his/her regular rate of pay.
[CC 1974 §23.210]
An employee may be granted leave with pay when required to be absent from work for jury duty or as a trial witness. Compensation shall be paid an employee for this time away from work at his/her regular rate of pay.
[CC 1974 §23.220]
A. 
A permanent (full- or part-time) employee who is temporarily disabled in the line of duty shall receive pay equal to the difference between the amount received from Workers' Compensation benefits and his/her normal salary amount for the period of his/her disability without charge against his/her vacation leave, but to be charged against his/her sick leave, subject to the following conditions:
1. 
Provided that the disability resulted from an injury or illness sustained directly in the performance of the employee's work as provided in the State Workers' Compensation Act.
2. 
If incapacitated for his/her regular assignment, the employee may be given other duties with the City Government for the period of recuperation. Unwillingness to accept such an assignment as directed by his/her departure head or supervisor will make the employee ineligible for disability leave during the time involved.
3. 
A physician selected or approved by the City shall determine the physical ability of the employee to continue working or to return to work.
4. 
Disability leave shall not exceed sixty (60) working days for any one (1) injury.
[CC 1974 §23.230; Ord. No. 4616 §1, 8-16-2010]
Each eligible employee shall be a member of the Missouri Local Government Employees Retirement System.
[CC 1974 §23.240]
The City hereby elects to accept the provisions of the State Workers' Compensation Law as set forth in Chapter 287, RSMo. The City is authorized to carry Workers' Compensation insurance on all employees and officers of the City covered by the State Workers' Compensation Law.