[Adopted as Ch. 5, Subch. I, of the 1998 Code; amended by Ord. No. 1999-12; Ord. No. 1999-45; Ord. No. 2000-24; Ord. No. 2005-10; Ord. No. 2005-16; Ord. No. 2009-6; Ord. No. 2011-19; Ord. No. 2011-21; 9-11-2019 by Res. No. 2019-16; 10-9-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-12; 11-13-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-13; 8-12-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-3]
A. 
This article shall in no way be construed as prohibiting any employee in the Sheriff's Office from seeking or becoming a candidate for a political office or otherwise engaging in political activity. Such employee shall not, however, engage in such activity during the hours when he or she is on duty, nor shall he or she engage in any political activities when not on duty to such an extent that his or her efficiency during working hours will be impaired or that he or she will be tardy or absent from work.
B. 
A temporary leave of absence, without pay, for the purpose of becoming a candidate for the office of Sheriff or other full-time public office shall be granted to any employee with permanent status who requests it. Such request shall be filed, in writing, with the Human Resources Department not later than July 15 of the election year. Such temporary leaves of absence shall be for a period of at least 14 consecutive days and not more than six months, commencing not more than six months prior to the date of the general election. If a candidate for public office who was granted a leave of absence is defeated in a primary election, he or she may apply to the Human Resources Department for termination of his or her leave of absence forthwith. The employee shall be reinstated to the position which he or she held prior to securing the leave of absence. If a candidate for public office who was granted a leave of absence is defeated in the general election, his or her leave of absence shall immediately terminate and he or she shall be reinstated to the position which he or she held prior to the leave of absence. Any employee taking a leave of absence to become a candidate for Sheriff or other full-time public office shall not thereby lose any seniority rights.
C. 
In the event an employee, while a candidate for public office, has not applied for a leave of absence, and his or her political activity becomes detrimental to the general welfare of the Office, the Sheriff may impose upon such candidate a mandatory leave of absence, without pay, consistent with this section.
D. 
Any employee of the Office who is appointed to the office of Sheriff, commencing with the election of 1970, shall have the time spent serving as Washington County Sheriff count as tenure as though such Deputy Sheriff had not been on such leave, provided that his/her tenure in the Office of Sheriff is not terminated for reasons of conduct unbecoming an officer or for improperly performing his/her duties as an officer of the law.
The Board of Supervisors shall fix the number of Deputy Sheriffs to be appointed and the salaries to be paid, but the number shall not be less than required by law.