[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township
of Morris 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 25-22.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance repealed former Ch. 15, Personnel Policies, which consisted of Art. I, General Policies, adopted 12-20-1995 by Ord. No. 51-95 (Ch. 15, Art. I, of the 1969 Code); Art. II, Defined Contribution Retirement Program, adopted 7-16-2008 by Ord. No. 23-08 (Ch. 15, Art. II, of the 1969 Code); and Art. III, Direct Deposit, adopted 7-16-2014 by Ord. No. 14-14; amended in its entirety 4-15-2015 by Ord. No. 11-15.
A.
There are hereby established in and for this municipality the following
personnel policies relating to all present and future municipal employees.
The Township Committee shall adopt an employee handbook based upon
these general personnel policies and shall amend or revise as needed.
In the event there is a conflict between these policies and any collective
negotiations agreement, personnel services contract, or federal or
state law including the Attorney General's guidelines with respect
to Township personnel matters, the terms and conditions of that contract
or law shall prevail. The Employee Handbook shall establish the policies
based upon the following:
(1)
To recruit and retain for each position the best qualified person
available within fiscal and organizational standards.
(2)
To provide for all employees the best possible direction, leadership,
supervision, guidance, instruction and working conditions.
(3)
To base promotion and job security on ability, performance, experience
and interest.
(4)
To maximize use of employee skills and abilities to ensure maximum
level of service at minimum expense to the taxpayer.
(5)
To give first consideration to qualified Township personnel for promotion.
(6)
To treat each employee with justice, respect, courtesy and consideration.
(7)
To require each employee to do the best work possible and extend
to others consideration and courtesy.
(8)
To urge the self-betterment of each employee by encouraging study
as a means of self-improvement.
(9)
To pay fair and adequate salaries for each position and in return
to expect and require consistently a good job from the employee (i.e.,
a fair day's work for a fair day's pay).
(10)
To impress each employee with the concept of responsible public service
due the citizens, taxpayers and the general public.
(11)
To inculcate and maintain in each employee a feeling of pride and
job satisfaction as each employee is an important part of the finest
community in the State of New Jersey.
B.
It is the policy of the Township of Morris that each employee shall
always be treated fairly, courteously and with respect. Conversely,
each employee shall always accord the same treatment to his fellow
municipal employees, associates, department heads and to the general
public.
C.
It is of the utmost importance that each employee of this municipality
shall always conduct himself or herself in a proper manner and in
such a way as not to reflect unfavorably upon the employee or the
Township. This provision pertains to off-duty times and hours as well
as to times and hours of employment. Each employee shall be diligent
in obeying all state and federal laws and rules, regulations and ordinances
of the Township of Morris and encourage others to do likewise. Each
employee shall be careful that his or her behavior, actions, language,
dress or conduct does not reflect to the detriment of the Township
of Morris.
D.
The Township of Morris does not discriminate based on disability,
pregnancy, pregnancy-related medical condition or childbirth. The
Township will endeavor to make every work environment handicap accessible
and all future construction and renovation of facilities will be in
accordance with applicable barrier-free federal and state regulations
and the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines,
as well as the ADA Amendments Act.[1] The Township will not discriminate against any employee
or job applicant with respect to any terms, conditions, or privileges
of employment on the basis of a known or perceived disability, pregnancy,
breastfeeding, pregnancy-related medical condition or childbirth.
The Township will also make reasonable accommodations to known physical
or mental limitations of all employees and applicants with disabilities
or pregnant employees, provided that the individual is otherwise qualified
to safely perform the essential functions of the job and also provided
that the accommodation does not impose an undue hardship on the Township.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.
E.
The Township is an equal opportunity employer. It is the Township's
policy to extend equal treatment to all individuals in employment,
compensation and other terms and conditions of employment without
regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry,
age, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, domestic partnership
status, civil union status, atypical heredity, cellular or blood trait,
genetic information, disability (including AIDS or HIV infection),
pregnancy (including pregnancy- related health condition), childbirth,
liability for service in the United States Armed Forces, gender identity
or expression and/or other protected classification under federal
or state law.
A.
The policies pertaining to vacations and holidays shall be contained
in the Township Employee Handbook and shall be revised and/or modified
as necessary following these general principles:
(1)
All employees shall be granted the following annual leave for vacation
purposes, with pay, in and for each calendar year, except as otherwise
herein provided:
|
Length of Service
|
Vacation Days
|
|---|---|
|
Completion of 6 months but less than 1 year
|
5
|
|
From 1st anniversary to 5th anniversary
|
10
|
|
From 5th anniversary to 12th anniversary
|
15
|
|
From 12th anniversary to 17th anniversary
|
20
|
|
From 17th anniversary to 22nd anniversary
|
25
|
|
After 22nd anniversary
|
30
|
(2)
All employees entering full-time employment with the Township of
Morris on and after January 1, 2012, shall be granted the following
annual leave for vacation purposes, with pay, in and for each calendar
year, except as otherwise herein provided:
|
Length of Service
|
Vacation Days
|
|---|---|
|
Completion of 6 months but less than 1 year
|
5
|
|
From 1st anniversary to 8th anniversary
|
10
|
|
From 8th anniversary to 16th anniversary
|
15
|
|
From 16th anniversary to 22nd anniversary
|
20
|
|
After the 22nd anniversary
|
25
|
B.
Where in any calendar year the vacation or any part thereof is not
granted by reason of the pressure of business, such vacation periods
or parts thereof not granted shall accumulate and shall be granted
during the next succeeding year only and is to be used within the
first nine months of the succeeding year, along with that year's vacation
allotment. Carryover vacation not taken in the first nine months of
the succeeding year shall be forfeited. No annual vacation leave shall
be taken without permission of the department head or the Township
Administrator.
C.
If any official holiday as listed in Subsection E occurs during an employee's vacation, the employee shall not be charged with use of a vacation day for the holiday.
D.
The following 13 days are designated as official holidays. In January
of each year, an annual list shall be published indicating the dates
that each holiday will be celebrated.
E.
Effect of retirement, termination or resignation of employment upon vacation. Upon resignation, retirement or termination of employment, an employee will be credited with annual vacation for only those months of the calendar year worked, on a prorated basis of vacation earned on the schedule in Subsection A for each month of actual service. An employee who has, pro rata, used more annual vacation time than entitled to at the time of termination shall have an amount equal to his/her daily rate of pay deducted from his/her final pay for each day of annual vacation taken in excess of the number to which he/she was entitled. An eligible employee will earn vacation during the last month of employment in accordance with the following schedule:
F.
No employee shall receive compensation for any accumulated vacation
time upon retirement or resignation from employment with the Township.
In the event of the death of an employee, the estate of the deceased
will be compensated for pro rated accumulated vacation leave, which
shall be the full amount of unused days for which the employee would
have been entitled during the year in with the last day of active
service is considered the day preceding the date of death.
G.
Effect of extended absence upon vacation. An employee who, during
the calendar year, returns from a continuous period of absence of
more than six months due to a disability, leave of absence or layoff
shall not be eligible for a vacation in that year until he/she has
completed six months in the performance of duty after returning from
such absence. These six months need not be continuous, but any period
of absence of eight days or more shall not be credited in computing
the required six months. Vacation is not earned during periods of
leave of absence without pay.
[Added 4-17-2024 by Ord. No. 06-24; amended 5-15-2024 by Ord. No. 08-24]
A.
Sick leave.
(1)
Findings; definitions; policy coverage.
(a)
It is recognized by the Township that employees are subject
to illness, injury, accidents and family illnesses. As such, employees
are granted a certain number of sick days to utilize in the event
of these illnesses. These days or hours are determined and granted
by the Township in good faith and as a benefit to the employee.
(b)
IMMEDIATE FAMILY
SICK LEAVE
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall
have the meanings indicated:
Shall include spouse, child, civil union partner, stepchild,
foster child, father or stepfather, mother or stepmother, father-in-law,
mother-in-law, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law,
daughter-in-law, grandmother, grandfather, grandchild, grandmother-in-law,
grandfather-in-law and step-sibling.
The absence from duty of an employee because of illness,
accident, exposure to contagious diseases and attendance upon members
of his or her immediate family because of illness requiring the care
and attendance of such employee. A certificate of a reputable physician
in attendance upon any employee or members of his or her immediate
family may be required as proof of need of a leave of absence.
(2)
Full-time non-union employees are entitled to 15 working days of
sick leave per calendar year. Union employees are entitled to sick
time as outlined in the respective collective negotiations' agreement.
(3)
Employees may use sick leave for the following purposes:
(a)
Time needed for diagnosis, care, or treatment of, or recovery
from, an employee's mental or physical illness, injury, or other
adverse health condition, or for preventive medical care for the employee;
(b)
Time needed for the employee to aid or care for a family member
of the employee during diagnosis, care, or treatment of, or recovery
from, the family member's mental or physical illness, injury,
or other adverse health condition, or during preventive medical care
for the family member;
(c)
Absence necessary due to circumstances resulting from the employee,
or a family member of the employee, being a victim of domestic or
sexual violence, if the leave is to allow the employee to obtain for
the employee or the family member: medical attention needed to recover
from physical or psychological injury or disability caused by domestic
or sexual violence; services from a designated domestic violence agency
or other victim services organization; psychological or other counseling;
relocation; or legal services, including obtaining a restraining order
or preparing for, or participating in, any civil or criminal legal
proceeding related to the domestic or sexual violence;
(d)
Time during which the employee is not able to work because of
a closure of the employee's workplace, or the school or place
of care of a child of the employee, by order of a public official
due to an epidemic or other public health emergency, or because of
the issuance by a public health authority of a determination that
the presence in the community of the employee, or a member of the
employee's family in need of care by the employee, would jeopardize
the health of others;
(4)
At the end of each calendar year, all full-time employee's unused
sick time is added to the allotment for the following year
(5)
In order for the Township to assure that this benefit is not abused,
there will be certain expectations required of the employee. To assure
compliance with this section, the Township Administrator, Human Resources
Manager, any department head or supervisor may request that an employee
provide a doctor's certificate after three consecutive workdays
of sick leave. The certificate will contain the physician's name
and address and a statement that indicates the illness, injury, etc.,
which prevented the employee from reporting for work. (In all cases
of absence on account of illness or non-work-related disability, the
Township reserves the right to have an employee examined by a licensed
physician or visiting nurse with respect to such illness or non-work-related
disability.) If the illness or non-work-related disability shall exceed
five consecutive workdays or 10 occurrences during the prior 12 months,
the employee shall provide a supporting statement from the attending
physician. The following circumstances may also require that the employee
provide a doctor's note, and the burden and any expense of acquiring
such note shall be the responsibility of the employee.
(6)
When an employee has exhausted his/her sick time and calls out sick,
this additional time will be charged to any accumulated vacation time
or other paid time off the employee may have accumulated.
B.
Sick leave reimbursement.
(1)
Effective
December 21, 2022, accumulated, unused sick leave is not reimbursed,
except to eligible employees of the Township of Morris who retire
or resign from the Township's service under honorable conditions
after 15 years of service or who die while a Township employee. The
rate of reimbursement is 40% of one day's pay, at the individual's
wage rate as of last day of employment, for up to a maximum of 250
accumulated sick days.
(2)
Eligible employees hired after December 20, 1995, shall receive a
maximum reimbursement benefit of $15,000 for accumulated, unused sick
leave.
C.
Permanent part-time employee sick leave.
(1)
All permanent part-time employees shall be entitled to use up to
40 hours of earned sick leave (ESL) in accordance with the New Jersey
Earned Sick Leave Act.[1]
(b)
Time needed by the employee in connection with a child of the
employee to attend a school-related conference, meeting, function
or other event requested or required by a school administrator, teacher,
or other professional staff member responsible for the child's
education, or to attend a meeting regarding care provided to the child
in connection with the child's health conditions or disability.
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 34:11D-1 et seq.
(2)
Morris Township start of benefit year: January; and end of benefit
year: December.
(3)
At the end of each calendar year, all permanent part-time employees'
unused sick time is added to the allotment for the following year,
for a maximum carryover of 40 hours.
D.
Personal leave.
(1)
All full-time non-union employees shall be entitled to two days of
personal leave in each calendar year.
(2)
Personal leave days may be granted only when it does not disrupt
the normal operations of the department; provided, however, that the
Township may not unreasonably withhold its consent to permit the employee
to take such personal leave time.
(3)
Personal leave days may not be used in conjunction with vacation
or other leave. Personal leave days shall not be taken on a day immediately
prior to or on the day after a vacation day or after a sick day.
(4)
A new employee must have a minimum of six months' service credit
before he/she is eligible for this benefit.
(5)
Personal leave for employees may be taken in full day or half-day
increments.
(6)
Personal leave requirements for union employees are outlined in the
respective collective negotiation agreement.
E.
Bereavement leave.
(1)
All non-union full-time employees of the Township shall be granted
bereavement leave up to three days, with pay, upon the death of a
family member. The term "family member" or "immediate family member"
is defined as follows: spouse, child, civil union partner, stepchild,
foster child, father or stepfather, mother or stepmother, father-in-law,
mother-in-law, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law,
daughter-in-law, grandmother, grandfather, grandchild, grandmother-in-law,
grandfather-in-law and step-sibling.
(2)
Prior to absence from duty, if possible, or not later than 12:00
noon of the first day of absence, an employee shall make application
for bereavement leave to the Township Administrator or Department
Head stating specifically the relationship between the deceased and
the employee and the date(s) upon which the absence is requested.
(3)
One-day of bereavement leave, with pay, is granted to the employee
to attend the funeral of an uncle, aunt, nephew, niece or cousin of
first degree of the employee or spouse of the employee. This one day
of bereavement leave may only be taken on the day of the funeral,
wake or memorial service when the event occurs on a day the employee
is regularly scheduled to work. Prior approval from the Human Resource
Manager and Department Head is required for such one-day bereavement
leave. If requested, proof must be furnished to the Department Head
as to the relationship and death of the person involved.
(4)
Bereavement leave for union employees is outlined in the respective
collective negotiation agreement.
A.
Each full-time employee shall receive a copy of the Employee Handbook
of the Township of Morris, which shall be studied and retained for
future reference. After a careful study of the policies, practices
and rules set forth therein, and in this article, the employee is
required to sign the statement signifying that he received a copy
of this article and agrees to conform. The signed statement shall
be returned to the office of the Township Administrator to be placed
in the employee's personal history file.
B.
The personnel policies, practices and rules may be added to, changed,
interpreted or eliminated whenever it appears to be in the best interest
of the Township to do so.
C.
Copies of changes, additions or deletions shall be issued to each
employee for retention with his copy of the personnel policies and
practices of the Township of Morris.
D.
A personal history file shall be established and maintained for each
employee of the Township of Morris by the Township Administrator.
(1)
Personal history files are confidential records and shall be maintained
in the office of the Township Administrator in a locked file. The
files shall be in two groups: "active," representing employees on
the payroll, and "closed," for employees no longer in the service
of the Township.
(2)
Only the Township Administrator shall have access to any or all of
the personal history files. The department heads shall examine the
files of departmental personnel only for official purposes. Any employee
may, at reasonable times, in the office of the Township Administrator,
examine his own personal history file (except employment references).
(3)
All personal history files will be carefully maintained and safeguarded
permanently. Nothing placed in any file shall be removed therefrom.
(4)
When, in the opinion of the Township Administrator, derogatory material
is placed in an employee's personal history file, the employee shall
be notified, in writing, of the action.
This article is intended to be general in character and cover
all employees and departments of the Township where there is not now
or there is not hereafter adopted a specific ordinance, separate contractual
agreements or policies in the Employee Handbook adopted by the Township
Committee covering the same subject matter. Where there is a specific
ordinance or statute, separate contractual agreements or rules and
regulations adopted by the Township Committee covering a particular
employee or department, the same shall be controlling.
All full-time employees and elected public officials who receive
compensation from the Township of Morris are mandated to have direct
deposit of their compensation.
Seasonal and temporary employees who are employed by the Township
of Morris are exempt from the direct deposit mandate.
Municipal employees may request, in writing, an exemption from
the direct deposit mandate, such request to be addressed to the Township
Administrator, who may grant an exemption for good cause.
