A.
The following days and such other days as Town Council
may designate are holidays with pay for full-time regular employees:
[Amended 10-25-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-16]
|
New Year's Day
|
Election Day
| |
|
Martin Luther King Day
|
Return Day, 1/2 Day
| |
|
President's Day
|
Veteran's Day
| |
|
Good Friday
|
Thanksgiving Day
| |
|
Memorial Day
|
Day after Thanksgiving
| |
|
Independence Day
|
Christmas Eve, 1/2 Day*
| |
|
Labor Day
|
Christmas Day
| |
|
Columbus Day
| ||
|
Notes: *Christmas Eve is only recognized as
a Town holiday when Christmas Day falls on a Tuesday through Saturday.
| ||
B.
The actual date of the holiday shall be determined
annually by a resolution of the Town Council. Generally, holidays
will be observed the same day on which the state and county observe
them.
C.
When a paid holiday falls on a Saturday, a paid holiday
is granted on Friday. When a paid holiday falls on a Sunday, a paid
holiday is granted on Monday.
D.
Recognized Town holidays are subject to employee labor
agreements.
E.
Part-time regular employees working 20 hours or more
per week shall receive a half-day, four hours, with pay for each holiday
designated above. If an employee in this classification works fewer
than 20 hours, he/she is not eligible.
F.
To receive holiday pay an employee must have received
pay for his or her entire regularly scheduled work day before and
after the holiday. Employees who are receiving worker's compensation
from the Town's worker's compensation carrier are not entitled to
holiday pay.
G.
Temporary employees are not eligible for any type
of holiday pay. If they are required to work on a holiday they will
be paid at their regular hourly rate.
Regular holidays or special holidays declared
by Town Council which occur during any leave period, except extended
leave without pay or unpaid military leave, shall not be considered
as leave. Unscheduled workdays which occur during any leave period
shall not be considered as leave.
Nonexempt employees required to perform work
on regularly scheduled holidays or special holidays declared by Town
Council may be granted compensatory time off at time and one-half
(1.5) or be paid at one and one-half (1.5) times their hourly rate
for the hours actually worked in addition to any holiday pay to which
they may be entitled. Determination will be made by the employee's
department head. Compensatory time, when granted, shall be taken within
90 days from the time that it was earned.
A.
The Town provides each full-time employee a comprehensive
benefit package. A detailed listing of benefits is provided to each
employee upon accepting employment with the Town and is made available
through the Finance Department.
B.
The benefit package may be modified at the discretion
of the Town. Employees will be notified of any changes in the benefit
package.
A.
Regular full-time employees shall receive all employee
benefits provided by the Town. Probationary employees who, upon successful
completion of their probationary periods, will be regular full-time
employees shall be entitled to the same benefits as regular full-time
employees, subject to applicable eligibility provisions and time periods.
B.
Regular part-time employees may be entitled to pro-rata
vacation, holiday, sick leave and bereavement leave benefits. Probationary
part-time employees who, upon successful completion of their probationary
periods, will be regular part-time employees shall be entitled to
the same benefits as regular part-time employees, subject to applicable
eligibility provisions and time periods.
C.
Temporary employees are not eligible for benefits.
A.
Bereavement leave shall be granted to all regular
employees and probationary employees who are regularly scheduled to
work 20 hours or more per week who experience the death of a member
of the employee's immediate family. Upon request, the employee may
be granted up to three working days' leave with pay. If the funeral
is over 400 miles from the Town, the employee shall be granted up
to five working days, with pay, not charged to any leave balance,
to arrange for and/or attend the funeral service or related matters.
An employee may request additional time beyond the time provided.
The Town Manager or appropriate Town official may grant such additional
time to be charged against the employee's sick leave.
B.
"Immediate family" shall be defined as a spouse, mother,
father, mother-in-law, father-in-law, children, sister, brother, daughter-in-law,
son-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, grandparents grandparents-in-law
and grandchildren.
C.
If additional time off is necessary, it shall be taken
as sick, vacation, or unpaid leave and shall only be taken with prior
authorization by the Town Manager. Time off to attend the funeral
of others may be granted without pay, taken as vacation leave, or
made up within the same pay period.
D.
The employee must notify his/her department head/supervisor
upon making determination to take time off from work.
E.
Employees who fail to return to work on the date specified
are subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
A.
Any regular full-time or regular part-time employee
called for jury duty or as a witness on the Town's behalf shall be
allowed authorized leave with pay. A probationary employee called
will have his/her probationary period extended by the same amount
of time as required for serving on jury duty. An employee shall return
fees received from jury or witness duty to the Town, with the exception
of travel allowance provided by the court.
B.
An employee who receives notice of jury duty or witness
service must notify his/her department head/supervisor immediately
in order that arrangements may be made to cover the position. The
Town reserves the right to request that an employee who is called
for jury duty be excused if his/her absence would create a hardship
on the operational effectiveness of the department to which he/she
is assigned.
C.
Since most courts are located in Town, the employee
is expected to report to work before and after meeting court-imposed
obligations. Employees are to return to work after jury duty or court
leave if they are dismissed during their regularly scheduled workday.
If excused as a juror on any given day, the employee is expected to
contact his/her department head/supervisor and to report to work as
instructed.
D.
Time away from work on jury duty or as a witness on
the Town's behalf will not affect vacation or sick leave accruals.
E.
Employees who appear in court as the plaintiff or
defendant in any action not related to their official duties with
the Town shall not be paid for time away from work unless they elect
to use accrued vacation leave.
A.
Authority. The authority for this policy is derived
from the provisions of Public Law 93-508 dated December 3, 1974, as
amended by Public Law 94-286 dated May 14, 1976.
B.
Applicability. This policy applies to all Town employees
who are affiliated with the United States Armed Forces, National Guard
or Coast Guard.
C.
Employer's responsibilities:
(1)
The Town is obligated to release employees for service
with the Armed Forces when the employee participates in:
(2)
As limited by PL 94-286.
(3)
Military leave of absence shall result in no loss
of seniority status or benefits that would have normally accrued if
the employee had not been absent for such purposes.
(4)
The employee may request use of vacation, compensatory
time (if applicable), or leave with pay for military leave absence.
(5)
An employee who is called to or volunteers for service
with the Armed Forces of the United States or the Delaware National
Guard is eligible for reinstatement in his/her position upon completion
of service, provided that the period of service is four years or less.
(6)
The Town will make a reasonable effort to adjust work
schedules and assignments to accommodate employees fulfilling military
obligations.
(7)
An employee promoted or hired to fill a vacancy created
by a person on military leave is appointed to the position subject
to the return of the absent employee. Upon such return, a promoted
employee is restored to his/her original position or an equivalent
position. A replacement employee is subject to layoff if no other
position is available.
D.
Employee's responsibilities:
(1)
The employee is responsible to provide his/her department
head/supervisor with copies of all military orders that will result
in a leave of absence for active military duty. Orders must specify
the duties of absence, promulgation authority, letter order number
and signature of issuing authority. Employees are required to notify
their department head/supervisor at the earliest possible date upon
learning of scheduled military duty.
(2)
Employees who fail to return to work on the date specified
in the leave request without receiving an extension in advance are
subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
(3)
Inactive duty training dates (weekend drills) should
be provided to the department head as soon as available if the dates
conflict with scheduled employment with the Town.
E.
Accounting procedures:
(1)
The department head/supervisor will report all military
leaves to the payroll officer and Town Manager.
(2)
Military leave (fifteen-calendar-day military leave
allowance) will be accounted for in increments of twenty-four-hour
periods (from 0001 hours to 2400 hours).
(3)
It is the responsibility of the department head/supervisor
in each department to annotate the use of military leave on the employee's
time card. Military leave will be registered on the time card by use
of the letters "ML."
(4)
The payroll officer is responsible for the creation
and maintenance of an annual Military Leave Register for each affected
employee to ensure accurate accountability of leave expended.
A.
Amount.
(1)
All regular full-time and regular part-time employees,
whether paid on an hourly or salaried basis, shall be entitled to
sick leave as follows:
(2)
An employee shall not be entitled to sick leave until
he/she has been employed continuously for at least six months, and
has successfully completed a standard probationary period. After successful
completion of the probationary period, sick leave shall accrue as
provided herein from the date of initial employment.
B.
Final pay and repayment of sick leave.
[Amended 3-28-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-5]
(1)
Employees
hired prior to April 30, 2012.
(a)
Sick leave so granted and not used shall accrue to the credit of
each such employee. In the event of retirement, one quarter of accrued
sick leave may be reimbursed, up to a maximum of 520 hours, and may
be paid to the employee in installments over the next three (3) months
or in a lump sum as determined by the Town Manager. For retirement
under an approved Town pension plan, an employee shall be credited
in full for accrued sick leave, if the employee is retiring with 25
or more years of service with the Town of Georgetown. This payment
may be paid to the employee in installments over the next three (3)
months or in a lump sum as determined by the Town Manager upon retirement
or the employee may convert his/her accumulated sick leave to years
of service credit.
(b)
The maximum pay-out of accrued sick leave shall be no greater than
2,080 hours.
(2)
Employees
hired beginning May 1, 2012. In the event of service retirement, one
quarter of accrued sick leave shall be reimbursed, up to a maximum
of 360 hours, and may he paid to the employee in installments over
the next three months or in a lump sum as determined by the Town Manager.
Accrued sick leave will not be paid at departure of employment for
any type of departure other than service retirement. For purposes
of this subsection, "service retirement" shall be defined as voluntary
termination after having satisfied the age and length of employment
requirements of the applicable Town retirement system (State of Delaware
pension plan).
C.
Sick leave benefits shall apply to cases of personal
illness, accidents, medical, dental or optical appointments, and events
covered by the Family Leave Act. Employees entitled to sick leave
may remain away from work with pay, where such absence is the result
of personal illness or physical incapacity, not job-related, involuntary
or enforced quarantine, or sickness or death of an immediate family
member. The Town Manager must approve sick leave granted in excess
of three days' bereavement leave.
D.
An employee who is unable to report for work due to
any of the cases specified above must notify his/her supervisor/department
head before the scheduled start of his/her shift. The supervisor/department
head should also be contacted on each additional day of absence. If
an employee is absent for three or more consecutive days, a physician's
statement verifying the nature of the disability and its beginning
and expected ending dates may be required.
E.
Worker's compensation. In any case in which an employee
is entitled to benefits or payments under the Worker's Compensation
Act or similar legislation of the state, or any other governmental
unit, the Town shall pay the difference between the benefits and payments
received under such Act and the regular rate of compensation he/she
would have received from the Town if able to work. The foregoing payment
by the Town shall be limited to the period of time that such employee
had accumulated sick leave.
F.
When an employee suffers an on-the-job injury, receives
a full paycheck from the Town, plus receives a time-loss check from
another agency, the paycheck must be returned to the Town. The Town
will then issue a paycheck for the appropriate amount of sick leave
pay.
G.
Other sick leave provisions.
(1)
Sick leave shall not accrue during leaves of absence
without pay.
(2)
Sick leave shall be rounded off to the nearest half-hour.
(3)
No sick leave will be advanced or given to an employee
in excess of the amount earned and available to the employee, unless
approved by the Town Manager or Town Council.
(4)
When an employee is transferred to another position,
any unused sick leave, which may have accumulated to the employee's
credit, shall transfer with the employee.
(5)
In the event of extended illness an employee may use
vacation time when sick leave has been exhausted.
(6)
Earned sick leave accruals must be exhausted prior
to taking an unpaid medical leave of absence.
(7)
It is the responsibility of each department head/supervisor
to ensure the provisions of this policy are observed. Corrective action
should be taken in instances of suspected abuses or misinterpretation
of the utilization of sick leave.
(8)
Department heads will ensure that any sick leave used
will be reflected with the submission of time sheets.
(9)
It is the responsibility of the Payroll Officer to
ensure that proper accountability of sick leave is kept on all eligible
employees. This shall include keeping a record of accruals and utilization.
(10)
When it is suspected that sick leave is being abused,
the Town Manager may deny or limit its use and/or impose stricter
verification requirements.
H.
Sick leave sharing.
(1)
The Town Manager may permit a regular full-time or
regular part-time employee to receive sick leave donations from other
qualified employees under this subsection if:
(2)
The Town Manager shall determine the amount of sick
leave, if any, and under what conditions, which an employee may receive
under this section. However, an employee shall not receive, in donations,
a total of more than 720 of donated sick leave unless authorized by
the Town Council.
(3)
Donated sick leave shall be utilized in the order
of receipt by the Town Manager. Such leave shall normally be donated
in eight-hour increments. Sick leave shall not be loaned.
Sick leave credits accumulated by each Town
employee shall be retained as of the effective date of this policy.
A.
All regular full-time and regular part-time employees,
whether paid on an hourly or salaried basis, shall be entitled to
vacation leave as follows:
(1)
Full-time employees shall be granted vacation leave
in accordance with the following schedule:
|
Years of Completed Service
|
Vacation Leave Earned
(hours/month)
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Probationary period completion to 5
|
6.66
| |
|
6
|
7.33
| |
|
7
|
8.00
| |
|
8
|
8.66
| |
|
9
|
9.33
| |
|
10
|
10.00
| |
|
11
|
10.66
| |
|
12
|
11.33
| |
|
13
|
12.00
| |
|
14
|
12.66
| |
|
15 and over
|
13.33
|
(2)
Part-time employees may be granted a pro-rated amount
of vacation leave for each calendar month of service.
(3)
Temporary employees are not eligible for vacation
leave.
(4)
Vacation leave shall be credited to the employee on
the first pay of the following month.
[Amended 1-26-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-2]
(5)
An employee shall not be entitled to vacation leave
until he/she has been employed continuously for at least six months,
and has successfully completed a standard probationary period. After
successful completion of the probationary period, the employee shall
be credited with 40 hours of vacation leave and shall accrue vacation
leave as provided by this chapter.
[Amended 1-26-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-2]
(6)
An employee may carry-over a maximum of 160 hours
of vacation leave per calendar year. Vacation time in excess of 160
hours shall be used prior to December 31 of each year or forfeited,
unless the vacation time requested has been denied in writing by the
department head or Town Manager.
[Amended 1-26-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-2]
B.
An employee may accumulate up to a maximum of 160
hours of accrued vacation leave. Vacation time earned in excess of
the maximum limit shall be used or forfeited, unless the vacation
time requested has been denied in writing by the department head or
Town Manager.
C.
Employees will be compensated for unused vacation
leave accumulated up to the date of separation at the regular base
rate of pay.
[Amended 12-13-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-06]
D.
All vacations shall be taken at such time as shall
be approved by the head of the department. Vacations shall be scheduled
at such times as the department head finds most suitable after considering
the wishes of the employee and the requirements of the department.
All requests for vacation must be approved by the department head
prior to the commencement of the requested vacation.
E.
Vacation leave will not accrue while an employee is
on leave of absence without pay. Accrued and unused vacation leave
may be used to supplement sick leave if the employee has exhausted
sick leave accruals. Vacation credit earned by an employee cannot
be transferred to another employee.
F.
Paid holidays occurring during vacation are not charged
to vacation.
G.
Other vacation leave provisions.
(1)
Department heads are responsible for managing the
vacation schedules in their departments and for administering the
provisions of this policy and advising the Town Manager of pending
employee vacations.
(2)
The Town Manager shall approve all vacation schedules
for department heads.
(3)
Vacation approvals by department heads and by the
Town Manager shall be made only when the efficiency of Town operations
will not be adversely affected.
(4)
A department head and next ranking employee cannot
take vacations at the same time unless approved by the Town Manager
in writing:
H.
While on vacation leave or sick leave an employee
shall continue to earn vacation time and sick leave credit. An employee
who converts vacation and sick leave to terminal leave shall not continue
to earn vacation and/or sick leave while on terminal leave.
I.
If the Town Manager determines that unusual and extenuating
circumstances exist which justify allowing an employee to be excused
from the requirements of this section for a particular year, he/she
may do so. An employee must make the request to the Town Manager in
writing prior to December 1 of the year in question. Such approvals
to accumulate excessive annual leave must be documented, in wring,
in the employee's personnel record. These approvals for excessive
leave have no expiration date by which the granted excessive leave
accumulation must be used.
Upon submission of a resignation, an employee
shall be paid for vacation leave accumulated to the date of separation.
At the time of the employee's separation the following shall be deducted
from the employee's final compensation: (1) any vacation leave owed
the Town, (2) qualified educational assistance and (3) any funds owed
to the Town by the employee as a result of criminal activity or negligence.
The estate of an employee who dies while employed
by the Town shall be entitled to payment for all of the accumulated
vacation leave credited to the employee's account.
A.
A regular employee may be granted a leave of absence
without pay for up to six months by the Town Manager, provided it
has been requested in writing and the employee has exhausted all accumulated
vacation leave. If an employee is applying for disability insurance
under the Town of Georgetown employee's policy, then the employee
does not have to exhaust his or her accumulated vacation leave. Generally,
the leave shall be used for reasons of personal or family disability,
continuation of education or special work that will permit the Town
to benefit by the experience gained or the work performed. An extension
of leave for six months may be granted by the Town Manager. However,
no leave of absence may exceed a total of one year. The Town Manager
must be notified before a decision can be rendered.
B.
The employee shall apply in writing for leave. The
employee is obligated to return to duty within or at the end of the
time determined appropriate by the Town Manager. Upon returning to
duty after being on leave without pay, the employee shall be entitled
to return to the same position held at the time leave was granted
or to one of like classification, seniority or pay, including any
cost-of-living adjustments or salary range adjustments that may have
occurred during the leave. If the employee decides not to return to
work, the supervisor should be notified immediately. Failure to report
at the expiration of a leave of absence, unless an extension has been
requested and approved in writing, shall be considered a resignation.
C.
If the Town learns that an employee on a leave of
absence is no longer using the leave for reasons originally stated
in the leave request, then the employee may be terminated.
D.
These provisions are subject to employee labor agreements,
when applicable.
An employee shall retain all unused sick leave
while on leave without pay. An employee ceases to earn all leave credits
on the date leave without pay begins. Completed service credits for
the purpose of computing longevity pay, sick and vacation leave shall
accrue for a period of 45 days following the start of leave of absence
without pay. The employee may continue to be eligible for benefits
under the Town's group insurance plans, provided the employee shall
be responsible for the payment of the total insurance premium to the
Town prior to the first day of each month while on leave; unless the
leave is for an employee illness, disability or maternity case in
which the employee is only required to pay the premium amount normally
deducted from the employee pay check.
Upon retiring directly from Town service under
an approved Town pension plan, a regular employee is eligible to take
terminal leave prior to his/her retirement date, under the following
conditions:
A.
Terminal leave shall consist of a total of both an
employee's unused sick and vacation leave. The maximum amount of sick
leave an employee may convert is 150 days if the employee is retiring
with 25 or more years of service with the Town of Georgetown. The
employee retiring with less than 25 years of service with the Town
of Georgetown shall be permitted to convert a maximum of 130 days
of accrued sick leave to terminal leave.
B.
Once terminal leave begins, the employee ceases to
earn vacation or sick leave credits and is no longer eligible for
annual salary reviews.
C.
Once terminal leave begins, the employee can not return
to active service unless approved by the Town Manager. If a return
to active service is approved, then the employee will be required
to pay back all expended sick leave credits if the request to return
to work was initiated by the employee.
D.
In order to qualify for terminal leave, an employee
must request leave a minimum of 45 days' notice prior to the employee's
retirement date unless waived by the Town Manager.
E.
Any leave taken within 30 calendar days prior to terminal
leave beginning will be considered terminal leave.
Employment policies or practices involving the
commencement and duration of leave, the availability of extensions,
the accrual of benefits and payment under any health or disability
insurance or medical leave plan shall be applied to the disabilities
consistent with the employer's current insurance. General leave is
for a period of six weeks (30 working days). Such leave may be taken
based on a licensed practicing physician's authorization prior to
childbirth or it may begin on the day of childbirth. Should the mother
have surgery or other medical complications as a result of pregnancy
or childbirth, the same rules and guidelines apply as for any other
medical leave. Should the child need extended medical care beyond
the mother's general leave of six weeks (30 working days), then the
mother may use accumulated vacation days, or accumulated sick leave
days, or request time off without pay for an additional 90 working
days. If the father is an employee, he may use accumulated vacation
days, accumulated sick leave days, or request time off without pay
for an additional 90 working days.
