POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
PART I: STATEMENT OF
PURPOSE
The City
of Flemingsburg recognizes that a system that is designed to insure the
recruitment and retention of a competent, productive work force is essential to
effective, efficient local government. These policies and procedures have been
developed in order to achieve optimum efficiency, economy and equity in the
pursuit of the city's goals and the utilization of its human resources.
A. Scope of Coverage:
1. The
following are explicitly exempted from coverage unless otherwise specified:
a.
All elected officials;
b.
All members of Boards or
Commissions;
c.
City Attorney;
d.
Consultants, advisors
and counsel rendering temporary services;
e.
Independent contractors;
f.
Employees
occupying part-time, temporary, and/or seasonal positions; and
g.
Members of volunteer
organizations.
2. In the event that individual sections of these
policies and procedures are declared
applicable to officers or employees defined in I.A.1., the provision must be stated
in the applicable section.
3. All employees not explicitly
exempted from coverage of these policies and procedures
shall be subject to its provisions unless indicated otherwise in the contents
of individual sections of these policies and procedures.
B. Statement of Equal Opportunity:
The City of Flemingsburg seeks to provide equal
opportunity to all of its employees and applicants for employment and to
prohibit discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, ethnicity,
national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, age, or marital status. The city promotes equal opportunity
in matters of hiring, promotion, transfer,
compensation, benefits and all other terms, privileges and conditions of employment.
C. Administrative Responsibilities:
1. The Mayor, as executive authority of the city, is responsible for the human resources function. However, the Mayor may delegate authority for employment matters by Executive Order. Provided that such authority has been delegated by Executive Order, any reference to Human Resources Officer throughout this document shall mean either the Mayor or the designated non-elected officer or employee. (Nothing in this document shall be interpreted as limiting or modifying the authority given the Mayor by the Kentucky Revised Statutes.)
2. These policies and procedures are intended to cover
most employment problems, actions and
issues that may arise. Those not specifically covered shall be interpreted by the Mayor; such interpretation
shall be in concert with the spirit and letter of these policies and procedures. In addition, the
Mayor may write administrative memoranda
to interpret or clarify existing policies; these memoranda shall have the force
of policy, and shall be filed with the policies and procedures.
3. The
Human Resources Officer shall insure that subsequent amendments or additions made in these policies and procedures are
incorporated herein as follows:
a.
A
list of all city officers and employees having custody of these policies and procedures shall be maintained;
b.
Immediately upon
official amendment or addition, the change or changes shall be written in a
manner and format consistent with these policies and procedures;
c.
The effective date of the change shall be placed at the end of the
section changed; and
d.
A memorandum explaining
the change(s) with the change(s) or addition(s)
attached shall be distributed to all officers and employees assigned custody of
a copy of the policies and procedures.
4. a. The Mayor shall insure the following records
for all employees are maintained in accordance
with federal and state laws:
(1)
Employee's name, permanent address, and telephone number
where employee may be reached;
(2)
Completed
application form;
(3)
Position title;
(4)
Hiring date;
(5)
Departmental
assignment;
(6)
Salary;
(7)
Record of awards, if
any;
(8)
Record of complaints,
if any;
(9)
Record of continuing
education courses completed;
(10)
All changes in status as a
city employee;
(11)
Demonstrated compliance
with labor standards, EEO-4, immigration requirements; and
(12)
Additional information as
required by this municipal order or other laws or administrative regulations.
b.
The
official employee records shall be located in the office of the City Clerk/Treasurer and maintained by the City
Clerk/Treasurer. All requests for information shall be forwarded to the City
Clerk/Treasurer.
c.
The
official records shall be maintained in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws,
administrative regulations, or ordinances.
5. The Council's authority for
employment matters extends to: Approving the budget; Approving and adopting
changes in the policies and procedures, classification plan and compensation
plan; and Approving or disapproving the appointment of non-elected officers
after recommendation by the Mayor. (Nothing in this document shall be intended
as limiting or modifying the authority given the Council by Kentucky Revised
Statutes.)
6. All
employment decisions are subject to final review and approval of the Mayor, who
has overall responsibility and authority over all employment matters.
PART
II: EMPLOYMENT PROCESS*
A. Procedures for Filling Vacancies:
1 Procedures for filling vacancies in
established positions (including newly‑
established positions) follow:
a. Placement
policy:
(1)
Appointment to an
established position with the city shall be made only after it has been
determined that the person being considered meets all specifications prescribed
for a particular class or position.
(2)
This policy shall apply
to current employees who request a move to a vacant position for any reason as
well as new applicants for employment or reemployment.
b. Announcement
of vacant positions:
(1)
When a vacancy occurs
within the city, current employees may be notified of the vacancy by placing
written notices in strategic location(s) on city bulletin boards.
(2)
The Mayor may fill the
vacancy by either promoting current employees or employing a person from
outside the city service.
(3)
When
announcements of vacant position(s) are made outside the organization, either of the following may apply:
(a)
The city's open
application policy allows persons interested in employment with the city to
complete an Employment Application Form at any time, regardless of whether or
not vacancies exist. The applicant must indicate the position(s) applied for and the Employment Application Form will be
considered active for a period of six months.
(b)
If the city elects to
advertise the vacant positions, announcements may be made in a newspaper of
general circulation in the city. All announcements
shall include such information as where to apply, deadlines for application, dates and times available for
obtaining a copy of the Employment Application Form, pay range for the
position, summary of duties and responsibilities, and position qualifications. All announcements shall contain
the following statement: "An Equal Opportunity Employer".
*In
all instances when the employment process conflicts with provisions of the
Kentucky Revised Statutes, the provisions of the Kentucky Revised Statutes
shall apply.
(c) The Mayor may review all Employment
Application Forms (including Employment
Application Forms from current employees) when making appointment decision(s).
c. Application
for position:
(1)
Employment Application
Forms supplied by the city and completed by applicants shall include
information about the applicant's training and experience and such additional information as required by the Mayor to
effectively evaluate the applicant's ability to perform the duties
required by the position.
(2)
All applicants appointed to
established positions with the city shall
meet the minimum qualifications for the position as set forth in the position description.
(3)
All
Employment Application Forms must be signed and dated by the applicant.
d. Certification
of eligibility for position:
(1) In order to be considered eligible for a vacant
position, applicants must meet the
necessary and desirable requirements of the position, including but not
limited to knowledge, skills, abilities, education, and training. Applicants
may be required to submit proof of education, training and other documentation
as deemed necessary by the Mayor.
(2) The
qualifications of an applicant for a position shall be ascertained on the basis of one or more of the following:
(a)
Information the applicant
supplies on the official Employment Application Form;
(b)
Job-related written,
performance or physical tests or examinations, or any combination that may be
required by the city;
(c)
Personal interview;
(d)
Information and evaluations
supplied by references given by the applicant on the application form; and
(e)
Other appropriate information
as determined.
(3) When
it is determined to be necessary in the discretion of the Mayor on the basis of the information obtained
concerning the applicant, a more extensive background investigation may
be conducted prior to actual appointment of the applicant.
(4) Provided
that an offer of employment has been made, applicants may be
required to pass a job-related mental evaluation, and shall be
required to pass a physical examination and a drug and
alcohol test as a condition of employment. The city shall pay the costs for any
required examinations.
(5)
All new employees may be required to agree to an employment contract that requires a minimum period to work following
completion of required training as a
condition of employment. Such a contract may require reimbursement to
the city for costs of training and other expenses as determined within the
contract.
B. Appointing
Authority:
1.
The
Mayor is the appointing authority for all employees. However, the Mayor may, at his discretion,
appoint a committee to advise/assist him in making employment decisions. This committee would have no
formal authority.
2.
The Mayor is the
appointing authority for non-elected officers, subject to approval of the City
Council.
C. Employment of Family Members:
The city does not prohibit the
employment of family members within the government,
so long as neither of the related parties is in a supervisory role in which the
progress, performance or welfare of the other might be directly or indirectly
affected.
Cross-reference:
For Definition of Family Members, see Code
of Ethical Conduct, Appendix A
D. Orientation of New Employees:
1.
An orientation will be
made available by the city for all new employees occupying established positions as soon as possible after their first
day of employment by the Human Resources Officer.
2.
The orientation shall
consist of at least the following:
a.
An explanation of what
the city expects of its employees, and what the employees can expect from the
city;
b.
An explanation of the
city's policies and procedures, including salaries/wages, employee benefits,
etc.;
c.
A review of the
employee's job description; and
d.
Other elements deemed
appropriate.
PART
III: CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT*
A. Probation:
1.
All employees initially
appointed to an established position shall be on probationary status for a
period of six months, except that the probation period for newly employed sworn police officers shall not end
until six months after the completion of state required training. Probation
periods may be extended for any period at the request of the department
director and approval of the Mayor.
2.
Any employee who has
served an initial probationary period and enters a new position for any reason
shall serve a probation period in the new position.
3.
A
new employee may be dismissed at-will during the probation period, unless otherwise provided by law. An employee who is
serving a probation period as a result of promotion, demotion, transfer,
reassignment, etc., may, during the probation period, be reinstated to the
position from which the employee was promoted, reassigned to a comparable
position (provided the employee has the qualifications for the position), or
separated from the city service without right of appeal.
4.
Employees
shall be dismissed for just cause only unless serving a probation period.
Statutory reference:
See KRS Chapter 15 Regarding Sworn Police Officers
Cross-reference:
See Holidays, VI.A.
See Vacation Leave, VI.B. See Sick Leave, VI.C.
B. Transfer:
Any employee
occupying an established position may request a transfer from one position to a
comparable position by submitting a written request through the department
director to the Mayor, providing the employee is not serving an original
probation period, the employee possesses the appropriate qualifications, and
the position applied for is vacant.
Cross-reference:
For transfer procedures, see II.A.1. (b)
C. Promotion
Any employee occupying an
established position may apply for promotion to a higher position by making the
request through the department director to the Mayor, *For additional conditions of employment, please
see Standards of Conduct Section in the
Code of Ethical Conduct, Appendix A provided the employee possesses the
appropriate qualifications for the position, the employee is not serving an
original probation period, and the position is vacant.
Cross-reference:
For promotion procedures, see II.A.1. (b)
D. Disciplinary Action:*
1.
The
policy of the city is to be patient, fair and consistent in the administration of its rules, regulations and
procedures, including these policies and procedures. When problems arise,
emphasis is on improvement and/or correction rather than punishment. However,
willful, continued, or inexcusable breaches of employment rules, regulations
and procedures must be dealt with firmly in accordance with a uniform policy
that applies to all employees.
2.
An employee may be
disciplined for, but not limited to, the following:
a. Incompetence;
b. Inefficiency;
c. Dishonesty:
(1)
Deliberately
making or using falsified records, materials,
requisitions, etc.;
(2)
Lying;
(3)
Personal use of city
property;
(4)
Waste; or
(5)
Falsifying an Employment
Application Form
d. Immoral
or improper conduct;
e. Neglect
of duty:
(1)
Repeated failure to be at
workstation at starting time;
(2)
Leaving assigned work area
without permission;
(3)
Failure to attend scheduled
meetings;
(4)
Refusal to accept
reasonable assignments;
(5)
Stopping work before
specified time;
(6)
Deliberate interruption of
work;
(7)
Loitering, loafing or
sleeping on job; or
(8)
Unsatisfactory work and/or
attitude.
f. Neglect
or mishandling of equipment;
g. Excessive
absenteeism;
h.
Failure
to keep time cards accurately or completing another employee's time card;
i.
Attempting bodily injury
to another person;
j.
Fighting or horseplay on
city premises at any time;
k.
Failure
to observe safety rules;
l.
Abusive
or obscene language;
m.
Discourtesy to the public
or fellow employees;
n.
Conviction of a criminal
charge;
o.
Untidy attire, torn
uniforms, and other failures to maintain a clean, neat appearance;
p.
Activities (either on-duty
or off-duty) that discredit the individual or organization or cause
inefficiency in performing assigned duties;
q. Reporting to work under the
influence of intoxicants or illegal drugs, or using, manufacturing or distributing intoxicants or
illegal drugs while on duty (including lunch
time);
r.
Gambling on the job
(including lunch period);
s.
Improperly
discussing or disclosing confidential information;
t.
An accumulation of minor
infractions;
u.
Violation of, or failure to
report a violation of, job-related federal or state laws or administrative
regulations; or
v.
Failure to follow any other city/job related rule, regulation, and operating
procedure or job requirement not specifically mentioned above.
3.
When an employee engages in any of the above activities, one of the following measures shall apply,
depending upon the circumstances involved and the severity of the offense:
a. Verbal
warning (reprimand):
(1)
In the case of a minor
infraction, the immediate supervisor or department director shall administer a
verbal reprimand without rancor and explain the actions necessary to correct
the infraction as soon as possible after the offense.
(2)
The date of the
reprimand, along with a description of the occurrence
that prompted the reprimand and any comments the employee may have made, shall be noted and forwarded to the City
Clerk/Treasurer to be placed in the employee's file.
b. Written
warning:
(1)
Upon the occurrence of a
serious first infraction or a second minor
infraction, the immediate supervisor or department director shall give the
employee a written warning specifying
the reason(s) for such warning and noting any previous verbal and/or
written warnings.
(2)
Written warning shall
indicate corrective action and state that the
employee's performance will now be reviewed on a regular basis for improvement
and explain the consequences of such continued infractions.
(3)
The employee shall sign
the written warning; if the employee
refuses to sign the written warning, the supervisor
shall note on the written warning that the employee refused to sign the written
warning.
(4) The
written warning shall be forwarded to the City Clerk/ Treasurer and placed in the employee's file.
c. Suspension:
(1)
After either a serious
violation or repeated minor violations, the
department director may either suspend the employee with pay until the Mayor reviews the violations, request that the Mayor
suspend the employee with or without pay, or both.
(2)
The Mayor may suspend an employee with or without pay for any
period up to and including four calendar weeks, depending upon the severity of
the violation; however, a maximum time limit
shall not apply when an employee is suspended with or without pay due to
an investigation of an alleged violation.
(3)
The suspended employee shall be notified of the suspension in
writing within five working days after the time of suspension. The notice shall
include the reason(s) for and, if known, duration of suspension.
(4)
Employees suspended without pay for a period of four working weeks shall forfeit fringe benefits,
including accrual of sick leave, vacation leave, and any contributions
to insurance during the period of suspension.
d. Dismissal:
(1)
Employees may be dismissed when violation(s) is/are
continually repeated, when a violation is committed that is serious
enough to warrant discharge on the first offense, continued inefficiency, or
inability to perform the duties of the position satisfactorily.
(2)
In the event that dismissal is warranted, the
department director shall make a recommendation to that effect to the
Mayor. The recommendation shall include
previous disciplinary action taken against the employee, and the recommended
date and time of discharge.
(3)
Any disciplinary action that could involve
dismissal shall require that a pre-disciplinary hearing by the Mayor or
his representative be offered the employee.
If the hearing is held, both the employee and the city shall have the opportunity
to be represented by Counsel and call witnesses as necessary; however, the city
shall not be responsible for the costs of legal counsel for employees.
(4)
Final
and formal discharge of an employee shall be the decision and responsibility of the Mayor.
e. Demotion
or transfer:
(1)
In
the event that an employee becomes unable to perform the duties as stated in the class
specification, the employee may be transferred or demoted in lieu of taking any disciplinary action, provided the
employee meets the qualifications for the position, and the position is vacant.
(2)
Such actions shall be
recorded in the employee's file.
E. Resignations:
1.
An employee who decides to
resign from employment with the city is requested to inform the immediate
supervisor or department director of the intended resignation in writing as
soon as possible after the decision is made. The notice shall be in writing,
and shall include the effective date of the resignation. Unless approved by the
Mayor, failure to give at least two weeks notice
may be cause for denying future employment
with the city and may be cause for the city's refusal to give a recommendation
if contacted by other employer(s).
2.
An employee's resignation
and its attendant reasons, if noted, shall be recorded in the employee's file.
3.
The official employment date of an employee who resigns and is
reinstated shall be the latest date of employment, unless specified
otherwise by the Mayor.
4.
Any employee who is absent
from work for three consecutive days without notifying the employee's
department director of the reason(s) for the absence will be considered to have abandoned the job and may be
terminated from employment with the city.
F. Reduction-in-Force.
1.
The Mayor may lay off an employee or employees
because of lack of work or funds.
2.
The order of layoff shall be determined by the
needs of the city; consideration shall be given to both the seniority
and merit of persons being considered for layoff.
3.
Part-time, temporary, seasonal and probationary
employees shall be laid off before employees occupying established positions
within class(es) affected by the layoff.
4.
One week before the effective date of the layoff
of an employee occupying an established position, the Mayor shall notify
the employee of the layoff in writing. The notice shall explain the reason(s)
for and duration of the layoff (if known), and a copy of the notice shall be
placed in the employee's file.
5.
An
employee who has a satisfactory record of service and is laid off shall be eligible for reemployment in another position,
providing that the employee meets the qualifications for the position and the
position is vacant.
G.
Re-employment:
The
Mayor may reemploy any former employee who has resigned from the city with a satisfactory employment
record or who has been laid off because of lack of work or funds.
H.
Loss
of Job Requirement:
Any
employee who is unable to perform the duties and requirements of the employee's position because of
loss of necessary license or other requirement may, at the discretion of the Mayor, (1)
be separated from the city service, or (2) be reassigned to a vacant position (provided the
employee meets the qualifications required for the position, and the position is vacant.)
I.
Mandatory
Retirement Age:
The city does not have a mandatory retirement age.
J. Examinations:
1.
If there is reasonable
cause to believe that it is warranted, the Mayor may require any employee to submit to a physical or mental examination by a
medical professional selected by the city to insure competency to
complete assigned duties.
2.
The city shall pay the
costs for any required examinations.
K. Political Activity:
1.
City employees shall not
engage in political activity during the employee's assigned duty hours or while
wearing a uniform identifying the city as the employer.
2.
No employee, as a condition of employment or continued employment, shall
be required to contribute to or campaign for any candidate for political
office.
L. Employee Evaluation:
1.
All employees occupying
established positions shall be evaluated at least annually, except that
employees shall be evaluated quarterly during the employee's probationary
period.
2.
Employee evaluation forms
approved by the Mayor shall be used for all evaluations.
3.
A copy of the completed
evaluation form shall be placed in the employee's files.
M.
Outside
Employment:
1. Any employee desiring to perform outside employment shall
first forward a written request through the department director to the Mayor.
The request shall state the type of employment, hours of work, name of
prospective employer, and place of prospective employment.
2.
The Mayor may grant the
request, provided the employment does not (a) interfere with the efficient
performance of the employee's duties, (b) involve a conflict of interest or
conflict with the employee's duties, (c) involve the performance of duties that
the worker should perform as part of
employment with the city, or (d) occur during regular working hours
unless the employee is on annual leave or leave without pay.
3.
In the event that outside employment is approved, the employee shall
make arrangements with outside employer to be relieved of duties if the
employee is called for emergency service by the city.
Cross-reference:
See Code of Ethical Conduct, Appendix A
N. Use
of City Property, Vehicles and Equipment:
1.
Unless otherwise authorized
by the Mayor, city owned property, vehicles and equipment shall be used only in
the performance of official city business except for police home fleet vehicles
or for supervisors engaged in the performance of their official duties.
2.
Any employee operating or
responsible for the operation of a city vehicle or other equipment shall comply with applicable laws and safety standards,
and departmental policies.
Cross-reference:
See Code of Ethical Conduct, Appendix A
O. Conflict of Interest:
1.
Employees shall not accept
gifts, gratuities or loans from organizations, business concerns, or
individuals with whom the employee has official relationships or business with the city, except that articles of
negligible value that are widely distributed and social courtesies that
promote good public relations may be accepted.
2.
Employees
shall not use confidential knowledge gained through official duty for personal profit.
Cross-reference:
See Code of Ethical Conduct, Appendix A
P. Workplace Harassment (Including Sexual Harassment) and Discrimination:
1.
The city (the employer) is responsible for creating and maintaining a working environment free of discrimination and
harassment, including sexual harassment. This responsibility requires
positive (affirmative) action where necessary to eliminate such practices or
remedy their effects.
2.
The employer is responsible
for providing education and training programs as deemed necessary for all
employees, especially for managers and supervisors, concerning discrimination,
harassment, sexual harassment, and diversity.
Managers and supervisors are
responsible for creating and maintaining a work environment free of
discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment, promptly
investigating complaints of discrimination, harassment, and taking corrective
action to prevent prohibited conduct from reoccurring.
2.
Employees
are responsible for respecting the rights of their co-workers and avoiding discriminatory or harassing actions,
including sexually harassing conduct.
3.
These policies apply to all officers and employees of the city in all
locations in the city, and all person(s) outside city employment who
interact with city officers and employees. The present state of law suggests
that all harassment, including sexual harassment, is based on the views and
reactions of the person about whom the conduct is directed, not those of the
person who is accused of sexual harassment. That the offending party did not intend to commit harassment or sexual
harassment, or do not believe that he or she was harassing the other
person, may be no excuse for the illegal conduct.
4.
Harassment:
a.
Harassment
is conduct that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working
environment, has the purpose of unreasonably interfering
with an individual's work performance, or otherwise adversely affects an individual's
employment opportunities.
b.
The city policy
prohibits harassment of one employee by another employee. Prohibited conduct by
city policy includes, but is not limited to, epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping, innuendoes, jokes,
disparaging remarks, verbal conduct consisting of crude or vulgar language, inquiries and disclosures, and offensive
verbal comments and commentary, or threatening, intimidating, or hostile
acts, written or graphic material that
denigrates or shows hostility or aversion that is on the employer's premises or
circulated in the workplace.
Sexual harassment:
a. The city prohibits
sexual harassment of one employee by another employee or supervisor. Acts of sexual harassment
include, but are not limited to, unwelcome
sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal and physical conduct of a sexual nature when (1) submission to
such is made, either explicitly or implicitly,
a term or condition of an individual's employment; (2) submission to or
rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for
employment decisions affecting such individual; or (3) such conduct has the
purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with
an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or
offensive working environment.
b. A
special responsibility falls upon managers and supervisors who are responsible for their actions and the actions of
their subordinates. In addition to the policy guidance above for all
employees, all employees (especially managers and supervisors) should refrain from touching or intruding in the
personal space of another, sexual innuendoes or jokes, disparaging
remarks, verbal conduct consisting of crude or vulgar language of a sexual
nature, and inquiries or disclosures of sexual habits or proclivities, sexist remarks, repeated offensive sexual
flirtations, advances, propositions, and repeated verbal commentaries and sexually suggestive conduct. All
employees, especially managers and supervisors shall assume that all
such behavior listed in this paragraph is UNWELCOME at any, every, each, and
all times unless express explicit verbal or
written permission is granted for such behavior on each separate occasion. The fact
that such permission has been granted does not mean that such behavior may ever
be permitted again.
7.
Discrimination means any
direct or indirect act or practice of exclusion, distinction, restriction, segregation, limitation, refusal, denial, or
any other act or practices of differentiation or preference in the
treatment of a person or persons, or the aiding, abetting, inciting, coercing,
or compelling thereof made unlawful by the federal or state statutes.
8.
Retaliation:
a.
Disciplining, changing work assignments,
providing inaccurate work information, or refusing to cooperate or
discuss work-related matters with any employee because that employee has
complained about or resisted discrimination or harassment (including sexual
harassment) is prohibited.
b.
Any officer or
employee of the city who feels aggrieved by an act of discrimination or
harassment (including sexual harassment) should report the fact to the Mayor or
City Attorney immediately; upon receiving the information, the Mayor or City Attorney will conduct an investigation (or cause an
investigation to be conducted) immediately, and will inform the officer
or employee of the findings within sixty days from the date of receipt of the
information.
c.
Subsequent to
exhausting all such administrative remedies as may be available to the staff member or other employee by law and upon a
finding of a violation of this policy, the offender will be subject to
the strongest disciplinary action as may be justified, including termination of
employment under the circumstances.
Q. Employee Handbook:
1.
The Mayor shall insure that a copy of the
Employee Handbook is distributed to
all employees in established positions. The Handbook will include a condensed
version of these policies and
procedures, and is meant to provide employees with a ready-reference on
employment practices and employee benefits.
2.
All new employees occupying
established positions shall receive a copy of the
Handbook as a part of the orientation. A statement shall be signed indicating
receipt of the copy.
R. Inclement
Weather Policy:
1.
In the event of weather
conditions in which travel to and from work may jeopardize the safety of
employees, city offices may be closed at the discretion of the Mayor or
designee. Employees will be notified of this action in an appropriate manner.
2.
Where individual
circumstances exist that the employee believes may be too dangerous to report
to work, the employee may exercise personal judgment in not reporting to work.
The employee must report this decision to the department director by the start of the employee's work shift. If city
offices are not subsequently closed, the time off shall be charged against vacation leave or leave without pay, at the
employee's discretion.
S. Drug
and Alcohol Policy.
1.
For the city's drug-free
workplace policy, see Appendix C.
2.
All employees shall be subject to drug and alcohol testing as a
condition of employment and continued employment. The drug and alcohol
testing policy is included as Appendix D.
T. Exposure Protection Plan.
For the city's Exposure Protection Plan,
see Appendix E.
U. Computer,
Information Systems, and Electronic Mail Policy.
For the city's computer,
information systems, and electronic mail policy, see Appendix F.
PART IV:
CLASSIFICATION PLAN
A. Allocations:
In the classification plan:
1.
Each
established position shall be assigned to an appropriate class on the basis of the duties and responsibilities of the
position.
2.
A class may include one
or more positions.
B. Written
Specifications.
1. Each class shall have
a specification that includes:
a.
A concise, descriptive
title;
b.
A description of duties and
responsibilities of the class; and
c.
A statement of desirable
qualifications for the position.
2. All
positions in a class shall be sufficiently alike to permit:
a.
The use of a single
descriptive title;
b.
A description of each of
the duties in the class;
c.
The same qualifications for
each position;
d.
The use of the same tests
of competence for each position; and
e.
Application of the same pay
range to each position.
C. Regular Review/Evaluation:
1.
At
time intervals as determined by the Mayor, the duties and responsibilities of each class shall be reviewed.
If necessary, the Mayor shall recommend reclassification of position(s), the creation of new classes, or the
abolition of existing classes.
2.
All
changes shall be made by amendment of the classification plan by ordinance of the City Council.
D. Reclassification:
1.
The
Mayor shall recommend reclassification of a position after its duties and responsibilities change and
it is no longer comparable with other positions in the class.
2.
Whenever
the duties of a position so change that no appropriate class for it exists, the City Clerk/Treasurer and/or department
director shall prepare an appropriate class
specification for the position and submit it to the Mayor for appropriate reclassification
by the Council to a new class.
3.
Reclassification of a
position may not be used to avoid a restriction
concerning
demotion, promotion or compensation.
4.
When creating a new class, the format for existing
specifications shall be maintained, including all required sections.
5.
All classification changes shall be made by amending
the employment policies upon recommendation by the Mayor and approval by the
City Council.
6.
Reclassification of positions must be accompanied
within the limits of the current budget.
E. Categories
of Employment:
1. All employees of the
city shall be classified as full-time, part-time, temporary or seasonal, or
assigned. Definitions of each follow:
a.
Full-time employee: An employee who occupies an
established position and works 40 hours or more per week on a regularly
scheduled basis;
b.
Part-time employee: An employee who occupies an
established position and works less than 40 hours per week on a regularly
scheduled basis;
c.
Temporary or seasonal employee: An employee who works
in a position that is of a temporary nature not exceeding six months per year;
and
d.
Assigned employee: An employee made available to the
city by another agency.
e.
Probationary employee: Employees serving a probation
period.
2. Employees occupying
established full-time positions shall be entitled to benefits provided by the
city, all other categories of employment shall not be entitled to benefits
except those required by federal or state law unless recommended by the Mayor
and approved by the City Council.
PART V: COMPENSATION
PLAN
A. Pay
Plan:
1.
The city's pay plan shall prescribe for each class
a minimum and a maximum rate of pay,
and all employees shall be compensated at a rate no less than the minimum
amount and no more than the maximum amount of the pay grade to which the class
is assigned.
2.
Salary grades shall be determined by the relative
difficulty and responsibility of the
positions of the class; minimum qualifications required; prevailing rates of
pay; cost of living factors; the financial policy of the city; and other
related considerations.
B. Hours of Work:
1.
Each employee shall work according to a schedule
of hours determined by the employee's department director and approved
by the Mayor. Flexible hours may be scheduled
for employees if recommended by the department director and approved by the
Mayor.
2.
Any employee who does not report to work and fails to notify the department
director (or the Mayor in the absence of the department director) by the scheduled time to begin work on the first day
absent will not be allowed to charge the time off to either sick or vacation leave, and the employee shall be subject
to the city's disciplinary action policy; the period of absence shall be
considered time off without pay.
C. Workweek and Pay Periods.
1.
The beginning and ending
of the official workweek shall begin and end on Saturday at midnight.
2.
The
official workweek may be changed at any time, but not to avoid overtime requirements.
D. Time
Cards and Time Sheets:
1.
Each employee shall be
responsible for his/her personal time cards, and must record all hours worked.
2.
Each department director
shall review the employee's time cards, and is required to sign the
departmental time sheets attesting to the hours worked by each employee before
paychecks will be prepared.
3.
Employees are not permitted to begin work earlier than seven minutes before the scheduled time to begin work, and must
discontinue work activities not later than
seven minutes after the end of the workday, unless directed otherwise by the department
director.
4. Employees deliberately
falsifying time cards will be subject to the city's disciplinary action policy, up to and including dismissal.
E. Call-Outs:
Employees
required to be on-call shall be paid for a minimum of two (2) hours in the
event the employee is required to report to work. On-call employees who work
more than two (2) hours when called out shall be paid for all hours worked at
their regular rate of pay. Overtime
provisions, as stated below, shall apply in instances where time worked as a result of being on-call causes the employee to
work in excess of forty (40) hours during the workweek.
F. Overtime:
1.
In order to determine
whether an employee will receive overtime pay for hours worked in excess of 40
hours per week, each class shall be declared "exempt" or
"non-exempt" in accordance with the provisions of federal and state
labor laws; the designation shall be placed
on each class specification. Employees in exempt classes shall not
receive overtime pay but may be granted compensatory time off; employees in
non-exempt classes shall receive overtime pay at the rate of one and one-half
times the regular hourly wages for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in
any work week.
2.
Overtime pay will be granted for actual hours worked, and time off with
pay (including holidays, vacation leave, sick leave, jury duty, funeral
leave, etc.) will not be considered as hours worked for overtime pay purposes.
3.
Overtime work shall be
approved in advance by the department director whenever possible, and shall be
kept at the minimum consistent with maintenance of essential services and the
city's financial resources.
4.
Employees who are required
to work overtime may be required by the department director to take time off in
lieu of overtime pay, provided the time off is taken during the same workweek
as the additional hours worked. Time off shall be taken on an hour-for-hour
basis.
G. Compensatory Time:
1.
Employees exempt from
overtime provisions may receive compensatory time for all hours worked over the
regularly scheduled hours for the workweek.
2.
Compensatory time shall be
credited on an hour-for-hour basis, up to a maximum of 100 hours.
3.
Upon termination of employment with the city, all unused compensatory time
shall be forfeited without pay.
4.
Employees taking compensatory time shall request approval at least two
(2) weeks in advance.
H. Periodic Review:
1. The Human Resources Officer shall examine the salary
range for each class on a regularly scheduled basis as to ascertain whether
minimum and maximum salaries should be raised or lowered for any class or
classes.
2. Upon the basis of the examination,
the Human Resources Officer shall submit to the Mayor any recommendations for
amendment of the pay plan.
3.
All changes to the pay plan must be made by ordinance
of the City Council. I. Implications
of Employment Actions:
1.
Reclassification of an employee's position from one
class to another of comparable pay range shall effect no change in salary for
the employee.
2.
An employee whose position is reclassified from one
class to a higher class shall enter the higher class at its minimum salary. If
the minimum is lower than the employee's salary at the time of
reclassification, the employee shall retain at least the present salary.
3.
If the employee's salary is the same as the minimum,
the Mayor shall determine what salary to recommend in the reclassified
position.
4.
An employee whose position is reclassified from one
class to a lower class series shall retain current salary, provided it does not
exceed the maximum for the pay range of the lower class; if the current salary
exceeds the maximum, the employee shall receive no more than the maximum salary
for the grade.
5.
Whenever the Mayor submits a recommendation that a
position be reclassified to a class that requires a higher salary, an estimate
of the financial implications shall accompany the recommendation.
6.
In the event that an employee enters a higher class
by promotion, the salary in the higher class shall be the minimum salary for
that class unless the minimum is lower than, or the same as, the salary at the
time of promotion. All promotions shall constitute at least a five percent (5%)
minimum salary increase for the employee being promoted, provided the salary is
not above the maximum for the pay range in which the class to which the
employee is promoted is assigned.
7.
If an employee is demoted, the employee shall be paid
no more than the maximum amount in the grade to which the employee's new class
is assigned.
8.
When an employee transfers from a position in one
class to a position in an equivalent class, the transfer shall effect no change
in rate of pay.
J. Minimum Salary:
1.
New
employees shall receive the minimum salary for the class to which the position is allocated.
Appointments may be made at a salary above the minimum, but no more than the maximum, for a
class in cases of unusual difficulty in filling the position or if necessary in order to hire exceptionally qualified
employees.
2.
Documented
justification for either instance shall be required prior to the actual appointment.
K. Salary
Increases:
The
annual budget recommended by the Mayor to the City Council may include salary increases, including
cost-of-living and/or merit pay, for the budget year, and, upon approval of the budget,
individual adjustments that fall within the parameters of the budget and the compensation pay scale may be made by
the Mayor during the year.
A. Holidays:
1. The following days are declared holidays of the
city for all employees, including newly hired employees, occupying full-time
established positions. All eligible employees shall receive eight (8) hours pay
for each holiday, except that employees shall receive four (4) hours pay for
holidays allowing for 1/2 day off with pay:
a. The
first day of January (New Year's Day);
b. The
third Monday in January (M.L. King, Jr., Birthday);
c. The
third Monday in February (President's Day):
d. The
Friday prior to Easter Sunday - 1/2 day (Good Friday);
e. The last
Monday in May (Memorial Day);
f.
The fourth day of July (Independence
Day);
g. The
first Monday in September (Labor Day);
h. The
eleventh day of November (Veterans Day);
i.
The fourth Thursday in November
(Thanksgiving Day);
j.
The Friday after the fourth Thursday
in November (the day after Thanksgiving);
k. The
twenty-fourth day of December (Christmas Eve);
l.
The twenty-fifth day of December
(Christmas Day);
m. The last
day of December - 1/2 day (New Year's Eve); and
n. Personal
holiday.
2. In addition to the above,
any day may be designated as a holiday by proclamation of the City Council.
3.
When any holiday listed above falls on Saturday, the
preceding business day shall be considered the holiday; when any holiday listed
above falls on Sunday, the following business day shall be considered a
holiday.
4. In order for an employee
to be paid for a holiday, the employee must work the last scheduled day before
and the first scheduled day after the holiday unless the absence(s) is/are
approved in advance.
5. Employees
who are required to work on holidays shall receive holiday pay in addition to
pay for hours worked.
6. The personal holiday is a non-specific holiday that can only be
taken if approved in advance by the employee's department director. Any
employee may not take a personal day while serving an original probation
period.
B. Vacation
(Annual Leave):
1.
All employees occupying established full-time
positions are entitled to vacation leave at full pay at the current rate of
pay. The following schedule shall apply:
Years of Continuous
Service Annual Leave
1 through 5 years
96 hours
6 through 15 years 120
hours
16 through 20 years 144
hours
21 years and thereafter 168 hours
2. Eligible employees shall
be credited 1/12th of the annual amount allowed upon completion of each full
month of service. (For accrual purposes, a new employee who reports for work on
or before the 15th of the month shall accrue the full amount for that month; if
employed on or after the 16', a new employee shall not accrue vacation leave
until the following month.)
3.
Employees may accrue ninety-six (96) hours of vacation
leave above the annual amount, after which additional vacation leave will not
be accrued (except where the Mayor in his/her discretion allows a
carry-over of the vacation earned by a key employee for an additional period
not to exceed 6 months based on necessity). (Employees shall not be
compensated for vacation leave in lieu of time away from work, except in
circumstances approved in advance by the Mayor involving a key employee, with
the employee's consent, or required after the 6month extension above.)
4.
Vacation leave must be accrued before it can be taken;
however, employees may take accrued leave at any time after accrual, including
new employees during original probation periods.
5.
Insofar as possible, vacation leave shall be requested
one month in advance; vacation leave must be approved by the department
director, and may be disapproved if the employee's services are required at the
requested time.
6. Any employee who
terminates employment with the city shall be compensated for credited but
unused vacation leave time, except that employees who either resign or are
discharged during the original probation period shall not receive compensation
for vacation leave.
7. Employees absent because
of sickness, injury or disability may use accrued vacation leave during the
time off only after accrued sick leave has been exhausted.
8. The City Clerk/Treasurer shall
keep records of vacation leave accrued and vacation leave taken; vacation leave
taken shall be limited to the current amount accrued.
C. Sick
Leave:
1.
All employees occupying established full-time
positions shall accrue eight (8)
hours sick leave for each completed calendar month of service. (For accrual
purposes, a new employee who reports for work on or before the 15th
of the month shall accrue the full amount
for that month; if employed on or after the 16th, a new employee
shall not accrue sick leave until the following month.)
2.
Accrued sick leave
may be utilized by employees when they are unable to perform their duties because of sickness or injury, child birth, medical
treatments/ examinations, or when
their absence from work is required due to sickness in the immediate
family (spouse, parent, child, or other person domiciled in the employee's
household who is a dependent as evidenced by federal tax forms.) A statement
from a medical professional may be required after three consecutive days
absent, and the department director or Mayor may require a statement from a
medical professional giving information as to the circumstances involved after
any sick leave taken if abuse of sick leave is suspected.
3. All foreseeable leave shall require
specific prior written approval of the department director.
4. When an employee uses
sick leave, the employee's department director shall be informed of the fact
and the reason(s) thereof as soon as possible. Failure to do so by the
scheduled time to begin work on the first day absent may be cause for denial of
sick leave with pay for the period of absence and subject the employee to the
city's disciplinary action policy.
5. Absence for a part of a day that is chargeable
to sick leave shall be charged proportionately in an amount not smaller than
one (1) hour.
6. Absence on
account of sickness, injury or disability in excess of accumulated sick leave
balances may, at the request of the employee and approval of the Mayor, be
charged to vacation leave.
7. Employees shall be allowed to carry over up to
a maximum of four hundred and eighty (480) sick leave hours into the new
calendar year.
a.
Employees who carry four hundred and eighty (480)
hours into the new year shall continue to accrue up to eight (8) hours per
month during the year. In December of each year, employees may be compensated
for all hours above four hundred and eighty (480) at thirty percent (30%) of
the employee's hourly rate.
b.
Employees who terminate employment with the city shall
not be compensated for accrued but unused sick leave hours; however, employees
who retire from the city employment and begin participating in the County
Employees Retirement System immediately upon separation from the city may use
accrued but unused sick leave for retirement purposes. (See the Human Resources
Officer for details.)
c.
Employees who elected not to participate in the County
Employees Retirement System at the time of implementation may be compensated
for up to four hundred and eighty (480) hours of accrued but unused sick leave
at the time of separation from the city service, provided the employee
participates in social security benefits immediately upon separation from the
city service. Compensation for the accrued but unused hours shall be at the
employee's rate of pay at the time of separation from the city service.
8. The Human Resources Officer shall insure that
accurate records of sick leave allowance, taken and accrued are maintained for
each employee.
9. Any employee
abusing sick leave, or any department director falsely certifying sick leave
allowance for absence from work, shall be subject to the city's disciplinary
policy, including disciplinary action up to suspension or dismissal.
D. Sick Leave Sharing:
1.
In the event of
illness or injury of an employee or an employee's immediate family for a period
of ten (10) consecutive days or more eligible employees who have exhausted all
accrued sick leave and vacation leave balances are eligible to have sick leave
donated to them from other eligible employees.
2.
For the purposes of
this section, immediate family is defined as spouse, parent, child,
step-relative of the same relation, or other relative domiciled in the
employee's household for more than thirty (30) days who is a dependent as
evidenced by the employee's federal tax forms.
3.
Eligible donors are
defined as full-time employees who have sick leave balances in excess of eighty
(80) hours. Donors may donate an unlimited number of sick leave hours, so long
as the donor's sick leave balance remains above eighty (80) hours. Donations
must be made in increments of eight (8) hours.
4.
Upon the employee's
return to work, all unused donated sick leave shall be returned to the donor
unless the recipient provides medical documentation that he/she will require
continued, periodic medical treatment relating to the original condition for
which the leave was donated.
5.
Completion of appropriate forms, including a medical
certificate, is required. (Details regarding this program may be obtained from
the Human Resources Officer.)
E. Disability Leave
(Job Related):
1.
Any employee who suffers
injury or illness as a result of employment connected accident or illness shall
notify the department director immediately; in no instance shall the report be
made later than twenty-four hours after the injury or illness was sustained.
2.
Any employee who
suffers injury or illness as a result of employment connected accident or
illness shall be compensated at the current negotiated rate with the workers'
compensation insurance company. Employees may use accrued sick leave (or
vacation leave if the employee does not have accrued sick leave) during the
period of time immediately following the accident or illness; if time off
exceeds the minimum and workers' compensation insurance becomes effective, the
employee shall reimburse the city for monies received during the time period
and the city shall reimburse the employee for sick or vacation leave charged
during the period.
3.
Employees shall not accrue
sick leave and vacation leave benefits while on disability leave due to
employment related accident or illness; however, employees shall be credited
with sick leave and vacation leave for a period extending up to six (6) months
while on disability leave upon the employee's return to work.
4.
While on disability leave, employees shall be required
to report their status, including the anticipated date of return to work, to
their department director at least monthly. The city reserves the right to
request any employee to be examined by a medical professional to insure the
employee capable of returning to work and performing the duties and
responsibilities of the assigned class.
5. The
city will continue to pay its portion of the employer's portion of medical
insurance, life insurance, and disability insurance premiums up to a maximum of
six (6) months; the employee must pay the employee portion of medical
insurance, life insurance, and disability insurance premiums by the first of
the month covered in order for the insurance to be continued. Exceptions may be
granted on a case-by-case basis upon recommendation by the Mayor and approval
of the Council.
F. Disability Not
Covered By Workers' Compensation Insurance:
1.
In the event that non-job
related injuries or illness resulting in extended absence, an employee will
receive no compensation from the city other than accumulated sick leave and
vacation leave, unless specified otherwise by the City Council on a
case-by-case basis.
2.
The employer's portion of
the employee's medical insurance, life insurance, and disability insurance
premiums will be paid by the city as long as the employee uses accrued sick or
vacation leave.
3.
Employees who have a
disability that prohibits the employee from working and who does not have
accrued vacation leave or sick leave shall be considered off-duty without pay,
provided the absence is approved by the Mayor.
Cross-reference:
See Leave of
Absence Without Pay, Part VI.J.
G. Maternity Leave:
1.
Maternity leave may
be granted by the Mayor for employees with temporary disability due to
pregnancy, childbirth, or any impairment thereof, and miscarriage for a period
not to exceed three calendar months. An additional period may be granted by the
Mayor if required by a medical professional.
2.
The employee may use any accrued sick leave, then
accrued vacation leave, and the remaining period will be time off without pay.
H. Family and
Medical Leave:
The
Family and Medical Leave Act requires employers with fifty (50) or more
employers to comply with its provisions; since the city does not have fifty
(50) or more employees, the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act
shall not apply.
I. Bereavement
(Funeral) Leave:
Employees occupying
full-time established positions are authorized up to four (4) hours during any
month for bereavement leave, with advance approval of the department director.
The Mayor may authorize additional time, depending upon the individual
circumstances and the specific needs of the employee.
J. Special Leave:
The Mayor may authorize special leave of absence with
or without pay for employees occupying full-time established positions for any
period up to a maximum of six (6) months for any purposes that are deemed
beneficial to the city service.
K. Leave Without Pay:
1.
Leave without pay may be granted by the Mayor and only
when it will not adversely affect the interests of the city.
2.
Failure of an employee to return to work at the
expiration of approved leave shall be considered as absent without leave and
grounds for disciplinary action.
3.
An employee granted leave without pay who wishes to
return to work before the leave period has expired shall provide written
notification to the Mayor two weeks in advance of the date desired to return to
work. The employee may be permitted to return to work at the discretion of the
Mayor.
4.
While on leave without pay, sick leave and vacation
leave shall not be earned. In addition, the employee shall be responsible for
all insurance costs, payable to the city monthly before the first of the month
to be covered, during the period of absence. Failure to pay when due may result
in loss of the insurance.
5.
While on authorized leave without pay, any employee
who obtains employment elsewhere, either full-time or part-time, shall notify
the Mayor in writing within three days of accepting such employment.
6.
Upon returning to work following leave without pay, an
employee shall be assigned to the same class or equivalent class occupied at
the time the absence was approved; however, the employee may be assigned to
another department at the discretion of the Mayor.
L. Absence Without Leave:
1.
The absence of an employee from duty, regardless of
the length of time, that is not authorized by the department director or the
Mayor shall be deemed as absent without pay and shall be cause for disciplinary
action.
2.
The department director shall notify the Mayor of an
employee's absence without leave during the first day absent; in addition, such
absence shall be noted on the employee's time card.
3.
When an employee is absent from work due to
circumstances beyond the employee's control, the department director may, with
the consent of the Mayor, grant emergency leave. Such leave may be charged to
vacation leave, or leave without pay.
M. Military leave:
1. Any employee occupying a
full-time established position who is a member of the National Guard or any
reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States, or of the Reserve
Corps of the United States Public Health Service, shall be entitled to leave of
absence from their respective duties without loss of time, pay, regular leave,
impairment of efficiency reassign, or of any other rights or benefits to which
they are entitled, while in the performance of duty or training in the service
of this state or of the United States under competent orders, for a period in
any calendar year not to exceed that specified in this section. Officers or
employees while on leave shall be paid their salaries or compensations for a
period or periods not exceeding fifteen (15) calendar days or ten (10) working
days if the employee's position is based upon a five (5) day work week; twelve
(12) days if the employee's position is based upon a six (6) day work week;
fifteen (15) days if the employee's position is based upon a seven (7) day work
week, in any one (1) federal fiscal year. (KRS 61.394,61.396)
2.
In the event an employee is called to active military
duty, the provisions of federal law shall apply.
N. Jury Duty:
1.
When an employee is required to serve on a jury, the
employee shall be compensated at the normal rate of pay while serving on jury
duty. Employees serving on jury duty shall be absent from work only during the
times required by the courts.
2.
Employees summoned as a plaintiff or a defendant in a
proceeding arising from outside employment or personal business shall not be
entitled to leave with pay, but may use accrued vacation leave during the
absence.
3.
This section shall not apply to police officers when
they are attending court in line of duty.
0. Insurance:
1. Health
Insurance:
a.
The city provides options for group health insurance
coverage for employees in established full-time positions. (See the Human Resources Officer for
specific information.)
b.
All participating employees are subject to the terms
and conditions of the group insurance plans provided by the city.
c.
The health insurance shall become effective within
thirty (30) days after employment, unless the insurance carrier requires
additional time for enrolling the
Cross-reference:
See
Resignations, Part III. E.
2.
Life Insurance: The city pays total costs for base
life insurance coverage for employees in established full-time positions. (See
Human Resources Officer for specifics.)
3.
Workers' Compensation Insurance: The city pays total
costs.
4.
Unemployment Insurance: The city pays total costs.
P. Retirement Plan:
1. The city
provides a retirement program through the County Employees Retirement System
(CERS). All qualifying employees and the city contribute amounts as determined
by CERS.
2. Following actions of the 1998 General Assembly, employees may now be
reemployed by the city after CERS retirement (KRS 61 .515 to 61 .705, KRS 16.510
to 16.652, and KRS 78.520 to 78.852).
3. In the
event that an employee who has retired from the city desired to be reemployed
by the city, the following provisions are required by CERS:
a.
Employees shall not be reemployed in an established
position by the city for a period of one month following retirement.
Reemployment in the same position requires an absence of six (6) months or
forfeiture of retirement benefits for a period up to six months.
b.
In the event that a retired employee under age 65 is
considered for reemployment in any capacity, a copy of the employee's former
job description and a job description for the new classification will be
submitted to CERS to determine whether or not the former employee may be
reemployed without jeopardizing the employee's retirement.
c.
Any proposed contract with a former employee who has
retired will be reviewed by CERS to determine whether or not the former
employee's retirement would be jeopardized by the implementation of such
contract.
d.
KRS Chapter 78 allows employees who have retired from
CERS to be reemployed in a temporary position, so the city may elect to
reemploy former employees who have retired in temporary positions, depending
upon needed knowledge, skills and abilities that cannot be replaced
immediately.
4. In the event that a retired employee is rehired, the employee will
not be eligible for health insurance coverage through the city's health
insurance plan. Coverage must be obtained through the County Employees
Retirement System.
Q. Social Security:
The city and each employee contribute equal amounts at the
rate established by Congress.
R.
Educational Assistance (Career
Development):
1. The city encourages its employees to gain additional
training and certifications that will enable the employee to improve and expand
the areas in which the employee can perform city services. To encourage
participation in training programs, the city may pay the costs for training,
depending upon the need for the area(s) of expertise, the availability of
funds, and the time required to complete the training. Funded programs will be
determined annually, on an individual basis, and in a consistent and fair
manner. (Participation must be approved in advance by the Mayor.)
2. When employees participate in
required job-related continuing education or professional development
workshops/seminars approved by the Mayor, the city will pay registration fees
and related travel and meal expenses.
Cross-reference: See Expense Reimbursement Policy (below)
S. Uniform Allowance:
1. The city may require uniforms as a
condition of employment. The city's uniform policy shall be determined annually
during the budget process.
2. Uniforms
and other wearing apparel provided by the city shall be worn only while at
work, travel to and from work, or while attending an authorized city function.
Wearing apparel provided by the city that is also adaptable to general usage
(e.g. blue jeans) will be included in the employee's taxable income.
3. Uniforms must
include the city name and/or emblem.
4. Receipts for
all expenditures must be obtained and attached to the Expense Reimbursement
Form, which must be completed and received by the City Clerk/Treasurer within
thirty days after the expenses were incurred.
T. Expense
Reimbursement:
1.
No elected official or employee
of the city shall receive or be allowed any lump-sum expense allowance or
contingent fund for personal or official expenses (KRS 64.710).
2.
Any elected official or
employee of the city or any other person incurring expenses for approved travel
on behalf of the city shall be reimbursed at the actual rate of expenditures.
Receipts for all expenditures must be obtained and attached to the Expense
Reimbursement Form, which must be completed and received by the City
Clerk/Treasurer within thirty days after the expenses were incurred.
Reimbursement for expenses incurred that do not require travel away from home overnight will be taxable and included in the employee's
taxable income.
3. If travel by personal
vehicle is approved by the department director or Mayor, the
reimbursement shall be at the rate authorized by the Internal Revenue Service.
4.
When travel for training,
conferences, etc., involve multiple days, employees are authorized one round
trip unless authorized in advance by the department director.
5.
All Expense Reimbursement
Forms shall be signed by the employee requesting the reimbursement, the
department director, and the Mayor/designee.
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