HomeMy Public PortalAbout808.14 - Human Resources - Personnel Management - Compassionate Leave BankChief Administrative Officer
Human Resources Division Section 808.14
Policies and Procedures Manual Page 1
808.14 SUBJECT: COMPASSIONATE LEAVE BANK
:1 OBJECTIVE
To establish policy and procedure for the administration of a Compassionate Leave
Bank to assist City employees (excluding sworn Police & Fire Officers) who experience
a serious illness or injury.
:2 AUTHORITY:
This procedure amended by City Council September 15, 2003; amended by City
Council April 27, 2009.
:3 DIRECTION:
Human Resources Division Manager through the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)
or designee and the Compassionate Leave Bank Committee.
:4 METHOD OF OPERATION:
A. Contributions to Bank
Any City employee who has accrued vacation or personal leave hours may elect to
contribute to the Compassionate Leave Bank.
1. Vacation or personal leave hours contributed will not be included in income
and, therefore, will not be taxable to the contributing employee; however, the
hours, upon conversation, will be taxable to the receiving individual.
2. The cash value of the hours contributed will be computed based on the hourly
rate of the individual contributing. This cash value will be deposited in the
Bank. Funds removed from the Bank will be determined by the hourly rate of
the individual receiving Compassionate Leave.
3. Contributions may be designated for use by a specific individual; however,
once deposited in the Bank, contributions cannot be refunded even if the
designated individual does not use all Compassionate Leave contributed for
his/her benefit.
4. Contributions may be made by an employee completing a payroll deduction
form.
5. Completed forms are to be sent to Human Resources Records Section for
processing.
B. Eligibility for Benefits
In order to apply for Compassionate Leave, an individual must have experienced a
serious illness or injury. The benefit of this policy does not accrue to related
family members. In order to qualify, the following must apply:
1. The employee must be absent for a minimum of twenty (20) workdays within a
three (3) month period as a result of the illness or injury.
2. Applicant must be a permanent full time employee who has worked for the
City at least ninety (90) days.
Chief Administrative Officer
Human Resources Division Section 808.14
Policies and Procedures Manual Page 2
3. All other leave options (vacation, personal, management, sick, advanced sick,
etc.) must have been exhausted. Employees who are terminally ill and/or
unable to return to work, may apply to the Compassionate Leave Bank without
having applied for Advanced Personal Leave, provided all other leave has been
exhausted. They also do not have to meet the 20 day absence requirement.
4. The employee cannot be receiving Workers Compensation or other City
disability benefits.
5. Benefits from the Compassionate Leave Bank shall not exceed five hundred
(500) hours per illness or injury.
6. Medical documentation must be provided.
C. Compassionate Leave Bank Committee
A Compassionate Leave Bank Committee will be appointed by the Chief
Administrative Officer. This Committee will be comprised of five (5) members,
the majority of whom must be employees not classified as Executive Management
or Administrative Management. Human Resources Division Manager or designee
will serve as permanent Committee Chair. (The remaining members will be
appointed to serve for at least two (2) years.
D. Guidelines for Committee Meetings
The Committee Chairman will call meetings as needed to review applications for
the Compassionate Leave Bank. Employees receiving Compassionate Leave must
meet all the criteria listed in B above. However, meeting these criteria does not
obligate the Committee to approve leave from the Compassionate Leave Bank.
Additional items which should be taken into consideration include, but are not
limited to:
1. The cash value of donated time available in the Compassionate Leave Bank.
2. The employee’s use of unscheduled Personal and /or Sick Leave prior to this
illness or injury.
3. Compassionate leave may be used upon the employee’s return to work,
provided such usage is directly related to the condition for which the leave was
approved.
E. Application for Compassionate Leave
Application for Compassionate Leave may be made by completing an Application
Form, which contains the following information:
1. Name and employee number of applicant.
2. The nature of the illness, injury, and disability, and the date it began.
3. The number of Compassionate Leave hours requested and the period to be
covered.
4. A physician’s statement describing the illness or disability and the estimated
length of time until return for work.
5. A statement from the Payroll Section certifying the amount of leave remaining
for the employee.
Chief Administrative Officer
Human Resources Division Section 808.14
Policies and Procedures Manual Page 3
The completed Application Form should be sent to the Human Resources Division
Manager for forwarding to the Committee.
F. Restrictions on Compassionate Leave
The following restrictions will apply to Compassionate Leave granted by the
Committee:
1. Compassionate Leave in combination with any other benefits or hours worked
shall not exceed 75% of the employee’s normal gross pay within a given pay
period.
2. Employees shall have no entitlement to Compassionate Leave which is granted
but not used by the employee.
G. Records
If an employee is granted Compassionate Leave by the Committee, the City's
Human Resources Records Section will be notified by the Committee Chairman or
designee to authorize conversion of funds in the Compassionate Leave Bank based
on the employee's rate of pay.
:5 FORMS:
Application for Compassionate Leave, Form 808.14.1
:6 COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES:
Compassionate Leave Bank Committee.
:7 REFERENCE:
This procedure adopted by City Council, April 11, 1988, Item 14, A-29; amended June
21, 1993, Item 2-P; October 3, 1994, Item 3-S; amended April 3, 2000, Item 2PPP;
amended September 11, 2000, Item 7X; amended January 13, 2003, Item B23; amended
July 28, 2003, Item A4; amended September 15, 2003; re-formatted only April 2004;
amended April 27, 2009, Item A-9.
:8 EFFECTIVE DATE:
This procedure effective April 27, 2009.