Employee Disciplinary Action and Performance Review

An investigation must be completed within 9 months of notifying the employee.

Management has 45 days after the investigation to communicate proposed discipline to the employee.

If management fails to meet the timeframes for investigation or discipline communication, disciplinary action is barred, unless there's a good reason.

Specific events like criminal investigations, military leave, or worker's compensation can pause the timeframes.

The employee must be informed of their performance rating.

Only permanent employees with unacceptable or needs improvement ratings can appeal their performance ratings to arbitration.

Discipline records older than 2 years or reprimands/counseling older than 1 year are not shared during promotions interviews.

An employee's discharge is considered a suspension without pay until the Step 3 grievance process is completed.

Employees who receive an "Unacceptable" or "Needs Improvement" rating on their annual review will have their step increase revoked and must reimburse the department for the amount received.

Employees must work at least 6 months out of each year to be eligible for an annual performance review and step raise.

Employees returning to work after a leave of absence who meet certain criteria will receive a retroactive step increase.

Probationary employees receive performance evaluations at specific intervals during their probationary period.

The number of vacation shifts per year varies depending on an employee's years of service.

Vacation accruals are prorated based on the amount of time an employee is out of pay status.

Vacation scheduling occurs during the Kelly cycle starting after December 31st and continuing for one year.

The number of vacation slots per battalion is determined by factors like the number of stations and the presence of special operations.

The first round of vacation requests, open for a 14-day period, requires a minimum of 4 shifts (including Kelly days) and a maximum of 10 shifts. Probationary employees are exempt from the 4-day minimum.

The second round of vacation requests allows for a minimum of 3 consecutive shifts, including a Kelly day. Probationary employees are exempt from the 3-day minimum requirement.

The third round of vacation requests follows a first-come, first-served basis, with seniority determining priority in case of multiple entries for the same day.

Vacation requests submitted within 7 days of the request date will be denied if overtime would be created.

An employee must notify the department by March 1st if they are entering the D.R.O.P program, which impacts their vacation policy.

Once approved, vacation requests can only be cancelled by the appropriate deputy chief unless there's a major emergency (earthquake, tropical storm, hurricane, or civil unrest).

Vacation time may be taken in a minimum of 2-hour increments, followed by hour-for-hour blocks.

Excess vacation hours over 500 are carried over to the union time pool on April 15th of each year.

Employees who plan to enter the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) or retire within the next year are exempt from the annual vacation cap and sweep on April 15th. This allows them to maximize their vacation buyout before leaving the county.

If an employee chooses to bypass the April 15th vacation sweep and does NOT enter DROP or retire within the year, their vacation time will be swept retroactively at the value exceeding the cap.

Employees can donate their unused vacation time to the Benevolent Fund when they retire. It helps support county employees in need.

When transferring to a new role (promotion, demotion, or new classification), employees must accept the vacation time available in their new position. This ensures consistent vacation practices.

Employees who transfer within the county can roll over their vacation time to their new assignment, ensuring continuity and consistency.

Sick leave is intended for genuinely ill employees, aiming to minimize misuse and ensure operational stability.

Unused sick leave can be added to an employee's Reserve Vacation Bank, up to their annual allotment. However, this bank is not paid out upon leaving the county.

In case of a duty-related death, benefits are paid out from the employee's Reserve Vacation Bank, ensuring financial support for their family.

An employee can take up to 6 months of sick leave within an 18-month period.

An employee cannot work another job while on sick leave.

Employees can take up to 3 months of baby bonding leave, with 6 weeks at 100% pay and up to 3 additional months at 65% pay.

Employees can take up to 3 weeks of medical leave for exams or treatments, but only for those working 40-hour weeks.

Employees with 5 or more sick leave occurrences within 12 months face consequences, such as loss of early release, overtime, bidding rights, and step-up privileges.

If an employee experiences a work-related injury that prevents them from returning to work, they can take extended leave under certain conditions.

An employee must call out sick at least 30 minutes before their shift starts using the approved staffing program or notifying the Fire Operations Officer (FOO).

If a supervisor believes an employee is too ill or injured to work, they can recommend sending the employee home with pay.

A single sick leave occurrence that exceeds the employee's annual allotment.

Employees in high-risk roles like firefighters or paramedics receive 85% of their salary for the first 3 months of extended leave, 65% for 3-12 months, and no compensation after 12 months.

All other employees who are not considered "special risk" receive 85% of their salary for the first 3 months of extended leave, 65% for 3-9 months, and no compensation after 9 months.

Employees can use their vacation or reserve vacation time to cover any unpaid portion of their extended leave.

Employees who take extended leave must pay out 48 hours of their 120-hour annual sick leave allotment.

An employee must return to work for at least 6 months before they can be eligible for extended leave again.

Employees on extended leave must provide their doctor's written assessment outlining work restrictions and the anticipated duration of leave.

For extended leave lasting over 30 days, employees must provide an updated assessment from their doctor every 30 days.