Romeoville Employee Handbook May 2023 PDF

Employee Handbook May 2023 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS.............................................................................................................. 4 1.1 …............................................Intention of Village Regarding Policies of Employment Disclaimer 1.2........................................................................................................................Purpose of Policies 1.3........................................................................................................................Scope of Coverage 1.4................................................................................................Availability of Employee Handbook 1.5............................................................ Conflict with Collective Bargaining Agreements and Laws 1.6................................................................................................ Department Rules and Procedures 4 4 4 4 4 4 2.1................................................................................................................................Position Types 2.2............................................................................................................Position Classification Plan 2.3.............................................................................................................................Job Descriptions 5 5 6 3.1.......................................................................................................................Compensation Plan 3.2......................................................................................................................Original Appointment 3.3.....................................................................................................................Performance Reviews 3.4........................................................................................................................Salary Adjustments 3.5................................................................................................................................New Positions 3.6..................................................................................................................Salary Upon Promotion 3.7.....................................................................................................................Salary Upon Transfer 3.8.............................................................................................................Reclassification of Position 3.9...............................................................................................................Temporary Premium Pay 3.10........................................................................................................................................Overtime 3.11..................................................................................................................................Holiday Pay 3.12...............................................................................................................Workers’ Compensation 3.13....................................................................................................................................Paychecks 3.14.......................................................................................................................Payroll Deductions 3.15.................................................................................................................................Time Sheets 3.16..........................................................................................Payments due Deceased Employees 3.17....................................................................................Court Time Travel for Former Employees 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 9 10 12 12 4.1......................................................................................................Equal Employment Opportunity 4.2...................................................................Disability, Pregnancy and Lactation Accommodations 4.3..............................................................................................................Religious Accommodation 4.4..............................................................................................................Recruitment of Applicants 4.5...................................................................................................................................Appointment 4.6...............................................................................................................................Reappointment 4.7...............................................................................................................Employment of Relatives 4.8 …….………………………...………………………………………………… Employee Dating Policy 4.9 …….………………………...………………………………………………….Mobile Workforce Policy 12 13 14 14 14 14 14 16 17 5.1 ………………………………………………………………………..…...Previously Accrued Benefits 5.2..............................................................................................................................Vacation Leave 5.3.............................................................................................................Vacation Accrual and Use 5.4..............................................................................Vacation Pay upon Termination or Retirement 5.5.............................................Voluntary Vacation Donations for Catastrophic Illnesses or Injuries 5.6.....................................................................................................................................Sick Leave 5.7.......................................Unused Sick leave at Retirement and Health Insurance for Employees 5.8 ………….…..…….…………..………Buy Back of Sick Leave for Non-bargaining Unit Employees 5.9 …………………..……............……Additional Service Credit for Unpaid Sick Leave through IMRF 5.10..............................................................................................................................Funeral Leave 5.11...........................................................................................................Family and Medical Leave 20 20 20 21 21 22 23 24 24 25 26 SECTION 2: CLASSIFICATION OF POSITIONS……….……………………………..…………………………… 5 SECTION 3: COMPENSATION OF EMPLOYEES…….………....................................................................... 6 SECTION 4: RECRUITMENT AND EMPLOYMENT........................................................................................ 12 SECTION 5: LEAVE AND HOLIDAYS............................................................................................................. 20 1 5.12...........................................................................................................................Disability Leave 5.13 …………….............................................................................................................Voting Leave 5.14............................................................................................................................Personal Leave 5.15...................................................................................................................Civil Leave/Jury Duty 5.16 …………………………………...………………………………………… School Visitation Leave 5.17…………………………………...………………………………………………………. Military Leave 5.18......................................................................................................................................Holidays 5.19 …………………………………..…………………..…………………….Emergency Staffing Policy 27 28 28 28 28 28 30 30 6.0................................................................Non-Union Sworn Personnel Chiefs and Commanders 6.1..............................................................................................................Group Medical Insurance 31 32 7.1.................................................................................................................Deferred Compensation 7.2................................................................................................................................Longevity Pay 7.3......................................................................................Reimbursement for Education Expenses 7.4........................................................................................Programs Ineligible for Reimbursement 7.5..………....………………..…………………………………………...Job Related Training Programs 7.6 ……...…..….……………………..….……………..Treatment Plant Operator Certificate of License 7.7.............................................................................................................................. Fringe Benefits 7.8.............................................................................................................. Uniforms and Equipment 34 35 35 36 36 36 37 38 8.1 ….................................................................................................................................Attendance 8.2.....................................................................................................................Outside Employment 8.3........................................................................................................................Identification Cards 8.4..........................................................................................................................................Gift Ban 8.5..............................................................................................................................Political Activity 8.6.................................................................................................................................Confidentiality 8.7.........................................................................................................................................Smoking 8.8...........................................................................................................................Employee Safety 8.9................................................................................................................... Village logo clothing 8.10.........................................................................................................................Dress Code Policy 8.11....................................................................................................................Whistleblower Policy 8.12..........................................................................................................................Code of Conduct 8.13......................................................................................................................... Fraud Policy 38 38 39 39 39 40 40 40 40 40 41 45 46 9.1.........................................................................................................................Glossary of Terms 9.2.......................................................................................................................General Information 9.3...........................................................................................................................................Privacy 9.4.........................................................................................................................Guidelines for Use 9.5......................................................................................Administration of Technology Resources 9.6 ……………….………………………….……………………….……….………….…..….Confidentially 9.7.........................................................................................................................................Security 9.8 ……………………………………………………………………………….External Communications 9.9...….………...……………………….…………………………….…………..…………………….Email 9.10..…………….………………….……….…………………………………….…..Local Area Network 9.11..………………………….………….….……………….Personal / Non Village Owned Equipment 9.12...................................................................................................................Personal Cell Phone 9.13...…………………………..……….…………………Reporting Policy Violations and Enforcement 9.14....................................................................................................................Telecommunications 9.15 …..................................................................................................................Social Media Policy 48 50 51 51 53 55 56 58 60 61 62 62 62 63 64 10.1.......................................................................................................................................General 67 SECTION 6: INSURANCE PROGRAMS…….................................................................................................. 31 SECTION 7: OTHER BENEFITS…….............................................................................................................. 34 SECTION 8: EMPLOYEE CONDUCT………………........................................................................................ 38 SECTION 9: TECHNOLOGY............................................................................................................................ 48 SECTION 10: DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS......................................................................................................... 67 2 10.2........................................................................................................................Disciplinary Steps 10.3...........................................................................Appeals Involving Termination of Employment 68 68 11.1............................................................................................................................Personnel Files 11.2..................................................................................................Change in Personal Information 68 68 12.1............................................................................................................................Travel Expense 69 13.1.............................................................................................Village Authorized Credit Card Use 13.2....................................................................................................................................Guidelines 13.3............................................................................................................Cardholder Responsibility 13.4.............................................................................................Village Internal Control Procedures 72 72 72 73 14.1....................................................................................................Orientation of New Employees 14.2..............................................................................Scheduling of Training / Probationary Period 73 73 15.1..........................................................................................................................Anti-Harassment 15.2..........................................................................Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Code of Conduct 15.3.....................................................................................................Employee Assistance Program 74 78 79 16.1..................................................................................................................Physical Examinations 16.2..................................................................................................................................AIDS Policy 16.3...............................................................................................................Drug and Alcohol Policy 80 80 80 17.1 ………..…………………………………………………………………Weapons Possession Policy 17.2 ………...………………………………………………...Workplace Violence/Active Shooter Policy 83 SECTION 11: PERSONNEL RECORDS.......................................................................................................... 68 SECTION 12: FINANCE................................................................................................................................... 69 SECTION 13: CREDIT CARD USAGE..............................................................................................................72 SECTION 14: EMPLOYEE TRAINING............................................................................................................. 73 SECTION 15: EMPLOYEE RELATIONS…….................................................................................................. 74 SECTION 16: EMPLOYEE HEALTH…………................................................................................................. 80 SECTION 17: SAFETY ……............................................................................................................................. 83 83 SECTION 18: FORMS AND SIGN OFF SHEETS………….………...………….………………………………… 85 18.1..............................................................................Employee Handbook Acknowledgement Form 18.2...................................................................................Social Media Policy Acknowledgment Form 18.3 ………..........………………...….. Discrimination and Harassment Policy Acknowledgement Form 18.4............................................................................. Discrimination and Harassment Sign Off Sheet 18.5………………………………………Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Code of Conduct Sign off Sheet 18.6 …................................................................................................ Mobile Workforce Request Form 18.7 ………......…….……….…………………………………………. Mobile Workforce Agreement Form 18.8 ……..….…………….….…………………….….................Village of Romeoville Seminar Summary 18.9 ……..…..……………….…………….………..……………Travel Authorization & Expense Report 1 18.10 …………...…………………………………….………………………………Travel Expense Report 2 18.11 ….....……………………………………………..........................Credit Card Expense Report Form 18.12 ….....……………………………………………………Educational Plan for Tuition Reimbursement 18.13 ….....………………………………………….……………………Tuition Reimbursement Agreement 18.14……………………………………………………………………………………..Tuition Approval Form 18.15…………………………………………………………………………Outside Employment Disclosure 18.16……………………………………………………………………….Outside Employee Request Form 18.17…………………………………………………………….Outside Employee Request Form (Police) 3 SECTION 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS 1.1 DISCLAIMER The personnel policies set forth in this manual supersede all personnel policies previously adopted by the Village. The policies are unilaterally created and implemented by the Village and are intended to serve only as guides for employment. THE POLICIES ARE NOT CONTRACT TERMS, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND SHALL NOT BE REGARDED AS OR CONSTRUED AS CONTRACTUAL PROVISIONS. AS GUIDES, THE PROVISIONS MAY BE CHANGED, AMENDED, REVOKED, OR SUSPENDED AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE AT THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE VILLAGE. EMPLOYMENT WITH THE VILLAGE IS AT-WILL AND NOTHING IN THIS MANUAL IS INTENDED OR SHOULD BE CONSTRUED AS ALTERING THIS EMPLOYMENT AT-WILL RELATIONSHIP. 1.2 Purpose of Policies This handbook is a guide for employees. 1.3 Scope of Coverage All current employees in the municipal service in existing or hereafter-created positions shall be subject to this chapter, except the following offices and positions that shall be wholly exempt from the provisions of this chapter: A. Elected officials B. Members of Boards and Commissions C. Consultants and personnel paid on a fee basis 1.4 Availability of Employee Handbook A copy of this policy manual shall be provided to all current employees and to future employees upon commencement of work. This employee handbook shall be maintained by the Village Manager and a copy shall be available in the office of each Department Manager. 1.5 Conflict with Collective Bargaining Agreements and Laws In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this manual and those contained in any applicable collective bargaining agreement, the collective bargaining agreement will govern in all cases with respect to employees covered by the agreement. 1.6 Departmental Rules and Procedures This policy manual shall not preclude the establishment of written departmental work rules setting forth policies and procedures for an individual department work force consistent with this policy manual. In the event of a conflict, this policy shall govern. 4 SECTION 2: CLASSIFICATION OF POSITIONS 2.1 Position Types A. Full-time employee — Shall mean an employee who customarily works thirty-five- forty hours per week on a regular schedule throughout a twelve-month period. The employment position is specifically authorized in the budget and is designated as either non-exempt or exempt from federal, state and wage laws. 1. Non-Exempt Full-time-Employees are entitled to overtime pay or compensatory (“comp”) time under the specific provisions of federal and state laws and village policies. 2. Exempt Full-time- Employees are excluded from specific provisions of federal and state wage and hour laws. Exempt employees are generally executive, administrative, creative or learned professional and technology employees. Exempt employees are paid by salary and not by hour. The salary is intended to compensate for all hours worked at the Village and will be established at the time of hire or when the position is classified as “exempt”. B. Part-time employee — One who works less than thirty-five (35) hours per week, twelve (12) months a year. One who works 1000 hours per year averaging 20 hours a week would be entitled to IMRF. Employees working over 1000 per year would also be eligible for paid sick, personal, vacation, funeral, and holidays. This excludes part-time firefighter/paramedic or firefighter/EMTS. C. Temporary employee/seasonal — A person employed either Full-time or Part-time on a nonregular basis. Temporary employees will not be eligible for employee benefits. D. 1560 Part-time Employees — An employee who works between 1560 and 2000 hours of service during the employer’s “standard measurement period” or the employee’s “initial measurement period” for qualification for health insurance. The employer’s “standard measurement period” is January 01 through the following December 31. An employee will have an “initial measurement period” if the employee was not employed for a full standard measurement period and/ or can be treated as a new variable hour employee or a new seasonal employee upon hire according to IRS regulations. An employee’s “initial measurement period” will be the twelve-month period beginning on the first day of the month starting after the employee’s hires date. 2.2 Position Classification Plan The Village has a position classification plan for regular full and part-time positions covered by the provisions of this policy manual. All positions shall be grouped in classes having a definite range of difficulty and responsibility. Each class may specify examples of work which are illustrative of duties for those positions allocated to the class, requirements as to knowledge, abilities, and skills necessary for performance of the work and a statement of experience and training desirable for recruitment into the classification. Minimum requirements may be added for any position. The class specifications shall be considered as descriptive rather than restrictive. They shall be used to indicate the types of positions that should be allocated to the respective classes and not as prescribing what the duties or responsibilities of any specific position shall be, or as modifying the power of a Department Manager or supervisor to assign duties, direct, control or evaluate the work of any employee. As often as necessary to assure continued correct classification, the position classification plan shall be reviewed by the Village Manager and necessary adjustments shall be made. Any additions, deletions, or other changes in the position classification plan shall be submitted to the Village Manager for approval. Board approval shall be required for changes in the position of the Village Manager and Department 5 Managers. The position classification plan shall be filed with the Village Manager. The plan so filed, and subsequently adjusted, shall have the same effect as though it were a part of this personnel manual. Employee Advanced through the Ranges The starting salary of the range (Minimum) is the normal hiring/promoting rate. Exceptions to this starting point should be limited to hiring situations involving applicants with exceptional background and qualifications, a promotion in which the employee’s current compensation is higher than the minimum of the new range, or in the case of a labor market situation where it is impossible to recruit qualified candidates at the minimum. In these cases, employees may be appointed to their positions anywhere within the defined range, depending on their experiences and qualifications, and based on the provisions of the Village’s Personnel Manual Employees should not be hired below the minimum of their compensation range. Salary advancement between the hiring rate and the top of the range (Maximum) is done throughout the employee’s tenure with the Village. Advancement through the range may be done on an annual basis and be dependent on a satisfactory performance evaluation. Incumbents progressing through the range should understand that standards of performance would become more exacting or controlling as compensation levels advance. Future Administration of the Non-Union Compensation Plan The administration of a classification plan is an ongoing process. It must be recognized that it is not static and is not intended to affix positions permanently to job classes. Instead, the plan must be administered continually to adapt it to changing conditions. 2.3 Job Descriptions A job description provides a current and accurate description of the various tasks that are performed by an employee. It is the basis for establishing a compensation program that is related to the nature of the work performed. It also provides a means of assuring internal equity with the overall work force. SECTION 3: COMPENSATION OF EMPLOYEES 3.1 Compensation Plan The compensation plan for the Village shall consist of a pay range for each classification. The compensation for all employees shall be assigned by the Village Manager and shall be within the pay range assigned to the employee’s position. Nothing contained in the policy guarantees any salary increases, which are dependent upon prior decision and appropriation by the Board. 3.2 Original Appointment An employee shall be hired at the minimum rate of the pay range for his/her classification whenever possible. A new employee with substantial experience can be placed in the middle to top of the range with the Village Managers approval. 3.3 Performance Reviews 6 The Village will make its best effort to conduct a minimum of one written performance review per year for all employees. Performance evaluation forms will be completed by the employee’s immediate supervisor. The annual performance evaluation should be completed for each employee, and a copy provided to the employee. A personal interview between the employee and the immediate supervisor shall be conducted within a reasonable period after receipt by the employee of the written evaluation. The evaluation will include a review of the employee’s principal responsibilities, an appraisal of the employee’s job performance, a discussion of problem areas, and a plan of action to set objectives for performance and to assist in alleviating any problem areas. All evaluations shall be submitted to the Human Resources for review and be made a part of the employee’s personnel records. 3.4 Salary Adjustments All salary adjustments will be considered every May 1st. provided the employee is meeting his/her minimum performance expectations established in his/her performance review. If an employee’s performance review states he/she is not meeting minimum expectations, salary adjustments will be considered when minimum expectations are satisfactorily met. Nothing contained in this policy guarantees any salary increases, which are dependent upon prior decision and appropriation by the Board. Employees hired January -April will not be eligible for the May 1st increase. Employees who received a promotion or who were reclassified and received an increase during the same time period January – April are not eligible for the increase May 1st. New hires are eligible for an increase after completing their 6 months’ probation successfully. 3.5 New Positions If an employee is to be assigned to a newly created classification, or the Village creates a new position not falling within an established classification, the position will be documented and evaluated using a standard job evaluation method so that classification and appropriate pay grade can be determined. No person shall be hired, promoted, demoted, or paid in any position until the position has been approved by the Village Manager. 3.6 Salary Upon Promotion An employee who is promoted from a classification in one pay grade range to a classification in a higher pay grade range will be placed in the new pay grade range which provides a salary increase as determined by the Village Manager. Employees who received a promotion or who were reclassified and received an increase January – April are not eligible for the increase May 1st. 3.7 Salary Upon Transfer An employee who transfers or is transferred from one classification to another classification in the same pay range shall receive no salary adjustment and will retain the same anniversary date. 3.8 Reclassification of Position Upon reclassification, an employee may receive an adjustment in pay commensurate with the employment classification. When the allocation of an existing position has been changed because of reevaluation resulting from significant changes in job duties, responsibilities and requirements, such position will be a reclassification. 7 In these situations, the position will be documented and evaluated using a standard job evaluation method, and position classification and pay range will be determined. If a position is reclassified to a classification in a lower pay range, and the salary of the employee is within the new pay range, the employee shall go to the step in the new pay range which is the closest to his/her current pay. If a position is reclassified to a classification in a lower pay range, and the salary of the employee exceeds the pay range maximum of the new pay range, the employee will be placed in the new pay range and retain his/her current salary. However, the employee will not be eligible for further base-accumulating pay increases until his/her salary is again within the salary for the new grade. If a position is reclassified to a classification in a higher pay range, and the salary of the employee is within the new pay range, the employee shall be placed in the range which provides an increase over his/her current pay. If a position is reclassified to a classification in a higher pay range, and the salary of the employee is below the new pay range minimum, the employee shall receive a salary adjustment to the minimum of the higher pay range. 3.9 Temporary Premium Pay Subject to the final approval of the Village Manager, a Department Manager may recommend a temporary pay increase for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days for a Village employee. The increase shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of that employee’s regular salary or rate of pay when that employee is called upon to perform additional or different job duties or functions during two or more consecutive weeks that would not otherwise be the responsibility of that employee. The amount of a given pay increase shall be determined by the Department Manager based on the amount or nature of additional or different duties or functions that an employee is assuming and approved by the Village Manager. All pay increases recommended and approved under this policy shall only constitute temporary adjustments to an employee’s salary or rate of pay to reflect the temporary increase or change in the duties and functions of the employee during the period of time that the employee is actually assisting in carrying out the duties and functions of the vacant position, and under no circumstances shall any such pay increase constitute a permanent change in the employee’s salary or rate of pay. The Department Manager recommending a temporary pay increase for an employee under this policy shall, upon the approval of such increase by the Village Manager, notify the recipient thereof in writing of the amount of the increase, the additional or different duties and functions to be performed by the recipient, and the expected duration of the assignment of such additional duties and functions to such employee. Such notice shall also inform the employee that any pay increase granted under this policy shall be temporary and shall last no longer than the period during which the employee actually performs additional or different job duties or functions and shall be transmitted to the employee together with a copy of this policy. 3.10 Overtime It is the policy of the Village to establish and maintain regulations and guidelines regarding overtime compensation that will ensure continued compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). FLSA seeks to limit the number of hours worked by requiring additional pay, called overtime pay, for hours worked more than the applicable statutory maximum, unless such employees hold positions that are exempted from the overtime requirements of FLSA. This usually means that non-exempt employees are entitled to overtime pay for hours of work more than forty (40) per work week. Non-exempt part-time firefighter can receive overtime pay after 106 hours in a two week pay period. A Department Manager, or designee, must authorize overtime work when necessary to meet Village emergencies or other operating requirements. When non-exempt employees are called on to perform overtime work, such employees shall receive payment for overtime work at the rate of one and one-half times their regular rate for all hours of work over forty (40) hours in the work 8 week. Those employees whose positions are exempted from required overtime payments pursuant to the executive, professional or administrative exemptions under FLSA shall not be eligible to receive any overtime pay. However, exempt employees may request, as their workload permits, adjustment of their working hours to compensate for working over forty (40) hours. Vacation and Personal time are considered as time work, sick time is not. All adjustments must be approved by the Village Manager, Department Manager, or his/her designee. 3.11 Holiday Pay All part-time Security System Monitor positions designated to maintain the normal schedule shall be paid in the following manner for the holiday: Refer to section 5:18 Holidays for the list of holidays. A. Time/ half the rate of pay for on the actual holiday worked not the observed day. 3.12 Workers’ Compensation All employees are covered by Workers’ Compensation, which provides for work time lost and payment for medical expenses incurred because of injury or illness arising out of and during the performance of his/her job. An injured employee must report immediately any injury or illness (no matter how minor) to his/her supervisor. Within three (3) days of any incident, the supervisor must notify the Human Resources Office. Medical bills for job-related injuries should be submitted to the Human Resources Office. Employees must receive authorization from a physician to return to work when off from work for three (3) consecutive days or more. The first three (3) days an employee is off work due to a job-related injury are not paid by workers’ compensation. If an employee is off work with a job-related injury for more than fourteen (14) days, the first three (3) days are paid by workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation covers 2/3 of the employee’s average weekly pay. To ensure no service time is lost, any participants in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (“I.M.R.F.”) must file for disability benefits when injury occurs. 3.13 Paychecks Employees will receive electronic notification regarding their paychecks by Friday, after the completion of a two-week period ending the previous Sunday. The pay period for all employees shall be bi-weekly with the close of the pay period designated at 12:00 midnight the Sunday prior to payday. When a holiday on a payday exists, checks will be distributed on the preceding workday. Paychecks will be available in the respective department for those employees not getting their paychecks direct deposited. The Village retains sole discretion in the establishment of the payroll period, and paydays may be changed by the Village Board. 3.14 Payroll Deductions An employee’s pay shall be subject to legally mandated payroll deductions, including withholding for federal and state taxes. The amount deducted depends upon the number of exemptions claimed by the employee. Employees who wish to change the number of exemptions should contact Human Resources. 9 Except for employees eligible to participate in the Fire and Police Pension Funds, payroll deductions are also made for the Federal Insurance Contribution Act (“F.I.C.A.”) or Social Security. F.I.C.A. deductions are set by federal law. All employees who work more than 1,000 hours per year and are not eligible for membership in the Fire and Police Pension Funds are subject to deductions for the I.M.R.F. The current employee contribution established by State law is 4.5% of total wages. Employees may also arrange to have voluntary deductions made from their pay for direct deposits to banks, for deferred compensation plans and to the credit union (this service must be available at the bank or credit union so named). Arrangements should be made through the HR Portal, Payroll, or Human Resources. 3.15 Time Sheets Safe Harbor Policy: It is the Village’s policy and practice to accurately compensate employees and to do so in compliance with all applicable state and federal laws. To ensure that you are paid properly for all time worked and that no improper deductions are made, you must correctly record all work time and review your paychecks promptly to identify and to report all errors. You also must not engage in off-the-clock or unrecorded work. Review Your Paystub: State and Federal laws require the Village to keep accurate records of the time worked by all employees. Employee falsification of information on electronic time sheet is a serious infraction and cause for disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. The Village will make every effort to ensure our employees are paid correctly. Occasionally, however, inadvertent mistakes can happen. When mistakes do happen and are called to our attention, we promptly will make any correction that is necessary. Please review your pay stub when you receive it to make sure it is correct. If you believe your wages have been subject to any improper deductions or your pay does not accurately reflect all hours worked, you should report your concerns to a supervisor immediately. If a supervisor is unavailable or if you believe it would be inappropriate to contact that person (or if you have not received a prompt and fully acceptable reply within three business days), you should immediately contact the Village Manager or the Finance Director. If you have not received a satisfactory response within five business days after reporting your concern to the Village Manager or the Finance Director and you are unsure who to contact to correct the problem, please immediately contact the Village’s corporate counsel. Non-Exempt Timecard or Punch Policy All non-exempt employees will use an electronic time system to track their hours worked. This will be done by either an electronic time clock or a computer. This system will track all your regular time, overtime, and paid time off. Exempt Employees: If you are classified as an exempt salaried employee, you will receive a salary which is intended to compensate you for all hours that you may work for the Village. This salary will be established at the time of hire or when you become classified as an exempt employee. While it may be subject to review and modification from time to time, such as during salary review times, the salary will be a predetermined amount that will not be subject to deductions for variations in the quantity or quality of the work you perform. Exempt employees must still keep track of all hours worked as required by law, but not for compensation purposes. 10 You will receive your full salary for any work week in which work is performed. However, under federal law, your salary is subject to certain deductions. For example, absent contrary state law requirements, your salary can be reduced for the following reasons in a work week in which work was performed: Full day absences for personal reasons, other than sickness or disability. Full day absences for sickness or disability, in accordance with the Village’s sick day pay plan and short-term disability insurance plan. Full day disciplinary suspensions for infractions of safety rules of major significance (including those that could cause serious harm to others). Family and Medical Leave absences (either full or partial day absences). To offset amounts received as payment for jury and witness fees or military pay. Unpaid disciplinary suspensions of one or more full days for significant infractions of major workplace conduct rules set forth in written policies. The first or last week of employment in the event you work less than a full week. Your salary also may be reduced for certain types of deductions, such as: your portion of health, dental or life insurance premiums; state, federal or local taxes, social security; or IMRF plan. In any work week in which you performed any work, your salary will not be reduced for any of the following reasons: Partial day absences for personal reasons, sickness, or disability. Your absence because the facility is closed on a scheduled workday. Absences for jury duty, attendance as a witness, or military leave in any week in which you have performed any work. Any other deductions prohibited by state or federal law. Falsification of Timecard and Off-the-Clock Work It is a violation of the Village’s policy for any employee to falsify a timecard, or to alter another employee’s timecard. It is also a serious violation of Village policy for any employee or Manager to instruct another employee to incorrectly or falsely report hours worked or alter another employee’s timecard to under- or over-report hours worked. If any Manager or employee instructs you to (1) incorrectly or falsely under- or over-report your hours worked, (2) alter another employee’s time records to inaccurately or falsely report that employee’s hours worked, or (3) conceal any falsification of time records or to violate this policy, do not do so. Instead, report it immediately to the Village Manager. You should not work any hours outside of your scheduled workday unless your supervisor has authorized the unscheduled work in advance. Do not start work early, finish work late, work during a meal break or perform any other extra or overtime work unless you are authorized to do so, and that time is recorded on your timecard. Employees are prohibited from performing any “off-theclock” work. “Off-the-clock” work means work you may perform but fail to report on your timecard. Any employee who fails to report or inaccurately reports any hours worked will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. No Retaliation Every report will be fully investigated, and corrective action will be taken, up to and including discharge of any employee(s) who violates this policy. 11 In addition, the Village will not allow any form of retaliation against individuals who report alleged violations of this policy or who cooperate in the Village’s investigation of such reports. Retaliation is unacceptable. Any form of retaliation in violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. 3.16 Payments due Deceased Employees All payments due to the deceased employee shall be made payable “to the estate” of said employee. This includes compensation for hours worked, vacation leave, and any refunds or reimbursements due the employee. Should the employee’s death occur while on the job, payment for the entire workday shall be made. 3.17 Court Time Travel and Pay for Former Employees This section pertains to former employees of the Village of Romeoville who are required to give deposition or appear in court on behalf of the Village. Former employees that are required to testify in a civil case, criminal case and/or give a deposition will be paid their last hourly wage for the time incurred while in court. This does not include travel time. Parking and tolls will be reimbursable. The former employee will need to submit a detail report that documents their hours, dates, and times to Human Resources prior to receiving payment. These policies are also in effect for all commissioners and public officials. Commission members will not be paid for a meeting for their appearance. Receipts must be submitted for parking and tolls. In the case of out-of-town travel, the Village will compensate the former employee, public officials, or commission members based on the existing travel policy in effect. SECTION 4: RECRUITMENT AND EMPLOYMENT 4.1 Equal Employment Opportunity Statement It is the policy of the Village that employment in Village government shall be based on merit and individual qualifications. No discrimination shall be exercised in any manner by a Village official or employee against or in favor of any applicant for Village employment or employee because of political or religious opinions or affiliations, or because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, marital status, military or veteran status, order of protection status, genetic information, disability, sexual orientation, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions), gender expression, gender identification, unfavorable military discharge, and arrest record (or criminal history record ordered expunged, sealed, or impounded) or other protected status or characteristic as established by law. The Village interprets these protected statuses broadly to include both the actual status and any perceptions and assumptions made regarding these statuses. An applicant or employee shall be considered solely based on qualifications, abilities, skills, and knowledge, with or without reasonable accommodation. Just and equitable incentives and conditions of employment are to be maintained to promote efficiency and economy in the operation of Village government. The Village has officially affirmed this policy statement and it is reaffirmed by its inclusion in this manual. The policy of Equal Employment Opportunity applies to all policies and procedures relating to recruiting, hiring, training, promotion, pay, and all personnel actions. The Village complies with 12 Federal and State equal employment opportunity laws and strives to keep the workplace free from all forms of illegal harassment as set forth in its Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation Prevention Policy. The Village also makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities and for religious reasons, unless doing so creates an undue hardship, in accordance with all legal requirements. Any applicant or employee who requires an accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job should contact the Village Manager or the Director of Human Resources to request that accommodation. We will work with that individual to attempt to identify a reasonable accommodation which will not impose an undue hardship on the Village. All employees must follow this policy. Any employee who violates this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. We are committed to the practice of equal employment opportunity and will not tolerate intimidation or retaliation against employees or applicants because they have engaged in or may engage in filing a complaint of discrimination or retaliation; assisting or participating in an investigation; opposing any act or practice made unlawful by any local, state, or federal law; or for exercising any other legally protected right. The Village Manager has overall responsibility for this policy and maintains reporting and monitoring procedures. Employee questions or concerns regarding this policy or violation thereof, should be referred to the Village Manager or the Director of Human Resources. Complaints are investigated immediately and handled as confidentially as possible in accordance with the procedure outlined in the Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation Prevention Policy. The Village ensures employees following this complaint procedure are protected against retaliation. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against any employee violating this policy. Please see our Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation Prevention Policy for information about the Village’s policy regarding investigation and resolution of complaints. 4.2 Disability and Pregnancy Accommodations The Village reaffirms its commitment to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and the Illinois Human Rights Act. The ADA makes it unlawful to discriminate in any employment practices such as recruiting, hiring, promoting, training, reduction- in- force, pay, firing, classifications, leaves, benefits, etc., against a job-qualified individual with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, an individual who has a record of such a limiting impairment, or an individual who is regarded as having such an impairment. The term “pregnancy” for purposes of this policy shall mean pregnancy, childbirth, or medical or common conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth. The Village will provide reasonable accommodations to such qualified individuals with a disability or pregnancy, such as making the workplace readily accessible and providing necessary equipment and devices for such individuals in the functioning of their job. It is the responsibility of the employee to bring his/her need for any such modification to the workplace or necessary equipment or device to the attention of his/her Department Manager. This information will be kept confidential and separate from the employee’s personnel file. The employee and Department Manager shall work to mutually agree upon a reasonable accommodation. However, the Village does not guarantee that the accommodation shall necessarily be the one requested by the employee or the “best” accommodation but only that it 13 shall be one that enables the employee to perform the essential functions of the job. Accommodations will not be provided if doing so would create an undue hardship on the Village. If the employee is not satisfied with the reasonable accommodation provided by the Department Manager, the employee may bring the matter to the attention of the Village Manager. Lactation Accommodation Policy The Village will provide employees with a safe space and a reasonable amount of break time to accommodate the employee’s need to express breastmilk for their nursing infant child, for up to one (1) year following the child’s birth. The requested break time, if possible, should be taken concurrently with other scheduled or provided break periods. Employees will be paid for any additional amount of reasonable break time needed to express breastmilk, unless doing so would cause the Village undue hardship in accordance with applicable law. 4.3 Religious Accommodation The Village respects the religious beliefs and practices of all employees and will make an accommodation for such sincerely held observances and beliefs when a reasonable accommodation is available that does not create an undue hardship on the organization. The immediate supervisor will evaluate any request for accommodation considering whether a work conflict exists and whether an accommodation is available. The supervisor and employee will meet to discuss the request and decision on an accommodation. If the employee accepts the proposed accommodation, the supervisor will implement the decision. If the employee disagrees with the proposed accommodation, the employee may submit a written appeal the decision of the supervisor to the Village Manager. 4.4 Recruitment of Applicants The Human Resources Manager will be responsible for securing applicants through appropriate resources. The Human Resources Manager and relevant Department Manager will screen applicants and select those applicants deemed to be best qualified for the position to be interviewed. 4.5 Appointment All appointments and promotions to Village positions shall be made on the basis of qualification, as required by the position, relative to experience, training, personal and physical fitness, skills, knowledge, and test results. When the two most qualified applicants are equal in every aspect required by the position, relative to experience, training, personal and physical fitness, skills, knowledge, and test results, “preference” may be given to a Village resident over that of a non-resident. “Preference,” as defined in this section only, is defined as giving extra appointment consideration to a Village resident over that of a nonresident. 4.6 Reappointment Any reappointed employee will have no vested interest or be entitled to any benefits accrued during previous employment with the Village. 4.7 Employment of Relatives / Anti-Nepotism Members of the family (as defined below) or household will not be considered for employment. 14 The employment of other close relatives is discouraged. With the Village Manager’s approval, a Department Manager may hire, temporary, seasonal or part-time employees with no benefits, persons within the family or elected officials. However, that employee will not be able to work in the same department as their relative. Neither shall they be transferred, promoted, or demoted to a position whereby they would be supervised or where they would supervise a family member. Employees employed prior to 2018 who are presently working in the same department with a member of his/her family, as defined below, shall be exempted from this policy. However, the following policy shall apply in such circumstances: A. Members of a household within the same department may not have a direct reporting relationship with another member of their family. B. Members of a household may not be in the position of approving either the timecard or the salary of another member of their family. C. Electronic Time sheets and employee scheduling for members of a household within the same department shall be subject to approval by the Village Manager. D. The Village Manager shall be responsible for monitoring these situations to ensure that there are no violations or problems created. If two employees at the same location become family/spouse during their employment and are in a supervisory/subordinate relationship, or one of the employees is in a position of having access to confidential material, one of the two must transfer, if a position for which he or she is qualified is available. The Village will try to accommodate a job transfer to a different department or transfer one employee to different shift or different supervisor. If no position is available, one employee must either voluntarily resign or enter into an Alternative Management Plan within 30 days of the date in which the two became family. The choice of the voluntary resignation or alternative management plan shall be made by the employees involved. An Alternative Management Plan shall be approved by the Village Manager or his or her designee, and shall outline supervision and evaluation procedures that will mitigate possible conflicts of interest amongst members of family. In the event of members of family having a supervisory/subordinate relationship, the Alternative Management Plan should address to whom the subordinate employee shall report and who will supervise, evaluate, and discipline the subordinate employee to ensure members of family do not have any effect upon the promotion, compensation, hours, or other conditions of employment of another member of family. In the event one of the members of family has access to confidential information, that member of family must enter into a non-disclosure agreement with the Village agreeing not to disclose any confidential information to the other member of family. Alternative Management Plans should also address ways to avoid any potential appearance of nepotism, conflict of interest, or conflict of commitment. To ensure continuity and appropriateness, a unit review of the approved management plan should take place in the event of any change in reporting relationships, and on an annual basis at a minimum. For purposes of this Section 4.7 only, the terms “family” and “spouse” are defined as follows: Family: Mother, father, sister, brother, spouse, son, daughter, stepmother, stepfather, stepsister, stepbrother, or grandparent of employee or spouse. (Blood, step, in-laws) 15 Spouse: Those people living together married or unmarried in an espoused relationship, which is defined as two people living together sharing bed and board, siring children, sharing financial, recreational, and social activities with or without benefit of a marriage license or marriage ceremony. Employees must notify Human Resources within 14 days of the marriage or civil union. 4.8 Employee Dating Policy The Village of Romeoville strongly believes that a work environment where employees maintain clear boundaries between employee personal and business interactions is most effective for conducting business and enhancing productivity. Although this policy does not prevent the development of friendship or romantic relationships between co-workers, it does establish boundaries as to how relationships are conducted during work hours and within the working environment. Individuals in supervisory or Managerial roles, and those with authority over others’ terms and conditions of employment, are subject to more stringent requirements under this policy due to their status as role models, their access to sensitive information, and their ability to affect terms and conditions of employment of individuals in subordinate positions. This policy does not preclude or interfere with the rights of employees protected by the National Labor Relations Act or any other applicable statue concerning the employment relationship. A. During working time and in working areas, employees are expected to conduct themselves in an appropriate workplace manner. B. During nonworking time, such as lunches, breaks, and before and after work periods, employees engaging in personal exchanges in non-work areas should observe an appropriate workplace manner to avoid offending other employees or putting others in an uncomfortable position. C. Employees are strictly prohibited from engaging in physical contact that would in any way be deemed inappropriate by a reasonable person while anywhere on company premises, whether during work hours or not. D. Employees who allow personal relationships with co-workers to adversely affect the work environment will be subject to the appropriate provisions of the Village of Romeoville’s disciplinary policy. Failure to change behavior and maintain expected work responsibilities is viewed as a serious disciplinary matter. E. Employee off-duty conduct is generally regarded as private if such conduct does not create problems within the workplace. An exception to this principle, however, is romantic or sexual relationships between supervisors and subordinates. F. Any supervisor, Manager, or in a sensitive or influential position with the Village of Romeoville must disclose the existence of a romantic or sexual relationship with a co-worker. Disclosure may be made to the immediate supervisor or the Human Resources Manager. This disclosure will enable the Village of Romeoville to determine whether any conflict of interest exists because of the relative positions of the individuals involved. All other employees must disclose their relationship with co-workers to their immediate supervisor. Failure to disclose a romantic or sexual relationship may lead to discipline up to and including termination. G. Regarding Paragraph F, when a conflict-of-interest problem or potential risk is identified, the Village of Romeoville will work with the employees involved to consider options for resolving the problem. The initial solution may be to make sure the employees no longer work together 16 H. I. J. K. L. 4.9 on matters where one is able to influence the other or act for the other. Matters such as hiring, firing, promotions, performance management, compensation decisions and financial transactions are examples of situations that will require reallocation of duties to avoid any actual or perceived reward or disadvantage. In some cases, other measures may be necessary, such as transfer to other positions or departments. Regarding Paragraph F, if one or both parties refuse to accept a reasonable solution or to offer an alternative position, if available, such refusal will be deemed a voluntary resignation. Failure to cooperate with the Village of Romeoville to resolve a conflict or problem caused by a romantic or sexual relationship between co-workers or among mangers, supervisors, or others in positions of authority over another employee in a mutually agreeable fashion may be deemed insubordination and cause for immediate termination. The disciplinary policy of the Village of Romeoville will be followed to ensure fairness and consistency before any such extreme measures are undertaken. The provisions of this policy apply regardless of the sexual orientation of the employees involved. Where doubt exist as to the specific meaning of the terms used above, employees should make judgements based on the overall spirit and intent of this policy. Any concerns about the administration of this policy should be addressed to the Human Resources Manager. Mobile Workforce Policy A. Purpose The Village of Romeoville considers mobile working to be a viable alternative work arrangement in cases where employee, job and supervisor characteristics are best suited to such an arrangement. Mobile working allows employees to work at home during FMLA leave or any other extended sick leave. Mobile working is a voluntary work alternative that may be appropriate for some employees and some jobs. It is not an entitlement, it is not a Village wide benefit, and it in no way changes the terms or conditions of employment with the Village of Romeoville. B. Definition Mobile working is a work arrangement in which supervisors permit employees to perform duties away from their central workplace in accordance with their same performance expectations and other approved or agreed upon terms. In general, mobile working is a privilege that may be granted on an individual basis under appropriate circumstances to employees whose job responsibilities are suited to such an arrangement and who meet eligibility criteria. C. Application and Scope If you are requesting mobile working based on your own medical condition or that of a family member, your request should be evaluated pursuant to village guidelines, such as those relating to Family Medical Leave and Short –term disability Leave. For more information, contact your HR Manager. Mobile working agreements do not change the conditions of employment or required compliance with policies, rules, and regulations. D. Eligibility Employees requesting mobile working arrangements must have been employed with the Village of Romeoville for a minimum of 12 months of continuous, regular employment and must have 17 exhibited above-average performance, in accordance with the Village of Romeoville’s performance appraisal process. a. b. c. d. Apply for a short-term accommodation for a disability (the leave would be intermittent) Have a prolonged sickness Must be able to perform your job duties The employee must be off work a minimum of one week on FMLA leave or any other extended sick/disability leave before we consider mobile working. The employee must have a doctor’s note releasing them to work from home. E. Process 1. Either an employee or a supervisor can suggest mobile working as a possible work arrangement. There is a request form that needs to be completed and given to the supervisor by the employee and if the supervisor request mobile working, then they will give the employee the form to fill out. 2. The Manager and the employee must agree to and sign the Mobile Working Form Request. The completed form is sent to the HR Manger for their approval. F. Terms of Policy 1. Short-term arrangement can be made for employees on family or medical leave, to the extent practical for the employee and the organization and with the consent of the employee’s health care provider, if appropriate. All mobile working arrangements are made on a case-bycase basis, focusing first on the business needs of the Village of Romeoville. 2. Any mobile working arrangement made will be on a trial basis and will not exceed the length of the family or medical leave. This arrangement may be discontinued, at will, at any time at the request of either the employee or the Village of Romeoville. 3. Consistent with the Village’s expectation of information security for employees working at the office, mobile working employees will be expected to ensure the protection of village and resident information accessible from their home office. Files should be in a safe and secure place and your password should remain private and inaccessible to others at the employee’s residence. The organization’s computer systems and applications, mainframe connections, networks, computers, and fax machines, must comply with all security requirements. Any requests for access to any of these connections or devices must be reviewed and approved by the Department Manager and the IT department. 4. The employee and supervisor will agree on the number of days of mobile working allowed each week, the work schedule the employee will customarily maintain, and the manner and frequency of communication. The employee agrees to be accessible by phone, email, or text within a reasonable time during the agreed-on- work schedule. 5. Before entering any mobile working position, the employee, and Department Manager, with the assistance of the Human Resource Department, will evaluate the suitably of such an arrangement paying particular attention to the following areas: a. Employee suitably - The employee and the department Manager will assess the needs and work habits of the employee, comparted to traits customarily recognized as appropriate for successful telecommuters. b. Job responsibilities - The employee and the department Manager will discuss the job responsibilities and determine if the job is appropriate for mobile working. c. Equipment needs, workspace and scheduling issues. 18 6. An appropriate level of communication between the employee and Supervisor will be agreed to as part of the discussion process. The Supervisor and employee will communicate at a level consistent with employees working at the office or in a manner or frequency that seems appropriate for the job and the individuals involved. 7. Mobile working is not designed to be a replacement for appropriate childcare. Although an individual employee’s schedule may be modified to accommodate childcare needs, the focus of the arrangement must remain on job performance and meeting village demands. Prospective mobile working employees are encouraged to discuss expectations of mobile working with family members prior to implementation of this new schedule. 8. The availability of mobile working as a flexible work arrangement for employees of the Village of Romeoville can be discontinued at any time at the discretion of the employer. Every effort will be made to provide 30 days’ notice of such a change to accommodate commuting, childcare and other problems that may arise from such a change. There may be instances, however, when no notice is possible. 9. The policies and procedures that normally apply to your current workplace shall remain the same for mobile working employees. This shall include but not limited to performance management. Mobile working assignments do not change the condition of employment or required compliance with policies and rules. Employee salary, benefits, worker’s compensation, sick leave, vacation leave, and other employee insurance shall not change due to telework. Likewise, the duties, obligations, and responsibilities of mobile working employees remain the same. G. Worker’s Compensation If the employee is injured in the course and scope of performing official duties during the agreed upon work hours, regardless of locations, the employee is covered under the state’s worker’s compensation law. The employee must notify their supervisor immediately and complete the necessary forms. The Village is not responsible for any injuries to family members, visitors, and others in the employee’s home. H. Workspace a. Equipment Liability The Village of Romeoville will determine, with information supplied by the employee and the supervisor, the appropriate equipment needs for each mobile working arrangement on a case-by-case basis. The human resource and information system departments will serve as resources in this matter. Equipment supplied by the Village of Romeoville will be maintained by the Village. Equipment supplied by the employee, if deemed appropriate by the Village, will be maintained by the employee. The Village of Romeoville accepts no responsibility for damage or repairs to employee-owned equipment. Equipment supplied by the Village of Romeoville is to be used for business purposes only. The employee will sign an inventory sheet of all office property and agrees to take appropriate action to protect the items from damage or theft. b. Site Visit The employee shall designate a workspace within a remote work location for placement and installation of equipment to be used while teleworking. The Village must approve the site chosen as the employee’s remote workspace. The employee is expected to submit three photos of the home workspace to management prior to implementation. The employee will be responsible for all costs associated with remodeling, electrical 19 modifications, or other permanent improvement to the home office workspace. The employer will not provide office furniture for the workspace at home. We may supply an ergonomic chair on a case-by-case basis when funding allows. I. Cyber Security a. Software Only software owned by the Village may be installed on a computer owned by the Village. The IT department will provide appropriately licensed software necessary for telework. b. Internet Liability The employee remains responsible for all files, links, data they transmit via the Internet. The employee agrees to follow guidelines and rules of conduct as if they are working from the regular office. c. No personal business An employee who is working from home shall not conduct personal business during their work shift unless during their break or lunch. No personal business may be conducted on village –owned equipment unless it is related to a course of study approved by the Village. Supplies given to the employee from the Village cannot be used for personal business. SECTION 5: LEAVE AND HOLIDAYS 5.1 Previously Accrued Benefits All Village employees who had accrued sick leave and vacation prior to 2023 shall maintain on the date of adoption of this policy manual all the benefits previously accrued. All employees shall be subject to the provisions of this policy manual as of the effective date of passage. 5.2 Vacation Leave (Excludes part-time firefighters/paramedic/EMT) Vacation leave with pay shall be earned by full-time employees and accrued on a bi-weekly basis. Vacation leave with pay may not be taken during the first six (6) months of employment. In addition, Part-time employees who work a minimum twenty (20) hours per week, year-round, Monday through Friday shall accrue at one half the rate as a full-time employee. Vacation leave is accrued in the following manner: 5.3 4 years of service and less 10 days/year 5 to 9 years of service 15 days/year 10 to 14 years of service 20 days/year 15 to 19 years of service 25 days/year 20 + years of service 30 days/year Vacation Accrual and Use Vacation schedules shall be arranged to provide minimal disruption to department operations. Request for vacation leave should be submitted to the Department Manager for approval. Vacation can be denied for operational reasons. The Village Manager can authorize a buy out 20 of accrued vacation time. The total accrued vacation time may not exceed thirty-five (35) days (280 hours). When this maximum time is reached, the employee will not accrue vacation time until time is taken. Employees are required to notify their immediate supervisor no less than five (5) days before the use of more than one (1) day and provide twenty-four (24) hours prior to taking one (1) day or less. In case of an emergency this can be waived. No more than three (3) consecutive weeks can be taken. If a holiday falls during an employee’s vacation, holiday pay will be given. Should an employee become ill or disabled prior to a scheduled vacation, upon a written doctor’s notice, the employee’s vacation can be deferred until termination of the absence. A. An employee on unpaid leave will have their vacation accrual pro-rated based on the hours worked during the pay period. If the employee is on unpaid leave for the entire two (2) weeks, they will not receive any accrual during that pay period. 5.4 Vacation Pay upon Retirement Employees may convert accumulated vacation leave to dollars which can then be applied towards the payment of the group health insurance coverage premium. You can also receive payment for your accrued vacation pay on your final check. This benefit is only for an employee who is retiring from the Village of Romeoville. Employees will be allowed to use the vacation time conversion if the maximum sick leave accrual of 4000 hours, or 2500 hours if the full-time employee was hired after May 01, 2016, has not been met. Vacation Time Conversion Upon retirement from Village employment, employees will receive pay for their accumulated vacation leave, or at the option of the employee, may convert accumulated vacation leave to dollars applied toward the payment of the group insurance coverage premium. The Village will not match the vacation time the employee contributes to the sick time bank for non-union sworn personnel. (Non-union sworn personnel will be allowed to use the vacation time conversion as long as the maximum sick leave accrual of 5800 has not been met.) Vacation Pay upon Termination or Resignation You will receive payment of any accrued vacation pay on your final check. 5.5 Voluntary Donations for Catastrophic Illnesses or Injuries Any full-time Village employee who personally suffers from a catastrophic illness or injury and who has exhausted all paid leave benefits provided by the Village may request voluntary donations of accrued time from other regular Village employees. The employee will submit a written request to the Village Manager stating the facts, showing the need for his/her request and the nature and extent of the catastrophic illness or injury. The written request must also include the availability of disability payments from the Police or Fire Pension Funds, I.M.R.F., Social Security, etc. Any employee requesting donated time for himself/herself must be totally disabled from performing all work for the Village. Any full-time Village employee, whose spouse, son/stepson, or daughter/stepdaughter, under the age of twenty-three (23), or dependent residing in the same household with the Village employee suffers from a catastrophic illness or injury, may also request, in writing, that the Village Manager request voluntary donations of accrued time from other full-time employees. The request to the Village Manager must state the facts showing need for the request, the nature and extent to the 21 catastrophic illness or injury and demonstrate a severe and unusual financial hardship on the affected regular employee. The request for voluntary donation of accrued time must come from the affected employee and may not be requested by any other person or organization on behalf of the affected employee. The decision to solicit the Village work force for voluntary donations of accrued time rests solely with the Village Manager, and the appropriateness of the solicitation will be determined on a case-by-case basis. The Village Manager may request and require personal financial information and medical documentation from the requesting employee prior to approving any solicitation of the Village work force. Any full-time Village employee can submit a written request to his/her Department Manager or Human Resources to voluntarily donate any accrued time to assist a fellow employee. Any accrued time in four (4) hour blocks of time may be donated, and any donated time will be permanently deducted from the earned account of the donating employee. Only one solicitation will be permitted for any one individual per calendar year. The solicitation will be for a thirty (30) calendar day period. Each Department Manager will be responsible for forwarding the written request for donated time to the Human Resources Manager. The Human Resources Manager will make the appropriate deductions from the account of the donating employee. At the end of the thirty (30) calendar day solicitation period, the Human Resources Manager will convert all donated hours from employees into hours for the recipient requesting the donations. The payments will be made on biweekly paydays until the hours are depleted. The payment will be treated the same as ordinary income and taxed at the employee normal rate. 5.6 Sick Leave (Excludes part-time firefighters/paramedic/EMT) A. Purpose Sick leave shall not be considered as a privilege or vested right that employees may use at their discretion but shall be considered as a type of insurance which shall be allowed in case of necessity and actual illness, legal quarantine, or disability of employee, or to receive dental or medical care or other preventive care. Sick leave may also be used for illness, injury, or medical appointment of the employee’s child, spouse, parent. A. Notice Department Managers, Human Resources, and the Executive Assistants that work in Administration will have to notify the Village Manger by email or text regarding their request for sick leave as soon as they are aware of the need for sick time, but no later than prior to the beginning of the employee’s workday. Doctor appointment request should be given at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the scheduled appointment. C. When Denied No sick leave shall be allowed for illness, injury or physical inability resulting from misconduct on the job, or excessive use of alcohol or narcotics, except as provided in Section 5.6(A). No additional time off will be allowed for any holidays occurring during an employee’s sick leave. No sick leave benefits of any kind will be granted after termination of employment. D. Accrual Full-time employees with less than fifteen (15) years of service earn sick leave at a rate of 22 one (1) day (eight hours) for each full calendar month worked. Regular employees with fifteen (15) or more years of service shall earn sick leave at the rate of one and one-half (1-1/2) days per month. Employees with twenty (20) or more years of service shall earn sick leave at the rate of (2) days (sixteen hours) per month. Sick leave will be granted in minimum amounts of a half hour. Part-time employees who work a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week, year-round, Monday through Friday shall accrue at one half the rate as a full-time employee. No sick leave can be earned during unpaid leave. An employee on unpaid leave will have their sick accrual pro-rated based on the hours worked during the pay period. If the employee is on unpaid leave for the entire two weeks, they will not receive any accrual during that payperiod. Full-time and Part-time employees hired before May 1, 2016, may accumulate a maximum of 4,000 hours of sick time. Full-time and Part-time employees hired after May 01, 2016, may accumulate a maximum of 2,500 hours of sick leave.. 5.7 Unused Sick Leave at Retirement and Health Insurance When an employee retires, the value of unused sick time may be applied toward the payment of continuing health insurance by one of the approved methods. The Village may offer three (3) different options to the retiree on how the premiums can be paid. Option 1: The retiree can stay on the Village’s health insurance plan and the monthly premium will be deducted from the value of the retiree’s sick bank. Option 2: The retiree can choose an outside vendor sponsored by IMRF and the Village will pay IMRF/Vendor directly and deduct the month premium from the value of the retiree’s sick bank. The maximum the Village will pay is equal to the amount the Village would pay under Option 1 based upon the coverage the employee has at the time of retirement. Option 3: The retiree would receive the Village equivalent of the insurance they had upon leaving the Village in a monthly cash payment. The maximum the Village will pay is equal to the amount the Village would pay under Option 1 based upon the coverage the employee has at the time of retirement. The retiree would be responsible for any taxes associated with the monthly payment they receive. The sick bank balance paid out monthly is not eligible for the match that is offered per the MAP contract or employee handbook for union and non-union sworn officers. The Village may offer the retiring employee four types of coverage: (1) Retiree only, (2) Retiree and spouse, (3) Retiree and child(children) and (4) Retiree and family. The premium charged will be reviewed by the Village on an annual basis, and if there are any changes to be made, the retiree will be notified. Once the employee and/or spouse reach age 65 and are Medicare qualified, they must enroll in the Village’s carve out plan for Medicare retirees only. The premium can be paid from your sick bank if you have not depleted it, or the retiree pays the company directly. In the event the retired employee dies prior to becoming 65 years of age, the surviving spouse shall be eligible coverage based on the option the retiree was participating in at the time of his/her death. The surviving spouse is only eligible if they are receiving a monthly pension from the retirement system in which the employee participated. 23 Calculating the Value of Sick Time at Retirement For employees hired prior to January 01, 2023, the value of unused sick hours is equivalent to the employee’s ending rate of pay multiplied by total unused sick time hours up to the maximum allowed. For employees hired after January 1, 2023, the value of unused sick hours is calculated using the employee’s pay rate at the time the employee accrued the sick time, using the first-earned, firstused valuation method. First-earned, first-used means the employee uses the sick hours that are earned from start of employment first for the valuation of ending balance purposes. First-earned, first-used values the balance by applying the pay rate and sick time earned closest to retirement and going back using the appropriate pay rate and earned rate until remaining hours balance is fully calculated. Example valuation table Employee retires with 575.64 balance at end of year 30 of employment with a pay rate of $50 Employee earned 191.88 hours during year 30 at $50/hr = $9,594.00 Employee earned 191.88 hours during year 29 at $40/hr = $7,675.20 Employee earned 191.88 hours during year 28 at $30/hr = $5,765.40 Employee earned 191.88 hours during year 27 at $29/hr = $0 (available hours balance past 575.64 ending balance, stop further calculation) 5.8 Unused Sick Leave at Resignation or Retirement and Compensation (not eligible for MAP employees receiving sick-time matching.) When a non-bargaining unit employee resigns or retires the Village of Romeoville will buy back unused accumulated sick leave up to a maximum of 1,500 hours, in accordance with the formula below: Years of Service Under 10 yrs. 10 yrs. – 19 yrs. 20 yrs. – 29 yrs. 30 yrs. or more Percentage of Buy Back 0% 10% 20% 30% Employees that are retiring can choose to convert up to 1,500 hours in accordance with the formula listed in this section and use the remaining sick time balance, if any, towards health insurance coverage as detailed in Section 5.7. 5.9 Unused Sick Leave and Additional IMRF Service Credit If an employee has unused, unpaid sick days, they may qualify for a maximum of one year (240 days – 1,920 hours) of additional service credit for unused, unpaid sick days. Sick days used toward IMRF service credit cannot also be applied to health insurance credit or compensation detailed in sections 5.7 and 5.8. You earn one month of service credit for every 20 days of unused, unpaid sick leave or fraction thereof. For example: Unused, Unpaid Sick Days Additional Month of Service Credit 1-20 I month 24 21-40 2 months 41-60 3 months 61-80 4 months 81-100 5 months 101-120 6 months etc. up to 240 days To convert the sick days to service credit, the sick days must meet certain criteria. You must not have received compensation of any kind—including payment of amounts less than your regular salary—for the sick leave. And the sick leave must have been accumulated under a written plan established by your employer and available to all employees or to a class of employees. This additional service credit applies: If you are leaving employment for retirement. The sick leave must have been earned under an established sick leave plan available to all employees or a class of employees, and the effective date of your pension must be within 60 days of your last day of participation in IMRF. If a member dies while participating in IMRF and a surviving spouse pension is payable. Because a surviving spouse pension is based on the pension the deceased member had earned, IMRF includes unused, unpaid sick days when calculating a surviving spouse pension. For employees in Tier I please note: converted sick leave credit cannot be used to meet the following service requirements: Eight years for an IMRF pension, 35 years for an unreduced pension under age 60, or 20 years for the IMRF Early Retirement Incentive For Employees in Tier II please note converted sick leave credit cannot be used to meet the following service requirements: 5.10 10 years for an IMRF pension 35 years for an unreduced pension at age 62 Funeral Leave/Family Bereavement Leave (Excludes part-time firefighters/paramedic/EMT) Leave of absence with pay will be granted for up to four (4) consecutive days to any employee in the event of a death in the employee’s covered family member. The definition of immediate family is: Employee’s spouse, child, parent, sister, brother, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-inlaw, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, grandchild, grandparents, spouse’s grandparents, stepparents, stepchildren, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, other relative living in the same house with the employee or other person currently residing in the immediate household. Such leave will be at full pay and will not be charged against accrued sick leave or vacation leave. In the event an employee must travel 400 miles or more for such leave, the Village Manager or designee may grant one (1) additional day of leave. Any request for bereavement 25 leave in excess of four days excluding the one (1 day for travel time) will be subject to approval of the Village Manager and will be chargeable to other accrued leaves. Employees also have a right to use a maximum of ten (10) workdays of unpaid bereavement leave under the Family Bereavement Leave Act 820 ILCS 154/1 et. seq.(ML1) 5.11 Family and Medical Leave Eligibility: The purpose of the Family and Medical Leave Act (“F.M.L.A.”) is to balance the needs of families with the demands of the workplace. Any employee who has been employed for at least twelve (12) months and worked at least 1,250 regular scheduled hours during the previous twelve (12) months is eligible for this leave. Calculation of Leave: The Village counts FMLA leave on a “rolling backward basis” from the date an employee uses any FMLA leave. A rolling forward basis, however, is used to track the 26 weeks of family military leave available to care for an injured service member. Employees are entitled to take up to 12 weeks’ unpaid leave per rolling calendar basis for the following purposes: A. The birth of the employee’s child. B. The placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care. C. To care for the employee’s spouse, child or parent who has a serious health condition. D. A serious health condition rendering the employee unable to perform his/her job. Under FMLA, employees will be required to use all accrued leave prior to going on unpaid leave. All employees are required to provide at least thirty (30) days’ notice, if possible, of their intention to take leave. This notification must be in writing to the respective Department Manager. The Village may require medical certification that the leave is needed due to the employee’s own serious health condition or that of a family member. The Village may also, at the Village’s expense, require a second medical opinion. If the first and second opinions differ, the Village may request a third opinion, at the Village’s expense, which would then be determinative of eligibility. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) prohibits employers and other entities covered by GINA Title II from requesting or requiring genetic information of an individual or family member of the individual, except as specifically allowed by this law. To comply with this law, we are asking that you not provide any genetic information when responding to this request for medical information. “Genetic information,” as defined by GINA, includes an individual’s family medical history, the results of an individual’s or family member’s genetic tests, the fact that an individual or an individual’s family member sought or received genetic services, and genetic information of a fetus carried by an individual or an individual’s family member or an embryo lawfully held by an individual or family member receiving assistive reproductive services. An employee on such leave does not accumulate sick leave or vacation leave during the period he/she is on unpaid leave. Further, the employee’s anniversary date shall be adjusted by the same number of days during this leave. When an employee wishes to return to work following a medical leave, the Village may require a doctor’s release stating the employee is fit to work. Upon returning from leave, an employee is entitled to return to his/her same or equivalent position with equivalent pay, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment. 26 Military Family Leave: 1. Eligible employees may use their 12-week leave entitlement to address certain qualifying exigencies when his or her spouse, son, daughter, or parent 1) is a member of the Reserves or National Guard and has been called up to active duty or notified of an impending call or order to active duty in support of a “contingency operation”; or 2) is a member of a regular component of the Armed forces. Qualifying exigencies may include short notice deployment, attending military events and related activities, arranging for alternative childcare and school activities, addressing certain financial and legal arrangements, attending certain counseling, rest and recuperations, attending certain post-deployment activities and such other eligible additional activities to address other events that arise out of the covered service member’s active duty or call to active-duty status. 2. FMLA also includes a special leave entitlement that permits eligible employees to take up to 26 weeks of leave to care for a covered service member where the employee is a spouse, son, or daughter, parent or next of kin of the covered service member during a single 12month period. A covered service member is a current member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who has a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty on active duty that may render the service member medically unfit to perform his or her duties for which the service member is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy; or is in outpatient status; or is on the temporary disability retired list; or a veteran who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation or therapy for a serious injury or illness and who was a member of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserves, at any time during the five-year period preceding the date on which the veteran undergoes medical treatment, recuperation or therapy. 5.12 Disability Leave During your leave you must submit all medical documentation after every doctor’s appointment. This documentation must be at a minimum of once monthly. The employee may be required at the Village’s discretion and expense, to have a physical examination by a doctor designated by the Village to determine the employee’s capacity to perform assigned work or to verify the need to continue such leave. Employees shall notify their supervisor of their availability to return to work at least five (5) days prior to the expiration of the leave granted or extended. Employees are only eligible for two disability leaves in a 7-year span. Employees who have exhausted their accumulated sick leave days but are unable to report to or go back to work because of a start or continuance of illness, injury or pregnancy related disabilities may receive additional leave without pay for a period not to exceed three (3) months. The employee must request such leave from the Village Manager. To qualify for such leave, the employee must report the disability as soon as the need for such leave becomes known, and thereafter furnish to the Village Manager or designee a physician’s written statement of the nature of the disability and the estimated length of time that the employee will be unavailable for work, together with a written application for such leave. Such leaves are purely discretionary and if approved, will initially be granted for a period of one (1) month. All health benefits will continue under this leave, although the employee will still be liable for any payments that may be required. Before returning from a leave of absence for disability, or at thirty (30) day intervals during such leave, the employee may be required, at the Village’s discretion and expense, to have a physical examination by a doctor designated by the Village to determine the employee’s capacity to perform assigned work or to verify the need to continue such leave. Employees shall notify their supervisor of their availability to return to work at least five (5) working days prior to the expiration of the leave as granted or extended. 27 To ensure no service time is lost, any participants in I.M.R.F. must file for disability benefits as soon as notification is given of disability. 5.13 Voting Leave Time off to vote will be made available, with the approval of an employee’s Department Manager, if a reasonable period of off-duty time is not available. 5.14 Personal Leave (Excludes part-time firefighters/paramedic/EMT) All employees shall receive three (3) personal leave days per calendar year (the equivalent of 24 hours of paid time). Normally, employees must request personal leave at least 24 hours in advance and have the approval of their supervisor or Department Manager. In case of an emergency, the Village may waive the notification period. Personal leave may not be taken in less than one-hour increments. Personal leave must be used by December 31 of the following year in which it is given, or it will be dropped from the employee’s record. Upon separation from Village employment, an employee will receive pay for earned, but not used, personal leave days. Employees hired after January 1 will receive their personal time according to the following schedule: If hired during: Jan, Feb, March April May, June July, Aug, Sept Oct, Nov, Dec Will receive: 24 hours 16 hours 8 hours 0 hours In addition, those Part-time employees who work a minimum twenty (20) hours per week, yearround, Monday through Friday shall accrue at one half the rate as a full-time employee. 5.15 Civil Leave-Jury Duty Any regular or probationary employee who is required to serve as a juror or who is under subpoena as a witness in court related to Village business shall be granted leave with pay while serving in such capacity. Upon completion of jury service, the employee shall submit the jury check received to the Office Manager, Executive Assistant and/or their Supervisor. 5.16 School Visitation Leave An employee is eligible for

Romeoville Employee Handbook May 2023 PDF

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