2023-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (City of Tacoma PDF)

## **2023-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement** #### **By and Between** * **City of Tacoma** * **Tacoma Firefighters Union Local #31** ### Table of Contents | Article | Page | |---|---| | Preamble | 2 | | Article 1 - Subordination of Agreement | 2 | | Article 2 - Recognition and Bargaining Unit...

## **2023-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement** #### **By and Between** * **City of Tacoma** * **Tacoma Firefighters Union Local #31** ### Table of Contents | Article | Page | |---|---| | Preamble | 2 | | Article 1 - Subordination of Agreement | 2 | | Article 2 - Recognition and Bargaining Unit | 2 | | Article 3 - Joint Labor Committee | 3 | | Article 4 - Union Membership and Dues | 3 | | Article 5 - Grievance Procedure | 4 | | Article 6 - Work Stoppages | 5 | | Article 7 - Management Responsibility | 5 | | Article 8 - Union Privileges | 5 | | Article 9 - Union Business | 5 | | Article 10 - Safety Standards | 7 | | Article 11 - Compensation Plan | 8 | | Article 12 - Hours of Work | 8 | | Article 13 - Standard Working Conditions | 10 | | Article 15 - Longevity Pay | 18 | | Article 16 - Work Assignments | 19 | | Article 17 - Overtime | 19 | | Article 18 - Clothing Allowance | 19 | | Article 19 - Promotions | 19 | | Article 20 - Probationary Periods | 20 | | Article 21 - Definition of Seniority | 20 | | Article 22 - Personnel Reductions | 20 | | Article 23 - Paramedic Voluntary Demotion | 20 | | Article 24 - Rules and Regulations | 21 | | Article 25 - Bereavement Leave | 21 | | Article 26 - Disciplinary Procedures | 21 | | Article 27 - Compensation for Use of Private Automobile | 24 | | Article 28 - Non-Discrimination | 24 | | Article 29 - Physical Fitness | 24 | | Article 30 - Official Notification | 25 | | Article 31 - Appendices and Amendments | 25 | | Article 32 - Saving Clause | 25 | | Article 33 - Term of Agreement | 25 | | Article 34 - Embodiment | 25 | | Appendix A | 27 | | Appendix B - Assignment of Personnel | 33 | | Index to Letters of Agreement/Memorandums of Understanding | 34 | ### **Preamble** This Agreement is between the City of Tacoma (hereinafter called the Employer) and Tacoma Firefighters Union Local #31 (hereinafter called the Union) for the purpose of setting forth the mutual understanding of those employees for whom the Employer has recognized the Union as the exclusive collective bargaining representative. The Employer and the Union agree that the efficient and uninterrupted performance of municipal functions is a primary purpose of this Agreement, as well as the establishment of fair and reasonable compensation and working conditions for employees and the Employer. This Agreement has been reached through the process of collective bargaining with the objective of serving the aforementioned purposes and with the further objective of fostering effective cooperation between the Employer and its employees. Therefore, this Agreement and procedures which it establishes for the resolution of differences is intended to contribute to the continuation of good employee relations and to be in all respects in the public interest. ### **Article 1 - Subordination of Agreement** It is understood that the parties hereto and the employees of the Employer are governed by the provisions of applicable State law, the City Charter and City Ordinances. When any provisions thereof are in conflict with or are different than the provisions of this Agreement, the provisions of said State law, City Charter, or City Ordinances are paramount and shall prevail, provided that, where such conflict exists, the parties shall enter into immediate negotiations to resolve any such conflicts. ### **Article 2 - Recognition and Bargaining Unit** The Employer hereby recognizes the Union as the exclusive collective bargaining representative for the purposes stated in Chapter 41.56 RCW as last amended of all employees employed within the bargaining unit defined by the classifications listed in Appendix A, which shall form a part of this Agreement. This bargaining unit includes commissioned personnel only. ### **Article 3 - Joint Labor Committee** Section 3.1 It is the intent of the Union to carry out its collective bargaining responsibility as a member of the Joint Labor Committee, an organization consisting of various Unions that have been recognized as collective bargaining representatives by the Employer. To this end, the Employer agrees to confer with officials of the Union on matters subject to collective bargaining. The Union agrees that all representations made on its behalf by the Joint Labor Committee or its agents shall have the same force and effect as if made by the Union itself and that notices or other communications exchanged between the Employer and the Joint Labor Committee shall have the same effect as notices exchanged directly between the parties to this Agreement. Section 3.2 The parties agree that for the sake of equity among employees as well as administrative efficiency, it is desirable to standardize conditions of employment pertaining to employees represented by unions affiliated with the Joint Labor committee. Therefore, the parties hereto agree to encourage standardization of benefits and other conditions of employment wherever appropriate, and to utilize the good offices of the Joint Labor Committee to affect this end. ### **Article 4 - Union Membership and Dues** Section 4.1 The City agrees to deduct from the pay of each employee, who has so authorized it, Union initiation fees, monthly dues, and assessments as certified by the secretary of the Union. The City will rely on information provided by the Union regarding the authorization and revocation of deductions, and the Union will provide such information to an email address provided by the City. Upon receiving notice of the employee's authorization from the Union, the City will deduct from the employee's pay membership dues and remit the same to the Union no later than the second payroll cycle following receipt of the authorization. The amounts deducted shall be remitted monthly by the City to the Union on behalf of the employees identified by the Union as authorizing the deduction(s). The Union shall provide the City with at least one full pay period notice of any change in the amount of Union initiation fees, monthly dues, and assessments. The Union agrees to refund to the City any amounts paid to the Union in error on account of the provisions of this Section upon presentation of proper evidence thereof. There shall be no retroactive deduction of Union initiation fees, monthly dues, or assessments. The Union agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the City from any action arising from this Section, unless caused by the City's error or negligence. Upon receipt of an employee request for authorization of payroll deduction of Union initiation fees, monthly dues, or assessments, the City will forward the request to the Union electronically within two weeks. The City will take no action upon receiving an employee request until receiving confirmation from the Union to begin deductions. The employee's authorization will remain in effect until expressly revoked by the employee by written notice to the Union in accordance with the terms and conditions of the authorization. The cancellation will become effective no later than the second payroll cycle after receipt of the confirmation from the Union that the employee has revoked authorization for deduction. ### **Article 5 - Grievance Procedure** Section 5.1 A grievance is hereby defined as an alleged violation of a specific Article of this Agreement that is brought by the grieving party to the attention of the other party within thirty (30) working days of the time the grieving party first became aware of the alleged violation. An alleged violation of Article 26 Disciplinary Procedures shall be submitted at Step 2 of this procedure. Working days referred to in this Article shall be identified as Monday through Friday with the exclusion of holidays recognized by the Employer. Such grievances shall be resolved in the following manner: **Informal** * Employees are strongly encouraged to first discuss the alleged grievance with their director supervisor. **Step 1** * The Union shall first present the grievance in writing setting forth relevant facts including the alleged violation and the resolution requested to a Deputy Chief, who shall review the grievance and render a written decision within ten (10) working days of receipt of the grievance. **Step 2** * If the grievance is not resolved at Step 1, the Union may submit the grievance in writing to the Fire Chief within ten (10) working days of receipt of the Deputy Chief's decision. The Fire Chief, after consulting with the Human Resources Director or designee, shall render a written decision within ten (10) working days of receipt of the grievance. **Step 3** * If the grievance is not resolved at Step 2; the Union may submit the grievance to the City Manager or designee within ten (10) working days of receipt of the Fire Chief's decision. The City Manager or designee shall submit a written decision within ten (10) working days of receipt of the grievance. **Step 4** * If the grievance is not resolved at Step 3, the Union may, within thirty (30) calendar days from the completion of Step 3, give written notice to the Employer of its intent to submit a grievance to arbitration. Within ten (10) working days of the Union's request to arbitrate, a representative of the Union and of the Employer shall meet and attempt to agree on a neutral arbitrator. If unable to reach agreement, they shall immediately request a list of seven (7) arbitrators from the American Arbitration Association. Upon receipt of the list both parties shall meet within ten (10) working days to alternately strike names from the list until one name remains, who shall serve as the neutral arbitrator. The Union shall strike first in the striking process. The arbitrator shall issue a written decision within thirty (30) calendar days of the close of the hearing, or issue a bench decision if mutually agreed to and requested by both parties of this Agreement. The decision shall be final and binding on both parties. The arbitrator shall have no power to alter, amend or change the terms of this Agreement. Section 5.2 Each party shall bear the expense of its own costs of preparing and presenting its own case, including compensating its own representatives and witnesses. The Union and the Employer shall share equally in the cost of services from the neutral arbitrator. If either party desires a record of the proceedings, it shall solely bear the cost of such record. Section 5.3 Any and all time limits specified in the grievance procedure may be waived by written mutual agreement of the parties. Failure of the Union to submit the grievance in accordance with these time limits without such waiver shall constitute abandonment of that specific grievance. Should the Employer fail to submit a reply within the specified time limits without such waiver, the Union may submit the grievance to the next step within the grievance procedure. ### **Article 6 - Work Stoppages** The Employer and the Union agree that the public interest requires the efficient and uninterrupted performance of all City services, and to this end pledge their best efforts to avoid or eliminate any conduct contrary to this objective: During the life of this Agreement, the Union shall not cause or condone any work stoppage, strike, slowdown or other interference with City functions by employees under this Agreement, and should same occur, the Union agrees to take appropriate steps to end such interference. Employees covered by this Agreement who engage in any of the foregoing actions, shall be subject to such disciplinary action as may be determined by the City. ### **Article 7 - Management Responsibility** Subject to the specific provisions of this Agreement and pursuant to RCW 41.56, the Employer retains the right to operate and manage all staffing, facilities and equipment; to determine the utilization of technology; to establish and modify the organizational structure; to contract for goods and services not presently performed by bargaining unit members; to hire, promote, transfer, assign, retain and lay off employees; to direct and determine the number of personnel; to establish work schedules within the recognized hours of work and work schedules; to suspend, demote, discipline or discharge for just cause; to maintain the efficiency of the operation entrusted to the Employer. ### **Article 8 - Union Privileges** All rights and privileges relative to wages, hours and working conditions held by the employees at this time even though not identified in this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless changed within the provisions of RCW 41.56. ### **Article 9 - Union Business** Section 9.1 Representatives of the Union shall be allowed to visit work locations of the employees covered by this Agreement at any reasonable time or location for the purpose of administering this Agreement or investigating possible grievance. Such visitation shall not interfere with the normal operations of the Employer and the Union representative will notify the on-duty supervisor of the purpose of the visit. Section 9.2 Union Leave of Absence Time off duty to attend the following meetings will normally be granted to the president or business agent or an authorized representative of the Union without loss of pay: * When attending Joint Labor Committee meetings where business of the City of Tacoma is directly involved providing notice of such meeting shall be given at least twenty-four hours (24) prior thereto to the Chief of the Fire Department by the Union, and in the absence of the Chief, to his/her Deputy Chief or the ranking supervisory officer, and in case of emergency, such meetings may be held without such twenty-four hour (24) notice but upon notice to the officer as above provided. * When attending Union meetings, trainings, or conferences that benefit the City of Tacoma and Local 31 membership (hereafter called “meetings”), provided notice of such meetings shall be given at least seventy-two hours (72) prior thereto to the Chief of the Fire Department by the Union, and in the absence of the Chief, to his/her Deputy Chief or the ranking supervisory officer. In the case of an emergency, such meetings may be held without such seventy- two hours (72) notice but upon notice to the officer as above provided. By way of example but not limited to, meetings may include South Sound 911 board meetings, pension board meetings, Labor and Employment Relations Association conferences, Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response Grants program meetings, firefighter safety meetings, on-the-job injury meetings, in line of duty death meetings, etc. * When attending Union meetings, when such meetings are called at the request of the Employer or its duly authorized representative. * In case of contract negotiations when such negotiations are carried on with the Employer and when Fire Department salaries are discussed by the City Council at its public hearings on the annual budget. * Any other meeting other than those referred to in A, B, and C, that the Fire Chief or his/her representative would deem necessary or appropriate. * The parties agree to track using the electronic scheduler (as that scheduler system exists now or as modified in the future) and make available to the other party all meetings attended under this section. Section 9.3 Attendance at Union meetings while on-duty, with the permission of on-duty Battalion Chiefs, executive board members may be allowed to attend local Union meetings while they are on duty, provided their absence does not reduce the staffing level established for that particular shift. Section 9.4 A copy of this Agreement shall be posted in a conspicuous place in each fire station. Union Bulletin Boards: The Employer agrees to provide suitable space for the Union bulletin board in each fire station or place of work. Postings by the Union on such boards are to be confined to official business of the Union. Section 9.5 In the event a Union member is elected or appointed to the state firefighter union executive board, to the national firefighter union executive board, or both state and national firefighter union executive boards, that employee will be granted time off, as is required by the employee for the performance of the duties and functions of that office absent emergency situations. “Duties and functions” means attending the regular full meetings of the state or national organization. A maximum of two (2) employees who are state or national officers may be granted time off under this section. Such officers will be required to maintain training and appropriate certifications at all times when taking time off under this section. Local, state and national union officers employed within the Fire Department will be allowed reasonable shift trades and work replacements beyond normal Fire Department guidelines. Such officers will be required to maintain training and appropriate certifications at all times. Notification to the Battalion Chief should normally be made as soon as possible but no later than 06:15 hours on the scheduled work day. Section 9.6 During each calendar year the Fire Chief will convene meetings with Local 31 members; meals and/or refreshments will be provided by the Department at these meetings. The meetings will include, but not limited to, such things as reporting the accomplishments of the previous year, the state of the Fire Department, major Departmental issues and initiatives, graduation for recruits and paramedic academies, and promotional and awards ceremonies. The Fire Chief may require that dress uniforms are required at these meetings. Section 9.7 - Use of Fire Department Equipment Upon written request to the Fire Chief the Union shall be able to use Fire Department equipment only for memorial and approved charitable events. The use of said equipment may not interfere with department operations. ### **Article 10 - Safety Standards** Section 10.1 All work shall be done in a competent and professional manner. Section 10.2 The Employer and the Union mutually agree that those applicable safety standards as outlined in federal, state, city and department regulations legally binding upon the Employer shall be complied with within a reasonable length of time or the time designated by any applicable state or national safety standards. Section 10.3 The Employer and the Union further agree that employees shall use safety equipment as provided and as required by applicable safety standards, and the parties agree to cooperatively attain that end. Section 10.4 There shall be a Labor-Management Safety Committee consisting of equal representation of the Employer and the Union. This committee shall meet at least each quarter or more often as agreed to discuss matters concerning health and safety. The committee shall make its findings and recommendations to the Employer. ### **Article 11 - Compensation Plan** Section 11.1 The Compensation Plan contained in Chapter 1.12 of the Tacoma Municipal Code as now enacted or hereafter amended is hereby incorporated as part of this Agreement for the purpose of information for the members of the Union. Section 11.2 The current practice of paying employees a constant bi-weekly amount equal to 1/26th of annual wages shall continue rather than varying the wages based on the actual number of hours worked in each pay period. ### **Article 12 - Hours of Work** Section 12.1 Operations: The average regularly scheduled work week for personnel assigned to the twenty-four (24) hour shift shall be forty-six and one tenth (46.1) hours per week in a twenty-eight (28) day cycle. The shift shall consist of one twenty-four (24) hour shift on duty, forty-eight (48) hours off; one twenty-four (24) hour shift on duty, ninety-six (96) hours off, with the assignment of eight (8) scheduled debit shifts and one (1) unscheduled debit shifts per calendar year. A half-shift will be twelve (12) hours. With the exception of Battalion Chiefs, whose shifts begin at 0630 hours and end at 0630 hours the following day, and Safety Lieutenants whose shifts begin at 0615 hours and end at 0630 hours the following day, all other personnel assigned to the twenty-four (24) hour shift shall begin their shift at 0700 hours. Section 12.2 Recruit Class: The hours shall be forty-six and one-tenth (46.1), with one hour for lunch. An additional one half (1/2) hour per week may be for counseling as needed, without overtime compensation. Section 12.3 Fire Communications: The average regularly scheduled work-week shall be forty (40) hours in a twenty-eight (28) day cycle. The shift shall consist of one twenty-four (24) hour shift on duty, forty-eight (48) hours off; one twenty-four (24) hour shift on duty, ninety-six (96) hours off, with Kelly (K) days scheduled to reduce the work hours to an average of forty hours per week. The shift shall commence at 0700 hours each day. Section 12.4 * All other personnel who are members of the bargaining unit and not assigned to a 24 hour shift in either Fire Communications or Operations may work either the 9/80 shift, the 4/10 shift or the 5/8 shift. The hours of work for the 9/80 shift shall be as follows: 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Friday with every other Friday off. The hours of work for the 4/10 shift shall be as follows: 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday or Tuesday through Friday. The hours of work for the 5/8 shift will be 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. * The Captain of Training and the Deputy Fire Marshall's hours shall be such as to ensure the staffing of their respective offices. * Any change of shift shall require the prior approval of the Assistant Fire Chief of Training or Fire Prevention. Shift changes will be dependent on the ability of the Division to provide adequate levels of coverage and to maintain productivity. Any shift change must be accomplished so as not to incur any overtime liability on the part of the department. Section 12.5 Any variation to the above recognized shifts may be made upon mutual consent of both parties. Section 12.6 * Fire Inspectors shall receive a minimum of two (2) hours pay at the double time rate when called out outside of the employee's regular shift. In the event the call out exceeds two (2) hours, the Inspector shall receive time and one half (1 1/2) for those hours in excess of two (2). * Fire Inspectors scheduled to work on the Holidays specified in Section 13.4 shall receive a day off in lieu of the scheduled holiday. An employee so scheduled will be required to respond to all emergencies during the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.; if called out during those hours the employee will not receive any call-out pay or overtime compensation as set forth in Section 12.6.A above, for any work performed during said hours. * Fire Inspectors assigned to Stand-by by the Deputy Fire Chief will receive three dollars ($3.00) per hour for hours so assigned. In order to be eligible for such pay the assigned employee shall be required to be in telephonic communication with the department and shall be available to respond to an emergency scene within thirty (30) minutes of notification. Employees will be subject to call out during all hours for which they are receiving standby pay. If an employee is called out the appropriate overtime rate will be paid from the time the employee leaves for the assignment until the assignment ends. The employee will not receive standby pay during the period of time he/she is receiving overtime. Section 12.7 Schools, drills, inspections and all other routine work will be performed between the hours of 7:00 am and 5:00 PM. Battalion Chief's inspections, special schools, or company conferences may be held between the hours of 7:00 am and 5:00 PM. In addition, they may be held between the hours of 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM, but not more than four times per month, per shift. Except as specified above, the hours between 5:00 PM and 7:00 am shall be considered emergency standby for the purpose of emergency response. Except in an emergency situation, the Fire Chief or Deputy Fire Chief, Operations, will notify the Union in advance of a planned special school which is intended to be held between the hours of 7:00 and 10:00 PM. At the request of the Union, Fire Administrative staff shall meet to discuss the planned special school with the Union. Section 12.8 Maintenance to apparatus and equipment necessary to maintain a readiness condition may be performed outside of the routine work schedule. Section 12.9 All routine and emergency activities shall be performed on Sundays and holidays except that no building inspections, nor centralized or battalion training or drills will be performed on Sundays or City recognized holidays. Training or drilling may be conducted at the company officer's discretion. Section 12.10 Debit days will not be assigned on July 4, Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day. At the exclusive determination of the Fire Chief, or designee, the employee serving as Honor Guard Commander on the first day of annual shift scheduling each year may be credited with one (1) scheduled debit shift served for the upcoming calendar year. ### **Article 13 - Standard Working Conditions** Section 13.1 Vacations Vacations shall be as provided in Section 1.12.220 of the Tacoma Municipal Code and the Joint Labor Agreement. Section 1.12.220 provides in part for the following: * Rate of accrual of vacation leave. 1. Employees shall accrue vacation leave by reason of tenure based the following schedule of aggregate City service: | Years of Service | Hours Accrued Per Pay Period | Annual Hours Accrued | 24 hr. Shifts Accrued Leave | |---|---|---|---| | 0-3 | 3.69 | 96 | 6 | | 4-7 | 4.60 | 120 | 7.5 | | 8-13 | 5.22 | 136 | 8.5 | | 14-18 | 6.14 | 160 | 10 | | 19 | 6.45 | 168 | 10.5 | | 20 | 6.76 | 176 | 11 | | 21 | 7.07 | 184 | 11.5 | | 22 | 7.38 | 192 | 12 | | 23 | 7.69 | 200 | 12.5 | | 24 | 8.00 | 208 | 13 | | 25 | 8.31 | 216 | 13.5 | | 26 | 8.62 | 224 | 14 | | 27 | 8.93 | 232 | 14.5 | | 28 | 9.24 | 240 | 15 | 2. The appropriate bi-weekly accrual shall be credited for each bi-weekly pay period in which the employee is in a paid status. 3. Vacation accruals based on tenure shall be credited at the first of the calendar year in which any of the above periods of aggregate City service will be completed. 4. No employee shall earn more vacation in any one calendar year than the above-stipulated days and new employees shall accrue vacation based on the above schedule beginning from the date of their appointment. 5. Vacation leave may not be taken without the prior approval of the appointing authority and may not be taken in the pay period in which it was earned. Vacation leave shall be scheduled so as to meet the operating requirements of the Employer and, as far as practicable, the preferences of the employees. No employee may take more than one year's accrual in any one calendar year without the express approval of the Chief. 6. Vacation accrual balances shall not exceed an amount equal to two (2) years' accrual. Section 13.2 Sick Allowance Sick allowance with pay shall be as provided in Section 1.12.230 of the Tacoma Municipal Code and the Joint Labor Agreement. Section 1.12.230 provides in part the following: * Each regularly employed full-time employee shall accrue sick leave at the rate of 3.69 hours per bi-weekly pay period for each calendar month of service. There is no limit to the number of sick leave hours an employee may accrue. * An employee separated from service due to death or retirement for disability or length of service is compensated to the following extent of their sick leave accruals. * Accumulated sick leave between 0 and 400 hours shall be cashed out at 25%. * Accumulated sick leave hours between 401 and 800 shall be cashed out at 33%. * Accumulated sick leave hours above 801 shall be cashed out at 50%. * An employee separated in good standing from service for any other reason is compensated to the extent of ten (10) percent of their sick leave accruals, up to a maximum accrual of 1920 hours or one hundred twenty (120) days. * Twenty-four (24) hour shift personnel shall be debited sick leave at a ratio of sixteen (16) hours for each twenty-four (24) hour shift off. * For all other employees, sick leave will be credited and debited to each employee in the same amounts, and under the same policies governing all City employees. Section 13.3 On-the-Job On-the-Job injury provisions shall be as provided in the Washington State Law Enforcement and Firefighters Retirement Act for employees hired prior to October 1, 1977. For employees hired after September 30, 1977, coverage shall be as provided in Section 1.12.090 of the Tacoma Municipal Code and the Joint Labor Agreement. A LEOFF II employee separated from City service due to an injury or illness shall be reinstated provided the employee is mentally and physically fit to perform the duties of the position. Section 13.4 Holidays Holidays shall be as provided in Section 1.12.200 of the Tacoma Municipal Code and Joint Labor Agreement. Section 1.12.200 provides in part that the following and such other days as the City Council, by resolution, may fix, are holidays for all regularly employed full-time employees of the City and shall be granted employees or days off in lieu thereof. * New Year's Day (January 1) * Martin Luther King Day (3rd Monday in January) * President's Day (3rd Monday in February) * Memorial Day (last Monday in May) * Juneteenth (June 19) * Fourth of July * Labor Day (1st Monday in September) * Veterans' Day (November 11) * Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November) * The day immediately following Thanksgiving Day * Christmas Day (December 25) In order for an employee to receive holiday pay, that employee must be in a paid status on either the regularly scheduled workday immediately preceding the holiday or the regularly scheduled workday immediately following the holiday. In addition to the days listed above, eligible employees shall receive two (2) additional paid holidays per calendar year for which time off shall be mandatory. To be eligible for these holidays, employees must have been or are scheduled to be continuously employed by the City for more than four (4) months as a regular, probationary, or appointive full-time employee during the calendar year of entitlement. Twenty-four (24) hour employees shall receive six and one half (6½) shifts off per year in lieu of the thirteen (13) recognized holidays. The thirteen (13) recognized holidays will equal one hundred and four (104) hours for forty hour employees. Section 13.5 Personal Time Off (PTO) * Within 30 days of appointment and during periodic City open enrollment or conversion periods, all Fire Battalion Chiefs (CSC 4004), Fire Communications Center Supervisors (CSC 4103), Fire Medical Services Officers (CSC 4008), Fire Captain (CSC 4003, 40 hr, Assigned to Administration Bureau or Training), Fire Captain Dispatcher (CSC 4102), Fire Marshall Deputy (CSC 4016), Fire Lieutenant (CSC 4002 40hr, Assigned to Prevention or Training), Fire Fighter (CSC 4001, 40hr, Assigned to Prevention), and employees assigned as Paramedic Program Clinical Coordinator shall have the option – at his or her sole discretion – to elect to convert from traditional sick/vacation leave plans to the City's PTO plan. Election shall be irrevocable for the employee once he or she chooses to convert to and participate in the City's PTO plan as provided in Tacoma Municipal Code (TMC) 1.12.248. * Any employee who had been previously hired subject to the provisions of the PTO plan, who later becomes represented by this Union shall be able to elect to remain on the PTO plan or convert to the sick/vacation leave plans in the following manner: Returned forms indicated a desire to convert to the traditional sick/vacation leave plans will prompt the necessary changes to the employee's record at the beginning of the following pay period. Sick leave will begin to accrue at the rate of 3.69 hours per pay period. Vacation leave will accrue per the vacation accrual schedule as provided in TMC 1.12.220. Section 13.6 Medical and Hospital Insurance - Medical and hospital insurance shall be as provided in Section 1.12.110 of the Tacoma Municipal Code and the Joint Labor Agreement, provided, that a choice of at least two plans for such coverage shall be offered as required by law. Employees and their families, including all dependent children up to the age of 26 will be provided with medical and hospital insurance coverage including major medical as provided in the aforementioned City Code at the Employer's expense. The Employer agrees to abide by the Firefighters Disability and Retirement Board standards set down by State law for all employees covered under this Agreement, hired prior to October 1, 1977. Section 13.7 Group Life Insurance - Group life insurance shall be as provided in Section 1.12.110 of the Tacoma Municipal Code and the Joint Labor Agreement. The Employer will pay fifty percent or more, as budgeted therefore, of the cost of premiums for those employees electing to participate. The amount of insurance an employee may purchase is equal to one times his annual salary rounded to the next highest thousand dollars. Section 13.8 Dental Insurance - Dental insurance shall be as provided in Section 1.12.110 of the Tacoma Municipal Code and the Joint Labor Agreement. Section 13.9 Health Reimbursement Arrangement * The City agrees to deduct from the paycheck of each employee and contribute one hundred and fifty dollars ($150.00) per month, and will promptly transfer said amount to the IAFF Medical Expense Reimbursement Plan (MERP)for the sole purpose of establishing a Retiree Medical Savings Plan account for each employee. This shall be part of compensation for pension calculations. * The Union will authorize and conduct an annual vote each calendar year of all Union members who may be eligible to retire from City employment in the following calendar year. The Union will notify the City with at least 30 days' written notice whether the contribution of unused sick leave accruals should be made to a qualified Health Reimbursement Arrangement or as a sick leave cash out under TMC 1.12.230 D.1. The Union will notify the City with at least 30 days' written notice whether the contribution of unused PTO accruals should be made to a qualified Health Reimbursement Arrangement or as a PTO cash out under TMC Section 1.12.248 D. * If the Union's vote determines unused sick leave accruals should be made to a qualified Health Reimbursement Arrangement, upon retirement of an employee, the Employer shall make contributions into the MERP, or, upon individual employee request, into an individual Voluntary Employee Benefit Association (VEBA) plan. If no such individual request is made, the City will direct contributions to MERP by default. The contribution value shall be in an amount voted by Union members and communicated to the City by the Union, and shall equal either fifty percent (50%) or one hundred percent (100%) of the employee's sick leave cash out, as defined in Section 13.2 B. This contribution shall be deducted from the cash payment of the value of eligible sick leave accruals due to an employee upon retirement set forth in Tacoma Municipal Code (TMC) 1.12.230 and Section 13.2 B. * If the Union's vote determines unused PTO accruals should be made to a qualified Health Reimbursement Arrangement, upon retirement of an employee, the Employer shall make contributions into MERP, or, upon individual employee request, into an individual VEBA plan. If no such individual request is made, the City will direct contributions to MERP by default. The contribution value shall be in an amount voted by Union members and communicated to the City by the Union, and shall equal either fifty percent (50%) or one hundred percent (100%) of the PTO accruals for all eligible employees at the time of separation from the City service. This contribution shall be deducted from the cash payment of eligible PTO accruals due to an employee upon retirement set forth in TMC Section 1.12.248 D. * The IAFF Medical Expense Reimbursement Plan (MERP)is established in accordance with applicable federal and state laws, and the City shall contribute the monies on a pre-tax basis. The monies contributed to the trust fund