Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Reporting Absence From Duty Policy PDF

TO: ALL PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE PERSONNEL FROM: REGINALD K. DUREN FIRE RESCUE ADMINISTRATOR PREPARED BY: FIRE RESCUE PPM COMMITTEE SUBJECT: REPORTING ABSENCE FROM DUTY PPM...

TO: ALL PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE PERSONNEL FROM: REGINALD K. DUREN FIRE RESCUE ADMINISTRATOR PREPARED BY: FIRE RESCUE PPM COMMITTEE SUBJECT: REPORTING ABSENCE FROM DUTY PPM #: FR-A-206 ISSUE DATE LAST REVIEWED EFFECTIVE DATE May 14, 2019 May 14, 2019 May 28, 2019 PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to identify the acceptable time to report for work. UPDATES: Future updates to this PPM are the responsibility of the Deputy Chief of Administration, in conjunction with the PPM Committee, under the authority of the Fire Rescue Administrator. AUTHORITY:  Fire Rescue Administrator, as may be amended. SCOPE: This policy applies to all Palm Beach County Fire Rescue personnel and reservists. POLICY: All Fire Rescue personnel are expected to report for duty, scheduled overtime, and special events, at their specified time, prepared to work. Emergency personnel (i.e. Operations and Communication Center) may only leave their worksite after receiving approval from their immediate supervisor. PROCEDURE: 1. Reporting for Duty a. All Fire Rescue personnel shall refer to Staffing, Unit Staffing (PPM FR-O-101). b. All Fire Rescue personnel shall report for duty at the designated times, listed below. c. Operations: i. All 24-hour shift personnel shall report for duty to the station they are scheduled for, in proper uniform with personal safety gear properly stowed on their assigned unit, ready to respond no later than 0730 hours. ii. While in the Recruit Training Academy, recruits shall report for roll call to their designated worksite in proper uniform, no later than 0730 hours, unless otherwise instructed by Training and Safety Division Staff. iii. Flight Medics shall work a rotational 12-hour shifts. Flight Medics shall report for duty, in proper uniform, by their designated starting time: 1. 0700 – 1900 2. 1200 – 2400 3. 1900 – 0700 FR-A-206/Page 1 of 5  iv. The work week for all Fire Operations Officers shall be forty-two (42) hours, with twenty-four (24) hour shift on duty followed by seventy-two (72) hour shift off duty starting at 0700 hours without a loss in pay. d. The Training and Safety: i. The Training and Safety Division shall report for duty, in proper uniform by 0800 hours. The Training and Safety Division shall work a 40-hour work week and may alter reporting time and/or hours of work in order to accommodate scheduled training functions occurring that day. e. BOSS: i. All BOSS personnel shall report for duty, in proper uniform at varying times as approved by the Fire Marshal. The starting times will be reasonable to ensure proper service delivery to the customers and may be modified at the discretion of the Fire Rescue Administrator. 1. The Investigations Section shall work a rotational schedule to ensure that each Investigator works 40-hours per week and an Investigator is always in an on-call status. f. Communications: i. Communication staff shall report to their assigned work location, in proper uniform by their designated starting time: 1. Shift I 0700 – 1900 2. Shift II 1900 – 0700 ii. The Communications Training Supervisor and Communications Quality Assurance Manager shall work a forty (40) hour week, consisting of four (4) ten (10) hour days. g. Support Services: i. Fleet and Facilities Maintenance personnel shall work a 40-hour week. Fleet and Facilities Maintenance personnel shall report to their assigned work location, in proper attire, by their designated starting time: 1. 0730-1600 2. 0700 – 1730 3. 0700 – 1800 h. Administration: i. All administrative staff shall report for duty, in proper work attire by designated hours. ii. Administrative staff personnel are required to work a forty-hour work week; normally, from 0800 – 1700 hours. Administrative staff personnel may elect to work an alternate work schedule, varying starting and ending times, but must be reasonable and adhering to industry standards. iii. Final schedules require the immediate supervisor’s approval. 2. Absence From Duty a. All personnel unable to report for duty must report the reason for their absence from duty according to the following procedure. Failure to report an absence within the identified time limits shall result in that Fire Rescue personnel being considered to have reported for duty late and/or Absence without Leave (AWOL). b. Absence from duty may include: i. Use of approved sick leave FR-A-206/Page 2 of 5  ii. Use of approved funeral leave iii. Request for emergency leave 3. Reporting Absence From Duty a. Sick leave may be approved for an absence from work as a result of a bonafide illness or non-work related injury and is specifically identified in Use of Sick Leave (PPM FR-H-301). b. Bargaining unit personnel Scheduled on a 24-hour shift shall: i. Report an absence from duty (i.e., sick, death in immediate family, etc…) at least thirty (30) minutes prior to the start of their shift by entering it into Fire Rescue’s approved staffing program or notification to the Fire Operations Officer (F.O.O.). If the Fire Operations Officer is not available, the Fire Rescue personnel shall report their sick leave to the answering machine at the Fire Operations Office. The Fire Operations Officer shall notify the appropriate Battalion Chief of any Fire Rescue personnel who calls in sick. ii. Report the following to the Fire Operations Officer (if reporting to F.O.O.): 1. Their name 2. Their Battalion and assignment 3. The reason for their absence 4. The name of their Supervisor c. All personnel assigned to the Aviation Battalion who are unable to report for duty (i.e. sick, funeral leave, etc.) as scheduled shall notify the on-duty ARFF Captain at (561) 471-7488 by 0700 hours. d. Fire Rescue personnel assigned to Special Events shall: i. Report an absence from duty (i.e., sick, death in immediate family, etc.) to the Fire Operations Officer at (561) 712-6552 no later than 2 hours prior to the start of their shift. If the Fire Operations Officer is not available, Fire Rescue personnel shall report their sick leave to the answering machine at the Fire Operations Office. The Fire Operations Officer shall notify the Union Special Events Coordinator of any Fire Rescue personnel who calls in sick. It is the responsibility of the Union Special Events Coordinator to schedule replacement personnel. ii. Report the following to the Fire Operations Officer: 1. Their name 2. Their Special Event assignment 3. The reason for their absence 4. The name of their Supervisor e. Recruits while scheduled in the Recruit Training Academy shall: i. Report an absence from duty (i.e., sick, death in immediate family, etc.) no later than thirty (30) minutes prior to beginning of their starting time. ii. Report an absence from duty to a member in the Training and Safety Division. f. Bargaining unit personnel not scheduled on a 24-Hour Shift shall: i. Report an absence from duty (i.e., sick, death in immediate family, etc.) to the Supervisor/Section Manager no later than 30 minutes after the designated starting time. ii. Fire Rescue personnel shall report the following to the Supervisor/Section Manager: 1. Their name FR-A-206/Page 3 of 5  2. Their work location and assignment 3. The reason for their absence 4. The name of their Supervisor g. Merit Employees shall: i. Report an absence from duty (i.e., sick, death in immediate family, etc.) to the Supervisor/Section Manager in accordance with the County PPM. 4. Requesting Emergency Leave a. Bargaining unit personnel must speak directly to their District Chief to request Emergency Leave. b. If the District Chief is not on duty, Fire Rescue personnel shall call the Fire Operations Officer at (561) 712-6552. Fire Rescue personnel shall report the following to the Fire Operations Officer: i. Their name ii. Their battalion and assignment iii. The reason for their absence iv. The name of their Supervisor c. The Fire Operations Officer shall contact the appropriate District Chief and advise them of the situation. The District Chief may approve/deny further use of Emergency Leave, but such time shall not be unreasonably denied. d. Communications personnel shall speak directly with the on-duty supervisor to request Emergency Leave. The on-duty supervisor shall contact the Alarm Office Manager for approval. Such time shall not be unreasonably denied. 5. Requesting Emergency Leave 6 Hours or Less a. Bargaining unit personnel must speak directly to their Battalion Chief to request Emergency Leave. b. The Battalion Chief shall contact the appropriate District Chief for approval. c. Communications Center personnel shall speak with the on-duty supervisor for approval. 6. Late for Duty a. All personnel who do not report for duty on time shall be considered Late for Duty and subject to the appropriate discipline as described in the Disciplinary Guidelines (PPM FR-A-101). b. All 24-hour shift personnel and recruits shall be deemed late when reporting for duty later than 0730. c. All other personnel shall be deemed late when reporting for duty later than their assigned starting time. 7. Absent Without Leave (AWOL) a. All personnel who meet the following criteria shall be considered AWOL and subject to the appropriate discipline as described in the Disciplinary Guidelines (PPM FR-A- 101). b. All 24-hour shift personnel shall be considered AWOL when failing to: i. Notify lateness ii. Notify absence iii. Report for duty by 0800 hours FR-A-206/Page 4 of 5  c. Personnel shall also be considered AWOL for any other unauthorized absences during the work period or for excessive travel time during Special Events, station transfers, reassignments, or returning from paramedic school. d. All other personnel shall be considered AWOL when failing to report absence or report to work within thirty (30) minutes after their designated starting time. ______________________________ REGINALD K. DUREN FIRE RESCUE ADMINISTRATOR Supersession History 1. PPM#FR I-58, issued 07/01/1985 2. PPM#FR I-58, issued 12/01/2010 3. PPM#FR I-58, issued 03/24/2014 4. PPM#FR A-206, clerical 03/01/2018 5. PPM#FR A-206, reviewed 07/06/2018 6. PPM#FR A-206, Issued 5/14/2019 FR-A-206/Page 5 of 5