Columbia Vacation leave ordinance (§ 19-129)

(a) Vacation shall be earned and accumulated by pay periods and granted on the last day of each pay period in hourly amounts accrued according to the following charts:

General Employees

Length of Service Pay Period Accrual Maximum Balance (Years) (hours) (hours)

0—4 3.69 192

5—9 4.46 232

10—14 5.23 272

15—19 6.00 312

20—24 6.77 352

25+ 7.54 392

Fire Department 56-Hour Employees

Length of Service Pay Period Accrual Maximum Balance (Years) (hours) (hours)

0—4 5.54 288

5—9 5.54 plus 28 hours pay 288

10—14 5.54 plus 56 hours pay 288

15—19 5.54 plus 84 hours pay 288

20+ 5.54 plus 112 hours pay 288

(b) Unless approved by the department head or duly authorized representative, members of the fire department will not take more than two (2) working weeks or any additional time allotted to vacation. Instead, they will be paid in cash in lieu of such leave (this provision does not apply to unclassified positions or civilian employees in the fire department).

(c) In other departments all vacation time shall be taken, except that at the discretion of the department head, when in the best interest of the operations, may (on an individual and year-to-year basis) decide whether to give time off or additional pay. This provision does not allow vacation pay-out for the purpose of enhancing the employee's highest average salary prior to retirement.

(d) All employees shall accrue vacation leave from the date of hire into a permanent position and shall be eligible to use vacation leave after six (6) months of employment. Permanent part-time employees shall accrue leave on a prorated basis.

(e) Any vacation leave denied by a department head which causes an employee to lose vacation time shall be paid at the employee's current rate of pay unless the employee consents to an alternative vacation schedule that will compensate for the threatened loss of vacation time.

(f) Vacations will, as far as possible, be scheduled at a time desired by the employee, based on total seniority with the city; but the final right of allotment rests with the department head to ensure continuity of service.

(g) Vacation time cannot be taken in advance of accrual.

(h) Whenever separation from the city occurs prior to the completion of the first six (6) months of employment, the employee shall forfeit accrued vacation leave. Otherwise, an employee is entitled to reimbursement for unused, unexpired, accrued vacation leave; provided that, in case of resignation, required notice of such intention has been given. (See section 19-202.) For an employee to receive pay out for accruals accumulated in the last pay period, the employee must be actively employed on the date the accrual is granted.

(i) Temporary employees shall not be eligible for compensated vacation leave. A temporary employee who is subsequently appointed to a permanent position shall accrue vacation leave from the original date of appointment to the permanent position.

(j) An employee must be actually engaged in performing assigned duties or on authorized paid leave in order to accumulate vacation leave. An employee in a non-pay status such as leave of absence, shall not accumulate vacation leave for the duration of the leave.

(k) An employee may donate accrued vacation leave to another employee with the prior approval of the department head and verification by the director, provided that the employee receiving the donation is unable to work because of a Family and Medical Leave Act qualifying event and has exhausted all eligible accrued leaves. Each hour of donated leave shall be considered an hour of leave the employee receiving the donation has accrued and shall be accounted to the employee receiving the donation at that

employee's rate of pay. Unused donated hours will be maintained in a pool to be distributed to eligible employees according to procedures established by the director. Employees may also donate accrued vacation leave to the pool in lieu of losing vacation time under the maximum accrual restrictions.

(l) The city manager may grant additional vacation leave to employees. The city manager may raise the maximum accrual balance of vacation of any employee for a set period of time not to exceed one (1) year.