HISTORY:
On August 31, 2017, this item was bought to the Finance and City Wide Projects Committee (“FCWPC”) as a discussion item to assist employees who, because of long term personal illness, have exhausted their benefits and would otherwise be subject to severe loss of income and benefits during a continuing absence from work. At the direction of the FCWPC members, this benefit would also be extended to the employee’s immediate family member. At the FCWPC meeting, it was recommended that the Human Resources staff draft a policy to administer a Sick Leave Bank for this extended benefit.
As reported previously, this is a very common benefit among other cities, counties and governmental entities. We received existing Sick Leave Bank policies from multiple agencies which were useful in the drafting of a Sick Leave Bank Administrative Procedure for City of Miami Beach employees.
The Unclassified Leave Ordinance, Section 1613, Donation of Annual and Sick Leave, allows for donations “in those instances where a permanent full-time employee is affected by a non-job related illness which causes the total depletion of their annual leave and sick leave, other city employees may donate annual and/or sick time on a pro-rata basis to that particular employee’s leave balance.” Currently, the Human Resources department manages the request for leave donations. However, establishing a Sick Leave Bank Administrative Procedure that includes a Sick Leave Bank Committee will ensure that each request is handled based on established criteria in the procedure.
The Sick Leave Bank Administrative Procedure will include the following:
City employees can voluntarily elect to be a part of the Sick Leave Bank by donating sick leave hours and receiving sick leave hours from the Sick Leave Bank. Leave contributed to the bank will not be returned unless the program is discontinued at which time the return would be predicated on a prorated basis.
Sick leave hours are available for documented Family Medical Leave (“FML”) eligible illnesses or injuries of the employee or an Immediate Family Member, as certified by UNUM (the City’s FML and disability administrator).
The Sick Leave Bank will be administered by the Human Resources Department Sick Leave Bank Committee.
The Sick Leave Bank is not intended to compensate any members for workers’ compensation injuries or illnesses.
The Sick Leave Bank is not intended to compensate nor shall it be used for maternity leave, elective surgery or drug/alcohol rehabilitation.
A member of the Sick Leave Bank shall not be allowed to engage in any gainful occupation or other physical activities that may be detrimental to his/her recuperation.
Each member of the Sick Leave Bank shall be entitled to receive a maximum of 240 hours for any one illness or injury, per fiscal year. The hours received can be used consecutively, intermittently or in increments of a quarter hour (.25), as needed.
Members of the Sick Leave Bank will be required to sign form acknowledging receipt and acceptance of the rules as set forth in this Administrative Procedure.
The draft Sick Leave Bank Administrative Procedure is attached for your review.
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