3.6. SR 12-17-2001MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
Mayor and City Council
Lori Johnson, Finance Director
DATE:
December 17, 2001
SUBJECT: Consider Personnel Policy Manual Updates
**Item 3.6.**
There are several minor changes being requested to the city's personnel policy manual.
These changes either clarify existing language in the policy manual or address issues that
have come up during the year. The changes are underlined in the attached excerpts from the
manual and are summarized as follows:
Definitions of Employment Status -The term applicant has been added under the
definition section. Applicant includes any person applying for a paid or volunteer
position. This clarifies the city's policy that background checks will be done on both
paid and volunteer positions.
Employee Development/Tuition Reimbursement - Employees are currently
reimbursed up to 75% of the tuition expense for accredited college classes direcdy
related to the employee's position with the city. At this time, the expense
reimbursement is unlimited. The change recommended would cap the annual tuition
reimbursement at $3,000 per employee. Employees currently enrolled in a program
as of January 1, 2002, are exempt from this $3,000 per year limit during the time it
takes them to complete the program in which they are currently enrolled. A $3,000
per year limit is comparable to the maximum set by other cities.
· Time off for Exempt Employees - A compensatory time off maximum of ten
hours per week has been added.
Action Requested
The City Council is asked to approve the personnel policy manual changes as attached.
S/council/lori/personnel
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The City pledges its best efforts to avoid discrimination against or harassment of any employee or
applicant for employment because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual
orientation, marital status, veteran status, status with regard to public assistance, physical or
mental disability, or any other status protected by state or federal law.
The City prohibits discrimination against or harassment of any employee or job applicant on the
basis of protected class status. Employees who participate in discrimination in violation of this
Policy are subject to discipline up to and including termination. Retaliation against any employee
for making a complaint under this Policy or assisting with investigations of complaints made under
this Policy is also strictly prohibited.
Any person who feels that he/she has been discriminated against should contact the City
Administrator or Finance Director.
DEFINITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT 'STATUS
Full-Time Employee:
An employee who is regularly scheduled to work
approximately 2080 hours per year.
Part-Time Employee:
An employee who is regularly scheduled to work less than
2080 hours per year and who generally works twelve
months per year.
Orientation Period Employee:
An employee in his or her Orientation Period, as described
below.
Regular Employee:
An employee who has completed his or her Orientation
Period, as described below.
Seasonal Employee:
An employee who works in a position that is seasonal in
nature; less than twelve months per year. The employee
may work more than one hundred twenty days in any
consecutive twelve month period.
Temporary Employee:
An employee scheduled to work fewer than 120 days in any
consecutive twelve month period.
Applicant:
Any person applying for a paid or volunteer position.
ORIENTATION PERIOD
The City of Elk River regards the Orientation Period as an integral part of the employment
process. During the Orientation Period, the City and the new employee should consider whether
the employment situation appears to be satisfactory.
EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT/TUITION REIMBURSEMENT
The City encourages and recommends life long learning for its employees. To encourage
continuing education for City employees, the City offers reimbursement to regular full-time
employees for up to 75 percent of the tuition fee up to a maximum reimbursement of $3,000 per
year for accredited college or other classes directly related to the employee's position with the
City. Employees enrolled in a college program and taking classes on January_ 1, 2002, that quali~
for this reimbursement are exempt from the $3,000 maximum during the time it takes to complete
the program in which they were enrolled on January_ 1, 2002. To be eligible for reimbursement
the following requirements must be met:
Written approval must be received from the City Administrator prior to the class
registration to determine if tuition reimbursement will be made; and
The class must apply directly to
complete an associate, bachelor's,
which the employee works; and
the employee's position or be required to
master's, or doctorate degree in the field in
The employee must successfully complete the class. If letter grades are assigned,
the minimum grade required for reimbursement is a C.
Books and other non-tuition fees do not qualify for reimbursement.
All classes must be taken on employee time and time spent on classes is not considered hours
worked. If any portion of the employee's class/development activity is conducted during regular
work hours, the employee must take vacation or compensatory leave, an unpaid leave of absence,
if approved, or arrange for flexible scheduling, if approved by the department head.
EMPLOYEE WELLNESS
The City believes that employee wellness is very important. In an effort to promote wellness, the
City maintains a fitness room equipped with exercise equipment. Employees are encouraged to
use the fitness room. All employees must read the City of Elk River Fitness Room Policy and sign
an Agreement and Release attached as Exhibit A before using the fitness room.
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Overtime compensation will be paid for overtime hours, unless the employee and department head
mutually agree in advance of performance of the work that the overtime will be banked as
compensatory time in lieu of receipt of overtime compensation. Employees may request and use
compensatory time off' in the same manner as other leave requests. Non-exempt employees who
have requested the use of accrued compensatory time will be permitted to use the compensatory
time within a reasonable period after making the request, if the use of the compensatory time does
not unduly disrupt the operations of the City. All compensatory time must be marked as such on
official timesheets, both when it is earned and when it is taken. Overtime hours not specified as
compensatory time will be paid with overtime compensation. The Finance Department maintains
compensatory time records.
An employee whose activities include public safety, emergency response or seasonal work may
accumulate up to 480 hours of unused compensatory time in a "bank." All other employees may
accumulate up to 240 hours of unused compensatory time in a "bank." In any event, no employee
may carry over more than forty (40) hours of compensatory time in a bank from one calendar year
to the next. Any non-exempt employee who has accumulated more hours of compensatory time
than he or she is permitted to bank will be paid overtime compensation for all overtime hours of
work in excess of the amount permitted to be banked. Upon termination of employment, non-
exempt employees will be paid for all accrued but unused compensatory time.
TIME OFF FOR EXEMPT EMPLOYEES
Exempt employees are exempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act
and are expected to work whatever hours are necessary in order to meet the performance
expectations outlined by their supervisors, the City Administrator and/or the City Council.
Exempt employees are often required and expected to work in excess of forty (40) hours per
week. Exempt employees must record all time worked on official timesheets. Exempt employees
may take no more than four (4) hours of compensatory time off in one day and no more than ten
(10) hours of compensatory time off in one week. Exempt employees shall not be paid for
compensatory time under any circumstance.
REPORT OF PERSONNEL CHANGES
The City attempts to maintain complete and accurate personnel information on its employees.
The City complies will laws regarding data privacy.
It is important that your permanent personnel records are kept accurate and up-to-date. You
must immediately notifij the payroll department when there is a change in any of the following:
Name (through marriage or otherwise)
· Address
· Marital status
· Beneficiaries for life insurance and retirement
· Telephone number
· Person to contact in case of emergency