4.6. SR 02-01-2021
Request for Action
To Item Number
Mayor and City Council 4.6
Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by
Consent February 1, 2021 Cal Portner, City Administrator
Item Description Reviewed by
Parental Leave Policy, Leave Donation Policy, Lauren Wipper, HR Manager
and Employee Leave Accrual Policy
Reviewed by
Action Requested
Approve, by motion, the Parental Leave Policy, Leave Donation Policy, and Employee Leave Accrual Policy.
Background/Discussion
The City Council reviewed updates to the Personnel Policy Manual in December of 2020 and directed staff to
develop drafts to consider of three other policies.
On January 19, 2021, the Council indicated a consensus for changes to the Leave Accrual Policy and Leave
Donation Policy and for the addition of a new Parental Leave Policy.
The newly accepted policy manual will include the new policies.
Financial Impact
N/A
Mission/Policy/Goal
The Elk River Vision
Attachments
Parental Leave Policy
Leave Donation Policy
Employee Leave Accrual Policy
The Elk River Vision
A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional
service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity.
Updated: August 2020
Parental Leave Policy
Parental Leave Policy
Purpose
Federal and state law mandates a number of paid and unpaid types of leave to protect employment and to
benefit certain activities. The city provides certain leaves to assist employees with life’s challenges enabling
employees to be productive at work.
For this purpose, the city has implemented a paid Parental Leave Policy. Paid parental leave is intended to
provide workplace support for parents of newborn or adopted children as they adjust to new life changes
and to assist with the preservation of accrued sick leave.
Policy
Eligibility
Employees must be leave benefit-earning to be eligible for Parental Leave after one (1) year of continuous
leave benefit-earning city employment.
Leave may be granted following the birth of a biological child or legal adoption placement of a child.
Foster child placement, surrogate mothers, and sperm or egg donors are excluded from coverage.
Employees shall notify Human Resources and their supervisor of the desire to take Parental Leave as soon
as possible but no later than thirty (30) days before anticipated birth or placement to ensure work/shift
coverage. A Request for Leave of Absence form shall be submitted at least thirty (30) days before
anticipated leave.
Leave is discretionary subject to city service needs.
Use
Eligible parents are permitted five (5) working days (up to 40 hours) of paid leave following the birth or
adoption placement of a child. Available leave hours are prorated for part-time employees. Hours are paid
at the employee’s regular base wage for regularly scheduled work hours only and do not include overtime,
supplemental pay, and/or other additional pay.
13065 Orono Parkway
Elk River, MN 55330
763.635.1000
ElkRiverMN.gov
Leave must be taken within the first six months of birth or adoption placement. In no case shall Parental
Leave combined with other types of leave extend beyond 12 weeks.
Leave may be taken intermittently and may run consecutively with other leave (sick, vacation, or
compensatory time). Parental leave shall run concurrently with FMLA, MN Parental Leave, and/or Short
Term Disability.
Employer benefit contributions and leave accruals (both according to policy) continue during paid parental
leave.
Parental Leave
Policy History
Adopted by: On (date) Item #
City Council February 1, 2021 4.6
2 | Page
Vacation Leave Accrual Policy
Vacation Leave Accrual Policy
Purpose
Vacation Leave is provided for the general health and welfare of city employees to enable paid
time off from work for personal leisure.
Paid vacation leave is provided for regular, full-time employees and on a prorated basis for eligible
part-time employees. To be eligible, part-time employees must work a set schedule with a
minimum of forty (40) hours per biweekly pay period. Most temporary, seasonal, and part-time
employees are not eligible for vacation benefits.
Accrual
Vacation leave is accrued based on consecutive years of leave-eligible service. To determine an
employee’s vacation accrual rate, years of service will include all continuous time the employee has
worked at the city in a position that is eligible for paid leave (including authorized unpaid leave).
Employees who are rehired after terminating city employment will not receive credit for their prior
service unless specifically negotiated at the time of hire.
Leave-eligible employees hired before December 31, 2020, may carry more than 240 hours of
vacation leave during a year but may not carry more than 240 hours forward to the next calendar
year.
Employees hired after January 1, 2021, shall accrue 120 working hours per year at the start of
eligible employment through the completion of their ninth (9th) year. These employees may not
carry more than 80 hours forward to the next calendar year but may carry more than 80 hours
during a calendar year.
Employees with fewer than eight (8) years of service as of January 1, 2021, may receive the new
accrual rate provided they accept and acknowledge the reduced annual carry over rate of 80 hours.
The request and acknowledgement shall be in writing. Employees will have until February 26,
2021, to make this election. Vacation balances over 80 must be used by December 31, 2021.
13065 Orono Parkway
Elk River, MN 55330
763.635.1000
ElkRiverMN.gov
Employees accrue vacation leave at the following rates with the exception of 2021 and later hires
and eligible employees who have requested and acknowledged the new accrual and carry over rate.
Length of Service Accrual Rate
From start of eligible employment
th
through completion of the 5 year 88 working hours per year
th
Beginning of the 6 year through
th
completion of the 7 year 112 working hours per year
th
Beginning of the 8 year through
th
completion of the 9 year 120 working hours per year
th
Beginning of the 10 year through
th
completion of the 11 year 128 working hours per year
th
Beginning of the 12 year through
th
completion of the 13 year 136 working hours per year
th
Beginning of the 14 year through
th
completion of the 15 year 144 working hours per year
th
Beginning of the 16 year through
th
completion of the 17 year 152 working hours per year
th
Beginning of the 18 year 160 working hours per year
th
Beginning of the 19 year 168 working hours per year
th
Beginning of the 20 year 176 working hours per year
st
Beginning of the 21 year 184 working hours per year
nd
Beginning of the 22 year through
th
completion of the 24 year 192 working hours per year
th
Beginning of the 25 year and thereafter
200 working hours per year
Vacation leave requires supervisor approval. Employees may not use vacation leave during
their Orientation Period unless authorized by the city administrator. Employees taking more
than two (2) consecutive weeks of vacation or a combination of vacation and compensatory
time must obtain prior approval from the city administrator. The city will make every effort to
grant vacation time as requested but reserves the right to deny or approve vacation schedules.
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Vacation Leave Accrual Policy
Policy History
Adopted by: On (date) Item #
City Council February 1, 2021 4.6
3 | Page
Sick Leave Donation Policy
Sick Leave Donation Policy
Purpose
Provide an opportunity for city employees to donate portions of their earned sick and vacation leave to
fellow employees under certain circumstances.
Policy
Eligibility
With the written consent of the city administrator, employees may donate shares of sick and vacation
leave to fellow employees experiencing a major illness such as, but not limited to, heart attack,
stroke, organ transplant, or other illness all of which must be supported by a physician’s diagnosis, a
catastrophic accident with serious injuries supported by a physician’s diagnosis, or to care for a
spouse or dependent under the same circumstances.
An employee is eligible to receive donated leave:
1. If the employee currently earns sick leave.
2. After all their own sick, vacation, compensatory, or other leaves are exhausted.
3. Only for normal work hours lost due to the illness for which the leave is donated.
4. Only for time not covered by disability insurance or Workers’ Compensation.
5. Up to a maximum of 240 hours.
6. If the physician’s diagnosis indicates the employee will be able to return to work after
rehabilitation or recovery.
Donated leave is used concurrently with FMLA leave and must be used within twelve (12) weeks of
the date of the illness or be forfeited. If the condition of the recipient improves and s/he is able to
return to work either in a light duty capacity, if work is available, or to his/her normal work
schedule, any donated leave time shall be forfeited and remain in the bank of the donor.
An employee may donate up to sixteen (16) hours per recipient per year made in increments of not
less than eight (8) hours. Employees with a sick leave balance of more than 960 hours shall donate
13065 Orono Parkway
Elk River, MN 55330
763.635.1000
ElkRiverMN.gov
equal shares of sick and vacation. Employees with a sick leave balance of 960 or fewer less than 960
hours may donate only sick leave. The employee must complete a Leave Donation Form to donate
leave. All donations are anonymous.
Use
Donated leave will be paid at the recipient’s current rate of pay. Donated hours do not qualify to be
included as part of sick leave for the severance pay calculation.
This policy applies on a prorated basis for part-time employees eligible for sick leave.
In the event of a mandatory or recommended quarantine because of a public health event, the city
administrator may use his/her discretion to allow leave donation when the leave is not concurrent
with FMLA.
Sick Leave Donation
Policy History
Adopted by: On (date) Item #
City Council February 1, 2021 4.6
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