HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-156
. Lrw .-/!l: (h 1'8
H1L
pJvn
J:mfVif.,
RESOLUTION NO. 08-156
A RESOLUTION AMENDIN6 RESOLUTION
NO. 86-173, AS AMENDED, BY AMENDING
THE EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK FOR
EMPLOYEES OF ST. LUCIE COUNTY,
FLORIDA
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of St. Lucie County, Florida, has
made the following determinations:
1. By Resolution No. 86-173, adopted September 16, 1986, and subsequently
amended, the Board of County Commissioners adopted the Employee Handbook for
employees of St. Lucie County in order to update personnel policies to reflect changes in
federal and state law and provide each employee with essential information regarding
personnel policies and benefits.
2. It is necessary to further amend Resolution No. 86-173 to establish a
Separation in Lieu of Notice of Reduction in Force Program pursuant to Ordinance No. 08-
0-118.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of
St. Lucie County, Florida:
1. Resolution No. 86-173, as amended, is hereby further amended to incorporate
the amendments to the Employee Handbook, attached hereto and incorporated herein as
Exhibit" A":
2. This resolution shall be effective on the date of adoption. After motion and
second the vote on this resolution was as follows:
Chairman Joseph E. Smith AYE
Vice Chairman Paula Lewis AYE
Commissioner Doug Coward AYE
Commissioner Charles Grande AYE
Commissioner Chris Craft AYE
ATTEST:
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA
APPROVED AS TO LE6AL FORM AND
ORRECTNESS:
hourly rate of pay computed as if the employee was not paid on a
salary basis. This additional compensation shall be in addition to
the employee's regular salary. The County Administrator will
identify the beginning and ending dates in which additional
compensation will be paid to employees who are eligible for
additional compensation, and will provide the appropriate forms
for exempt employees to document their hours worked. Nothing
herein shall be construed to affect the exempt status of such
employees.
Note: For further information please refer to your hurricane manual.
Our first concern is for the employees' safety. All County buildings
must be inspected for occupancy after a hurricane or natural disaster.
Therefore, nonessential personnel who are not assigned emergency
stations should not report to work until notified by calling the master
phone line or by media release.
2.02 STAFF REDUCTION
If positions are eliminated within a division resulting in a lay-off of
current employees, newly hired employees in evaluation periods
holding jobs in the affected job classifications within the division will be
identified for lay-off first.
In determining the order of layoff of employees other than employees
in their evaluation period, the following criteria will be weighed equally:
(a) ability, (b) skill, (c) attendance record for preceding twelve (12)
month period, (d) evaluations, (e) any documented counseling or
disciplinary actions in preceding twelve (12) month period, and (f)
seniority. If the employee has the ability, skills and desire to reclassify
to a lower paying position within his/her division, he/she may replace
the least senior employee in the lower position provided he/she has
more seniority than the employee he/she is replacing. The employee's
rate of pay will remain the same if his/her wage is within the range of
the lower position. If the employee's rate of pay exceeds the maximum
of the lower position, the employee will receive the top of the range for
the new classification.
If an employee identified for lay-off is transferred from one department
to another where a vacancy exists, and is required to take a reduction
in pay, then that employee will have the option of receiving his/her
vacation pay prior to being transferred, at the higher rate of pay. If the
employee chooses not to take vacation pay before the transfer, he/she
will be paid vacation leave at his/her current rate of pay when he/she
chooses to take vacation. If a full-time employee is laid-off, he/she will
be compensated for vacation in full and receive accrued sick leave, not
to exceed eighty (80) hours, unless the employee has ten years of
continuous service for which he/she will receive no more than a
maximum of four hundred eighty (480) hours and two hundred forty
hours (240) for employees with six or more but less than ten (10) years
of credible county employment. Part-time employees who are laid off
EXHIBIT
I \\ A (f
Section 2- 7
Rev. 05:08
will receive vacation and sick leave prorated based on an average two-
week work period.
Recognizing the hardship a lay-off creates for an employee, the
County will continue to pay the County's portion of health insurance
premiums for one full month after lay-off for the employee and family
coverage. After this additional month of coverage, the employee must
determine whether he/she wants to pay for the health plan. An
employee electing to continue paying the premium under COBRA will
be notified and be given sixty (60) days to determine if he/she elects to
be covered. The employee will then have forty-five (45) days to make
premium payments, ensuring no break in health coverage. He/she will
be eligible to continue payment at group rates for at least eighteen (18)
months at the St. Lucie County current group policy costs.
Seniority is defined as the employee's last date of hire with the County
with deductions for absences of sixty (60) working days. If employees
have the same seniority date, their relative seniority dates shall be
determined by the last four digits of the employee's social security
number, the lowest number being the most senior.
All employees subject to lay-off will be counseled by the Human
Resources Department on other employment opportunities and
community assistance.
Each employee who is identified to be laid off and separated
immediately due to a reduction in staff approved by the Board of
County Commissioners would be paid the followinq upon separation:
Two (2) weeks of reaular pay for each full year of employment with the
County, not to exceed twelve (12) weeks of pay.
This separation or severance pay would be authorized when in the
best interests of the County the separation of an employee needs to
be immediate. .
2.02.01 RECALL AFTER LAY-OFF
A laid-off employee is eligible to remain in a recall status for thirteen
(13) months from date of layoff. The County's obligation under this
provision will continue for one (1) full year from the date of layoff. A
person recalled within the year will not lose seniority; however, the
amount of time he/she is laid off will not be credited for seniority,
retirement, and benefit purposes. When the County decides to
increase the work force, the employee(s) will be called back in their
order of layoff by classification, e.g., last out, first in, providing the
employee(s) still can meet the minimum job requirements as stated in
the job description and pass a physical including a drug test. The
employee must notify the Human Resources Department at time of
layoff whether he/she desires to be recalled only to the job in which
he/she was laid off or to any available position for which he/she is
qualified. Notice to an employee regarding the County's intention to
Rev. 05:08
Section 2- 8