Paid Release Time Employees will be provided a reasonable amount of time during their normal working hours to meet with the union ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and/or staff representative to process a grievance. In addition, employees will be released during their normal working hours to attend meetings or hearings scheduled by management for the following:
a. Informal grievance resolution meetings, grievance meetings, alternative dispute resolution meetings, mediation sessions and arbitration hearings, in accordance with Article 6, Grievance Procedure, and held during the employee’s work time;
b. Management scheduled investigatory interviews and/or pre-disciplinary meetings, in accordance with Article 36, Corrective Action, and;
c. Negotiations in accordance with Article 40, Mandatory Subjects.
d. Joint Labor Management meetings in accordance with Article 43.
Union Release Time Subject to the operational needs of the Department, the appointing authority may grant to elected officers or appointed representatives of the Union time off for union activities not to exceed ten days (80 hours per fiscal year) in the aggregate as provided below. Effective the start of the pay period following Council approval of this MOU, the maximum number of hours in a fiscal year shall be 360 in the aggregate. Management shall not grant release time to more than one employee at a time in a work unit (i.e. region) in the Department of Recreation and Parks, and no more than one employee per department for the Zoo and El Pueblo under this Article.
A. The Union shall submit a written request for release of an employee to that employee’s Department Management, which shall include the balance of the aggregate hours of release time remaining in the fiscal year for the Unit as a whole, at least 21 calendar days prior to the effective release date, specifying the starting and ending dates of release. The Union shall provide a copy of said request to the City Administrative Officer. The employee shall fill out any necessary paperwork required by Management for his/her release.
B. Employees shall be paid their current salary by the City while they are performing these duties for the Union.
C. Employees shall retain all of their existing benefits, including, but not limited to medical, dental, deferred compensation plan, retirement benefits and seniority accrual in their civil service class.
D. The Union shall reimburse the City for all salary and benefits costs incurred as a result of release time, including but not limited to, vacation, sick leave, compensated time off, retirement, short-term disability, life insurance, medical, dental and workers’ compensation. The benefits cost shall be based on the rates established by the City Administrative Officer as contained in the City Budget in effect during the period of release time, and the cost of other benefits approved by the Joint Labor-Management Benefits Committee that become effective during this period.
E. Payment of any overtime worked while on release time shall be the responsibility of the Union.
F. The Union shall make quarterly payments to the Controller of all reimbursable costs identified in Section D. above.
G. Employees on release time shall submit weekly timesheets signed by the employee and the Union (Executive Director or his/her designee) to their respective Departmental Personnel Director specifying the number of hours worked and use of any sick leave, vacation time or compensated time off.
H. Injuries incurred while on Union release time shall not qualify for IOD or workers’ compensation benefits.
I. The employee must have passed probation in his/her current class to be eligible for release time.
J. The Union shall indemnify, defend and hold the City and its officers and employees harmless against any and all claims, suits, demands or other forms of liability that might arise out of or result from any action taken by an employee in the service of the Union.
K. The City Administrative Officer shall maintain a list of employees who have been approved for release time and the approved duration.
Release Time Should official hearings of any grievance require that an employee or an Association representative be released from his/her regular assignment, he/she shall be released without loss of pay or benefits.
Association Release Time Subd. 1. The Employer and the Association agree that the release of an ASF Member from normal job duties to perform other service shall be governed as follows:
General Release of Claims Employee knowingly and voluntarily releases and forever discharges the Company from any and all claims, rights, causes of action, demands, fees costs, expenses, including attorneys’ fees, and liabilities of any kind whatsoever, whether known or unknown, against the Company, that Employee has, has ever had or may have as of the date of execution of this Agreement and General Release, including, but not limited to, any alleged violation of: ● The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended; ● The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990; ● The National Labor Relations Act, as amended; ● Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; ● The Civil Rights Act of 1991; ● Sections 1981 through 1988 of Title 42 of the United States Code, as amended; ● The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended; ● The Immigration Reform and Control Act, as amended; ● The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended; ● The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, as amended; ● The Occupational Safety and Health Act, as amended; ● The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993; ● All other federal, state or local civil or human rights laws, whistleblower laws, or any other local, state or federal law, regulations and ordinances; ● All public policy, contract, tort, or common laws; and ● All allegations for costs, fees, and other expenses including attorneys’ fees incurred in these matters. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the sole matters to which the Agreement and General Release do not apply are: (i) Employee’s rights of indemnification and directors and officers liability insurance coverage to which the Executive was entitled immediately prior to __________ __, 20__ with regard to the Executive’s service as an officer and director of the Company (including, without limitation, under Article 15 of the Severance Agreement); (ii) Employee’s rights under any tax-qualified pension plan or claims for accrued vested benefits under any other employee benefit plan, policy or arrangement maintained by the Company or under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended; (iii) Employee’s rights under Article 7 or Article 11 of the Severance Agreement, as the case may be; and (iv) Employee’s rights as a stockholder of the Company.