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.
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.
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:
Emergency Closing 1. Management shall decide when, if and to what extent State facilities shall remain open or closed during emergencies, such as adverse weather conditions, acts of God, equipment breakdown, inoperable bathroom facilities, extreme office temperatures, etc.
2. The State shall designate one (1) person in each district area who will be responsible to call the Secretary of Administration or his/her designee if office, weather or other conditions exist which suggest closing is appropriate.
3. In facilities that must remain in operation despite emergency conditions, continued operations with a reduced work force may be authorized. In such instances, employees who are authorized to leave work early may do so without loss of pay or benefits. Employees who are required to remain at work shall receive compensatory time at straight time rates.
4. An employee who is unable to report to work due to weather or other emergency conditions shall have the absence charged against accumulated compensatory time or annual leave, in that order.
5. If management authorizes the complete closing of a State office or facility for emergency reasons, employees who leave the workplace shall receive their regular pay for time they are out of the closed office.
6. Employees required by management to work during complete emergency closings under (5) above, shall receive hourly pay at straight time rates for the hours so worked. This payment will be in addition to the employee’s regular pay.
Emergency Closure Where there is a temporary closure as a result of an immediate emergency or a planned temporary closure due to renovations, repairs, or moves, the Employer will:
a) First offer to the affected employees the choice of taking either a vacation day or an unpaid leave of absence with no loss of seniority or benefits; thereafter, at the Employer's discretion, one of the following:
b) Reassign staff to another location;
c) Reschedule the lost hours within two (2) pay periods; or
d) Decide not to do either (b) or (c), in which case employees shall still be paid for their regularly scheduled hours which they did not work as a result of the temporary layoff.