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Home My WebLink AboutAgenda - 01-18-2001-8eORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: January 18, 2001 Action Agega Item No. - SUBJECT: Personnel Ordinance Revisions - Acting Appointments and Position Coverage, Administrative Leave and Funeral Leave DEPARTMENT: Personnel PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No ATTACHMENT(S): Draft Personnel Ordinance Revisions - 1 - Acting Appointments and Position Coverage 2 - Administrative Leave 3 - Funeral Leave INFORMATION CONTACT: Elaine Holmes, Personnel Director, Extension 2550 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider revisions to the Orange County Personnel Ordinance to: • Provide additional policy direction on acting appointments and position coverage when a department or division head position becomes vacant or the department or division head is on extended leave. • Clarify in the Administrative Leave policy that it is the Manager who makes the decision whether to modify County operations in the event of hazardous weather. • Update and clarify the Funeral Leave policy. BACKGROUND: Acting Appointments and Position Coverage The Orange County Personnel Ordinance section covering acting appointments presently only addresses situations that arise when a department or division head position becomes vacant, yet position coverage also is needed when a department or division head is on extended leave. The Attachment 1 draft Personnel Ordinance revision would: • Apply to extended leave situations (absence more than one month) as well as position vacancies. 0 Clarify the roles of the County Manager, Board of Health and Board of Social Services. • Specify the options available in providing position coverage including: ? An acting appointment of an internal or external candidate or ? Reassignment of duties among internal staff or hiring external staff or using contractual services to enable services to continue. • Provide that if the leave continues beyond six months, the County Manager (or in the case of the Health or Social Services Director, the appropriate Board) initiates discussions with the department or division head on leave to develop a more definitive long term coverage plan. Administrative Leave As presently written the Personnel Ordinance does not clearly state who makes any decision to modify County operations in the event of hazardous weather, although it is provided under the County's Hazardous Weather Plan that the Manager makes such decisions. The Attachment 2 draft revision to the Administrative Leave section of the Personnel Ordinance would clarify the Ordinance by stating that the County Manager may modify County operations in accordance with the Hazardous Weather Plan, including determining any closings or delayed openings. This is a clarification in the written document only and does not represent any change in policy or practice. The draft update also takes account of the addition of Personal Leave Days since the policy last was updated. Funeral Leave The Orange County Personnel Ordinance provides up to three days of Funeral Leave for permanent full time or part time employees when there is a death in the employee's immediate family. The Attachment 3 draft Personnel Ordinance revision is to clarify and update the policy as noted below: • To clarify that the immediate family members covered are those specifically defined in the Personnel Ordinance. To add brother and sister to the immediate family members covered. To clarify the time covered by Funeral Leave and time not covered. FINANCIAL IMPACT: As to Acting Appointments and Position Coverage, funds from the approved budget for the fiscal year are used to the extent funds may be' needed to provide position coverage for a specific situation. As to Administrative Leave and Funeral Leave, the changes have no financial impact. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the attached Personnel Ordinance revisions (Acting Appointments and Position Coverage, Administrative Leave and Funeral Leave) effective January 18, 2001. Attachment 1 Draft Revision to the Orange County Personnel Ordinance Acting Appointments and Position Coverage (Changes shown in bold type) Article II, Section 5.0, Appointments Types of Appointments 5.6 Actin Appointment in an AetintPesitien and Position Coverage When a department or division head position becomes vacant or the department head or division head is absent on leave for more than one month, the County Manager (or in the case of the Health Director or Social Services Director, the Health or Social Services Board) assesses the position coverage needs and may make an acting appointment or other position coverage assignments to provide for coverage of essential duties. In making an acting appointment, the County Manager (or in the case of the Health Director or Social Services Director, the appropriate Board) may designate internal staff, or hire an external candidate to provide the acting coverage. The Acting Department or Division Head may be asked to serve up to six (€r) months. This may be extended up to six additional months with the County Manager's (or Health or Social Services Board, as appropriate) approval. In lieu of or in addition to making an acting appointment, the County Manager (or in the case of the Health or Social Services Director, the appropriate Board) also may choose to distribute duties and coverage assignments among internal staff and/or hire external staff or contractors to enable services to continue. If a current permanent employee is designated as acting for a position at a higher salary grade than his or her current position, the salary paid to the employee selected to serve in an aefing pesifie shall be adjusted to the hiring rate of the new range assigned, or to a step within the range that provides a minimum of five percent increase in pay. If a department head or division head continues on leave beyond six months, the County Manager or designee (or in the case of the Health or Social Services Director, the appropriate Board) initiates discussions with the department head or division head on leave as to long term outlook for return to work and seeks to develop a more definitive long term coverage plan based on this information. Article I, Section 4.0, Definitions 4.1 Acting Pesifiens Appointment - any appointment of an internal candidate or external candidate to provide coverage in the vacancy of a department head or division head position or absence on leave of a department or division head for more than one month. emgleyee Attachment 2 Draft Personnel Ordinance Revision Article IV, Section 3.0, Administrative Leave (Changes shown in bold type) 3.0 Administrative Leave 3.1 County Government shall remain accessible to the citizens. Many critical functions must be staffed regardless of the weather conditions. However, when severe storms cause extremely hazardous driving conditions, the County Manager may modify County operations are medifed in accordance with the Hazardous Weather Plan, including determining any closings or delayed openings. During periods of hazardous weather conditions the following applies to employees:* • Administrative Leave as determined by the County Manager is granted for officially delayed openings and/or early closings. • Vacation Leave, Personal Leave Days and/or Petty Leave are is charged or time may be made up at a later date as provided in the Hazardous Weather Plan when employees elect not to report for work, report late or leave early. • Pay at the employee's hourly rate for hours worked during an official closing in addition to regular pay is granted to FLSA non-exempt employees required to work when the offices are officially closed due to hazardous weather. *Employees of the Sheriffs Department and Emergency Management Services are not covered by this section and operate under the respective department's hazardous weather plan. 4 Attachment 3 Draft Orange County Personnel Ordinance Revision Article IV, Section 11.0 Funeral Leave (Changes shown in bold type.) 11.0 Funeral Leave Permanent employees both full time and part time are eligible to receive Funeral Leave with pay. Funeral leave may be used for death in an employee's immediate family, as defined in this Ordinance.-but Funeral Leave may not exceed three consecutive workdays for any one occurrence, the last day being the next workday after the funeral. Funeral leave with respect to distant-relatives not covered under this policy may be taken. from Vacation Leave. Additional Time off for bereavement or time off for estate-related business may be charged to Vacation Leave, Personal Leave Days, Petty Leave or leave without pay with the approval of the employee's immediate supervisor. Fuser l leave i available to full time an part ti=i=c Article I, Section 4.0, Definitions 4.17 Immediate Family - wife, husband, father, mother, daughter, son, grandparent, or-grandchildren, brother, sister. (Also included are step, foster, or in-law relationships.)