The vacation period is based on the fiscal year which runs from July 1 through June 30. As used in this policy, “month end” means full calendar periods and “year end” means full fiscal year periods. Also, the term “service” refers to regular employment and excludes part-time and temporary workers.
Employees may not choose to forego their vacation and elect to receive additional pay instead of the time off. Vacation days may be applied to maternity leave as hereinafter set forth.
Vacations may be scheduled throughout the year at the discretion of the elected official or department head, who will consider adequate staffing levels at times of peak demand in scheduling vacations. Every effort will be made to accommodate the request of an individual employee; however, the needs of the county and the balancing of work schedules take precedence over vacation requests. If two or more employees request the same vacation time and this presents a conflict with work demands, the elected official or department head will consider length of service of the requesting employees in apportioning vacation time among those who have applied for the same period.
If a paid holiday occurs during an employee’s vacation, the employee may extend that vacation by another day upon advance approval or agree to take the day at another time mutually agreeable to the elected official or department head and the employee. Illness during vacation will not extend the scheduled period or convert the absence to sick leave, except if the employee is hospitalized or becomes disabled.
The amount of paid vacation time to which an employee is entitled each fiscal year depends upon length of service with the county. For employees hired in the middle of the fiscal year, vacation time will be pro-rated with the maximum being ten days for a full year of service. Vacation time may be taken before actual accrual provided that if the employee does not work a full year, wages will be withheld equal to the period of vacation time actually earned through service. Vacation time for all employees is based upon the number of years of service and will be accrued quarterly as follows:
0 – 6 Years – 10 Days (2.5 Days per Quarter)
7 – 12 Years – 15 Days (3.75 Days per Quarter)
13 – 18 Years – 20 Days (5 Days per Quarter)
19+ Years – 25 Days (6.25 Days per Quarter)
Vacation time should be used within the fiscal year; however carryover of a maximum of five (5) days is permissible.
When more than two consecutive days of vacation are requested at one time, the vacation should be scheduled at least two weeks in advance.
Leave time for Civil Service employees is not governed by the Roane County Commission but instead is set forth in WV Code Chapter 7, Section 14.
Holidays
A holiday schedule will be distributed every January to notify employees of the authorized paid holidays. Holidays are a fringe benefit provided to county employees and all employees shall be compensated for each holiday. Time off or holiday pay will be given for all legal holidays set forth in the WV Code and for any day which may be appointed or declared by the Governor of West Virginia or the President of the United States as days of thanksgiving or for the general cessation of business. When any of these days fall on a Sunday, the succeeding Monday shall be regarded, treated and observed as the legal holiday. If any of these days fall on Saturday, the preceding Friday will be regarded, treated and observed as the legal holiday.
Civil Service Employees (Deputy Sheriff Law Enforcement) Holiday Pay: The Sheriff shall decide either that the deputy shall be allowed equal time off at a time approved by the Sheriff or shall be paid at a rate not less than one and one-half times the deputy sheriff's regular rate of pay, to be paid on the deputy’s regular paycheck during the month following the Holiday. (§7-14-17e)
Sick Leave
It is the stated policy of the Roane County Commission that sick leave is provided only for short-term absences from scheduled work due to personal illness, illness in the employee’s immediate family (employee’s father, mother, child, brother, sister, spouse, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandmother, grandfather, grandchildren, stepmother, stepfather, stepchildren, and any individual for whom the employee is legal guardian – adopted 2/26/02), medical or dental appointment, pregnancy, or injury which is not a result of, or related to, work activities. Sick leave benefits are not to be used for purposes of engaging in various forms of leisure, nor is it to be used as a way to extend holidays, vacation periods or weekends. The county’s sick leave policy is established to help employees cope with the financial burden of lost work time incurred due to personal illness. This policy should not be abused. Employees accrue sick leave at the rate of one and one-half (1 ½) days per month. Sick leave must be taken for actual time used. Accumulation of sick leave time is unlimited. Vacation leave time will not accrue while an employee is absent for an extended illness lasting twenty or more consecutive working days.
Injury or illness must be reported as early as possible on the first day of absence to the employee’s elected official or department head. For an absence of three or more consecutive working days, a medical certificate stating that the employee was not able to work or other evidence of the reason for the absence is required. In the absence of such evidence, when so required, annual leave will be charged for the entire period.
Each employee will be required to complete a Request for Leave Time which is to be approved by the elected official or department head. For scheduled medical appointments, the form shall be completed in advance; for illnesses, the form shall be completed immediately upon employee’s return to work and delivered to department head for approval. A copy of the form is to be attached to employee’s time sheet and delivered to the county clerk at the end of each month.
Sick leave time shall not accrue while an employee is absent on sick leave. Sick leave days only accrue based on time actually worked. An employee must work at least 50% of the workdays in any given month in order to earn sick leave for that month. Vacation time shall be considered work time for this purpose.
When the services of an employee have been terminated, all sick leave credited shall be canceled as of the last working day with the department; however, if an employee assumes an elected or appointed position with the county, their accumulated sick leave can be used in computation for retirement benefits. The minimum time charged against sick leave shall be the actual time employee is absent from work.
When an employee retires from the county, all accumulated sick leave can be applied toward accredited service for computation of retirement eligibility and benefits; however, it cannot be used toward the continuation of health insurance.
Sick leave is to be used only under the following conditions:
- When the employee is unable to perform duties because of illness or injury;
- When the employee undergoes medical, dental or optical examination or treatment;
- When a doctor requires the employee to be absent from work because of exposure to a contagious disease that would jeopardize the health of other employees;
- Illness in the employee’s immediate family
- Pregnancy.
Each employee shall receive three (3) personal holidays per calendar year, which will be pro-rated. At the beginning of January, May and September, each employee will be given one personal holiday to be taken at employee’s discretion. Personal holidays cannot be carried over to the next calendar year.
Maternity Leave
Leave taken because of pregnancy shall be charged as sick leave under the same conditions applying to any illness. See Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993
Bereavement Leave
In case of the death of a full-time employee’s immediately family , the employee may have bereavement leave of a maximum of three working days (from the date of death to the date of the funeral) with pay. The employee’s department head must be notified as soon as possible of the death and of the employee’s plan to take leave.
Military Leave
In accordance with WV Code 15-1F-1, employees who are members of the national guard or military reserve unit of the United States armed services or who are ordered or called to active duty by the President of the United States shall be entitled to leave of absence without loss of pay, status or efficiency rating on the days during which they shall be engaged in drills, parades, field training or active service for a maximum of thirty working days in any one calendar year. “Without loss of pay” means that the employee shall continue to receive his or her normal salary or compensation notwithstanding the fact that such employee may have received other compensation from federal or state sources during the same period. Roane County policy shall be that once the employee exhausts their thirty-day maximum leave of absence to which they are entitled, employee shall be given the choice of using vacation days or taking time off without pay for any additional days used for military leave. No sick leave or vacation leave will accrue while employee is on active duty after thirty days are exhausted; however, employee’s job status will be reinstated upon return to work.
Jury Duty
Any employee called for jury duty will not be required to use personal or vacation leave for the time they are absent from work. The employee is permitted to be absent without loss of pay, status or efficiency rating on the days that they are engaged in actual jury duty. On days in which the employee is dismissed early from jury duty, they shall report to their normal work station when at least two hours remain in their normal work day, exclusive of travel time. A copy of the summons and actual time spent on jury duty is to be attached to employee’s time sheet at the end of each month. “Without loss of pay” means that the employee shall continue to receive his or her normal salary or compensation notwithstanding the fact that such employee may have received other compensation for time spent on jury duty.
Leave of Absence
Department heads may grant up to fifteen days leave of absence per calendar year without pay to any employee at the discretion of the department head. Requests thereof must be made in writing to the department head stating specifically the reason for the request and the time period covered. Written approval or disapproval for the leave of absence by the department head shall accompany the request and be lodged in the employee’s personnel file.
Absences Due to High Water and Snow-Covered Roads
Any employee who misses work due to high water or snow-covered roads will be required to use either vacation leave or a personal holiday for the day(s) they are absent from work.