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609 Personal Leave
In accordance with the guidelines set forth in this policy, the City of Grapevine may
provide unpaid personal leave to regular full-time, regular part-time and employees
serving their initial probationary period who wish to take time off from work duties to
fulfill personal needs or obligations. The need for time off must exceed two
consecutive calendar weeks and vacation accruals, compensatory time and personal
holiday(s) pay must be exhausted prior to beginning a personal leave. If the need for
personal leave is the result of the illness of an immediate family member as defined
in the Sick Leave policy or the serious health condition of a dependent, parent, or
covered servicemember as defined by FMLA, or due to the health fitness impairment
of the employee, the above mentioned accruals must be exhausted in addition to sick
leave hours prior to beginning a personal leave.
.01 Requests for personal leave will be evaluated based on a number of factors, which
include operational requirements and staffing considerations during the proposed
period of absence.
.02 The employee must submit a written request stating the reason personal leave is
needed and include the starting and ending dates for the personal leave period. The
memo will be given to the employee’s immediate supervisor who will forward the
request up the chain of command to the Department Head. Each supervisor will
attach a statement to the employee’s request, giving their recommendation for
granting or denying the request. The Department Head will make the final
determination to grant or deny the request with the concurrence of the City Manager
or Assistant City Manager and Human Resources Director. A final copy will be
provided to Human Resources. If granted, the initial period of leave will not exceed
180 calendar days.
.03 The employee may request up to an additional 180 calendar days of personal leave
by submitting a written request directly to the City Manager. The request will state
the reason an extension is needed and include a starting and ending date.
.04 No employee will be granted more than 360 calendar days of personal leave during
his or her tenure with the City of Grapevine. However, if the leave is a result of the
employee’s health fitness impairment, additional leave may be granted if such time
will reasonably facilitate a full return to work.
.05 An employee on a personal leave of absence is not permitted to perform outside
work for compensation prior to returning from Personal leave and working his/her
scheduled shift. An employee found to be in conflict with this policy shall be subject
to appropriate disciplinary action including termination of employment.
.06 The employee’s current health insurance benefits will continue according to benefit
plan summaries available in Risk Management.
.07 When possible, employees will be returned to their former position. If their position is
not available, they will apply and be considered for available comparable positions
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for which they qualify within their department. If no positions are available in their
department, they will apply and be considered for available comparable positions
Citywide for which they qualify. If there are no available positions Citywide for which
they qualify, the employee may be terminated from employment with the City.
.08 (1) If an employee returns to work from Personal Leave to their former position,
they will immediately receive any market adjustment their position received
while on leave. Their annual review date for step or merit pay increases will
be delayed until the employee works enough time to complete 12 months
on the job. If the employee took a personal leave while in a probationary
status, the probationary review date will be delayed until they work enough
time to complete 6 months on the job. The merit/step increase is subject to
a passing score on the performance evaluation. They will retain their original
anniversary date for step or merit pay increases in subsequent years.
(2) If an employee returns to work from Personal Leave to a different position,
they will immediately receive any market adjustment the new position
received while on leave and they will work on a probationary basis for the
next 6 months. Their annual review date for step or merit pay increases will
be delayed until they complete 12 months’ work since their previous
anniversary date. (The annual merit or step pay increase may be delayed
until the successful completion of the probationary period for the new job.)
The merit/step increase is subject to a passing score on the performance
evaluation.
(a) If an employee returns to work from Personal Leave to a position in
a lower pay grade or to a different position in the same pay grade,
they will retain their original anniversary date for step or merit pay
increases in subsequent years.
(b) If an employee returns to work from Personal Leave to a position with
a higher maximum pay range and their current salary is not adjusted
upward because their salary falls in the new pay range, they will retain
their original anniversary date for step or merit pay increases in
subsequent years.
(c) If an employee returns to work from Personal Leave to a position with
a higher maximum pay range and they receive a salary increase
because their salary falls below the minimum of the new range, the
date of their return from leave will become their new annual review date
for step or merit pay increases.
.09 Employees returning to work after an absence of more than ten consecutive work
days/shifts due to their health fitness impairment shall undergo a drug screen and a
physical assessment, if applicable, to ensure that the employee has fully recovered
or that reasonable working restrictions are set out to prevent an injury.
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.10 Employees failing to make necessary arrangements to return to work on an agreed
upon date prior to the expiration of their leave will be deemed to have resigned.
.11 Before returning to work, Risk Management must be notified for return to work
processing.
Revised 11/03/2017
Revised 06/16/2021