HomeMy WebLinkAbout21-051 - ADMIN Resolution - City Council - 2021/05/03Resolution No. 21-051
Resolution updating sections in the employee personnel manual
Whereas, the city has a personnel manual for employees to provide a uniform,
comprehensive, equitable and efficient system for personnel administration ; and
Whereas, the personnel manual was originally adopted by council in 2001 by resolution
with updates over the years; and an overall revision is now ready for approval. The manual has
been set up where the majority of the document is done by administrative approval of the city
manager and sections relating to compensation and benefits and similar programs are updated
by council, and
Whereas, the city council reaffirms that they have conferred upon the city manager the
power to establish and administer additional administrative policies and rules as may be
appropriate to administer the employment practices of the city; and
Whereas, the city council wishes to adopt and update policies which ensure adequate
compensation, leave and benefits for city employees and such pro grams need review and
updates as needed;
Now therefore be it resolved by the City Council of the City of St. Louis Park hereby
adopts the policies and revisions as attached as Appendix A to this resolution; and
Let it further be resolved that these policies and other administrative rules which
govern city employees shall be included in an update of the employee personnel manual to be
maintained by the city manager, assisted by human resources, and made available to all
employees of the city.
Reviewed for administration: Adopted by the City Council on May 3, 2021
Thomas K. Harmening, city manager Jake Spano, mayor
Attest:
Melissa Kennedy, city clerk
DocuSign Envelope ID: 91544AFC-DD26-4B80-B34C-170E9766A2C3
Resolution No. 21-051 2
Appendix A: Updating sections in the employee personnel manual
(updated in general and includes adding underline, deleting strike through)
1.1 Purpose
The purpose of these policies is to provide a uniform, comprehensive, equitable and
efficient system of personnel administration for the city based upon merit and fitness for
the position while also supporting and advancing racial equity and inclusion .
1.6 Application
All offices, jobs, and positions in city service and housing authority now existing or
hereafter established are subject to the personnel policies except the following and
unless otherwise specified:
• Elected officials
• Paid-on-call or volunteer firefighters
• City manager
• City attorney
• Volunteers
• Members of appointed commissions and committees
• Persons engaged under contract (independent contractor) to supply expert,
professional, technical, or any other services; or those excluded by these policies or
law.
3.3 Employment of Relatives
The city will not employ two members of the same immediate family or those that reside
in the same household under any one of the following circumstances:
• Where one employee will directly and/or indirectly supervise another member of
their family (includes seasonal and temporary regular and non-regular employees).
• Where one employee will be responsible for auditing the work of another member of
their family.
• Where confidentiality of the city would be compromised.
• Where a conflict of interest would arise from such employment.
The city manager has the final decision in regard to employment matters. This policy also
applies to mayor and council, their immediate family and household members.
3.5 Probationary Period
The probationary period for regular employees shall be six months beginning
immediately upon appointment to a regular position (unless otherwise stated or
extended by the appointing authority or their designee). Paid-on-call firefighters will
serve a one 18-month probationary period.
The department head may recommend an earlier completion or extension of probation of
an employee. At any time during the probationary period an employee may be discharged,
demoted, or reassigned summarily at the sole discretion of the appointing authority .
6.7 FLSA – Non-exempt Employee Comp Time Cash Out
DocuSign Envelope ID: 91544AFC-DD26-4B80-B34C-170E9766A2C3
Resolution No. 21-051 3
A non-exempt employee may cash out up to 40 hours of comp time accrued once each
calendar year as stated in a policy approved by the City Manager. (Resolution 01 -078)
All accrued comp time will be cashed out on the last payroll of the calendar year. Request
for cash out must be made in writing to Human Resources between October 1 through
October 10, and will be paid the first payroll in November unless otherwise notified.
Cash out will be limited to the balance accrued as of the first payroll in November up to a
maximum of 40 hours.
6.8 FLSA – Non-exempt Employee Call Back
A non-exempt employee called back to work at a time other than a normal scheduled
shift for reasons other than training shall receive a minimum of two hours pay at one and
one-half times the employee’s regular base hourly rate. Employees called to work due to
an emergency will receive a minimum of three hours pay at one and one-half times the
employee’s regular base hourly rate (emergency is typically defined as an unplanned or
unforeseeable event). Reporting early for a shift, extension for a shift or schedule
change shall not qualify for a call back premium.
8.3 Holidays Worked
A non-exempt employee who works on a holiday will be compensated for hours worked
as overtime in addition to pay for holiday. A non-exempt employee who is called in by
their supervisor to work unscheduled hours during 12:00 am – 11:59 pm on holidays
listed in in 8.1 (actual calendar day, not observed holiday) shall be compensated at t wo
times the appropriate hourly wage for all hours worked. Compensatory time may not be
earned for hours worked on these days. Unscheduled hours are those not given advance
notice.
9.4 Flex Leave Cap
Employees may carry over two times their annual flex leave accrual plus 20 days as of the
first pay day in September of each year (due to the city’s two week payroll delay, the
applicable flex leave balance is reflected on the second pay day in September). Flex
leave above the cap will be forfeited. The following chart depicts this maximum
accumulation (cap), effective October 1, 2001.
9.5 Annual Transfer of Accumulated Flex Leave
Employees are required to transfer the value of 40 hours of accumulated fl ex leave into a
Health Care Savings Plan (HCSP) in accordance with plan design and IRS regulations. In
order to be eligible to transfer time, you must have, at a minimum, an accumulated flex
leave balance of two times the annual accrual plus 20 days (flex leave cap as defined in
Section 9.4) as of the first payroll in September. Employees who meet this eligibility
requirement will be required to transfer 40 hours of flex leave based on the Employee’s
current rate of pay into the HCSP. Any flex leave above the cap after the transfer will be
forfeited. Transfer occurs in October. Program administration for the HCSP is
determined by the city manager.
10.1 Program Eligibility
The City of St. Louis Park provides a short-term disability (STD) program as a supplement
DocuSign Envelope ID: 91544AFC-DD26-4B80-B34C-170E9766A2C3
Resolution No. 21-051 4
to the flex leave program for regular full time and part time employees. In order to
qualify for the STD program, employees must participate in the flex leave program and
have successfully passed the probationary period worked a minimum of six consecutive
months as a regular benefit-earning employee. Employees must be actively at work on
the effective date of coverage in order to qualify. Short term disability is available only
for an employee’s non-work related disability. It may not be used to care for ill or injured
family members.
Employees who are not off probation and/or are not on the flex leave program are not
eligible for STD. Hours are pro-rated for part-time benefit earning employees under this
section.
11.12 Parenting Leave
It is the policy of the City of St. Louis Park to provide paid and unpaid parental leave
benefits to employees due to the birth of an employee’s child or the placement within an
employee’s home of an adopted child. To be eligible for parental leave, an employee
must have been employed by the city, working at least 20 hours per week for a minimum
of one continuous year (12 months). Employees may be eligible for a partial or reduced
benefit if they achieve eligibility during the leave period (for example, an employee has a
baby and meets the one-year eligibility threshold one day later, they will be eligible for
the benefit less one day).
Paid parental leave will be provided to regular benefit-earning employees (regardless of
gender) who meet eligibility requirements as described above, who become biological or
adoptive parents in conjunction with childbirth or adoptions occurring on or after
January 1, 2015. Surrogate mothers and sperm or egg donors are excluded from
coverage. The paid parental leave benefit is 100% of the employee’s regular base wage
(does not include overtime, supplemental pay, and/or other additional pay), for regularly
scheduled work hours for up to 21 consecutive calendar days and must begin on the date
of the birth or placement for adoption. Multiple births or adoptions (i.e., twins, triplets),
medical conditions, and/or other circumstances will not increase length of paid leave
granted. For the purpose of this benefit, holidays will be counted as a regular scheduled
workday and will be included in the 21-calendar day count. Employer benefit
contribution and leave accrual continue during paid parenting leave. For birthing
parents, paid parental leave will run concurrently with short term disability coverage
(Section 10) and FMLA.
Unpaid parental leave will also be provided to eligible employees in accordance with the
MN Parental Leave Act. Unpaid parental leave must be taken within 12 months of the
birth or adoption and eligible employees can choose when the leave will begin. The
maximum amount of parental leave (including both paid and unpaid leave) is 12 weeks.
Eligible employees anticipating paid or unpaid parenting leave must submit a written
request to human resources before the anticipated birth or adoption of the child
whenever possible. Parental leave (both paid and unpaid) and FMLA will run
concurrently. In no event will the combination of FMLA and parental leave exceed 12
weeks duration. The employee shall be returned to the position that the employee
DocuSign Envelope ID: 91544AFC-DD26-4B80-B34C-170E9766A2C3
Resolution No. 21-051 5
vacated at the commencement of leave or to a position of like status and pay.
For leaves requiring more than 12 weeks for pregnancy, delivery and postpartum
recuperation, an additional leave of absence without pay may be granted in accordance
with Section 11.1 on the basis that such action is taken in the best interest of the city.
14.5 Educational Incentive Reimbursement Program for Community Service Cadets
The purpose of the educational incentive program for community service cadets in the
police department is to provide educational financial assistance to those who are
enrolled in a post-secondary institution to become eligible for POST licensing. This
program allows the police department the opportunity to observe, encourage and recruit
prospective police officer candidates in a public safety work environment.
The community service cadet in the police department is a temporary, part -time position
with 100% tuition reimbursement for coursework at an accredited post-secondary
institution up to a maximum of $3,000 $5,000 per calendar year as approved by the chief
of police. Cadets must attend an accredited post-secondary institution with the intent to
become eligible for POST licensure and maintain a C average in their coursework. In the
best interest of the city and based on financial needs, the chief of police may request
prepayment of approved courses for cadets.
15.7 Public Purpose Expenditure
CITE Committee (Committee to Inform and Train Employees) was renamed and title is
now Connection Crew.
Remove paid on call firefighter from program as restructure of department was
completed in 2020 by recommendation of fire chief.
Comment: Changes to section are housekeeping updates only.
18.7 Flex/Sick Leave for Fitness
This is a voluntary program which permits employees to convert accrued flex/sick leave
into cash payments for memberships in health clubs or other similar programs as a part
of the employee’s fitness program. Approved means a club that provides facilities for
aerobic activities such as swimming, running, aerobic exercise and one that is not
primarily social as determined by the city manager. Reimbursement level: 100% of the
cost, not to exceed $150 1,800 per month calendar year per employee, including family
membership. Minimum leave balances are required to participate in the program.
Program criteria are established by the city manager.
19 Paid on call firefighters – section deleted.
Removal of reference to paid on call and/or part time firefighter section. Restructure of
department was completed in 2020 by recommendation of fire chief; section no longer
needed. Other references to paid on call or part time firefighter have been removed
throughout the document.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 91544AFC-DD26-4B80-B34C-170E9766A2C3
Resolution No. 21-051 6
20 Fire Department Shift Supervisors: Fire Captain General Rule
No change at this time. The city is in discussion on the position of fire captain with the
Bureau of Mediation Services (BMS). If changes are made and the position moves into a
union, the council has directed the city manager to remove the full section. Section 20
will be deleted based on determination of BMS and, when and if, a formal contract is
approved by council.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 91544AFC-DD26-4B80-B34C-170E9766A2C3