Re: AFSCME Local 810's Proposals to Modify the FJD Sick Leave
Policy
Dear Mr. Flood:
When
we last spoke regarding Local 810's proposals to modify the FJD Sick
Leave Policy,
you requested that the Local memorialize the proposals
and
forward them to your attention. As you requested, enclosed please find
a copy of the Local’s proposals.
The
Local believes that its proposed modifications recognize and support
the FJD’s need to manage its operations and to provide services
to the public while providing employees needed time off due to illness,
a
non-work related injury or to obtain medical treatment. Further, the
proposals recognize and incorporate the FJD’s right to discipline
employees who abuse their sick leave benefit while providing employees
the ability
to access this benefit responsibly without the fear of being disciplined
for addressing a legitimate health care issue.
Importantly,
the Local’s proposals are based in significant part
upon the Philadelphia Police Department and City of Philadelphia non-uniformed
personnel sick leave policies. (A copy of both of the aforementioned
policies is enclosed for your convenience.) It is the Local’s understanding
that the aforementioned policies, which have been in force for more than
ten (10) years, successfully reduced absenteeism abuse and that there
have not been any significant changes to the respective policies throughout
the period of their enforcement.
Of
particular importance, the uniformed employees of the Police Department
perform a similar
service to the public as do the Local’s bargaining
unit members - crime prevention. And while performing this service Probation
Officers, like Police Officers, work in close contact on a daily basis
with individuals that have a multitude of health conditions, some of
which are grave. It is precisely because of our employment duties while
serving
these individuals that we are at a greater risk of contracting a variety
of illnesses. Therefore, it is appropriate that the FJD’s sick
leave policy, as it applies to the Local’s members, be consistent
with that of the Police Department.
I
look forward to discussing the Local’s proposals with you in
more detail and will contact you soon to schedule a meeting for this
purpose.
Should you have any questions with regard to the Local’s proposals,
please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Bob Zimmerman
President local 810
____________________________________________________________________
AFSCME, LOCAL 810
PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS TO FJD SICK LEAVE POLICY[1]
SICK LEAVE
POLICY STATEMENT
No proposed changes.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Definition of Sick Leave
No proposed changes.
Eligibility for Sick Leave
No proposed changes.
Limits on Sick Leave Usage
No proposed changes.
Sick Leave Accumulation
No proposed changes.
Transfer from City Service
No proposed changes.
Exhaustion of Accumulated Sick Leave
No proposed changes.
PROCESSING SICK LEAVE REQUESTS
Reporting Absences Due to Illness
No proposed changes
Medical Certification
No proposed changes
Recertification
No proposed changes.
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITY
Sick leave utilization will be measured
by days. A day is defined as a single day or portions thereof (with or
without medical certification).
An
employee
will be able to use 8 single days or portions thereof without medical certification
within a rolling twelve month period without
beingplaced in a sick leave
abuse category. An employee will be able to use any of his/her available
sick time,
with medical certification, without
being placed in a sick leave abuse
category.
SICK
LEAVE ABUSE
After using 8 days or portions thereof without medical certification
within a rolling 12 month period, the employee will be placed on a sick
leave
abuse
list
for the next 6 months and monitored as follows:
1st
absence without certification – written
warning with counseling
2nd
absence without certification – 1 day
suspension
3rd
absence without certification – 3 day suspension
4th
absence without certification – Suspension with intent to dismiss.
Absences
related to approved FMLA leave are not deemed as occurrences for the
purposes of this section, and are not subject to discipline.
Sick Leave Records
No proposed changes.
Appeals of Denials of Paid Sick Time
No proposed changes.
Utilization of Sick Leave for Maternity-Related
Absences
No proposed changes
Payment for Unused Accumulated Sick Leave upon Retirement
No proposed
changes.
Incentives
No proposed changes.
________________________________________
[1] The paragraph headings used herein track the headings presently used in
the FJD Sick Leave Policy.
CORRECTED PAGE – (Correction underlined.)
Marc Flood
March 8, 2007
Page 4
Local 810 members are also being subjected to a double standard regarding their
base salary. In the 15 largest counties in the United States, our members’ salaries
rank dead last, while FJD administrators’ salaries rank number 4. Our
members are on the front lines working hard every day to keep our communities
safe, while FJD administrators’ are working to make our job even harder
than it is by demoralizing our members through unreasonable, punitive polices
and at the same time collecting proportionately higher salaries.
In closing, Local 810 would appreciate a timely and comprehensive response
to this communication.
In Appreciation,
Bob Zimmerman, President
AFSCME Local 810
215-893-3754
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