Personnel Rules and Regulations

Benefits

Benefit Coverage For Off-Duty Employees
(New October 9, 1999)

This policy addresses those rare instances where an off-duty non-civil service employee may have the opportunity to save a person's life or to limit personal injury to a person. This policy does not create a duty to take action. Employees should carefully consider other alternatives prior to taking action that might result in their injury and death.

Employees who respond to an imminent threat to life or physical well-being, while off duty, will be considered acting within the course (Revised June 1, 2004) and scope of their employment with City of Fort Worth, and therefore, will be eligible for compensation and/or benefits, in the event of their injury or death while taking such action, as deemed appropriate by the City Manager, if: 1) the activity engaged in involves duties performed during their regularly assigned duties with the City; 2) the activity engaged in is not being performed while serving another entity, whether compensated for such service or not; and 3) the activity is performed within the corporate city-limits of Fort Worth.

City Marshals, because of their peace officer certification, have a broader coverage in their off-duty activities, as outlined in the City Marshal's Office General Orders. In general, off duty City Marshals will be considered to be within the course and scope of their employment with the City of Fort Worth if they are:

• Performing law enforcement actions required or permitted pursuant to State law and consistent with General Orders, directives and training of the Fort Worth Marshal's Office; or,
• Responding to imminent threats to life or physical well-being in a manner that is the same or similar to that provided by the Fort Worth Marshal's Office and consistent with General Orders, directives and training of the Fort Worth Marshal's Office.

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Clothing Allowance

Some City departments require their employees to wear uniforms. In some cases uniforms are provided, otherwise, a clothing allowance is provided to purchase uniforms. A Uniform Agreement must be completed by each non-Civil Service employee receiving uniforms.

• Non-Civil Service Employees
  Typically, non-Civil Service, full time, regular employees must work a minimum of 90 days before uniforms are issued. Some exceptions exist based on the duties initially performed by the new employees.
  If a non-Civil Service employee terminates within (6) months after uniforms are issued, he/she must turn in his/her uniforms or one-half of the cost of the uniforms will be deducted from his/her final paycheck.
• Police Civil Service Employees
  Police Civil Service Trainees are issued two (2) full sets of shirts and pants upon entering the academy. Upon graduation, the balance of the uniform and equipment will be issued.
  Police Civil Service employees must be in an active status to receive a clothing allowance. Such employees will receive a base clothing allowance every six (6) months (periods ending on April 1^st and October 1^st) after the cost of the initial issue of uniforms is made up.
  Police Civil Service employees on extended leaves of absence of six (6) months or longer are not eligible for a clothing allowance until the next regular payment after they return to work. (Revised January 21, 2002).
• Fire Civil Service Employees
  Fire Civil Service employees do not receive a clothing allowance. Replacement uniforms will be provided by the Fire Department upon request and with proper authorization.

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Crisis Intervention Program

See Appendix 8

Employee Assistance Program

The City’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides professional services to help employees and/or their dependents resolve personal or behavioral problems which may adversely affect the employees’ job performance. Issues such as physical illness, mental/emotional distress, marital/family discord, alcoholism, drug abuse, legal/financial difficulties or other personal/family concerns can be addressed and resolved through the EAP. The EAP also administers the City’s alcohol and drug testing program.

All employees (including SO1's and initial probationary period employees) with the City, and their dependents and immediate family members may use the EAP services.

Employees may make appointments to visit the EAP Coordinator on their own time or on city time. Supervisory approval must be obtained to visit the EAP Coordinator on city time.

Supervisors may recommend and encourage employees to use the services of the EAP or make mandatory referrals when deemed appropriate (e.g., inexplicable deterioration in job performance and/or behavior).

Employees receiving help through the EAP remain responsible for performing their work at acceptable standards. Appropriate disciplinary actions will be taken if warranted.

Services may be provided by the City’s EAP Coordinator and/or through various agencies to whom employees may be referred.  Employees are responsible for the payment of services rendered by outside agencies Appropriate accrued leave and other benefits may be used to address time off work and medically related expenses. Authorized approval to be off work must be obtained by employees.

EAP records are maintained separate and apart from employee personnel files.

Participation in the EAP cannot be a basis for taking any adverse action against an employee. Reprisals for seeking help from the EAP are strictly prohibited.

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Holidays

The City of Fort Worth observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day/September 11 Remembrance Day, Thanksgiving Day and Thanksgiving Friday, and Christmas Day. Employees required to work on holidays, may accrue holiday time to be used at a later date. Beginning in 2009, the first Monday in September is designated as Labor Day/September 11 Remembrance Day for all employees.

In addition to these holidays, regular employees are given one (1) Personal Holiday at the beginning of the payroll year. Upon the successful completion of their initial probationary period, employees are given one (1) Personal Holiday (Revised January 26, 2001) of 8 hours regardless of work schedule (Revised 2-10-06). (Revised January 26, 2001) The Personal Holiday must be taken in a full 8-hour increment (Revised 2-10-06). The Personal Holiday can be taken on any day of the year with supervisory approval. The Personal Holiday must be used before the end of pay period 26. If it is not used, the holiday is forfeited. There is one exception – Firefighters in Operations (on 24 hour shifts) may accrue up to 24 hours of Personal Holiday time. If a Firefighter fails to use accrued holiday time in the second calendar year, he/she will lose 12 accrued hours of holiday time at the end of that year, prior to accruing another 12 hours. Employees whose probationary periods end during pay period 26 will not receive a personal holiday until the next calendar year. Employees (Revised 2-10-06) who terminate employment will not receive unused personal holiday pay upon termination. (revised November 15, 2004)

Maximum holiday accrual is limited to 128 hours accrual.  Maximum payment upon retirement or death will be limited to 128 hours accrual (revised Nov. 15, 2004). Fire Civil Service employees are excluded from the maximum accrual limit.  (Revised January 26, 2001)

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Leave Sell Back -- Fire Civil Service

Civil Service personnel in the Fire Department may sell back accrued vacation leave and/or accrued holidays once annually. Requests to sell back accrued leave must be submitted on or before November 15^th of each year. Payment will be made on the first regular pay check in December.

Eligibility to sell back accrued leave is based upon sick leave use in a payroll calendar (Revised 2-10-06) year, which will be calculated from the first full pay period to the last full pay period of the fiscal year.

(Sell back of accrued leave will not count toward the vacation leave usage requirement as specified in the "Vacation Leave" policy.)

The tables below show the amount of accrued vacation leave and/or holidays that may be sold back.

Table A

Firefighters who work an average 56 hour work week in Fire Operations.

Table B

Firefighters who work an average 40 hour work week in Fire Operations.

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Payroll Deductions

See Appendix 9

Rest Periods

Rest periods are a privilege, not a right, and should not interfere with proper performance of work responsibilities and schedules. If workflow permits and if authorized by their immediate supervisors, employees may take two 15-minute rest periods each workday. (Revised 2-10-06)

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Seasonal And Temporary Employee Benefits

Persons hired to fill temporary, seasonal, extra help, SO1 positions (including School Crossing Guards) are not entitled to full regular employee benefits. Regular employees are members of the City’s retirement fund and entitled to accrue paid leave benefits and to participate in City’s group health plan and life insurance plan.

Temporary, seasonal, extra-help, SO1 employees are eligible for the benefits which are available under the Workers’ Compensation Act, Social Security/Medicare, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act.

If a temporary, seasonal, extra-help, SO1 employee is hired into a regular position, the employee’s date of employment for retirement, longevity, and leave accrual purposes will be the date the individual became a regular employee.

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Time Off For Promotional Examinations And Employment Interviews

Employees may take time off with pay to apply and compete for other positions with the City. Up to 10 hours per calendar year may be used to take examinations, interview for positions, and/or meet with City staff to discuss career opportunities with the City. These hours should be coded as “B” on the employee’s time sheet. (Revised 2-10-06) Prior supervisory approval must be obtained to take time off.

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Time Off To Vote

The City of Fort Worth encourages its employees to participate in the political process by voting in federal, state, and local elections. Due to the early voting opportunities afforded citizens, employees should usually not need time off work to vote. However, supervisors may approve time off in unusual circumstances - verification of need to be off may be required by departments.

Under state law, if the polls are open for two (2) consecutive hours outside of an employee's working hours, an employer is not required to release the employee from work in order to vote. Otherwise employees will be allowed to leave work to vote.  Their time off will be without pay or they may use appropriate accrued leave time or compensatory time. (Revised January 21, 2002)

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