27 - Vacation Leave - Temporary Waiver of Carryover MaximumItem No. 27
Memorandum
TO: Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem & City Council
FROM: Grayson Path, City Manager
Richard Salter, Chief of Police
SUBJECT: Personnel Manual — Vacation Leave
Temporary Waiver of Carryover Maximum
DATE: September 25, 2023
BACKGROUND:
The City of Paris Police Department currently has 20 vacancies in its Patrol Division. While City
and Police Management have implemented numerous strategies to try and attract, hire, and retain
personnel, as well as adjust our procedures and programs to maintain service to our community,
we continue to struggle with filling our vacant positions.
STATUS OF ISSUE:
In order to continue to provide minimum staffing for patrol coverage in our community, it has
become necessary for police officers to work considerable overtime, including on occasion missing
scheduled vacations.
The City of Paris Personnel Manual, Section 14.03 — Vacation, states:
"...Forty (40) days is the maximum number of vacation days that can be carried forward
from one calendar year to the next. " and "(H) No employee may accrue more than 40 days
of vacation leave. "
As the 2023 calendar year comes to a conclusion, there are five employees in the Patrol division
as well police officers within the CID division who are on track to lose vacation in order to provide
necessary coverage for the community.
The Chief of Police and City Manager would like to request that the City Council authorize 1) a
temporary waiver of the above stated personnel manual sections for all Patrol Division personnel
below the rank of Captain as well as Police Officer rank in the CID Division, and 2) the payment
of those hours in excess of 40 days on December 31, 2023. This will allow the Police Department
the opportunity to provide minimum coverage while preventing officers from losing vacation leave
should they be called upon to help provide this coverage.
This request is only for the calendar year 2023. Should our vacancies continue to impact coverage
in 2024, we will revisit it later in that year.
BUDGET:
Based on current accrued levels of vacation leave, we estimate about five (5) police personnel
(various ranks) with the potential of exceeding 40 days of leave by the end of 2023, thus subject
to hitting the maximum number of vacation days that can be carried forward. Should these five not
use any of their vacation leave and all of it be paid out, the maximum expense to the city would be
approximately $10,000.00. We do foresee several of these employees using some vacation prior
to the end of the year, so this figure should come in less than estimated.
OPTIONS
1. Authorize a temporary waiver of City of Paris Personnel Manual Section 14.03 for Police
Department Patrol Division personnel below the rank of Captain as well as Police Officer
rank in the CID Division to therefore be allowed a pay out of any vacation leave hours
accrued beyond the maximum number allowed on December 31, 2023.
2. Request additional information on this matter, a different amount of lave to be paid out, a
different manner to address excess vacation leave, and/or reject the request.
RECOMMENDATION:
Authorize a temporary waiver of City of Paris Personnel Manual Section 14.03 for Police
Department Patrol Division personnel below the rank of Captain as well as Police Officer
rank in the CID Division to therefore be allowed a pay out of any vacation leave hours
accrued beyond the maximum number allowed on December 31, 2023.