Los Angeles Municipal Code Art. 5 Administration of Employee Benefit Programs

(Title Amended by Ord. No. 165,469, Eff. 2-25-90.)

Section

4.302 Non-discrimination in Employment Benefits (Charter Section 1024).

4.303 Joint Labor-Management Benefits Committee and Personnel Department Responsible For Programs.

• 4.304 Call for Proposals – Negotiation.

• 4.305 Requirements of Plans for Benefits to Which the City Is Not a Party.

• 4.306 Authorization to Expend Funds.

• 4.306.1 Authorization to Expend Funds – Fire Department.

• 4.306.2 Authorization to Expend Funds – Police Department.

• 4.306.3 City Contribution for Dental Plan Costs.

4.306.4 Continuation of Dental Plan Premium Subsidy During Family or Medical Leave– Non-represented Employees.

4.307 City Contributions to Health Plan Costs.

4.307.1 Continuation of Health Plan Premium Subsidy During Family or Medical Leave– Non-represented Employees.

• 4.307.2 City Contribution to Employee Assistance Program.

• 4.307.4 Life Insurance for Non-represented Executive and Managerial Positions.

• 4.307.5 Benefits Determinations for Sworn General Managers.

• 4.308 Officers and Employees of Departments Having Control of Their Own Funds.

• 4.309 Rideshare Program – Non-represented Employees.

4.310 Reimbursement to Specified Employees of Moneys Paid as Premiums for Part B (Medical Insurance) Medicare Coverage.

4.310.1 Employee and Dependent Eligibility Verification and Waiver Provision.

4.310.2 Catastrophic Illness Leave Program.

(a) The City of Los Angeles shall not discriminate in the provision of any employee benefit between employees with spouses and employees with domestic partners.

(b) Except with respect to retirement-based benefits, any employee who claims a domestic partner for the purpose of the provision of any benefit provided by the City shall complete a confidential affidavit to be filed with the Employee Benefits Office, Personnel Department, which shall be signed by the City employee and the domestic partner declaring the existence of a domestic partnership between them. Any employee who claims a domestic partner for the purpose of the provision of any retirement-based benefit provided by any of the City’s retirement systems shall complete a similar affidavit and file it with the appropriate department.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 172,941, Eff. 1-21-00, Oper. 7-1-00.

The City’s Joint Labor-Management Benefits Committee shall recommend and the Personnel Department shall maintain and administer, on behalf of the City of Los Angeles, suitable employee benefit programs, as authorized by the City Council, for officers and employees of the City of Los Angeles who are eligible for benefits through membership in either the Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement Systems (LACERS), provided for in Sections 1150 - 1170 of the Charter of the City of Los Angeles, or the Fire and Police Pension System, provided for in Sections 1200 - 1630 thereof.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Code, members of the Safety Members Pension System, provided for in Sections 1500 - 1630 of the City Charter, shall be entitled to a health insurance subsidy while undergoing training.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 131,678.

Amended by: Ord. No. 135,227, Ord. No. 150,071, Eff. 8-31-77; Ord, No. 153,053, Eff. 11-24-79; In Entirety, Ord. No. 158,352, Eff. 9-23-83, Oper. 7-1-83; In Entirety, Ord. No. 165,469, Eff. 2-25-90; Ord. No. 173,308, Eff. 6-30-00, Oper. 7-1-00; In Entirety, Ord. No. 175,048, Eff. 1-23-03.

The Personnel Department shall call for proposals and negotiate on the basis of the lowest and best proposals for suitable employee benefit programs, pursuant to Section 4.303 of this article, and execute on behalf of the City of Los Angeles such contracts as are necessary for carrying out the employee benefit programs.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord, No. 131,678.

Amended by: Ord. No. 135,227; In Entirety, Ord. No. 165,469, Eff. 2-25-90.

The Personnel Department shall also approve plans for such benefits to which the City is not a party if the same meets the following requirements.

(a) The plan is contracted for or operated by an organization whose membership is exclusively or largely employees of the City, and whose purpose includes the provision of benefits to City Employees.

(b) The plan is one which was available through the employee organization to employee members on July 1, 1960, or it is clearly a successor to such a plan.

(c) Premiums are payable by payroll deduction and were payable to the plan or the predecessor plan by payroll deduction on July 1,1960;

(d) The plan offers a reasonable value of medical and hospital benefits for the premiums schedule;

(e) No profit accrues to the sponsoring organization through the operation of the plan.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 131,678.

Amended by: Ord. No. 135,227.

From funds appropriated for the purpose, the Personnel Department is hereby authorized to expend toward a portion or all of the costs of any benefit program which the Personnel Department is authorized to contract for or accept on behalf of the City of Los Angeles or approve pursuant to the authority of Sections 4.303, 4.304, and 4.305 of this article the sum specified in Section 4.307 or the cost to the officer or employee for the officer’s or employee’s self and dependents, if any, whichever is less for each officer or employee of the City of Los Angeles, as specified in Sections 4.303, 4.304 and 4.305 hereof, except as provided in Section 4.306.1 of this article for sworn members of the Fire Department and Section 4.306.2 of this article for sworn members of the Police Department. Payment may be made by the Department of Personnel directly to the persons, firms, associations or corporations furnishing such benefits, or at the discretion of the Personnel Department to sponsoring groups, associations, organizations, or corporations who have contracted for or provide such benefits. Such payment may be made by the Controller as part of any salary payroll deduction when so authorized by the Personnel Department.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 131,678.

Amended by: Ord. No. 137,466; Ord. No. 138,673, Eff. 5-21-69; Ord. No. 140,308, Eff. 4-24-70; Ord. No. 142,735, Eff. 12-22-71, Oper. 4-1-72; Ord. No. 145,054, Eff. 8-31-73; Ord. No. 146,382, Eff. 8-29-74, Oper. 7-7-74, Ord. No. 146,398, Eff. 8-31-74; Ord. No. 146,659, Eff. 10-24-74, Oper. 7-7-74; Ord. No. 147,604, Eff. 8-20-75; Ord. No. 148,590, Eff. 7-16-76.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, the Personnel Department is authorized to expend funds on behalf of any member of the Fire Department as defined in Section 4.181, toward a portion of all of the cost of a health insurance program for the member and the member’s dependent or dependents, if any. Such expenditures are authorized for any health insurance program the Personnel Department is authorized to contract for or accept on behalf of the City of Los Angeles or approve pursuant to the authority of Sections 4.303, 4.304 and 4.305 of this article. The Personnel Department is authorized to expend the sum specified in Section 4.307 or the cost to the member for the member’s self and dependents, if any, whichever is less. Payments may be made as provided by Section 4.306.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 146,398, Eff. 7-29-74.

Amended by: Ord. No. 147,605, Eff. 8-20-75; Ord. No. 148,590, Eff. 7-16-76.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, the Personnel Department is authorized to expend funds on behalf of any member of the Police Department as defined in Section 4.181, toward a portion or all of the cost of health insurance program for the member and the member’s dependent or dependents, if any. Such expenditures are authorized for any health insurance program the Personnel Department is authorized to contract for or accept on behalf of the City of Los Angeles or approve pursuant to the authority of Sections 4.303, 4.304 and 4.305 of this article. The Personnel Department is authorized to expend the sum specified in Section 4.307 or the cost to the member for the member’s self and dependents, if any, whichever is less. Payments may be made as provided by Section 4.306.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 146,397, Eff 7-31-74.

Amended by: Ord. No. 147,606, Eff. 8-20-75; Ord. No. 148,590, Eff. 7-16-76.

(a) The Personnel Department is hereby authorized to expend the monthly sum necessary to cover the cost of a dental benefit program for each full-time unrepresented officer or employee of the City of Los Angeles including unrepresented sworn members of the Police and Fire Departments; provided, however, that non-represented sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department may elect, in lieu of the City-sponsored dental plan, to have contributed by the City on their behalf the monthly sum necessary to cover the cost of the dental plan sponsored by the Los Angeles Police Protective League or the Los Angeles Police Relief Association Dental Plan in an amount not to exceed that provided for the City-sponsored plan.

(b) The Personnel Department is authorized to expend for each half-time employee following the effective date of this subsection, a monthly sum equivalent to one half of the employee only coverage of the most expensive plan under the City-sponsored Dental Program.

A half-time employee, who prior to the effective date of this subsection, was receiving the full employee only subsidy shall continue to receive the full employee only subsidy as long as such employee does not have a break in service.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 148,193, Eff. 4-1-76, Oper. 4-1-76.

Amended by: Ord. No. 150,272, Eff. 11-3-77, Oper. 10-1-77; Title and entire section, Ord. No. 154,343, Eff. 7-1-80, Oper. 7-1-80; In Entirety, Ord. No. 165,482, Eff. 2-1-90.

For non-represented employees on a Family or Medical Leave pursuant to the provisions of Section 4.129 of this Code, the Personnel Department is hereby authorized to expend the monthly premium subsidy necessary to cover the cost of continuing the dental plan benefit for non-represented employees of the City who are enrolled in a City dental plan prior to the beginning of the leave. Employees shall be eligible for the continuation of the monthly premium subsidy while on a Family or Medical Leave in accordance with Section 4.129; however, for any unpaid portion of a Family or Medical Leave, the dental plan subsidy shall be continued for a maximum of four months (nine pay periods.)

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 165,312, Eff. 1-6-90, Oper. 12-4-89.

Amended by: In Entirety, Ord. No. 170,101, Eff. 11-17-94, Oper. 7-1-94; Ord. No. 171,780, Eff. 11-17-97, Oper. 11-23-97; Section Title and Section In Entirety, Ord. No. 179,999, Eff. 7-11-08, Oper. 7-1-07.

(a) Represented Employees. The amount of City contribution to health plan costs for employees in representation units shall be in accordance with the various Memoranda of Understanding approved and implemented by the City Council.

(b) Non-Represented Full-Time Employees. The City shall contribute for each full-time employee who is a member of the Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement System (LACERS) a monthly subsidy equal to the cost of the employee’s City-sponsored medical plan, as determined by the Personnel Department in accordance with Section 4.303, not to exceed the Kaiser family rate (“maximum monthly healthcare subsidy”). Adjustments in this monthly subsidy shall be effective the beginning of the pay period in which the Kaiser yearly premium rate change is implemented. The amount of the adjusted subsidy shall be certified by the General Manager Personnel Department to the Controller.

Effective January 1, 2013, non-represented, full-time employees shall pay five percent (5%) of their monthly medical plan premium on a biweekly basis when the amount of their monthly premium for the City-sponsored medical plan in which they are enrolled is equal to or less than the amount of the City’s maximum monthly healthcare subsidy. Effective January 1, 2015, this amount shall increase to ten percent (10%) and terminate effective January 1, 2020.

Effective January 1, 2013, in the event that non- represented, full-time employees are enrolled in a City- sponsored medical plan that has a monthly premium that exceeds the City’s maximum monthly subsidy, then such employees shall pay on a biweekly basis the total of the difference between the cost of their monthly medical plan premium and the City’s maximum monthly healthcare subsidy, plus five percent (5%) of the City’s maximum monthly healthcare subsidy. Effective January 1, 2015, this amount shall increase to ten percent (10%) and terminate effective January 1, 2020.

The amount of the City’s contribution which is applied toward the coverage of the dependents of an employee enrolled in both Part A and Part B of Medicare shall not exceed that amount which may be applied toward the coverage of the dependents of an employee not enrolled in both Part A and Part B of Medicare and covered by the same health, medical or hospital benefit program.

The amounts provided for the City’s health insurance contribution shall be applied first to the employee’s health insurance coverage with any balance applied toward the coverage of the employee’s dependents under the same plan.

(c) Non-Represented Half-Time Employees. The City shall contribute for each half-time employee (as defined by Section 4.110 of this Code) a monthly subsidy not to exceed the Kaiser employee-only rate, toward the cost of the employee’s City-sponsored medical plan. Adjustments in this monthly subsidy shall be effective at the beginning of the pay period in which the Kaiser Permanente yearly premium rate change is implemented.

Effective January 1, 2013, half-time employees who are members of LACERS and are enrolled in a City- sponsored medical plan shall pay five percent (5%) of the monthly Kaiser employee-only rate on a biweekly basis, when the cost of their medical plan is at or below the amount of the Kaiser employee-only rate. Effective January 1, 2015, this amount shall increase to ten percent (10%) and terminate effective January 1, 2020. When the cost of their medical plan is greater than the Kaiser employee-only rate, then such employees shall pay on a biweekly basis the total of the difference between the cost of their monthly medical plan premium and the Kaiser employee-only rate, plus five percent (5%) of the Kaiser employee-only rate. Effective January 1, 2015, this amount shall increase to ten percent (10%) and terminate effective January 1, 2020.

A half-time employee who, prior to January 23, 1990, was receiving the same subsidy as full-time employees, shall continue to receive that subsidy and shall be eligible to receive any adjustments provided in Subsection (b), as long as such employee does not have a break in service. In addition, such employees shall contribute five percent (5%) toward the cost of their healthcare premium as described above for full-time employees, increasing to ten percent (10%) effective January 1, 2015, and terminating effective January 1, 2020.

The City will apply the subsidy first to the employee’s coverage. Any remaining balance will be applied toward the coverage of the employee's dependents under the plan.

Employees who transfer from full-time to half-time under the provisions of Section 4.129, Family and Medical Leave, shall continue to receive the same subsidy as full- time employees and be subject to the required employee contribution toward the cost of their healthcare premium as described in this section.

(d) Non-Represented Employees Eligible for Affordable Care Act Coverage. Effective January 1, 2015 (or a subsequent date if revised by federal regulations), pursuant to the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA), employees who do not receive a healthcare subsidy under Subsection (b) or (c) above, but meet the ACA eligibility requirements as determined by the Personnel Department shall be referred to as “ACA Qualified Employees”. For each ACA Qualified Employee, the City shall contribute a monthly healthcare subsidy equivalent to the Kaiser single-party (employee only) premium rate, toward the cost of the employee’s City-sponsored medical plan, less the required employee contribution amount described in Subsections (b) and (c) above. Adjustments in the monthly healthcare subsidy for ACA Qualified Employees shall be effective at the beginning of the pay period in which the Kaiser Permanente yearly premium rate change is implemented. The amount of the adjusted subsidy shall be certified by the General Manager of the Personnel Department to the Controller.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 13,678.

Amended by: Ord. No. 137,446; Ord. No. 138,673, Eff. 5-21-69; Ord. No. 140,308, Eff. 4-24-70; Ord. No. 142,735, Eff. 12-22-72, Oper. 4-1-72; Ord. No. 145,054, Eff. 8-31-73; Ord. No. 146,274, Eff. 7-10-74, Oper. 7-7-74; Ord. No. 146,396, Eff. 7-31-74, Oper. 7-7-74 except for Police and Fire Depts. which are Oper 7-21-74; Ord. No. 147,603, Eff. 8-20-75; Ord. No. 147,672, Eff. 9-8-75; Ord. No. 148,785, Eff. 9-6-76, Oper. 8-14-76; Ord. No. 148,588, Eff. 7-16-76, Oper. 8-14-76; Ord. No. 148,785, Eff. 9-6-76, Oper. 8-28-76; Ord. No. 148,785, Eff. 9-6-76, Oper. 8-28-76; Ord. No. 150,272, Eff. 11-3-77, Oper. 10-22-77; Ord. No. 150,272, Eff. 11-3-77, Oper. 11-4-78; Ord. No. 150,764, Eff. 5-26-78, Oper. 10-8-78; Ord. No. 152,543, Eff. 7-3-79, Oper. 7-15-79; Ord. No. 154,343, Eff. 7-1-80, Oper. 7-1-80; Ord. No. 155,667, Eff. 7-31-81, Oper. 7-1-81; In Entirety, Ord. No. 158,643, Eff. 2-24-84, Oper. 1-1-84; In Entirety, Ord. No. 165,482, Eff. 2-1-90; In Entirely, Ord. No. 170,101, Eff. 11-17-94, Oper. 7-1-94; Subsecs. (b) and (c), Ord. No. 171,780, Eff. 11-17-97, Oper. 11-23-97; Subsecs. (b) and (c), Ord. No. 175,048, Eff. 1-23-03; In Entirety, Ord. No. 182,211, Eff. 8-10-12; Subsec. (d) added, Ord. No. 182,320, Eff. 11-29-12; Subsecs. (b), (c) and (d) amended and Subsec. (e) added, Ord. No. 182,974, Eff. 4-18-14; Subsecs. (b) and (c), Ord. No. 186,343, Eff. 11-3-19; Subsec. (d) deleted and Subsec. (e) amended and renumbered as Subsec. (d), Ord. No. 188,810, Eff. 3-7-26.

For non-represented employees on a Family or Medical Leave pursuant to the provisions of Section 4.129 of this Code, the Personnel Department is hereby authorized to expend the monthly premium subsidy necessary to cover the cost of continuing the health plan benefit for non-represented employees of the City who are enrolled in a City health plan prior to the beginning of the leave. Employees shall be eligible for the continuation of the monthly premium subsidy while on a Family or Medical Leave in accordance with Section 4.129; however, for any unpaid portion of a Family or Medical Leave, the health plan subsidy shall be continued for a maximum of four months (nine pay periods), except while an employee is on a Pregnancy Disability Leave absence (up to four months) then the City’s health plan subsidy shall be continued for the employee’s pregnancy health coverage in compliance with the provisions of SB 299 and AB 592 enacted in 2011.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 165,312, Eff. 1-6-90, Oper. 12-4-89.

Amended by: In Entirety, Ord. No. 170,101, Eff. 11-17-94, Oper. 7-1-94; Ord. No. 171,780, Eff. 11-17-97, Oper. 11-23-97; Section Title and Section In Entirety, Ord. No. 179,999, Eff. 7-11-08, Oper. 7-1-07; Last Sentence, Ord. No. 182,211, Eff. 8-10-12.

The Personnel Department is hereby authorized to expend the monthly sum necessary to cover the cost of an Employee Assistance Program approved by the Personnel Department for each unrepresented employee of the City of Los Angeles (excluding employees of the Department of Water and Power) who is a member of the City Employees’ Retirement System.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 167,301, Eff. 11-2-91, Oper. 7-1-91.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 169,373, Eff. 4-2-94, Oper. 3-2-94.

Repealed by Ord. No. 172,941, Eff. 1-21-00, Oper. 7-1-00.

The Personnel Department is hereby authorized to expend the monthly sum necessary to cover the cost of a life insurance policy, approved by the Personnel Department, for each General Manager, as defined in Section 4.321. Persons employed in classes listed in Section 4.245.1, excluding General Managers, shall receive flexible benefit credits in the amount of $16.00 biweekly, effective January 1, 2000 for the purpose of purchasing life insurance or other benefits provided under the City’s flexible benefits plan. The amount of the biweekly flexible benefit credits shall be adjusted on an annual basis by the percentage adjustment in the supplemental life insurance premiums for the plan provided under the City’s flexible benefits plan.

Effective July 1, 2014, the life insurance benefit described above shall be continued only for those General Managers who were already enrolled and receiving the benefit prior to July 1, 2014. No new enrollments shall occur on or subsequent to July 1, 2014, other than what is available to employees through enrollment in the City’s flexible benefits program.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 171,270, Eff. 9-10-96. (See Sec. 5 of this Ordinance No. 171,270 regarding operative date.)

Amended by: Title and Sec., Ord. No. 172,791, Eff. 9-3-99, Oper. 1-1-00; Second para. added, Ord. No. 182,972, Eff. 4-18-14.

In those instances where the benefits offered to sworn and civilian employees are not the same, the Director of the Office of Administrative and Research Services is authorized to determine the appropriate benefits for the Chief of Police and the Chief Engineer Fire Department.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 172,248, Eff. 10-22-98.

Amended by: Ord. No. 173,308, Eff. 6-30-00, Oper. 7-1-00.

In the case of officers and employees in departments having control of their own funds, no payments shall be made by the City of Los Angeles as provided in Sections 4.203(a)(27) and 4.307 hereof unless the department makes available for expenditure by the Department of Personnel the amount needed by the City of Los Angeles to defray the City’s costs for officers or employees in such department as provided in Section 4.203(a)(27) and 4.307 thereof.

SECTION HISTORY

Based on Ord. No. 131,678.

Amended by: Ord. No. 135,227.

Non-represented employees shall receive the same Rideshare Program benefits and be subject to the same terms and conditions as those provided to represented employees under the Special Memorandum of Understanding Regarding City Employee Parking and Commute Options, with the exception of the limitations described in Section 4.236 of this Code for General Managers and Elected Officials who receive an automobile allowance.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 182,967, Eff. 4-18-14.

Reimbursement from currently appropriated funds for the City health insurance subsidy may be made to any active City employee 65 or more years of age, who is enrolled in and covered by Parts A and B of Medicare, of the amount of any money paid by such employee as premium for Part B coverage (Medical Insurance) for an insured or covered period beginning on or after April 1, 1973, when sufficient proof of the employee’s enrollment and coverage and of the premium’s payment has been made as required by the Personnel Department. The Controller shall, upon request of the Personnel Department and receipt of its written certification that said proof has been duly made, effectuate such reimbursement.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 144,707, Eff. 6-17-73.

(a) The Personnel Department shall verify eligibility for any dependent enrolled in the employee benefits program and require employees to provide required documentation to establish dependent eligibility. Ineligible employees and dependents shall be terminated from employee benefits effective the date of ineligibility as determined by the Personnel Department.

(b) The Personnel Department shall administer on behalf of the City of Los Angeles, a dependent eligibility verification program, as authorized by the City Council, for employees and dependents enrolled in employee benefits programs.

(c) Upon finding by the Personnel Department during the designated dependent eligibility verification program period that an employee or employee dependents are ineligible to enroll in the employee benefits program or not entitled to a City premium subsidy, the Personnel Department shall terminate the ineligible employee or ineligible dependent from the employee benefits plan effective prospectively as established by the Personnel Department.

(d) Employees who fail to submit the dependent eligibility verification program required documentation for a dependent(s) by the verification deadline established by the Personnel Department shall be considered as ineligible dependents and terminated form the employee benefits plan effective prospectively as established by the Personnel Department.

(e) Employees who have ineligible dependent(s) removed from the employee benefits plan pursuant to Sections 4.310.1(c) and (d) shall be granted a waiver from collection of overpayment of City premium subsidy and any claims costs associated with covering an ineligible dependent(s). The waiver shall not apply to employees or dependents who received benefits coverage or City premium subsidies based on fraud or intentional misrepresentation of material fact.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 183,096, Eff. 6-16-14.

(a) Definitions. The following words used in this section shall be construed as defined herein:

(1) “Catastrophic Illness” shall mean a non- work-related catastrophic illness/injury or life-threatening disease of an Employee or an Employee’s Family Member where other types of monetary benefits are not reasonably available, as determined by the Personnel Department’s Employee Benefits Division.

(2) “City” shall mean the City of Los Angeles.

(3) “Charter” shall the charter of the City of Los Angles.

(4) “Employee” shall mean all City employees who are eligible members of civilian benefit programs under the responsibility of the Personnel Department and the Joint Labor-Management Benefits Committee (JLMBC) as provided under Article 5 of Chapter 7 of Division 4 of the LAAC, except as regard to employees covered by MOUs 29, 31, or 32, and Ordinance No. 181,014.

(5) “Employee Benefits Division” shall mean the division within the Personnel Department that administers the City’s benefits program under this article.

(6) “Family Member” shall have the same meaning as provided in the applicable MOU of an Employee or as defined under Section 4.127 of Article 10 of Chapter 2 of Division 4 of the LAAC.

(7) “JLMBC” shall mean the Joint Labor- Management Benefits Committee established under Section 4.303 of this article.

(8) “LAAC” shall mean the City of Los Angeles Administrative Code.

(9) “Leave Program” shall mean the Catastrophic Illness Leave Program described under this section.

(10) “MOU” shall mean the Memorandum of Understanding that is applicable to the Employee.

(11) “Personnel Department” shall mean department created under Section 540 of the Charter.

(b) Purpose. The Leave Program is designed to provide Employees who are experiencing or suffering from Catastrophic Illness or caring for a Family Member who is experiencing or suffering from a Catastrophic Illness additional compensated leave to continue meeting the minimum eligibility criteria required to continue receiving benefits provided through the civilian benefit programs, as administered and overseen by the Personnel Department and the JLMBC.

(c) Eligibility and Rules for Leave Program. An Employee shall be eligible to participate in the Leave Program after submitting an application to the Employee Benefits Division, provided the Employee has met all the following applicable conditions:

(1) Passed probation and be a permanently employed full-time or half-time employee;

(2) On active payroll status;

(3) Exhausted all monetary benefits such as sick leave, vacation hours, floating holiday(s), and accrued compensatory time-off;

(4) Experiencing or suffering from Catastrophic Illness or caring for a Family Member(s) who is experiencing or suffering from Catastrophic Illness;

(5) Executed a signed attestation that discloses the pertinent medical information related to the Catastrophic Illness described under Subdivisions (3) and/or (4) of this subsection to the Employee Benefits Office;

(6) Exhausted all enrolled disability insurance benefits offered by civilian benefit programs under the responsibility of the Personnel Department and the JLMBC with respect to the same Catastrophic Illness for which the Leave Program is being requested; and

(7) Not currently receiving disability insurance benefits from any other disability insurance program.

(d) Compensated Leave.

(1) An Employee, who meets the eligibility provision described under Subsection (c), may be compensated up to an aggregate maximum of 480 hours during the Employee’s employment with the City without regard to any break in service with the City, to be paid as authorized by the Employee Benefits Division and to be funded within the budgeted funds of the employing City department, office, or bureau.

(2) The amount of compensation received by the Employee from the Leave Program will be equivalent to the number of hours claimed by the Employee or as otherwise authorized by the Employee Benefits Division under the Leave Program at such Employee’s rate of pay.

(3) An Employee cannot receive compensation through the Leave Program concurrently with other compensatory time; use of compensation through the Leave Program shall be at the direction of the Employee Benefits Division.

SECTION HISTORY

Added by Ord. No. 187,929, Eff. 7-7-23.