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Sick-leave transfers capped at 40 hours
(by Sue Reid - February 29, 2012)
Sick-leave transfers capped at 40 hours
By SUE REID
Solon City Council's finance committee continued to debate sick leave last week, this time regarding the transfer of sick hours for municipal employees from previous employment elsewhere.
In light of some concerns made by the committee regarding the city's sick-leave policy and the ability to cash in unused sick hours, Human Resource Director Thomas Cornhoff recommended further amendments to the policy as he updates the city code.
One amendment would involved capping the amount of sick leave a municipal employee could transfer to Solon and prohibit cashing in on hours from another municipality upon retirement. Under current policy, an employee can transfer hours from another municipality. Mr. Cornhoff recommended a cap of 160 sick-leave hours.
The committee decided to cap the sick leave at 40 hours, which was approved later in the evening by the full City Council.
Councilman William I. Russo said he has concerns with crediting even one hour of sick leave not accrued in Solon.
Mr. Cornhoff said it can be an issue in the hiring process if prospective employees must forfeit their sick leave.
Councilman William D. Mooney asked Mr. Cornhoff if such transferring of sick leave is normal for public employees.
Mr. Cornhoff said it is and that many municipalities do not have a cap on the amount.
Councilwoman Nancy E. Meany said, in her experience working with for the county for many years, that was a common practice.
"I don't see why our residents have to pick up another community's sick leave," Mr. Russo said. "That's my opinion."
"Currently, we are accepting all of the sick leave that comes over," Mr. Cornhoff said. "We are suggesting a cap based on discussions thus far."
Mr. Mooney said he does not think the inability to transfer sick hours will prevent the city from hiring someone, because incoming employees look at the "whole package." He said he's not in favor of transferring sick leave.
Mr. Russo said the pool of employees the city is drawing from is a lot larger than in the past when the policies were implemented.
Mrs. Meany asked Mr. Cornhoff if he thinks the city would lose potentially good employees if they could not carry over sick leave.
He said, in his experience, sick leave and vacation hours do play a part in discussions. Typically, if the city is looking to hire someone from another institution, that person has a good track record and experience.
Mayor Susan A. Drucker, who was in attendance at the meeting, asked if the committee would at least consider 50 hours.
"It does make a difference," she said of transferring sick time, and there are times when the sick leave is needed.
Especially with employees who have a lot of experience, they need to have some starting point with sick leave and not just come in with zero, Mrs. Drucker said.
"I think the mayor makes a good point," Mr. Mooney said. For someone with experience, it is not fair to start with zero, he said.
Mrs. Meany said she agrees that employees should have the ability to transfer sick hours.
"If I were to go somewhere ... that would not be the focus of the package," Mr. Russo said. If someone is so focused on sick time, he questioned whether the city should even want that employee.
"Why are we treating municipal workers different from our residents?" he asked. "I don't think you go anywhere and get three weeks of sick time accrued on top of vacation."
Mr. Russo said he wants to limit the amount of sick leave that could be transferred. With the proposed 160 hours, or four weeks, he said, a new employee gets seven weeks in the first year, because the city grants three weeks.
"It really skews the total benefit package when you compare these benefits and salaries," Mr. Russo said. It used to be that employees earned a lot less working for a government entity compared to the private sector, he said, but now it's the other way around.
"This is council's decision," Mr. Cornhoff said. "You have to be comfortable with it. We do recommend it based on what we see out there," he said. "There needs to be a balance."
Finance Director Dennis Kennedy noted that the change only pertains to employees who are not in collective-bargaining agreements. "You are setting up dual standards for people in unions and administrative staff," he said.
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