Leave Information

Following are summaries of leave benefits for employees.  The leave benefits identified are applicable to non-union employees.  While union benefits are similar, employees occupying a position affiliated with one of the Town unions should refer to their collective bargaining agreement for specific leave benefits.

Annual Vacation Leave:

For regular full-time Town employees, annual vacation leave begins to accrue at the conclusion of the initial probationary period and is credited back to the date of hire.  Vacation Leave accrues on a monthly basis in hourly increments.  Vacation Leave accruals, usage and balances are printed on pay stubs.  

If an employee works a minimum of 20 hours per week, but less than a full-time position, Vacation Leave will still be eared at the same rate as identified below, calculated on the number of hours worked divided by the regular full-time schedule, provided that they work at least 20 hours per week on a consistent basis.

A vacation leave year is defined as January 1st to December 31st.  Up to 10 accumulated annual leave days may be carried forward to the next year.  Such leave days must be used within the next leave year.  Any accumulated leave time over 10 days not taken by December 31 of each leave year will be forfeited.  However, upon request, the Personnel Board may grant an additional carryover of 5 leave days, for a maximum carryover of 15 vacation leave days. Written requests for additional annual leave carryover must be submitted to the Personnel Board by December 1st of each year.

With prior approval of the supervisory authority, vacation leave may be taken one-half day at a time.

Vacation Leave will not accrue for any calendar month in which an employee is absent due to illness, injury or leave of absence for more than 20 consecutive working days.

Accrued Vacation Leave may be used to supplement workers' compensation payments in each pay period, not to exceed an employee's regular after-tax income.

Non-union employees separated from employment with the Town will be paid for any accrued and unused annual leave balance at the time of separation.

Non-Union Vacation Leave Accrual (Hired before April 7, 2016):

Years of ServiceDays of Leave per Year
0 up to 5 years employment13 working days
5 years up to 15 years employment19 working days
15 years to severance25 working days

Non-Union Vacation Leave Accrual (Hired after April 7, 2016):

Years of ServiceDays of Leave per Year
0 up to 5 years employment10 working days
5 years up to 15 years employment15 working days
15 years to severance20 working days

Non-Union Professional Leave Accrual:

Years of ServiceDays of Leave per Year
0 up to 10 years of service20 days vacation per year
10 years to severance25 days vacation per year

Holidays:

Regular full-time Town employees shall receive pay for the following 12 holidays:  New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Patriots Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

When one of the foregoing holidays falls on a Sunday, the holiday will be observed on the following Monday.  When one of the foregoing holidays falls on a Saturday, the holiday will be observed on the preceding Friday.

In order to receive Holiday pay, an employee must be on the payroll the day before and the day following the holiday.

Sick Leave:

For regular full-time Town employees, Sick Leave begins to accrue upon hire at the rate of 13 days per year.  Sick Leave accrues on a monthly basis in hourly increments.  Sick Leave accruals, usage and balances are printed on pay stubs.  If an employee works a minimum of 20 hours per week, but less than a full-time position, Sick Leave shall be pro-rated.

Sick Leave may accumulate without limit and be carried forward into subsequent years.  Sick leave is for the protection of employees against loss of pay because of illness or injury and shall not be included in termination pay.  Probationary employees are allowed to accrue sick leave from the first day of employment but are not permitted to utilize these leave days until the probationary employee status has been completed.

Accrued Sick Leave may be used to supplement worker's compensation payments in each pay period not to exceed an employee’s regular after-tax income.

When a regular employee retires or dies, his or her beneficiary shall receive severance pay equal to the employee's most recent daily straight-time rate multiplied by 60% of his unused accumulated Sick Leave days in effect as of his retirement or death.  Such severance pay shall not exceed a maximum of $7,500.

Sick Leave will not be accumulated by an employee for any calendar month in which he is absent due to illness, injury or leave of absence for more than 20 consecutive working days.

Leave of Absence:

Regular Town employees may apply for a Leave of Absence without pay.  The application must be approved by the Department Head, the Human Resources Director and the Personnel Board.  A Leave of Absence will be granted only under unusual circumstances.  If a leave of absence is granted seniority, Sick Leave and Annual Vacation leave will not accrue during the absence.  An employee on a leave of absence may remain covered by the Town's group insurance plan but will be responsible to pay 100% of the monthly premium.

Bereavement Leave:

Regular Town employees in benefit status may be granted absence with pay not to exceed three days at the discretion of the supervisory authority in case of the death of a member of an employee's immediate family.  For purposes of this section, the term "immediate family" shall mean an employee's spouse, child, father, mother, sister, brother, grandparents, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law.

Employees may be granted up to two additional days’ absence with pay, at the discretion of the supervisory authority, in the event of the death of a spouse, child or parent.

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA):

The federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) provides for unpaid leaves of absence to eligible employees for periods up to 12 weeks during a 12 month period.  To be eligible for an FMLA leave employees must be employed by the Town for at least 12 months at the time the leave is requested.  An employee applying for an FMLA leave must submit documentation consistent with the federal Act to the Human Resources Director.

For further information regarding an FMLA leave, contact the Human Resources Department.  Additional information pertaining to insurance benefits and the use of accrued leave credits while on an approved FMLA leave may be found in the FMLA Personnel Policy and in each respective collective bargaining agreement.

Maternity Leave:

Regular female employees who are not eligible for FMLA leave, may be granted an eight week maternity leave without pay, for the purpose of giving birth to a child, adopting a child under 18 years of age, or adopting a person under the age of 23 who is mentally or physically disabled.  The employee must give at least two weeks' notice of her anticipated departure date and declare her intention to return to her job.

Such employees may be entitled, at the conclusion of her maternity leave, to return to work at her previous or similar position with the same status she held as of the date her maternity leave commenced, unless other employees with equal length of service and status in the same or similar positions have been laid off due to changes in economic or operating conditions during the period of her maternity leave.

Employees on maternity leave may use accrued annual leave or sick leave to receive pay for the period of her maternity leave.  If no accrued leave available employees will fall under the provisions of the Personnel By-laws, § 43-12 - Leave of Absence.

Small Necessities Leave Act (SNLA):

Eligible employees may take up to 24 hours of leave in a 12-month period for the following reasons:

  • To participate in school (including certain day care facilities) activities directly related to the educational advancement of a son or daughter;
  • To accompany a son or daughter on routine medical or dental appointments; or
  • To accompany an elderly relative (at least 60 years of age and related by blood or marriage to the employee) on routine medical or dental appointments or appointments for other professional services relating to the elder’s care.

Employees may request Small Necessities Leave in writing from their Department Head at least seven days in advance of the requested leave, if the need for leave is foreseeable.  Otherwise, employees are expected to provide as much notice as possible to their Department Head.  Leave may be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule.  Employees should attempt to schedule leave in a manner that is least disruptive to their department.

Employees may use any accrued paid time-off (excluding sick leave) for all or a portion of their Small Necessities Leave.

Employees may be required to provide certification of the need for Small Necessities Leave.

Jury Duty:

If an employee is called for jury duty, he/she shall be paid the difference between compensation for serving on jury duty and his/her regular (base) pay.  Employees serving on jury duty should make every reasonable attempt to report for work on the days on which they serve.  Proof of actual service of jury duty must be presented to the supervisory authority in order for this compensation to be paid.

Military Leave:

An employee called to Reserve or National Guard duty will be compensated for the difference between his military pay and his regular (base) pay for the training period, not to exceed 17 days in any year, upon satisfactory evidence of completion of the training period.  Military pay shall be considered to be all pay received for the entire 17-day period, including Saturdays and Sundays.  Military leave shall not be charged to vacation time.

Compensatory Leave Time:

Salaried employees are not eligible for overtime pay or compensatory time.

Hourly employees, who work beyond their normal work hours, may be eligible for compensatory time at time and one-half in lieu of overtime time pay, only if approved in advance by their Department Head and if permissible under an applicable collective bargaining agreement.