AGENDA #4b

 

MEMORANDUM

 

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Recommended Amendment to the Personnel Ordinance Increasing the Time for Paying Salary Differential to Employees who are Called to Active Duty in a State or National Emergency     

 

DATE:             April 8, 2002

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The attached ordinance would amend the Personnel Ordinance to extend the time that salary differential is paid to employees who are members of the National Guard or the military reserve and are called to active duty in a State or national emergency.

 

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

 

The Personnel Ordinance sets a time limit of 6 months for employees who are members of the National Guard or military reservists and called to active duty in a State or national emergency to be eligible for a salary differential if their military pay is less than their salary.

 

The events of September 11, 2001, have given us occasion to examine the military leave policy.  The City of Raleigh has changed its policy to pay salary differential for 1 year.  The State of North Carolina has changed its policy to pay salary differential for the length of the employees call to active duty.  The Town of Cary is in the process of updating its policy for paying salary differential to either 1 year or for the tour of duty.  The attached amendment would revise the Ordinance to extend the time limit for paying salary differential from six months to one year.

 

If approved please consider making this change effective March 24, 2002, to provide continuous coverage to a Town employee who has been called to active duty.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Council adopt the attached Ordinance amendment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 14 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES TO EXTEND THE TIME PERIOD FOR PAYING SALARY DIFFERENTIAL WHEN AN EMPLOYEE WHO IS IN THE NATIONAL GUARD OR A MILITARY RESERVIST IS CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY IN A STATE OR NATIONAL EMERGENCY  (2002-04-08/0-1)

 

BE IT ORDANIED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill as follows:

 

Section 1:  Section 14-86 of the Town Code is hereby revised to read as follows:

 

“Sec. 14-86 Military Leave.

 

            An employee who is a member of an Armed Forces Reserve organization or the National Guard shall be granted two (2) calendar weeks per year of leave with pay for military training. While on military leave, benefits will accrue as though present for duty. This leave shall not be charged as annual leave; however, any salary payment which the employee receives from the military shall be deducted from the sum paid by the town.

 

            In a state or national emergency in which national guard members or military reservists are called to active duty, if a reservist or guard member is called to active duty, and if the salary from military pay is less than the salary from the town, the town shall pay an amount equal the difference in pay for a period of six (6) months.  one year.

 

This ordinance shall be effective retroactive to March 24, 2002.

 

This the 8th day of April, 2002.