Policy: Furlough Policy Effective Date: July 1, 2010 Revision Effective Date: Policy Number: HR-54 Page 1 of 2

______Wayne Herron______Human Resources Department Wayne Herron, City Manager Responsible Party

Purpose

A furlough is time off from work without pay which the City may implement as a budget reduction measure. It is the policy of the City of Monroe to initiate an intermittent furlough due to a poor economy and economic conditions. All full-time employees paid by the general fund will be subject to the furlough. The furlough will be intermittent rather than continuous to mitigate employee financial hardship. Employees are strictly prohibited from performing any work for the City of Monroe during the furlough period.

Procedures

The furlough duration equals twenty-five (25) pay periods versus twenty-six (26) pay periods because the City pays in arrears. Furlough hours for the entire year will be spread over twenty-five (25) pay periods in equal amounts. Similarly, furlough hours off will be granted in the initial pay period and will be deducted based on the number of hours used during the year. Exempt () and non-exempt employees (hourly) will be subject to a specified number of furlough hours.

During pay periods in which an exempt employee takes furlough hours, they will be treated as hourly employees and are required to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act. No will be allowed during the pay period and will be required to monitor hours. To minimize the number of pay periods during which exempt employees will be treated as non-exempt employees and to avoid overtime issues, exempt employees will need to use a minimum of eight (8) hours at a time. Exempt employees are encouraged to use eight (8) hours or larger blocks of time.

Non-exempt employees will use time at the discretion of the .

An employee must submit the request for furlough hours in writing to the supervisor and enter the furlough hours used on the timesheet. Supervisors are encouraged to make reasonable efforts to accommodate employee requests for furlough hours, but all should recognize that furloughs are scheduled to minimize disruption to the efficient operation of the department. The scheduling of specific furlough hours is at the sole discretion of the City and is not subject to the grievance procedure.

In the event that there are multiple requests to use furlough hours for the same day, the supervisor will approve furloughs based on procedures for approving multiple vacation requests. If the employee does not submit a request for specific furlough hours before the end of the period designated to use such furlough time, the supervisor will the furlough for the employee. Furloughed time does not count as hours worked in the calculation of overtime, but all Fair Labor Standard Act rules apply. Employees may not work overtime during pay periods in which furlough time is taken.

Supervisors and Department Directors are required to monitor, control, and implement furloughs consistent with this Furlough Policy.

Policy No.: HR-54 Policy Name: Furlough Policy Page 2 of 2

New Hires

New hires are subject to furlough requirements and proration of the hours and days remaining for that position. The furlough does not change the six-month (6) waiting period for usage of vacation by new hires. The waiting period does not apply to the furlough.

Continuation of Benefits

The intermittent design of furlough is to help avoid any adverse impact to . Employee coverage will stay in effect during the furlough period. Employees will be responsible for their normal contributions.

Vacation accruals will continue to accrue at the current levels. Accrued time off must be used in the following order:

• Furlough

• Compensatory Time

• Vacation

Any furlough time off will be taken from vacation payout, if an employee terminates from the City prior to the end of the furlough period.