2019 - 2023 SEIU 1021 Memorandum of Understanding: Article 15: Vacation

Service Employees’ International Union

Return to SEIU 2019 - 2023 MOU Table of Contents

What’s on this Page

15.1 Vacation Accrual

Each employee other than Extra Help shall accrue and may use vacation leave with full pay providing that the maximum accumulation shall be no more than specified in Sections 15.3 and 15.4.

15.2 Vacation – Accrual – Part-Time Employees

Part-time employees shall accrue vacation leave on a pro rata basis. Usage and accrual shall be governed by the same rules and regulations applicable to full-time employees.

15.3 Vacation – Accrual Rates – Non-Supervisory Unit

Each non-supervisory employee who has completed the following in-service hours shall accrue vacation leave at the appropriate rate shown below. Rates shown below will be adjusted to reflect any unpaid time in each pay period. Hours will be accumulated to the maximum indicated in the following table:

Years of Completed Full-Time Service	In-Service Hours of Completed Service	Rate for 80 In-Service Hours	Maximum Accumulated Hours
0 through 5	0 to 10,434	4.94	280
5 through 10	10,435 to 20,870	5.25	280
10 through 15	20,871 to 31,305	6.48	280
15 through 20	31,306 to 41,741	7.09	280
20 through 25	41,742 to 52,177	7.70	280
25 or greater	52,178 or more	8.01	280

15.4 Vacation – Accrual Rates – Supervisory Unit

Each employee in the General Supervisory Bargaining Unit who has completed the following in-service hours shall accrue vacation leave at the appropriate rate shown below. In-service hours include all hours in pay status excluding overtime. Rates shown below will be adjusted to reflect any unpaid time in each pay period. Hours will be accumulated to the maximums indicated in the table below. No employee promoted to a supervisory position shall have his or her maximum accumulation of vacation hours reduced as a result of the promotion.

Years of Completed Full-Time Service	In-Service Hours of Completed Service	Rate for 80 In-Service Hours	Maximum Accumulated Hours
0 through 5	0 to 10,434	4.94	360
5 through 10	10,435 to 20,870	5.25	360
10 through 15	20,871 to 31,305	6.48	360
15 through 20	31,306 to 41,741	7.09	360
20 through 25	41,742 to 52,177	7.70	360
25 or greater	52,178 or more	8.01	360

15.5 Vacation – Credit upon Reappointment

Each employee with 10,435 in-service hours (five or more years) who resigned in good standing and is reappointed within two years shall be credited with 4,174 hours (2 years) of service for purposes of new vacation accrual. Each employee who was laid off and is reappointed within two years shall be returned to the place on the accrual table (in Sections 15.3 or 15.4 above) that the employee occupied when laid off.

15.6 Vacation – Schedules

Vacation schedules shall be arranged by department heads with particular regard to the needs of the service, and whenever possible, with regard to the wishes of the employee. Every effort shall be made to arrange vacation schedules so that each employee will take as much vacation in each year as accrues to the employee in that year. Each employee’s vacation time may be so divided as the needs of the service require or permit. No employee may take vacation without advance approval of the department head or appointing authority. No employee may take vacation leave in advance of that actually accumulated at the time such leave is taken.

When an employee is restricted on the use of vacation time during a certain month, or months, of the year, due to the needs of the County, the County shall make every reasonable effort to accommodate the employee’s request(s) to use vacation time during the remaining months of the year.

15.7 Vacation – Payment for Unused

Each employee who is separated from County service shall be entitled to payment for all unused vacation leave which the employee may have accumulated as of the employee’s last day of work and shall be computed on the basis of such employee’s base hourly rate at the time of termination.

15.8 Vacation – Buyback

Effective with the pay period beginning March 19, 2013, this Vacation Buyback provision shall be eliminated from the MOU, and represented employees shall no longer be entitled to request and receive vacation buyback payments.

15.9 Vacation Savings Plan

15.9.1 Vacation Savings Plan

Under Vacation Savings Plan (VSP), each eligible (permanent or probationary) full-time employee may elect to set aside up to twenty (20) hours of base rate pay each plan year during years 3 through 5 (4,174 to 10,434 service hours) of permanent, probationary, or unclassified employment. Part-time employees will be eligible to set aside hours on a pro-rata basis, based on their allocated FTE (full time equivalent) position.

Employees enroll during an annual open enrollment period in October / November for the subsequent plan year. The plan year runs from January 1 – December 31. Eligibility to enroll, for full-time and part-time employees, is based on the number of service hours earned as of the pay period immediately preceding the start of open enrollment. Employees who have completed 4,174 and have not exceeded 10,434 service hours as of the pay period immediately preceding the start of open enrollment will be eligible to enroll in the benefit.

Employees new to this MOU who have between 4,174 and 10,434 in-service hours may enroll within their first 60 days for the current plan year. Information on the plan will be provided by the payroll clerk. Deductions for current plan year enrollments must be completed by the end of the final pay period in December of the current plan year.

Regular annual enrollments for employees who have reached 4,174 hours by the pay period end immediately preceding the beginning of annual enrollment but have not exceeded 10,434 hours will complete their election through the County’s self-service program or paper enrollment form during the open enrollment period. Employees indicate the number of hours (up to 20) to purchase, and the number of pay periods over which the deductions will occur beginning on the first pay period of the new plan year. Deductions for regular and special enrollments will be in equal amounts over the number of pay periods selected at the base hourly rate of pay at the time of the first deduction. Deductions must be completed by the end of the final pay period in December. Employees may submit one enrollment per plan year. Elections must be in whole hour increments.

At the end of the plan year, up to 20 hours may roll forward to the subsequent plan year until the last pay date in April. Any unused hours from the prior year on account at the end of the last pay period in April will be paid back to the employee in May.

Time may be used in one-tenth hour increments. The dollar value and hours available in the VSP bank will appear on the employee’s pay stub, the County’s self-service program, and Timesaver.

Deductions are made on an after-tax basis. If there are insufficient funds to cover the deduction, the deduction will not be taken and the amount will automatically recalculate the deduction amount to the remaining elected pay periods in the plan year.

Employees may cancel participation in the program by notifying the Auditor Payroll Division in writing by completing a Vacation Savings Plan Enrollment / Declination / Cancellation Form. The employee designates whether the amount accrued to date will be paid out to the employee or will carry forward under the plan provisions. Balances being paid back to the employee will be paid off as soon as administratively feasible.

In the event the employee separates from County employment or has a change in eligibility status for the plan, unused VSP will be paid to the employee as soon as administratively feasible. Reaching 10,434 hours during the plan year is not considered a "change in status" under this provision.

Use of VSP hours are subject to the following guidelines:

Use of VSP hours is subject to the same provisions in Section 15.6, Vacation – Schedules, and require the same pre-approval process as accrued vacation hours.
When paid, VSP hours are not taxed and are paid at the same hourly rate of pay as they were deducted.
If the value in the VSP bank is not sufficient to cover the employee’s payroll deductions, the employee must arrange for payment with Auditor Payroll.
VSP hours will count toward seniority and merit, and will be considered "paid status" for the purposes of health benefits, vacation and sick leave accrual, and holiday pay only.
VSP hours will not be credited to retirement service hours, or be included in retirement final annual salary calculation.
VSP hours will not be considered paid status hours for shift pay, premium pay, or cash allowance.
VSP hours must be depleted prior to receiving Catastrophic Leave or Disaster Leave; Short Term Disability plans may also require depletion of leave, if applicable.
VSP hours may be used in conjunction with Workers’ Compensation benefits in the same manner as accrued leave.
VSP hours may not be used to extend a date of separation from County employment.

15.10 Vacation – Extra Help Employee Exclusion

Extra Help employees are not covered by this Article 15.