AN ORDINANCE creating a new Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 4.33, Sabbatical Leave, and providing rule-making authority for its administration.

WHEREAS the Sabbatical Leave Pilot Project created by Ordinance 117531 terminated effective April 8, 1997; and

WHEREAS sabbatical leave is perceived by both the City's managers and its employees as a valuable way to reward the commitment and efforts of its long-term employees, as well as to provide those employees with an opportunity to enjoy a period of rest and rejuvenation without foregoing all City-paid benefits; Now therefore

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. There is added to the Seattle Municipal Code, Title 4, a new Chapter 4.33, Sabbatical Leave Program, as follows:

4.33.010 Sabbatical Leave Program Established

The Personnel Director is authorized to modify or promulgate personnel rules to establish and administer a Citywide Sabbatical Leave Program consistent with the following provisions:

A. Any employee who has been regularly appointed, either to a position in the classified service or to an exempt position, and who has completed the equivalent of seven (7) continuous years of fulltime City service is eligible to apply for a sabbatical leave, not to exceed twelve (12) months duration; provided, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to any employee whose compensation is set by a collective bargaining agreement unless the labor organization representing such employee has agreed to be bound by provisions of this section with respect to the subject matter thereof.

B. Eligibility for application for each successive sabbatical leave shall be based upon completion of an additional seven (7) years of continuous service from the date of return from the last such leave granted.

C. Nothing in this chapter nor any rule promulgated pursuant to it shall create any right to a sabbatical leave. The requesting employee's employing unit shall have sole discretion to grant or deny his or her request for a sabbatical leave.

4.33.020 Sabbatical Leave--Conditions and Benefits

A. The City may, where consistent with applicable law and agreements between the City and its health care providers or insurers, continue to pay the employer's portion of an employee's medical and dental benefits while such employee is on an approved sabbatical leave, not to exceed one (1) month of covered benefits for each completed year of service. For purposes of calculating eligibility for covered benefits, each year of completed service will be counted only once.

B. An employee who is on an approved sabbatical leave may elect to take as a lump sum cash out any or all of his or her accumulated and unused sick leave balance above two hundred and forty (240) hours at the rate of one (1) hour of regular hourly pay for each four (4) hours of sick leave balance cashed.

C. An employee who has been granted a sabbatical leave shall be returned, at the end of the sabbatical leave period, to the position from which the leave was granted, if vacant, or to a position in the same employing unit that is substantially similar in level of duties, responsibilities, and compensation; provided, that the employee shall be subject to any changes in status or standing resulting from changes to his or her prior position as a result of budget action or reorganization.

Section 2. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force thirty (30) days from and after its approval by the Mayor, but if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten (10) days after presentation, it shall take effect as provided by Municipal Code Section 1.04.020.

PASSED by the City Council of the City of Seattle this __________ day of _______________, 1998, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this __________ day of ____________________, 1998.

_____________________________________ President __________ of the City Council Approved by me this __________ day of ____________________, 1998. ____________________________________ Mayor Filed by me this __________ day of ____________________, 1998. _____________________________________ City Clerk (Seal)

Sarah Welch/Kathy Steinmeyer sablvord.doc January 12, 1998 Version: 1