Communications and 911 Contract

This Agreement, by and between the County of Sarpy, Nebraska, hereinafter referred to as the County, and the Fraternal Order of Police Sarpy Lodge No. 3, hereinafter referred to as the F.O.P., is designed to promote and strive to maintain a working agreement between the County and the F.O.P.

For the purpose of this Agreement the following words, terms and phrases shall be construed in accordance with the definitions assigned to them unless the context in which the same shall be used would otherwise necessarily require a different definition.

• A.DEPARTMENT shall mean the Communications Department of the County of Sarpy, Nebraska.
• B.EMPLOYEE shall mean the employees of the Communications Department of the County of Sarpy, Nebraska.
• 1.TENURED EMPLOYEE, pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. 23-2528, shall mean an employee who, after satisfactory completion of their Introductory Probationary Period under the PRR, has acquired the rights and privileges of employment in the classified service.
• 2.PROBATIONARY EMPLOYEE shall mean an employee who has not completed his or her twelve (12) month Introductory Probationary Period under the PRR after the employee’s classified appointment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, probationary employees may be separated from employment for any lawful reason with or without cause, and probationary employees may not grieve or appeal disciplinary actions. Aside from disciplinary actions, probationary employees shall have the same rights to grieve and appeal as tenured employees.
• C.DEPARTMENT HEAD shall mean the Director of Communications of the County of Sarpy or his/her designee.
• D.COUNTY shall mean the County of Sarpy, Nebraska.
• E.F.O.P. shall mean the Fraternal Order of Police, Sarpy Lodge #3.
• F.EMPLOYER shall mean the County of Sarpy.
• G.SENIORITY DATE shall mean the original date of hire based on continuous length of service with the Communications Department without a break or interruption.
• H.POSITION START DATE shall mean the first day of compensable work within a given position. This date shall be used for determination of eligibility of an annual step increase.
• I.LATERAL HIRE shall mean a 911 Telecommunicator newly hired on or after January 1, 2022 with current or previous Telecommunicator experience further defined as follows:
• 3.Current Experience. To qualify as having current experience, Lateral Hires must:
• a.Currently be employed full-time in a 911 Communications Center, and,
• b.Have successfully completed the Telecommunicator training required by the Nebraska Public Service Commission under the 911 Service System Act or Telecommunicator training substantially similar to that required by the Nebraska Public Service Commission.
• 4.Previous Experience. To qualify as having previous experience, Lateral Hires must have:
• c.Been employed full-time as a 911 Telecommunicator within the two (2) previous years of the hiring date by the Sarpy County Emergency Communications Department, and,
• d.Successfully completed the Telecommunicator training required by the Nebraska Public Service Commission under the 911 Service System Act or Telecommunicator training substantially similar to that required by the Nebraska Public Service Commission.
• J.PRR shall mean Personnel Rules & Regulations for members of the classified service.

The County recognizes the F.O.P. as the sole and exclusive bargaining representative of the employees of the Communications Department working in the positions of Call Taker, 911 Telecommunicator, Administrative Specialist, Senior Telecommunicator, Training and Quality Assurance Coordinator, and Lead Telecommunicator.

The County Payroll Department shall deduct regular monthly F.O.P. dues from the pay of each employee covered by the Agreement provided that, at the time of such deduction, there is in the possession of the County a current, un-revoked written assignment, executed by the employee, in the form and according to the terms of the authorization form, attached hereto, marked as Appendix "A", and made a part hereof. Such authorization may be revoked by the employee at any time by giving written notice thereof to the County. F.O.P. dues shall constitute regular monthly membership dues only and shall not include additional deductions such as F.O.P. life insurance premium payments. Employees are independently responsible for payment of F.O.P. life insurance costs.

Previously signed and un-revoked written authorizations shall continue to be effective as to employees reinstated following layoff, approved leave of absence without pay, or suspension not exceeding sixty (60) days; previous authorizations of other employees rehired or reinstated shall not be considered to be effective.

Such authorization deductions shall be made from every other payroll period and will within ten (10) days be remitted to the duly designated F.O.P. Official. The F.O.P. shall advise the County in writing of the name of such Official.

If an employee has no pay coming for the pay period in question, or if such pay period is the first pay period of a new employee, or if the employee has signed an authorization form during such pay period of the subsequent month, such deductions shall be limited to the amount of the current regular monthly F.O.P. dues, and shall not include dues for the prior months or any portion thereof.

The County shall process employee revocations in accordance with the County’s payroll processing timelines.

At the time of the execution of the Agreement, the F.O.P. shall advise the County in writing of the exact amount of regular monthly dues. If subsequently, the F.O.P. requests the County to deduct additional monthly F.O.P. dues, such request shall be effective only upon written assurance by the F.O.P. to the County that the amounts are regular monthly F.O.P. dues duly approved in accordance with the F.O.P.'s constitution and by-laws.

The County agrees to provide this service without charge to the F.O.P.

The County shall not be liable for the remittance payment of any sums other than those constituting actual deductions made. If for any reason it fails to make a deduction for any employee as above provided, it shall make a deduction for the employee's next pay period in which F.O.P. dues are normally deducted after written notification to the County of the error. If the County makes an overpayment to the F.O.P., the County will deduct that amount from the next remittance to the F.O.P. The F.O.P. agrees to indemnify and hold the County harmless against any and all claims, suits, orders or judgments brought or issued against the County as a result of any action taken or not taken by the County under the provisions of this Article.

The County shall permit the F.O.P. to use one (1) bulletin board, designated by the Department Head in the designated break room, for the posting of F.O.P. meetings, elections, reports of F.O.P. committees and other notices or announcements that would be of benefit or interest to the employees.

Posted notices shall not contain anything political or anything reflecting adversely upon the County or any of its employees. Materials posted should be timely and current. If information is outdated by more than ninety (90) calendar days the County has the right to remove the materials from the bulletin boards.

The bulletin board provided shall be for the exclusive use of the F.O.P.

The County will permit the F.O.P. the use of County email for the purpose of conducting F.O.P. elections and votes.

Informal Complaints. When employees feel dissatisfied with an aspect of employment over which they have no control and when they desire remedial action, they are encouraged to present the problem informally to their immediate supervisor. If not resolved at this level, employees can discuss the matter with their chain of command or file a grievance as outlined in PRR Rule 8 Regulation 2, “Grievance Procedure.” Employees shall be assured freedom from discrimination, coercion, restraint, or reprisal in presenting complaints. This Article shall not suspend time limitations for the filing of a grievance or appeal.

Grievance Procedure. Employees shall have an opportunity to formally address non-disciplinary issues arising out of the PRR, County policies, and/or this Agreement. The Grievance Procedure set forth herein is designed to preserve harmony and friendly relations between the County and its employees. Furthermore, the Grievance Procedure provides a just and equitable method for the resolution of grievances without discrimination, coercion, restraint, or retaliation against those employees who submit, consider submitting, or are involved in a grievance procedure. This Article shall not be used to change any portions of the Agreement or the PRR. A grievance is defined to be any disagreement concerning the interpretation or application of the specific and expressed provisions or terms of County policies, this Agreement or the PRR not relating to discipline. Employees, or their representative, may withdraw a grievance at any time during this Grievance Procedure. Such withdrawal shall be indicated on the Grievance Form. Any time limitations for this Article may be waived or extended in writing by mutual agreement of the parties involved. Employees choosing to file a grievance are to complete a Grievance Form. When filling out the form, the following information must be stated with reasonable clarity:

• A.Nature of the grievance,
• B.Act or acts of commission or omission,
• C.Date of the act or acts,
• D.Identity of the party or parties who claim to be aggrieved,
• E.Identify of the party or parties alleged to have caused the grievance,
• F.Specific provisions of the PRR, County policies, and this Agreement that are alleged to have been violated, and
• G.Remedy sought. Grievances shall be processed in the following manner: Step 1: Aggrieved employees shall present the Grievance Form to their Department Head and the FOP President within 15 calendar days from the date on which they became aware of or should reasonably have been aware of the incident giving rise to the grievance. The Department Head shall address the nature of the grievance and note the specific reason for accepting or denying the grievance by writing their response on the Grievance Form. The Department Head will return the signed form to the aggrieved employee within 15 calendar days. The Department Head will forward a copy of the completed form to the Human Resources Department to be placed in the employee’s civil service personnel file. Step 2: If satisfactory settlement is not reached under Step 1, aggrieved employees, or their representative, or the Department Head shall submit the Grievance Form to the Human Resources Director for appeal to the Personnel Policy Board. This submission must occur within 15 calendar days from the date the employee receives the Department Head’s response in accordance with Step 1. The Board shall hold a Hearing on the matter within 30 calendar days, insofar as a quorum can be achieved, after receipt of the grievance by the Human Resources Director. Refer to Rule 1: General Provisions, Regulation 5: Personnel Policy Board Hearings for specific details. The decision of the Board shall be final and binding on all parties; however, this does not prevent either party from pursuing further actions as allowed for by law.

When an employee elects to process a grievance without an F.O.P. representative, as is his or her right, the F.O.P. shall have the right to intervene and become a party to the proceedings. Any adjustment of grievance between the employer and an employee not choosing to be represented as assisted by the F.O.P. must be consistent with the terms of this Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Employees may be dismissed for cause. The Department Head may dismiss an employee in their department by delivering a written statement to the employee concerned. The notification shall indicate the reason for the action and the date the dismissal is effective. If the Department Head wishes to make the action immediate, the employee may be placed on leave with pay pending the delivery to the employee of the written communication addressing the dismissal. An employee who is dismissed has the option to file a disciplinary appeal pursuant to the Sarpy County Personnel Rules and Regulations Disciplinary Appeal Procedure, also found in Article 8, Section 3 of this Agreement. The termination letter will be placed in the employee’s personnel file.

No tenured employee shall be disciplined without the element of just cause.

The Department Head or designee reserves the right to conduct internal investigations to uncover the facts in each case but expressly agrees to carefully guard and protect the rights, privacy and dignity of accused personnel. Employees shall fully cooperate with an investigation and shall not withhold any information that may be relevant to the investigation.

In conducting internal investigations the Department Head or designee will not knowingly commit any act which deprives the employee of any statutory or constitutional rights or privileges.

• A.In order to justify investigations by the County, citizens’ complaints must be verified in person or signed by the person making the complaint. In no event will a citizen’s complaint taken over the telephone without verification of the identity of the caller be the basis for discipline against an employee.
• B.Only sustained findings may be inserted in personnel records. Unfounded findings will not be inserted into the permanent Personnel record, or referred to in performance evaluations.
• C.When an employee is questioned or interviewed concerning a complaint or allegation, the employee will be informed prior to the interview of the nature of the investigation and to whether he/she is the subject of the investigation or a witness in the investigation.
• D.Interviews and questioning of employees will be conducted in a professional manner. Statements from employees will not be taken in a coercive manner. Dishonesty during an investigation shall be considered just cause for discipline, up to and including discharge in the County’s discretion in accordance with this Agreement.
• E.Tenured employees who are the subject of a disciplinary investigation shall, upon request, (i) have the right to union representation or, if the employee so chooses, designated legal counsel, and (ii) shall receive a copy of their written or recorded statement at no cost to the employee no less than 24 hours prior to their “Loudermill” hearing. See “Loudermill v. Cleveland Board of Education, 470 U.S. 532 (1985).”
• F.Upon conclusion of an investigation, the employee who has had prior notification of an internal investigation shall be notified in writing of the disposition of the case.
• G.In the event that the County or the Department Head shall make any statement to the press regarding an investigation or an incident involving an employee, the name and photograph of the employee(s) involved shall not be disclosed unless the identity has already been published by established media. Furthermore, the FOP shall be permitted to make statements to the press at their discretion. The County can make a formal request to the involved employee(s) to waive this right.

Employees shall comply with all existing work rules, provided that the rules the employees believe are in conflict with the terms of this Agreement or situations in which the rules are not being uniformly applied may be grieved by the employee; however, the employee will comply with such rules until they are found, through the grievance procedure, to be conflicting or inappropriately applied, except in those situations in which the employee reasonably believes there to be an immediate and substantial safety hazard.

Performance Evaluations. If the County or Department Head or designee decides to conduct performance evaluations of employees, such evaluations shall be conducted on a regular basis and fairly and adequately cover the duties and responsibilities of each employee. In that event, the employee will be provided with a copy of the evaluation used and the County agrees to discuss with the employee all terms contained in such evaluation. The employee shall have the right to add pertinent information or brief comments to any evaluation and to have such comments or information attached to such evaluation within ten (10) calendar days of receipt of said evaluation.

Personnel Files.

• A.The personnel file documents required for operations shall be maintained in the Human Resources Department, accessible to the Department Head when necessary. Every employee may, during his/her non-duty hours and during regular office hours of the Human Resources Department, inspect his/her file at either office and shall be allowed to make copies of anything contained therein. All disciplinary action and documentation issued by the Department Head will state the reason for the documentation and the action to be taken by the employee to ensure the violation does not reoccur. Such documentation will be signed and dated by the affected employee and submitted to the employee’s file. Employees have no right to refuse to sign a disciplinary notice to verify their knowledge when asked to do so, but their signature shall not be an admission of guilt. Full disclosure of all documentation will be provided upon written request by the affected employee. Sarpy shall have sole responsibility to ensure the employee’s files are complete upon request for inspection by an employee.
• B.Any employee shall have the right to respond in writing to any adverse comment or incorrect information contained in his/her personnel file, and such comments shall be kept in the employee's personnel file as long as the challenged comment or information remains in the file.
• C.No documentation reflecting performance or conduct problems shall be placed in an employee's personnel file without the signature of the employee verifying knowledge of the existence of such information. However, when asked to do so, employees have no right to refuse to verify their knowledge with their signature. Any such document shall state that signatures are not to be interpreted as agreement with the contents of the document.
• D.The County agrees that pre-employment background investigations and psychological evaluations will be kept confidential and will not be deemed part of the employee's personnel file. The County further agrees that performance evaluations performed on any employee will be maintained on a confidential basis with access available only to the employee, the employee's supervisor and authorized members of the Human Resources Department staff. Performance evaluations may be forwarded to a Department Head or Elected Official when an employee has applied for a position in a different Department or Office.
• E.Any documentation representing disciplinary action will be removed from the employee’s file after the time periods listed below but shall remain active for progressive discipline and promotion evaluation purposes for these time periods.

It shall be the employee’s responsibility, after the appropriate time, to request the removal of any inactive documentation. Any documentation representing disciplinary action that becomes inactive shall be removed from the employees’ file after the time period listed above and placed in the employee’s inactive discipline file. In the event of a recommended termination any previous disciplinary action even if inactive as outlined above may be taken into consideration.

Except where limited by expressed provisions elsewhere in this agreement, nothing in this agreement shall be construed to restrict, limit or impair the rights, powers and the authority of the employer as granted it under the laws of the State of Nebraska.

The F.O.P. acknowledges the concept of inherent management rights. These rights, powers and authority of the County include, but are not limited to, the following:

• A.The right to determine, effectuate and implement the objectives and goals of the County.
• B.The right to manage and supervise all operations and functions of the County.
• C.The right to create, establish, allocate, schedule, assign, modify or discontinue any County function, operation or department or any position or work shift.
• D.The right to establish, modify, change and discontinue work standards.
• E.The right to hire, examine, classify, promote, train, transfer, assign and retain employees, and the right to suspend, demote, discharge or take other disciplinary action against employees, for just cause, and to relieve employees from duties due to lack of work or funds.
• F.The right to increase, reduce, change, modify and otherwise alter the composition and size of the work force.
• G.The right to adopt, modify, change, enforce or discontinue existing rules, regulations, procedures and policies not in direct conflict with any provisions of this agreement.
• H.The right to establish, modify, and discontinue drug, alcohol and controlled substance testing rules, standards and procedures.

Tenured employees required to attend pre-disciplinary meetings which involve a contemplated change in pay status and tenure will be provided due process, notified at the outset of the meeting of the purpose for the meeting. During a pre-disciplinary meeting, tenured employees have the right to be represented by: (1) one (1) F.O.P. representative in the discretion of the F.O.P., and/or, (2) a FOP attorney at the FOP’s cost in the discretion of the F.O.P., or (3) an attorney of his/her choice at the employee’s cost.

Progressive Discipline Policy for Tenured Employees. Disciplinary action for tenured employees may include any of the following, depending on the severity of the offense and the employee’s work history: Verbal - A verbal reprimand shall be administered by the employee’s supervisor. Verbal reprimands shall be documented in writing and shall indicate those present for the reprimand, the purpose of the reprimand, the date the reprimand took place, the corrective action recommended and further disciplinary action which may be taken if the violation reoccurs. Written Reprimand - A written reprimand is a documented written correspondence issued by the Department Head. The reprimand will state the action that caused the reprimand to be issued, what corrective action must be taken by the employee to ensure the violation does not reoccur and further disciplinary action which may be taken if the violation does reoccur. The employee will receive a copy of the written reprimand. Suspension with Pay - The Department Head may suspend an employee with pay for a period of time pending the outcome of an investigation into a complaint. The Department Head shall notify the employee in writing of the reasons for the action and the number of days of suspension, corrective action which must be taken by the employee to ensure the violation does not reoccur and further disciplinary action which may be taken should the violation reoccur. Suspension without Pay - The Department Head may suspend an employee without pay for no more than 20 working days. This type of suspension shall have no impact on the County’s contribution to the employee’s insurance benefits. The Department Head shall notify the employee in writing of the reasons for the action, the number of days of suspension, corrective action which must be taken by the employee to ensure the violation does not reoccur and further disciplinary action which may be taken should the violation reoccur. Demotion - The Department Head may demote an employee in grade/position. The employee shall be notified verbally and in writing. The notification shall indicate the reason for the action, the effective date of the action and any further disciplinary action which may be taken should the violation reoccur. Dismissal - The Department Head may dismiss an employee under his/her jurisdiction by delivering a written statement to the employee concerned. The notification shall indicate the reason for the action and the date the dismissal is effective. If the Department Head wishes to make the action immediate, the employee may be placed on leave with pay pending the delivery to the employee of the written communication addressing the dismissal.

Tenured employees may appeal directly to the Personnel Policy Board the following actions:

• A.Receipt of three (3) written reprimands, involving the same subject matter, within a 12 consecutive-month period,
• B.Suspension,
• C.Demotion for cause, and
• D.Dismissal. Tenured employees shall present their Appeal Form to the Human Resources Director within 15 calendar days from the date on which they became aware of or should have reasonably been aware of the incident giving rise to the Appeal. The Personnel Policy Board shall hold a Hearing within 30 calendar days, insofar as a quorum can be established, in accordance with Rule 1: General Provisions, Regulation 5: Personnel Policy Board Hearings. The decision of the Board shall be final and binding on all parties; however, this does not prevent either party from pursuing further actions as allowed for by law. Any time limitations provided under this Regulation may be waived or extended in accordance with Rule 1: General Provisions, Regulation 5: Personnel Policy Board Hearings.

Disciplinary action limitations. A tenured employee shall not have a disciplinary action imposed more than once for a single incident; however, discipline for each additional act of the same or similar nature may be imposed.

Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, both parties shall follow the provisions of the rules and regulations of the Sarpy County Communications Center in effect at the time of the infraction with regard to any disciplinary action taken against an employee.

When an employee is being questioned about possible criminal matters and it has been officially determined that any self-incriminating statements that the member makes will not be used against him/her in a criminal prosecution, "Garrity" warnings will be given to the employee. See “Garrity v. New Jersey, 385, U.S. 493 (1967)”.

Seniority, as it applies to employees, will be based on continuous length of service with the Communications Department without a break or interruption, provided that any suspension for disciplinary purposes, absence on authorized leave with pay or layoff for thirty (30) calendar days or less shall not constitute a break or interruption of service within the meaning of this section. Additionally, rehiring an employee within one hundred eighty (180) days or less from the date of separation shall not constitute a break or interruption in service within the meaning of this section. Employees shall not receive credit towards their seniority for the period of time between the date of separation and rehire. Employees that have separated from service for more than one hundred eighty (180) days will be treated as a new employee if rehired, subject to the Lateral Hire provisions in this Agreement. An approved FMLA (“Family Medical Leave Act”) absence or an absence in compliance with USERRA shall not constitute a break in service.

Seniority as it applies to shift bidding shall be based on continuous length of service within a specific classification.

Seniority relative to bidding for duty shift shall be based on the most recent period of uninterrupted service with the Communications Department in that particular classification.

A list of employees arranged in order of seniority shall be maintained and made available for examination by employees by the Department Head or designee, provided that the seniority list be revised and updated at the end of each fiscal year. A copy of the same shall be transmitted to the F.O.P. President.

Where two (2) or more employees in the same classification are promoted on the same date, their seniority standing shall be determined by the employees’ original date of hire. Where two (2) or more employees in the same classification are originally appointed on the same date, their seniority standing shall be determined based on their ranking on the hiring list.

Seniority as it applies to vacation accrual is based on continuous length of service with Sarpy County.

Whenever a reduction in work force becomes necessary, layoffs shall be made on the basis of classification seniority. The employee lowest on the classification seniority list shall be the first laid off and the last to be recalled. The F.O.P. shall be notified in advance of any anticipated layoff to allow the F.O.P. to work closely with the County and/or the Department Head to correctly align the determining conditions of the layoff.

If employees are to be laid off, a fourteen (14) calendar day written notice shall be given prior to the effective date of layoff.

No full-time employee shall be laid off from any classification while there are provisional, probationary, part-time, or seasonal employees working in the same classification.

In the event that an employee becomes subject to layoff in his/her particular classification, and is qualified to perform duties in a lower classification, he/she shall be permitted to take a position in the next lower classification at that classification's rate of pay that is closest to the employee’s current rate of pay. In such event, the junior employee in the lower classification is subject to layoff.

In the event that an employee becomes subject to layoff in his/her particular classification and a vacancy exists in a position of lower classification for which he/she is qualified, he/she may, with the approval of the Department Head, be appointed to such position in a lower classification on the basis of his/her seniority.

Employees who are laid off shall be placed on a recall list maintained by Human Resources in order of seniority for one (1) year. Failure to accept a recall offer or expiration of the recall list terminates all job rights the employee may have. While on the recall list, it is the employee’s responsibility to notify Human Resources of any changes in email address or phone number or if they become unavailable or unwilling for recall. The Department Head or designee shall rehire in the reverse order of the lay-off for the applicable position classification, provided such employees are otherwise qualified to perform the duties of the position. No new employees will be hired by the Department Head as long as there are qualified laid off employees remaining on the recall list. Notice of recall will be accomplished by telephone call. If a telephone call is unsuccessful, notice shall be sent by email to the current email address on record with the Human Resources Department. Unless an employee responds to the recall notice within three (3) calendar days following receipt of the email, or its attempted delivery, the employee’s name will be removed from the recall list and the employee will no longer have any job rights with the County.

Where an employee has accepted a position in a lower classification by virtue of Sections Four (4) or Five (5) hereof, he/she shall be recalled to his/her former position when the same becomes available in the reverse order of reduction.

Seniority will continue to accumulate during any layoff of thirty (30) days or less. Employees laid off for more than thirty (30) days and recalled within one (1) year from the date of layoff will be credited with the years of service accumulated at the time of layoff.

If the layoff is expected to be permanent or exceed thirty (30) days, the employee shall be paid for all accrued vacation, compensatory time and any other form of paid leave in accordance with separation procedures outlined in this Agreement.

The parties hereby agree not to discriminate on the basis of any protected class under federal, state, or local law.

The parties hereby agree that no officers, agents, representatives, members or anyone connected with either party shall in any manner intimidate, coerce, restrain or interfere with the rights of employees to form, join or assist labor organizations or to refrain from any of these activities, including the right of employees to withdraw, revoke or cancel F.O.P. membership.

Employees may be entitled to engage in outside employment with the prior written approval of the Department Head or designee provided that the duties of the outside employment do not constitute a conflict of interest nor conflict with an employee’s job performance with the County. Prior to engaging in outside employment, employees must submit a “Secondary Employment Request” form (available on Sarpy County’s website) to the Department Head outlining the place of employment, the duties required and the hours of work.

Vacation Leave.

• A.Full-time employees shall earn paid vacation leave on a pay period basis in the following amounts based on continuous years of service with Sarpy County:

• B.Employees with less than six (6) months of service may not use vacation leave without the approval of the Department Head, in his sole discretion.
• C.Temporary employees shall not receive accumulation of sick, vacation, or holiday benefits.
• D.Any employee who has resigned or has been separated or dismissed shall be entitled to and shall receive all accrued vacation leave computed on the basis of the compensation plan in effect on the last day of employment. For separations due to death, payments will be made in accordance with state law.
• E.Vacation and compensatory leave may be taken at a minimum of one (1) hour (see “Short Notice” leave provision below) and a maximum of thirty (30) consecutive calendar days. Additional time off may be granted with the Director’s approval in their discretion.
• F.Vacation and compensatory leave requests shall not be unreasonably denied. Once approved by the Director, vacation and compensatory leave may not be revoked absent an emergency and as a last resort, which includes any critical staffing shortage that would impact ability to deliver emergency communications services required of the Department.
• G.Regularly scheduled days off and holidays occurring during vacation leave shall not be charged against vacation leave.
• H.Employees who are ill during their vacation leave will not be permitted to exchange sick leave for vacation leave.
• I.An employee will cease to accumulate vacation time once the cap of 360 hours is met. Whenever an employee with 360 hours of accumulated vacation drops under 360 hours, they will restart accumulating vacation leave, per the vacation leave schedule, until reaching 360 hours.
• J.Employees may not use vacation before it is earned.
• K.Vacation/Compensatory Time Bidding. After each shift bid, employees shall have two (2) weeks from the conclusion of the shift bid to submit requests for vacation and/or compensatory leave to be taken during the six-month period following the implementation of the shift bid. Leave requests submitted during the two (2) week period following shift bid for full shifts shall be granted based solely on seniority, and approval of said leave requests shall occur before the shift bid is implemented. Once shift bid takes effect, all vacation and compensatory leave requests for full shifts shall be granted on a first-come, first-serve basis within the uniform electronic leave scheduling program. Employees who regulary work the combination of a "long week" of 48 hours and a "short week" of 36 hours are required to cover all hours of their respective "long" and "short" weeks with any combination of work and/or approved leave.
• L.“Short notice” (or incremental) vacation and compensatory time leave requests are requests made less than twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the leave to be taken or for leave in increments of less than one full shift. Short notice leave usage can be for the entire shift or for part of the shift in increments of one (1) hour. Short notice leave requests shall be granted on a case-by-case basis by the shift supervisor on duty only when minimum staffing requirements have been satisfied. Employees shall contact the on-duty supervisor no earlier than ninety (90) minutes before the time scheduled to report for duty and make the request; provided that employees may also request to take vacation or compensatory time during their shift if staffing levels permit. Short notice vacation or compensatory time leave requests shall not be approved if it results in mandatory overtime.

Jury Duty or Election Service. An employee shall be given time off without loss of any pay if he/she is called to serve on a jury or a County Election Board. If the employee is serving in Sarpy County, the employee shall waive their per diem compensation. If the employee is serving outside of Sarpy County, the employee shall assign their per diem compensation to Sarpy County. Per diem compensation does not include payments for reimbursable expenses (mileage, parking fees, etc.) or subsistence allowances for meals and lodging.

Military Leave. The department will grant military leave with pay to any employee who is a member of the National Guard or any organized military reserve of the United States who is ordered to attend a period of active duty training. Military leave with pay will not exceed 120 hours in any one (1) calendar year. If the amount of the military leave requested exceeds 120 hours in any one (1) calendar year, the employee may remain in a paid status by utilizing their accrued vacation, compensatory time or other similar leaves or may request a leave of absence without. Employees are not permitted to use sick leave. If an employee chooses to use accrued paid leave during their military leave, they will be considered an active employee and shall continue to receive and accrue benefits under the same terms and conditions of other eligible employees. If an employee is on a military leave of absence without pay for more than thirty (30) consecutive calendar days the following shall apply. • Insurance benefits will be extended according to the provisions of the Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act (COBRA) regulations. • All accumulated sick, vacation and compensatory time, if any, will be frozen, and the employee will not accrue these benefits until they return to active paid status. • Employees will not be eligible to receive paid benefits while they are in an unpaid status such as holiday pay, advanced educational incentive pay, etc. • Employees on military leave, will not lose seniority benefits, regardless of their pay status, unless allowed by law. The employee requesting military leave shall notify his/her supervisor in writing immediately upon notification of orders to attend training or duty.

SICK LEAVE The purpose of sick leave is to provide a benefit to those eligible County employees who are unable to attend work due to short-term illness or injury. It may also be used in conjunction with a long-term medical leave of absence to provide some measure of income protection for extended illness or disabilities. Definition - Sick leave will be considered for a bona fide illness or injury.

• A.Accrual and Accumulation.
• 1.Full-time employees will accrue sick pay benefits at a rate of 4.307 hours per payroll period (112 hours per year).
• 2.A maximum of 1040 hours of sick leave may be accumulated.
• 3.Sick leave shall not be accrued by temporary employees.
• B.General Procedure. Sick leave will be considered for any bona-fide illness or injury. Employees will be entitled to utilize sick leave for medical and dental care, treatment of drug or alcohol addiction, injury, pregnancy, FMLA qualifying conditions, and any sickness which renders an employee incapable of performing his or her required job duties or for exposure to contagious disease under circumstances in which the health of other employees or the public would be endangered by the employees attendance on duty. Employees may utilize their sick time to keep medical or dental appointments. Employees may utilize their sick time for the illness of his or her immediate family (Spouse, child(ren), mother/father, and parent-in-law) where the employee’’s attendance is required. Sick leave may be used in increments of ¼ (15 minutes) of an hour. When unable to report to work, the employee must notify his/her immediate on duty supervisor in accordance with Standard Operating Guidelines, except in an obvious emergency. During absence due to illness, the employee must notify his/her Center Supervisor daily of their progress and expected date of return. Sick pay will be paid only for approved absences and for time when the employee would normally be scheduled for work. Employees on sick leave for three or more (3) consecutive workdays must submit written documentation from a qualified licensed healthcare provider in order to receive sick pay, unless waived by the department head. The cost, if any, of the documentation shall be paid by the employee. For a lesser period of absence, the department head may, at his or her discretion, require evidence of illness from a qualified licensed healthcare provider for other reasons, as defined by this section. Sick leave shall not be used as vacation leave. Sick leave may be denied when the County has facts showing employees are abusing their sick leave. Sick leave shall not be used for any other purpose than outlined in this Agreement or may be subject to discipline. Upon written request with approval, vacation pay may be used to continue compensation during non-FMLA illness when all sick pay has been exhausted. For employees with less than ten (10) years of service upon separation from service (except for dismissal for disciplinary cause), such employee shall be paid one-fourth (¼) of his/her accumulated sick leave up to a maximum of two hundred (200) hours. For employees with ten (10) or more years of service upon separation from service (except for dismissal for disciplinary cause), such employee shall be paid one half (1/2) of his/her accumulated sick leave up to a maximum of four hundred (400) hours. Except for separations due to death, sick leave payouts under the preceding two paragraphs worth over $500.00 shall be deposited into the employee’s designated Health Reimbursement Arrangement (“HRA”) Account. Sick leave payouts worth $500.00 or less shall be made as a cash payment. Under each case, such amounts shall be paid at the rate of payment based upon the employee's regular rate of pay at the time of separation. No Employee shall be eligible to use sick leave within two (2) weeks of separation date unless the Employee presents an acceptable health care provider’s verification of illness/injury. Any employee who has accumulated more than eight hundred (800) hours of sick leave may convert once per fiscal year such excess at a ratio of two (2) hours of sick leave to one (1) hour of vacation leave. Up to a maximum of 160 hours of sick leave may be converted to a maximum of 80 hours of vacation or pay. If an employee has reached the vacation accumulation maximum of 360 hours, then an employee may only convert sick leave to pay and not vacation time. An employee on a leave of absence without pay will not earn sick leave benefits until they return to a paid status. Restricted Duty The Department Head may allow an employee to return to work on a restricted duty basis if the employee has a medical release describing their limitations and/or restrictions. The restricted duty policy will be in accordance with the following criteria:
• 4.If there is a restricted duty position or work duties available within the classifications covered by this agreement that satisfies the restrictions set forth by the qualified licensed health care provider, the employee will be assigned to said position or duties.
• 5.Restricted duty is not meant to be a permanent work arrangement. Therefore, an employee will be placed in a restricted duty position for a period of time equal to the shorter of, (a) 30 days, unless extended by the Director; (b) the time the employee remains under a qualified licensed health care provider’s restricted release, or (c) the light duty job is no longer available. If an employee remains on restricted status following the completion of thirty (30) calendar days of light duty, his/her health condition will be evaluated to determine whether or not further light duty is appropriate. Preferences for restricted duty positions shall be given to employees whose medical conditions are work related.

Job Related Injuries and IOD Payments.

• A.Employees are covered by Worker's Compensation as provided by the law of the State of Nebraska. Employees shall be eligible for a supplemental payment, also known as an injury on duty payment (“IOD payment”), by the County for up to ten (10) working days but no more than eighty (80) hours if they are injured in an incident while at work for Sarpy County, except for PTSD injuries.
• B.For PTSD injuries, employees are eligible for an IOD payment by the County for up to one hundred eighty (180) days. In certain extenuating circumstances, the Director or his/her designee in his/her discretion may extend an employee’s PTSD IOD payment status for up to an additional one hundred eighty five (185) days.The Director must receive prior approval from the Human Resources Department and County Administration to grant an extension of IOD pay under this subsection.
• C.IOD payments shall be in an amount equal to the difference between the average weekly wage, as calculated for Worker’s Compensation purposes, and the amount of the weekly Worker’'s Compensation benefit the employee receives. Upon the approval of a lump sum settlement by a court of competent jurisdiction, the County shall not provide IOD payments to the employee. The employee shall not be entitled to an IOD payment under this section in an amount that, when added to any Worker's Compensation benefit and/or any wage or salary compensation received from Employer, results in the employee receiving total compensation greater than the average weekly wage for the applicable period of time.

Leave of Absence Without Pay (Non-FMLA). An employee on a leave of absence without pay (non-FMLA) will not earn vacation leave benefits until they return to a paid status. A leave of absence without pay of up to one year, for good cause shown, may be granted at the discretion of the Department Head. When a leave of absence is granted, all accumulated sick, vacation, and compensatory time off, if any, may be frozen or paid out at the discretion of the Department Head, and the employee will not continue to accrue these benefits. If the leave of absence is greater than thirty (30) calendar days, the effective leave date will be retroactive to the first day of work absent. All longevity, step increases and vacation accrual dates will be adjusted based on the hours the employee was absent without pay. If the leave of absence is less than thirty (30) calendar days, no adjustments will be made. Insurance benefits may be maintained according to the provisions outlined by Federal COBRA regulations.

Bereavement Leave. Bereavement leave shall be time off granted to an employee in the event that a family member, as specified in this Section, passes away. The purpose of bereavement leave is to allow employees to grieve, attend funeral services, or a memorial. Bereavement leave of up to five (5) consecutive working days will be granted for the bereavement of the following current family member group: spouse, parent, sibling, or child related by blood, marriage or adoption. Bereavement leave of up to four (4) consecutive working days will be granted to employees for the bereavement of the following current family member group: grandparent (including great grandparents), grandchildren, parent-in-law, son-in- law, or daughter-in-law. Bereavement leave of one (1) working day will be granted to employees for the bereavement of the following current family member group: aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces and the following current in-laws: grandparent, sister or brother. In addition, at the discretion of the Department Head or designee, additional days of bereavement leave or non-consecutive days of bereavement leave may be granted for bereavement of family members identified in this Section. Further, in addition, the employer may, at his/her discretion, grant one (1) additional day if travel of more than three hundred (300) miles to the funeral site is involved. If an employee wishes to attend the funeral or memorial service of a relative not listed above, the employee should request use of vacation and/or compensatory time to be granted at the discretion of the Department Head or designee pursuant to Article 13 of this agreement. Notification to the Department Head or designee shall be given by the employee as soon as possible prior to the leave.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Employees requesting leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) should refer to the provisions outlined under the Sarpy County Family Medical Leave Policy.

The following and, in addition, any other days that may be specifically designated by the County as a county-wide holiday for all county employees, are paid holidays for employees:

Employees shall also be granted two paid (2) floating holidays. Upon the written request by the employee and only when that request does not create an overtime situation that can be foreseen at that time, a Floating Holiday may be granted by the Department Head. Floating holidays shall not be carried over into the subsequent fiscal year and shall not be paid out upon separation of employment.

For employees regularly assigned to a 12-hour shift schedule (“shift employee”), “Holiday Date” shall be defined as the date of the actual holiday. For all other employees, “Holiday Date” shall be defined as (1) the date of an actual holiday falling on a weekday (Monday through Friday) and (2) the date of an observed holiday when the actual holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday. Whenever a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be observed as the holiday. Whenever a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be observed as the holiday.

If a shift employee is authorized to take the Holiday Date off, the employee shall receive “Holiday Time Off” pay for the same number of hours they would have normally worked during their regularly scheduled shift at their regular rate of pay. Holiday Time Off will only apply if the employee’s regularly scheduled shift that they are taking off begins on a Holiday Date. All other employees shall take “Holiday Time Off” on the Holiday Date whenever it falls on the day of their regularly scheduled shift, unless the Department Head or his/her designee authorizes the employee to work on the Holiday Date. The employee shall receive “Holiday Time Off” pay for the same number of hours they would have normally worked during their regularly scheduled shift at their regular rate of pay.

Employees working a regularly scheduled shift beginning on a Holiday Date shall be compensated at the rate of two and one-half (2-1/2) times the regular rate for the actual number of hours worked on such shift.

Whenever a Holiday Date occurs during a full-time employee's regularly scheduled day off, such employee shall receive holiday pay for the Holiday Date on the basis of eight (8) hours of pay at regular time. Part-time employees will not receive compensation if a holiday occurs during their regularly scheduled day off. If an employee is called back in on a Holiday Date during their regularly scheduled day off, the employee shall be compensated at the rate of two and one-half (2½) times the regular rate of pay for the actual number of hours worked plus 8 hours of holiday pay at their regular rate.

Whenever a Holiday Date falls during a full-time employee's authorized leave, it shall not be charged against the employee's authorized paid leave.

Employees who are absent without leave on the workday immediately preceding or following a Holiday Date shall not be entitled to holiday pay or other provisions of this Article.

Employees may elect to receive compensatory time off instead of holiday pay as provided in Article 20, Section 7 of this Agreement.

Employees receiving holiday pay shall be paid no later than the next pay period available following the holiday.

All promotions of employees of the Communications Department to fill existing positions within the Department shall be posted and selection shall be made as needed and from the ranks of such employees whenever practicable in accordance with the Personnel Rules and Regulations, provided an employee meets applicable eligibility standards for promotion.

Promotional examinations for the rank of Senior and Lead Radio Telecommunicator shall be given as needed.

An employee who is promoted shall receive a minimum of 5% increase in pay and shall go to the pay level that meets this requirement.

Whenever an employee is demoted to a position for which he/she is qualified, he/she shall receive a rate of pay in the lower salary range which provides for the smallest decrease in pay if the action is not for cause, or any appropriate rate in the range if the action is for cause as determined by the Department Head.

Vacant positions due to resignation, promotion, retirement, death, demotion or discharge shall be filled no later than ninety (90) calendar days from the date the vacancy occurred, unless the position is eliminated before any vacancy is announced. The ninety (90) day period may be extended upon mutual agreement between the Department Head and the F.O.P.

Employees with safety related concerns shall discuss their concerns and recommendations for improvements with the Department Head or the F.O.P. Safety Committee.

F.O.P. Officials, as determined by the F.O.P. President, shall be granted leave from duty with full pay for the purpose of negotiations and administration of this Agreement. Administration of the Agreement shall be defined as grievance proceedings, discipline meetings, language interpretation, meetings with departmental employees and individuals associated with this Agreement. The Department Head shall be notified of all leave granted and not more than two F.O.P. members shall be granted leave for the above -mentioned functions at the same time (Only when minimum staffing will allow).

F.O.P. officials may be granted leave with pay for the purpose of attending F.O.P. meetings, conventions, educational conferences, or conducting F.O.P. business, when it has been determined by the Department Head or his/her designee that such absences will not hinder the effective operation of the Department Head. Such leave shall be contingent upon written request by the F.O.P. and approval by the Department Head or his/her designee no less than one week in advance of the requested leave dates. Such paid leave shall not exceed eighty (80) hours per fiscal year for the entire F.O.P.

Effective July 1, 2025, upon successful completion of the introductory training program, all Communications Employees shall wear a designated uniform and can receive an allowance of 450 upon the substantiated claim for the purchase and maintenance of work -related clothing and equipment used by the Communications Employee. Thereafter, such employees shall receive up to $350 per fiscal year (July 1 through June 30) upon the substantiated claim for the purchase and maintenance of work-related clothing and equipment. The Department Head will make available to employees a list of authorized uniform vendors that have agreed to direct bill the County for approved uniform items for the employees of the Communications Center. Employees shall be required to submit itemized receipts within ninety (90) days of purchase and no later than June 1st of each year. After an employee receives the maximum reimbursement amount for the fiscal year, employees may not carry forward submitted receipts and apply them to the employee's uniform and equipment reimbursement allowance for subsequent fiscal years. Employees shall adhere to the Department’s Standard Operating Guidelines for the uniform/equipment reimbursement process.

The County shall provide replacement articles as necessary for damage to clothing, equipment or personal items occurring while in the performance of duties. Requests for reimbursement shall be submitted in writing and accompanied by proper documentation. Personal property claims will be reviewed by the Department Head or designee and will be paid or denied on the basis of reasonableness. If there is a separation of employment, any final reimbursement shall be issued in accordance with the Department’s Standard Operating Guidelines.

The number of hours that constitute a day’s work will vary depending on shift length but will usually be eight, ten or twelve hours. The number of calendar days that constitute a work week shall consist of forty (40) hours, and one pay period shall consist of two (2) calendar weeks. All hours worked and all paid leave hours except sick leave will be included in the computation of overtime. The Department Head or designee will discuss with the F.O.P. before altering shift length or establishing new hours of work.

The workweek for shift employees shall begin on Sunday at the beginning of what would be the employee’s regular shift (regardless of whether the employee actually works on a particular Sunday).

Employees of the Communications Department may be required to attend training time other than scheduled duty time. For full-time employees this time shall be compensated for a minimum of two (2) hours at the rate of time and one- half (1 1/2) the regular rate of pay, or one and one-half (1 1/2) times the regular rate of pay for the actual number of hours worked, whichever is greater. Part- time employees shall be compensated at their regular rate unless the training time causes the employee to exceed forty (40) hours for the week.

An employee shall be allowed a sixty (60) minute lunch period during an eight (8) hour shift. During a twelve (12) hour shift, an employee shall be allowed a sixty (60) minute lunch period, along with one fifteen (15) minute break in the first half of the shift and one fifteen (15) minute break in the latter half of the shift. When austere manning or duty restrictions prevent an employee from being granted a sixty (60) minute lunch period, the employee may opt for the sixty (60) minutes or any portion thereof to be applied to compensatory time off, or paid out as straight time. The Department Head shall retain the right to impose restrictions and limitations in those periods when an employee’s absence for a lunch period would jeopardize or otherwise detract from the efficient operation of the Department.

The County and the FOP recognize that there are currently four shifts in place: two (2) day shifts – 0600 to 1800 (“A” and “B” shifts) and two (2) night shifts – 1800 – 0600 (“C” and “D” shifts). Both parties agree that two (2) additional crossover shifts – 1200 – 2400 (“E” and “F”) may be created and remain in place at the discretion of the Department Head. At the sole discretion of the Department Head, each shift designated may be varied not to exceed two (2) hours, provided the employees affected are given a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours’ notice prior to the change of hours for the shift. No employee shall be allowed to work more than 16 hours at one time and a minimum of at least eight (8) hours off must be taken before returning to work.

Employees must submit bids in order to determine shift assignments for the shifts designated in Section 4 of this Article. Such bids shall be assigned based on seniority as defined in Article 9 of this agreement and the shift assignments shall become effective on the last Sunday in August and the last Sunday in February of each year. The Department Head and the F.O.P. shall establish the time period and procedures for bidding and scheduling days off.

Any vacancy or vacancies occurring in a shift or shifts between the scheduled changes in Section 5 of this Article may be filled by assignment of the Department Head, provided the employee(s) affected are given a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours’ notice prior to the change of hours and such assignment is in accordance with Section 5 of this Article.

Employees shall be allowed to trade shifts during the six month shift bid period when approved in advance and in writing by the Department Head. Trades will be approved in the sole discretion of the Department when the trade will not compromise the operational effectiveness of the Department.

During an emergency as declared by the Department Head, an employee’s shift, hours and duties may be established at the discretion of the Department Head.

The Department Head may assign certain employees to stand-by duty which requires the employee to remain in contact with the Communications Department.

OVERTIME PAY. Full-time employees shall be compensated at one and one- half (1 ½) times their regular rate for hours worked on a particular shift in excess of the usual shift or in excess of forty (40) hours per week. Part-time employees shall only be compensated at one and one-half (1 ½) times their regular rate of pay for hours worked in excess of forty (40) hours per week. Overtime must be approved by the Department Head or designee.

CALL-BACK PAY. If a full-time employee is called to duty during his/her off-duty time and such time does not coincide with his/her scheduled tour of duty, such employee shall be paid for a minimum of two (2) hours at the rate of time and one-half (1 ½) the employee’s regular rate of pay, or one and one-half (1 ½) times the employee’s regular rate of pay for the actual number of hours worked, whichever is greater. If the employee stays after the end of the shift, the time worked is not considered Call Back Pay and the employee shall only be compensated for the actual time worked. This also applies should an employee be called to court before or coinciding with the end of the employee's duty shift.

ON-CALL PAY. On-Call is defined as off-duty time where the employee is allowed to leave a telephone number or to carry an electronic device for the purpose of being contacted, even though the employee is required to remain within a reasonable call-back radius ("waiting to be engaged"). An employee who has been assigned to be on-call shall remain available and fit for duty to answer calls and to handle any issue that may arise that needs immediate attention. An employee assigned to be on-call shall be paid one and one-half (1 ½) hour of regular pay or compensatory time for each twelve (12) consecutive hours on-call or any fraction thereof on a prorated basis.

In calculating overtime pay, overtime compensation will be rounded to the nearest quarter (1/4) of an hour in all situations. For example, if an employee works seven (7) minutes past the end of his/her shift, he/she will not receive any compensation. If an employee works eight (8) minutes past the end of his/her shift, he/she will receive a quarter (1/4) hour compensation. If an employee works twenty-two (22) minutes past the end of his/her shift, he/she will receive a quarter (1/4) of an hour of compensation. If an employee works twenty-three (23) minutes past the end of his/her shift, he/she will receive one-half (½) hour of compensation. If an employee works more than forty-five (45) minutes and up to sixty (60) minutes of overtime, compensation will be one (1) hour of overtime.

Overtime opportunities shall be distributed equally so far as it is practical and possible. Supervisors shall not monopolize any work hours to the detriment of other employees.

COMPENSATORY TIME OFF. An employee may elect to receive compensatory time off for overtime hours, except as limited by this Agreement. Employees whose regularly scheduled work week includes 12 hours per day, four-days per week, and 48 hours per week, are not elegible to earn compensatory time for the final eight hours of their regularly scheduled 48-hour workweek. Should the employee elect to receive compensatory time, the employee shall have the right to accumulate three hundred and twenty (320) hours, except for the Administrative Specialist. The Administrative Specialist shall have the right to accumulate two hundred and forty (240) hours. After reaching and maintaining the maximum accumulation outlined above, further overtime shall be compensated in cash. Compensatory time will be at the rate of one and one-half (1 ½) hours’ time off to hours earned. In the event the employee separates from employment with the County, the employee shall receive payment of accumulated, compensatory time as outlined in the above paragraph.

Under no circumstances shall an employee deny on-duty employees the opportunity for overtime compensation by voluntarily working without compensation.

Any employee required to attend as a witness or in any other capacity directly related to his/her official duties, any case pending in the Juvenile Court, County Court or District Court, or before any Grand Jury proceedings or in conferences with the County Attorney or their respective Assistants, or at any proceedings by any City, County, State or Federal Government or any of the subdivisions of agencies thereof, during off-duty periods, shall be entitled to overtime compensation at the rate of time and one-half (1 ½) his/her regular rate of pay for a minimum of two (2) hours or one and one-half (1 ½) times his/her regular rate of pay for the actual number of hours worked, whichever is greater. When an employee is called as a witness in connection with the employee's official assigned duties, the employee shall not receive any witness fee in accordance with Department regulations.

The Department Head or designee may require employees to attend meetings of the Department; provided that notice of such meetings is given at least three (3) working days in advance of the required reporting time. Such time spent attending the meeting shall be paid in accordance with Section One (1) of this Article, except part-time employees shall not receive overtime compensation unless the hours cause the employee to exceed forty (40) hours in a week.

Employees who are approved by the Department Head to attend training seminars, workshops, conferences or schooling shall be paid at their applicable rate of pay while in attendance at such functions. Attendance at voluntary functions such as golfing outings or banquets will not be considered hours worked.

Employees shall be entitled to the compensation as set out in Section One (1) of this Article pertaining to Notice of Court Hearing unless such employee is notified twelve (12) hours prior to the set time of said hearing that the hearing has been canceled. The employee shall be responsible to call a predetermined phone number within the Communications Department having knowledge of said Court hearings within the last hour of the last working day when the Courthouse is open to see whether said hearing has been canceled.

Employees will be compensated in accordance with the Salary Schedule set forth in Appendix "B" hereto. The wage increases are as follows: Contract year July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 the wage increase is 5.0%. Contract year July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 the wage increase is 4.0%. Contract year July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2028 the wage increase is 3.0%.

If July 1 falls in the first seven days of a pay period, Employees shall receive the higher pay rate for the entire pay period. If July 1 falls in the last seven days of a pay period Employees shall not receive the higher pay rate until the subsequent pay period.

Classification Levels shall be as follows: Call Taker 911 Telecommunicator Administrative Specialist Senior Telecommunicator Training and Quality Assurance Coordinator Lead Telecommunicator

Original appointment to any position shall be made at the entrance step of a salary range and advancement from the entrance step to the maximum step within a salary range shall be based on performance and cumulative length of service per Article Nine (9), Section Six (6), except for Lateral Hires. Step 1 First year Step 2 Year 2 Step 3 Year 3 Step 4 Year 4 Step 5 Year 5 Step 6 Year 6 Step 7 Year 7 Step 8 After the 7th Year

Voluntary Deferred Compensation Match Program: The County will match up to $1,040 annually each calendar year of an employee’s voluntary contributions to his or her 457(b) deferred compensation account by depositing the matching funds into the employee’s 401(a) tax deferred defined contribution account. The employees’ eligibility for the employer match is subject to the terms of Section 7 this Article.

Longevity pay shall commence at the beginning of the eighth year and continue to be paid as follows for employees hired before July 1, 2015: Longevity pay shall be as follows:

Employees hired by the County after July 1, 2015 shall not be eligible to receive longevity pay.

Employees hired before July 1, 2015 shall have the option to participate in one of the following longevity pay programs for the remainder of their employment with the County: Option1: Employee retains existing longevity pay schedule but is not eligible to participate in the County’s deferred compensation matching program.

Option 2: Employee’s longevity pay schedule amounts are reduced by three- hundred dollars ($300) and employee is eligible to participate in the County’s deferred compensation match program (Section 5 of this Article).

Additionally, any employee receiving longevity under Option 2 can select to have the County deposit the longevity payment into the employee’s 401(a) tax deferred defined contribution plan account. Such selection shall remain in effect for the duration of their employment with the County. Employees hired by the County after July 1, 2015 shall not be eligible to receive longevity pay but shall be eligible to participate in the County’s deferred compensation match program (Section 5 of this Article).

Employees shall be paid an additional one dollar ($1.00) per hour for all regular and overtime hours worked between 1800 hours and 0600 hours, and this shift differential pay shall only be earned in one (1) hour increments.

Lateral Hire appointments to the position classification of 911 Telecommunicator shall be made according to the Lateral Hire’s qualifications and prior years of service. The Department Head shall use the table shown below as a guideline to establish the Lateral Hire’s entrance step in the salary schedule; however, the Department Head reserves the right to make the final determination on the Lateral Hire’s entrance step placement.

For Lateral Hires, advancement from their entrance step to the maximum step shall be based on performance and years of service; like regular hires, Lateral Hires may advance one step per year in ascending numerical order (i.e., Step 3 to Step 4; Step 4 to Step 5; and so on) until the maximum step is reached.

Each time an employee is officially designated by the appropriate supervisor to act in a higher classification, actually performs said duties for a minimum of one (1) hour or more (excluding lunch break/two 15 minute breaks), the employee shall be compensated for all hours worked in the higher salary grade, unless the rate is lower than the employee’s regular rate in which case the employee shall remain at his/her present rate of pay. It shall be the responsibility of the supervisor to identify those hours worked out of class for pay purposes. Out of class pay shall not apply to Senior Telecommunicators working in the place of Lead Telecommunicators, unless they are working in the place of a Lead Telecommunicator for three (3) or more consecutive working days.

Employees being paid at a higher rate while temporarily filling a position in a higher classification will be returned to their regular rate of pay when the period of temporary employment in the higher class ends.

Employees working out of classification shall be entitled to all benefits provided by this Agreement for the position to which they are assigned.

An employee who is assigned to work out of classification shall receive the closest approximation to a five percent (5%) increase in compensation in accordance with the appropriate pay grade of the higher classification.

The County shall maintain a Comprehensive Major Medical Plan for eligible employees which will include deductibles, copay amounts, coinsurance levels, in-network benefits, out-of-network benefits and other participant payment responsibilities customarily found in Comprehensive Major Medical Plans. No plan changes will be made until receiving recommendations from the County- wide Benefits Advisory Committee which shall be submitted to the County Administrator by September 1. If no recommendations are received by September 1, the County Board has the right to make necessary plan changes in time to have the health insurance program in place by the renewal date. The County-wide Benefits Advisory Committee shall include one or more representatives of the F.O.P. The County shall contribute ninety percent (90%) for individual coverage, eighty- three percent (83%) for employee plus coverage and eighty-three percent (83%) for family coverage. The County shall also pay eighty percent (80%) of eligible, in-network co-insurance costs for individual, employee plus and family coverage.

The County shall not pay such premiums referred to in Section 1 of this Article for any employee who, within any calendar month, has not received any compensation from the County for work performed, except as provided in Section 7 of this Article with the exception of FMLA qualified leave.

If an employee for whom the County is not paying an insurance premium by virtue of the provisions of Section 2 of this Article desires to continue such coverage the employee shall contact the Human Resources Department to discuss the options available to the employee.

The County shall provide and pay the full premium cost for group term life insurance for each eligible employee at a value of Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00) coverage.

The County shall provide and pay the full premium costs for long term disability benefit insurance for each eligible employee.

Sarpy County provides dental insurance coverage for all eligible employees who elect to carry this coverage. An employee’s responsibility will be $0 for single and $19 per family per month. Insurance plan documents and forms are available on the Human Resources webpage. Please contact the Human Resources Department for any other information relating to insurance.

An employee who (1) retires with a minimum of fifteen (15) years of service and has been employed by Sarpy County for a minimum of five (5) years prior to the date of retirement, and (2) is between the ages of sixty-two (62) and until reaching sixty-five (65) years may continue in the County's primary health insurance program and receive insurance coverage as provided for retirees. From age 62 until age 65, the County shall pay 75% of single coverage and 50% of family coverage. Eligible employees must be enrolled in a County health insurance program prior to retirement.

Health Care Reimbursement Arrangement Account. For those employees that have more than one year of service, the County shall pay $30 per month into the employee's Health Care Reimbursement Arrangement Account. This payment shall be made into an HRA account that shall be available for use to pay post- employment medical costs, including premiums, out of pocket expenses, any cost to acquire prescription medicines or other prescribed medical items, and co- payments.

Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed as repealing any lawfully recognized benefit provided through the County for employees of the Communications Department, and no employee shall inadvertently suffer any loss of wages, hours, or working conditions by reason of the signing of this Agreement.

If any provision of this Agreement is subsequently declared by the proper legislative or judicial authority to be unlawful or unenforceable, all other provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect for the duration of this Agreement.

Any employee, including shift supervisors, appointed by the Department Head or designee to be a Communications Training Officer for new trainees shall receive for any eight (8) or twelve (12) hours of training an additional one-quarter (1/4) hour of pay at his/her regular rate for each hour of training trainees.

The purpose of this Article is to foster a learning environment and provide educational opportunities that are mutually beneficial to the employees and the County and will encourage eligible employees to participate in education programs which will further their skills and knowledge for use in their current position or for use in a possible future position of greater responsibility. The Educational Reimbursement Program shall be a plan as provided for in Section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and shall be construed consistently with the requirements of Section 127. Amounts paid for tuition reimbursement meeting the requirements of Section 127 of the IRS Tax Code are not included in an Employee’s income or subject to income tax withholding up to a maximum of $5,250 annually. If subsequent tax law changes fail to continue the tax-free treatment, or in any way modify its treatment, appropriate adjustments in tax withholding will be made from the effective date of the change. This Article does not apply to training seminars, conferences, workshops, etc.

• A.Eligibility
• 1.Employees must be a full-time tenured employee as of the date the course begins.
• 2.Employees must be actively working for the County as of the date the course is completed.
• 3.The course schedule and study time must not be in conflict with the Employee work schedule.
• 4.Employees must take the course at one of the following types of accredited institutions:

The County reserves the right in the sole discretion of the Board of Commissioners to exclude any school or subject from eligibility under the Program. Any exclusion shall be effective as to courses beginning after the date the exclusion is imposed.

• 5.For employees taking graduate level courses, the course for which reimbursement is sought must be on leading to a graduate degree in a course of study in which the Employee is enrolled.
• 6.For employees taking undergraduate level courses, the course for which reimbursement is sought must be required or in line with the degree being sought, unless authorization is received from the Department Head. Under this provision, pre-requisites and electives that are necessary for obtaining a degree qualify for reimbursement.
• B.Reimbursement Terms. The County will reimburse employees for one (1) undergraduate degree and for one (1) graduate degree, if such degree would be beneficial to the employee’s current position or to a future position with the County. If an employee has already earned an undergraduate degree or graduate’s degree, then he or she is not eligible to participate in this program to receive reimbursement for the degree type(s) that he/she already has earned. The reimbursement procedure shall proceed as follows:
• 7.Up to 90% of the cost of tuition, required books, and class-associated fees for:  Approved technical or undergraduate level courses up to a maximum of $2,000 per fiscal year, or  Approved graduate level courses up to a maximum of $2,500 per fiscal year.
• 8.Supplies and other fees and charges will not be reimbursed.
• 9.Employees shall be entitled to reimbursement if they have complied with all provisions of this Regulation and receive a letter grade of A, B, or C, or a “Pass” grade for “Pass/Fail” courses.
• 10.Only tuition, required books, and class-associated fees actually incurred by employees are eligible for reimbursement. For example, funds received through grants, scholarships, or other waivers for these expenses will not be eligible for reimbursement.
• C.Application and Reimbursement Procedures
• 11.Before enrollment in a course, employees must submit to their Department Head a completed Education Reimbursement Application. The Department Head shall determine if the degree being sought is consistent with the employee’s current position or a future position with the county. The Department Head shall either approve or disapprove the application. If the application is not approved, the employee will be notified as to the reason for the denial. Applications shall not be unreasonably denied.
• 12.The completed and authorized application shall be forwarded to the Human Resources Department for processing and determination if the application meets the eligibility criteria.  If the application is denied, the Human Resources Department shall notify the applicant in writing as to the reasons.  If the application is approved, the Human Resources Department will return the application form to the employee indicating approval. This application must be retained by employees and resubmitted to receive reimbursement.
• 13.To receive reimbursement, employees must submit within 60 calendar days of the course completion date to the Human Resources Department their:  Grades,  Proof of payment of tuition and course-related fees,

• 14.Employees who voluntarily separate service or are dismissed within twelve (12) months after receiving reimbursement, shall repay the County for reimbursements received in the prior twelve (12) months. By accepting the reimbursement under this Regulation, employees authorize the deduction of reimbursements, which must be repaid from their final paycheck. If repayment is not fully paid from their final paycheck, employees shall immediately pay the County the remaining reimbursement.
• 15.Portions of reimbursement that exceed the fiscal year maximum cannot be carried over to the subsequent fiscal year.

All Communications Department shift positions will be posted for bid and will be implemented on the last Sunday in August and the last Sunday in February. In addition, shift bid may be posted up to two other occasions during the calendar year at the discretion of the Department Head or designee and with at least fifteen (15) calendar days advance notice. All Communications Department shift positions shall be posted for bid and filled pursuant to Article Nine (9) of this agreement. Such posting shall state the job title, rate of pay, shift and days off. Any two employees, with the approval of the Department Head or designee, may agree to trade shift positions.

This Agreement shall be and shall remain in full force and effect from and after July 1, 2025 until June 30, 2028 and shall be automatically renewed each year thereafter for successive one (1) year periods, unless either party shall notify the other in writing on or before the Friday 1st prior to the anniversary date that it desires to modify this Agreement.