1999-080RESOLUTION NO. 99-80
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SOUTHLAKE TEXAS, AMENDMENTS TO THE PERSONNEL
POLICIES HANDBOOK TO INCLUDE NEPOTISM POLICY AND
AMEND VACATION ACCRUAL RATES.
WHEREAS, The City of Southlake develops personnel policies to provide for the
proper administration of the affairs of the City and to provide a reference for employees about
what is expected of the employee, and what the employee can expect from the City as an
employer; and
WHEREAS, Any amendments to the personnel policies or new policies must be
approved by the Council as specified in the City Charter; and
WHEREAS, Chapter 6, Section 2c of the City of Southlake Personnel Policies
Handbook states that employees with less than five (5) years of employment will accrue 80
hours of vacation leave each year, and employees with more than five (5) years of employment
will accrue 120 hours of vacation leave each year; and
WHEREAS, Most cities in the metroplex provide for higher levels of vacation accrual
after ten (10) and twenty (20) years of service; and
WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes the need for a policy to prohibit the
employment of relative within the same department, to eliminate the potential for favoritism or
bestowal of patronage, and to minimize the potential for conflict whenever the performance or
exercise of official powers or duties may be influenced by relatives;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SOUTHLAKE, THAT:
Section 1: The City revise its vacation policy as provided in Appendix A, and
Section 2: That the City of Southlake hereby adopts the nepotism policy as detailed in
Appendix B.
Section 3: This resolution shall become effective after its passage and adoption by the City
Council.
5E-4
RESOLUTION NO. 99-80
Page 2.
PASSED AND APPROVED THIS THE
A
9
DAY OF /01 '1999.
Rick tact', Mayor
5E-6
RESOLUTION NO. 99-80
Page 3.
APPENDIX A
SECTION 2: Vacation Leave
C. Employees in regular positions shall receive vacation leave at the following rates:
i) After twelve (12) months of continuous employment, 80 hours (2 weeks) of annual
vacation leave, accrued at the rate of 3.08 hours per pay period for all employees
with the exception of those that work 24 hours on and 48 hours off (2912
employees). After twelve (12) months of continuous employment, 2912 employees
will earn 120 hours (2 weeks) accrued at the rate of 4.62 hours per pay period.
ii) After five (5) years of continuous employment, 120 hours (3 weeks) of annual
vacation leave, accrued at the rate of 4.62 hours per pay period with the exception
of 2912 employees. After five (5) years of continuous employment, 2912
employees will earn 180 hours (3 weeks) at the rate of 6.92 hours per pay period.
iii) After ten (10) years of continuous employment, 184 hours (4 weeks, 3 days) of
annual vacation leave, accrued at the rate of 7.08 hours per pay period with the
exception of 2912 employees. After ten (10) years of continuous employment, 2912
employees will earn 264 hours (4 weeks, 3 days) accrued at the rate of 10.15 hours
per pay period.
iv) After twenty (20) years of continuous employment, 208 hours (5 weeks, 1 day) of
annual vacation leave, accrued at the rate of 8.00 hours per pay period with the
exception of 2912 employees. After twenty (20) years of continuous employment,
2912 employees will earn 288 hours (5 weeks, 1 day) accrued at the rate of 11.07
hours per pay period.
All vacation leave shall be based upon the employee's anniversary date. The City
Manager may implement special rules, consistent with state law, for personnel of the
Police and Fire Departments.
5E-6
RESOLUTION NO. 99-80
Page 4.
Section:
Effective Date:
Approved Bv:
1.0 Purpose
APPENDIX B
Citv of Southlake
Personnel Policies
Rules and Regulations Topic: Nepotism
December 8, 1999
Revision Date:
To prohibit the employment of relatives within the same department, to eliminate
the potential for favoritism shown to relatives or bestowal of patronage by reason
of blood, adoption, or marital relationship, and to minimize the potential for
conflict whenever the performance or exercise of official powers or duties may be
influenced by relatives.
2.0 Definitions
2.1 Applicant: A person who has applied for employment with the City or an
employee who has applied for a different position within the City.
2.2 Employee: Includes probationary, regular full-time, regular part-time,
seasonal, and temporary employees of the City of Southlake.
2.3 Department: Any department created by the City Council, identified in
Chapter 4, Section 1, of the City of Southlake Charter.
2.4 Relative:
2.4.1 A person related by blood or adoption to the employee as follows:
a) parent (mother/father);
b) children (daughter/son);
c) siblings (sister/brother);
d) parent's parents, i.e., grandparents (grandmother/grandfather);
e) children's children, i.e., grandchildren
granddaughter/grandson);
f) sibling's children (niece/nephew);
g) grandparent's children (aunt/uncle)
5E-7
Employment of Relatives
Page 2
h) grandparent's grandchildren, i.e., aunt/uncle's children (first
cousins); or
2.4.2 The employee's spouse, those persons in the above categories
related to the employee's spouse, or those persons married to a
person specified in 2.4.1.
3.0 Policy
3.1 Disclosure by Applicants - An applicant for employment with the City of
Southlake is reauired to disclose any relative who is employed by the City
of Southlake, as well as any relative who serves as the mayor or as a city
council member.
3.2 Relatives of Current City Council, Mayor, or Council Appointments -
No person who is related within the second degree by affinity (marriage)
or within third degree by consanguinity (blood) as defined by the Texas
Government Code, to the mayor, any member of the city council, council
appointed employees, or any other Council appointed positions will be
eligible for employment.
3.3 Relatives of Elected City Council, Mayor, or City Manager - An
employee or officer who is or becomes related within the second degree
by affinity or within the third degree by consanguinity to a person who is
elected as mayor, council member, or city manager will not be eligible for
continued employment, unless the employee or officer has been
continuously employed by the City for not less than two (2) years prior to
the election. The Director of Human Resources will evaluate eligibility
for continued employment pursuant to the provisions of the Texas
Government Code, Section 573.062, and Chapter 2, Section 13 of the City
of Southlake Charter.
3.4 Applicants Related to Current Employees —
3.4.1 No applicant who is a relative of a current city employee may be
offered or accept employment in the same department or where
such employment would constitute a condition of conflict, where
the performance, or exercise of official powers or duties may be
influenced by the applicant's relative.
3.4.2 No applicant who is a relative of an employee who is appointed by
the city council is eligible for employment with the City. No
applicant who is a relative of a department head is eligible for
employment with the City except for appointment in seasonal or
temporary positions outside of the department head's department.
5E-10
Employment of Relatives
Page 3
Additionally, no applicant who is a relative of any employee in the
City Manager's Office or the Human Resources Department is
eligible for employment with the City.
3.5 Placement of Current Employees — An employee who is a relative of
another employee may not be placed:
3.5.1 in a position that would place one employee in the position of
immediate supervision of the other; or
3.5.2 in a position where a condition of conflict would exist, where the
performance or exercise of official powers or duties may be
influenced by the employee's relative.
3.6 Exceptions for Current Employees — An employee who is a relative of
another employee may be employed in the same department if
a) the employees were related and employed in the same
department before the effective date of this policy;
b) a reorganization approved by the City Manager results in
related employees being placed in the same department; or
c) a reorganization approved by the City Manager results in an
employee being removed from the department in which that
employee has a relative. If the affected employee wishes to
return to the original department, he or she must formally apply
for an available position in the department within 90 days of
the effective date of the reorganization.
3.7 Relatives after Employment - If an employee becomes a relative of
another employee after employment, and works in the same department as
another employee, the Director of Human Resources, in conjunction with
the City Manager, will evaluate and determine whether both employees
will be allowed to continue employment in the same positions. Such
determination will be made by what is considered to be in the best interest
of the City of Southlake, taking into consideration such factors as whether
the employees work in the same division, and whether it would place one
in the position of immediate supervision of the other.
3.8 Disclosure by Current Employees
3.8.1 An employee who, on the effective date of this policy, is a relative,
as described in section 2.4, of another employee who works in the
same department shall disclose this relationship to the Director of
5E-10
Employment of Relatives
Page 4
Human Resources within 30 days of the effective date of this
policy.
3.8.2 An employee who becomes a relative of an employee who works
in the same department is required to disclose the relationship to
the Director of Human Resources within 30 days of the date the
employees became relatives.
5E-10