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ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE GENERAL ORDER Effective Date: May 13, 2009  Amends - GO 4.1.1 (January 30, 2009) Number: 4.1.1 Distribution: All Personnel Review Month: May Reviewing Authority: HRD / Employee Services Subject: Emergency Med ical Leave Donations This order consists of the following: 1. Purpose 2. Policy 3. Definitions 4. Procedures 1. Purpose The purpose of this policy is to provide an employee of the agency with a procedure to extend their employment when as a result of a med ical need they use all available sick, vacation and compensatory leave time. 2. Policy The agency provides a means for personnel who have used all of their own sick and personal leave, to extend their employment when they, their parent, child, or spouse livi ng in the employee’s primary residence, have encountered a medical need and become ill or injured. The Sheriff shall permit other members of the agency to donate their vacation or compensatory time to the employee in need. This plan is to be used to assis t qualified employees with medically necessary absences, including complications or recovery from pregnancy. A history of an abuse of sick time usage within the last five years will result in exclusion from participation in this program. 3. Definitions Child - natural, adopted, step, or as a dependent child listed on health insurance. 4. Procedures A. The employee’s supervisor must contact Human Resources, Risk Management indicating the need for donated time. The request should be submitted in writing to the Human Resources Division Commander or designee . Qualified employees wishing to donate may transfer time to the employee in need, in accordance with 4(B) of this policy. B. Risk Management will verify that the employee needing the donation has de pleted all of his/her sick and personal time . The Division Manager shall confirm the employee has not been a past abuser of sick time. If sick time abuse is evident, the Human Resources Division Commander or designee should deny the request. 4.1.1 , Page 2 of 3 C. The Huma n Resources Division Commander or designee shall review the information provided and determine if the facts and information presented reflect an abusive sick leave history. D. Only vacation and compensatory time may be donated to an employee who has a need for such time. Donations may be received and given under the following conditions: 1. The employee must have exhausted all of their sick, vacation and compensatory time. 2. Donated time may only be given in the event of illness or injury to an employee , their parent, child, or spouse living in the employee’s primary residence. 3. A minimum of eight (8) hours is required for donations. 4. Employees donating time must have available a combined minimum of eighty (80) hours of vacation and compensatory ti me remaining after time is donated. The eighty (80) hour requirement does not apply to DROP participants who wish to donate from their available time. 5. Donations are only forwarded to Fiscal Management as the employee requires the time for the pay peri od, unless specified by the donor to forward immediately , due to the donor being at the maximum vacation accrual . Unused time donations that are not forwarded to Fiscal Management will be held in Risk Management for future pay periods for the individual n ot to exceed 240 hours of donated Emergency Medical leave . Time donations in excess of 240 hours will be returned to the donor. 6. Medical evidence by a physician must be submitted prior to donations being awarded. Medical updates may be requested by Hu man Resources at any time to substantiate the on -going need to continue to receive donated time. 7. An employee may receive no more than 240 hours of donated Emergency Medical Leave hours for any related illness or injury. Should the employee have more t han one qualifying event, they are limited to a maximum of 240 hours of donated time during any 12 month period. 8. Emergency Medical Leave hours will not be paid retroactively. E. Employees electing to donate vacation or compensatory time, must complete the "Request to Donate Time " form. This form is to be forwarded to Human Resources, Risk Management. The form is availab le in the agency forms area of the OCSO Portal and may be e -mailed or faxed to Risk Management. After review and as needed the forms will be forwarded to Fiscal Management, for crediting the time to the recipient’s account. F. The recipient and the donor shall be notified in writing of the transaction by Human Resources, Risk Management.