Employee Handbook  

Section 5 — Job Classification/Compensation

Overview

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) was created to establish a minimum wage, limit the number of hours that may be worked in a standard work week at the regular base wage, and provide specific requirements for determining whether a job is eligible for exemption from the overtime provisions of the Act. Human resources determines whether a position is Exempt (salaried) or Non-Exempt (hourly) by interpreting and applying the provisions of the Act.

Supervisors must give prior approval for all overtime worked.

Non-Exempt (hourly) Employees

All Non-Exempt (hourly) employees with the exception of those stated below and where the total worked and/or leave hours exceed forty (40) hours in a standard work week are eligible, at the employee's option, for overtime pay or Compensatory Time (Comp Time). Compensatory Time (Comp Time) would be calculated at a rate of one and one-half times the excess hours worked in overtime calculated at the rate of one and one-half times the employee's regular (FLSA) rate of pay for excess hours worked. Employees who have left work and are called back, shall receive overtime, Compensatory Time (Comp Time), or a minimum of two hours at time and one half pay.

Seasonal/Temporary Recreation Employees

Per Section 13(a)(3) of the FLSA, seasonal/temporary swimming pool employees are exempt from the overtime provisions. These positions will be paid at the regular rate of pay for work over forty (40) hours in a standard work week.

Compensatory Overtime - Regular Full Time

Per Section 2(a) of the FLSA, Compensatory Time (Comp Time) may be authorized in lieu of overtime pay for all hours scheduled over 40 hours in a standard work week for regular full-time hourly employees.

If an employee works one hour of overtime, that employee’s compensatory bank will be credited with one and one-half hours. The maximum amount of Compensatory Time (Comp Time) that an employee can accumulate is 80 hours. Police Sergeants working a 10 hour shift can accumulate a maximum of 100 hours of Compensatory Time (Comp Time). All overtime earned in excess of the 80-hour maximum shall be paid. EMS Division Chiefs, Lieutenants, Paramedics and EMTs working the Pitman schedule, can accumulate up to 84 hours.

Compensatory Overtime - Regular Part Time

Per Section 2(a) of the FLSA, Compensatory Time (Comp Time) may be authorized in lieu of overtime pay for all hours scheduled over 40 hours in a standard work week for regular part-time hourly employees.

If an employee works one hour of overtime, that employee’s compensatory bank will be credited with one and one-half hours. The maximum amount of Compensatory Time (Comp Time) employees can accumulate is sixty (60) hours for regular three-quarter time employees and forty (40) hours for regular half time employees. All overtime earned in excess of the maximums shall be paid.

Working a Holiday

Any hourly employee who is scheduled to work on a designated holiday will receive time and one-half his/her normal rate for all hours worked on the holiday. Regular full-time and part-time staff will also receive holiday pay as outlined in Section 6.1 Paid Holidays.

Any hourly employee that is not scheduled to work on a designated holiday and is called back into work will receive two (2) times his/her normal rate for all hours worked on the observed holiday and/or the actual holiday.

Holiday for Fire Lieutenants

See Section 6.1

Specialized Supplemental Pay

Specialized Supplemental pay is compensation in addition to an employee’s regular wages.

The City may compensate an employee assigned to temporary additional duties or for standby pay as defined in the Department Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). 

Any changes to supplemental pay should have approval from the Human Resources Director, the Finance Director and final approval of the City Manager. 

Exempt (Salaried) Employees

The very nature of Exempt positions requires commitment to meet job responsibilities that extend beyond the typical 40-hour work week. The extra time and effort required normally increases with the level of the position within the City, and this commitment is reflected in the base salary for the position. The intent of Administrative Time (A-Time) is not to provide hour-for-hour time off but, rather to allow management the flexibility to give time off to Exempt employees that have dedicated extra time in providing services to the City.

Exempt positions are not subject to the overtime provisions of the FLSA. Vacation, sick and other accrued benefit time should be taken in eight-hour increments, versus hourly increments, to ensure the Exempt status is not compromised.

Administrative Time (A-Time) off may be given for front line salaried employees, working under extenuating circumstances or unusual conditions, such as City Flooding, Triathlon, etc.  Administrative Time (A-Time) is to be documented by the department and approved by the Department Director. The City Manager is to be notified of any Administrative Time (A-Time) taken. Administrative Time (A-Time) is not officially recorded and an employee will not receive any compensation for Administrative Time (A-Time) upon separation of employment. Not more than a total of five (5) days shall be given per Calendar Year. Senior Staff is *not* eligible for Administrative Time (A-Time).

When a city-wide or department disaster/emergency has been declared by the City Manager, additional compensation may be paid to salaried individuals. For the purpose of this policy, disasters would be defined as the loss of City services to a significant number of citizens, whereby additional hours of employee’s time and efforts are worked to restore service to the community. Further, disasters typical take additional efforts of staff on a longer term basis (such as the disaster recovery after a major tornado or flood) verses short term (such as a typical Iowa blizzard, follow up to a homicide, or a response to a major fire).

If you are an employee of the Association of Fire Fighters Local 3586 or the Teamsters Police Local 238, please refer to your current contract for pay for additional time worked.