It is the intent of the pay policy that department directors will make every reasonable effort to minimize the impact on requiring employees who are not designated as Assigned Personnel to use their personal accrued leave. As noted throughout this Plan, not every function performed by the City is mission-essential; some functions will be temporarily suspended during activation of the COOP. Depending on the nature of the event, the City may experience funding constraints. Department directors will need to review and prioritize mission-essential functions. The idea that all employees will be paid their regular wages, regardless of whether they report to work, must be balanced against the City of Melbourne being a taxpayer supported governmental agency.

If an event in the City triggers the activation of the COOP and, as a result, only Assigned Personnel are instructed to report for duty, department directors will have the flexibility to:

• Implement alternative work schedules
• Establish and/or change operational hours
• Permit telecommuting
• Alternate and redistribute work assignments
• Temporarily assign employees who are not designated as Assigned Personnel to other departments, when possible
• Require Assigned Personnel to report to work if they are on pre-approved leave, but are available and able to work

For the first 72 hours during activation of the COOP, all employees in the affected department will continue to receive their normal pay. The leave for employees who have scheduled pre-approved leave (sick, vacation, compensatory time, etc.) during this 72-hour period will be recorded on the time sheet as previously scheduled. Employees designated as Assigned Personnel who call in sick during this 72-hour period, and sick leave is approved, shall have their sick leave balance reduced in accordance with their regularly scheduled hours.

After 72 hours, the department director will require employees who are not designated as Assigned Personnel and who have not been temporarily reassigned to use their accrued vacation or compensatory time. Employees may take approved leave without pay. Employees who do not have accrued leave will be required to take leave without pay. 

In all cases, employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement shall be governed by the terms of the applicable agreement. If there is no language in the applicable collective bargaining agreement that addresses the activation of the COOP, then this policy shall apply.

For information on pay for declared emergencies, refer to City Administrative Policy 904 – Emergency Operations Pay.