Palo Alto Merit Rules

Question 1

Who does the Merit System not apply too?

Answer 1

Elective Officers, Positions on appointive boards, Persons under contract to supply expert, professional or technical services or Volunteers

Question 2

During the term of service of an active council member any member of that council members family may not…

Answer 2

Become an employee

Question 3

True or False, no employee shall serve on a hiring board or be a direct supervisor for any immediate family members

Answer 3

True

Question 4

What is a “Designated Employee”

Answer 4

A council appointed officer or assistant city manager

Question 5

How many days before a demotion shall an employee receive a written notice?

Answer 5

5 days

Question 6

True or False, a regular employee has the right to appeal a termination of employment

Answer 6

True

Question 7

If any employee and council member or designated employee become members of the same immediate family, one of the persons must leave city employment or their elective office. How many days to the two persons have to make that decision?

Answer 7

30 days

Question 8

Who should be notified if two employees of the same department become members of the same immediate family?

Answer 8

Department head and Director of Human Resources

Question 9

For employees working a regular 40 hour work week, how often and at what rate do they receive sick leave.

Answer 9

Sick leave is accured bi-weekely provided the employee has been in a pay status for 50% or more. Sick leave shall be accured at the rate of 3.7 hours per bi-weekly pay period.

Question 10

Employees hired after _____________ has a limit of _________hours of sick leave

Answer 10

December 1, 1983 has a limit of 1000 hours of sick leave.

Question 11

Once sick leave is depleted or the begining of the period to be covered by payments under the disability group insurance coverage, an employee may be granted a disability leave of absence without pay for no more than how many days?

Answer 11

60 days

Question 12

If an employee is approved to disability leave of absence, when they would like to return back to work they must provide a ____ day notice

Answer 12

30 days

Question 13

An employee with less than 4 years of service receive how many vacation hours?

Answer 13

80 hours

Question 14

An employee with 4 but no more than 9 years of service will receive how many vacation hours?

Answer 14

120 Hours

Question 15

An employee with 9 but no more than 14 years of service will receive how many vacation hours?

Answer 15

160 hours

Question 16

An employee with 14 but no more than 19 years of service will receive how many vacation hours?

Answer 16

180 hours

Question 17

An employee with 19 or more years of service will receive how many vacation hours?

Answer 17

200 hours

Question 18

What Federal Acts allow employees to go on unpaid leave, unless the employee elects to use sick, vacation and other time on the books.

Answer 18

Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA-federal) and California’s Moore-Brown-Roberti Family Rights Act (CFRA-state)

Question 19

When there is death in an employees immediate family, the employee will receive…

Answer 19

3 days of paid leave

Question 20

True or False, an employee may not use a reasonable amount of work time in conferring about and presenting a grievance.

Answer 20

False

Question 21

Any retroactivity on monetary grievances shall be limited to the date of the occurrence except…..

Answer 21

Except in no case will retroactivity be granted prior to three months before the grievance was filed in writing.

Question 22

What is the first step in the Grievance procedure?

Answer 22

Step 1: Attempt to resolve grievance through informal discussions with immediate supervisor by the end of the 10th calendar day following the incident upon which the grievance is based.

Question 23

What is the second step int he Grievance procedure?

Answer 23

If not resolved by Step 1, employee will reduce the grievance to writing and submit copies to his division head or equivalent level management employee and the Director of Human Resources within 10 calendar days of the discussion with his immediate supervisor

Question 24

What is the third step in the Grievance procedure?

Answer 24

Step 3: If not resolved at Step 2, the employee may appeal to his department head in writing within 10 calendar days of the receipt of the division head’s response.

Question 25

What is the fourth step in the Grievance procedure?

Answer 25

Step 4: If not resolved by Step 3, an employee may appeal decision of department head to the City Manager within 10 days. If employee wishes to have their grievance reviewed by a “fact-finder” they must indicate that in their written grievance to the city manager.

Question 26

If employee elects to submit their grievance to fact finding, then all parties may agree on a fact finder or…

Answer 26

The parties will request a panel of 5 facts finders from the State Mediation and Conciliation Service. The parties will then strike names off the list of five until only 1 remains.

Question 27

Who pays for the cost of fact finding for the grievance?

Answer 27

The costs will be shared by both parties

Question 28

In a grievance, The city manager will render a decision to all parties with in how many days after receiving the employee’s appeal, or after receipt of the fact-finder’s report?

Answer 28

15 days

Question 29

With a grievance regarding disciplinary action, the city manager will do what in 30 days of receipt of the employees appeal

Answer 29

The city manager shall conduct a hearing

Question 30

What is the grievance chain of command?

Answer 30

Informal discussion with supervisor–> Written grievance to division head and Director of Human Resources–> written grievance to department head–> written grievance to City Manager.