Procedure 902-Leave & Absence Policies

Question 1

.01 INTRODUCTION
A. This procedure establishes guidelines for the accrual and use of leave available to sworn members and defines
Department policies regarding absences and tardiness.
B. Non-sworn members accrue leave in accordance with City Administrative Directive 4.4, Leave Administration.
.02 POLICY
Officers on any type of leave status are not authorized to work overtime for the City unless ordered to return to duty
by a Division Commander.
.03 LEAVE ACCRUAL
A. Annual (Vacation) Leave
1. Officers accrue annual leave on the basis of the following schedule:
Completed Years of Service Annual Leave Accrued
a. 1 to 10 126 Hours
b. 10 to 15 166 Hours
c. More than 15 206 Hours
2. Annual leave shall be accrued and credited as follows:
a. Officers shall accrue annual leave at a rate of ten (10) hours per month, plus an additional six (6) hours on
each anniversary date.
b. On the date an officer completed ten (10) years of service and on each anniversary date thereafter, he is
credited on a lump sum basis with forty (40) additional hours of annual leave; and
c. On the date an officer completes fifteen (15) years of service and on each anniversary date thereafter, he
will be credited on a lump sum basis with eighty (80) additional hours of annual leave.
3. Upon separation from the department, an officer may be paid for his accrued annual leave up to seven hundred
twenty (720) hours.
B. Holidays
1. Officers accrue holidays according to their current work assignments.General Manual Procedures – Section 900 Personnel Procedures Page 2 of 6 Effective Date:July 31, 2010
San Antonio Police Department
GENERAL MANUAL
Procedure 902 – Leave and Absence Policies
2. Holidays have an accrual limit of three hundred twenty (320) hours.
3. Upon separation from the department, an officer may be paid for his total accrued holidays up to three hundred
twenty (320) hours.
C. Sick Leave
1. Officers accrue ten (10) hours of sick leave each month with no limit on how much sick leave is accrued.
2. Upon separation from the Department, an officer may be paid for his accrued sick leave up to seven hundred
twenty (720) hours.
D. Bonus Days
1. A bonus day shall consist of eight (8) hours and is awarded for each quarter of perfect attendance for a total of
four (4) potential bonus days per year
2. Quarters of a calendar year extend from:
a. January 1 to March 31;
b. April 1 to June 30;
c. July 1 to September 30; and
d. October 1 to December 31.
3. In order to receive a bonus day, officers are not to be off from duty or any of the following reasons:
a. Any sick leave;
b. Off-duty injury;
c. Military leave in excess of fifteen (15) days in a calendar year;
d. Leave without pay;
e. Stress leave;
f. Suspension, regardless if time is lost or forfeited;
g. Unscheduled compensatory time (for a full day);
h. Unscheduled annual leave (for a full day); or
i. Unscheduled holiday leave (for a full day).
4. A full annual leave day, a full holiday, or a full day of compensatory time usage not scheduled in advance (prior
to the end of that officer’s preceding days shift) by a supervisor disqualifies an officer from receiving a bonus
day.General Manual Procedures – Section 900 Personnel Procedures Page 3 of 6 Effective Date:July 31, 2010
San Antonio Police Department
GENERAL MANUAL
Procedure 902 – Leave and Absence Policies
5. The Accounting and Personnel Office provides each section with a computer printout after each quarter
showing the officers who have qualified for a bonus day. If there are any discrepancies, the section commander
will contact the Accounting and Personnel Office to verify the printout and make any necessary corrections.
6. Probationary police officers are eligible to receive a bonus day only after completing a full quarter after
graduation from the Police Training Academy.
7. Bonus days have an accrual limit of four hundred (400) hours.
8. Upon separation from the Department, an officer may be paid for his total accrued bonus days up to four hundred (400) hours.
E. Compensatory Time
1. Officers may accrue compensatory time in place of overtime pay.
2. Compensatory time has an accrual limit of four hundred eighty (480) hours.
3. Upon separation from the department, an officer may be paid for his total accrued compensatory time up to four
hundred eighty (480) hours.
.04 ANNUAL LEAVE & MILITARY LEAVE SCHEDULING & LIMITATIONS
A. Annual Leave & Military Leave Scheduling
1. Members requesting annual and military leave during the calendar year, do so no later than January 15, using
SAPD Form #25, Vacation Request Form. Vacation request forms are submitted to the appropriate Shift or Unit
Directors.
2. Annual leave may be taken in two (2) parts, the smaller part of which is at least five (5) working days. Split
annual leave periods require a minimum of thirty (30) days between periods.
3. Probationary police officers are not allowed to use any annual leave during the initial thirty (30) weeks of their
probationary period. Accrued holiday leave, bonus day leave, or compensatory time may be used instead.
4. Members anticipating military leave during the calendar years, but are unsure of the exact dates, should use the
previous year military leave dates for their military unit.
5. Shift or Unit Directors ensure annual leave and military leave lists are typed or computer generated, grouped by
month, members listed alphabetically by rank, and submitted to the appropriate division commanders before
February 21, of each year.
6. Shift or Unit Directors determine the most practical schedule for non-sworn members and retain this schedule
with the schedule for sworn members.
B. Limitations on Annual Leave & Military Leave Scheduling
1. To ensure sufficient strength in each rank throughout the year, the following are limitations on the scheduling of
annual leave:
a. Assistant Chiefs: A suitable schedule is arranged by the Chief of Police;
b. Deputy Chiefs: A suitable schedule is arranged by the Assistant Chiefs;General Manual Procedures – Section 900 Personnel Procedures Page 4 of 6 Effective Date:July 31, 2010
San Antonio Police Department
GENERAL MANUAL
Procedure 902 – Leave and Absence Policies
c. Captains and Lieutenants: Scheduling of annual leave will be at the discretion of the Division
Commanders.
d. Sergeants: Scheduling of annual leave will be at the discretion of the Section Commanders.
e. Detective-Investigators and Police Officers: Grouped by shift or unit and are limited by Shift/Unit
Directors to ensure adequate personnel strength is available at all times to perform necessary job tasks.
2. There are no restrictions on the use of military leave during the year. Request for military leave should be
accompanied by military leave orders.
.05 POLICE SCHEDULED LEAVE SYSTEM (PSLS)
A. The Police Scheduled Leave System (PSLS) is a computer database that contains the names of officers that have
been authorized leave.
B. Shift/Unit Directors ensure the Annual and Military leave schedules are entered into the Police Scheduled Leave
System by February 21, of each year.
C. Whenever a change or addition is made to an officer’s annual leave or military leave or an officer schedules three
(3) or more days of consecutive leave of any type, Shift, or Unit Directors ensure this new information is entered
into the Police Scheduled Leave System at the time the change or addition is approved.
.06 MISCELLANEOUS LEAVE POLICIES
A. Notice of Requested Leave
1. Members requesting the following types of leave should request the leave as early as possible, but not more
than thirty (30) days prior to the requested leave date(s).
a. Annual leave or military leave not scheduled by January 15, of each year;
b. Bonus day leave;
c. Holiday leave, taken on any day other than a city holiday; and
d. Compensatory leave.
2. City of San Antonio Notice of Leave Form
a. The Notice of Leave Form for scheduled vacation must be submitted by members taking any type of leave,
except compensatory time, by January 15 of each year;
b. Members, when possible, shall complete and submit the Notice of Leave Form prior to taking the leave.
c. In cases of sick leave, injured on duty leave, or other emergency leave, members should request a
supervisory officer to submit the Notice of Leave Form with a notation the member is “unavailable to sign”
or submit the form when the member returns to duty.General Manual Procedures – Section 900 Personnel Procedures Page 5 of 6 Effective Date:July 31, 2010
San Antonio Police Department
GENERAL MANUAL
Procedure 902 – Leave and Absence Policies
B. Sick Leave
1. When a member is unable to report to work due to illness or injury, the member shall contact a supervisor in
accordance with the guidelines in his unit’s SOP.
2. Any officer who requests forty (40) or more consecutive hours of sick leave must present a certificate from a
physician who documents confirmation the member was unable to work for the department.
3. The department has the authority, at any time, to order any officer to submit to a medical examination.
4. Probationary police officers are not allowed to use any sick leave during their initial thirty (30) week
probationary period. Accrued holiday leave, bonus day leave, or compensatory time may be used instead.
5. Sick leave for non-sworn members is governed by Administrative Directives 4.2, Workplace Attendance, and
4.4, Leave Administration.
C. Injured On Duty Leave
1. Members requesting to be carried as injured on duty are required to seek immediate treatment by a physician if
they have not already done so.
2. Before a member is carried as injured on duty he is required to have a physician complete SAPD Form #172,
Physician Authorization for Injury Status. The completed form is turned in to the member’s supervisor who
ensures the original is routed to the Accounting and Personnel Office.
3. The member’s supervisor is responsible for having SAPD Form #172 and/or State Form #DWC073, Work
Status Report and Instructions, completed by a physician when the injury is of such a nature as to preclude the
member from having the form completed.
4. Before a member is allowed to return to regular duty from injured on-duty leave, the member must submit
SAPD Form #172 and/or State Form #DWC073. The form must be completed by a physician stating the
member may return to regular duty.
D. Administrative Leave
Members may be placed on administrative leave by the Chief of Police in accordance with General Manual
Procedures 908, Mandatory Reassignment or 909, Travel.
E. Association Leave
Officers may be placed on legislative leave in accordance with Article III, Section 2(E) and Section 3(D) of the
Collective Bargaining Agreement.
F. Leave without Pay
The Chief of Police may grant authorized leave without pay to a member, who requests authorized leave, but does
not have any accrued leave. The Chief of Police may authorize up to five (5) days leave without pay. Anything in
excess of five (5) days has to have the approval of the City Manager.General Manual Procedures – Section 900 Personnel Procedures Page 6 of 6 Effective Date:July 31, 2010
San Antonio Police Department
GENERAL MANUAL
Procedure 902 – Leave and Absence Policies
.07 ABSENCES
A. Sworn members not on authorized leave and who fail to report for duty within one (1) hour of the commencement of
their assigned duty hours are carried absent for that day.
B. Any absence is considered unauthorized when the sworn member is carried absent without pay on the pay sheet for
that day.
C. Any sworn member who has unauthorized absences of more than two (2) consecutive days may be processed as a
voluntary termination.
.08 TARDINESS
A. Sworn members, who are going to be tardy, arriving less than one (1) hour after the commencement of their
assigned duty hours, shall notify their respective units as soon as possible.
B. Sworn members failing to report for duty as scheduled during either six (6) month period, (January through June or
July through December), forfeit accrued vacation, holiday, or bonus day leave time according to the following
schedule:
1. First Time Forfeiture of accrued vacation, holiday, or bonus day leave equivalent to the tardy period with no
punitive assessment.
2. Second TimeForfeiture of accrued vacation, holiday, or bonus day leave equivalent to the tardy period with a
punitive assessment of an additional two (2) hours and verbal counseling.
3. Third Time Forfeiture of accrued vacation, holiday, or bonus day leave equivalent to the tardy period with a
punitive assessment of an additional four (4) hours and a written counseling.
4. Fourth Time Leave without pay for the day and a written reprimand.
5. Fifth Time Leave without pay for the day with additional disciplinary action recommended.
C. Members shall submit a report on all tardiness occasions.
D. Unit Directors / Detail Supervisors:
1. Ensure the member’s explanatory report is filed in the member’s departmental field file;
2. Maintain a tardiness file for their unit or detail and retain the file until the end of the six (6) month period,
unless disciplinary action is pending and the file is required for documentation of a member’s tardiness; and
3. Submit documentation and recommendations for disciplinary action for members who have five (5) or more
occasions of tardiness during a six (6) month period to the section commander.
4. Tardiness by non-sworn members is governed by City Administrative Directive 4.2, Workplace Attendance.

Answer 1

General Manual Procedures – Section 900 Personnel Procedures Page 1 of 6 Effective Date:July 31, 2010
San Antonio Police Department
GENERAL MANUAL
Procedure 902 – Leave and Absence Policies
Office with Primary
Responsibility:
SSO Effective Date:
Prior Revision Date:
July 31, 2010
October 01, 2009
Office(s) with Secondary
Responsibilities: PSC, PNC, TSC, FTC, IDC Number of Pages: 6
Forms Referenced in Procedure:
COSA Notice of Leave Form
SAPD Form #25
SAPD Form #172
State Form #DWC073
Related Procedures: 908, 909