Extra-help employees who are official representatives or Stewards of the Union shall be given reasonable time off with pay during attendance at a meet and confer session, consultation with management representatives, or being present at hearings where matters within the scope of representation are being considered, when the time spent coincides with their pre-scheduled work day/shift. The use of official time for this purpose shall be reasonable and shall not interfere with the performance of County services as determined by the County. Such representatives or stewards shall submit written requests for excused absences to the Director of Human Resources at least two (2) working days prior to the scheduled meeting whenever possible.

Except by agreement with the Director of Human Resources, the number of extra-help employees excused for such purposes shall not exceed one (1) per Union, or four (4) per Union for formal negotiations on successor MOU’s. Paid release time for formal negotiations shall not be provided for stewards who are not extra-help to represent extra-help employees, other than (a) a maximum of one regular employee from each Union, and (b) a representative or steward who moves from extra-help to regular status during a given set of negotiations shall continue to be provided paid release time for those negotiations.

If any extra-help employee’s request for excused absence is not approved, such disapproval shall be subject to appeal to the County Manager whose decision shall be final.

The Union shall be allowed up to 35 hours of unpaid release time per calendar year for official representatives and stewards to conduct necessary internal union business. Requests for time shall be made to the extra-help employee’s department head at least fourteen (14) days in advance.

Extra-help shop stewards working P.M. shifts shall be provided with two (2) hours of unpaid release time each month to attend Steward Council Meetings. It is acknowledged that San Mateo Medical Center administration will attempt to provide such release time, but that each instance must be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Any denial of requested time off may be appealed to the Director of Human Resources, whose decision shall be final.

 

2016-08-02