The second shift shall be defined as those hours between 4:00 p.m. and 11:59 p.m., and the third shift shall be defined as those hours between 12:00 midnight and 7:59 a.m.

Employees occasionally starting work early and/or occasionally working longer hours are not entitled to shift differential, as determined by the Personnel Director. The shift differential rate shall be determined by Levy Court during the annual budget approval process.

Department heads or division managers shall authorize overtime and accrual of compensatory time only when absolutely necessary to complete a project with specific deadlines.

Accrual of compensatory time off in lieu of monetary overtime compensation, shall be at a rate of not less than 1 1/2 hours of compensatory time for each hour of overtime worked over the normal workweek (35 hours or 40 hours as the case may be). Accrued compensatory time in excess of 40 hours shall be paid to any affected employee on a quarterly basis, unless waived by the Personnel Director for a specified and legitimate reason, but in no case longer than two consecutive quarters.

Compensatory time off may be scheduled in conjunction with annual leave with the approval of the department head or division manager.

Compensatory time off may be scheduled at the discretion of the department head or supervisor without the employee's consent, or paid out in full at any time as determined by the Personnel Director after consulting the affected department head.

Each quarter, the Personnel Director shall provide a written report to the County Administrator and Levy Court Commissioners, as to the status of compensatory time being accrued and used.

The Levy Court may at any time limit the authority of all or individual department heads or division managers to grant compensatory time.

Department heads may select one or more exempt employees to be available to routinely respond to emergencies after normal business hours, provided such compensation has been included in the department's annual budget for such purposes.

Department heads may select one or more nonexempt (hourly) employees to be available to routinely respond to emergencies after normal business hours, provided such compensation has been included in the department's annual budget for such purposes. When responding to an emergency, the employee(s) shall be compensated for a minimum of two hours, inclusive of any follow-up callouts for the same incident.

The compensation rate for being "on call" shall be established by Levy Court in the annual budget document.

Any employee of Kent County government shall be required to have his or her payroll check electronically transferred into a personal bank account or other acceptable account. Required direct deposit information shall be provided by the employee to the payroll office during the first week of employment.

A waiver from the direct deposit requirement may be granted by the Director of Personnel to those employees who are students; have been denied a bank account based on poor credit history; if the employee's bank does not participate in direct deposit; for short-term employment less than three months; if the employee is new to the state and has not yet established a bank account (temporary waiver only); or for some personal reason to be fully explained on a waiver form available at the Personnel Office. The employee's paycheck may be mailed to the employee's address.

Direct deposit shall be a condition of employment, and notification that direct deposit is required shall be included on the Kent County employment application form.

Failure on the part of any employee to abide by the requirements of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Payday shall be and paychecks will be electronically credited to employees on a biweekly basis on Friday one week in arrears, unless the day is a recognized holiday, in which case paychecks will be distributed or credited on the last working day before the holiday.

The weekly pay period shall be from 12:00 midnight Sunday through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, one week later.

Paychecks, if issued in error, missing information, or for advanced vacation, may not be deposited or cashed until the date printed on the check.

Employees must notify their supervisors and the payroll office immediately when errors are discovered in gross pay, net pay, pay rate, deductions, vacation and/or sick day accrual, holiday pay, credits, etc.

Payroll errors shall be credited or deducted from the next paycheck following notification or completion of investigation.

Failure on the part of any employee to abide by the requirements of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

The primary occupation for all full-time classified or unclassified employees shall be the employee's County government position.

Any classified or unclassified County employee, who has some other paid occupation or occupations outside his or her County position, including any elected or paid appointed position in state government or in the government of any political subdivision of the state, including, but not limited to, any county or municipality, shall have his or her pay or accrued vacation or personal leave reduced on a hour-per-hour basis for any hours or days missed during the course of the employee's normal workday or during the course of the employee's normal workweek while working in any other paid occupation or serving in an elected or paid appointed position which requires the employee to miss any work time which is normally required of other County employees in the same or similar positions.

Any workday during which an employee misses work time due to his or her other occupation, including elected or paid appointed positions, he or she shall have his or her immediate supervisor verify a signed time record stating specifically the number of hours physically worked and accounting for those hours not worked during the normal workday, said verification to take place not less often than once every pay period.

All time records, so verified, shall be kept by the department or office until such time as they are requested by the Personnel Office for review. The Personnel Director shall perform an annual audit of the time records of classified employees with any other paid occupation(s), including elected or paid appointed positions, and refer any discrepancies to the employee's department head for possible disciplinary action.

No employee shall be permitted to make up time during hours other than the normal workday for purposes of compensation. A normal workday is defined as 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except as provided in the Code of Kent County. A standard work schedule is defined as Monday through Friday, except as provided in the Code of Kent County.

Hourly (nonexempt) employees shall be permitted to use accrued vacation, personal, or compensatory hours with their supervisor's approval for missed work time while performing in any other paid occupation, including elected or appointed official duties. Salaried (exempt) employees shall be permitted to use accrued personal or vacation leave for full-day absences or partial-day absences with their supervisor's prior approval for missed work time while performing in any other paid occupation, including elected or appointed official duties. In addition, hourly or salaried employees who hold an elected or paid appointed position in state government or in the government of any political subdivision of the state, including but not limited to any county or municipality, shall with their supervisor's approval for the missed work time be permitted to waive compensation for such time, after using at least one-half of their applicable monthly vacation leave accrual rate. However, no more than four hours per pay week and no more than 40 total hours during any calendar year shall be "unpaid" while performing such elected or paid appointed duties. If the employee exceeds the limitation for unpaid hours and/or has no accrued time as prescribed in this Policy to cover any missed time while performing any other paid occupation, including elected or appointed official duties, it shall constitute just cause for immediate termination of the employee in accordance with Kent County Code § 68-14.

Employees shall not be permitted to hold an elected Kent County government office and a Kent County government classified, unclassified or excluded position at the same time, except as provided herein. The commencement of an employee's term of elected Kent County government office shall constitute automatic resignation from any other County government position. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the Director of Finance from holding the office of Receiver of Taxes and County Treasurer, provided that the Finance Director shall receive no additional compensation for holding said office.

Employees violating this Policy, including failure to maintain complete and accurate time records, shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. Any individual violating the State Code of Conduct is subject to the penalties of the law and can be referred for criminal prosecution.

Salary rate for deputies. The beginning salary rate for deputies shall be $18,000 per annum to a maximum rate of $23,000. Upon the submission of a written favorable evaluation and recommendation by the appointing office holder to the Levy Court, no later than March 31 of each year, the deputy shall receive a salary increase up to, but not exceeding $1,000 annually, to become effective July 1. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, salary increases may be prorated as determined by and in the sole discretion of the Levy Court.

Salary rate for Sheriff's deputies. The beginning salary rate for the Sheriff's deputies shall be $17,177 per annum. The Sheriff may increase the salary for the new deputy, after the deputy has been at the job for nine months. The beginning salary rate for a Sheriff's deputy with prior law enforcement experience may be up to the maximum of $25,000 upon recommendation of the Sheriff and approval of the Levy Court. The maximum salary is $25,000 per annum.

Salary rate for chief deputies. The beginning salary rate for chief deputies shall be $23,000 per annum, to a maximum of $29,000. Upon the submission of a written favorable evaluation and recommendation by the appointing official to the Levy Court, no later than March 31 of each year, the chief deputy shall receive a salary increase up to, but not exceeding $1,000 annually, to become effective July 1.