The following holidays shall be recognized by the Town on the day on which they are legally observed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and on these days employees, without loss of pay, shall be excused from all duty except in cases where the appointing authority determines that the employee is required to maintain essential Town services.
New Year's Day
Martin Luther King Day
President's Day
Good Friday (from 12:00 noon)
Patriot's Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Veterans' Day
Thanksgiving Day
Day after Thanksgiving Day
December 24 (from 12:00 noon)*
Christmas Day
December 31 (from 12:00 noon)*
Any other day that may be declared a holiday by the Town of Blackstone
*NOTE: Legal holidays that fall on a Saturday shall be observed on the last full working day. Legal holidays that fall on a Sunday shall be observed on the next full working day.
Holiday pay shall be granted as follows:
A. 
A part-time employee working 20 hours or more per week and who is paid on an hourly basis will receive one day's pay at the regular rate based on the number of hours regularly scheduled on the day on which the designated holiday occurs. If the number of hours worked varies, the amount of holiday pay to which an employee is entitled shall be determined by the employee's appointing authority.
B. 
Holiday pay shall be granted to an employee, provided that the employee shall have worked on the employee's last scheduled working day prior to and the next regularly scheduled working day following such holiday, or was in full pay status on such preceding and following days in accordance with other provisions of these regulations, or was appropriately excused.
Each employee shall be credited with sick leave accumulation at the rate of 1 1/4 days for each completed calendar month of service. Sick leave shall be accumulated up to 120 days. A certificate from a doctor shall be required after three consecutive days' absence on sick leave; if not furnished, the employee shall not be entitled to sick leave pay. Additionally, if an employee has more than five total absences on sick leave during any one quarter. (July 1 to September 30; October 1 to December 31; January 1 to March 31; and April 1 to June 30), he must supply a medical certificate for all additional absences during the next nine months, or he will not be entitled to sick leave pay. Further, after an employee has more than five total absences on sick leave during any one fiscal year, the Town may require that he be examined by a Town designated physician at the Town's expense before granting employee additional sick leave pay for the next nine months. For the purposes of this section, consecutive days of sick leave will only be counted as one absence. In the case of absence due to an injury while at work, the employer agrees to make up the difference between regular base wages and the amount received from worker's compensation by applying the difference from the sick time which the employee has accumulated at the time of the injury. If the employee has not accumulated any sick leave time, he shall not be entitled to the difference.
Sick leave may be accumulated to a maximum of 120 days. Effective July 1, 2002, any amount of accumulated sick leave beyond the 120 days in each fiscal year shall be reimbursed to the employee by 50% at the employee's regular hourly rate of pay during the last week of June, 2003.
Upon retirement, employees shall receive 50% of their accumulated sick leave at their straight time hourly or daily rate of pay. However, in order to provide sufficient opportunity to properly fund such sick leave, a minimum notice of 120 days is required.
[Amended 6-12-2012]
For all employees covered by this policy who work on average more than 20 hours per week, vacation shall be granted to personnel in full-time or part-time continuous employment as follows:
A. 
Commencing July 1, 2012, each employee shall be credited beginning each fiscal year (July 1) with vacation leave with pay as follows:
(1) 
For more than six months but less than one year of service, as of July 1, five vacation days with pay.
(2) 
For one year of service but less than five years of service, as of July 1, 10 days' vacation with pay.
(3) 
For five years of service, but less than 11 years of service, as of July 1, 15 days' vacation with pay.
(4) 
For 11 years of service, but less than 14 years of service, as of July 1, 20 days' vacation with pay.
(5) 
For 15 years of service, but less than 19 years of service, as of July 1, 25 days' vacation with pay.
(6) 
For 20 years of service or more, as of July 1, 30 days' vacation with pay.
B. 
Should a department head fail to use his or her vacation time, said vacation time will be forfeited. No vacation time shall be allowed to be accumulated or carried over from year to year.
C. 
If the employment of a person who has become entitled to an annual vacation, but has not taken it, is terminated, he shall be paid for his vacation. Upon the death of an employee who is entitled to a vacation allowance, the allowance shall be paid to the person or persons to whom unpaid salary is payable.
A. 
Permanent full-time employees who have completed their probationary period shall be eligible for a two-day leave of absence with pay in each fiscal year. Such leave shall be granted only for reasons of personal business requiring the employee’s presence during his normal working hours and which cannot be postponed to another time outside of normal working hours. Reasons for such leave may not include reasons specifically covered by other provisions of this policy. Personal days may not be accumulated or carried over from year to year, and the failure to use personal days by the employee will lose the two personal days if not used by the end of the fiscal year.
[Amended 6-12-2012]
B. 
An employee desiring to take his personal day must make application for the day not less than 24 hours prior to the time of the desired leave. Such application shall be made to his department head and must be approved by the department head prior to taking the leave. Such approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.
In the event of the death of the father, mother, spouse, sister, brother, son, daughter, mother-in-law, father-in-law, stepfather, stepmother or stepchildren of an employee, he will be granted leave with pay in the amount of three consecutive working days. Such leave shall not be charged to vacation leave. One day will be granted to attend the funeral of one's grandparents. Any bereavement leave in excess of three days will be charged first against an employee's accumulated sick leave, and second, against an employee's accumulated vacation leave. At the discretion of a department head, additional bereavement leave may be granted to an employee.
Jury duty leave shall be granted in accordance with state law.
A. 
A female employee who has completed the initial probationary period set by the terms of this policy, who is absent from such employment for a period not exceeding eight weeks for the purpose of giving birth or for adopting a child under the age of 18 or for adopting a child under the age of 23 if the child is mentally or physically disabled, said period to be hereinafter called "maternity leave," and who shall give at least two weeks' notice to the Town of her anticipated date of departure and intention to return, shall be restored to her previous or a similar position with the same status, pay, length of service credit and seniority, wherever applicable, as of the date of her leave. Said maternity leave shall be granted without pay.
B. 
The Town shall not be required to restore an employee on maternity leave to her previous or a similar position if other employees of equal length of service credit and status in the same or similar position have been laid off due to economic conditions or other changes in operating conditions affecting employment during the period of such maternity leave; provided, however, that such employee on maternity leave shall retain any preferential consideration for another position to which she may be entitled as of the date of her leave.
C. 
Such maternity leave shall not affect the employee's right to receive vacation time, sick leave, bonuses, advancement, seniority, length of service credit, benefits, plans or programs for which she was eligible at the date of her leave, and any other rights of her employment incident to her employment position; provided, however, that such maternity leave shall not be included, when applicable, in the computation of such benefits and rights; and provided, further, that the Town need not provide for the cost of any benefits, plans, or programs during the period of maternity leave unless the Town so provides for all employees on leave of absence. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect any bargaining agreement or company policy which provides for greater or additional benefits than those required under this section.
Employees shall be paid the difference between compensation received while on temporary summer or like periods of training in the military forces of the nation or the state for a period not to exceed 17 days in any twelve-month period (fiscal year); provided, however, that payment shall not be made to members of the National Guard when mobilized during an emergency in the state.
A. 
The appointing authority may, at its discretion, grant leaves of absence without compensation for periods not exceeding three months duration without loss of seniority. Only those employees completing at least one year of continuous service shall be eligible for leaves of absence under this section.
B. 
Employees granted a leave of absence shall be classified as out of service of the Town and shall not be entitled to other benefits as may be provided by the Town, including, but not limited to seniority, sick leave, vacation leave and compensation during the periods of the leave. An employee granted a leave of absence for a period of 30 days or less shall be entitled to coverage under applicable group health and life insurance plans. An employee granted a leave of absence for a period of greater than 30 days may be provided coverage under applicable group health, dental and life insurance plans, provided that the employee pays the total premium cost, in accordance with applicable statutes.
C. 
Leaves of absence shall not be granted to enable an employee to accept other employment or for self-employment. Any request for leave of absence or reinstatement after such leave without pay shall be made in writing.
A. 
The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 entitles an employee of the Town to up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave during a one-year period because of the birth or adoption of a child; the care of an ill child, spouse or parent; or his own illness that renders him unable to perform the functions of his job.
B. 
"Eligible employee" is defined as someone who has been employed for at least 12 months by the Town of Blackstone and has performed at least 1,250 hours of service during the previous twelve-month period. "Serious health condition" is defined as an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves either inpatient care in a hospital or continuing treatment by a health care provider.
C. 
An eligible employee who takes leave must, on returning, be restored to either the same or an equivalent position with equivalent employment benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions. However, a restored employee is not entitled to the accrual of any seniority or employment benefits during the leave period.
D. 
Employees requesting leave because of a serious health condition may be required to provide certification from the employee's or family member's health care provider.
[Amended 11-26-2002]
Payment for overtime shall be in accordance with the terms of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1928, as amended. If an assignment requires work in excess of the normal workweek hours, such time must be authorized in advance by the department head. Supervisory, professional and managerial employees are exempt employees and are not eligible for overtime pay.
Longevity increases will be based upon the employee's date of hire and will be effective on the first day or nearest the full week in which the employee reaches his/her anniversary date.
A. 
Full-time employees working a minimum of 32 1/2 hours per week who have worked for the Town for at least one year are eligible for reimbursement for tuition, registration fees, and books for work-related courses which serve to improve their knowledge and skills related to their position with the Town.
B. 
Approval for the particular course must be requested prior to enrollment in order to be eligible for the reimbursement and, in order to qualify, must have the recommendation of the department head and the approval of the Board of Selectmen. Approval is subject to sufficient municipal funds. Reimbursement shall be made subject upon successful completion of the course or program. The Town may require the employee to sign an agreement to remain with the Town for a period of up to two years after completion of the course, or else be willing to reimburse the Town for the funds.
C. 
"Successful completion" of a course shall mean a minimum grade of C or equivalent.