Request for Leave At any time, employees may request the use of short-term leave (annual leave, compensatory time use, or personal leave). Such request shall be submitted on the appropriate form and approved or denied on the form within one week of submission to the appropriate authority (practices of shorter time periods will be maintained) except that current practices concerning emergency leave requests shall be maintained. Requests will not be denied unreasonably. The issue of more employees requesting the use of short-term leave than can be granted because of operational needs shall be resolved at the LMC. The Employer shall not request the reasons for the use of earned leave other than sick leave as permitted by Article 12. All leave may be used in tenth of an hour increments provided, however that use of personal leave to cover tardiness related absences shall not serve as a bar or defense to disciplinary action.
Voluntary Request for Assistance A member may voluntarily enter rehabilitation without a requirement of prior testing. A member who desires Employee Assistance Program (EAP) assistance may notify the City's EAP Administrator. A member who seeks voluntary assistance through his/her own service provider without notifying the City's EAP Administrator will not receive the protections from discipline afforded by this Section 17.11. Any member who does voluntarily seek assistance and who notifies the City's EAP Administrator before the member is asked to submit to a drug or alcohol test or is under investigation for drug or alcohol abuse, shall not be disciplined, but the member must: