Short Term Routine Work Assignments a. Short term vacancies in scheduled shifts or in work assignments shall be deemed to occur when an employee is off on sick leave, workers' compensation, disability, military leave, leave of absence without pay, or is moved into a new position or promotion pending a New York State Civil Service examination. If a vacancy can be verified in advance by the Authority of 90 days or when a vacancy of 90 days or more occurs in a permanent routine work assignment an employee may request that work assignment; preference shall be given to the employee with greater job title seniority in a work assignment. He or she must be capable of rendering competent service. Once an employee has exercised his or her seniority rights under the above and has been reassigned, he or she cannot bid for another short-term work assignment vacancy until the return of the employee who holds that permanent bid. The vacant position that occurs once an employee has exercised his or her seniority rights under the above will be filled on a day-to-day basis by the General Crew Chief. In the event that no employee requests to fill a short-term vacancy by exercising his or her seniority rights under the above the parties will continue with the standard operating procedure recognized by the Authority and the Union. An employee who claims that his or her request has not been given due consideration by his or her supervisor may appeal such determination in accordance with the grievance procedure set forth in Article IV of this Agreement. The exercise of the benefits under this section shall be to the extent permitted and in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Service Law and the Rules for the Classified Civil Service of the County of Erie. This section shall not be so construed or applied as to deny or deprive an employee of his or her rights or benefits under the Civil Service Law and the Rules for administering such Law adopted by the Personnel Officer of the County of Erie and made applicable to the Authority. Nor shall this section be construed or applied in such a manner as to limit or abridge the proper exercise by the Authority of its statutory powers, duties and responsibilities to manage and operate its water system in an economical and efficient manner in the public interest.
