Sick leave stays at two weeks in Rolling Meadows

City Council members denied Rolling Meadows’ Mayor Kenneth Nelson’s plea to increase the amount of possible sick leave time it offers to new nonunion city employees.

The ordinance, approved Jan. 25, allows new employees a maximum of 80 hours of sick leave, accruing at four hours per month of service. Under the ordinance, if a new nonunion city employee suffers from an illness which prevents them from performing their job duties, the employee would receive two weeks of full-time pay — 80 hours — and would have to go without pay for another two weeks until that employee became eligible for Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund short-term disability payments.

Tuesday night, Nelson exercised his authority as mayor to veto the ordinance, asking council members to “consider the hardship this might impose on an employee who would already be suffering through a serious illness or injury.” Nelson called for a maximum accrual of 160 hours, noting in a letter to aldermen that it is “certainly far below what is currently permitted and would provide a financial bridge to the employee during an already stressful time.”

In an impassioned plea, Alderman Brad Judd questioned where the line is drawn between government and personal responsibility, emphasizing that people have to create their own savings to help themselves in times of need. “Are we saying our employees can’t save money?”

If an employee makes $50,000 a year, two weeks pay would be less than $2,000 after taxes and fees, Judd reasoned.

“I don’t understand why this falls on taxpayers every single time. You can’t buy an Escalade. You can’t buy a big-screen TV. Save your money,” Judd proclaimed.

Nelson pointed out that although the ordinance applies to new employees, an employee would have to have worked for the village for four years to accrue enough hours to be eligible for the maximum sick leave time.

Alderman Glenn Adams questioned why employees couldn’t just use their vacation time for the remaining two weeks without pay. “It’s not fair for us taxpayers to pay for something we don’t get in the private sector,” he said, noting that most private companies don’t offer that much sick leave time.

“It’s gotten so far carried way in this city and we’re just going with it,” Alderman Larry Buske said of the payouts. “It’s about time someone stands up and says enough is enough.”

Alderman Barb Lusk and Jim Larsen voted with the mayor. The veto failed.