The year 2020 brought many challenges due to COVID-19. Due to the seriousness of this pandemic and the safety of all tribal members, Tribal Council approved the Stay at Home Order and placed all Tribal Employees on Administrative Leave on March 14, 2020 and continued to extend throughout the year. During this time, employees continued to accrue their Earned Leave. Towards the end of 2020, Tribal Council approved the carryover of all leave earned in 2020 regardless of the Tribe’s Policy 901, allowing only 240 hours carryover each year.
As we are nearing the end of 2021, I am encouraging Directors, Supervisors and Managers to work together with your staff to begin scheduling time off for those employees who have over 240 hour leave balances that have accrued from last year. Please plan ahead to reduce the inconvenience of employees requesting for leave at the end of the year, leaving departments short staffed due to the Use or Lose policy. By December 31, 2021, any hours over 240 hours will be lost.
If employees are unable to use all your earned leave time by the end of the year, you also have the option of donating any additional leave to those tribal employees who are in need of leave due to illness. You may check with Human Resources for a list of employees who are currently on medical leave and obtain the donation forms. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. Thank you.
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