§ 3-260. TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT TO PERFORM DUTIES OF ABSENT EMPLOYEE.

(a) Whenever an employee holding a permanent position is absent from duty for any cause, the appointing authority shall, if possible, temporarily assign to one or more employees in the same or higher class such of the work of the absent employee as cannot be deferred until his return. When such assignment is not practicable, the appointing authority of the absent employee may temporarily assign another employee in the same department or office holding a permanent position in a lower class to perform the duties of such absent employee. The employee so assigned shall be entitled to receive the compensation attached to the higher position if his class specifications do not require that he perform said duties in the absence of the regularly assigned employee and if he meets the conditions hereinafter provided in this section.

(b) After any such employee has completed twenty full working days of service (or for Firemen working a twenty-four-hour shift, ten full working shifts) in a higher class pursuant to one or more such assignments, he shall thereafter be paid while so assigned to such higher class the rate of pay attached to such higher class. An employee who has held permanent status in the higher class prior to such assignment shall not be required to complete the qualifying period of service set forth above and shall be paid for the entire duration of his assignment to the higher class at the rate of pay assigned to such higher class.

(c) Before ordering any such assignment to a higher class for which entitlement to qualifying service credit or a higher rate of pay is sought, or promptly after such an assignment if ordered under emergency conditions, the appointing authority shall execute, and file with the Chief Administrative Officer for his approval, a written statement of such assignment setting forth the assigned employee's name and permanent class, the class and position to which he has been assigned, the period for which the assignment or extension is to be or has been made, and the certification of the appointing authority that:

(1) The assigned employee will perform, during the entire period of such assignment, substantially the full range of the duties and responsibilities of the higher class,

(2) The duties and responsibilities of the position of the absent employee are of such nature that they cannot be held over until the absent employee returns to duty, and

(3) It is not practicable to assign the duties of the absent employee to any other employee or employees in the same or a higher class. No assignment under this section shall be considered for qualifying service credit or any higher rate of pay unless such statement has been filed, and approved by the Chief Administrative Officer, as provided herein.

(d) The provisions of this section relating to compensation shall not apply to an employee assigned to a position in a higher class the rate of pay for which is fixed in accordance with the second paragraph of Section 809 of the Charter. Such an employee shall be paid the rate of pay applicable to the higher class during any such assignment.

(e) In the computation of qualifying service rendered, or the amount of the higher pay to which an employee may be entitled, on assignment hereunder, only full days or shifts of actual duty shall be included, and part days or shifts shall not be combined to make full days or shifts. Time on leave occurring during any assignment shall not be included in any such computation.

(f) A qualifying period and/or rate of compensation different than that previously provided in this section may be established by a salary resolution, memorandum of understanding or other action of the Council. (Rep. and Added Ord. 6128, 1962, based on former Sec. 2-1663; Am. Ord. 6334, 1963; Am. Ord. 6928, 1967; Am. Ord. 68-3, 1968; Am. Ord. 83-111, § 1, eff. 9-16-83; Am. Ord. 83-141, § 1, eff. 11-18-83; Added Ord. 89-135, § 1, eff. 12-8-89)