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Commission allows chief, city manager to permit unlimited sick-leave donations for ill supervisor
Summary
After the police/fire chief reported a supervisor is running out of paid leave while undergoing months of medical treatment, the commission agreed to let the chief and city manager immediately allow uncapped interemployee sick-leave donations to avoid loss of pay and insurance.
The City Commission on Aug. 4, 2025, unanimously approved a motion directing that the chief and the city manager be permitted to allow “gifting” of sick leave without the existing cap, after a department chief described a supervisor facing a serious illness and imminent exhaustion of paid leave.
The chief told commissioners the supervisor has approximately 170 hours of paid leave remaining and will undergo six to eight more months of treatment. Under current city policy the chief said the formal city sick-donation cap is 240 hours and that, once an employee is placed on unpaid leave, they would lose employer-paid insurance shortly thereafter under the city’s policy. “At that point…he would lose his insurance when he needs it most,” the chief said.
The chief asked the commission to approve a resolution permitting uncapped sick-leave donations. Commission discussion focused on immediate relief for the employee and the broader policy implications of removing or relaxing the cap. Commissioners expressed support for helping the employee while asking staff to return with policy options to avoid repeated ad hoc measures.
One commissioner emphasized the need to avoid using up other employees’ leave balances and asked staff to consider a long-term approach such as a formal sick-leave bank or benefit changes. Human-resources and the city manager said short- and long-term disability options are available for purchase by employees through the carrier at their cost; the chief said the affected employee was not yet vested in the Florida Retirement System and therefore could not rely on that program for immediate relief.
Motion and outcome: the commission voted unanimously to permit the chief and city manager to allow uncapped sick-leave donations for the named case; commissioners also asked staff to investigate longer-term policy options and potential state programs that might assist the employee.
Why it matters: the action prevents an imminent loss of income and employer-provided insurance for a city supervisor undergoing serious medical treatment. Commissioners requested a staff follow-up to consider permanent changes — such as a pooled-sick-bank or employer-provided short-term disability — to reduce the need for emergency measures.
Next steps: staff will meet with the chief and city manager to accept donated hours for the employee and return to the commission with recommended policy amendments and information about state retirement/disability options that might apply.
