2023 - 2026 SCLEMA Memorandum of Understanding: Article 30: Association
30.1 Paid Leave "Pool"
Upon request, and after approval of the Employee Relations Manager, the County may grant Association paid leave to Association representative(s) to attend to Association business related to County of Sonoma representation, when such business would conflict with the work schedule of an employee representative(s). “Association business” shall mean Association Executive Board meetings, conventions, seminars or other Association events, all of which must be related to employer-employee relations and involving matters solely pertaining to the Bargaining Unit covered by the Memorandum of Understanding. The total number of hours of Association paid leave will be 100 hours per fiscal year during the term of this Memorandum and be available for use as a pool of hours, all to be used by Association representatives. Additional release hours beyond the annual pool of paid Association leave hours may be granted by the County for Association business on an unpaid leave basis or by the employee representative requesting use of accrued vacation and/or compensatory time off. The County shall not unreasonably deny a request for paid Association business unless the County determines the number of Association representatives requesting time off for Association business would create an undue hardship on operational effectiveness, including excessive overtime costs to replace the absent Association representative(s).
All requests for leave under this Section shall be made in writing on a form as agreed to by the parties.
The Association shall defend, indemnify, hold harmless, release and save the County, its agents and employees, from and against any and all claims, demands, suits, orders, judgments, expenses or other forms of liability arising out of or in connection with this Article and/or any action taken or not taken by the County and/or the Association under this Article, including, but not limited to, Association members taking paid release time to attend to Association business. This indemnification clause shall be in addition to any other remedy available to the County under this contract or provision of the law.