Employee Benefits
The City of Little Rock offers an employee assistance program for all city employees and their immediate family members.
Vacation
Regular, full-time employees shall earn vacation Leave at the following rate:
| Up to 3 yrs. of service |
10 |
| 3 yrs. to 10 years of service |
15 |
| 10 yrs. to 20 yrs. of service |
18 |
| 20 yrs. of service and over |
22 |
Vacation may be accumulated; however, a maximum of thirty (30) days may be carried over to the next year
Discretionary Days
Regular, full-time employees receive three (3) discretionary Leave days each calendar year. Discretionary days for new employees are prorated as follows:
| If hired January 1 through March 30 |
3 |
| If hired April 1 through June 30 |
2 |
| If hired July 1 through September 30 |
1 |
| If hired October 1 through December 31 |
0 |
Discretionary days will not be carried over to the next calendar year.
Sick Leave
Regular, full-time employees earn sick Leave from the first day of employment at the rate of twelve (12) days per year with a maximum accrual of 125 days.
Sick Leave may be used for personal illness or injury, medical, dental, and optical examinations, and pregnancy or any related disabilities.
Sick Leave may be used for members of the employee’s immediate family (spouse and children). Procedures vary by employee group. Employees in non-union-eligible classifications should consult the Administrative Personnel Policy and Procedure Manual to obtain information about family sick Leave. Employees in union-eligible classifications should consult the AFSCME Statement of Agreement and/or their union stewards.
Funeral Leave
Regular, full-time, non-probationary employees shall receive up to three (3) days [four (4) for out-of-state funerals] with pay to handle necessary funeral arrangements or related business for a death in their immediate family. Immediate family shall be defined as mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, grandparents, grandchildren, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, spouse, or spouse's immediate family.
Non-Uniformed NON-Union Eligible Employees
Paid Time Off (PTO)
Paid Time Off (PTO) Leave may be used for vacation, personal illness, funeral Leave/attendance, illness of a family member or other personal business.
Regular, full-time (non-uniformed, non-union) employees shall earn paid Leave at the following rate:
| Up to 3 Years of Service |
160
hours |
| 3 to 10 Years |
200
hours |
| 10 to 20 Years |
224 hours |
| 20 Years of Service and Over |
256 hours |
Paid Time Off may be accumulated to a maximum of 320 hours.
Upon termination of employment, an employee will receive payment of all the PTO Leave balance.
Short-Term Disability Leave (STD)
Short-Term Disability can be used for extended personal illness requiring the employee to be absent more than three (3) days (with acceptable medical documentation).
All full-time non-uniformed non-union eligible employees earn Short-Term Disability (STD) at the rate of six (6) days per year.
After five (5) years of service, an employee will receive 2% of the STD account (maximum 1,000 hours) per years of service, upon termination of employment.
Holidays And Other Leaves
For Full-Time Employees
Paid Holidays - Regular, full-time employees receive the following eight (8) paid holidays each year:
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King's Birthday
- President’s Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
Jury Duty - Employees in regular positions will be granted a Leave of Absence for time required to serve on jury duty and shall be compensated at their regular rate of pay. Employees will be required to provide verification of the actual time spent for jury selection and duty.
Civil Leave - An employee required to be absent from work by lawful subpoena issued by a court or legally constituted commission, which compels his presence as a witness in a case to which he is not a direct party, shall be granted an administrative Leave with pay for such Absence. Employees will be required to provide verification of the actual time spent for jury selection and duty.
Military Leave - Regular employees attending annual training or performing other duties in an official duty status will be entitled to a paid Leave of Absence for the duration of the annual training program or assignments, not to exceed fifteen (15) work days, plus necessary travel time in any one (1) calendar year. Employees requesting such Leave must present a copy of his orders for each assignment requiring his Absence. Employees called to duty in an emergency situation by the Governor or by the President of the United States shall be granted a paid Leave of Absence for the duration of the emergency situation, not to exceed thirty (30) work days. Military Leave for periods exceeding thirty (30) consecutive working days shall be treated as Veteran's Reinstatement.
Leave OF Absence - Employees may be granted Leave without pay for up to six (6) months. Leaves of Absence are renewable for up to six (6) months. Leaves of Absence without pay shall not be granted solely for the benefit of the employee. All such Leaves shall be granted at the discretion of the Department Director.
Catastrophic Leave - The Catastrophic Leave Bank is to allow eligible participating employees who have exhausted all available Leave balances to receive additional Leave benefits for extended Absences upon submission of a properly documented application.
Family And Medical Leave - Employees who have been employed by the City for at least one (1) year and who have worked at least 1250 hours during the previous twelve (12) months, are entitled to a total of twelve (12) weeks of unpaid Leave for the following reasons:
- to care for a newborn child;
- to care for a child following placement with the employee for adoption or foster care;
- to care for a spouse, child (under 18 years or who is incapable of self-care), or parent who has a serious health condition; or
- because of a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform his job functions.
Advance Leave notice (at least 30 days before the Leave is to begin, or as much as is practical) and medical certification shall be required.
The mandatory and contributory pension plan begins following the completion of one (1) year of employment in a full-time position.
Police Officer Benefits
All uniforms are furnished by the City.
Sick Leave is accrued at the rate of 20 days per year with maximum accumulation to 200 days. Leave is accrued each pay period after completing one year probation.
Employees receive 15 days of vacation per year after completing one year of service.
Employees with 5 to 15 years of continuous service (before July 1) receive four discretionary days per year.
Employees with over 15 years of service (before July 1) receive six discretionary days per year.
Longevity pay is calculated for employees with 1-15 years of service at the rate of $5 per month times the number of years of service. Employees with 16-25 years of service are calculated at the rate of $6 per month times the number of years of service.
The City pays the total cost of health insurance and a life insurance policy for all full-time employees.
Health Insurance - Coverage for an employee’s dependents is available at the employee’s option; should an employee choose to cover his/her dependent(s), the City currently pays part of the total cost of this additional coverage.
Life Insurance - The benefit amount of the City paid policy for Police Officer is an amount equal to the employee’s annual salary or $25,000 whichever is greater (from the first day of hire).
Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) - The value of the City paid policy for Police Officers is an amount equal to the employee’s annual salary or $25,000 whichever is greater (from the first day of hire).
Retirement and disability benefits are provided through the State of Arkansas Local Police and Fire Retirement System (LOPFI) program.
Firefighter Benefits
Work uniforms and "turnouts" (protective clothing used by Fire employees) are furnished by the City.
Sick Leave is accrued at the rate of 15 days/tours of duty per year up to four years of service, 12 days/tours of duty per year after four years of service thereafter (with maximum accumulation to 100 days). Accrued each pay period after one year probation.
Three weeks of vacation are granted to employees each year after completing one year of service.
One day/tour of personal Leave is granted per year to employees with five years of service (as of June 30) to nine years of service. Two days/tours of personal Leave are granted per year to employees with 10 years of service (as of June 30) to 14 years of service. Three days/tours of personal Leave are granted per year to employees with 15 years of service (as of June 30) to 18 years of service Four days/tours of personal Leave are granted per year to employees with 18 years of service or more (as of June 30).
Longevity (Bonus) pay is calculated at the rate of $5 per month times the number of years of service up to and including 30 years. Payment is made the last non-payroll week of June and November.
The City pays the total cost of a health insurance and a life insurance policy for all full-time employees.
Health Insurance - Coverage for an employee’s dependent(s) is available at the employee’s option; should an employee choose to cover his/her dependent(s), the City currently pays part of the total cost of this additional coverage.
Life Insurance - The value of the City paid policy for firefighting personnel is an amount equal to the employee’s annual salary or $25,000 whichever is greater (from first day of hire).
Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) - The value of this City paid policy for firefighting personnel is an amount equal to the employee’s annual salary or $25,000 whichever is greater (from first day of hire).
Firefighters certified as EMT personnel shall receive a monthly allowance of $62; payments shall be made on a prorated basis of pay periods per year.
Retirement and disability benefits provided through the State of Arkansas Local Police and fire Retirement System (LOPFI) program.