(Atlantic) Due to short staffing issues plaguing the Atlantic Police Department staff over the past two years, the City Council on Wednesday approved the extension of maximum vacation hours for the Police Department employees unable to utilize their vacation time. Elaine Otte of the Personnel and Finance Committee stated the committee reviewed the issue at the August 1 meeting.
Atlantic City Administrator John Lund says the Police Officers lost hours because they accrued the maximum 160 hours of vacation PTO, and when their anniversary date hits, anything over 160 is removed from the books. “This encourages the use of vacation PTO for the health and benefit of the employee and benefits the City as an employer by limiting exposure to cashable benefits paid out at the end of the employment,” said Lund.
The Personnel and Finance Committee unanimously endorsed that the loss of vacation of PTO for vacation hours for police officers upon their anniversary be suspended for one year, allowing for time to be used when staffing levels normalize.
