WILMINGTON — The approximately 800 City of Wilmington “essential employees” that were required to work through Hurricane Florence could soon be seeing a bonus for their work during the storm on top of any overtime pay accrued if an $8.5 million fund transfer is approved by City Council.
City Manager Sterling Cheatham has submitted the request for the $8.5 million transfer to cover a multitude of expenses due to the storm that made landfall last month.
This $8.5 million transfer is in addition to the $9 million that council approved during its Oct. 2 meeting.
Related: With record amounts of debris on the ground City Council approves $9 million for storm expenses
“The attached ordinance is a request for additional funding to assist with the hurricane Florence costs related to debris removal and repairs to buildings and contents. Also included is compensation to employees who worked storm duty during office closures,” Cheatham wrote in his submission to City Council.
During the storm, city offices were closed from Sep. 12 – 23 but about 800 employees still worked through the storm as “essential personnel.” These employees were paid for the hours worked
City Policy 202 (General Compensation Plan) provides the City Manager with the authority to recognize employees through an award or bonus. Therefore to recognize the hard work and sacrifices that all of our essential personnel made during Hurricane Florence, all non-exempt/hourly essential personnel will be awarded half-time bonus pay for all hours worked during the period of City closure. Exempt/salaried essential personnel will be awarded bonus leave time for half of all hours worked during the period of City closure. All exempt bonus leave time must be used by June 30, 2020. This leave will not be paid out upon separation from the City if not used,” according to the city’s agenda.
The funding for the expenses will be paid for with the debt service fund — this is will be transferred to the general fund and eventually reimbursed by FEMA funding, Cheatham said.
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