The town constantly strives to provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, age, sex, national origin, religion, disability, and military reserve status. This pledge applies to all phases of employment including:

Hiring, placement, upgrading, transfer or demotion; recruitment, advertising, or solicitation for employment; treatment during employment; rates of pay or other forms of compensation; and selection for training, including apprenticeship, layoff or termination.

Our policies, as well as various laws and regulations, generally prohibit employment decisions from being made on the basis of race, sex, religion, national origin, age, and disability, and similar distinction. In addition, it is our policy to provide a working environment in which employees are free from discomfort or pressure resulting from jokes, ridicule, slurs, and harassment either relating to such distinctions or simply resulting from a lack of consideration for a fellow human being.

If you feel that this policy has been violated by anyone with whom you come in contact on the job, regardless of whether it is by a fellow worker, a supervisor, or a member of the general public, please notify the mayor or a member of town council immediately. Your complaint will be kept as confidential as possible, consistent with its efficient investigation.

Anyone associated with the town who is found to have violated this policy will be subject to discipline commensurate with the seriousness of their conduct.

All new employees are considered to be on probation during their first 90 days of employment. This period is a time in which the employee should consider carefully whether he desires to make a career with the town, and in which he should strive to develop the good work habits necessary for a successful career.

Similarly, the town will use the probationary period in order to carefully observe the performance of each new employee. The probationary period is actually an extension the interview process. The probationary period should not be construed to be a guaranteed minimum period of employment. All employees are employed "at will."

The normal working hours are those hours during which an employee is expected to be on duty or at the prescribed workplace.

For the purpose of our benefit programs, full time employees are those regularly scheduled to work 40 or more hours per week. Part time employees are those scheduled less.

Because of varying requirements occasioned, local condition, etc., we cannot set forth a single standard working day or work week applicable to everyone. In the past it has been necessary and in the future it will again be necessary for employees to work any, all, or no days of the week and any or no hours on a particular day.

It is the town's general policy not to work any employee more than 16 hours in one day, or more than 96 hours in one week, but even these limits must occasionally be exceeded.

The time scheduled for your meal period will be determined by the supervisor in order that adequate service still be maintained. Meal period time is unpaid time.

Occasionally, as the result of increased workloads or other circumstances, it may become necessary to require an individual to work beyond his/her regularly scheduled hours. Overtime will normally be distributed as nearly equally as is practicable among employees qualified to perform it.

All overtime beyond that set for a normal work week must be orally approved by your supervisor before time is worked. Your supervisor will initial all time sheets for payroll purposes.

Attendance and punctuality are extremely important. A record is kept of your attendance and you must expect that continued tardiness and/or absences, (especially unauthorized absences) will lessen your chances for advancement and may result in your dismissal. Also keep in mind that your lateness or absence places an additional workload on your coworkers, who have their own duties and responsibilities, and who would then have to do your work also.

The commission of rule infractions, poor performance, or other actions warranting discipline are situations which can and do arise. Such actions may, in the sole discretion of the town, result in your discharge. The town also reserves the right to terminate an employee whenever, in its sole discretion, it deems it in the best interest of the town to do so.

In case of termination of employment, either voluntary or involuntary, the town is obligated to pay you only for that period which you have worked. No pay for any period beyond the last hour worked is to be expected. You will receive your pay at the regular time on Friday.

1.

Employees will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including discharge when the mayor, department head, or supervisor believes that such action is necessary for the good of the town.

2.

Employees must sign disciplinary notices, counseling memoranda, performance appraisals, and similar documents. The employee's signature indicates only that the employee is aware of the action taken and does not indicate that the employee agrees with such action.

An employee who refuses to sign such a document will be subject to immediate discharge, but normally will be suspended without pay and given until the close of the next business day in which to sign. If he still does not sign, he will be discharged.

The length of service of the employee shall be his/her most recent continuous service in years, months, and days with the town. Continuous service shall be interpreted as periods of service on the town's payroll. Length of service credit will not be accumulated during layoffs in excess of 30 days. For the purpose of figuring length of service, all months will be considered as having 30 days.

A record of your length of service will begin the day you start working for the town and will continue until interrupted by one of the following reasons:

1.

Voluntary quitting.

2.

Involuntary discharge.

3.

Failure to report back the first working day after a leave of absence.

4.

Failure to report for work for 3 consecutive days without giving valid reason for each day.

The holidays observed by the town are listed below. In addition, an employee will be eligible for an additional holiday, which may be taken on the employee's birthday or some other selected day approved in advance by the employee's supervisor. The Fourth of July is a workday for the town.

Holidays

Eligibility. An employee, to be eligible for a paid holiday, must be considered an active, full time employee on the date of the holiday.

1.

Holiday pay will be computed based on an eight-hour day.

2.

If an employee is required to work on a holiday, he/she shall receive the holiday pay, at regular rate, plus regular pay for the hours worked, or in lieu of holiday pay, the holiday may be taken at a later date with your supervisor's approval.

3.

An employee will receive holiday pay only if he/she is an active, full time employee on the date of the holiday.

Eligibility:

1.

Active, full time employees who are normally scheduled to work at least 40 hours per week are entitled to a maximum of 80 hours of vacation time for one to five years of service; 120 hours for five to 15 years of service; and 160 hours for more than 15 years of service.

2.

Vacation time is accrued at the end of each full calendar month worked based on the following schedule:

3.

If an employee is in a nonpay status, which includes employees receiving worker's compensation and disability benefits, for the majority of a calendar month, that employee will not accrue vacation time during that month.

4.

Employees may not accumulate more than one year's worth of vacation time. Once an employee has accrued the maximum amount of time, that employee will not earn additional time until the employee's accumulated time falls below the maximum amount of time for that employee's length of service.

5.

Requests to use vacation time must be submitted to and approved by an employee's supervisor. Changes may be made with the approval of the employee's supervisor.

6.

Vacations will be scheduled for the benefit of the town while taking your wishes into fair consideration. An employee's supervisor shall determine the number of employees who may take their vacation at any one time. Vacation preference, where there are duplicate requests, will normally be granted to the individual with the longer length of service.

1.

The amount of vacation pay for a regular full time employee for each full week of vacation will be based on 40 hours times his/her hourly rate at the beginning of the vacation.

2.

The amount of vacation pay for a salaried employee for each full week of vacation will be based on the salary in effect at the beginning of the vacation.

3.

Vacation pay will be paid prior to your vacation if you so inform your supervisor at least two weeks in advance of the vacation period.

Employees who resign after giving and properly working the required notice, or who are terminated for other than disciplinary reasons, will be paid for any accrued but unused vacation time. Employees who fail to give and work out the proper notice, or who are terminated for disciplinary reasons, will not be paid for accrued but unused vacation time at termination.

Employees given permission or requested to work instead of taking vacation shall receive their vacation pay plus regular pay for the time worked and will be compensated at their current rate of pay. Permission to work must be approved by the employee's supervisor and management, jointly. Payment in lieu of vacation will be paid only after an employee has reached their anniversary date.

Employees are entitled to one extra day's pay for each recognized town holiday that occurs during their vacation.

After 1 year of service, full time employees will be granted five days of sick leave per year. The employee may accumulate up to 15 days of sick leave. The employee will not be paid for unused sick leave upon termination.

Sick leave is only intended to pay an employee for time missed due to sickness or a non-occupational accident. The employee may be required to provide proof for sick leave taken. Work related sickness or injuries are covered by the state worker's compensation plan.

The town may grant up to three days leave with pay in the event of death of any of the following: parent, spouse, brother/sister, children, grandparents or grandchildren. Leave is also provided for the death of in-laws, provided the employee is still married at the time of death. The immediate family will be considered to include step-parents, step-children, and step-brothers and step-sisters only when the employee and the deceased had lived together regularly in the same household at or prior to the time of death.

If a full time employee is selected for jury duty, he or she will be paid in full less the compensation from the Government agency. The maximum time that the employee will be paid by the town is 30 days. Due to the nature of the job, police officers should contact the county, as they will likely be excused immediately.

Effective January 1, 2001, the retirement program will be covered for all full time employees on the following basis:

A continuous service of one year will be necessary to be eligible for our pension plan.

At that time the program will be as follows:

Complete vesting of the town's contributions to the employee will occur after five years of continuous service. Any contributions made by the town are for the benefit of the employees. Retirement contributions prior to January 1, 2001, are fully vested. In the event of conflicts of meaning or interpretation, the terms of the retirement plan will govern.

The town will furnish police officers uniforms and pay for the officer's winter uniform cleaning during the winter. This will include $10.00 per officer per week for 22 weeks.

The town does not feel that the acceptance of gifts of any nature or of any value is necessary for the conduct of our business. As it may, however, be impractical to extend this policy to the Christmas season, minor gifts not to exceed a value of $25.00 each may be accepted during this period only. Any gift received must be reported to the employee's supervisor and any gift of food must be shared among all employees in a department. In no case will an employee accept gifts, prizes, money, or other gratuities from a supplier of the town, nor may an employee solicit gifts from anyone doing business with the town.

If an employee does not submit a complaint in writing to a supervisor or to town council within 14 calendar days of the date on which he/she knew or reasonably should have known that he/she failed to receive a benefit(s) or proper wages in accordance with town policies, then he/she forfeits all rights to such benefit(s) or wages.

These guidelines have been set forth for the good of us all. If there is anything in them that you do not understand, or to which you take exception, it is your privilege to discuss them with your supervisor first and then with the mayor or the town council.

Military leave. Employees are entitled to such leave of absence and reinstatement upon return from leave of absence for military service (including Reserve and National Guard duty) as may be provided by applicable state and federal law. The provisions of such laws change from time to time and for that reason no effort is made to set forth the law in this policy.

Physical disability and personal leave.

1.

An employee who has completed his initial probation (any extension thereof) is entitled to a leave of absence for up to six months when unable to work because of sickness, pregnancy, or injury on or off the job. Such an employee may also apply for leave of absence for personal reasons. Personal leaves are granted only in the discretion of the mayor upon recommendation by the employee's supervisor. Employees still in their probation periods who are absent for more than five consecutive scheduled workdays because of any physical disability will be automatically terminated, but will be eligible for rehire.

2.

Employees are requested to apply for leaves of absence as far in advance of need as is possible, but an employee may be placed on leave status without application when the circumstances warrant such action.

3.

Physical disability leaves will begin when the employee exhausts employer-administered paid time off, except that in the case of leaves caused by on-the-job injury, the leave will begin on the day the employee's employer-administered paid time off would have been exhausted if the employee had begun using such paid time of on the first full day of absence caused by the injury.

4.

As a general rule, an employee on a leave of absence is not entitled to wages or fringe benefits and does not accrue fringe benefits. Certain exceptions may be established by law, but any other exceptions are or will be listed in this paragraph. An employee on a leave of absence of up to 30 days because of an on the job injury will continue to accrue length of service for purposes of computing vacation, holidays, and sick leave.

5.

Employees desiring to return to work from an unpaid leave of absence should notify the mayor in writing at least ten days prior to their desired date of return. If the town finds that the employee is fit to resume his duties, the employee shall be recalled to his former job if a vacancy exists which is to be filled. If no such vacancy exists, the employee shall be recalled to any job in which there is a vacancy which is to be filled and for which he is qualified. If no such vacancy exists at the time the employee desires to return to work, the employee's leave of absence shall be continued. Any employee who has not been reinstated within six months following the commencement of a leave of absence shall be terminated. This action shall not affect the employee's eligibility to be considered for hire as a new employee at some future time.

DISCLAIMER.

All employees of the Town of Pawleys Island are employed at-will and may quit or be terminated at any time and for any reason. Nothing in any of the Town of Pawleys Island's rules, policies, handbooks, procedures or other documents relating to employment creates any express or implied contract of employment. No past practices or procedures, whether oral or written, form any express or implied agreement to continue such practices or procedures. No promises or assurances, whether written or oral, which are contrary to or inconsistent with the limitations set forth in this paragraph create any contract of employment unless: 1) the terms are put in writing, 2) the document is labeled "contract," 3) the document states the duration of employment, and 4) the document is signed by the mayor of Pawleys Island.

I acknowledge receipt of this disclaimer and understand that it is not a contract of employment.