Vacation

Accumulation Accruals

The maximum accumulation of vacation time is:

• two hundred forty (240) hours for regular full-time employees,
• three hundred thirty-six (336) hours for fire personnel working a twenty-four (24)-hour shift,
• two hundred fifty-two (252) hours for fire personnel working a twelve (12)-hour shift, and
• ·one hundred twenty (120) hours for benefited part-time employees.

Employees who have in excess of the above amounts on December 31st of each year will be paid for the excess amount of time after December 31st, provided the regular full-time has taken eighty (80) hours vacation time, seventy-two (72) hours for Fire personnel working a twenty-four (24)-hour shift, fifty-four (54) hours for Fire personnel working a twelve (12)-hour shift, fifty-one point seven two (51.72) hours for Fire union members working forty (40)-hours a week, eighty (80) hours for Fire personnel (BC) working forty (40)-hours a week, and forty (40) hours for benefited part-time employees during that calendar year. If the employee has not taken the required amount of time during the year, all excess time shall be forfeited. Donated time counts as used vacation time.

Credited Service

All periods of full-time service after the employee's anniversary date are counted as credited service for the purpose of determining the date of change in accrual rate, including military service pursuant to A.R.S. 26-168, 26-171, or 38-610, and any special leave without pay of thirty (30) days or less. If a special leave without pay exceeds thirty (30) days, the excess days over thirty (30) shall not be counted as credited service.

Eligibility

Employees accrue vacation time once they have met a minimum number of hours in a biweekly pay period. This hourly requirement may be satisfied through any combination of hours worked and paid time off. At the beginning of employment, if an employee works less than the minimum number of hours in his/her first pay period, he/she will not accrue vacation time for that pay period and will begin accruing on the next pay period, provided the minimum number of hours is reached. The minimum number of hours is as follows:

• Full-time employees must meet a minimum of 65 hours in a biweekly pay period.
• Fire personnel working a 24-hour shift must meet a minimum of 54 hours in a biweekly pay period.
• Fire personnel working a 12-hour shift must meet a minimum of forty point five (40.5) hours in a biweekly pay period.
• Benefited part-time employees must meet a minimum of 32.5 hours in a biweekly pay period.

Accruals:

Effective July 1, 2026, eligible employees will accrue vacation time in accordance with the following years of City employment:

Full-Time Employees

Sworn Fire Personnel Working a Twenty-four (24)-Hour Shift

Sworn Fire Personnel Working a Twelve (12)-Hour Shift

Benefited Part-Time Employees

Annual Vacation Accrual at a Glance

Separation from Service

A regular or probationary full-time or benefited part-time employee who separates from Mesa employment by resignation, retirement, layoff, or death shall be paid for all unused vacation leave.

Use of Vacation Leave

Vacation leave may be taken at any time approved by the supervisor and must be taken in units of one-quarter (1/4) hour. Vacation leave shall not be advanced to an employee, nor may vacation leave be transferred between employees, unless authorized by the Department Director in accordance with the Donated Leave Program.

Holiday Accruals

Eligible City of Mesa employees enjoy eleven (11) paid holidays each year. The holidays observed are:

• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King Jr./Civil Rights Day
• President's Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Veteran's Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Day after Thanksgiving
• Christmas Eve Day (December 24th)
• Christmas Day

Unless required to maintain services and have been designated as a Critical City Services and/or Essential Personnel, all other employees are relieved from duty for their full shift if the holiday falls on a day they are normally scheduled to work; benefited employees shall be paid during their absence from work.

All benefited employees (except those designated as Critical City Services and/or Essential Personnel) on paid time off when a holiday occurs, will receive no additional pay and will not be charged any paid time off categories.

An employee who is on unpaid time off status (dock status) shall not be paid for a holiday unless the employee works a shift or submits paid time off on the employee's scheduled work day, either the day before or the day after the holiday.