Mississippi Public Broadcasting is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Except for rule-making authority in the area of leave, the State Personnel Board does not have the authority to make rules regarding the administration of benefits for state employees. Although the Board develops rules governing the administration of leave benefits, the appointing authority of each agency may develop internal administrative procedures governing the application of these leave rules. The agency personnel officer, payroll officer or immediate supervisor may provide employees with information regarding procedures unique to a specific agency.

Health Insurance

State Health Plan

Holidays

State employees receive regular pay for ten (10) legal holidays and for any other day proclaimed as a holiday by the Governor or the President of the United States (Section 3- 3-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated, as amended). Employees who are not in active pay status on a legal holiday will not be compensated for the holiday. Active pay status is defined as either physically working or on paid leave the day of a legal holiday, or the day immediately following a legal holiday. Compensation for legal holidays for part-time employees will be computed on a pro-rata basis according to hours regularly scheduled to work.

The legal holidays are as follows:

Provided, however, that in the event any holiday hereinbefore declared legal shall fall on Saturday or Sunday, then the following Monday shall be a legal holiday.

Except as may be provided in specific agency appropriations bills, when, in the opinion of the appointing authority, it is essential that a state employee work during an official state holiday, the employee shall receive credit for the day. (Refer to Section 25-3-92( 1), Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated, as amended.)

In accordance with specific provisions of an agency's appropriations bill, an appointing authority may require employees in specific job classes to work on an official state holiday and be paid call-back pay in lieu of receiving compensatory time credit.

Employee Work Schedule

A. Section 25-1-98, Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated, as amended, requires that all state offices shall be open and staffed for the normal conduct of business from 8:00 a. m. until 5:00 p. m., Monday through Friday.

B. The State Personnel Board defines a normal work schedule as eight hours per day, 40 hours per week, 173.929 hours per month and 2,087 hours per year.

C. Each part-time employee shall be provided a schedule of working hours.

D. To provide for maximum flexibility in scheduling employees, the appointing authority may develop modified work schedules providing for flextime or compressed work schedules. "Flextime" is a schedule which offers agency management a choice, within limits, to vary employee arrival and departure times from work.

LEAVE

Each month state employees earn two types of leave, personal leave and major medical (sick) leave. Employees, including part-time employees, shall be granted leave as provided in Sections 25-3-91 et. seq., 25-9-125, 33-1-19, and 33-1-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated, as amended.

Employees begin to earn and accumulate personal and major medical leave on the first working day of each month the employee works or receives paid leave. The personal leave is available for the employee’s use the first day of the month after the leave is earned. The appointing authority cannot increase the amount of personal leave to an employee's credit, and it is unlawful for an appointing authority to grant personal and major medical leave in an amount greater than was earned and accumulated by the employee.

Part-time employees are granted leave only during periods when they are scheduled to work. Part-time and temporary employees earn personal and major medical leave on a pro rata basis.

Personal Leave Accrual Table

Medical Leave Accrual Table

Major medical leave may be used for the illness or injury of an employee or member of the employee's immediate family which is defined as spouse, parent, step-parent, sibling, child, step-child, grandchild, grandparent, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, mother in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law. The employee must remember that major medical leave can be used in this manner only after the employee has used one (1) day of accrued personal or compensatory leave. In the event that an employee has no accrued personal or compensatory leave, the first day of leave must be taken as leave without pay. This is a requirement for each absence due to illness.

For each absence due to illness that requires the employee be absent from work for thirty-two (32) consecutive working hours (combined personal, major medical, and compensatory leave), major medical leave can be authorized only when certified in writing by the attending physician.

Transfer of Leave Between Agencies

All accrued leave, both major medical and personal leave, shall be transferable between state agencies. Each appointing authority shall be furnished a statement of accrued leave at the time of transfer by an employee (Section 25-3-97( 5), Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated, as amended).

Upon transfer, leave accrual rates at the receiving agency will reflect total continuous service. An employee transferring with a break in service must begin accruing leave at the rate established for new employees. Lump sum payment for personal leave and/ or the lapse of one eight-hour workday between the termination date at an old agency and effective date into a new agency denote a break in service.

PANDEMIC POLICY

Preventing the Spread of the Illness in the Workplace 

State employees are encouraged to cooperate in taking steps to reduce the transmission of both seasonal and novel strains of illness in the workplace.  The best strategy for reducing the transmission of viruses is frequent hand washing with warm, soapy water, covering mouths with tissues whenever you sneeze, discarding tissues used when sneezing. Agencies are also encouraged to install alcohol-based hand sanitizers throughout the workplace and in common areas. 

Staying Home When Ill 

Many times, with the best of intentions, employees report to work even though they feel ill.  State employees are provided with paid medical leave to compensate employees who are unable to work due to illness.  During flu season, an influenza pandemic, and/or other pandemic, it is critical that employees do not report to work while they are ill and/or experiencing the following symptoms: fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.  A significant number of people who have been infected also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people with influenza-like illness remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100 degrees F or 37.8 degrees C) or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.  Employees who report to work ill will be sent home in accordance with these health guidelines.  Employees who are sent home under this policy will be required to utilize leave in accordance with Section 3.2 Leave.

Reporting to Work When Not Ill 

A pandemic could result in a significant level of absenteeism.  State employees may be unable to work if they become ill due to the virus while others may need to remain home to care for ill family members or simply to provide care for children during school closings. During this time, unless otherwise notified, attendance and leave policies will remain in place.  Individuals who believe they may face particular challenges reporting to work during a severe pandemic should take steps to develop any necessary contingency plans. 

Source:Mississippi State Employee Handbook