A slap in the face is how many Raleigh firefighters and police view new changes to a city policy. It involves all city employees and centers on vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay and promotions.
The changes were made as part of the consent agenda that passed at the last City Council meeting.
“If I have to work on a Saturday, I already have to take two days off to have that weekend off. Now its going to take more time to accrue that. It’s going to cost me about 9 vacation days a year,” Nick Rhodes, a Raleigh firefighter said.
Vacation accrual changed under this new policy. As a 15 year veteran of the Raleigh Fire Department, Nick Rhodes used to earn 1.75 days off per month. Under the new policy, seniority doesn’t get you more time. Every firefighter would get one day per month.