(a) A classified employee who is discharged shall be paid severance pay in addition to other entitlement; provided that termination is due to one of the following reasons:

    (1)    Reduction in force;

    (2)    Inability to perform duties for the reason of age or poor health, except retirement by reason of reaching the mandatory retirement age; or

    (3)    General incompetence or inefficiency; provided, the employee has been cooperative and has made a sincere effort to perform satisfactorily (as recommended and documented by the department head).

    (b) A classified employee discharged for such reasons as gross incompetence, insubordination, willful neglect or abuse of duties and/or authority, committing an illegal act, deliberate disregard of regulations or other reasons of a similar nature shall not be entitled to severance pay.

    (c) Any classified employee who resigns shall not be entitled to severance pay.

    (d) Those eligible to receive severance pay shall be paid in accordance with the following schedule:

    (e) Unclassified employees shall not be eligible for severance pay provisions. Unclassified employees shall, however, upon termination of employment with the city, receive separation pay equivalent to one month's salary.

    (f) In addition to, or in lieu of,  the foregoing, the city manager, in the manager's sole discretion and on a case by case basis, may provide separation pay to classified employees equivalent to eight (8) weeks pay and additional separation pay to unclassified employees equivalent to two (2) months salary.

(Code 1964, § 22.640; Ord. No. 14617, § 1, 9-18-95; Ord. No. 15355, § 1, 9-15-97)