Updating the terms for the Physical and Mental Wellness Program (Resolution)

Extracted text

10759.1 1
CITY OF SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO1
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-__2
INTRODUCED BY:3
4
Councilor Amanda Chavez5
6
7
8
9
A RESOLUTION10
REMOVING “PILOT” STATUS FROM THE WELLNESS LEAVE PILOT PROGRAM,11
ESTABLISHING PERSONNEL RULES 13.91 AND 13.92 AS PERMANENT, AND12
ADDING A REQUIREMENT THAT EMPLOYEES COMPLETE ALL REQUIRED13
TRAININGS TO REMAIN ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE WELLNESS DAY LEAVE.14
WHEREAS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and the Kaiser Family15
Foundation’s “Mental Health and Substance Use State Fact Sheet” New Mexico has an age-16
adjusted suicide rate nearly double the average of the rest of the country, as well as higher than17
average rates of anxiety or depressive disorders; and18
WHEREAS, in 2023, the City of Santa Fe (“City”) adopted Resolution 2023-17,19
establishing a two-year pilot program in support of physical and mental wellbeing for City20
employees and establishing Personnel Rules 13.91 and 13.92 (“Wellness Leave Pilot Program”);21
and22
WHEREAS, Personnel Rule 13.91 allows classified full-time and part-time, exempt, and23
term employees one (1) day of leave as a “wellness day” each calendar year; and24
WHEREAS, Personnel Rule 13.92 provides eligible, classified full-time, exempt, and25

10759.1 2
term employees two (2) hours per week for physical and mental fitness activities (“Physical and1
Mental Fitness Leave”); and2
WHEREAS, in 2025, the City adopted Resolution No. 2025-40, which extended the3
Wellness Leave Pilot Program to June 30, 2026, and required employees to agree to take up to three4
surveys as a condition of taking wellness leave: one at the beginning of the year, one at the end of5
the year, and during the middle of the year, if the Human Resources Department determines the6
third survey is helpful; and7
WHEREAS, three hundred fifty-two (352) employees enrolled in the Wellness Leave Pilot8
Program and three hundred fifty-one (351) employees utilized the program; and9
WHEREAS, out of the three hundred forty-four (344) employees who completed the10
survey regarding the program, three hundred eighteen (318) said that the Wellness Leave Pilot11
Program increased their desire to stay employed with the City; and12
WHEREAS, ninety-four percent (94%) of the survey participants stated that their morale13
at work has improved since participating in the Wellness Leave Pilot Program and over two14
hundred fifty (250) participants said they saw a significant reduction in stress; and15
WHEREAS, the City recognizes that employee participation in trainings designed to16
improve performance, safety, satisfaction, productivity, and professional development supports17
overall employee well-being; and18
WHEREAS, employees who elect to participate in the Wellness Leave Program shall be19
required to attend and complete any mandatory trainings designated by the City; and20
WHEREAS, transitioning the Wellness Leave Pilot Program into a permanent policy will21
continue to support employees’ physical and mental well-being and improve organizational22
performance.23
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE24
CITY OF SANTA FE that the Wellness Leave Pilot Program established in Resolution No. 2023-25

10759.1 3
17 and extended by Resolution No. 2025-40 shall be adopted as a permanent policy and be1
incorporated into the City’s Personnel Rules and Regulations.2
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that employees must complete all required City trainings3
to remain eligible to receive the Wellness Day Leave, as indicated in Rule 13.91, Exhibit A.4
5
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this ______day of ___________, 2026.6
7
8
____________________________9
MICHAEL J. GARCIA, MAYOR10
11
ATTEST:12
13
________________________________14
GERALYN F. CARDENAS, CITY CLERK15
16
APPROVED AS TO FORM:17
18
_________________________________19
MARCOS D. MARTÍNEZ, CITY ATTORNEY20
21
22
23
24
Legislation/2026/Resolutions/Updating the Terms of the Physical and Mental Wellness Leave Program25Marcos Martinez (May 20, 2026 14:11:04 MDT)
Marcos Martinez

Exhibit A
RULE 13 LEAVE
Rule 13.91 Wellness Day Leave
Classified full-time and part-time, exempt, and term employees shall be eligible each calendar year for one (1)
wellness day. Employees are eligible to request Wellness Day Leave after successful completion of the
employee probationary period. This category of leave is designed to be used for mental health and wellness.
Such leave should be requested in advance, to the extent possible. Every effort will be made to accommodate an
employee’s request. Wellness Day Leave should be granted unless granting the requested leave would impair
the effective and efficient operation of the department.
1. The Wellness Day Leave must be taken in eight (8) consecutive-hour increments or in increments
representative of the employee’s regular work schedule. For example, a part-time employee would be
eligible for 4 hours of wellness leave, an employee who works a 10-hour schedule would be eligible for 10
hours of wellness leave, a firefighter that works a 24-hour schedule would be eligible for 24 hours of
wellness leave each calendar year.
2. The Wellness Day Leave must be taken within the current calendar year, or it will be forfeited.
3. Upon separation of employment, employees will not be compensated for the unused Wellness Day leave.
4. The Wellness Day Leave will not be counted toward the earning of Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
Overtime or Compensatory Time.
5. Employees and supervisors are required to utilize standard timekeeping processes to document and track
Physical and Mental Fitness Leave.
6. Wellness leave may be forfeited in accordance with Training Policy 2026-0001. City employees, including
classified, term, exempt, at-will, full-time, and part-time employees, who fail to complete all required
trainings within a calendar year may lose wellness leave accrued for the following calendar year.
Rule 13.92 Two-Hour Weekly Wellness Program: Physical and Mental Fitness Leave.
Classified full-time, exempt, and term employees may be eligible for two (2) hours per week of Physical and
Mental Fitness Leave for physical and mental fitness activities. Employees are eligible for this leave after
successful completion of the probationary period and required approvals. This is a category of leave designed to
promote fitness and wellness.
1. The Physical and Mental Fitness Leave will not be counted toward the earning of the Fair Labor Standards
Act (FLSA) Overtime or Compensatory Time.

2. Employees may request a modified work schedule by utilizing the standard request process for
flexible-work arrangements, which may permit the employee to take up to two (2) hours per week of
Physical and Mental Fitness Leave for physical and mental wellness purposes.
3. Physical and mental fitness activities are activities that promote physical and/or mental well-being
including physical exercise (for example, bicycling, walking, jogging, yoga, weight training, swimming,
tennis, volleyball, softball and racquetball), health risk appraisals, wellness screenings, fitness testing,
mindfulness and meditation exercises, healthy eating classes, nutrition consultation, health behavior change
coaching, and smoking cessation classes.
4. An eligible employee must request and be approved to participate in the Physical and Mental Fitness Leave
through the standard flexible work arrangement process. Granting the employee request is subject to the
needs of the City. If the request is approved, it may be withdrawn by the City at any time if allowing the
employee to continue would not be in the best interest of the City or have a negative impact on the
operations of the City. The denial or rescinding of Physical and Mental Fitness Leave is not subject to
grievance procedures or appeal processes.
5. Time needed for travel, taking showers, changing clothes and/or eating lunch must be considered and
should be included in the modified work schedule.
6. Employees may be required to forgo a scheduled period of Physical and Mental Fitness Leave due to
mandatory meetings, trainings, or other work-related obligations that cannot be rescheduled. However,
missed Physical and Mental Fitness Leave is forfeited and may not be made up at a different time during
the week it was missed.
7. Employees who are absent from work on a scheduled period of Physical and Mental Fitness Leave shall
forfeit the leave for that day and it may not be made up at a different time.
8. Physical and Mental Fitness Leave may not be used in conjunction with other leave types (e.g., sick leave,
annual leave, compensatory time, educational leave, administrative leave) in a manner that results in
excessive stacking of leave, as determined by the Department.
9. While considering and reviewing requests for participation in Physical and Mental Fitness Leave,
supervisors should maintain adequate coverage to meet the business needs of the City, should not unfairly
shift workloads to other staff members, and should not incur additional associated costs to the City.
10. Participants in this program are responsible for notifying their supervisor should they cease to engage on a
regular basis, in the Physical and Mental Fitness Leave on the days specified on their request.
11. As a condition of participating in the Physical and Mental Fitness Leave, employees irrevocably agree to
indemnify and hold the City of Santa Fe harmless from any and all liability and waive any claims, including
but not limited to workers’ compensation, for any and all injuries caused by or aggravated by activities
completed during any Physical and Mental Fitness Leave.

13. Employees and supervisors are required to utilize standard timekeeping processes to document and track
Physical and Mental Fitness Leave.