Fayetteville

city employees who are called to serve in the U.S. military now have a

few benefits beyond those required by federal law.

Those employees

will be allowed to continue their regular benefits through the city and

continue to accrue annual, sick and holiday leave while they serve in

the military, according to a plan unanimously approved by the Fayetteville

City Council at its meeting Thursday night.

Also, those

employees will receive differential pay if their military salary is lower

than what they receive from the city. Council also voted to "speed

up" the annual performance review for those employees which determines

whether or not they will receive a raise.

The affected

employees will be eligible for a pay for performance raise after they

have been back with the city for 90 days.

City Manager

Joe Morton said the city didn't want to have employees waiting a year

or more after their return to go through a performance review.

Currently the

city has one employee on active military duty. Council agreed to make

these benefits retroactive to Sept. 11, 2001, so it could cover another

employee who was called to military service after the terrorist attacks

and has since returned to his position with the city.