Park districts typically have unique employment relationships because of their recreational programs.
Park districts commonly hire part-time employees, such as teachers and students, for summer recreation programs. Normally, these positions are not covered by IMRF because they do not require sufficient service to meet the annual hourly standard.
In some cases, such as golf course employees, the positions may meet the annual hourly standard, and these employees should be reported and enrolled as IMRF participating members.
Park districts often hire part-time instructors for recreation programs such as arts and crafts, ice skating, tennis, etc. If they are hired to handle a particular program on a program-to-program basis, each hiring should be considered separately to determine the expected hourly requirements of the position. If the instructor teaches a regular series of programs, all the expected hours for all programs in a 12-month period should be considered.
Normally, park districts should not classify part-time recreation instructors as independent contractors. This is not a valid classification unless the relationship is clearly one of a contractor rather than an employee.
In order to have an independent contractor relationship, it is generally necessary that:
The park district does not retain the right to control the manner in which the program is conducted
The instructor is not subject to discharge during the course of the program
The park district does not carry liability insurance for the instructor, who carries his or her own insurance like any other independent contractor, and
The instructor has the right to hire substitutes when ill or otherwise unable to instruct.
If a park district hires off-duty city or village police officers for security work in parks, the police officers may be:
Employees of the park district, if the park district hires each police officer individually and retains the right to discharge them from duty.
Employees of the city or village, if the police chief or police department assigns the police officer to the duty and retains the right to discharge him or her from this duty, even though the park district pays the police officer (see 3.80 G. Park District Police).
Park district rangers or police in those park districts that have their own security force are classified in the same manner as other park district employees.