Committee defers dependent-care pilot after administration flags fiscal uncertainty; some commissioners press to pilot for Board staff

Staff asked the committee to defer the dependent-care reimbursement pilot for at least one month so the committee can review updated policy language. Zach, representing the administration, said an employee survey was conducted and the administration is not prepared to recommend countywide implementation because of economic uncertainty and potential impacts to core services. "We're just not in a position to recommend allocating monies to do this countywide," Zach said.

Several commissioners advocated for moving forward at least for Board of Commissioners staff as a pilot. One commissioner who said they had brought the initiative forward a year earlier described the proposal as a dependent-care reimbursement pilot (covering childcare and other dependent care) designed to provide modest reimbursements, administered by affidavit and receipts, and restricted to eligible employees. The speaker said the fiscal impact for Board of Commissioners staff alone would be less than $150,000 a year and that about 15 families among board staff would qualify under the program parameters discussed.

Administration staff told the committee they had surveyed approximately 6,000 employees and received about 1,362 responses; the administration said those results informed their recommendation to pause expansion to the entire county workforce. Some commissioners said the pilot could help retention and recruitment, reduce absenteeism, and be fiscally prudent by addressing turnover costs. Others cautioned that current budget and federal funding uncertainties weigh against adding a new countywide program now.

Action: The committee voted to defer consideration of the policy to the November 18 Board of Commissioners meeting, with a prior stop at the operations committee on November 4 for further review and clarification for the record.