Wausau committee approves HR reclassification; staff to expand overtime reporting and map admin job families

The Wausau Resources Committee voted unanimously to reclassify a senior human resources generalist to assistant human resources director and discussed planned enhancements to HR reporting and a job‑family analysis of administrative positions.

The action on the reclassification came after Human Resources staff described the change as the “first step” to build needed operational support and said the reclassification is budget neutral. Motion by Martins, second by Henke, passed unanimously.

Committee members were shown an HR packet that now includes an overtime chart. “I did put, at the request of somebody on committee, to put overtime information on here,” Human Resources staff said, noting the report currently mixes grant-funded positions and other monies and that finance staff are working with HR to refine the reporting. The staff member said the overtime reporting will change over time to provide more accurate data.

Committee members also discussed an HR plan to create a Human Resources business partner role if funding becomes available next year. The HR presentation described that position as “a liaison between HR as a function and the different departments throughout the city” and said the city would start with one business partner as a “boots on the ground” presence in departments.

Separately, HR staff outlined a job‑analysis effort aimed at aligning 24 administrative positions into job families (admins 1–4 plus departmental addenda). The staff member described the sequence as: (1) job analysis, (2) craft job descriptions, (3) go to market externally, (4) benchmark internally. The analysis was presented as a discussion item and will be updated to the committee over time.

The committee also placed the September human resources report on file after the presentation. No additional formal action was recorded on the overtime reporting or the broader job‑family work.

Clarifying details discussed at the meeting included that the reclassification is being implemented using current departmental savings and was characterized by HR staff as budget neutral; the HR business partner post would be proposed if new funding opens next year; and the admin job‑family exercise currently covers 24 positions spread across departments.

The committee approved August 27 and September 8 minutes at the start of the meeting by voice vote (motion by Tierney, second by Martins).