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Personnel committee recommends policy updates after attorney review; clarifies FMLA language
Summary
McHenry County Board of Health Personnel Committee reviewed confidentiality language for harassment/hostile-work-environment complaints and clarified how federal FMLA bonding leave applies; the committee voted to forward the updates to the full Board of Health for approval.
The McHenry County Board of Health Personnel Committee on Oct. 22 recommended that proposed updates to the department personnel policy manual be forwarded to the full Board of Health after staff reported the county state's attorney reviewed key language.
Ken (staff member) told the committee that the state's attorney reviewed proposed confidentiality wording for harassment and hostile-work-environment complaints and advised that the policy should not promise absolute confidentiality. "He wants to make sure we do not suggest the confidentiality is guaranteed because it is not. Right. Especially if it goes to litigation," Ken said.
Committee members said they were comfortable keeping the county's current language, which matches the McHenry County personnel policy. "We use the same language as the county does. It's fine," one committee member said.
On leave language, Ken said staff had checked with human resources and noted that Family and Medical Leave Act requirements are federal. He summarized how the committee discussed parental leave: "So the mother, after having a child, gets to take her first 6 weeks for the birth and any time after that, and then an additional 6 for bonding where her husband then could take another 6," Ken said. Committee discussion reflected some confusion about the sequencing and whether leave is shared; members asked for clarification from HR during the meeting.
After discussion, the committee made a motion to recommend the personnel policy manual updates to the full Board of Health. The motion was made by Miss Althoff and seconded by Miss Morawski; the committee approved the recommendation by voice vote.
The personnel committee kept the confidentiality language aligned with county policy and sought to clarify, on the record, that confidentiality cannot be guaranteed when complaints might lead to litigation. The recommended revisions and the committee's recommendation will be considered by the full Board of Health in its next meeting.
