Council tables proposed changes to personnel policy on working through lunch; staff to redraft

West Haven — The council voted Oct. 15 to table proposed changes to the West Haven City personnel policy handbook (Resolution 49-20-25) that would clarify when nonexempt employees may work through lunch and have that time count as work time.

City HR and staff presentations explained the proposal aimed to allow limited paid working-through-lunch for some employees under the manager’s discretion. “What this policy does is it describes what those parameters are,” Human Resources presenter Warnke told the council. The draft described conditions under which public-works employees and office staff could eat at their work locations and be available to perform essential duties.

Council members raised multiple operational concerns: whether office employees should be allowed to work through lunch while field crews do not, how field crews would clock in and out if they work remotely, whether leaving a job site to buy lunch should require clocking out, and potential liability if employees are on the clock while driving. Emily (payroll/IT) clarified the city uses a digital clock-in system that can be geofenced, but staff said geofence ranges would need adjustment to accommodate field crews. Council member Call and others recommended simplifying the language and leaving more discretion to department heads.

Staff and council agreed to revise the draft. Councilmember Amy proposed striking or rewording Section 2 to reduce confusion and adding explicit language that employees who leave a job site to obtain food must clock out or have a supervisor adjust hours. After extended discussion, the council voted to table Resolution 49-20-25 to allow staff to redraft the policy and return with clearer language and implementation guidance.

Why it matters: the change would alter pay and timekeeping practices for nonexempt employees and could affect payroll, liability and daily operations in public works and other departments. The city will return the revised language for further council consideration.