Staff says employee handbook changes clarify compensation policies

City staff told the Umatilla City Council they updated the employee handbook to clarify that certain policies and exit provisions are to be considered part of official compensation, and staff said the handbook changes have been made.

At the meeting, a staff speaker summarized the update: “We made our changes to our employee handbook as considered compensation, and your guys' policies exit as they exist now, adopt those as there and so it's considered as part of official compensation,” Staff member Dave said. A council member responded to an email about the change, saying, “I saw the email and I was like you've got to be careful.”

Nut graf: The change clarifies how certain employee policies are recorded relative to official compensation, but council did not take a formal vote to adopt or amend an ordinance or resolution. The meeting record shows staff made the handbook update and counselors expressed caution; no further action or formal adoption was recorded.

During discussion, staff and council confirmed the update was administrative in nature rather than a change to wages or benefits that would require collective bargaining or formal council adoption. Council did not set a follow-up vote or direct staff to return revised policy language during this session.

Ending: Staff indicated the handbook changes are complete and available to the council; council members asked staff to be careful about communications and documentation. No ordinance, resolution or formal compensation change was approved during the meeting.