Summary
County employees and local prosecutors urged commissioners to increase new-hire vacation to two weeks in the first year (with a 90-day or six-month eligibility window), and the court discussed creating an anonymous donation program for employees to donate sick or vacation hours to colleagues in need.
Employees and several elected officials urged Van Zandt County commissioners at the Aug. 7 workshop to increase new‑hire vacation accrual so that employees can access two weeks’ paid vacation in their first year. A local prosecutor and county staff presented sample schedules from neighboring counties (Polk, Angelina) and recommended either a 90‑day or six‑month wait followed by two weeks of vacation, with standard incremental increases by years of service.
Speakers and commissioners discussed the mechanics and budgetary consequences. Several commissioners and staff said the change would not be cost‑free because departments must cover shifts while employees are on leave, though some said the effect on payroll would be small and that the policy could improve recruitment and retention.
Workshop participants also proposed creating an anonymous, voluntary donation program that would allow employees to contribute accrued sick or vacation hours to a colleague in a documented hardship. Participants discussed guardrails such as a minimum balance donors must retain and an anonymous request mechanism. Commissioners asked staff to research existing policies used by other counties and to draft a local policy for court consideration.
No policy change was adopted at the workshop; staff were asked to return a proposed ordinance or personnel rule for review and possible adoption in a future session.
