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Commissioners ask staff to prepare policy change on holiday pay for part‑time employees; no immediate change
Summary
County payroll staff proposed changing how holiday pay is calculated for part‑time employees—using actual hours worked divided by workdays in the pay period—after finding inconsistent treatment for employees who routinely work more hours than their scheduled time.
Fallon County payroll and HR staff told commissioners they have identified inconsistent calculations for holiday pay among part‑time employees and proposed a standardized method that would base holiday pay on actual hours worked divided by the working days in a pay period.
Payroll staff showed example calculations for several employees, noting one longtime part‑time employee, Paula Fuchs, has routinely worked many more hours than her official scheduled 8 hours per week. Under the current practice (used in some cases), holiday pay for such employees is prorated using scheduled hours, which in Ms. Fuchs’ case produced only 1.5 hours of holiday pay for a pay period in which she actually worked substantially more hours. Under the proposed calculation—hours worked divided by workdays in the pay period—Ms. Fuchs would have received an example of 4 hours for that same holiday period.
Payroll staff and commissioners debated whether the change would require a formal policy amendment. HR and payroll checked multiple references (state wage‑and‑hour guidance and model policies used by other Montana counties) and found variations; payroll staff said the county’s current written policy language does not match how some part‑time workers are being paid and should be corrected.
Commissioners agreed the county should pursue a formal policy change to align written policy and practice and to adopt the more‑beneficial calculation for part‑time employees, but they directed staff to follow the county’s policy adoption procedures. Staff was instructed to place a policy amendment on the Jan. 23 work session agenda so the board can consider proposed language, allow for required review steps and schedule any necessary public notice or hearing. Until the policy change is adopted through proper procedure, the commission decided to leave the holiday pay calculation unchanged for the current pay period to avoid retroactive payroll corrections.
Payroll staff and HR will prepare proposed policy language, statutory citations and implementation options (including an effective date tied to the next pay cycle if adopted) and bring it back to the board for formal consideration.
