Independence board endorses clearer holiday observation and overtime rules in PPM

The Independence Board of Directors voted to recommend changes to the Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual to clarify holiday observation, holiday pay and how holiday hours are counted for overtime.

A staff member summarized the proposed clarifications: when a holiday falls on a Sunday it will be observed on the following Monday and when it falls on a Saturday it will be observed on the preceding Friday. The staff member also explained how holiday pay would be calculated. "All employees will receive 8 hours of pay at their straight time rate for holidays. To be clear that if you're working a 10 hour schedule, you'll get 10 hours of pay, holiday pay," the staff member said.

The staff member addressed pay for employees required to work on a holiday, saying such employees "should also get the time and a half. And actually, what it works to be is double time and a half if you're working on a holiday, a scheduled holiday." That phrasing was reported as stated by staff in the meeting record.

The draft language also clarifies how holiday hours count toward overtime calculations. The staff member gave an example: if a holiday falls within an employee's scheduled Monday‑through‑Friday workweek (for example, Memorial Day), those holiday hours count toward overtime calculations; however, if an employee works a Tuesday‑through‑Saturday schedule, the paid holiday hours for the Monday holiday do not count toward overtime calculations for that employee.

The board opened the item for public comment and received none. A board member moved to recommend the language to the City Council; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The item will be forwarded to the City Council for consideration.