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Commissioners allow department-head discretion for up to 10 unpaid medical days, require documentation
Summary
Morgan County commissioners approved leaving approval for up to 10 days of unpaid medical leave to department heads, clarified it applies to medical reasons only, and recommended a doctor's note for longer absences.
The Morgan County Board of Commissioners voted to leave discretion for approving up to 10 days of unpaid leave for medical reasons with department heads, and clarified documentation and limits discussed in the county handbook.
County staff member Dre presented a request from a department head for unpaid days for medical reasons and reminded the board that “we are no longer allowing employees to donate time” and that the handbook allows commissioners to approve up to 10 days unpaid. Dre said department heads could require a doctor’s note when the time off is for medical reasons.
Commissioner Collier moved to allow department heads discretion to approve such unpaid medical days in line with the handbook; Commissioner Adams seconded. Commissioners discussed whether the rule should differ for elected officials and appointed department heads, including whether an elected department head should retain the discretion to grant leave. The board noted that an employee’s Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitlement had expired in the prior 12-month period and that any remaining hours would require a new qualifying event.
Commissioner Collier said 10 days should be sufficient and that legal counsel would be consulted if a longer absence were requested; Collier also said appointees should come to the commissioners before extended leave decisions. The commissioners voted 3-0 to approve leaving approval authority with department heads for medical unpaid leave, with the understanding that it applies to medical reasons only and that department heads may require a doctor’s note.
The action does not change the handbook’s existing language on the commissioners’ authority to approve unpaid leave up to 10 days; rather, the board decided to rely on department-head-level decisions in routine cases and to reserve commission-level review for unusual situations.
The board asked that any requests exceeding the handbook allowances be routed to legal counsel and returned to the commissioners for action.
