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Commission allows employees to sell back up to 40 hours of accrued vacation, effective FY2026
Summary
To give employees more flexibility, Meriwether County commissioners approved a buyback policy letting staff sell back up to 40 accrued vacation hours while keeping a 160-hour minimum balance; change takes effect in fiscal year 2026.
Meriwether County commissioners on May 20 approved a policy allowing employees to sell back accrued vacation hours, with limits designed to protect employees’ leave balances and the county’s budget.
Under the new rule, effective in fiscal year 2026, employees may sell back up to 40 hours at their current hourly rate provided they maintain a minimum remaining balance of 160 hours of vacation. The policy change was pitched by staff as a way to help employees cover expenses or take paid time off without being forced to lose accruals when they reach the existing cap (240 hours).
At a prior work session staff had explored a larger 80-hour buyback option; human-resources staff recommended the 40-hour limit as a conservative approach to control budget exposure and preserve a reserve of paid leave for employees. Commissioners debated alternatives and budget impacts, noting the county will treat the measure as a recurring payroll liability and budget for potential cash payouts beginning with fiscal year 2026.
The board voted to implement the 40-hour sell-back option, effective Oct. 1, 2025 (start of FY26), and asked staff to include a budget line item for projected payouts in the FY26 budget documents. Several commissioners emphasized the measure aimed to help employees take needed breaks without forcing short-term unpaid leave.
