Council tables review of overtime language after debate over compensation for administrative assistant

The Mayville Common Council debated Section 5.4 of the employee handbook, concerning overtime and compensatory time, after a dispute over whether the city should pay overtime to an administrative assistant called in outside her regular hours. The council voted to table the matter to the next meeting pending clarification from the city attorney.

Alders and staff described a recent payroll dispute in which an administrative assistant, identified in discussion as Judy Baldwin, was denied overtime pay for work performed while also having scheduled holiday hours. Alderperson (speaker) said Baldwin "worked overtime" and that part of her hours were denied; the council discussed whether the handbook's language entitled her to pay for call‑ins and whether paid holidays or vacation should offset overtime pay.

Council members disagreed on interpretation. One council member, citing the Fair Labor Standards Act and payroll administration, said the city was enforcing the employee handbook as written and treating scheduled holiday pay as not-hours-work. Other members said the handbook contains language that their understanding had historically provided time-and-a-half for call-ins and that the paragraph on call-in pay should be clarified or moved to a distinct section focused on call-ins and emergency personnel.

Several members said the issue was especially relevant for public-safety-related administrative work: when booking, arrest processing and court filings require after-hours administrative attention, staff with specialized skills provide vital functions that would be costly to replace. Suggestions included clarifying handbook language, considering reclassification or salary adjustments for specialized roles, or explicitly defining call-in compensation thresholds.

After extended discussion, Alderperson (motion maker) moved to table the item to the next meeting for attorney clarification; the motion carried by voice vote. Council requested the city attorney and human resources provide written guidance on how the handbook applies to call-ins, holidays and compensatory time before the next meeting.