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Council approves employee handbook edits covering reporting, vaccinations, bereavement and post‑accident testing
Summary
Council approved a set of updates to the borough employee handbook after discussion of alternative reporting for discrimination complaints, a reserved vaccination clause, bereavement leave flexibility and a post‑accident drug/alcohol testing policy.
Narberth Borough Council approved updates to the employee handbook after reviewing attorney and council recommendations. The changes clarified alternative reporting channels for discrimination complaints, preserved the borough’s ability to require vaccinations in future public‑health emergencies, allowed limited nonconsecutive bereavement leave and added a disciplinary framework for confirmed positive post‑accident drug or alcohol tests involving borough vehicles.
Council discussed one procedural item at length: if an employee’s complaint involved the borough manager, staff recommended an alternate reporter — the council president — so the employee would have an independent reporting path. That change was discussed and accepted in the meeting.
On vaccination policy, the handbook will reserve the borough’s right to require appropriate vaccinations in future endemic or pandemic situations while noting that current COVID requirements have been removed. Council agreed the language will permit public‑health-driven action if needed.
Regarding bereavement leave, staff recommended that up to two bereavement days be taken nonconsecutively within six weeks of a death, subject to notice and staffing needs; council agreed to include grandparents in the definition of immediate family for bereavement purposes.
The handbook language on post‑accident testing was the subject of debate. The borough’s draft specified post‑accident drug and alcohol testing when a borough vehicle is involved. Staff and council considered whether a confirmed positive test should require automatic termination or allow supervisor discretion. Borough manager Maggie said she favored a stronger, objective standard to support insurance and safety expectations; legal staff advised the council on options. The final agreed language requires testing and makes a confirmed positive a disciplinary matter, with the specifics to be drafted into the handbook text for council review before final publication.
Council also reviewed the borough’s existing smoking/vaping language (no smoking on borough property) and discussed a prior policy that would prohibit hiring active nicotine users; managers said they did not want hiring rules that would cost them potential candidates and recommended limiting the policy to on‑site use rather than precluding hires.
