Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Personnel Discipline Appeals topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sarpy County updates discipline, appeals rules and codifies performance-improvement plans
Summary
The Sarpy County personnel policy board recommended approval of revisions to Rule 7, Regulation 1, renaming it the "discipline and appeal process," adding a formal performance-improvement plan and clarifying appeal and Loudermill hearing rights.
On April 21, 2025, the Sarpy County personnel policy board voted to recommend approval of revisions to the countypersonnel rules that rename Rule 7, Regulation 1 to the "discipline and appeal process," formally add performance-improvement plans and clarify appeal rights.
Mary Davis, Sarpy County human resources director, said the biggest change is that "we added the performance improvement plan to this document because we are currently doing that now." The revision codifies a practice in which supervisors set measurable goals, hold regular meetings and use written plans to track an employee's progress before advancing to more severe discipline.
The new language preserves progressive-discipline options but makes clear steps can be taken on a case-by-case basis. Davis told the board that "if you've got cases of harassment, workplace violence, bullying, theft" other policies and investigations would apply and that HR typically conducts inquiries to support discipline recommendations. She said the county intends to work with department heads so similar incidents receive consistent treatment across departments.
The revisions also clarify appeal rights. Davis said the performance-improvement plan itself "cannot be appealed to the board. However, any disciplinary action that results from those, whether that is termination or suspension, those can be appealed to the personal policy board." The policy retains employees' right to a Loudermill-style predisciplinary hearing when they face discipline that would affect them financially: "employees have the right to have a Loudermill hearing," she told the board.
Jonathan Davidson moved to recommend approval of the revisions, and Randy Bennett seconded. The motion passed 3-0 with two members absent.
The board's action directs HR and department heads to adopt the renamed policy and implement the documented performance-improvement plan process. Davis also announced at the meeting that she is retiring and said she has drafted additional policies that will be presented by Carrie Plummer Galecki and the incoming HR director.
Votes and next steps: Motion by Jonathan Davidson, second by Randy Bennett; vote 3 yes, 2 absent. The board recommended the change; final adoption moves to the county's approving authority per normal procedures.
Ending: Davis thanked the board and said HR will work with supervisors and elected officials to put the new procedures into practice and to ensure employees understand both the plan process and appeal rights.
