County updates PTO policy for state earned‑sick‑time law, adopts clarified building closure policy

The Committee of the Whole and then the Board of Commissioners approved two administrative policy updates on Feb. 25: an update to PTO policy to align with Michigan’s Earned Sick Time Act and a clarified building closure policy intended to standardize pay and expectations when county facilities close for safety reasons.

Human Resources staff explained the Earned Sick Time Act changes and said the county's updated approach combines the new earned‑sick‑time entitlement with the existing PTO bank when existing PTO already exceeds the statute’s minimum. The Act provides one hour of leave for every 30 hours worked up to 72 hours per year; the county added a 120‑day waiting period for new hires before they may use the leave for purposes such as illness, to care for family members, or domestic‑violence‑related needs. The Board approved rescinding the older policy (BBC 0.05.003) and adopting the updated PTO policy (BDC 0.05.002) to align with the law.

County's administration also presented a revised building closure policy that clarifies that employees are paid as if working on a closure day but are not entitled to additional pay if they choose to work during the closure. The policy aims to avoid double‑payment situations and to ensure the county chair coordinates closure decisions in consultation with road commissions, dispatch and law enforcement. The Board approved the closure policy after discussion about fairness to essential staff working in inclement conditions and the objective of protecting staff and the public.