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Committee OKs 80-hour no-payout vacation bank; members press for staffing fixes and encourage use of leave
Summary
The Human Resources Committee approved creating an 80-hour, no-payout vacation bank (in addition to the current 360-hour accrual limit). Committee members urged department heads to promote use of vacation time and discussed staffing gaps and burnout in payroll and other departments.
The Wausau Human Resources Committee on Feb. 10 voted to create an additional 80-hour “no payout” vacation bank to sit above the current 360-hour accrual limit in the employee handbook. The extra bank allows employees to accrue up to 80 additional hours that would not be paid out at separation.
Human Resources staff said the request dated to a July 2024 committee direction to draft a policy addressing vacation accrual exceptions. “This extra 80 hours…will allow that employee to accrue additional 80 hours,” an HR staff member said, describing the policy’s intent to reduce ad hoc mayoral exception requests when staff are pushed against accrual limits.
Committee members discussed the importance of employees taking regular vacation time and expressed concern about staffing shortfalls that have led to extended work hours for some employees, particularly in payroll. Several members described cases where critical staff worked long hours during software implementations and payroll deadlines and urged departments to cross-train backups to avoid burnout.
The HR staff clarified that the additional 80 hours would not be paid out at separation; the committee noted the policy will not eliminate existing exceptions but will reduce the frequency of emergency appeals. Committee members also discussed broader staffing needs and asked department heads to present proposals for addressing chronic shortfalls.
The motion to approve the no-payout vacation bank and revise handbook section 8.04 passed unanimously. The committee directed HR and affected department heads to pursue staffing reviews and succession-planning options and to encourage employees to take earned leave for work–life balance.
