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Council takes first read on employee handbook updates including new discretionary leave and retirement adjustments
Summary
Council heard a first reading of an ordinance updating the employee handbook to add a 56-hour discretionary leave, change the definition of full-time to 36 hours, and correct retirement-matching language for the MissionSquare plan; staff recommended approval and the item will return for a later vote.
The council took a first reading of an ordinance amending the employee handbook, with staff highlighting several substantive changes including a new discretionary leave benefit, an adjusted full-time-hours definition, and a clarification to the city's retirement-match program.
Lisa Addington, chief of staff, said the handbook is updated annually and summarized the main changes. "The first addition is to our conflict of interest statement, which is section 210," Addington said. "The second new addition is to our floating holiday, which we have labeled as discretionary leave. ... we would like to add 56 hours of discretionary leave for employees to use during any work week that will actually condense their work week." She added the discretionary leave would be use-it-or-lose-it, not paid out at termination, and limited to one work shift per week.
Addington also described a change to Section 415 (retirement) to correct language regarding the city's match to the MissionSquare (formerly known as IPERS/other plans in different cities) program: the city match is described as 100% of the employee's contribution up to 4% of base wages. Staff also proposed defining full time as 36 hours per week rather than 40 to provide flexibility for employees who work fewer hours.
Council member Shaw asked about disciplinary procedure related to the expanded conflict-of-interest language; Addington responded that existing disciplinary procedures would be used and the policy itself does not set out the detailed disciplinary steps.
This was a first reading; staff recommended approval and the council did not take final action during the meeting. Addington asked council members to review red-line changes and bring questions back to staff before the next meeting.
