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Select Board holds earned-time policy steady; approves one-week carryover for town staffer
Summary
After discussing last year’s new earned-time policy and multiple employee requests, the board declined to change the policy midprocess but approved a one-week carryover for one employee who canceled planned vacation to staff the office.
The Brentwood Town Select Board agreed to keep the written earned-time policy adopted last year in place and to hear future policy-change proposals after consulting the incoming town administrator. The board did, however, approve a single exception: a one-week carryover for an employee who canceled vacation to cover staffing during a coworker’s family medical absence.
Board members described the May policy as a clarifying move that replaced ad hoc practice with written rules. The policy permits carrying forward up to 80 hours in general (96 hours for 24-hour firefighters) and allowed a designated payout of up to one additional week in limited circumstances. The board said the written policy was intended to reduce one‑off payout decisions.
At the meeting, Select Board members discussed fairness concerns from employees who argued some coworkers routinely accumulate unused time. Several members said the town’s earlier move to formalize the policy had been intentionally more generous than historical practice and that changing the rule during the current payout cycle would be inappropriate. The board signaled willingness to reopen the policy for a broader discussion with the new town administrator and employee engagement.
On the single exception before the board, staff explained that an employee, Daphne Watts, had a planned December vacation but canceled to maintain office coverage when another staff member faced a family medical issue. The board voted to allow a one‑week carryover for Daphne rather than a cash payout; the motion passed by voice vote.
Why it matters: Earned-time rules affect employee morale, payroll liabilities, and the town’s operating budget. The board’s approach keeps the adopted policy in place for the current cycle while providing a narrowly tailored exception for an exceptional staffing need.
