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Commissioners amend rehire waiting‑period language and adopt Pregnant Workers Fairness Act policy; PTO proposal discussed and tabled for staff engagement
Summary
The court voted to remove the three‑month waiting‑period language from the county rehire policy, adopted a policy to implement the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and discussed a proposed consolidated PTO policy, which staff were asked to review with departments before a final vote.
Denman County Commissioners voted to revise county personnel policy related to rehires and adopted a policy implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act; the court also discussed—but did not adopt—a proposed consolidated paid time off (PTO) policy.
County attorney and HR staff reviewed legal constraints on an elected official’s authority to rehire former employees. Staff said a three‑month waiting period in county policy conflicted with elected‑official hiring autonomy and could expose the county to legal risk; the court approved removing or amending that waiting‑period language to align county policy with state law and legal counsel guidance.
Commissioners also unanimously approved a policy to implement the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (effective 2024), adopting standard EEOC guidance to avoid pregnancy-based discrimination and to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers.
Separately, HR presented a proposed PTO policy that would combine sick and vacation into a single pool and require employees to use comp time before using PTO (a change that would limit overtime payouts for employees who have accumulated comp time). Commissioners heard employee-concern arguments about comp-time and overtime; several commissioners asked HR to host department‑level meetings and gather feedback from staff before the court considers final adoption of the PTO changes. The PTO discussion was left open for further departmental engagement before any decision.
The court recorded motions and carried the two personnel policy votes by voice votes. Commissioners asked HR to return with any required drafting language and to present departments’ feedback on the PTO proposal before a final vote.
