Greenville council adopts personnel-policy amendments adding wellness equipment purchase, clarifying leave rules

The Greenville City Council unanimously approved a resolution amending the city personnel policies to formalize an employee wellness equipment purchase program, combine that program administratively with an existing computer-purchase program, and clarify language about vacation-to-sick leave transfers.

The changes, approved 5-0, were presented by Director of Human Resources Olivia Petrella, who said the wellness equipment purchase program is new and intended to "continue or further our wellness initiatives" and to let employees buy fitness equipment for home use rather than waiting for medical issues. Petrella also described an existing computer purchase program and said the two programs have been aligned administratively.

Petrella told council the proposed leave-language revisions replace permissive wording with mandatory wording to reduce ambiguity, explaining that the changes clarify that vacation accruals exceeding a two-year cap "automatically transfer to their sick leave balance" and that transferred sick leave counts toward service credit in the North Carolina Retirement System.

Council members asked how employees would be notified; Petrella said the city will use email, the intranet and new-employee orientation to disseminate the revised policies.

Council member Willis moved approval; Council member Scully seconded. The motion passed 5-0.

The resolution codifies programs some employees already use, according to Petrella, and staff said the change is intended primarily to clarify language and formalize the wellness purchase option rather than create an immediate new appropriation.

Council voted on the amendment during the consent-items discussion after pulling item 1 for brief Q&A. The mayor noted the motion passed by unanimous vote of the five members present.