Personnel Policy Board denies treasurer’s-office grievance over March 19 weather closure

The Sarpy County Personnel Policy Board on June 18 denied a grievance from employees of the county treasurer’s office who sought paid administrative leave for March 19, 2025, a day the treasurer had told staff the office would be closed because of severe weather.

The board concluded under the personnel inclement-weather closure policy that only a declaration by the Sarpy County Board chair triggers paid closure; because the chair did not declare a countywide severe inclement-weather closure on March 19, the board voted to deny relief for the employees who had sought pay.

The dispute began after the treasurer’s office sent internal messages on March 19 saying the office would be closed and staff should “have a safe day” and “see you Thursday AM.” Several employees used accrued leave that day; the treasurer initially sustained grievances and offered administrative leave, then withdrew that remedy after consulting county leadership and HR. The union appealed to the Personnel Policy Board seeking make-whole relief for employees told not to come to work by their elected official.

In the hearing, John Corrigan, attorney for the Sarpy County Public Employees Association, argued the collective bargaining agreement gives elected officials authority to set office hours and work schedules and that employees who followed their elected official’s direction should not be forced to use PTO. Corrigan told the board the union sought relief for employees who were told by the treasurer not to report and said the bargaining unit had several members affected.

County counsel Ryan Coonhart (representing county management) and county witnesses, including Sarpy County Treasurer Jeff Miskell, said the county’s inclement-weather policy gives the county-board chair the discretion to implement a severe weather closure that triggers pay. Miskell testified he closed the treasurer’s office on March 19 out of safety concerns, understood employees would have to use accrued leave under policy, and later tried to secure administrative pay but was advised that was not the correct procedure.

Sharona Ernst, a Sarpy County diversion officer and union representative, testified the contract and past practice left employees believing elected officials’ office closures should be treated as paid closures for their office. The union also submitted evidence including grievance forms, emails, a county resolution declaring a disaster related to the March weather, and a proposed policy revision that had been circulated to employee advisory groups after the incident.

Board members emphasized consistency across county departments. In a post-hearing statement the board explained that allowing individual elected officials to trigger paid closures would produce inconsistency across county departments and undermine the centralized process the policy is intended to preserve. The board therefore voted to deny the grievance.

Motion and vote: A motion to deny the grievance was made, seconded and carried by recorded voice vote of four members present with one member absent.

The Personnel Policy Board closed the grievance hearing and adjourned following the vote. The board asked staff to note how the county’s inclement-weather bulletin, the personnel manual, and the collective bargaining agreement interact when offices close for weather and encouraged follow-up on proposed policy clarifications.