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Commissioners authorize staff to draft county remote-work policy, emphasizing on-site preference
Summary
The board unanimously authorized the human resources director and county attorney to draft a remote-work policy addressing payroll, workers' compensation, retirement and other legal/administrative issues; commissioners signaled a preference for on-site work and asked staff to consider rare, temporary exceptions.
Scotts Bluff County commissioners voted 5–0 to authorize the human resources director to draft a county policy on remote work for employees, with instruction to coordinate with the county attorney and to consider payroll, benefits and legal implications.
Human resources staff described several constraints and risks to remote work, particularly when employees reside and perform work outside Nebraska. Key issues cited included the county’s payroll system not being configured to process payroll for out‑of‑state employees, NERMA (the county’s risk pool) not covering out‑of‑state workers’ compensation claims, state-by-state unemployment and reemployment tax obligations, and potential complications for retirement and benefit contributions. HR staff said certain short‑term accommodations (for example after an injury) could be considered but long‑term remote employment across state lines raises multiple administrative and legal requirements.
Commissioners and department leaders discussed examples from other Nebraska counties. Several members said they expect most county positions to be on‑site and that any remote-work exceptions should be rare, temporary and carefully documented. The personnel board and staff will draft a proposed policy for the board’s review; Commissioner motioning was seconded and passed by a 5–0 vote.
Why it matters: The resolution will guide how Scotts Bluff County handles telework requests, ensure compliance with payroll and workers’ compensation rules, and define when exceptions are permissible. Officials said a formal policy would also reduce the risk of misclassification and tax or benefit liabilities for the county.
Speakers included Lisa (human resources director/management accountant reference), Jason (county attorney present in discussion), Jean Bauer (Registrar of Deeds), and commissioners. The board directed HR and legal staff to return with a draft policy for board consideration.
