Harrington amends personnel policy, removes ambiguous longevity-pay language and directs staff to return with recommendations

HARRINGTON, Kan. — The City Commission voted to amend the municipal personnel policy to remove ambiguous language about longevity pay, formalize certain leave provisions and to incorporate a maternity/paternity leave section. Commissioners also asked staff to draft a clearer longevity-pay proposal for consideration later in the budget process.

City management told the commission the longevity-pay paragraph appears to be a holdover from earlier policy and was written unclearly. The section described an annual calculation "that may be paid" and elsewhere used language suggesting it "shall" be paid following an anniversary date. City legal counsel (contacted during the meeting) advised the commission that if longevity pay were worded as vested or guaranteed, a city could face obligations for amounts that had accrued; however, counsel said changes can be made going forward and that many municipalities eliminate or restructure such pay by ceasing future accruals and offering one-time payouts if necessary.

Given the unclear drafting and the absence of records showing payments had been consistently made, the commission approved the personnel-policy changes as presented and directed staff to return before year-end with a new, clearly worded longevity-pay or recognition proposal tied to the 2026 budget planning cycle. Commissioners declined to adopt an additional holiday (President's Day) at this meeting; the staff recommendation to standardize holiday names and to include maternity/paternity leave in the manual was approved.

The approved amendment also clarified processing timeframes for permits and tightened holiday nomenclature in the personnel manual. The changes passed on a commission vote; staff will develop a detailed longevity program and a fiscal estimate for the commission to consider during budget season.