White County moves two public‑health nurses from exempt salary to hourly pay to allow comp time

County health department staff told commissioners the department has two public‑health nurses who had been classified as exempt salaried employees despite frequent after‑hours work for clinics, school events and community vaccination efforts. The nurses and department leadership said the exempt status prevented those employees from accruing compensatory time for irregular extra hours.

At the commissioners’ meeting, Health Department representative Katie (presenter) explained the change and asked that the two nurses be reclassified as hourly so they can earn comp time during busy seasons and schedule compensatory leave later in the year.

A motion to reclassify the two employees from exempt to hourly passed without opposition. Commissioners specified the change would take effect beginning with the next available payroll period; members said they would not attempt to retroactively apply hourly pay. One commissioner asked that payroll and human‑resources staff work with the department to set an effective date that matches payroll cycles.

Department staff said the hourly rates and overall salaries would not change; the action affects classification only so the nurses can accumulate comp time under county policy. Commissioners and staff discussed seasonal workflow and the need to ensure at least one nurse is available for essential duties such as receiving state notifications about communicable diseases.

The board recorded the vote as approved by voice and placed the reclassification into the personnel records for processing.