Sarpy County board committee recommends multiple revisions to personnel policies, adds lactation and bullying policies

The Sarpy County Board’s personnel committee on April 21 recommended approval of revisions to several county personnel policies and approved new workplace policies, including a workplace lactation support policy and a workplace bullying policy.

The committee voted to forward changes on layoffs, grievance and disciplinary procedures, secondary employment and tobacco policy, and removed two separate informal-complaint and appeal-procedure regulations to fold appeals into a consolidated discipline-and-appeal process. All motions carried 3-0 with two members absent.

The revisions formally add an HR practice already in use: written performance-improvement plans. Mary Davis, Sarpy County human resources director, said the discipline change "added the performance improvement plan to this document because we are currently doing that now," and that a PIP can lead to further discipline, "up to and including termination of employment if they're not successful with it." Davis also told the committee that employees facing financial consequences from discipline have a Loudermill hearing available, describing it as "the right to have a Loudermill hearing" prior to final action.

Why it matters: The package clarifies how the county will order layoffs, handle recall notifications and appeals, and document supervisory decisions — actions that affect day-to-day employment rights and administrative processes for county staff. Several items place formal limits on staff conduct and leave use and create a clearer path for employees to seek remedies.

Key changes and supporting details

- Layoff policy: The committee recommended approval of revisions that clarify layoff order and recall notification. Davis summarized the proposed order as "temps, provisional, and casual employees" followed by probationary and then regular part-time and full-time positions depending on office needs. For recall, the policy retains registered mail as a backstop: HR will first try phone/email and use registered letters only when direct contact fails.

- Discipline and appeals: The committee recommended renaming Rule 7, Regulation 1 to "Discipline and appeal process" and folded appeal language into that rule. The revision formally incorporates performance-improvement plans (PIPs) as a step supervisors may use; Davis said a PIP is intended to give employees clear goals and regular meetings and that disciplinary outcomes following an unsuccessful PIP (suspension, demotion, termination) remain appealable to the personnel policy board.

- Grievance procedure and appeal consolidation: The committee recommended updated language for the grievance procedure (Rule 2, Regulation 2) that narrows grievances to disputes over the meaning, interpretation, or application of county policy. The separate appeal procedure (Rule 8, Regulation 3) and the informal-complaint rule (Rule 8, Regulation 1) were removed so appeals and complaint handling are consolidated under the updated grievance/discipline framework.

- Secondary employment: The board recommended a standalone secondary-employment policy that formalizes the existing standard: outside work is allowed so long as it does not conflict with county duties. Department heads will review and document approvals; departments will prompt annual renewals (corrections may renew more frequently around shift bids). The policy explicitly bars using paid sick leave to perform work for another employer.

- Workplace lactation support: The committee approved a new workplace lactation support policy (replacing a prior "Nursing Mother" bulletin) that requires the county to provide reasonable break time and a private, non-restroom space with electricity and storage for employees who choose to pump at work, and to accommodate those needs for up to one year after birth.

- Tobacco policy: The county’s tobacco-free workplace policy was updated; it continues to follow the referenced Nebraska Clean, Indoor Act and focuses on prohibiting smoking inside county facilities and vehicles while allowing designated outdoor areas for smokers during authorized breaks. Davis removed language that had required employees to confront members of the public who were smoking on campus.

- Workplace bullying: A new, separate workplace-bullying policy was approved. It defines reportable conduct broadly ("includes but is not limited to" the listed examples), directs employees to report incidents to supervisors or HR (or use the Integrity Counts anonymous reporting website), and states that substantiated violations will be handled through the disciplinary policy up to and including termination.

Votes at a glance

- Approve minutes from March 27, 2025 meeting — Motion by Jonathan Davidson; second by Randy Bennett. Vote: Bennett (yes), Davidson (yes), Melissa Kimmerling (yes); George Forrest (absent), Diane Bruce (absent). Outcome: approved. - Layoff policy (Item 3) — Motion by Randy Bennett; second by Jonathan Davidson. Vote: 3-0 (2 absent). Outcome: recommend approval. - Grievance procedure (Rule 2, Reg. 2; Item 4) — Motion by Randy Bennett; second by Jonathan Davidson. Outcome: recommend approval. - Discipline and appeal process (Rule 7, Reg. 1; Item 5) — Motion by Jonathan Davidson; second by Randy Bennett. Outcome: recommend approval (name change and PIP addition). - Remove informal complaints (Rule 8, Reg. 1; Item 6) — Motion by Jonathan Davidson; second by Randy Bennett. Outcome: recommend approval (policy removed). - Remove appeal procedure (Rule 8, Reg. 3; Item 7) — Motion by Randy Bennett; second by Jonathan Davidson. Outcome: recommend approval (consolidation). - Secondary employment policy (Item 8) — Motion by Jonathan Davidson; second by Randy Bennett. Outcome: recommend approval (annual renewals; sick-leave restriction). - Tobacco-free workplace policy (Item 9) — Motion by Randy Bennett; second by Jonathan Davidson. Outcome: recommend approval. - Workplace lactation support policy (Item 10) — Motion by Jonathan Davidson; second by Randy Bennett. Outcome: recommend approval (private space, reasonable time, not a restroom). - Workplace bullying policy (Item 11) — Motion by Jonathan Davidson; second by Randy Bennett. Outcome: recommend approval. - Adjournment (Item 12) — Motion by Randy Bennett; second by Jonathan Davidson. Outcome: approved.

Implementation and next steps

The committee instructed HR and department heads to implement the changes, run annual renewals for secondary-employment forms and to coordinate lactation-space arrangements. Davis said HR will continue to investigate allegations and support supervisors in consistent application of discipline.

Personnel context and meeting notes

Three committee members were present for the April 21 meeting: Commissioner Randy Bennett, Commissioner Jonathan Davidson and Commissioner Melissa Kimmerling; George Forrest and Diane Bruce were absent. Carrie Plummer Galecki attended as board secretary. The meeting lasted approximately 46 minutes and involved staff explanation and board questions on each proposed policy change. Mary Davis, Sarpy County human resources director, announced she is retiring and said drafted policies will be presented by the incoming HR director in coming weeks.

The article is based on the April 21, 2025 Sarpy County personnel-committee transcript and the committee’s recorded motions and votes.