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Mona council weighs options to keep seasonal worker under state unemployment cutoff
Summary
Council members discussed options to avoid triggering unemployment for a seasonal worker (Joe) whose outside job and the city's seasonal position combined to exceed a $5,300 state threshold; options included splitting the job between two hires, shortening the season, or reducing hours and pay.
At a Feb. 25 Mona City work session, participants discussed ways to retain a seasonal worker known as Joe while keeping his municipal earnings under a state unemployment threshold the group described as $5,300.
An unidentified presiding official summarized the state limit: “So 5,300 is the cutoff. Is the limit.” Participants discussed options to keep the town within that limit, including hiring two people to split the seasonal duties, shortening the seasonal hire window, or asking Joe to accept fewer hours so his municipal pay would not trigger an unemployment claim.
Council participants reviewed Joe's past work patterns and pay. One participant said Joe had worked six months previously and “he would have made, like, $7,500” (figure offered during the discussion), though participants also described uncertainty about exact historical totals. The group explored staffing calendars that ranged from April–August, May–August, or a May–September span; several favored starting earlier in spring and ending in August so fertilizer and other spring tasks would be covered.
The work session did not include a formal vote. Participants asked staff to speak with Joe to see whether he would accept a reduced-month arrangement (examples discussed included April–August or May–August) or reduced hours so pay stayed below the stated cutoff. One participant said they could alternatively post the seasonal job and hire two people if Joe declined.
Council members praised Joe's prior performance but acknowledged the town might need to reconfigure the role to remain under the unemployment threshold and still maintain essential mowing, watering and garbage duties.
