Braintree council adopts executive personnel leave policy; reduces future vacation carryover and tables comp-time item

The Braintree Town Council voted unanimously to adopt a revised executive and legislative personnel policy governing vacation, sick, personal and other leave, and voted to table a separate compensatory-time policy.

Mayor Erin Joyce said the policy refresh updates job titles, clarifies rules on carryover and aims to limit an untracked liability from continuously rolled-over vacation. She summarized key changes, saying the proposed change reduces maximum carryover from 15 days to 10 days once the policy is in effect, while allowing a one-time carryover of 15 days at the end of the current year. The mayor also said extended vacations of roughly two weeks would require prior approval from the mayor’s office or chief of staff for planning purposes.

Councilor Morin, chair of the personnel committee, told the council the committee met Nov. 18, Dec. 3 and Dec. 10 and voted unanimously to recommend the policy. Morin said members “dug into the weeds” and ultimately deferred to the mayor’s preferences as a fair balance between fiscal prudence and protecting employees who had been granted carryover in good faith.

Councilor America clarified for viewers that three positions report directly to the council: the town auditor (a contractor), the interim town clerk Deborah Starr, and the clerk of the council, Susan Cimino.

The council approved the policy “effective 01/01/2025 as submitted.” The motion to adopt item 028241 was moved by Councilor America and seconded by Councilor Bridal; the vote was unanimous. The council subsequently voted to table item 028242, the compensatory-time portion referenced as the second part of item 02824. The motion to table was made by Councilor America and seconded by Councilor Flaherty and carried unanimously.