Grant County Health Department to stop carrying comp time forward; council approves $10,000 transfer to buy out accrued time

Grant County’s public-health leadership told the council on Dec. 3 that it intends to change its comp‑time practice and no longer allow carryover from year to year. To implement that change without disadvantaging employees, the department requested a one‑time transfer of $10,000 from HFI salary accounts to the overtime line to buy out accrued comp time at year end.

Department representatives said public-health staffing and emergency callouts can make scheduling and comp‑time use difficult; the proposed policy change would be part of a larger employee-handbook update that has not been revised since 2011. Council members asked whether the change complied with the employee handbook and state guidance and whether other departments follow the same practice; the county said the handbook rewrite and legal review are in process and that health‑funding rules permit using local public‑health services funds for overtime for public‑health employees.

Why it matters: changing comp‑time carryover affects employee pay and scheduling across the health department and could increase short‑term payroll costs if many hours are bought out. Council approved the $10,000 transfer by voice vote and asked staff to ensure handbook updates and legal compliance are finalized.

Representative quote: "It just would be easier if we see more balance to everybody at the end of every year," a health-department speaker said, explaining the rationale for the buyout.

Ending: The council approved the money to effect the buyout; staff will proceed with handbook revisions and legal checks and will report back as that work progresses.