Dimmit County court clarifies time-and-a-half pay for employees during declared emergencies

County commissioners on Jan. 13 revised how the county pays employees called in during declared emergencies, voting to pay time-and-a-half to non-deputy county employees who report to work under a county-judge or governor-declared emergency and who sign in with the county judge’s office.

The motion, introduced during a broad discussion about last winter’s sheltering operations, clarified competing readings of minutes from a prior emergency. Payroll staff had interpreted the earlier minutes to mean time-and-a-half applied only for holidays; commissioners and the county judge said their intent was to compensate employees during an emergency declaration. The court’s action makes pay contingent on an emergency declaration and the employee’s reporting and sign-in to the county judge’s office so the hours can be certified for payroll and state reporting.

County representatives said the policy excludes sheriff’s deputies because they are covered by a different schedule and pay rules; deputies who were physically staffing the shelter and who signed in would be eligible under the county’s emergency reporting process, county staff said. Commissioners also discussed how to document varying duties — for example, employees who assisted by distributing blankets or checking on elderly residents would record hours differently than staff who manned the shelter.

The county judge asked payroll and HR staff to retain sign-in records and certify hours for submission to the Texas Department of Emergency Management. The court voted in favor of the motion; the transcript records the motion, a second and the court’s “Aye” vote followed by “Motion carries.”

Next steps: county payroll staff will collect sign-in documentation and certify hours for any approved emergency pay; the commissioners directed that the judge’s office be the clearinghouse for certification.