Meade County hearing draws heavy employee opposition to proposed PTO transition

Meade County commissioners on Nov. 20 heard several hours of public testimony after Human Resources Director Deborah Bransford outlined a plan to replace the county’s separate sick‑leave and vacation banks with a single PTO system effective Jan. 1.

Bransford told the commission the proposal offers three options for employees with six or more years’ service: carry a 240‑hour sick bucket for 24 months, carry half that amount under a different schedule, or receive a cash payout at a minimum rate. She said a cash‑out at $11.20 per hour (the plan’s minimum) would cost the county about $111,927 under one scenario and that paying out balances at regular wages would total about $272,653. Bransford said the county intends to provide a county‑paid short‑term disability benefit that would cover up to 11 weeks after a 14‑day waiting period and that PTO accruals would be larger for many employees (for example, 6.15 hours per pay period, roughly 20 days per year for one tier).

Employees and department representatives raised repeated objections during the public comment period. Chief Deputy James Johns said the rollout showed a “fundamental failure of leadership” and that employees were not meaningfully involved in developing the plan. “Imagine dedicating yourself for years to preparing for your future to only have those plans derailed without notice or consultation,” Johns said.

Several longtime employees said the six‑year eligibility threshold and the proposed payout formula would reduce compensation they had earned. Nathan Jagom of the Highway Department and Julie Urbanic of the sheriff’s office said the cutoff and the move to PTO could leave some employees with little or no sick leave when they need it for serious illness or family care. Deputy Gary Rogers warned of “holes” in operations if senior staff lose accrued time they would otherwise use.

Union representative Paul Whitcraft read union language saying collective bargaining requires at least 30 days’ notice for such changes unless an emergency exists and formally requested further talks with the union. Several department heads including Deputy State’s Attorney Kay Luther urged the commission to preserve existing benefits for current employees and limit changes to future accruals.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about implementation details such as: whether accruals would be tracked in one‑hour increments (Bransford said FMLA tracking requires one‑hour minimums and she would ask whether 15‑minute increments could be allowed after an initial hour), how carryover would interact with vacation and payroll cycles, and how the county would administer short‑term disability. Bransford said the plan would honor the current handbook for employees who retire or quit before the policy change date and that about 41 employees currently qualify for the 6+‑year provisions.

After public testimony, the board voted to postpone formal action on the PTO proposal and return it to its original place on the agenda so commissioners and staff could gather additional information and respond to logistics questions.

The commission provided no final policy change at the Nov. 20 meeting; commissioners indicated they are open to further workshopping the plan and staff said employees would be given options within the proposed framework if the board proceeds.

Next steps: the commission postponed decision‑making to gather more payroll clarifications, a detailed short‑term disability policy, and to consult with department heads and bargaining units before any final vote.