Meade County pauses PTO switch while commissioners, staff and union press for more data on short‑term disability

Meade County commissioners on Dec. 10 heard more than two hours of staff briefings and public testimony on a proposal to convert the county’s separate sick‑leave and vacation system into a single paid time off (PTO) program and to adopt a MetLife short‑term disability insurance plan.

Human Resources Director Deborah Bransford told the commission the MetLife short‑term disability plan would cover up to 11 weeks and pay up to 60% of an employee’s wages after a 14‑day unpaid elimination period; she said the current insurer’s pricing was valid through about Dec. 17 and that short‑term disability is an insurance benefit, not replacement sick leave.

Bransford also outlined staff considerations: extending the window to use banked sick leave from 24 to 36 months for some employees; creating an “emergency leave” carryover allowing up to 80 hours for employees with under six years’ service to bridge the 14‑day waiting period for disability benefits; and treating PTO as an earned wage that must be paid out on termination under state law.

Union representatives and multiple county employees urged caution. Paul Eckrift, a Teamsters union representative and sheriff’s office staffer, said union members felt the proposal had been rolled out without adequate department consultation and asked the board to continue an open dialogue before making a change. Other employees told commissioners they use accrued sick time for family caregiving, bereavement and medical needs and worried that converting balances to PTO could reduce protections for long‑tenured staff.

Commissioners pressed HR for precise, tenure‑based accrual comparisons. Several commissioners said that while newer hires might gain PTO hours under the proposed accrual schedule, employees with 10–20 years of service could face a net loss of hours depending on usage; commissioners requested a clear chart showing impacts across the county’s tenure bands, the dollar‑cost comparison, and the exact MetLife policy cap and tax treatment.

The board did not vote on the policy or the MetLife contract; members said they want more detailed modelling on net accrual change by year of service, clarification on whether short‑term disability payments are taxable to employees depending on employer premium payment levels, and a final cost quote if the board approves the plan by the insurer’s deadline.

Next steps: HR will provide commissioners with specific accrual comparisons, a summary of who would gain or lose hours under the PTO schedule, the MetLife payout cap and whether the county’s payment of premiums would affect employees’ tax liabilities; commissioners said they expect to revisit the short‑term disability decision before the insurer’s quoted price expires.