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Borough employees urge Indiana Borough Council to restore option for direct sick-time donations
Summary
A borough employee and an affected coworker urged the Indiana Borough Council to reverse a proposed policy that would bar coworkers from donating sick time directly to a colleague, citing an employee undergoing cancer treatment and a recent loss of six sick days in the contract.
April Octavec, identifying herself as a borough employee of 20 years, told the council she was speaking on behalf of downtown business owners, family and borough employees to ask that the borough "reconsider the decision to prohibit direct donation of sick time between employees and to move away from the proposed general bank system." She said the current contract already cut six sick days and that the new policy would limit coworkers’ ability to help a colleague in need.
"Implementing a new policy when an employee has stage 4 cancer and prohibiting borough employees to donate sick time is not fair," Octavec said, urging the council to restore an option for direct donation and offering a petition on behalf of employees and supporters.
Don Beffer, whom Octavec identified as the person in immediate need, described using up his own leave while caring for his wife and later undergoing cancer treatment himself. Beffer said his experience made him sympathetic to colleagues who lack leave balances and supported a mechanism that allows direct transfers of sick time: "If that time could be donated, it would be appreciated."
Council members acknowledged the public comment and said the matter would be kept on file for consideration during administration business. No formal action or vote on the sick-time policy occurred during this session; council members asked staff to retain the comment and to bring it forward when the policy is discussed.
What happens next: Octavec said she would present a petition to council; the transcript records council acceptance of the petition for consideration but contains no formal council direction, vote, or amendment on the sick-time policy during this meeting.
