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Quartzsite council debates holiday pay, PTO and four-day workweek to keep Town Hall open
Summary
Councilors reviewed holiday and PTO policy changes tied to a four-day (4x10) workweek, expressing concern about Town Hall and library being closed on some Fridays and urging staffing or policy tweaks to ensure public access. Staff was asked to send a formal recommendation to human resources.
Council members spent extensive time reviewing employee leave policy and the operational effects of a four-day (4x10) workweek during a budget work session. Several members argued that Town Hall must remain accessible to residents and that holidays and a 4-day schedule can unintentionally leave the public without service on some weeks.
"Town Hall, in my opinion, Town Hall needs to be open for the public," Committee member (S2) said, arguing for coverage on Mondays or Fridays so residents can pay utility bills and access library services. Councilors discussed options including eliminating some nonfederal paid holidays (examples cited: employee birthday and a council-approved holiday), staggering schedules, or keeping a small front-desk presence on days when many staff take leave.
The group also discussed a possible shift to a PTO system and an incentive program that would permit a partial annual payout of unused sick leave under defined conditions; staff noted state law requires accrual of sick time and clarified payout and accrual mechanics. Council members asked human resources to refine language and asked staff to return with the fiscal impact on the budget.
Council did not adopt policy changes at the session. A member moved to refer the matter to human resources for drafting of formal policy language and budgetary impacts; staff and council agreed to return the topic for future action.
What happens next: Human resources will be asked to draft policy language and present budget implications and staffing alternatives to preserve public-facing hours.
