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Atlantic Beach council discusses new 16-hour adverse-weather leave for town employees
Summary
Council discussed a personnel policy amendment that would grant employees 16 hours of paid adverse-weather leave annually (use-it-or-lose-it) for weather-related barriers to reporting to work; staff will refine language and bring it to the regular meeting for approval.
Councilmember Joseph Starling introduced a draft amendment to the town's personnel policy to provide 16 hours of paid leave annually for employees who cannot safely report to work because of weather-related conditions such as blocked driveways, neighborhood flooding or power outages affecting garage doors.
Town Manager John O'Daniel told council the 16 hours would be use-it-or-lose-it each year and apply only when town hall remains open after an inclement-weather event and the employee cannot get to work. O'Daniel said partial-hour use would be acceptable—for example, arriving late while clearing debris—but that the policy is separate from emergency-closure procedures that apply when the town hall is officially closed. He also noted the policy specifies approval by the town manager and that critical positions (police and other essential responders) would still be expected to report unless circumstances make attendance impossible.
Councilmember Renea Baker said she saw the proposal as a compromise between staff flexibility and accountability. Attorney Gordon reviewed the language before the work session. Council directed staff to refine the wording to clearly distinguish this leave from official emergency-closure policies and bring the amendment to the regular council meeting for action.
