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Board revises holiday leave policy to tie accrued leave to hours worked
Summary
The Surry County Board approved amendments to the employee personnel manual clarifying holiday leave: employees who work an observed holiday accrue holiday leave equal to hours worked (maximum 8 hours), up to 80 hours may carry over, and excess is paid out at year end; the change mainly affects shift workers such as deputies and communications staff.
The Surry County Board of Supervisors approved a change to Chapter 5 of the county employee personnel manual Nov. 7 to clarify holiday leave accrual for employees required to work on observed holidays.
Under the previous policy an employee required to work on a holiday received 12 hours of holiday leave. The proposed amendment sets holiday leave accrual equal to the number of hours actually worked on the observed holiday, up to a maximum of 8 hours. County staff explained the change is not legally required by federal law but intended to limit budgetary liability from unusually large leave balances.
Additional language requires employees who earn holiday leave to use accrued holiday leave balances before taking annual leave or compensatory time except as provided in paragraph 3. Up to 80 hours of holiday leave may carry over to the next year; any accrued hours over 80 will be paid out at the end of the calendar year, the county said.
Board members asked how the rule applies to shift workers. County staff and the sheriff’s office explained the policy is based on hours worked. For example, a deputy working a 12‑hour shift that spans midnight would receive holiday leave only for the hours that fall on the observed holiday (an example given: six hours of holiday leave if half of a 12‑hour shift is on the holiday), while still being paid for the entire shift.
Mister Pierce moved to approve the amendment and the board adopted the change by voice vote with no recorded opposition. County staff said changes primarily affect law enforcement and communications personnel and that broader personnel policy revisions may follow in a comprehensive update.
The county noted staff will continue reviewing on‑call policy and other sections of the personnel manual at a later date.
