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Jerome County staff propose PTO, ESL and sick-leave changes to streamline tracking
Summary
County HR presented revisions to the comprehensive employee handbook focused on PTO/ESL consolidation, sick-leave rules around holidays, FMLA sequencing and donation caps; commissioners agreed accruals should be based on a percentage of paid hours.
The Jerome County Board of Commissioners reviewed proposed updates to the county's comprehensive employee handbook on March 17, with human-resources staff urging changes to PTO, emergency sick leave (ESL) and sick-leave accruals to simplify payroll tracking and ensure fair accruals.
Jesse Vallez, who led the handbook review, said most sections are complete and the remaining open items are the PTO and ESL policies. "The accruals would be changed to be one day every month for employees for sick leave," Vallez said, proposing an accrual schedule that updates each pay period. She told the Board the county had considered moving to a single time bank but found that approach "very costly" and sought alternatives easier for payroll.
Deputy or staff member Cy Lootens suggested a practical transition for current employees: "the easiest way to handle this for current employees would be to move ESL to sick leave and put no cap on the time." Tracee McKim supported simplifying leave banks, noting payroll could face issues if staff maintain three separate banks rather than two.
Vallez also proposed stricter rules for use of sick leave around holidays and sequencing of leave when employees take Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave. "There would be the potential to ask for a doctors note if someone calls in the day before or after a paid holiday. If the individual is not able to provide a note, then there may be a penalty of losing holiday pay," she said. She added that employees would be required to use sick leave, comp time, and PTO if available before being placed on FMLA, and that repeated unexcused absences could lead to write-ups or termination.
On accrual mechanics, Tracee warned that tying accrual only to hours worked could shortchange employees who take leave: they "won’t be able to reach the yearly amount they should accrue," she said. Vallez recommended accruals based on a percentage of hours paid so that staff continue to accrue while on paid leave; the Board agreed that employees should accrue based on percentage of hours they are being paid.
The proposed handbook would also retain an option for employees to donate sick leave to colleagues, with a cap on donations within a 12-month period. The Board gave staff direction to refine the language and return with final policy proposals for formal adoption.
