Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Personnel Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sedgwick County adopts 11 paid holidays for 2025 after debate over cost and floating holiday option
Summary
The county approved a resolution establishing 11 paid holidays for 2025. Commissioners debated the fiscal cost of the 11th day and whether to adopt a floating/discretionary holiday; the resolution passed by majority vote.
The Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners voted on Nov. 13 to adopt a resolution setting 11 paid holidays for county employees in 2025, matching the State of Kansas' list and aligning with the City of Wichita except Wichita adds a discretionary personal day.
Human Resources Chief Sheena Schmutz presented the resolution and answered questions about prior deliberations of floating holidays and staffing implications. "We did talk about floating holidays and some of the issues that would bring up within departments...there's no guarantee that someone would get that holiday off," she said, noting departments must keep essential services staffed.
Commissioner Dennis opposed the additional day on taxpayer cost grounds and asked finance staff for the price. CFO Lindsay Poverseau said the extra holiday pay the county provides above holiday credits was about $169,000 and the full taxpayer cost of paid time off for the recent Labor Day holiday totaled roughly $789,000 under the county's current pay structure. Dennis said employees already receive substantial vacation and sick time and questioned the incremental taxpayer cost of adding an eleventh paid holiday. The board debated staff capacity, competitiveness with Wichita and state holiday practices, and possible future discussion at the February budget retreat over holiday structure and floaters.
When the board called the roll on the resolution, the result was a majority in favor and one commissioner opposed. The resolution was adopted; the fire district separately adopted the same holiday schedule during the meeting’s fire‑district session.
