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Personnel committee agrees to use 12-week FMLA baseline, allow sick-time supplementation through short-term disability
Summary
The Personnel Committee agreed to follow the 12-week FMLA baseline for job protection, repost positions after 12 weeks unless a documented accommodation exists, and permit employees to supplement short-term disability pay with accrued sick time to approach full pay.
The Personnel Committee in Charles Town directed staff to use 12 weeks as the baseline job-protection period under the handbook and to repost positions after that period unless a reasonable accommodation is documented. Committee member (Speaker 1) framed the decision around attorney guidance and federal standards: "I just wanna understand what we're approving or what we're deciding. What we're recommending to council," the member said during the discussion.
Staff explained how the handbook currently separates health insurance continuation (up to 12 weeks) from income protection and short-term disability, and said the city can allow employees to use accrued sick time to supplement short-term disability payments. "So then you get the $900 a week is the current benefit," Staff member (Speaker 3) said, noting the city is negotiating improved short-term terms with a new insurer. The committee agreed to clarify handbook language to reflect these points rather than change the substantive baseline policy.
