Harvey County adopts new Paid Time Off policy for employees, effective Jan. 1, 2026

The Harvey County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Oct. 7 to adopt a new Paid Time Off policy that consolidates vacation, sick and personal leave into a single PTO bank, effective Jan. 1, 2026. County Administrator Kevin Frymire presented the proposal and said the policy was drafted by administration staff and reviewed by counsel.

The policy preserves existing sick balances for current employees in a Legacy Sick Leave Bank and allows employees to use PTO as soon as it is accrued. According to the agenda materials presented at the meeting, "the proposed accrual rates of paid time off are equal to accrual rates of existing vacation, sick, and personal days off," and there are no immediate financial implications for the county. Undersheriff Shawn Chapman, who helped draft the policy, told the commission the change is "a positive change for county employees with little impact to long-term staff members." Commissioner Becky Reimer moved for adoption and Commissioner Terry Scott seconded; the motion passed unanimously.

The policy sets a maximum PTO accrual of 960 hours and provides a separation payout formula tied to years-of-service accrual rates documented in the policy appendix. The PTO plan contains standard operational rules: PTO must be requested and approved by department heads (except for illness or emergency), employees who work with cash must take at least five consecutive days of PTO annually, and Legacy Sick Leave Bank hours may be used only for illness and will not continue to accrue under the new PTO system. The agenda packet notes that employees separating from county service will receive a payout of accrued PTO according to the table in the policy, and Legacy Sick Bank payout rules apply only to qualifying legacy employees.

The commission did not amend the policy during the meeting; staff will implement the new system beginning Jan. 1, 2026 and provide further administrative guidance as needed.