HomeMy WebLinkAbout08.11.2008COUNCIL WORK SESSION
August 11, 2008
4:30 p.m.
Council Chambers
Members present: Mayor Pro Tem Reggie Schmitt, Cole, Getty, Greenwood, Welper.
Members absent: Hart, Steve Schmitt.
Moved by Welper, seconded by Cole that the Agenda, as proposed, be approved. Ayes: Five.
Absent: Hart, Steve Schmitt. Motion carried.
Bob Stringer, Human Resources Director, reviewed the proposed Voluntary Transfer of Benefits
Policy. The policy provides for a means for employees to donate benefit time on an anonymous
basis to another employee who has exhausted available resources and needs a helping hand. The
policy applies to regular full-time/part-time employees who elect to transfer benefits to another
regular full-time/part-time employee who has exhausted all available paid leave and who
provides a signed statement from a doctor regarding the employee's need to be absent from work
for a minimum of two weeks. The employee needing assistance must submit a request in writing
to the Human Resources Department. A committee consisting of the Chief Financial Officer,
City Clerk and Human Resources Director will review the request for assistance on a
confidential basis. The Human Resources Department will issue a notice of request to receive
donated benefit time to all departments without publicly identifying the employee, unless the
employee elects to have his or her name disclosed. An employee who elects to make a donation
may contribute an amount equal to 25 percent of currently available vacation/scheduled leave or
personal leave in increments of a complete hour. The notice of intent form is submitted directly
to the Human Resources Department. Donations will be deducted from a donor's current bank in
an amount not to exceed the number of hours needed by the recipient for the current pay period.
All donations will be treated as hour for hour. The recipient of the donated hours may not use
the donated hours to count towards the accrual of any benefits, except for seniority and health
insurance.
Mr. Stringer explained that an employee off on sick leave may qualify for disability insurance, so
this policy will help to bridge the gap between the first day off and the 90 days of benefit time
the employee must use prior to receiving long-term disability insurance. If an employee does not
have benefit time during the 90 days waiting period, he/she would not receive pay and would be
required to pay the total monthly health insurance premium.
Councilperson Getty noted it is his understanding that under HIPPA an employee's name cannot
be mentioned. Councilperson Cole responded that HIPPA pertains to personal health
information.
Mayor Pro Tem Reggie Schmitt noted that donated benefit time has been allowed in the past, but
there never was a formal written policy.
Mr. Stringer explained that the 25 percent limit is so that a donating employee does not exhaust
his or her benefits.. Michelle Weidner, Chief Financial Officer, commented the 25 percent limit
is to protect the donor, who may need the benefit time in the future or who may want to donate to
another employee needing assistance. Mr. Stringer noted that other cities also limit the number
of hours, some less than the 25 percent proposed.
Mayor Pro Tem Reggie Schmitt commented that also depending on the time of the year of the
request for donated benefits, an employee may not know if they will personally have a need for
their time off.
Two employees from the Engineering Department expressed their opinions on the 25 percent
limit. They felt employees should not be held to only 25 percent of their current benefits, that
employees should be able to give as many hours as they want to give. It was also noted that the
city needs a policy, but they don't agree with everything written into the policy.
With no further business before the committee, it was moved by Cole, seconded by Welper that
the meeting be adjourned at 4:49 p.m. Ayes: Five. Absent: Hart, Steve Schmitt. Motion
carried.
Nancy Eckert
City Clerk