Discussion Regarding Updating the Personnel Policy

The purpose of this discussion is to begin reviewing the City's Personnel Policy, with initial discussions focusing on whether or not the City Council desires staff to actively pursue adding a Paid Time Off (PTO) system.   In the interest of time, recognizing the 2018 budget discussion item is a priority, staff will review other provisions of the policy only as requested. Because staff intends to seek feedback from several groups, including Department Heads, the City Attorney, and the Labor Management Committee, staff does not anticipate finalizing the Personnel Policy for several weeks.  

When the Personnel Policy was updated in August, 2014, the City Council directed staff the review and update the policy on a regular basis in an effort to avoid too many updates; the previous policy was in effect for eight years.  It should be noted, Personnel Policy discussions are not necessarily linked to the budget process and are not intended to change total compensation.

The focus of the updates will primarily be driven by the following needs: 1) the need to have a legally compliant policy that thereby reduces risk to the City, 2) the need to provide consistency with the City's labor agreements, where appropriate, to promote fairness among employee groups, 3) and the need to have a defensible reference to which applicable employees and others shall be held accountable.

Employees included in a collective bargaining agreement entered into in accordance with the Public Employment Labor Relations Act shall be exempt from any provision of this policy that is inconsistent with such agreement.