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NORTH EAST — The Town Board is preparing to update its personnel handbook; it discussed the topic at its business meeting Thursday, June 11. The town’s insurance broker is working on the book, but has not yet finished with the amended copy. Despite that fact, the board reviewed some of the points that will likely be addressed once the update is completed.
The first comment made related to town employees who drive while on the clock; the board debated whether it should require a copy of the worker’s license, regardless of whether the vehicle is the town’s or the driver’s.
“I think that’s OK if we ask for their license,” Councilman Dave McGhee said. “I don’t see anything wrong with that.”
“It’s not a big deal,” agreed town Supervisor Dave Sherman.
“We would also be ensuring they have a license,” added Councilman Carl Stahovec.
“You won’t have insurance if you don’t have your license,” pointed out McGhee.
“I didn’t mean to jump into this specific one issue,” Sherman said, “but [it merits discussion].”
The board breezed through issues like telephone and cell phone usage, Internet and e-mail usage, use of hardware, software and gaming software. Military leave and absence were addressed, while additions were made for leaving work for cancer screenings and blood donations.
New text was approved for overtime, call-in pay and longevity recognition, which Sherman said “represents what the board members wanted.” That amounts to employees having the standard three personal days off and then on their 20th anniversary day getting an additional two days off. From that day on employees will then get a total of five personal days a year.
The subject of medical insurance also arose. Full-time employees who were hired prior to July 13, 2006, will get full premium coverage of medical insurance, then the town will pay 75 percent of medical insurance for employees working full time while the employees pay 25 percent. Medical insurance ceases upon retirement. The board members agreed the insurance plan was appropriate.
“I’m fine with the insurance,” Stahovec said, to which the others murmured their consent.
The next topic addressed was nondiscrimination and harassment, which Sherman described as having several pages and looking like “a paperback novel.”
McGhee echoed the statement, and said the policies were pretty stringent.
“You won’t be able to talk to anybody at all,” he said. “You won’t be able to say ‘boo.’”
“How do we sit with it?” asked Sherman.
“I think we’re all good,” Stahovec replied.
The board similarly gave its approval to the updated policy covering the drug-free workplace and awareness program.
“That’s tough to review and criticize,” Stahovec said. “I’m fine with it.”
There was also something new for the board to consider — a section on violence in the workplace.
“Previously we were told we did not have it,” Sherman said.
“I think it should be in there,” McGhee said. “Sometimes we have visitors in Town Hall and we must protect our employees at all times.”
The board agreed. It then moved to approve the language in the selected sections it discussed to be incorporated into the town’s employee handbook. The motion passed with unanimous support (Councilman Dan Briggs was absent from last week’s meeting).
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