Subject:
Title
Request to consider amendments to Chapter 11 of the Town Code - Personnel relating to updates in human resources terminology, authorizations for business operations, and holidays
Body
EXPLANATION AND SUMMARY:
Since 1969, when the Personnel Code was established, there have been revisions to parts and sections of the Code, up to and including in 2014. It appears that the last sweeping review of the Personnel Code occurred in 2012. However, as we have attempted in the last few years to apply the Personnel Code to daily Town work force management, we have noted that some syntax and language in the current text is archaic to current human resources standards and incompatible with standards used by other local national jurisdictions. We propose changes to correct these anomalies.
• Additional laws recently extended by the Commonwealth have been included to clarify the area of non-discrimination and language added to preclude the need to correct the text as newly expanded discrimination laws come into effect.
• We propose new language for actual terminology used in the management of human resources and used commonly in administrative regulations.
• Further, we propose new language to ease business continuity in matters that have been cumbersome in attempting to obtain authorizations for minor actions; e.g., the all-encompassing rule that “all requests” for leave without pay must be approved by the Town Manager. In practicality, not all leave without pay is “requested” by an employee; Town supervisors have the authority to not pay an hourly-wage employee for hours they do not work and do not report, as they are the approvers of “time” for pay purposes.
• A substantial change is in the Holidays section, where the Town Manager requests replacement of one new holiday for another and the addition of one-half day to Christmas Eve, at an additional cost of $14,000.
The attached matrix indicates all proposed changes by section of the Personnel Code. Where a proposed change may incur a financial cost, the attached matrix will indicate “material change” preceding the change.
Strategic Plan Initiative: Vienna is an influential and well-governed community.
Departmental Recommendation: Approve proposed changes to Chapter 11 of the Personnel Code of the Town of Vienna
Finance Recommendation: Recommend approval.
Purchasing Recommendation: N/A
Town Attorney Recommendation: Town Council may approve the proposed Town Code Chapter 11 amendments in its discretion. If it wishes to move forward with the proposed amendments, the amendments should be advertised for consideration of adoption in accordance with Town Charter provision 9.1.1.
Town Manager's Recommendation: I recommend the Town Council direct the Town Clerk to advertise a Notice of Intent to Adopt proposed amendments to the Town’s Personnel Code at the October 5, 2020, Council meeting, as presented.
Cost and Financing: N/A
Account Number: N/A
Decision Needed by This date: 09/14/20
PROPOSED/SUGGESTED MOTION
Recommended Action
"I move to direct the Town Clerk to advertise a Notice of Intent to Adopt proposed amendments to the Town’s Personnel Code at the October 5, 2020 Council meeting.”
Or
Other action deemed necessary by Council.