Program would allow employees to donate unused paid-time-off to be used by other employees in emergency situations
By Kellen Olshefski
Editor
The City of Elkhorn Human Resources Committee opted Monday night to hold out a little longer before making a final decision on the creation of a communal medical leave bank for city employees.
City Administrator Sam Tapson said at a previous meeting in August when the city transitioned to a paid-time-off program a couple of years ago it created a medical leave bank for employees, capped at 572 hours. Through the program, Tapson said any paid-time-off up to 24-hours left at the end of an employee’s year is rolled over, with the remainder placed in the employees medical leave bank. However, any hours exceeding the 572 hours are lost.
The committee began discussions in August concerning creating a communal medical leave bank, which would allow for employees in a unique or trying situation to borrow from the communal medical bank. Tapson said under the city’s program, the bank would be filled with paid-time-off lost at the end of the year by those with a full medical leave bank, anonymous and open to anyone in need meeting certain requirements.
Tapson said Monday night this would provide, for example, newer employees who might not have the time-off they need available in the instance of a family medical emergency.
“We’ve come across situations from time to time where employees legitimately need the time and they don’t have the time because they have exhausted it for legitimate purposes,” he said.
For the complete story, see the Dec. 17 edition of the Elkhorn Independent.
