County updates employee policy manual to require benefit payments during leave; grievance process clarified

Alan Frederick, identified as "Chief People" for Williamson County, presented a set of changes to the county's Employee Policy Manual for FY27. He said most edits were verbiage updates, but highlighted two substantive changes: benefit-payment expectations for employees on leave without pay and an updated grievance policy for handling personnel disputes.

"...employees who are on leave without pay will pay their benefits and continue to pay those to keep them," Alan Frederick said, explaining the change was intended to avoid difficulties recouping payments when employees separate from service. Frederick also told the court the grievance policy now directs department heads or HR to make final decisions in many grievance cases so those matters do not come to the commissioner's court routinely.

Commissioners voted 5-0 to approve the EPM updates. County staff said changes and red-line copies would be distributed through the county's PowerDMS system for employee acknowledgement.