Committee approves multiple employee-handbook clarifications, including attendance and benefit eligibility changes

The committee approved proposed 2026 changes to the village employee handbook that administrators said are intended to increase clarity, strengthen compliance and document current practices.

Koshy (speaker 15) summarized about 19 clarifications and policy additions. Key changes described included: adding a "support services manager" classification under department head; defining employee classifications (full-time, regular part-time, limited-hour part-time, seasonal/temporary, and board/elected-trustee employees) to standardize benefits eligibility; clarifying comp-time payout and Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) reporting (to require comp time earned in the prior year to be reported in that year, with potential reporting fees assumed by employees in certain cases); clarifying health, dental and life insurance eligibility (employees working 30+ hours eligible for health insurance); adding a formal attendance policy and a non‑FMLA medical-leave policy; documenting an existing leave-pool donation program; and adding cyber-security-awareness language.

Trustees asked a few clarifying questions about department-head listings and how hybrid work and vacation accruals would apply in practice. A trustee moved approval; the committee voted to adopt the handbook changes.

What happens next: Staff will implement the handbook clarifications and incorporate feedback as policies are operationalized; trustees requested documentation and asked staff to provide related reports to the committee if needed.

Vote: the committee moved, seconded and approved the handbook changes as presented.