Morton board adopts return-to-work policy adding light-duty and alternate-duty options

The Village of Morton Board voted to adopt ordinance 26-26, amending the personnel policy manual to add provisions for return-to-work light-duty and alternate-duty assignments and to update the manual for recent state law changes.

Village administrator said the amendment "is an addition of policy for the return to work alternate and light duty assignments," explaining it is "mainly meant to give this an avenue for people who are injured on the job that are still able to do duties within the village that they can come back to work" on a restricted basis. The administrator added the other edits are to reflect state law updates.

During discussion, a trustee asked whether both light duty and alternate duty were being added and asked for clarification on what "alternate duty" means. The administrator described alternate duty as work outside an employee's usual line of work, giving the example that a police officer could perform some duties at Village Hall if physically capable. A trustee said they "would prefer not having the alternate duty" and questioned whether training someone for alternate tasks would yield a positive benefit.

Staff clarified that the village would craft and offer appropriate assignments. The record shows that if an employee is physically capable of returning to work under a light-duty or alternate-duty assignment and declines an appropriate offer, there could be disciplinary consequences.

A trustee who described a local example of a police officer on light duty said the arrangement "served to be mutually beneficial" because it preserved the village's investment in training and allowed the officer to assist with records and other tasks while recovering.

After questions and discussion, the board took a roll-call vote and approved ordinance 26-26. The vote and related proceedings were recorded in the meeting minutes.

The ordinance takes effect according to the village's normal ordinance-adoption schedule; the record does not specify an effective date in the meeting transcript.