Budget panel recommends raising maximum unused-leave payout, flags $1.6M potential liability
May 08, 2026 | Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
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The BET, the county budget oversight panel, voted May 7 to recommend that the Budget Board adopt an increase in the maximum payout for unused annual leave for eligible employees from 480 hours to 640 hours.
Staff presented two actuarial-style projections showing the change would increase the county's total maximum liability by about $1.59 million. "I created two projections, and I kinda broke them down in projection 1 and 2, of what this would cost both come to about 1,590,000," the presenter (S4) said, distributing the analysis and noting the estimate did not include certain vacancy or subsequent salary changes.
The panel discussed how the change affects reported liabilities: staff said current total liability is roughly $5.9 million and that raising the maximum would bring the total to about $7.5 million. "So the 1.6 is just the increase," the presenter explained. Members emphasized the difference between an increase in the reported liability and the practical likelihood of all employees separating service at the same time.
Chair (S2) framed the item's purpose as a fiscal review and asked whether BET should make a recommendation to the Budget Board. Staff said the handbook committee would still present the policy recommendation to the Budget Board, while BET's role was to assess fiscal implications.
A motion to recommend the Budget Board adopt the new maximum payout limit was moved by Staff member (S1) and seconded by Chair (S2). The motion passed on a voice vote after members said "Aye." The panel recorded the recommendation for the Budget Board; BET did not itself change the handbook or immediately alter payroll practice.
What happens next: the handbook committee and the Budget Board will consider the same proposal; staff said the measure could take effect when the handbook is formally adopted. The presenter noted that while the $1.59 million increase is the modeled total potential exposure, the county is unlikely to pay that entire amount in a single fiscal year because separations are spread over time.
Staff presented two actuarial-style projections showing the change would increase the county's total maximum liability by about $1.59 million. "I created two projections, and I kinda broke them down in projection 1 and 2, of what this would cost both come to about 1,590,000," the presenter (S4) said, distributing the analysis and noting the estimate did not include certain vacancy or subsequent salary changes.
The panel discussed how the change affects reported liabilities: staff said current total liability is roughly $5.9 million and that raising the maximum would bring the total to about $7.5 million. "So the 1.6 is just the increase," the presenter explained. Members emphasized the difference between an increase in the reported liability and the practical likelihood of all employees separating service at the same time.
Chair (S2) framed the item's purpose as a fiscal review and asked whether BET should make a recommendation to the Budget Board. Staff said the handbook committee would still present the policy recommendation to the Budget Board, while BET's role was to assess fiscal implications.
A motion to recommend the Budget Board adopt the new maximum payout limit was moved by Staff member (S1) and seconded by Chair (S2). The motion passed on a voice vote after members said "Aye." The panel recorded the recommendation for the Budget Board; BET did not itself change the handbook or immediately alter payroll practice.
What happens next: the handbook committee and the Budget Board will consider the same proposal; staff said the measure could take effect when the handbook is formally adopted. The presenter noted that while the $1.59 million increase is the modeled total potential exposure, the county is unlikely to pay that entire amount in a single fiscal year because separations are spread over time.
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