Public employees also gain 2.5 holidays
By Bert Lehman
The Clintonville City Council adopted a new personnel manual that includes implementation of paid maternity, parental and adoption leave.
The new manual was approved at the March 12 city council meeting by a 7-2 vote. Aldermen Brad Rokus and Ben Huber voted no. Alderwoman Julie Stumbris was absent from the meeting.
In a press release announcing the implementation of the paid maternity, parental, and adoption leave benefit, Clintonville City Administrator Sharon stated: “If we are to ensure we are able to continue to attract quality staff to serve our community, we must proactively adjust and adapt to provide the work environment the emerging generations expect and deserve. Part of the vision for this new manual involved doing just that, and so, Clintonville became just the third known municipality in the state of Wisconsin to offer paid maternity, parental, and adoption leave.”
According to the press release, this benefit includes “paid benefit time of 240 hours for the birth mother, 80 hours for the non-carrying parent, and 80 hours for adoptive parents.”
“When pregnant women do not have access to this benefit, they typically end up working later into the pregnancy and returning to work much sooner, sometimes to the detriment of their physical and mental well-being and that of their newborn,” Eveland stated. “Paid maternity leave acknowledges the necessary and beneficial role that women bear in society.”
By adopting this leave benefit, Eveland said, “The city of Clintonville took in one step further by also providing leave for the non-carrying parent and adoptive parents as well. It is critical that parents bond with their children after birth or placement and this benefit acknowledges that crucial aspect of parenthood.”
Eveland stated Sun Prairie also offers 240 hours of parental leave for all parents, while Madison’s specific benefit structure could not be determined.
Personnel manual highlights
Prior to discussing the changes to the manual at the city council meeting, Eveland said overhauling the personnel manual took almost two years and involved all the city’s department heads. The previous manual was implemented in 2003.
“Anything that has been a policy or a past practice will no longer be in effect [when the new manual is implemented],” Eveland said. “Basically if it’s not … in this personnel manual, it is no longer a policy or procedure.”
The city will address issues that are not covered in the personnel manual as they arise, she said.
Eveland shared some of the manual’s other highlights.
City employees will receive two and a half additional holiday days over the course of a year: a half-day for Thanksgiving Eve and full days for New Year’s Eve and Good Friday.
Eveland said these changes were made based on what holidays are offered by other area communities.
The personnel manual also addresses emergency closings of city facilities. These will now be treated as a holiday. Employees not at work will receive holiday pay, while essential personnel who have to report to work will receive the holiday rate for their pay. Essential employees are defined in the manual.
The new personnel manual changes how sick leave is converted and how overtime hours are determined. It also addresses educational reimbursement for employees.
Prior to the vote, Huber asked if a cost analysis was conducted to determine how the changes would impact the city’s budget.
Eveland said those figures were not calculated.
“I do know that we are taking things away and we are adding things. … Expenses are going both up and down in different areas,” Eveland said.