Employee Forum Minutes

November 13, 2003

Fire Station #5

 

Members Present:  Felix Bloch, Ann Brown, Maggie Burnett, Norman Clark, Lois Jean Houpe, Bernard Leach, Mona Nazir, Iris Schwintzr, Kelly Stokes, Deborah Squires, Susie Whaley, Mary Jean Williams

 

Members Absent:  Than Austin, Jeff Clark, Amy Edwards, Amy Harvey, Chelsea Laws, George Long, Leanne Mikles, David Sasser, Traval Watkins

 

• Minutes approved from the 10-09-03 meeting
• Agreement on items for discussion. 

Additional items:

 -Meeting host rotation- members agreed to continue with the rotation as is. 

-Update from Human Resources on past items discussed. -Health insurance coverage with regard to FMLA. 

–Adverse weather policy; the Benefits and Policy WG’s are to look at this.  Mona will check to see if the policy is posted to the Town’s web page.

• EF Elections Update: Letters to nominees were sent out and distributed through current EF members.  In general there was a low response. The Library had no consent letters returned so the department head will be contacted. Ballots were sent out on Nov. 7^th and are due back by the 17^th. A letter will be sent out the week of Thanksgiving to persons elected and they will be invited to attend the December 11^th meeting at the Library.  It was suggested that we may need to look at the number and allocation of representatives per department, as Parking Services is going to the Finance Department, and other department divisional groups’ feeling isolation within their department.  This will be up for discussion at the January meeting.
• Employee Appreciation: -it was suggested that this group should not dictate to the Employee Appreciation Day committee. –money was not budgeted to do a Saturday event, so it is doubtful that it could happen at the next EAD.  MaryJean asked that any reps. that have not submitted their departments input regarding EAD to do so and she will summarize it and send it to HR by Tuesday the 18^th.
• A hard copy of the update from HR was passed out. Service award certificates will now be awarded to 5 year employees
• It was decided to forego breaking into workgroups because of low attendance.
• Health insurance coverage with regard to Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA):  Maggie Burnett said the policy states that employees on unpaid leave past 12 weeks will not have health insurance coverage premiums paid by the Town. The employee has the option to request an extended leave of absence that has to be approved by the Town manager.  With extended leave of absence approval she would like to see the Town continue to pay the employee’s premium for heath insurance coverage through the approved leave period.  It was suggested that we propose to the Town manager that the period for which health insurance premiums are paid cover the entire approved unpaid leave. It was suggested that we look at what other municipalities/companies are doing. Maggie will write up a proposal to present to the EF by email, collect any comments and then forward to the manager and to Pam Eastwood.
• Adverse Weather Policy- there remains many questions about the policy regarding closings, etc.  There needs to be clarification of how closings are decided.  Individual departments can have sub-policies.  Essential and non-essential employees need to be defined as well as contact people.  It was decided that we would break into WG’s at the beginning of the next meeting and the Benefits and Policy WG’s will work on this item and hopefully have something to present to the group before we adjourn. 
• Mona Nazir brought up the computer work stations that have been installed at Transportation and Public Works.  They were put in so employees who don’t have access to computers could go to the EF web page and put in comments or suggestions, but they are not being used for that purpose. They are being used for accessing the external internet, game sites etc.  There is a request to install a second work station at Transportation in the Maintenance Division and since the first one isn’t being used for what it was intended, should another one be set up?  She requested feedback from members.  Most members felt that Transportation and Public Works employees should have the freedom to use the computers for whatever they want within the guidelines of the Town’s policy as do people who have computers at their desks are allowed.  We should still encourage all employees to use the EF web page; it is possible to set up the computer to open to the EF web page. Mona will take this back to the IT department and relay the EF’s recommendation that a work station be set up in Transportation’s Maintenance Division.