Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Benton County panel eyes sick leave bank

- TOM SISSOM Tom Sissom can be reached by email at tsissom@nwadg.com or on Twitter at NWATom.

BENTONVILL­E — Benton County justices of the peace were split Tuesday on a proposed “sick leave bank” for employees.

The Personnel Committee discussed the proposal Tuesday and asked for several amendments before it’s considered again.

The county adopted a “bridge” sick leave bank policy earlier this year in response to Prosecutor Nathan Smith’s request. Smith said employees in his office wanted to donate some of their accrued sick time to Bruce Rutherford, the investigat­or for the office, who has experience­d serious health problems and used all of his sick time. The Personnel Committee was charged with trying to develop a permanent policy covering all employees.

In the draft policy, participat­ion in the sick leave bank was voluntary, with no requiremen­t employees donate time before asking for sick time. Barb Ludwig, human resources administra­tor, was directed to add a requiremen­t every employee be required to donate time or they would be ineligible to use the sick leave bank.

Barney Hayes, justice of the peace for District 3, said that mirrored his experience­s.

“I worked for two large organizati­on that had a policy something like this,” he said. “In both of those organizati­ons you had to give a sick day to the bank.”

Hayes also suggested an employee committee be included to oversee the program and remove supervisor­s from making decisions on their employees.

Brent Meyers, justice of the peace for District 14 and Bob Bland, justice of the peace for District 11, both questioned the proposal.

“We’re taking taxpayers’ money and just arbitraril­y giving it to somebody because they’re on sick leave,” Meyers said. Meyers asked Ludwig to research past instances when employees have used all their sick time.

Bland also said he’s concerned about the potential cost to the county if sick days that would otherwise be unused are instead being paid through the sick leave bank.

“I don’t think you can say there isn’t a cost,” Bland said. “If you didn’t pay it, there wouldn’t be a cost. But if you pay it there has to be.”

County Judge Barry Moehring said there’s no way to estimate any cost in advance. He said it should be easy to monitor the program and if there’s a cost the Quorum Court can reconsider the program.

“I don’t think this is going to be a significan­t cost,” he said.

The committee took no action on the policy other than directing Ludwig to make the requested amendments. Shirley Sandlin, justice of the peace for District 8 and chairwoman of the committee, said it will be considered at another meeting.

“We’re taking taxpayers’ money and just arbitraril­y giving it to somebody because they’re on sick leave.” — Brent Meyers, justice of the peace for District 14

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