City of Countryside Human Resources Committee met Feb. 13
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
1. CALL TO ORDER
Alderman Musillami called the meeting to order at 6:15 PM.
2. ROLL CALL
Present: Chairman Mikolyzk, Alderman Frohlich, and Alderman Musillami
Also Present: City Administrator Paul, Assistant City Administrator Peterson, Police Chief Ford, Deputy Chief Klimek, Commander Stern, HR Executive Assistant Dignin, and Attorney Denise Filan
3. PUBLIC COMMENT
None.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – JANUARY 12, 2023.
4.a. The minutes of the regular meeting from January 12, 2023 were previously distributed to the members of the Human Resources Committee.
Alderman Frohlich moved to approve the minutes from January 12, 2023, seconded by Chairman Mikolyzk and carried unanimously.
5. BUSINESS FROM THE COMMITTEE FOR DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND IF SO DETERMINED, ACTION UPON:
5.a. Consideration of the City of Countryside Employee Handbook Amended December 31, 2022.
Assistant City Administrator Peterson gave a brief history of the current employee handbook. The handbook was originally adopted in 2008 and minimal updates have been made to it along the way; such as the Drug and Alcohol Policy and the Anti-Harassment Policy. Sharon, Sue and Denise had been working on updating the Handbook for the past year; there have been many revisions to it. One of the changes to the Handbook from the older version is that we have a section in the back that has appendices for all of the policies; this will make it easier to update the book when a policy changes. New polices to take note of in this version are the Concealed Carry Policy and the Computer Usage/Electronic Communication/Social Media Guidelines Policy. Ms. Peterson introduced our Labor Attorney, Denise Filan to the Committee.
Attorney Filan thanked the Committee members and stated that it has been a pleasure working with Ms. Paul, Ms. Dignin and Ms. Peterson for the past year. Ms. Filan explained how we took out all the old language that was no longer applicable, and also added in new language that is required by law. Another change that was made that we revised the sections of the manual; there is now a section that covers employee benefits, employee policies and the like. This is for the same reason as the appendices, if something changes with the laws for example, if something changes in immigration law, it is easier to change out that page in the section (page 8-10 for example). Ms. Filan also said that if the City Council makes any changes to the manual, it will also be easy to replace those pages as well. Chairman Mikolyzk asked if there were changes the Council made, would they have to be voted on, Ms. Filan said yes, they would have to be voted on.
Attorney Filan reviewed some of the newer sections with the Committee; the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, that Act covers employers with 15 or more employees. The Act covers pregnancy, childbirth, and it was updated to include reasonable accommodations. We reviewed the Harassment Policy, the Drug and Alcohol Policy and both of those had been updated by the Committee previously. We also updated the Employee Benefit language; where it reflects the benefits offered to retirees and full time employees. The Education Assistance Policy and Service Recognition Awards Policy were also added in the appendices section. A lot of the sections were moved around in the Handbook and put into areas that just make more sense. We also added in the Sick Leave Buyback Policy that was never actually in the handbook but decided that it made sense to have it in there since it is a benefit.
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) language was updated. Prior to the update, if an employee was gone for longer than six months, the City would bear the burden of paying for the employees’ medical insurance; the language has changed to indicate that if an employee is going to be out more than six months, the employee would be responsible for reimbursing the City the full cost of the medical insurance. City Administrator Paul explained that we recently had someone on FMLA leave, and there is nothing in the Handbook that says after the 12-weeks are up that they are allowed to stay on the City’s medical insurance. If an employee is out on FMLA leave, after the 12-weeks they can request additional time off, but after six months is when they have to begin paying for the City’s medical insurance on their own.
Attorney Filan reviewed other updated Acts and Policies in the Handbook: Victims Economic Safety and Security Act (VESSA), Family Bereavement Act, Leave without Pay, School Visitations Rights Act, and Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act.
Chairman Mikolyzk thanked Attorney Filan and staff for all the work on the Employee Handbook. He asked for a motion to bring this item to the City Council at the February 22, 2023 meeting for final approval.
Alderman Frohlich moved to approve the Employee Handbook and bring it to the City Council at the February 22, 2023 meeting for final approval seconded by Alderman Musillami and carried unanimously.
5.b. Consideration and Action to Establish a Full-Time Lead Community Service Officer (Lead CSO) Position and Approve the Lead CSO Job Description.
Deputy Chief Klimek explained to the Committee the need for a Lead CSO in the Department. The HR Committee had discussed and approved the position at their May 12, 2021 meeting. Historically we have had budgeted for 10 part-time CSO’s; however, we have staffing issues like all other employers are dealing with and we currently only have three CSO’s working for the City. We haven’t been able to have anyone staff the evening shift, and by creating this position, they would work the afternoon shift and would be able to cover as needed. We truly need someone here during these times, because it is the CSO who is the primary contact to the public after hours. We looked back six years, and we have actually never had full staffing.
Chairman Mikolyzk said that he would like to commend members of the Police Department for bringing this forward because this has been an issue with staffing for quite some time. Deputy Chief Klimek said that the CSO position has been a stepping stone type position for a lot of the former CSO’s, because many of them have left Countryside and gone on to become Police Officers in other departments. One of our former CSO’s left here to become an Officer in another Department and ended up becoming an Officer here from our Lateral Transfer list. The draft job description was included in the packet for the Committee to review. Alderman Mikolyzk said that he is in support of this and asked if the Committee members had any questions.
Alderman Musillami moved to approve the establishment of a full-time Lead Community Service Officer, to approve the Lead CSO Job Description and to bring these items to the City Council at the February 22, 2023 meeting for final approval seconded by Alderman Frohlich and carried unanimously.
5.c. Consideration and Approval to Begin the Hiring Process to Fill the Full-Time Position of Lead Community Service Officer (Lead CSO).
Chairman Mikolyzk stated that this item goes hand in hand with what was just passed, so unless there are any questions, there really isn’t a need to discuss the item.
Alderman Frohlich moved to approve the hiring process for the Lead CSO position and to bring it to the City Council at the February 22, 2023 meeting for final approval seconded by Alderman Musillami and carried unanimously.
6. OTHER COMMITTEE BUSINESS
None.
7. ADJOURNMENT
Alderman Musillami made a motion to adjourn and was seconded by Alderman Mikolyzk, and carried unanimously.
Chairman Mikolyzk declared the meeting adjourned at 5:28 p.m.
https://www.countryside-il.org/agendas-minutes/february-13-2023/
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