By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Changes to Nephi City's personnel policies and procedure manual were needed.
"Many of the changes are required by state and federal policies and some are needed to clean up old procedures which now need to be updated," said Randy McKnight, city administrator.
For the past several years, changes in that manual have been made one at a time, sometimes at the request of business partners of the city who requested clarifications, sometimes because of changes in state and federal laws, he said.
"The city has a rather long list of policies and procedures dealing with personnel," he said.
The city has arrived at the point where it is wise to consider all of the changes at once and act on a resolution adopting personnel policies and procedures for the employees and officers of Nephi City Corporation.
"Many of the changes are required by state and federal policies," said McKnight. "We now have 40 pages."
Justin Seely, council member, made the motion to adopt the resolution and Brent Bowles, council member, seconded that motion.
"Some of the changes are clerical," he said. "Some of them are clarifications."
There was no sexual harassment policy required when the first city policies were established and an add-on policy was made. However, that federal requirement is now included in the new manual in proper order.
By federal requirement, it is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or employee) because of that person's sex. Harassment can include "sexual harassment" or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature and is not based on gender.
Harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person's sex. For example, it is illegal to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general.
"Page 16, clarifies how benefits are applied," said McKnight. "The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was not a formal part of the former policy."
FMLA provides certain employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year. It also requires that their group health benefits be maintained during the leave.
The city also needed to address the requirement added by federal legislation, including the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, that a majority of federal contractors and grantees develop policies to maintain a drug-free workplace.
A mileage reimbursement, which changed year to year, was part of the city policy. Now the city council is adopting the federal IRS standard mileage rates.
In response to rising gas prices, the Internal Revenue Service raised the national mileage reimbursement rate last summer from 51 cents per mile to 55.5. The city will now follow the IRS standard.
The Utah Retirement Systems offers benefits. However, benefits depend on whether an employee is full-time or part-time.
"Elected officials are considered part-time," said McKnight.
On page 4, he said, the pay and benefits of employees is addressed.
Also addressed, on page 16, is the method and schedule that the city uses to provide health insurance benefits for employees and elected officials.
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a United States Federal law that was enacted in 1938. It protects workers by setting standards for minimum wage, overtime pay, record keeping and youth labor.
This law covers full-time and part-time workers in the private sector and in federal, state, and local governments.
"There are those who are exempt from that and that is addressed in the policy and procedures manual," said McKnight.
