Archived Story

Supervisors look to amend handbook for grief policy

Published 12:09am Friday, July 27, 2012

NATCHEZ — Employees of Adams County are only given three days of leave a year for bereavement, and the board of supervisors decided Thursday they didn’t believe that was appropriate.accurate

County Administrator Joe Murray told the supervisors Thursday that the state policy for employees who have had a death in their immediate family is to grant three days medical leave. As it is written, the county’s personnel handbook only allows for three days annually, even if more than one family member dies.

“I don’t think that’s right,”Murray said. “I think it should be three days per occurrence.”

One county employee has already been affected by the policy this year due to multiple deaths in their family, Murray said.

The supervisors instructed Murray and board attorney Scott Slover to begin taking the necessary steps to amend the handbook to reflect the desired policy.

The supervisors also gave Murray and Slover the go-ahead to begin another handbook revision, which would change the definition of part-time employee from someone who works 20 hours a week to someone who works 30 hours a week.

While the county currently considers anybody who works 20 hours a week as a part-time employee, Murray said the county’s insurance does not consider anyone who works fewer than 30 hours a week to be part-time and eligible for benefits.

“Our personnel policy needs to mirror what our insurance policy says,” he said.

In other news:

•Murray told the supervisors that a construction firm that has in the past contracted with Elevance has requested to lease the county-owned Pickett building near the Natchez-Adams County Port.

The problem, Supervisor Mike Lazarus said, is that the county has previously made an oral commitment — though not a paper commitment — to Steve McNerney with the Green Alliance about the possible use of that building as a drop site for a future county recycling program.

“I hate to lose a tenant,” Lazarus said. “But (the alliance) has done a lot of work out there under the assumption that we are going to use it (for a recycling program).”

The site might have to be put out for bid before the lease could be granted or a recycling program could use the space, Slover said.

“You would have to have a finding of facts that it was in the best interest of the county to lease that building without bidding,” he said.

Lazarus said he would approach McNerney about looking for other sites with the City of Natchez.

•The supervisors voted to approve the request of Road Manager Robbie Dollar to hire Tony Ballard as a mechanic and to promote Warren Gaines to foreman of the mechanic’s shop.

•The supervisors authorized Slover to send a letter to the owner of a nuisance trailer located at 177 Morgantown Road.

Supervisor Calvin Butler said the trailer has exposed insulation, and rats and snakes are coming out of it.

Print Article
  • Anonymous

    Don’t the employees get vacation days also? Let them use those days. And make sure the deaths in the family are actually family members as defined by the personell handbook.

  • Anonymous

    Vacation days should be used for VACATION not because someone in your family dies. I work for a company that you don’t even get sick days and you have to use vacation days (which we are not paid for) if you are sick. So I think this is a good idea. I have also had deaths in my family and couldn’t even go to the wake or funeral because of company policy regarding who and who isn’t considered a family member. Just because someone is not a family member as defined by a handbook does not mean that person isn’t as close as or closer than someone defined as a family member.

  • Anonymous

    LOOK LIKE JOE MURRAY IS BEGINNING TO USE HIS HEART FOR MORE THAN  JUST PUMPING BLOOD. DON’T KNOW WHAT IN THE HELL LAZARUS IS TALKING ABOUT.

  • http://www.natchezdemocrat.com khakirat

    I don’t feel the local yocalls need to address over state policy for this isn’t going to get it and should be left as is!!! I feel this should be placed on election ballots to check the pulse of the taxpayers (as our sister state of La.) for I don’t see that they have power over state policys governing counties of Ms.!! Murray is out of line on this issue and its not his place to change policy of the state or the BOS!!

  • Anonymous

    Go back and read it again.  The purpose of bringing this up is to bring local policy into line with state policy, not grant something over and above state policy.

  • vilou09

    I’m sure the feeling is mutual..

  • Anonymous

    I know it’s hard to believe but, you get paid to come to work.

  • Anonymous

    Yes the statement is vague – state provides 3 days for immediate family without mention of how many times a year it could be used.  It is further stated to comply with insurance practice.  Looks like we could be considered to be in compliance with state law without further definition.

  • Anonymous

    3 days for a spouse or parent or child is appropriate.  1 day for others – to attend the funeral is adequate, the wake, etc. is normally at night thus does not conflict with MOST people’s work schedule.  Define family members in policy more specifically.

Editor's Picks