County commissioners approve updated employee handbook

YORK – After months of meetings and long conversations, the York County Commissioners have signed off on an updated, revised employee handbook.

​The process included invitations to all department heads to be involved – with most of them participating.
They also worked with the county’s contracted human resource firm, Zelle.
Some updates were small, like outlining how some employees would record work time when they don’t have direct access to a time clock.
They talked about comp time and benefits.
One of the big changes is how previously, there was a one-year wait until an employee could start to accrue vacation time. Now, an employee can start to accrue vacation time upon hiring.
Unused vacation time, after a certain period of time, will be paid out to the employee.
New language will clear up wording regarding holiday pay and observing holidays that aren’t already on the official federal/state list (like an unexpected day of mourning for a presidential funeral, as an example).
There was also the addition of wording to define job abandonment. The handbook changes would include that if an employee does not show up for work or communicate about their absence – for two straight days – it would be considered voluntary resignation.
They also added language regarding cell phone use, policies about social media, the use of county-owned credit cards.
York County Commissioner Chairman Randy Obermier said all employees will have an opportunity to review the new handbook language and everyone will be asked to sign off, noting they have read the changes.