Leave Changes

Dear Staff,

On Thursday, December 9th, the Metropolitan Library Commission approved changes to MLS leave policies. These changes were made as a result of the Comp/Class/Benefits Study by the Singer Group.

The major changes included the elimination of doctor/dental leave and the earn rate for sick leave was reduced from 10 hours a month to 8 hours a month. These changes will go into effect on January 1, 2012.

As a reminder, the library commission requested that a study be done by an outside consultant who was asked to survey MLS compensation, classification and benefits compared to the market.

This study was completed and presented to the Finance Committee and the commission in August. The commission approved the recommendations (see Finance Committee August 11, 2011 Agenda item #III and Commission minutes Document #22 September 15, 2011) for changes to the comp and class structure and requested that staff begin working on the benefits portion of the report in order to bring recommendations back to the Administrative and Personnel Committee in the fall of the year for possible leave changes and in the spring for other benefit changes.

The recommendations approved on Thursday were to eliminate doctor/dental leave and to reduce earned sick leave hours from 10 a month to 8 a month. These recommendations came in response to the survey (see full benefit report page32-33), which showed that MLS was the only institution to offer doctor/ dental leave and the 120 sick leave hours earned annually led the market. In addition, feedback to our consultants from the staff and supervisors via the focus groups, the project review committee, the employee hotline and the online employee survey, indicated staff concerns that this benefit was being abused.

The Executive Director is ultimately tasked with making final decisions of this nature. But it is important to note that feedback from staff took place throughout the entire length of the project as referenced above.

I made the decision to recommend this change to MLS leave benefits in light of the charge given to me by the commission and the discussions that have taken place over the past several years in commission meetings regarding commission perceptions that MLS provides staff very generous benefits.

While we told staff that no one would receive a salary cut as a result of the study, it was never stated or indicated that benefits would stay the same. I hope this clarifies the process that was undertaken and better explains the decisions that were made.

Donna