News : Nepotism policy: Employee handbook revision will allow county worker to keep job

The Benton County Board of Supervisors, along with several representatives of county departments, have been working for several weeks on revising the county employee’s manual (handbook).

On Tuesday morning, the group spent more than an hour going over the fourth revision of the handbook, which covers a variety of employment rules and procedures.

Among the most notable changes the group has agreed to make is regarding the nepotism policy. For more than 20 years, the county has had a policy much more restrictive than Iowa law; it prohibited any close relatives from working in the same department.

This strict nepotism policy came into question when the marriage of a secondary roads department employee, Josh Burkhart, to Kari Benson, whose father, Mike, has worked in that department for decades; activated the nepotism policy, resulting in a letter of termination for Josh. The couple appealed to the supervisors, who initially supported the policy, but later agreed to a three-month extension as they reconsidered the nepotism policy and other employee handbook issues.

During Tuesday’s meeting, the handbook team discussed its agreement with the new policy, which allows relatives to work in the same department, as long as there is not a supervisory role between relatives. The new policy is more similar to that of most other Iowa counties; the wording actually came from the policy in effect in Washington County, about 90 miles south of Vinton.

The supervisors heard from Benton County Engineer Myron Parizek and Sheriff Randy Forsyth, who both told them the policy created difficulties within their departments.

The new manual also includes a section for donated leave, describing the terms under which county employees could offer their paid days off to a colleague facing a catastrophic illness or injury. The handbook will also include updated language on harassment policies, Worker’s Compensation claims, and other employment issues. It also extends the bereavement period for an employee whose parent, spouse or child dies from three to five days.

The group agreed on most of the new revisions, but still has a question about the Worker’s Compensation section. A formal approval of the new handbook is expected in the near future.

Tuesday’s review of the handbook highlighted the challenges county leaders face in adopting a policy that addresses all of the issues which state and federal law require, while creating a positive working environment that is fair for both county employees and county tax payers.

One section of the handbook refers to a “benefits administrator;” the county does not have one person who is officially designated as such, although the staff of the auditor’s office works with department heads on keeping records of employee vacation, sick leave and other benefits. Another section refers to a “Safety Manual,” which the county does not have, although there have been some discussions about such a policy book.

In a discussion related to the nepotism policy, Parizek told the supervisors earlier in Tuesday’s meeting that the grievance filed in the Burkhart termination issue will be dropped when the new policy goes into effect, allowing him to retain his employment.