Employees asked to take unpaid leave
Lawrence County workers could take 10 unpaid days off per month for six months.
SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR
NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Lawrence County commissioners plan to pass a voluntary unpaid-leave program when they meet Tuesday in an effort to cut personnel costs.
At Thursday’s caucus meeting, Commissioner Steve Craig, panel chairman, explained the program would allow county employees to take 10 unpaid days off per month for six months without affecting staff evaluations, vacation, sick leave, benefits, holidays or longevity.
Employees would have to make their regular contributions to their medical insurance when they return from their leave, and the county would pay the employer share while the employee is on leave. Only some benefits over and above the standard, such as additional retirement contributions, would not be made during such a leave.
Employees would have to obtain the permission of their department head and the county administrator before taking a leave.
There is no estimate of potential savings. Craig said that an earlier cost-cutting effort — a hiring freeze that has been in effect about eight months — has not saved much money because fewer than 12 of the county’s nearly 400 employees vacated positions.
Craig did not think employees on a voluntary leave could file for unemployment. But Human Resource Director Karen King said the employment office informed her that employees would indeed be eligible.
She said that in fact, one of three employees in Clearfield County was awarded unemployment compensation when taking part in a voluntary unpaid-leave program.
Craig commented the county is self-insured for unemployment compensation and that there wouldn’t be much of a savings if employees would make claims. But he added, “They could seek it, but I’m not sure they would get it.”
Commissioner Richard DeBlasio said, however, that even if employees did get unemployment, the county would realize some cost savings, although a lesser amount.