County Council members discussed the new Department of Labor federal requirements for overtime pay for salaried employees during their meeting this week. The new standards go into affect December 1st.
Six Marshall County employees could be affected by the new rules which would require the county to pay them overtime even though they have a salaries position. Those positions that could be affected include: Highway Administrator, Highway Supervisor, EMA Director, Veteran Service Officer, Museum Director and Building Inspector. The new standard threshold is $47,476 up from $23,660 while the threshold is scheduled to increase to $51,000 the end of 2017. Anyone making less must be paid overtime while those making more would not be eligible for overtime.
The County Council had two options, allow those salaried employees under the threshold to receive overtime or raise their annual salary over the threshold.
County Council President Judy Stone recommended leaving things as they are and see how they shake out in this first year.
There was some concern with County Commission Deb Griewank reminding council members that the Highway and EMA are on call all the time and we are heading into the winter weather season.
Griewank told Council members that their plan differed from the Commissioners.
The council then voted to approve that recommendation of Mrs. Stone and leave things as they are and see what happens. No one really knows how many overtime hours are worked by these 6 employees because they were salaried and didn’t track their actual hours.
The Council president did not that no additional funding was placed in the 2017 budget for overtime pay for these few employees.
