Linn County supervisors order management to take time off

Linn County department heads and managers will be required to take at least two weeks' vacation  a year under a new policy supervisors hope will eliminate large cash buyouts for unused vacation and sick leave.

Lisa Powell, the county's human resources director, outlined the proposed change this morning at supervisors' work session. The supervisors will officially adopt the policy at Wednesday's formal session, 10 a.m. at Linn County West in the Westdale Mall.

Powell researched and designed the new policy after Auditor Joel Miller noted a few long-time county employees who don't take much time off could cash in unused vacation and sick leave for significant amounts. Managers may get between four and a half and seven and a half weeks of paid leave each year.

The change requires managers to take at least 80 hours of paid time off a year to reduce their unused leave. Managers who fail to take the required time off will lose it after two years.

Powell's staff is preparing a report for supervisors on the financial impact of the policy, based leave used and cashed in during the fiscal year that ends Wednesday.