Updated Personnel Policy Takes Effect for County Workforce
Shoshone County commissioners have adopted revised personnel policies that expand holiday compensation for workers required to work during designated holidays and relax restrictions on unused vacation time, addressing longstanding concerns from the county’s approximately 120 employees.
The amended policy, developed through collaboration between county commissioners, the personnel policy committee, and Deputy Prosecutor Luke Zasadny, governs employment practices affecting workers in the courthouse, sheriff’s office, transfer station, and public works shops throughout the county. The 29-page document establishes standards for pay, benefits, leave, and workplace conduct.
Holiday Pay Structure Expanded
The county recognizes 11 paid holidays annually. However, employees in the sheriff’s office and public works divisions must work during many of these holidays to maintain essential services. The revised policy changes how the county compensates these workers.
Under the previous arrangement, employees who worked holidays could receive either time-and-a-half pay or standard pay plus a substitute day off within 60 days—but not both. The new policy provides both benefits simultaneously: employees now receive time-and-a-half compensation plus eight hours of additional compensatory time.
Undersheriff Travis Skinner explained the rationale for the change. “Yes they’re getting paid time and a half for working the holiday, but every employee receives holiday pay. They missed the holiday, so they should, in turn, to make it fair, they should be given an eight-hour block to use within 60 days,” Skinner said during policy committee discussions.
Commissioner Dave Dose added perspective on equity among the workforce. “If you work the holiday and I don’t, we both end up getting one day off with pay. So we’re even on that. You just got that extra half-time because you worked Christmas and I didn’t,” Dose observed, noting that the additional compensation reflects the sacrifice workers make when they forgo holiday time with family.
Vacation Carryover Flexibility Introduced
The revised policy also addresses vacation time accumulation, a source of frustration for employees who found themselves unable to use earned time off.
Previously, county policy capped vacation accrual at 120 hours. Any vacation time exceeding that maximum and remaining unused at the end of the fiscal year was forfeited without compensation—a loss that left some employees feeling penalized for operational demands that prevented them from taking scheduled time.
The new policy introduces exceptions to the use-it-or-lose-it rule, recognizing that staffing constraints and operational needs sometimes prevent employees from taking earned leave. Employees may now retain or receive compensation for excess vacation time under three circumstances: if a department head submits a written request to the Board and receives approval; if the employee attempted to use vacation time but was unable due to staffing shortages or other extenuating circumstances; or if the Board grants an extension for all county employees at the end of the fiscal year.
The three-pronged approach balances the county’s operational requirements with recognition that employees should not lose benefits they have legitimately earned through service.
Personnel Committee Leadership
The personnel policy committee guiding these revisions included Zasadny, Commissioner Melissa Cowles, and Undersheriff Skinner. Their work reflects input from county leadership and attention to equity concerns raised by workers across various county departments.
The updated policy takes effect immediately and applies to all county employees covered under the personnel system, regardless of department or position classification.
What Comes Next
County Human Resources and department heads are expected to distribute the revised policy to all affected employees and provide guidance on the changes to holiday compensation and vacation carryover procedures. Supervisors in the sheriff’s office, public works, and other affected departments will need to ensure compliance with the new provisions when scheduling and compensating employees for holiday work.