Submitted By
Kira Tchang, Assistant Village Manager/HR Director
Reviewed By
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Agenda Item Title
Title
A Motion to Approve Staff's Recommendation to Overhire Firefighter/Paramedic and Public Works Positions in Fiscal Year 2025
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Overview
Overview
Staff is seeking approval to hire new firefighter/paramedic positions or public works positions when there is a pending retirement/resignation of an employee or a long-term employee disability where the employee is not expected to return to work for an extended time resulting in overtime expenditures to fill the "vacancy" when minimum staffing or service levels require.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
Adopt the motion
Background
The Village has experienced a number of instances where it has knowledge of staffing changes such as a pending retirement/resignation necessitating hiring and cross-training a replacement employee prior to the departure of the existing employee or backfilling a position for an employee on long-term disability where the employee is not expected to return for an extended period of time. Given the 24/7/365 work schedules of firefighters/paramedics it is necessary to maintain staffing levels to provide proper coverage and as a result, overtime can be significant when there is an extended vacancy in an authorized position.
Prior to July 2017, the Village did not have a method to address these types of issues. At that time, the Village would have to wait until the pending retirement or separation occurred to fill the position and would not be able to fill the position vacated by an employee on extended leave. The result would be overtime wages at a minimum of 1.5 times the hourly rate. For the period of time between 2017 and 2021 and again in 2023, the Village had the opportunity to overhire when appropriate.
The use of an overhire program allows for the hiring of a firefighter/paramedic or public works employee and assumes that the departments may exper...
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