Town staff should be fully compensated for professional development travel beyond provincial employment requirements, Penhold councillors agreed during a discussion at their regularly scheduled meeting March 11.
Coun. Danielle Klooster said she was concerned about the idea the town might actually deduct from the salary of a training attendee if they had to travel to a meeting during work hours.
“How are you going to deduct from their pay their travel time?” she asked, noting travel costs, not travel time, is covered. “If they are travelling during working hours you're not going to pay them for their time?”
Klooster said the current wording presents a logistical nightmare.
CAO Rick Binnendyk said according to Alberta employment standards there is no requirement to pay employees for travel time, and noted the issue had been discussed in a committee meeting.
“We don't pay for their travel time,” Binnendyk said.
Coun. Heather Klein suggested the wording could be changed to say no additional compensation for travel time will be paid.
Mayor Dennis Cooper said different departments have had different standards for paying overtime for travel and noted the new policy was meant to make one rule across the board.
Klooster said overtime should be paid when employees go for training.
“They weren't on their own time, they were on the town's time,” Klooster said.
Coun. Chad Hoffman said if the town decides a course is required then employees should be paid for attending, for their time and their expenses.
Klooster said she also feels that if the course is voluntary that employees should pay their own way if it's outside of work hours, but that if the course is mandatory then it should definitely be covered, though she noted she appreciates the need to have a uniform policy.
“I do agree that a standard needs to be set,” she said.
Coun. Chad Hoffman also suggested a few other amendments, such as including a line under town vehicles referring to the need for employees to obey all laws and drive in a courteous manner. In order to further protect the town he requested an additional line about employees not driving while overtired or in an emotionally distraught state. He also requested an amendment to specify that only the approved staff member would be allowed to drive the Town of Penhold vehicle.
Binnendyk said the current insurance policy would cover a secondary driver.
Klooster agreed with Hoffman.
“I think that people who are town employees drive town trucks – period,” she said.
A motion to approve the new policy was shot down by council and it was sent back to committee.
Councillors clarified the guidelines around a separate but similar training policy before approving it unanimously.
