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h 101 Alpine Parkway Oregon, WI 53575 | Phone: (608) 835-3118 | Fax: (608) 835-6503 www.oregonwi.gov | Find us on Facebook! Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 19.84, notice is hereby given to the public by the Chairperson of the Finance & Personnel Committee, that the following meeting will be held: Meeting: Finance & Personnel Committee Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 Location: Village Hall; 101 Alpine Parkway Time: 5:00 PM f Note: Any person who has a qualifying disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act that requires the meeting or materials at the meeting to be in an accessible location or format must contact the Village Clerk at (608) 835 -3118, 101 Alpine Parkway , Oregon, Wisconsin, at least twenty -four (24) hours prior to the commencement of the meeting so that any necessary arrangements can be made to accommodate each request. Notice is hereby given that a majority of the Village Board of the Village of Oregon is expected to be present at this meeting to gather information about subjects over which they have decision -making responsibility. This constitutes a meeting of the Village Board of the Village of Oregon pursuant to State ex rel. Badke v. Greendale Village Board, 173 Wis. 2d 553, 494 N.W. 2d 408 (1993) and must be noticed as such although the Village Board will not take any formal action at this meeting. Page 1 of 1 AGENDA 1) Call to Order. 2) Roll Call. 3) Approval of January 27, 2025, meeting minutes if correct, and correction of mistakes, if any (staff recommendation: motion to approve as presented). 4) Business (items are for discussion and / or possible action). a) Proposal from the Ad Hoc Cultivating Belonging Committee to consider an employee survey. b) Review proposed amendments to policies and procedures in the Employee Handboo k including clarifications to Sick Leave, Pay at Termination, and Fire and Emergency Medical Services Leave policies. c) Review proposed Employee Parental Leave Policy. 5) Adjournment. Members: Tom Kirchdoerfer (Chairperson), Matt Leas, and Rick Marx. h 101 Alpine Parkway Oregon, WI 53575 | Phone: (608) 835-3118 | Fax: (608) 835-6503 www.oregonwi.gov | Find us on Facebook! Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 19.84, notice is hereby given to the public by the Chairperson of the Finance & Personnel Committee, that the following meeting will be held: Meeting: Finance & Personnel Committee Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 Location: Village Hall; 101 Alpine Parkway Time: 5:00 PM f Note: Any person who has a qualifying disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act that requires the meeting or materials at the meeting to be in an accessible location or format must contact the Village Clerk at (608) 835 -3118, 101 Alpine Parkway , Oregon, Wisconsin, at least twenty -four (24) hours prior to the commencement of the meeting so that any necessary arrangements can be made to accommodate each request. Notice is hereby given that a majority of the Village Board of the Village of Oregon is expected to be present at this meeting to gather information about subjects over which they have decision -making responsibility. This constitutes a meeting of the Village Board of the Village of Oregon pursuant to State ex rel. Badke v. Greendale Village Board, 173 Wis. 2d 553, 494 N.W. 2d 408 (1993) and must be noticed as such although the Village Board will not take any formal action at this meeting. Page 1 of 1 AGENDA 1) Call to Order. 2) Roll Call. 3) Approval of January 27, 2025, meeting minutes if correct, and correction of mistakes, if any (staff recommendation: motion to approve as presented). 4) Business (items are for discussion and / or possible action). a) Proposal from the Ad Hoc Cultivating Belonging Committee to consider an employee survey. b) Review proposed amendments to policies and procedures in the Employee Handboo k including clarifications to Sick Leave, Pay at Termination, and Fire and Emergency Medical Services Leave policies. c) Review proposed Employee Parental Leave Policy. 5) Adjournment. Members: Tom Kirchdoerfer (Chairperson), Matt Leas, and Rick Marx. h 101 Alpine Parkway Oregon, WI 53575 | Phone: (608) 835-3118 | Fax: (608) 835-6503 www.oregonwi.gov | Find us on Facebook! Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 19.84, notice is hereby given to the public by the Chairperson of the Finance & Personnel Committee, that the following meeting will be held: Meeting: Finance & Personnel Committee Date: Monday, January 27, 2025 Location: Village Hall; 101 Alpine Parkway Time: 5:00 PM f Note: Any person who has a qualifying disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act that requires the meeting or materials at the meeting to be in an accessible location or format must contact the Village Clerk at (608) 835 -3118, 101 Alpine Parkway , Oregon, Wisconsin, at least twenty -four (24) hours prior to the commencement of the meeting so that any necessary arrangements can be made to accommodate each request. Page 1 of 2 MEETING MINUTES 1) Call to Order. Chair Tom Kirchdorfer called the Finance & Personnel Committee meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, January 27, 2025. 2) Roll Call. Present: Tom Kirchdoerfer, Jason Mahnke, and Amanda Peterson. Also Present: Village Administrator Martin Shanks, Police Chief Jennifer Pagenkopf, Finance Director Lisa Novinska, and Village Clerk Candie Jones. 3) Approval of September 25, 2024 meeting minutes if correct, and correction of mistakes, if any (staff recommendation: motion to approve as presented). Mahnke moved, seconded by Kirchdoerfer to approve the 09-25-2024 Finance & Personnel meeting minutes. Motion carried 2-0. Peterson was not in attendance for this item. 4) Business (items are for discussion and / or possible action). a) Review proposed amendments to policies and procedures in the Employee Handbook. Village Administrator Shanks referenced his memo dated 01 -27-2025, provided in the packet of information that summarized the proposed amendments to the Employee Handbook. It was noted that most of the amendments add, expand, or clarify language in the Employee Handbook. A redlined version of the proposed amendmentsis also included in the packet of information for review. Mahnke moved, seconded by Kirchdoerfer, to approve the amendments as presented, send them to the Village's labor attorney for final review, and then submit them to the Village Board for consideration. Motion carried 3-0. b) Employee maternity and paternity leave. Mahnke reviewed the memo dated 01-27-2025 provided by Village Administrator Shanks regarding the potential implementation of a Pa rental Leave Policy. There was a general discussion and Mahnke suggested initially establishing a policy that would provide up to Page 2 of 2 eight (8) weeks of parental leave. He indicated he would provide Village Administrator Shanks with a sample policyto serve as a template to help further develop a Village policy. Mahnke moved, seconded by Peterson todirect Village Staff to proceed with drafting a Parental Leave Policy. Motion carried 3-0. 5) Adjournment. The Finance & Personnel Committee adjourned at 5:12 p.m. on Monday, January 27, 2025. Motion carried 3-0. Submitted by, Candie M. Jones Village Clerk Page 1 of 1 MEMORANDUM To: Finance & Personnel Committee From: Martin Shanks, Village Administrator Date: September 29, 2026 Subject: Employee Survey Background The Ad Hoc Cultivating Belonging Committee requested to Chairperson Kirchdoerfer an opportunity to present a proposal to the Finance & Personnel Committee regarding an employee survey. The purpose of the Ad Hoc Cultivating Belonging Committee is to study, consider, and evaluate how the Village may foster and support a culture in which individuals feel valued, respected, welcomed, and able to participate meaningfully in Village government, municipal services, and community life. The Committee is to assist the Village Board in further defining the concept of cultivating belonging as it applies to the Village’s organizational culture, communications, public engagement, service delivery, recruitment and employment practices, and other municipal function s and interactions, and in identifying options and recommendations for future consideration by the Village Board. The Committee’s presentation materials are in the packet for reference. 4(a) VILLAGE OF OREGON | PERSONNEL & FINANCE COMMITTEE SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 PROPOSED STAFF LISTENING TOOL Employee Benefits Survey Proposal A structured way to understand satisfaction, perceived competitiveness, and employee priorities. Personnel & Finance Committee September 29, 2026 1 VILLAGE OF OREGON | PERSONNEL & FINANCE COMMITTEE SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 PURPOSE Turn employee experience into decision-ready insight The survey is intended to inform future benefit, recruitment, and retention discussions. 1 LISTEN Capture how employees experience and value the current package. 2 UNDERSTAND Identify strengths, gaps, and differences in employee priorities. 3 INFORM Give the Village Board clear themes for future strategy and evaluation. Outcome: meaningful employee perspectives, not a promise of immediate benefit changes. 2 VILLAGE OF OREGON | PERSONNEL & FINANCE COMMITTEE SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 SURVEY OBJECTIVES Four questions the survey should answer 1 Satisfaction How satisfied are employees with the overall benefits package and individual offerings? 2 Value & understanding Which benefits are most valued, and how well do employees understand and use them? 3 Competitiveness How competitive does the package feel compared with other employers employees consider? 4 Future priorities What improvements or additions would have the greatest perceived impact on staying or joining? Recommended lens Separate satisfaction with the benefit itself from satisfaction with cost, access, communication, and administration. 3 VILLAGE OF OREGON | PERSONNEL & FINANCE COMMITTEE SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 KEY AREAS OF FOCUS A complete view of the employee benefits experience Health coverage Medical, dental, vision; affordability; provider access Financial security Retirement, employer contributions, life and disability Time & flexibility Vacation, sick leave, holidays, scheduling and flexibility Wellbeing & support Employee assistance, wellness resources, family support Experience & access Enrollment, communication, service, ease of use Recruitment & retention Influence on joining, staying, and recommending the Village Include an open comment prompt so employees can raise priorities not captured elsewhere. 4 VILLAGE OF OREGON | PERSONNEL & FINANCE COMMITTEE SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 SURVEY DESIGN PRINCIPLES Build trust first, then ask for honest input CONFIDENTIAL Report only aggregated results. Avoid demographic cuts that could identify small groups. BRIEF Target a practical completion time with clear wording and limited repetition. NEUTRAL Avoid leading questions. Include balanced response choices and “not applicable. ” ACTIONABLE Ask questions that connect to choices the Village can realistically evaluate. Suggested response scale Very dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied Not applicable 5 VILLAGE OF OREGON | PERSONNEL & FINANCE COMMITTEE SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 QUESTION ARCHITECTURE Use a consistent structure across benefit categories 1 Overall Overall satisfaction with the total benefits package 2 Category Satisfaction with each major benefit area 3 Drivers Cost, coverage, access, flexibility, service, and communication 4 Importance Benefits employees value most and least 5 Market view Perceived competitiveness versus other employers 6 Talent impact Influence on joining, staying, or recommending employment 7 Open input One improvement employees would most like considered Mix ratings + one priority choice + comments 6 VILLAGE OF OREGON | PERSONNEL & FINANCE COMMITTEE SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 FROM RESPONSES TO BOARD INSIGHT Translate findings into a clear, responsible readout 01 COLLECT Anonymous survey window Participation count and completion rate 02 ANALYZE Overall patterns and key themes Do not identify individuals or overstate small-group results 03 REPORT Strengths, pressure points, and priorities Show both quantitative ratings and employee comments 04 CONSIDER Options for future evaluation Pair employee perspectives with cost and market data Important: employee perception is one input. It should complement, not replace, fiscal analysis and external benchmarking. 7 VILLAGE OF OREGON | PERSONNEL & FINANCE COMMITTEE SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 COMMITTEE DISCUSSION Direction requested before survey development SCOPE Are the objectives and benefit categories complete? TRUST What confidentiality and reporting safeguards should be stated? AUDIENCE Should the survey include all regular employees, and how should employee groups be handled? USE What decisions should the final report be designed to inform? Proposed next step: incorporate committee direction and return with a draft survey and administration plan. 8 Page 1 of 2 MEMORANDUM To: Finance & Personnel Committee From: Martin Shanks, Village Administrator Date: September 29, 2026 Subject: Amendments to Handbook Background The Village maintains an Employee Handbook that establishes employment policies, practices, and procedures. The Village adopted a comprehensive update to the Handbook in 2023 and has since made several minor amendments to individual policies. As employees and management apply these policies, they occasionally identify provisions that would benefit from additional detail or clarification. Unless an issue requires immediate attention, management generally compiles these items over time and presents them together as a proposed Handbook amendment. The following amendments are proposed for the Committee’s consideration. Sick Leave The most extensive propsoed revisions concern the sick leave policy. Over the past year, employees have identified several situations in which the existing language does not clearly explain how the benefit is administered. The proposed revisions address those questions by: - Clarifying that part -time employees receive a prorated initial allocation, monthly accrual, and maximum balance. - Explaining how sick leave is handled when an employee moves from a non -benefited to a benefited position or when an employee’s scheduled hours increase. - Explaining how sick leave is handled when an employee’s scheduled hours decrease, while preserving any existing balance that exceeds the employee’s new maximum. - Clarifying that employees whose balances exceed their applicable maximum do not accrue additional sick leave until their balances fall below that limit. - Correcting the cross-reference for attendance requirements from Section 2.05 to Section 3.04. These revisions document the Village’s existing administrative practices and do not substantively change the benefit. Full -time employees would continue to receive 48 hours upon hire, accrue eight hours per month beginning after six months of employment, a nd have a maximum balance of 800 hours. Permitted uses of sick leave, other existing requirements, and the legacy benefit for certain employees hired before 2006 would remain unchanged. 4(b) Page 2 of 2 Pay at Termination The proposed amendment would clarify that prorated vacation included in an employee’s termination payout is calculated through the employee’s final day of employment. Current Village practice has been to calculate this amount through the employee’s most recently completed week. Following discussion withFinance Director Novinska, staff proposes calculating the prorated amount through the final day of employment and expressly stating that method in the Handbook. Fire/EMS Leave This proposed new section would formalize what appears to have been a loosely informal Village practice concerning employees who serve with OAFED. Based on staff’s current understanding, the policy would apply to one current employee. The policy would give department directors and supervisors discretion to authorize an employee to leave work to respond to afire or EMS call. An employee authorized to respond during regularly scheduled work hours would continue to receive regular Village pay without being required to use accrued leave. Committee Considerations Staff requests that the Committee review the proposed amendments and provide any questions ordirections. The Village’s department head team has reviewed the draft language. Apart from the additional considerations described below, the team raised no substantive concerns and generally expressed appreciation for the proposed clarifications. One question raised during that review was whether the Village should consider additional conditions or limitations on termination payouts in cases that involve involuntary termination or separation when an employee is not in good standing. The Village does not appear to have previously applied different payout rules based on these factors. Staff are seeking Committee input or directions on whether to explore this issue further. If the Committee wishes to do so, staff recommend consulting the Village’s employment attorney to determine what options may be legally permissible before developing a proposal. On that point , the proposed Handbook amendments have not yet been submitted for legal review. If the Committee supports the amendments in substantially their current form, it could recommend them for Village Board approval, subject to legal review before Board consider ation. Alternatively, the Committee could request legal review of both the proposed amendments and the payout issue described above, then consider the attorney’s guidance before making a recommendation. Either approach would be reasonable. 4.03 Sick Leave. Benefited employees are eligible for paid sick leave. Sick leave is available for an employee’s own illness, injury, or preventive medical care. Employees may also use sick leave to care for a family member who is ill, injured, or in need of preventive medical care. Benefited fFull-time employees will be provided with 48 hours of sick leave upon hire and will accrue and earn 8 hours of sick leave per month starting on their six-month anniversary. will accrue and earn 8 hours of sick leave per month. Benefited fFull-time employees may accumulate unused sick leave up to a maximum of 800 hours. Employees may use sick leave as it is earned. New employees will be provided 48 hours of sick leave upon hire and will begin accruing and earning sick leave as provided for in this section starting at their six-month anniversary. Benefited part-time employees will be provided with hours of sick leave upon hire and accrue and earn sick leave on a pro -rated basis equal to their regularly scheduled hours of work based on average hours of work per week. For example, if an benefited part-time employee works 21 hours per week instead of 40 hours per week, which is 52.5% of a full time schedule (21 hrs. / 40 hrs.), such employee will receive the following: 25.2 hours of sick leave upon hire, accrue and earn 4.2 hours of sick leave per month starting on their six-month anniversary, and accumulate unused sick leave up to a maximum of 420 hours. 52.5% of sick leave a full-time employee would receive. A Village employee who is promoted, transferred, or reclassified from a non -benefited position into a benefited position, whether full-time or part-time, shall be treated as a new hire under this section for sick leave as of the effective date of the promotion, transfer, or reclassification. An existing benefited part -time employee who is promoted, transferred, or reclassified into a benefited full-time position or into a benefited part-time position with greater regularly scheduled hours will be provided with hours of sick leave upon the effective date of their promotion, transfer, or reclassification equal to the difference between the sick leave allocation previously provided to the employee upon their initial hire or prior subsequent promotions, transfers, or reclassifications and the sick leave allocation applicable to the employee’s new regularly scheduled hours. The employee shall begin accruing and earning sick leave at their new rate upon the effective date of their promotion, transfer, or reclassification without a six-month waiting period. If an employee’s regularly scheduled hours are reduced, the employee’s sick leave accrual rate and maximum accumulation limit shall be adjusted based on the employee’s new regularly scheduled hours. If such employee’s sick leave balance exceeds their adjusted maximum accumulation limit, the employee will not accrue or earn additional sick leave unless the employee’s sick leave balance falls below their adjusted maximum accumulation limit. If, due to previously authorized but discontinued Village sick leave policies, an employee has a sick leave balance greater than their maximum accumulation limit calculated under this section, then the employee will not accrue or earn additional sick leave un til the employee’s sick leave balance falls below their maximum accumulation limit calculated under this section. Employees may use sick leave as it is earned. The Village may require a doctor’s report as provided for under Section 3.04 2.05 Attendance of this Employee Handbook. All sick leave accumulated is canceled and not subject to payout or conversion when an employee leaves the employment of the Village, except for department directors and supervisors hired prior to January 1, 2006, who have twenty (20) years of consecutive service as a department head or supervisor. In those circumstances involving only those eligible employees, they may accrue up to 2,080 hours of sick leave. Additionally, the Village provides these eligible employees leaving employment with the Village the option to convert accumulated sick leave to cash or insurance premium payments. -- 3.08 Resignation / Retirement / Final Pay. … Pay at Termination. The Village will pay all earned wages, compensatory time, and earned vacation time when an employee leaves employment. Vacation time pay also includes any vacation time the employee has accrued but not earned pro- rated through the employee’s final day of employment. -- 4.11 Fire and Emergency Medical Services Leave. An employee who is an active, qualified member of the Oregon Area Fire and EMS District (“OAFED”) and is authorized by OAFED to respond to emergency calls may, with approval of the employee’s immediate supervisor or designee, leave work to respond to an OAFED emergency call during the employee’s regularly scheduled Village work hours . Approval to leave work for this purpose may be denied for any reason. Approved emergency-response leave occurring during the employee’s regularly scheduled Village work hours will be granted without loss of regular Village pay and will not require use of available leave balances. Commented [MS1]: It looks like we have paid this out regardless of whether it was a voluntary or involuntary termination. There was a suggestion to consider that time won’t be paid out if the termination was involuntary or not in good standing. Legal counsel needed. Page 1 of 4 MEMORANDUM To: Finance & Personnel Committee From: Martin Shanks, Village Administrator Date: September 29, 2026 Subject: Parental Leave Policy Background In January 2025, the Finance & Personnel Committee discussed establishing a paid parental leave benefit for Village employees. The Committee advised staff to consider developing a draft policy using eight weeks of paid leave as a starting point. Work on the policy was deferred while staff focused on the April 2025 referendum. Following the referendum rejection, the matter remained on hold while the Village Board reviewed its priorities. In June 2026, the Village Board adopted its two-year strategic plan, which included an objective to complete a parental leave policy. Staff are presenting the initial draft to advance that objective and obtain further Committee direction. Current Status The Village does not currently provide a separate paid parental leave benefit. Employees instead rely on applicable family and medical leave protections, available accrued leave, and, in some circumstances, disability insurance benefits. Eligible employees may take job-protected leave for the birth or adoption of a child under the federal and Wisconsin Family and Medical Leave Acts (FMLA). Federal FMLA provides up to 12 workweeks of leave in a 12 -month period, while Wisconsin FMLA provides up to six weeks for birth or adoption. Leave generally runs concurrently when both laws apply. These laws do not provide paid leave themselves, although employees may use available vacation, sick leave, or floating holidays subject to applicable law and Village policies. Eligibility differs under the two laws. Wisconsin FMLA generally requires more than 52 consecutive weeks of employment and at least 1,000 hours, including paid leave, during the preceding 52 weeks. Federal FMLA generally requires at least 12 months of empl oyment and 1,250 hours actually worked during the preceding 12 months. The Village also offers Income Continuation Insurance through the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds. For enrolled employees with a qualifying disability, the program provides up to 75% of covered earnings, subject to a maximum benefit of $7,500 per month. For uncomplicated childbirth, the 4(c) Page 2 of 4 standard disability period ends six weeks after a vaginal delivery or eight weeks after a cesarean delivery. Qualifying complications may extend that period. Payments begin only after the employee ’s previously selected waiting periods of 30, 60, 90, 120, or 180 calendar days. Because the waiting period falls within the disability period, an employee may receive limited or no benefits for an uncomplicated delivery. Use of paid leave can delay or reduce insurance payments. This coverage addresses the employee’s own disability and does not provide a general paid benefit for adoption or bonding with a child. A separate paid parental leave policy would establish dedicated paid time for qualifying events without requiring employees to draw from their other accrued leave balances. Considerations A paid parental leave policy presents potential advantages and drawbacks for the Village as an employer. Village staff conducted a limited review of publicly available documents on nearby local governments’ websites related to paid parental leave benefits. Some agencies do not appear to offer a similar benefit, others offer arange, from two weeks in Monona to 12 weeks in Dane County, with three weeks in Fitchburg and six weeks each in Madison, Sun Prairie, and Waunakee. Eligibility, proration, scheduling, and other conditions vary by employer and employee group. Potential Advantages - The benefit could help the Village attract qualified applicants and retain employees. Avoiding turnover can reduce recruitment and training costs, preserve institutional knowledge, and support continuity in Village services. - Supporting employees during a significant family transition can help them feel valued by the organization. This may strengthen morale, commitment, and engagement at work. Potential Drawbacks - Employee absences can require work to be reassigned, increase demands on coworkers, and delay projects or services. These challenges can be particularly difficult for departments with limited staffing and existing workload pressures. - The Village could incur additional costs for leave that otherwise would have been unpaid, along with the potential for overtime or temporary staffing needs to cover absences. - Differences in eligibility and benefits for full-time and part-time employees may raise questions about equitable treatment. Employees covering additional work may also view the benefit differently from those receiving it. Some absences would already occur under FMLA or existing leave programs. The additional financial and operational effects would therefore be circumstantial in how the policy changes employees’ use of leave. Page 3 of 4 Draft Policy Overview Staff have prepared an initial draft policy for the Committee’s review, please see the meeting packet. In summary, as currently drafted, the policy includes the following provisions: - The policy covers the birth of an employee’s child or placement of a child for adoption, foster care, or surrogacy on or after its effective date. Employees must have at least 12 continuous months of Village employment before the event and qualify for Wisconsin or federal FMLA both when the event occurs and when leave begins. - As directed by the Committee, the draft includes that eligible full-time employees would receive up to 320 hours per qualifying event, equivalent to eight 40 -hour weeks. Part-time benefits are prorated to regular work schedules. Leave is paid at 100% of the employee’s regular base rate. - Leave must be completed within 12 months of the event and ordinarily taken in one continuous block. The draft allows department directors to approve intermittent or reduced -schedule leave based on operational needs. - The draft calls for parental leave to run concurrently with applicable FMLA and be used before other accrued leave. Leave accruals continue, and paid holidays during continuous parental leave do not reduce the parental leave balance. - If both parents are eligible Village employees, each receives a separate benefit. Multiple births or placements associated with one event do not increase the benefit. - Requests require 30 days’ notice when foreseeable and supporting documentationis required. Unused leave expires 12 months after the qualifying event and has no cash payout. Paid parental leave ends when employment ends. Committee Review and Considerations Staff are seeking the Committee’s input, questions, and direction to guide further development of the draft and ensure it reflects the Committee’s policy preferences. The draft was shared with the Village’s department head team, which, despite some concern about specifics of the policy and the potential for impacting operations, is generally supportive of offering paid parental leave. Their review identified the following areas for Committee consideration. Guidance on these topics would help staff focus additional research and revisions on the issues the Committee wishes to address. - Amount of paid leave. Should the draft retain up to 320 hours per qualifying event? Some expressed concern that eight weeks exceeds most of the benefits identified in staff’s limited review of other municipalities and could create coverage and workload challenges given the Village’s staffing levels. - Part-time employees and FMLA coordination. The proposed proration provides eight weeks of leave based on an employee’s regular schedule. Some part-time employees may qualify only for Wisconsin Page 4 of 4 FMLA, which provides up to six weeks for birth or adoption. For those employees, the proposed benefit could provide time off beyond that entitlement. How should the policy address paid parental leave that exceeds an employee’s available FMLA leave? Will there be a perception amongst staff that these employees are deriving greater benefit from this program than others? - Intermittent or reduced -schedule leave. Should the draft include additional scheduling conditions or limits? More research needs to be done on how these rules may interact with FMLA rights. - Return to work and continued employment. Should repayment be required if an employee does not return after using paid parental leave or leaves Village employment within a specified period after returning? If so, what minimum period of continued employment, repayment terms, and exceptions should apply? - Frequency of eligibility. Should the policy establish a minimum interval between paid parental leave benefits for separate qualifying events? If so, what interval should apply? The draft has not yet been submitted to Village legal counsel.Employment practices liability is a significant area of risk for the Village. Legal review will be needed to address the policy’s interaction with state and federal employment laws, existing Village leave and benefit programs, and any additional conditions developed through the Committee’s review. No action on the draft policy is requested at this meeting. The extent of further work will depend on the Committee’s feedback and may involvemore substantive research and revisions. Staff will works towards completing that work before returning with a revised draft for further Committee discussion. Staff have an internal goal of completing this project by the end of 2026, subject to Village Board consideration and action. Paid Parental Leave Policy Approved by Village Board: XXXXX Page 1 of 4 I. Purpose. The Village of Oregon believes employees are its most important organizational asset and indispensable to the delivery of vital public services to the community. The Village seeks to be a competitive employer of choice, capable of attracting and retaining the dedicated talent needed to serve the public. Providing a s upportive workplace for employees’ family responsibilities promotes employee morale, loyalty, and engagement and encourages their well-being and professional success. Therefore, the Village establishes this policy to provide employees with time away from work to bond with a new child, manage the responsibilities of a growing family, and focus on the physical and mental health of themselves and their families without the added stress of lost income. II. Definitions. For purposes of this policy, the following definitions apply: (1) Eligible Employee . An employee of the Village of Oregon who meets the eligibility requirements in Section 3. (2) Qualifying Event. The birth of an employee's child, or the placement of a child with an employee for adoption, foster care, or surrogacy. (3) Child. A biological, adopted, foster, or surrogate-born child, a stepchild, or a legal ward. (4) Paid Parental Leave. A paid leave benefit provided by the Village under this policy following a Qualifying Event. (5) Regular Base Rate of Pay. The employee’s regular hourly rate or salary equivalent, excluding overtime, shift differential, acting pay, specialty pay, premium pay, stipends, bonuses, allowances, or other additional compensation, unless otherwise required by an applicable personnel policy or law. III. Eligibility. To be eligible for Paid Parental Leave, an employee must meet all the following requirements: (1) The employee must be eligible for either Wisconsin or Federal leave under the Village’s Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) Policy. (2) The employee must meet the requirements under Section III. (1) both on the date of the Qualifying Event and on the date Paid Parental Leave begins. An employee who becomes eligible after the date of the Qualifying Event is not retroactively eligible for Paid Parental Leave for that Qualifying Event. (3) The employee has been employed by the Village of Oregon for at least twelve (12) continuous months prior to the date of the Qualifying Event. (4) The Qualifying Event must occur on or after the effective date of this policy. Page 2 of 4 (5) The employee must comply with the notice, documentation, scheduling, and approval requirements of this policy. IV. Benefit Provision. Subject to the terms and conditions of this policy, an Eligible Employee may receive Paid Parental Leave as follows: (1) Full-time Eligible Employees shall receive up to 320 hours of Paid Parental Leave per Qualifying Event. (2) Part-time Eligible Employees shall receive an amount of Paid Parental Leave pro-rated in accordance with their regularly scheduled work hours. (Example: An employee regularly scheduled for 20 hours / week would receive a total of 160 hours). (3) Paid Parental Leave is paid at 100% of the employee's regular, base rate of pay. (4) Paid Parental Leave must be taken and completed within twelve (12) months of the date of the Qualifying Event. (5) In the case of multiple births or placements (e.g., twins), the 320-hour benefit is not multiplied. It is one benefit per single Qualifying Event. V. Coordination with Other Leave and Benefits. (1) Paid Parental Leave shall run concurrently with, and not in addition to, any unpaid leave entitlements under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or the Wisconsin Family and Medical Leave Act (WFMLA). (2) An employee shall not be required to exhaust their accrued vacation, sick leave, or other paid time off balances before using P aid Parental Leave. Paid Parental Leave shall be the first leave type applied to the qualifying absence. All paid time off accruals will continue as normal during Paid Parental Leave. (3) Paid Parental Leave must be taken in a continuous block. However, an employee may request to use P aid Parental Leave intermittently or on a reduced schedule with the approval of their department director. Such requests will be evaluated based on the operational needs of the department. (4) If two (2) eligible employees are parents of the same child, each employee is independently eligible to use their Paid Parental Leave benefit as defined in Section IV. (5) If a Village-recognized paid holiday occurs during an employee's continuous Paid Parental Leave, the employee shall receive Holiday Pay for that day. That day shall not be counted against the employee's Paid Parental Leave allowance. VI. Notice and Documentation. Commented [MS1]: Some concerns expressed that this amount of time generally exceeds what other nearby communities offer; and given the Village’s staffing levels and strain could pose disruption to service delivery and disproportionally affect other staff. Commented [MS2]: Some part-time employees would have time that may extend them beyond what they qualify for FMLA. Consider proportionality / fairness. Commented [MS3]: This topic has implications that may challenge reliable / consistent operations and delivery of service. Should consider more closely. Page 3 of 4 (1) An employee must submit a Paid Parental Leave request to their department director and Human Resources Coordinator in a form required by the Village. The request should identify the anticipated date of the Qualifying Event, the expected start and end dates of the leave, whether the employee is requesting continuous leave or intermittent / reduced-schedule leave, and any other information reasonably necessary to administer the request. (2) Employees need to provide 30 days’ advance notice of Paid Parental Leave when the need is foreseeable. If that is not possible, or the leave is not foreseeable, employees must provide notice as soon as possible. (3) The Village may require reasonable documentation confirming the Qualifying Event. Acceptable documentation may include, but is not limited to, a birth record, hospital record, adoption documentation, foster placement documentation, court order, legal placement documentation, or other documentation acceptable to the Human Resources Coordinator. (4) Paid Parental Leave may be delayed or denied if the employee fails to provide required notice, forms, or supporting documentation, unless the delay or failure is excused by applicable law or circumstances beyond the employee’s control. VII. Policy Administration. (1) The Human Resources Coordinator is responsible for the interpretation and administration of this policy , including determining whether an employee meets the eligibility requirements for Paid Parental Leave and whether submitted documentation is sufficient. (2) Upon approval of a Paid Parental Leave request, the Human Resources Coordinator shall provide formal notification to the employee, the employee’s department director , and payroll personnel to ensure proper leave tracking and payment. (3) The Village Administrator may be requested to resolve questions regarding unusual circumstances, policy interpretation, operational conflicts, or situations not expressly addressed by this policy. VIII. Other Provisions. (1) Unused Paid Parental Leave has no monetary value. Unused Paid Parental Leave will not be paid out upon separation from employment, retirement, resignation, discharge, layoff, death, or any other end of employment. (2) Paid Parental Leave ends upon separation from employment. An employee is not eligible to receive Paid Parental Leave for any period after employment with the Village. (3) Paid Parental Leave does not carry over beyond the twelve (12) month period following the Qualifying Event and does not accrue from year to year. Commented [MS4]: Other topics brought up that are not addressed but could be: imposition of penalty for not returning to work; return for minimum period; and cool down period between eligibility. Page 4 of 4 (4) Paid Parental Leave may not be donated, transferred, assigned, borrowed against, or used by another employee. (5) The Village may deny, discontinue, or recover Paid Parental Leave benefits if an employee provides false, misleading, incomplete, or fraudulent information in connection with a Paid Parental Leave request. An employee may also be subject to discipline, up to and including termination, for dishonesty or misuse of leave. (6) The Village will not retaliate against an employee for requesting or using Paid Parental Leave in accordance with this policy. (7) This policy does not create an employment contract or guarantee employment for any period. Employment with the Village remains at -will unless otherwise provided by an applicable collective bargaining agreement, individual employment agreement, civil service rule, statute, or other applicable law. (8) For employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the application of this policy shall be subject to the terms of the applicable collective bargaining agreement and any mandatory bargaining requirements. If a collective bargaining agreement confl icts with this policy, the collective bargaining agreement shall control to the extent required by law. (9) This policy shall be administered in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local law. If any portion of this policy conflicts with applicable law, the Village will administer the policy in a manner consistent with the law while preserving the remainder of the policy to the greatest extent possible.