Hanson’s Wage and Personnel Board – comprised of the Board of Selectmen – approved a recommendation from the Collins Center of Government Management at UMass, Boston to reorganize the Town Planner and Conservation Agent to a single position for now, and agreed to an additional floating holiday for department heads and non-union employees.

But a new sick leave policy left the board with more questions than answers for now. All three changes would require approval by Town Meeting before becoming part of the town’s bylaws.

Town Administrator René Read was asked for clarification on what constitutes “serious illness” of a family member where sick leave is concerned, and the legality of a proposal that the town be empowered to file for retirement for employees who have exhausted all sick leave and may be deemed unable to perform job duties.

The board also asked to see language for a potential sick leave bank for employees facing long-term illness and a formula for rolling over accrued sick days for long-term employees.

Selectman James Egan was especially vocal in support of a sick leave bank.

“The sick bank has a certain accounting system for things,” Egan said. “This doesn’t.  … In my mind we’re trying to accomplish something here in terms of creating a team sense. One of the ways to do that is with sick bank, because then everybody’s in it together.”

The policy proposal allows them to accrue 175 days over time on a formula of 1.25 days per month after a six-month probation for new hires. Probationary employees may gain one day per month if they work at least 20 hours a week. A table reduces accrued sick days per month by a quarter day for each four days an employee may be absent in a month.

The sick leave changes, which would also govern department heads and non-union employees before being used as a negotiation point in union contract talks, were written to control abuse of the town’s unlimited sick leave policy. Currently the Cambridge Police Department is the only other set of employee bylaws in the state providing for unlimited sick leave, Read said.

“It’s moving back to what employees once had,” said Read, who would also be governed by the changes.

Among the policy provisions, non-job related illness or injury would be covered so long as it is not willful, but not drug or alcohol related illness or illness or injury sustained in another job. Abuse or falsification of sick leave would result in disciplinary action or dismissal. Physician certification of illness would be required after three consecutive days or 10 or more sick days in a 12-month period.

The draft proposal for sick leave policy changes is available at Town Hall.

The idea behind the 35-hour Town Planner/Conservation Agent position would carry a salary range of between $45,000 - $70,000 per year – the same salary range currently assigned to a town planner alone. The conservation agent position’s current salary range is $35,000 - $70,000. The salary of a combined position would be divided between the two departments, as would the job duties, a point of particular concern for Selectman Richard Flynn, who is also currently filling a vacancy on the Planning Board until the annual Town Election.

“This is to allow the town to have a town planner and a conservation agent, however in a shared capacity,” Read said. Both positions are now vacant.

 “I think people out there in the job market do exist that could fulfill both capacities,” he said. “The job description of course would have to be crafted carefully to gear toward both disciplines. Some days it might be busier planning and some days as a conservation agent. I think both positions are critical to the town’s present and future success and at this point the best way to do it is by a combined position.”

The board’s approval only pertains to second floor department heads as union clerical position changes would have to be negotiated.

“I have forwarded this on to the union for their thoughts and consideration,” Read said of the proposals governing clerks, including a ZBA clerk/floater – to fill in for other offices in the future – at between 15-25 hours instead of a clerk reporting solely to the ZBA at 25 hours, down from 35 originally assigned to the position and a combined planning/conservation clerk at 25-35 hours per week.

The floating holiday approved would add to the 12 holidays now allowed for department heads and non-union employees – a benefit bestowed on the employees of the clerical, highway and dispatchers union, who traditionally get 13, 14.5 and 15 holidays respectively. Selectman David Soper voted against the proposal.