The Londonderry Town Council has approved an updated compensation policy for all non-represented personnel.
Town Manager Kevin Smith presented the updated agreement in the Sept. 12 Town Council meeting.
“This is the final revised version. It has been codified,” Smith told the Council.
Smith told the Council that if it approves, all the items in the contract will be effective that night except for Article 10, dealing with performance pay plans. “Half of the non-represented employees fall under the current performance pay plan,” Smith said. “In order to make it fair to all, we would like that to go into effect Jan. 1, 2017.”
The performance pay plan, Article 10, provides for a merit increase of up to 2.5 percent annually based on annual evaluations, which are based on the date of an employee’s appointment to his or her current grade within the existing job position by the immediate supervisor. Each employee is required to provide his or her immediate supervisor with a written self-evaluation not less than 60 days prior to the annual anniversary of appointment to the current grade within the position. The immediate supervisor will meet with the employee within 30 days to review the evaluation and determine the amount of the merit increase.
Interim evaluations may be conducted during any part of the evaluation year if deemed necessary, and all such cases must be documented, including a written record of any perceived performance deficiency, a performance plan and timetable.
Smith said the main difference between this agreement and the prior one is the employee health plan. The contracted employees are moving toward Health Savings Accounts, or HSAs, at a savings to both the employees and the town, Smith said. While the employees may still opt for a traditional health plan, the town is “heavily incentivized” toward helping them switch. While the town is expected to contribute more to the HSAs in the long run, it is still expected to cost less.
A special meeting was held Sept. 13 in conjunction with the New Hampshire Primary to allow voters to weigh in on two contracts, one for AFCSME (American Federation of County, State and Municipal Employees) Local 93, town administrative personnel and one for AFCSME Local 1802, The town insures through Health Trust and the company was offering a one-time deal, so the special meeting was held rather than wait till March.
The Council voted 3-0 to approve the compensation agreement.
In other business Monday night, the Council approved Jocelyn Muller’s appointment to the Solid Waste Committee.