The Carroll County Board of Supervisors is considering a minor change to how they administer payroll that could have a temporary but significant impact on county employees. During their meeting this (Monday) morning, the board held preliminary discussions on proposed updates to the county employee handbook. The county currently operates by paying salaries and wages ahead rather than in arrears. Board Chair Stephanie Hausman says this practice was noted in recent audits.
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Carroll County is one of the few counties in the state that still process payroll in this manner. The supervisors are considering adjusting paydays to cover the period ending two weeks before checks are issued. The change is minor in the long term, but if approved, it would have employees’ first paycheck of Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 issued at the end of July. Hausman says employees need to be aware of the potential effect.
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Specifics of the plan have not been finalized, but county officials are considering ways to lessen the impact on employees. One idea proposed was to allow staff to use accumulated leave time to cover the gap. District 2 Supervisor Mike Andersen suggested splitting that first paycheck to provide some cash flow.
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Another proposed change to payroll is the required use of timesheets. While many departments already use timecards internally, the adjustment would make it a countywide policy and allow for better shift tracking. The supervisors encourage department heads or county employees concerned about the proposed change to share them with the board. No official action was taken to implement these changes at Monday’s meeting, but it will return to the board’s agenda in the near future.