The Virginian Pilot is reporting that the City Council in Suffolk is set to approve some changes to its personnel code. The last time the chapter was updated was in 1998. This part caught my eye (emphasis added):
The revised chapter also includes an entirely new section titled “Separations” that says all employment with the city shall be at-will. It says the city “may terminate an individual’s employment relationship, with or without cause, upon reasonable notice” unless the employee has a written agreement with the city manager.
While city spokesperson Debbie George says this wording provides “clarity” and not “a substantial change to employees’ status,” I find it curious. Unless I missed it, Norfolk’s at-will employees are limited to a small group – the manager, the city assessor, the city attorney, the city auditor, among them – and not every employee in the city. Is it typical for all employees in the city to be at-will?
Another consideration here:
The council is scheduled to vote on the revisions as part of its consent agenda, a list of items that generally passes without discussion.
What? No discussion? Will council know what they are voting on here? According to the article:
Councilman Charles Parr said he expected the ordinance for the proposed changes to be pulled from the consent agenda so city staff can explain them to the public before they’re approved.
Well, I hope you make sure it gets pulled from the consent agenda. Because council needs to have time to review the before and after versions of this chapter and make sure that the changes don’t adversely affect the employees.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 