First Selectman Paul Roy has begun the process of establishing policies that will govern the use of comp and vacation time by town employees.
The Board of Selectmen Feb. 2 voted to form a committee to examine the issue and create a town-wide policy.
Roy accepted volunteers from the Board of Selectmen to the committee earlier this week. He will be asking the board of finance to send a volunteer to the committee.
“They are going to try to come up with a policy regarding not just comp time but vacation time and any time not directly covered,” Roy said.
The search for an existing policy — an issue raised after the police chief submitted several hundred hours of comp time — has so far been relatively fruitless.
Some town employees have conditions governing vacation and comp time in their contracts. Others do not.
“I didn’t get an answer when I asked how much vacation time I get,” Roy said.
The committee will focus beyond just comp time and look at any time an employee might request compensation for. If there isn’t a policy to cover it, Roy wants one investigated.
Selectman John Conroy Jr., voiced concern about employees coming forward and demanding comp time compensation. In some cases it would be their word against the town’s.
A request for a part-time human resources director will be added into Roy’s budget proposal. He hopes adding that position will help in the administration track and document claimed hours.