Macomb is taking a couple steps to help attract and retain quality city employees.
Parental leave policy
City Administrator Scott Coker said the city will now offer a parental leave policy for its workers.
“I think one of our employees asked about it and when I got into looking to see what we had for a policy, I found we didn’t have one,” he said.
Coker said city workers will get up to four weeks of paid parental leave after the birth or adoption of a child. He said it’s the same leave offered by Western Illinois University.
Coker said employees will be eligible after they’ve been with the city for six months.
The city council approved the policy 5-1. At-large city council member Tammie Leigh Brown-Edwards voted against it, arguing the city should provide six weeks of paid leave.
John Vigezzi of the second ward abstained because his wife works for the city.
The policy went into effect upon its approval.
Seniority steps
The city council also took action to reward non-union employees who remain with the city for a long period of time.
Those workers will receive a $1,500 increase in their base pay after their ninth, twelfth, and fifteenth year with the city, and another increase in their base pay for every five years after that.
They previously received no such pay bump.
Those holding elected office are not eligible.
Coker said the city needs to offer such incentives to remain competitive. He said it’s a difficult hiring market for almost every employer right now.
“We want our employees to feel that they’re valued and this is just one way to do that,” he said.
The city council approved the policy, 6-0. Vigezzi abstained again for the same reason.
The policy is retroactive to May 1, 2022.
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