Board of Trustees
of the
Huntley Area Public Library District
Minutes of the Policy and Personnel Committee Meeting
June 17, 2026
Call to Order: A Policy and Personnel Committee meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Huntley Area Public Library District was held in Program Room 3 at the Huntley Area Public Library District, 11000 Ruth Road, Huntley, IL 60142 on June 17, 2026. Chair Domagalski called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
Attendance:
Committee Members Present: Sandy Domagalski (chair), Linda Benigno, John Schmelzer and Leslie Threadgill-Smith (ex officio)
Trustees and Library Staff Present: Elizabeth Steffensen, Acting Library Director; and Lindsey Jarr, Business Manager
Visitors Present: None
Public Comments: There were no public comments.
Overtime Policy Revisions: The Committee discussed overtime compensation for non-exempt employees. Steffensen presented the updated policy after revisions were made based on legal suggestions.
Overtime, Compensatory, and Extra Time
- Overtime and Compensatory Time
Employees are given as much notice as possible when asked to work overtime.
Except in the case of a bona fide emergency when time does not permit obtaining prior approval, non-exempt employees are not permitted to work more than 40 hours in any work week without obtaining prior approval from his or her supervisor (or the Library Director).
Working unauthorized overtime is grounds for discipline up to and including termination of employment.
- Compensatory Time
Eligible employees are non-exempt employees who are subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Exempt employees under the terms of the FLSA are not eligible employees.
- Determination of Overtime Hours
Overtime hours are any hours actually worked in a given work week in excess of forty (40) hours. The beginning day of the work week for each eligible, non-exempt employee shall commence at 12:00 a.m. each Sunday.
- Accrual of Compensatory Time Due to Overtime or a Bona Fide Emergency
For each hour of overtime worked by an eligible, non-exempt employee in a given work week, one and one half (1-1/2) hours of compensatory time shall accrue. Eligible, non-exempt employees may accrue no more than forty (40) hours of compensatory time, computed as one and one half hours of compensatory time for no more than 26.666 hours of overtime work.
If a non-exempt employee responds to a bona fide emergency outside of regularly scheduled hours including after hours, on holidays, or when on paid leave, one and one half hours (1-1/2) of compensatory time shall accrue whether work is completed remotely or at the library. If emergency response is required during a non-exempt employee’s regularly scheduled hours and the employee is not in an overtime situation, the non-exempt employee shall receive their regular rate of pay when the work is part of their job description.
- Use of Compensatory Time
An eligible, non-exempt employee who has accrued compensatory time will be allowed to use said time within a reasonable period following accrual so long as the operations of the Library are not unduly disrupted. A reasonable period is defined as within 60 days Compensatory time will not be counted as “hours worked” in the period in which such hours are used.
- Payment for Compensatory Time
In specific circumstances, compensatory time may be monetarily reimbursed. An eligible, non-exempt employee who is terminated, and who has accrued compensatory time, shall be monetarily reimbursed for such accrued compensatory time at a rate not less than the average rate of pay for the preceding three years, or the final regular rate of pay, whichever is higher. These circumstances include termination, voluntary separation from employment, or compensatory time earned in the final month of the calendar year.
- Records
Records shall be maintained to document the overtime hours worked by each eligible, non-exempt employee in a given work week, if any, and the number of hours of compensatory time accrued by each eligible, non-exempt employee, if any.
- Monetary Reimbursement in Lieu of Compensatory Time
Nothing herein shall prohibit the Library, at the Library’s option, of freely substituting payment via monetary reimbursement, in whole or in part, for compensatory time off; and an overtime payment monetarily reimbursed does not affect subsequent granting of compensatory time in future work weeks or work periods. Monetary reimbursements to an employee for accrued compensatory time may be made at any time except that on termination, voluntary separation from employment or at the end of the calendar year such payment shall be made pursuant to section 6 of this policy. No employee shall otherwise have the right to receive, upon request, monetary reimbursement in lieu of accrued compensatory time.
- Effective Date
These procedures/practices/policy shall be effective as of June 17, 2026 and the accrual of compensatory time will commence as to any overtime hours worked after such date.
- Extra Time and Determination of Extra Hours
Extra hours are any hours actually worked by an exempt employee in a given work week in excess of forty (40) hours. The beginning day of the work week for each eligible, exempt employee shall commence at 12:00 a.m. each Sunday.
- Accrual of Extra Time
For each hour worked in excess worked by an eligible, exempt employee in a given work week, one (1) hour of extra time shall accrue. Eligible, exempt employees may accrue no more than forty (40) hours of extra time.
If an exempt employee responds to a bona fide emergency outside of regularly scheduled hours including after hours, on holidays, or when on paid leave, extra time may accrue whether work is completed remotely or at the library.
- Use of Extra Time
An eligible, exempt employee who has accrued extra time will be allowed to use said time within a reasonable period following accrual so long as the operations of the Library are not unduly disrupted. A reasonable period is defined as within 60 days Extra time will not be counted as “hours worked” in the period in which such hours are used.
- Payment on Termination for Extra Time
An eligible, exempt employee who is terminated or voluntarily separates from employment, and who has accrued extra time, will not be monetarily reimbursed for such accrued extra time.
- Records
Records shall be maintained to document the extra hours worked by each eligible, exempt employee in a given work week, if any, and the number of hours of extra time accrued by each eligible, exempt employee, if any.
- Monetary Reimbursement in Lieu of or for Extra Time
No monetary payments are made for extra time.
Approved: 01/19/2000
Revised: 03/15/2023
Revised: 05/20/2026
The committee decided to move the policy forward to the Board for approval at the Regular Board Meeting.
Emergency Closing: The committee reviewed the policy of Emergency Closing. They went over the language changes suggested by legal counsel.
Emergency Library Building Closings
- The library recognizes emergency closures of the library building to the public inconveniences the community, so the library will take reasonable measures to attempt to keep the library building open to the public when it is reasonable and safe to do so.
- If conditions merit, the Library Director, or in the Director’s unavailability, the designated staff member in-charge, after making every effort to communicate regarding the situation with the Board President or other member of the Board of Trustees, will make the decision to close the Library building to the public due to inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances. If the decision is made prior to the Library building opening for business in the morning, the Director will follow closing procedures to facilitate the communication of the closing to the community and to all Department Heads and scheduled employees through the library’s telephone tree.
- If the decision to close the Library building to the public is made during the workday, the scheduled closing time will be communicated to all Department Heads and scheduled employees.
- All emergency library building closing information is reported to the Emergency Closings website at: www.emergencyclosingscenter.com.
- When the Library authorizes a partial, full-day, or week-long closing, the Library applies the following leave and pay practices:
- Nonexempt and exempt employees with nonessential job duties are granted emergency closing leave for the duration of the emergency closing. Employees are compensated at their regular rate of pay for hours the employees would have worked but for the emergency closing.
- Nonexempt employees, who are designated essential personnel by the library director, are compensated at their regular rate of pay for hours that the employees would have worked but for the emergency closing. When it is necessary for these employees to work at the library or remotely while the library building is closed, the employee will additionally be granted compensatory time at one-and-one-half times the employees’ regular pay rate for work performed during the emergency closing period.
- Exempt and nonexempt employees on sick leave when a partial-day closing occurs are charged sick leave for the entire day. Workers whose illness lasts longer than the emergency-closing period are charged sick leave for the duration of the period of illness. Should an emergency closing occur on the day that employees normally would return to work after illness, the employees are granted emergency closing leave for that day, and thereafter for the duration of the emergency closing, provided the employees make a reasonable effort to contact their immediate supervisor or the business manager.
- Exempt and nonexempt employees on vacation leave or personal leave at the time of an emergency closing are charged whichever type of leave was scheduled. Thereafter, if the emergency-closing period lasts longer than the period of scheduled vacation or personal leave, the employees are granted emergency closing leave.
- Exempt employees may be granted extra time off for hours worked at the library or remotely during the emergency-closing period for essential business approved by the library director.
- If the Library remains open during inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances, employees are expected to work their scheduled shifts. With supervisor permission, an employee may use paid time off or take time off without pay if the supervisor confirms they are not needed for a shift.
- In the event there an extended closing (i.e. more than week-long) of the Library building to the public (due to a mechanical failure, natural disaster, etc.), the Director and the Board of Trustees will determine the staffing needs and pay issues on a case-by-case basis.
Adopted: 03/14/1996
Revised: 02/20/2013
Reviewed: 06/20/2018
Revised: 6/17/2026
The Board discussed they would like employees to adjust their schedules as much as possible but approved of the time extension and wording changes. The committee decided to move the policy to the Regular Board Meeting for approval.
Set Committee Meeting Date: No need to schedule a meeting at this time.
Adjourn: Benigno motioned; Schmelzer seconded to adjourn the Policy Committee Meeting. All Ayes. No Nays. Motion carried.
Policy Committee Meeting adjourned at 5:19 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
__________________________________________
Stephanie Weil, Secretary
