Larry Kline
Havre Daily News
lkline@havredailynews.com
Havre city workers will donate some of their own sick time to help a comrade in need.
Drue Newfield, president of the union that represents the city's public works employees, on Wednesday said one of the department's workers has a “serious” illness and has been hospitalized in Great Falls.
A provision in the union's contract allows other workers to donate some sick leave to another worker, and the City Council on Tuesday approved the union's request to allow workers to donate even more.
Newfield said the effort is an example of the workers looking out for one of their own. He said it is something that has only happened a few times in the 18 years he's been with the city.
Mayor Bob Rice said the City Council's approval of the request was the right thing to do.
“This is a courtesy, a compassionate thing to do,” he said.
City Clerk Lowell Swenson today said city policy allows workers to donate only the amount of sick time a person had accrued before taking leave.
For example, if a worker has 12 hours of leave and uses all of it, the other workers can only donate a combined total of 12 hours to that person.
The City Council's vote allowed other workers to donate as much time as needed.
Swenson said he does not yet know how much time has been donated.
