By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(Nov. 5, 2026) The Town of Berlin is formalizing guidelines for employee scheduling, workplace relationships, and timekeeping after a review of its employee handbook identified areas needing additional policies.

The Berlin Town Council unanimously approved new employee policies last week regarding flexible scheduling, personal relationships between co-workers, and accurate timekeeping.

Human Resources Director Kelsey Jensen said the language came from recommendations in a third-party review of the town’s employee handbook. The review identified several areas where the current document lacked specific guidance.

Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall initially implemented the policies on a 30-day basis to allow them to take effect before bringing them to the council for formal approval.

The flexible scheduling policy gives department heads the authority to determine whether flex time is appropriate for their departments, provided they consistently apply the same standards and request procedures to employees within each department.

Departments may have different practices based on staffing levels, service hours, and operational responsibilities. However, decision cannot be based on favoritism, personal relationships, or protected characteristics or activities.

Employees seeking to adjust their schedules to make up for an absence must receive approval from their department head or designated supervisor before changing their hours. Requests must identify the date and duration of the absence, proposed make-up hours, and work to be completed.

Make-up hours must occur within the same established workweek and correspond only to the approved time needed to offset the absence. Employees cannot independently arrive early, stay late, or shorten lunch breaks with the expectation that the additional time will replace accrued leave.

The policy also requires documenting schedule adjustments and accurately recording work hours and leave.

The workplace personal relationship policy establishes expectations for professional conduct and disclosure of romantic or sexual relationships between employees.

Jensen said a staff member had expressed concern that the policy should be stricter. However, she said overly restrictive requirements could discourage employees from disclosing relationships.

“I think if you’re too firm on some of those things then they just end up being hidden,” she said. “I think how it’s worded here is more appropriate.”

The policy prohibits supervisors, managers, and employees with authority over another employee’s employment conditions from dating or entering into a personal relationship with a subordinate. Such relationships could result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

It also requires employees involved in romantic or sexual relationships with co-workers to disclose them, regardless of whether they have a direct reporting relationship.

Tyndall said the policy was intended to cover all employees, not just relationships between supervisors and subordinates.

For example, even when employees work in separate departments, they must disclose their relationships so the town can determine whether a potential conflict of interest exists, Jensen said.

If the town identifies a conflict, it may reassign duties or transfer an employee to another position or department. If employees cannot agree on who will transfer within 30 days, the town will decide. If no alternative position is available, termination may occur.

The third policy addresses time theft and accurate timekeeping, establishing expectations for reporting work hours and leave, identifying prohibited conduct and outlining procedures for reviewing discrepancies and addressing intentional falsification of time records.

Town officials said the policies are meant to clarify expectations for employees while ensuring consistent practices across departments.

The Town Council unanimously approved all three policies.